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https://up.edu.ph/whats-cooking-on-campus/ | What’s Cooking on Campus – University of the Philippines | What’s Cooking on Campus What’s Cooking on Campus October 18, 2017 | Written by J. Mikhail Solitario On very rare occasions, the biggest challenge in the day of the average isko and iska is looking for a place to eat. This isn’t for a lack of choices within and off-campus, but because there’s too many—actually a surplus of food joints serving everything from snacks you can munch on in an Ikot jeep while running between classes, to more laidback and comfortable nooks where you can have a food trip with your GE classmates. Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO Apart from the noteworthy tapsilog in Rodic’s, or The Chocolate Kiss Café’s more posh offerings, there are a number of food hubs emerging from around the UP community. In case you’re looking for a new favorite spot, here are some. Tinapay Tinapay is run by Kuya Onz, a resident of San Antonio Street, Pook Dagohoy in UP Diliman. He opened the store in mid-2000 but closed it briefly recently and was missed terribly by its patrons, mostly dormers looking for a quick bite late at night. Customers will be greeted by funny signs flanking its simple menu of footlong sandwiches, aptly named “footlong” for one long sausage, “feetlong” for two, and “footres” for three sausages in one footlong bun. They also serve burgers but what makes these sandwiches truly unique are the generous toppings of egg, ham, cheese, and multi-colored sauces ranging from green, blue, and yellow—something that will pop out of your Instagram feed. The store is open from 6:00PM to 1:00AM but they are closed on weekends. Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO Buen Comer For the more adventurous, a short tricycle ride from the campus will lead you to Buen Comer, a hole-in-the-wall joint which offers Filipino-Mexican fusion meals. The quaint, unassuming store opened its doors last year with a small metal van reminiscent of food trucks, and basic stools and tables inside. Its tasty dishes soon caught up through word of mouth and the store has now gotten itself a cult following from foodies in the Maginhawa area. This is no simple feat, as the Maginhawa-Malingap-Matalino quadrant is continuously sprouting food parks and shops catering to a vast array of culinary cravings. Buen Comer’s bestseller is its kare-kare burrito which, as the name suggests, is kare-kare rice with beef chunks wrapped in pita. You should also try nacho potato crisps, peri-peri chicken, steak and fries burrito and their limited edition pares burrito. Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO The Manininda Of course, when you don’t have a lot of time and money, the landmark kiosks of the Samahan ng mga Manininda are your best friend. The unmistakable green iron booths bear the standard feast of fishballs, squid balls, kwek-kwek, pancit canton, and sandwiches. You may order separately or through their “combos” which usually include a meal and drinks. These kiosks are found all around campus but people frequent the ones near the College of Architecture, the College of Arts and Letters, Vinzons Hall, and the College of Human Kinetics. Tomatokick Oldtimers in UP always tell the younger students that the go-to drinking place is Sarah’s along C.P. Garcia Avenue. However, over the past decade, another watering hole has gained popularity among members of the UP community—students and professors alike. Previously located along Maginhawa Street (the old spot became campaign headquarters for a losing vice-presidential candidate), Tomatokick is now located on Malingap Street in UP Village. With its typical but tasty renditions of the usual pulutan paired with local beers and spirits, the restobar has also been a spot for cultural performances (Parokya ni Edgar even had a spontaneous gig last March), poetry reading and book launches, and even charitable fundraisers for conflict-ridden areas in the country. Tomatokick is now a hub not just for merrymaking but for meaningful endeavors as well. Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO The UP Mindanao campus was established in Barangay Mintal located 16 kilometers from the city center at the boundary of suburban and rural Davao City. The UP Mindanao campus itself is two-and-a-half kilometers from the highway. The College of Science and Mathematics is known by the nickname “Kanluran.” It’s one kilometer farther uphill from the Administration Building and deeper into the forest. In early-2000, students patronized the “KFC” or Kanluran Food Court. These were tiny stalls along the main campus dirt road operated by informal settlers. They served affordable snacks like pancit palabok and sandwiches, banana-cue, and minatamis-na-saging, perfect for cash-strapped students. For full meals, students relied on the small canteen of Manang Lydia Espiritu and her husband which was housed in a wooden mess hall-type canteen provided by the College. This canteen has been upgraded in recent years into a concrete dining room but with a smaller area. Manang Lydia continues to operate the canteen in “Kanluran” with her husband. The other canteen on campus since early 2000 was one kilometer downhill near the administration building and operated by Marichu Mendez. Although housed in a “beach-house” type building made of plywood and screens, the canteen met the demand of the seasonal student market and operated seven days a week, being near the Elias B. Lopez Hall Dormitory, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Management. Ms. Mendez reportedly served food for free to students who were penniless. Photo by J. Mikhail G. Solitario, UP MPRO UP Mindanao recently put up the Kalimudan (“Convergence”) Student Center, with concessionaires who provide snacks and full meals. The popular offerings here include fruit shake drinks and rice pastil which is boiled rice with strips of meat wrapped in banana leaf. Ms. Mendez continues to operate a canteen in the Kalimudan. Half-servings are available upon request of students who are saving money. To meet the demand of constituents stuck in their offices, ambulant vendors Maribel Bustamante and Rodelia “Bibing” Niegas deliver food to them. Maribel provides popular dishes like law-uy vegetable stew with rice, and lumpia, while Bibing serves rice cakes like puto, biko, palitaw, and lumpiang kamote. Seasonally, fruits are delivered from neighborhood farms to the campus. Durian and rambutan are some of the popular fruits that are sold for unbelievably low prices. In the most exciting development for UP constituents, a new ice-cream producer has set its production facility in Bgy. Mintal. Donna Ice Cream is a new and constant presence at university birthday parties, with a gallon of ice-cream selling for only P300. UP Mindanao’s presence has clearly brought not only more food but more fun to Bgy. Mintal. ——————– With contributions from Mr. Rene Estremera and Assistant Professors Aileen Delima and Cyrose Millado of UP Mindanao. Email the author at upforum@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-high-class-1973-at-ang-iskolar-ng-bayan-paano-at-kailan-nagsimula-ang-gamit-nito/ | UP High Class 1973 at ang “Iskolar ng Bayan”: Paano at Kailan Nagsimula ang Gamit Nito – University of the Philippines | UP High Class 1973 at ang “Iskolar ng Bayan”: Paano at Kailan Nagsimula ang Gamit Nito UP High Class 1973 at ang “Iskolar ng Bayan”: Paano at Kailan Nagsimula ang Gamit Nito May 4, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office 2015: Mahaba ang pila sa LRT at MRT, siksikan sa bus, usad-pagong ang daloy ng trapiko sa EDSA mula Makati hanggang Philcoa. Mahuhuli na naman sa klase ang mga “iskolar ng bayan.” Kailan at paano nga ba nagsimulang gamitin ang katagang ito bilang pagtukoy sa mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP)? 1975: Isang “di malilimutang karanasan” ang araw-araw na pagbyahe ng isang estudyante ng UP Diliman mula Makati. “Matagal ka nang maghihintay ng bus tapos sangkaterbang tao ang nag-eeksudos o nag-eebakweyt papuntang Cubao,” ani ng estudyante. Kaya nang kinailangang magsulat ng isang sanaysay para sa “creative writing class” sa noon ay College of Arts and Sciences, isinulat ng naturang estudyante ang “Hiráp sa Sasakyan ang Iskolar ng Bayan.” Ilang bahagi ng sanaysay: Pag para ng bus, bababa ang dalawa, sasakay naman ang dalawampu. Sa malayo, parang mga langaw ang mga tao na nag-uunahan sa pagdapo sa sugat ng isang batang taga Constitution Hill. . . . Sa wakas, kahit papano nakasabit ka rin. Mula sa estribo dahan-dahan kang sumisingit, “oops, sorry po.” Singit ka sa pagitan ng mga manggagawa, empleyado, mga estudiyante atbp. . . . Sa mala-sardinas na kondisyon ng loob ng bus, mangingiti ka kasi nakasakay ka na. . . . May problemang panibago . . . paano ang pagbabayad. Kasi hawak mo sa kaliwa ang “things” mo, ang kanan naman, nakakapit. Pero susubukan mo rin; kahit papano madudukot mo rin ang piso mong pang-one-way . . . . Kung sa tabi ka ng bintana nakaupo, susubukan mong lumanghap ng hangin, pero ‘yung hanging nalalanghap mo, may halong usok na itim at “pulbos ng gobyerno”. Bigla kang kakabahan, “Buo pa kaya ang bagâ ko?” Sa isang chat, kamakailan, ikinwento niya na noong isinulat niya ang nasabing sanaysay, kalilipat lang nya sa kursong Philippine Studies. “Second year pa lang ako pero panahon ng martial law at ang expectation ko noon sa UP ay dapat may resistance, pero ito namang sinulat ko, wala namang kinalaman sa aktibismo, kung tutuusin,” dagdag niya. “Pero isang bahagi ‘yun ng buhay-estudyante ng taga-UP noong panahon na ‘yon kaya isa itong reflection sa mga nangyayari noon.” Sa tingin nga niya eh “privileged” ang mag-aaral ng UP dahil pinag-aaral ng estado at tama lang na masabi