Received: Jun 18, 2025 / Accepted: Oct 29, 2025 / Published: Mar 31, 2026
This review aimed to analyze the status of biochar research in the Philippines over the past twenty years (2004-2024) in order to provide direction for future research. The bibliometric analysis of 215 publications from Scopus and Google Scholar using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) showed that the trends in biochar research in the Philippines are increasing for various uses. However, collaborations, the number of researchers, and other problems related to funding, policies, markets, and human factors need to be addressed to advance biochar research in the country. The current thematic clusters include identifying suitable biomass sources for pyrolysis, exploring the adsorptive properties of biochar in the environment, and utilizing it as a carrier for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). However, the limited clusters imply fewer applications, indicating the potential for biochar to expand into various other utilizations. In addition, the economic return has not been thoroughly studied, which affects the adoption of technology by end users. Chronologically, biochar has been observed shifting from identifying potential biomass sources to a more field-specific utilization, which suggests advancements in biochar research, although further exploration is recommended.
