Conflict of Interest Policy
The Mindoro Journal of Social Sciences and Development Studies (MJSSDS) adheres to the ethical principles and best practices of scholarly publishing, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal is committed to ensuring transparency, integrity, and objectivity in all stages of the publication process.
A conflict of interest, also referred to as a “competing interest,” arises when an author, reviewer, editor, or their employer or sponsor has a financial, commercial, legal, or professional relationship with other organizations or individuals that could influence—or be perceived to influence—the research, interpretation of findings, or editorial decision-making process.
Conflicts of interest may be financial or non-financial in nature. To ensure full transparency, any association that could reasonably be perceived by others as a potential conflict must be disclosed.
Financial conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
- Employment or voluntary involvement in relevant organizations
- Collaborations with advocacy or interest groups related to the manuscript content
- Grants or funding received from entities supporting the research
- Personal fees such as honoraria, royalties, consulting fees, lecture fees, or expert testimonies
- Patents held, pending, or licensed by authors or their institutions
- Stock or share ownership in relevant organizations
- Financial benefits arising from the development or commercialization of products related to the research
Non-financial conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:
- Receipt of equipment, materials, software, or services that may influence the work
- Access to data repositories, archives, or collections provided by interested entities
- Membership in boards of industry bodies, private companies, or advocacy groups related to the topic
- Writing assistance or administrative support from interested individuals or organizations
- Personal, political, religious, ideological, academic, or intellectual competing interests relevant to the content
- Involvement in legal proceedings or disputes related to the subject of the work
Upon submission, full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest is required. Authors may declare these in the manuscript, cover letter, or through the journal’s online submission system. The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team will use this information to inform editorial and peer-review decisions. In some cases, the presence of significant conflicts may result in rejection of the manuscript.
All declared conflicts of interest may be published alongside the article to support reader transparency and allow proper evaluation of the work. If no conflicts exist, authors must explicitly state: “The authors declare no competing financial or non-financial interests.”
This policy applies to all contributors to the Mindoro Journal of Social Sciences and Development Studies (MJSSDS), including authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff.