niyang siya ay “iskolar ng bayan.” “Ipakikita mo kasi kung saan ka nanggaling at kung saan ka papunta. May utang na loob ka sa kalidad ng edukasyon na nakukuha mo at dahil sa pribelehiyong ibinigay sa ‘yo,” wika niya. Sa unang sanaysay ginamit niya ang alyas na “P.P. Chugin” dahil sa klase ‘di dapat kilala ang may-akda kasi mga kaklase ang susuri sa akda. Nang ito ay lumabas sa Philippine Collegian noong Agosto 26, 1975, Rodolfo de Leon ang ginamit niyang pen name. Rodolfo ang pangalan ng isa niyang kasamahang aktibista na napatay matapos sumanib sa NPA. De Leon naman ay apelyido ng isa pa ring kaibigang aktibista. Ayon kay Rizalina “Richie” Valencia, nang mabasa niya ang sanaysay ni Ollie (magkaklase sina Ollie at Richie sa creative writing class) naisip niyang gamitin ang “Iskolar ng Bayan” sa mga serye ng artikulo tungkol sa buhay-buhay ng mga mag-aaral sa Diliman. Kaya noong Setyembre 3, 1975, nagkaroon ng buhay ang katauhan ng “Iskolar ng Bayan” nang ibinungad ni Richie sa kaniyang artikulo na “Ang estudyante raw sa UP, sabi nila, eh totoong palaisip at mapaghinala, isa sa mga pinakamakulit na tao sa mundo.” UP student. (Photo by Arlyn VCD Romualdo, UP MPRO) “Kahit anong bagay, maski siguro ang kalyo sa paa mo, ay kaniyang sinusuri, dinidikdik, at binibigyan ng kahulugan. Mag-iisip siya, magtatanong, makiki-debate, mag-iisip uli, magpapahalaga, at mag-iisip na naman hanggang sa makulta ang kaniyang utak,” ayon kay Richie sa kaniyang artikulong “Masyadong Makulit ang Iskolar ng Bayan.” Nang mga panahong ‘yon mainit na isyu ang mungkahing gawing National University of the Philippines ang UP at ang pagkakaroon ng “program specialization” dahil nga mayroon daw “shortage of technicians,” na siyang rekomendasyon ng Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE). Kasama rin sa mga rekomendasyon ang phase-out sa karamihan sa mga BA course maliban sa accounting, business economics at hotel and restaurant administration. Kabilang din ang pag-iisa ng UP High School at UP Preparatory School upang bumuo ng UP Comprehensive High School, kaalinsunod ng rekomendasyong bigyan ng vocational at technical na oryentasyon ang mga sekondaryong paaralan sa UP. Dahil dito, naitanong ni Richie, “Nalilito na naman tuloy ang ating iskolar, baka naman daw ang lahat nang ito’y isang buong plano na i-undermine ang edukasyon sa UP?” Ayon kay Richie, matapos nito ay nagtambalan sila ni Ed Vencio sa lumabas na mga artikulo tulad ng “Sunog sa Araw ang Iskolar ng Bayan” at “Gutom sa Pagkain ang Iskolar ng Bayan.” May kasamang cartoon ang mga artikulo na guhit naman ni Astrid Seguritan, UP High Class ‘73 din! Ito ang kahuli-hulihang batch o pangkat ng UP High School. Matapos nito, nilapitan sila ng UP Repertory para gumawa ng isang komprehensibong piyesa na magagamit na pantomime para sa “Iskolar ng Bayan” tulad nang naisulat ni Jose Lacaba sa “Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Juan dela Cruz.” Sina Richie at Ed, kapwa kabilang sa UP High Class ’73, ay mga feature writer noong panahon ni Abraham “Ditto” Sarmiento Jr., editor-in-chief ng Philippine Collegian. Kung ang Iskolar ng Bayan ay naging simbolo ng aktibismo ng mga mag-aaral ng UP, naging inspirasyon naman si Ditto sa pakikipaglaban para sa mga demokratikong karapatan bukod sa malayang pamamahayag ng mga mag-aaral. Sa isang editoryal ng Collegian, kaniyang isinulat na “kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung di tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?” Ayon kay Ollie, ‘di na niya gaanong nasubaybayan ang mga artikulo nina Ed at Richie dahil nahuli siya noong Enero 1976 at naging political detainee hanggang Agosto noong taong ding ‘yon. Ngunit natutuwa siya na ‘di lang sa UP ginagamit ang kanilang sinimulang Iskolar ng Bayan na simbolo ng mga mag-aaral sa UP System. Ginagamit na rin ito ng mga mag-aaral sa maraming mga state university at kolehiyo sa buong bansa. “Tama lang ‘yon. Ang responsibilidad mo ay lumalawak na ‘di na lang sa gobyerno, ‘di na lang sa taxpayer, kundi sa buong bayan,” wika ni Oliver “Ollie” Teves, alyas P.P. Chugin, Rodolfo de Leon. Maraming salamat, Oliver “Ollie” Teves, UP High ’73, Rizalina “Richie” Valencia, UP High ‘73, Edgardo “Ed” Vencio, UP High ’73, at Astrid Seguritan, UP High ’73 at sa iba pang mga nagsipagtapos sa UPHS, UP Prep, UP Elem, UPIS sa patuloy na pagpapayaman at pagpapayabong sa tunay na kahulugan ng Iskolar ng Bayan. Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung di tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? (Joel C. Paredes) |
https://up.edu.ph/historical-budget-allotments-for-up-during-pnoys-term/ | Historical budget allotments for UP during PNoy’s term – University of the Philippines | Historical budget allotments for UP during PNoy’s term Historical budget allotments for UP during PNoy’s term July 1, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III stands among UP officials during UP Diliman’s 100th General Commencement Exercises held on April 17, 2011, during which the president was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. The Benigno Aquino III administration saw a robust period in the development history of UP. In the period between June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2016, the government allotted the biggest budgets for UP ever. It also got substantial grants from other national agencies. The UP budget started to increase in 2013 to P9.5 billion from P5.7 billion in 2012. By 2017, the budget had reached P13.5 billion. These enabled the national university to build and refurbish infrastructure, fund world-class research projects and human resources development, and kick off its digital modernization. The biggest percentage increase in the UP budget was the MOOE allocation, the budget for operating expenses, which jumped almost four times, from P0.7 billion in 2012 to P2.8 billion in 2016. The capital outlay amounted to over P12 billion for the period 2012-2016, including a supplemental release in 2012. “These were unprecedented achievements,” said Alfredo Pascual in his end-of-term report as UP President. This period also saw the legislation and enactment of a law automatically qualifying public high school honor graduates for admission in UP. Salary standardization during this term also enabled the University to offer competitive salaries and benefits for Balik Scientists and PhDs, the term used to describe alumni who have achieved prominent stature abroad and who go back to the country to serve their alma mater. Golden age of infrastructure and new research Coinciding with the Philippine president’s term of office, UP President Alfredo Pascual’s administration from February 10, 2011 to February 9, 2017 was able to invest more than P9 billion in infrastructure resulting in over 100 new buildings and other structures, and 50 major renovations in the various campuses. At the UP Philippine General Hospital, some P3 billion was spent for modernizing hospital equipment. “We set out to transform UP into a research intensive University, building new laboratories, and absorbing billions of pesos of research funding from partner departments of government. From UP’s own resources, we provided our faculty with close to a billion pesos to fund our Emerging Interdisciplinary Research program,” Pascual said. From other agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology and the Commission on Higher Education, as of 2016, funding for University projects had reached P6.2 billion. These included various scientific projects across the UP System and 11 projects on information infrastructure development and health innovation, and translational medicine. Specifically, the projects included anti-malaria research, dengue detection, genomics capacity building, environmental monitoring, resilient village-based systems, and cost-effective printing fabrication. Notable among the projects was the Philippine Genome Center, launched in 2011, which now serves a key role in the government’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It received P340 million from UP’s capital outlay to build its headquarters and P1 billion for its research. Over a billion pesos in capital outlay also went to the National Institutes of Health for its new, 18-story building, while it received the same amount for research for three years alone, from 2013 to 2015. The P200 million budget for the new College of Medicine building and equipment was approved about the same time. About P950 million was made available for emerging interdisciplinary research, and P50 million for research grants to Balik PhDs. The administration was also able to set aside P80 million for infrastructure and P120 million for equipment for the UP Visayas Regional Research Center. The UP System, with its Center for Integrative and Development Studies, had more than P50 million to allocate for another set of research focused on environment, employment, economic emancipation, and education. Aside from public-funded infrastructure projects, UP also saw a number of privately funded buildings being erected, such as the P400 million UP-BGC, the P200 million UP Manila Public Health Building, and the P100 million UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters Theater. Photos above and below: President Aquino delivers a speech during the International Conference on Public Administration and Governance hosted by the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, held on June 27, 2021 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. Sitting in the photo below (left to right) are Sen. Risa Hontiveros, UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma, Sen. Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV in his capacity as UP NCPAG Alumni Association President, UP President Alfredo Pascual, and UP NCPAG Dean Edna Co. Photo by the Malacañang Photo Bureau. Faculty, researcher grants According to Pascual, the full cost to the University of doctoral studies overseas could reach as much as P9 million per faculty member during that time, on top of the salary that the grantee kept, and the salary of his or her substitute. “In the last five years, we have awarded fellowship grants to 100 faculty members, translating to an average of 20 per year or double those in the previous administration,” Pascual reported. More travel grants were awarded to faculty members and graduate students so that they could present their research papers in conferences abroad. “No longer tied down by quotas, we gave out over 330 grants since 2012 apart from those funded by individual colleges and universities.” UP was able to have funds for new awards, the ONE UP Professorial Chair and Faculty Grant Awards, and to provide 800 professorial chairs and faculty grants at P120,000 and P96,000 a year, respectively, for three years starting January 2016. Close to 600 faculty members received the grants for their distinguished performance in any two of the following: teaching, research or creative work, and public service. The Creative Work and Research Grant was raised to P450,000 to P650,000 for a 1.5-year project enhanced to reward exemplary teachers and researchers for prolific publishing, developing excellent educational materials, and effectively using these materials in their classes in UP. Staff benefits With greater financial flexibility, a result of greater government funding and intensified internal resource generation, UP was able to gain a total of P3.4 billion which it used to pay for faculty and staff benefits from 2011 to January 2017. According to Pascual, this figure was considered the biggest increase ever in such benefits, which included the service recognition pay, retirement money, rice subsidy, grocery allowance, and incentive grants. “To the tune of P258 million, the 2014 merit promotions were the highest amount ever given out by the University,” Pascual says. “It also benefited the most number of employees, with around 70 percent of UP faculty and staff approved for merit promotion. The promotion process started in July 2014,” he added. Digital modernization With increased financial resources, UP launched an ambitious digital modernization program called eUP, an integrated IT system designed to achieve administrative efficiency. The project included: substantial investments in hardware such as servers, computers, accessories; and, future-proof fiber optic networks, and internet bandwidth which support not just the information systems but also the academic requirements of faculty and students. It aimed to facilitate evidence-based decisions, information sharing, speedy service delivery, harmonized processes, enhanced productivity, and personnel well-being. Information systems were initiated for: financial management; human resource development and management; student academics; supply, procurement, and campus management; and, executive planning. The UP bandwidth increased from 140 mbps to 5,200 mbps system-wide. Screenshot of President Aquino’s speech during UP Diliman’s 100th General Commencement Exercises held on April 17, 2011. Video by Radio Television Malacañang. New pro-education, government policies In 2014, Republic Act 10648 or the Iskolar ng Bayan Act of 2014 was passed, assuring top graduates from public high schools automatic admission to state universities and colleges for the next six years starting school year 2015-2016. UP subscribed to this affirmative action that favors top graduates of public high schools, subject to meeting its admission requirements. Public sector salaries were upgraded under Salary Standardization Law 3 and 4. This had a unique impact on UP as it helped the University recruit PhD holders from abroad. Higher salaries were offered on top of incentives of P500,000 for relocating to the Philippines, and a startup research grant of P2.5 million. As a result, UP was able to welcome back 41 “Balik-PhDs”. President Benigno Aquino III called for a better disaster risk reduction management system in the country following a series of storms in 2011. In response, the Department of Science and Technology initiated Project NOAH or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard, utilizing expertise from UP. With project head Mahar Lagmay of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS), the project was launched in the middle of 2012. The project, a breakthrough in integrating science, engineering, and technology to manage disaster and disaster risks, would later be adopted by UP as a flagship program of the UP Resilience Institute. |
https://up.edu.ph/to-reclaim-our-future-a-message-from-the-president/ | TO RECLAIM OUR FUTURE: A Message from the President – University of the Philippines | TO RECLAIM OUR FUTURE: A Message from the President TO RECLAIM OUR FUTURE: A Message from the President September 8, 2020 | Written by President Danilo L. Concepcion My dear colleagues and fellow members of the UP Faculty: Today, as our semester opens and we return to the vital task of educating our students, I wish first of all to greet every one of you a heartfelt welcome. As all of us know, this will likely be the most difficult opening in our University’s history, except perhaps for January 2, 1942, when UP reopened its doors after the first bombs of the Pacific War had fallen, with no one knowing what to expect. We seem once again to be at war, against an unseen and pernicious enemy that has already claimed too many lives among our people and in our ranks. There is hardly a Filipino family that has not been affected, directly or indirectly, by this terrible pandemic. But we are resolved to fight back and not to let this enemy defeat us—not only our medical frontliners, who have heroically borne the brunt of this crisis, but all of us who have a sworn duty to serve the Filipino people even and especially in the direst of situations. We have decided to resume teaching—albeit remotely—because it is the least we can do to reclaim our future, our control over our lives. By teaching, we reassert our humanity, our faith in the ameliorative value of education. I am aware of the many adjustments and sacrifices you have had to make just to be sure that you will be meeting your students online—today or next week—with some degree of confidence and enthusiasm. The preparation and submission of course packs, the employment of remote learning, the adoption of new technology—all of these new and sudden impositions seem almost unfair given how difficult it has always been to teach properly and to teach well. In some cases, it will happen that our students will be more comfortable with computer screens than we are. Inevitably, there will be glitches, mistakes, and shortcomings in our networks, setups, and arrangements. But let us also remember that our students are just as challenged and apprehensive as we are—and that, being younger and possibly far away from their campuses over the lockdown, they may lack the access to technology that many of us have. They expected to step onto the green lawns of their university, to enjoy the company of their friends, and to explore learning in our libraries and laboratories. Instead, like you, they will be facing many long hours in front of their computer or mobile screens, in what for some time will be the new definition of “college.” To the least advantaged—student and teacher alike—we must extend our utmost patience, understanding, and spirit of cooperation so we can make good on our commitment to do our best to leave no one behind in this difficult hour. Wala po tayong pababayaan, walang maiiwanan. Your University administration will do its best to generate the material resources we will need to do our work and to forge ahead. But all of us must draw on our deepest intellectual, emotional, and spiritual resources to cope with the challenges we face. As we care for our students, we care for our faculty and staff, and their well-being must be secured in all our policies and actions. Let me end with words of my esteemed predecessor, President Rafael Palma: “We should wish that our teachers in this University would be not mere hirelings pressed into service for the salaries that are given them and the lessons that they give, but faithful trustees or high priests of the science that they have pledged to espouse, of practicality, and of the spirit of self-effacement and devoted service to the nation and to the world. The University can do an infinite amount of good not only in molding the character of each citizen, but also in shaping the national character.” As the national university, we have a special obligation to lead the nation by example. Let us lead with courage, conviction, and generosity of spirit, in the service of the Filipino people. Mabuhay kayong lahat! Naglilingkod, Danilo L. Concepcion President |
https://up.edu.ph/up-president-danilo-l-concepcion-responds-to-afp-allegations-of-infiltration-of-up-units-by-the-cpp-npa/ | UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to AFP allegations of “infiltration” of UP units by the CPP-NPA – University of the Philippines | UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to AFP allegations of “infiltration” of UP units by the CPP-NPA UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to AFP allegations of “infiltration” of UP units by the CPP-NPA January 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office We in the University of the Philippines take exception to recent claims made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that some UP colleges, units and offices have knowingly condoned their alleged “infiltration” by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army. The UP administration is unaware of and has received no specifics regarding these recent allegations and the circumstances surrounding them. We are, of course, willing to sit down with the authorities to discuss the facts of each case in the spirit of open dialogue, and to cooperate with them in going through the proper legal procedures for their resolution. As it stands now, these allegations, lacking as yet any factual evidence, serve as unnecessary distractions for both UP and the AFP at a time when there are far greater crises, including a global pandemic, confronting us. At worst, these allegations pose a very real danger to the lives and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the members of the UP community. These dangers come not only from elements of the military and the police, but also from vigilantes who seek to take justice into their own hands. The University of the Philippines is, has always been and will continue to remain a safe space for free thought and expression, intelligent criticism and dissent. This, too, is in accordance with the law of the land. While we will continue to work with the AFP, the PNP and other government agencies to achieve our common aspiration to improve the lives of the Filipino people, we will also continue to defend UP from all attacks and machinations against our academic freedom and to uphold the safety and freedom of all the members of our community. Again we do not condone violence, terrorism, or coercion as a means of political action from whatever source or for whatever purpose. We call on the military and police leadership to engage with UP and other universities in a constructive dialogue on the issues involved in these allegations, to dispel their chilling effect and encourage trust and confidence in our uniformed services. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-cids-forum-explores-new-themes-on-rizal/ | UP CIDS forum explores new themes on Rizal – University of the Philippines | UP CIDS forum explores new themes on Rizal UP CIDS forum explores new themes on Rizal July 18, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. In commemoration of the 158th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the country’s national hero, the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) Program on Alternative Development (AltDev) hosted a forum, “Rethinking Rizal for the 21st Century: Unexplored Themes and New Interpretations,” on June 19 at the UP CIDS Conference Hall, Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Professors George Aseniero, PhD, Floro C. Quibuyen, PhD, and Lisandro E. Claudio, PhD, served as resource speakers. Eduardo C. Tadem, PhD, convenor of the AltDev program. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. According to Prof. Eduardo C. Tadem, PhD, convenor of the AltDev program, the forum is part of UP’s explorations for new themes, perspectives, and interpretations on Rizal’s thoughts. He said the event aimed to uncover “hidden treasures,” open new venues for researches, and promote discussions on the country’s national hero. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, UP Executive Vice President. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. In his welcome remarks, UP Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa emphasized the importance of studying Rizal and Philippine history. He said that Rizal’s views “had and continue to have profound influence on the Philippines’ and other Asian people’s national liberation movements and development paradigms.” He added that he will keep on supporting these initiatives for “scholarly research, commentaries, and dissemination, for more Filipinos, especially our younger generations of students,” to benefit from. George Aseniero, PhD. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. “Rizal on Imperialism” Aseniero, whose grandfather was among Rizal’s students, presented his lecture, “The Game of the Great Powers: Rizal on Imperialism.” Aseniero talked of how Rizal probably analyzed the geopolitical situation during the upsurge of both reformist and revolutionary movements for Philippine independence. Referring to today’s “inter-imperialist rivalry”, he said Rizal saw several nations being “engaged in the ‘Game of the Great Powers’” and that Rizal also wrote of the possibility of“la gran Republica Americana” joining the rivalry of powers with intentions of colonizing the Philippines.He addedthat Rizal’s forecasts for the next one hundred years, as written by Rizal in Filipinas dentro de cienanos (The Philippines a century hence) and published in the La Solidaridad,came true within just a decade. Using Kondratiev wave theory, or long waves to illustrate patterns of growth and decline of the world economy, Aseniero described the world economy to be growing fast as a basis for the emergence of the Philippine middle class when Rizal was born. As the world economy was going down in the 1880s, he said the economic crisis led to political developments, and tensions between world powers also became evident. According to Aseniero, Rizal eventually concluded that the US had “geostrategic interests in the Pacific.”Aseniero related US policies with prevailing conditions, as of the 1890s, citing US government’s declaration of “overpopulation” and US interests in the Pacific as their motives for developing naval superiority in a very short period of time. Aseniero explained how Rizal saw the world being divided among the rivals, based on Rizal’s comments on the British empire, France, Germany, Holland, China, Japan, and the US, in relation to the balance of power.Insights gleaned from one of Rizal’s unfinished drafts, “La politica intercontinental,” revealed that the US was seen as a rival ofEngland; and,he noted how the developments in the 1890s indicated the rise of the US as a new hegemonic power. By this time, Aseniero said, Rizal was concerned with an inter-imperialist war, and “this explains his negative position on the Katipunan’s plan to revolt and the subsequent statements he made at his trial. It also frames his conceptualization of La Liga Filipina as a national federation of mutualist associations for the construction of Civil Society irrespective of the State,”Aseniero explained. Floro C. Quibuyen, PhD. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. “Revisiting Rizal’s Forgotten Borrador” Quibuyen’s presentation, “The Future has an Ancient Heart: Revisiting Rizal’s Forgotten Borrador – Melanesia, Malasia, Polinesia,”focused on explaining the origins of Rizal’s vision of Filipinos discovering their “good old qualities…free, lovers of peace, jovial, cheerful, smiling, hospitable, and fearless.” Quibuyen said that “Rizal’s forgotten notes, ‘Melanesia, Malasia, Polinesia,’” points to Filipinos’ pre-Sanskrit roots as a basis for this vision. According to Quibuyen, “Some 3,500 years ago, our seafaring ancestors sailed over 2,000 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean and settled a group of islands that Spanish colonizers later named Las Islas Marianas and its inhabitants, Chamorros. Through our ancestors, the Chamorros, we can imagine what we were like thousands of years before the arrival on our shores of Sanskrit and Chinese and Muslim traders—indeed long before the Spanish conquistadores and missionaries.” In his presentation, Quibuyen also mentioned that “seafarers from the Philippines were the first in the history of mankind,” and that “this (today’s Philippines) is not the nation Rizal envisioned.” Lisandro E. Claudio, PhD. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. “Rizal as Postcolonial Liberal” Claudio presented Rizal as being both a liberal and a radical. In his lecture, “The School of Suffering and the God of Liberty: Jose Rizal as Postcolonial Liberal,”he outlined the roots of Rizal’s liberalism and described the liberals as being the revolutionaries at the time, with Rizal articulating the goals of liberalism in his works and letters. Claudio discussed Rizal’s notions of liberty and suffering. He said Rizal thought “one has to suffer pain to attain or deserve liberty,”and reiterated that “Filipino liberals learn through suffering.” Claudio said that for Rizal, liberalism was a “plant that never dies.” He clarified that“19th century liberalism was not counter-revolutionary.” “Only in the 20th century did it become bureaucratic and tied to institutions of power,” he explained,“when liberalism became no longer insurgent.” Floro C. Quibuyen, PhD, George Aseniero, PhD, and Lisandro E. Claudio, PhD, respond to questions raised by members of the audience. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Comments on present issues During the open forum, the resource speakers were asked if Rizal could have observed present-day geopolitics, would he have been critical of Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea and of China’s rise as a world power. Aseniero said,“Rizal would be very wary of China,” and added that China was not seen as a power during his time. Claudio said Rizal would probably be in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong now. Quibuyen said Rizal would denounce China for it. Ms. Gemma Cruz-Araneta. Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Writer, public servant, and beauty queen (Miss International 1964) Gemma Cruz-Araneta served as forum moderator. She and Herbosa are both related to Rizal as his great-grandniece and great-grandnephew, respectively. Tanghalang Pilipino members. Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Tanghalang Pilipino members performed “Dalagang Bukid” and “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa” in between the forum presentation and open forum. |
https://up.edu.ph/protect-academic-freedom-up-president-danilo-l-concepcion-responds-to-dnds-unilateral-abrogation-of-the-up-dnd-accord/ | “Protect academic freedom”–UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to DND’s unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND Accord – University of the Philippines | “Protect academic freedom”–UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to DND’s unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND Accord “Protect academic freedom”–UP President Danilo L. Concepcion responds to DND’s unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND Accord 19 January 2021 Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana Department of National Defense Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Dear Secretary Lorenzana, I am acknowledging receipt of your letter of 15 January 2021 informing me of the unilateral abrogation by your office of the agreement signed on 30 June 1989 by then DND Secretary Fidel V. Ramos and then UP President Jose V. Abueva—an agreement that, you will recall, established certain norms and protocols governing relations between the University and military and police forces. I must express our grave concern over this abrogation, as it is totally unnecessary and unwarranted, and may result in worsening rather than improving relations between our institutions, and detract from our common desire for peace, justice, and freedom in our society. That agreement was forged with the formalities that attend the execution of agreements, imbued with the highest sense of fidelity of the parties. It was grounded in an atmosphere of mutual respect, which we were able to maintain for 30 years through the observance in good faith of its provisions. With few exceptions, protocols were observed and any problems or misunderstandings were amicably and reasonably resolved. The agreement never stood in the way of police and security forces conducting lawful operations within our campuses. Entry was always given when necessary to law enforcers within their mandate. We regret that the agreement was abrogated unilaterally, without the prior consultation that would have addressed the concerns you raised in your letter. Instead of instilling confidence in our police and military, your decision can only sow more confusion and mistrust, given that you have not specified what it is that you exactly aim to do or put in place in lieu of the protections and courtesies afforded by the agreement. Perhaps this will be a good opportunity to emphasize that we sought and secured that agreement not to evade or weaken the law, but to protect the climate of academic freedom—guaranteed by the Constitution—that makes intellectual inquiry and human and social advancement possible. We want to maintain UP as a safe haven for all beliefs and forms of democratic expression. In that, all the signatories to the agreement believed and bound themselves to uphold. Our University community does not and cannot fear the fair and speedy enforcement of the law, and we value and appreciate the contributions of our uniformed services to our safety and security. We do not condone sedition, armed insurrection, or the use of violence for political ends. At the same time, especially given our experience of martial law, we must reject any form or semblance of militarization on our campuses, which will have a chilling effect deleterious to academic freedom. This abrogation endangers the goodwill necessary for both of us to achieve our mission as responsible members of the same national family. Our police and military authorities should have no fear of academic freedom. Indeed UP has bred rebels and nonconformists—as well as it has bred presidents, senators, congressmen, and business, civic, and even military leaders. All the world’s great universities have produced the same range of thinkers and doers. By and large, intellectual and political dissidents in UP have always been in the minority, but it is a critical minority that has historically been vital to the maintenance of a healthy democracy. Left in peace, UP will continue to be a major contributor to the country’s development and to its national leadership in all fields. Its most recent international ranking—65th among the 489 universities in Asia evaluated by the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings—attests to the high quality of its achievements. That performance, Mr. Secretary, is the result of its exercise of academic freedom—the freedom to think, to probe, to question, to find and propose better solutions. May I urge you, therefore, to reconsider and revoke your abrogation, and request further that we meet to discuss your concerns in the shared spirit of peace, justice, and the pursuit of excellence. Yours sincerely, Danilo L. Concepcion President |
https://up.edu.ph/up-responds-to-dnd-sec-lorenzanas-latest-pronouncement-on-up-dnd-dialogue/ | UP responds to DND Sec. Lorenzana’s latest pronouncement on UP-DND dialogue – University of the Philippines | UP responds to DND Sec. Lorenzana’s latest pronouncement on UP-DND dialogue UP responds to DND Sec. Lorenzana’s latest pronouncement on UP-DND dialogue January 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office We in the University of the Philippines are pleased to hear that Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has decided to engage in a dialogue with us. All that we request is an agreement on the date and place where the dialogue will be held. We believe that with shared openness and respect, we can settle issues between our respective institutions. |
https://up.edu.ph/usapang-kp-mga-terror-hindi-terrorista/ | “Usapang KP: Mga Terror, Hindi Terrorista” – University of the Philippines | “Usapang KP: Mga Terror, Hindi Terrorista” “Usapang KP: Mga Terror, Hindi Terrorista” February 3, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight for Academic Freedom! Featuring UP alumni from all sectors and spheres of society with voices from other universities to reflect on academic freedom as an integral element for an environment that nurtures excellence and innovation. Register now to be a part of this Freedom Project, the USAPANG KP (Kalayaan sa Pamantasan) Webinar Series at: https://tinyurl.com/UsapangKP Webinar #1 “Usapang KP: Mga Terror, Hindi Terrorista” February 4, 2021 (Thursday) 1-3pm Moderator: Malou Mangahas Co-Founder and Board Member, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Co-Convenor, Right to know, Right Now Coalition Co-Moderator: Dr. Butch Dalisay UP Professor Emeritus (Creative Writing) Panelists: Dr. Maria Serena Diokno UP Professor Emeritus (History) Dr. Solita Monsod UP Professor Emeritus (Economics) Dr. Gisela P. Concepcion UP Professor Emeritus (Marine Science) Reactors: Atty. Theodore Te Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Dr. Giovanni Tapang Dean, UP College of Science Atty. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis Dean, College of Law, Lyceum of the Philippines University |
https://up.edu.ph/usapang-kp-mga-manggagamot-ng-bayan-okidoki/ | USAPANG KP “Mga Manggagamot ng Bayan: Okidoki!” – University of the Philippines | USAPANG KP “Mga Manggagamot ng Bayan: Okidoki!” USAPANG KP “Mga Manggagamot ng Bayan: Okidoki!” February 16, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight for Academic Freedom in the Medical Field for Nation-Building! Featuring UP alumni from all sectors and spheres of society with voices from other universities to reflect on academic freedom as an integral element for an environment that nurtures excellence, innovation, and altruism. Register now to be a part of this Freedom Project, the USAPANG KP (Kalayaan sa Pamantasan) Webinar Series at: https://tinyurl.com/UsapangKP Webinar #3 USAPANG KP “Mga Manggagamot ng Bayan: Okidoki!” February 18, 2021 (Thursday) 1-3pm Moderator: Malou Mangahas Co-Founder and Board Member, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Co-Convenor, Right to Know, Right Now Coalition Co-Moderator: Dr. Carol Pagaduan Araullo Chairperson, BAYAN Philippines Panelists: Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan Founder, Health Futures Foundation, Inc. Former Secretary, Department of Health 1995 Dr. Esperanza Cabral Former Secretary, Department of Health 2009-2010 Former Secretary, Department of Social Work and Development 2005-2009 Dr. Mike Justin A. Gianan Doctor to the Barrio Zamboanga Del Norte Reactors: Dr. Susana M. Balingit Chair, Board of Trustees of Citizen’s Disaster Response Center Faculty, Graduate School of UERMMMC on Asian Health Studies Dr. Jonathan David A. Flavier Co-Host, “Clinica Flavier” on CignalTV One-PH channel 1 Chairman, Cooperative Movement for Encouraging No Scalpel Vasectomy (CMEN) Dr. Josefina A. Tuazon Former Dean, UP College of Nursing 2004-2010 University of the Philippines Manila Joey Ochave President, RiteMed Phils., Inc. Trustee, Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. |
https://up.edu.ph/usapang-kp-mga-abugado-at-serbisyo-publiko-wagas/ | USAPANG KP “Mga Abugado at Serbisyo Publiko: Wagas!” – University of the Philippines | USAPANG KP “Mga Abugado at Serbisyo Publiko: Wagas!” USAPANG KP “Mga Abugado at Serbisyo Publiko: Wagas!” February 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight for Academic Freedom in Public Service for Nation-Building! Featuring UP alumni from all sectors and spheres of society with voices from other universities to reflect on academic freedom as an integral element for an environment that nurtures excellence, innovation, and altruism. Register now to be a part of this Freedom Project, the USAPANG KP (Kalayaan sa Pamantasan) Webinar Series at: https://tinyurl.com/UsapangKP Webinar #4 USAPANG KP “Mga Abugado at Serbisyo Publiko: Wagas!” February 25, 2021 (Thursday) 1-3pm Moderator: Malou Mangahas Co-Founder and Board Member, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Co-Convenor, Right to Know, Right Now Coalition Co-Moderator: Atty. Raffy Aquino Free Legal Assistance Group Panelists: Justice Antonio Carpio Supreme Court Justice (Ret) Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan Public Servant Atty. Grace Pulido Tan Former Commissioner, Commission on Audit Reactors: Atty. Domingo Egon Cayosa National President and Chairman, Board of Governors, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Atty Luie Tito Guia Former COMELEC Commissioner Atty. Michael T. Tiu, Jr. Faculty, UP College of Law Senior Legal Associate, UP Institute of Human Rights |
https://up.edu.ph/what-is-academic-freedom-and-why-the-fuss/ | What is academic freedom and why the fuss? – University of the Philippines | What is academic freedom and why the fuss? What is academic freedom and why the fuss? March 2, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Academic freedom. The term has been tossed around so much in recent weeks, on social media, in the news, on the streets, but what is it really? And why are people so determined to defend it? Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Rad Agustin, UP MPRO. The recent abrogation by the Department of National Defense (DND) of its 1989 Accord with the University thrust the subject of academic freedom into the larger public sphere. The subsequent red-tagging of UP alumni by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana later acknowledged as an “unpardonable gaffe” and which the AFP apologized for, only served to intensify public discussion. To put things in perspective, UP organized Usapang KP (Kalayaan sa Pamantasan), an online discussion series that intends to dive into the nuances of academic freedom. Its first episode, “Mga Terror, Hindi Terrorista,” was streamed live on February 4 and focused on defining academic freedom and its significance to the life of a university. Watch the replay of the webinar on TVUP’s YouTube channel. The episode featured alumnae and revered professors emeriti, Dr. Solita Monsod (Economics) and Dr. Gisela Concepcion (Marine Science) as main speakers. Reactors were: fellow alumni Atty. Soledad Deriquito Mawis, Dean of the College of Law, Lyceum of the Philippines University; Dr. Giovanni Tapang, Dean of the College of Science, UP Diliman; and, Atty. Theodore Te of the Free Legal Assistance Group. It was moderated by Professor Emeritus Jose Dalisay Jr., and Malou Mangahas, Co-founder and Board Member, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Top row: Atty. Soledad Deriquito Mawis (reactor), Dr. Giovanni Tapang (reactor), and Malou Mangahas (moderator). Middle row: Dr. Gisela Concepcion (speaker), Dr. Jose Dalisay Jr. (moderator), and Atty. Theodore Te (reactor). Bottom row: Dr. Solita Monsod (speaker). Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. So what is academic freedom? While the 1987 Philippine Constitution states in Article XIV, Section 5 (2) that “Academic freedom shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning”, it does not define academic freedom. The reason for this lack of definition can be found in the deliberations of the 1986 Constitutional Commission on September 9. Commissioner Adolf Azcuna said, “Since academic freedom is a dynamic concept and we want to expand the frontiers of freedom, especially in education, therefore, we will leave it to the courts to develop further the parameters of academic freedom. We just say that it shall be enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning.” US Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter’s concurring opinion in Sweezy v. New Hampshire (1957), widely acknowledged as having captured the essence of academic freedom, has found its way into Philippine jurisprudence. Monsod, Mawis, and Te cited Frankfurter’s opinion that academic freedom consists of the “four essential freedoms” of a university “to determine for itself on academic grounds who may teach, what may be taught, how it shall be taught, and who may be admitted to study.” Dr. Gisela Concepcion says a form of freedom of expression for scientists is the publication of their research, where they subject themselves to the scrutiny of their peers. Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. For Concepcion, it is the freedom “to pursue knowledge without boundaries in an unencumbered and enabling environment.” Faculty members, she said, have earned the right to mentor and teach through years of study, research, and training that allowed them to gain expertise. Academic freedom, she added, exists in an academic framework, a highly complex system that contains not only the functions of universities and their players, but also the factors that affect the successful execution of these functions toward the overarching goal of serving the nation and humanity. Concepcion said academic freedom is ensured by external support, including support from the government, which provides the encouraging atmosphere for teaching, learning, inquiry, and discussion to thrive and flourish. Dr. Solita Monsod clarifies that neither academic freedom nor tenure protects incompetent teachers from losing their jobs. It does not protect faculty members “from colleague or student challenges to or disagreement with their education philosophies and practices” and it does not shield them “from sanctions for professional misconduct.” Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. Monsod, quoting UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, focused on academic freedom in UP, said that it is the “freedom to challenge orthodoxies and established ways of thinking and acting without fear of repression or punitive action. This freedom is essential for the life of the mind and for UP’s dual role as (a) knowledge producer and (b) social critic.” However, she emphasized that academic freedom is not “unlimited”. Among others, it does not mean “a faculty member can harass, threaten, intimidate, ridicule, or impose his or her views on students.” It also “does not protect faculty members from non-university penalties if they break the law.” Why is it important? It is critical to a university’s role in clarifying and seeking truth, Tapang explained. Academic freedom allows an environment that is “most conducive to speculation, experimentation, and creation. . . . If we are unable to speak our mind with intellectual honesty, what else would the university be for us?” Borrowing Albert Einstein’s words, he added that “any restriction on academic freedom [hampers] the dissemination of knowledge among people and thereby impedes rational judgment and action.” Dr. Giovanni Tapang agrees with Albert Einstein’s opinion that while everyone is involved in defending constitutional rights, intellectuals are “in a special position” since they have a “strong influence on the formation of public opinion.” Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. Monsod made reference to Britannica on the justification for academic freedom. That it “lies not in the comfort or convenience of teachers and students but in the benefits to society; i.e., the long-term interests of a society are best served when the educational process leads to the advancement of knowledge, and knowledge is best advanced when inquiry is free from restraints by the state, by the church or other institutions, or by special-interest groups.” Atty. Theodore Te explains that academic freedom, as guaranteed by the 1987 Philippine Constitution in all institutions of higher learning, “is understood to cover everyone within that institution.” Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. Academic freedom is essential to any institution of higher learning because it is an “assertion of control over what we want to read, say, think, and how and who we want to think with, discuss with, express ourselves with,” Te stated. Mawis concurred that academic freedom meant respect for universities to determine their academic governance, and emphasized that it was “consistent with law and jurisprudence.” She also cited Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe’s concurring opinion in Pimentel v. Medialdea, G.R. No. 230642 (2019), “Academic freedom is anchored on the recognition that academic institutions perform a social function, and its business is conducted for the common good; that is, it is a necessary tool for critical inquiry of truth and its free exposition. Thus, the guarantee of academic freedom is complementary to the freedom of expression and the freedom of the mind.” Specific to UP, Concepcion, Mawis, and Te made reference to Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter of 2008, where Section 5 states, “The national university has the right and responsibility to exercise academic freedom.” They emphasized “responsibility” as a clear mandate for UP to exercise its right to academic freedom. “Teachers should be given a wide latitude to express their beliefs without fear of retribution. . . . Left, right, left of center, right of center, center. . . UP was the channel for free exchange of ideas and the confluence of disagreements, thoughts, and principles made me who I am today. . . . UP allowed me to decide on my own,” says Atty. Soledad Deriquito Mawis. Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. How do we protect and defend academic freedom? “Stop taking it for granted,” Monsod said, adding that academic freedom “does not stand alone in support of the higher education system.” She cited Cary Nelson’s No University is an Island: Saving Academic Freedom, which states that academic freedom, shared governance, and tenure are the three legs in the footstool that supports higher education. Monsod also proposed that professors emeriti lead in the establishment of a “Philippine Association of University Professors or Philippine Association of University Teachers” because unity in their ranks will create a formidable organization in guarding against threats to academic freedom, among other issues. Tapang, meanwhile, echoed Einstein’s words on constitutional rights: “The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it.” He also said that “[there are] prevalent tools like Facebook. We have to speak online and on social media. Show that we are taking a stand.” “UP has given us the tools, skills, attitude, disposition, critical thinking. Now we are called upon to apply these,” Te said. Mawis added, “Be aware of what is happening. Know the facts. Analyze. Make a stand. Love the truth. We honor excellence by living the truth. We honor integrity. We honor the truth. We were wired that way, therefore we should act that way.” “What is the proportion of [UP’s] contributions versus speculations [against it]? We need to communicate effectively the good that the University has done, even just in this time of pandemic,” Concepcion emphasized the positive outcomes of academic freedom. Dalisay capped it off with “The best way to defend academic freedom is to use it. Express yourself. Wherever you are, the university is in you. You do not have to be in UP to exercise the spirit of academic freedom.” Director Ana Tan of the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship, representing Dean Luis Dumlao of the Ateneo de Manila University John Gokongwei School of Management and Chair of the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA) Chair, reads Dumlao’s statement of support for Dr. Marie Lisa Dacanay, ISEA president and a UP alumna who was red-tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Dacanay was the first Asian to be awarded Social Innovation Thought Leader by the World Economic Forum and Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in 2019. Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/usapang-kp-mga-siyentipiko-at-pantas-hanep/ | USAPANG KP “Mga Siyentipiko at Pantas: HANEP!” – University of the Philippines | USAPANG KP “Mga Siyentipiko at Pantas: HANEP!” USAPANG KP “Mga Siyentipiko at Pantas: HANEP!” March 2, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight for Academic Freedom in the Sciences and Evidence-Based Scholarship for Nation-Building! Featuring UP alumni from all sectors and spheres of society with voices from other universities to reflect on academic freedom as an integral element for an environment that nurtures excellence, innovation, and altruism. Register now to be a part of this Freedom Project, the USAPANG KP (Kalayaan sa Pamantasan) Webinar Series at: https://tinyurl.com/UsapangKP Webinar #5 USAPANG KP “Mga Siyentipiko at Pantas: HANEP!” March 4, 2021 (Thursday) 1-3pm Moderator: Malou Mangahas Co-Founder and Board Member, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Co-Convenor, Right to Know, Right Now Coalition Co-Moderator: Dr. Fidel Nemenzo Chancellor, UP Diliman Panelists: Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay Director, UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (UP NOAH) Executive Director, UP Resilience Institute Dr. Laura T. David Director, Marine Science Institute UP Diliman Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales UP System Vice President for Finance First National Statistician in the Philippines Reactors: Dr. Emmanuel C. Lallana Chief Executive, Ideacorp Ramon J. Santiago Deputy Executive Director, Program Management Office for the Earthquake Resiliency of Greater Metro Manila Area, Office of the President Goran Tomacruz Team Leader, Alamat UP Electro-chemical Engineering (LEE) |
https://up.edu.ph/all-up-workers-union-nagdiwang-ng-ika-30-anibersaryo/ | All UP Workers Union nagdiwang ng ika-30 anibersaryo – University of the Philippines | All UP Workers Union nagdiwang ng ika-30 anibersaryo All UP Workers Union nagdiwang ng ika-30 anibersaryo October 6, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Ipinagdiriwang ng All UP Workers Union ang ika-30 anibersaryo nito sa temang “Patuloy na paglilingkod sa kawani at bayan.” (Kuha ni Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Ipinagdiriwang ng All UP Workers Union ang ika-30 anibersaryo nito sa temang “Patuloy na paglilingkod sa kawani at bayan.” Isang buong araw ng iba’t ibang aktibidad ang inilunsad kasama na ang parada ng mga miyembrong kawani sa buong Academic Oval noong ika-29 ng Setyembre sa kampus ng Diliman. Ang Unyon ay itinatag noong Setyembre 29, 1987 batay sa prinsipyong isulong ang mga karapatan at interes ng mga sektor sa loob at labas ng pamantasan upang magkaroon ng ambag para sa pagkakaisa at kagalingan ng sektor ng mga manggagawa sa lipunang Pilipino. Ayon sa pahayag ng Unyon, “sa pamamagitan ng mahigpit nating pagkakaisa at sama-samang pagkilos marami tayong nakamit na mga dagdag na benepisyo tulad ng rice subsidy, Service Recognition Pay, at marami pang iba. May mga istruktura rin at prosesong naipatupad, kasama ang UP Administration, sa nagbibigay ng ibayong karapatan sa mga kawani tulad ng pagbubuo at pagkilala sa representasyon ng unyon sa mga APC-PERC hanggang sa level ng mga kolehiyo, at pagkakaroon ng Grievance Machinery.” Ang nasabing pagtitipon ay dinaluhan din ng opisyal ng Unibersidad partikular ang Bise President para sa Administrasyon na si Ginoong Nestor Yunque. (Stephanie S. Cabigao, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/alumni-invited-to-celebrate-ups-foundation-day-with-their-very-own-up-alumni-email-account/ | Alumni invited to celebrate UP’s foundation day with their very own UP alumni email account – University of the Philippines | Alumni invited to celebrate UP’s foundation day with their very own UP alumni email account Alumni invited to celebrate UP’s foundation day with their very own UP alumni email account June 8, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office In celebration of its 114th Founding Anniversary, the University of the Philippines (UP) is stepping up its invitation to provide duly verified UP alumni with their own UP Alumni email account. The University was founded on June 18, 1908, through Act No. 1870 of the Philippine Assembly to fill the need to meet the increasing demands for instruction in the higher levels of learning and to provide professional studies in medicine, law, engineering, or applied sciences. The Act mandated UP to give “advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences and arts, and professional and technical training” to every qualified student regardless of “age, sex, nationality, religious belief, and political affiliation.” Act No. 1870, or the UP Charter, was amended with the signing of Republic Act No. 9500 or the new UP Charter in 2008, which established UP as the country’s national University in time for its centennial celebration. According to the UP Office of Alumni Relations (OAR), this month of June marks “114 years of nation-building through shaping minds to become leaders in public service, pioneers in cutting-edge research, drivers in innovation, and trailblazers in arts and culture.” The UP OAR encourages all UP alumni to be marked as a proud Iskolar ng Bayan and strengthen their connections with the University through the UP alumni email. UP alumni will receive the latest updates on UP events, programs, and special announcements straight to their inbox, including opportunities for donation or volunteerism. The UP Alumni email account also offers a G Suite for Education account that allows alumni to use other Google services, such as Gmail, Google+, Google Drive, and Google Groups. They can also update their personal information in the UP Alumni Database using their @alum.up.edu.ph account. For inquiries regarding this new email service, email helpdesk@up.edu.ph or call (02) 8376-3100. UP alumni can register for their own UP Alumni email account at https://alum.up.edu.ph/database/ or scan the QR code on the poster. |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19s-impact-on-the-planet-in-up-cifals-upcoming-webinar/ | COVID-19’s impact on the planet in UP-CIFAL’s upcoming webinar – University of the Philippines | COVID-19’s impact on the planet in UP-CIFAL’s upcoming webinar COVID-19’s impact on the planet in UP-CIFAL’s upcoming webinar June 10, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The global outbreak of COVID-19 reveals the fundamental tenets of the trade-off we consistently face: humans have unlimited needs, but the planet has a limited capacity to satisfy them. To be able to balance both needs and resources, people must learn to transition to sustainable living practices. COVID-19 prompts changes in lifestyle, which can be a positive thing. In the fifth installment of its webinar series, the University of the Philippines-International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders Philippines (UP-CIFAL) is focusing on “Nurture Nature: Impacts of COVID-19 to the Planet and the People.” This webinar, which will be held on Wednesday, 10 June 2020, , 14:00 (Manila time), aims to discuss the relationship between a sustainable planet and environment as well as responsible consumption and production by people during a pandemic. Speakers include:Vice President and COO Mark Gamboa of the Centre for Neighborhood Studies Philippines;Executive Director Ramon San Pascual of Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia; Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Virginia Llorin; and national convenor Eah Antonio of 2030 Youth Force Philippines as moderator. Please register here. |
https://up.edu.ph/enforcing-physical-distancing-to-fight-covid-19-in-upcoming-up-cifal-webinar/ | Enforcing physical distancing to fight COVID-19 in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar – University of the Philippines | Enforcing physical distancing to fight COVID-19 in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar Enforcing physical distancing to fight COVID-19 in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar June 30, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Physical distancing, more commonly known as “social distancing,” is one of the important strategies to fight COVID-19 by preventing the spread of the coronavirus through droplets when in close contact with other people. But how do you enforce physical distancing in a country whose capital city is one of the densest in the world, and where the poorest communities live in cramped spaces where standing at arm’s length from others is near impossible? The UP International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders Philippines (UP CIFAL Philippines), iAcademy, and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. will be discussing the issue of physical distancing in an upcoming webinar, “No Crowding, Please: COVID-19 and Physical Distancing”, to be held on July 3, 2020, Friday, 15:00 (Manila time). The webinar will explore the local governance, human rights and technological aspects of physical distancing as a strategy to combat this pandemic. This online discussion also seeks to emphasize the roles of various sectors, such as the government, academe, and private sector for the effective implementation of physical distancing. Speakers will be:President and CEO Vanessa Tanco of iACADEMY; Carlos Conde, researcher for the Asia Division of the Human Rights Watch; and, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. All are welcome to participate in the 7th installment of the UP CIFAL Philippines webinar series on July 3. Please register here: https://bit.ly/2ArDgVP. INQUIRER.net is the official online media partner of this webinar. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-singing-ambassadors-celebrate-38th-anniversary-in-the-reason-we-sing/ | UP Singing Ambassadors celebrate 38th anniversary in “The Reason We Sing” – University of the Philippines | UP Singing Ambassadors celebrate 38th anniversary in “The Reason We Sing” UP Singing Ambassadors celebrate 38th anniversary in “The Reason We Sing” June 5, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Join the UP Singing Ambassadors as they celebrate their 38th anniversary in “The Reason We Sing.” Mark the dates: June 11 (Mon) 7:30 PM at the RCBC Plaza June 13 (Wed) 7:30 PM at the Ayala Museum June 17 (Sun) 5 PM at the UP Bahay ng Alumni June 18 (Mon) 6:30 PM at the UP Film Center Online ticket reservation: tinyurl.com/38thAnnivTickets Ticket prices: RCBC Plaza: PHP1000 | PHP500 | PHP300 Ayala Museum: PHP1000 | PHP500 UP Bahay ng Alumni: PHP750 | PHP500 | PHP300 UP Film Center: PHP1000| PHP500 | PHP300 Students get a 50% discount and Senior Citizens and PWDs get a 20% discount for regular tickets. Contact AVIE at 0949-302-6211 or call 924-9378 for INQUIRIES. For more info, visit https://www.upsingingambassadors.com or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/THEUPSINGINGAMBASSADORS |
https://up.edu.ph/uplb-choir-wins-world-grand-prix/ | UPLB choir wins world grand prix – University of the Philippines | UPLB choir wins world grand prix UPLB choir wins world grand prix August 3, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble, beating finalists from five other countries, won the grand prize at the 10th Orientale Concentus International Choral Festival on July 10, 2017 at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. The 26-member choir earlier won in the mixed choir category and the sacred music category; and conductor Roijin Suarez received the Special Jury Prize for the Most Promising Young Conductor. Organized by Singapore’s Ace 99 Cultural Company, the festival was open to non-professional choirs and amateurs. The cover photo of the UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble’s Facebook page taken a moment after the group won the 10th Orientale Concentus International Choral Festival grand prize on July 10, 2017 at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore. Celebrating with the members are philanthropist Wong-Mah Jia Lan and festival officials and adjudicators. The grand prix competitors were nominated from category winners or groups earning top five scores. The grand prix winner received a trophy and S$20,000. The five-member international adjudicating team included Mark Anthony Carpio of the UP College of Music and of the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Edward Vinluan of the UP Alumni Association in Singapore (UPAAS) said, in a heads-up to the UP Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs, that the UPAAS helped arrange the choir’s accommodation, rehearsal venues, and post-victory meeting with the Philippine ambassador to Singapore. According to its Facebook page, the choral ensemble has conducted concert tours, and participated and won several awards in choral festivals in Germany, Belgium, Amsterdam, Australia, France, Spain, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Switzerland. At home, the ensemble is a National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) grand prix winner. The UPLB Choral Ensemble was founded in 1991 by former members of the UP Rural High School Glee Club. It is now composed of UPLB students and alumni. On campus, it is recognized as a student cultural organization. (Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-academia-sinica-host-free-bilateral-workshop-on-protein-engineering-drug-discovery-studies/ | UP, Academia Sinica host free bilateral workshop on protein engineering, drug discovery studies – University of the Philippines | UP, Academia Sinica host free bilateral workshop on protein engineering, drug discovery studies UP, Academia Sinica host free bilateral workshop on protein engineering, drug discovery studies March 27, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Increasing the technical proficiency of our young scientists and graduate students benefits our University’s research efforts in drug discovery. Local opportunities to learn about current experimental techniques and methods relating to protein expression, purification, and characterization are lacking and often limited to small research laboratories. The AS-Institute of Biological Chemistry (IBC) have established and distinguished research scientists , who have contributed significantly to the field of structural biology. Through extension work, IBC have conducted workshops in Taiwan to train current and future protein biochemists. The workshop aims to bring the IBC’s workshops to UP. It is envisioned to improve the skills and knowledge of UP researchers in current methodologies in protein research. It will also provide the venue for scientific interactions/matching exercises between the two universities, which will initiate collaborative projects/exchanges and other future plans/activities. For more information, email at upasbilateralworkshop@gmail.com. To register, fill out the form here. |
https://up.edu.ph/move-up-and-spend-a-semester-abroad/ | MOVE UP and spend a semester abroad – University of the Philippines | MOVE UP and spend a semester abroad MOVE UP and spend a semester abroad February 8, 2018 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion There were many things that Lia Soliongco liked about her stint as an exchange student at the University of Trento in Trento, Italy. But one of her absolute favorites was her time spent in the dormitory kitchen. She said that beyond serving as a common area for cooking and dining, the kitchen became a bustling arena for cultural exchange. “My floormates and I were so close and we had our own international dinners where you would cook food from your own place—and if you can’t cook, you could just bring something,” says the Voice major from the UP Diliman College of Music. “The guy I was in the same program with, he was also Filipino, and we would always share our food. Because my floormates were also curious—what is Filipino food?” Lia’s opportunity to experience another country’s culture and teaching system is one not many get to have, even in UP. The UP Office of International Linkages (UP OIL), however, under Director Gil S. Jacinto, has been offering a program since 2014 to help UP students earn that same opportunity with potentially full financial support. The program is called the University of the Philippines Mobility for Vigor and Excellence (MOVE UP), and it’s open to all UP undergraduates after their freshman year who have been accepted into the student exchange program of a foreign partner university. The UP College of Music’s Lia Soliongco. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) MOVE UP, Jacinto says, provides support for undergraduate students seriously looking to spend a semester abroad in one of UP’s global partner institutions. “If a student has excellent grades and applies in their second or third year for a posting abroad, the University can help that student cover the cost of travel, and even travel insurance. Students don’t have to pay tuition fees because we have reciprocal partnership agreements with these universities.” For parents, saving up to help cover the remaining expenses of their children’s semesters abroad has never been easier, Jacinto adds, due to the free tuition law. Under RA 10931, the household of a child that used to be classified under Bracket A of what used to be the Socialized Tuition System (STS) can now save roughly P35,000 per semester for this purpose. But the support that the University is willing to offer to less financially fortunate students goes farther still. “The exchange program doesn’t discriminate,” Jacinto explained. “MOVE UP provides support depending on your capacity to pay. If you happen to be in what used to be STS brackets D and E, the University will pay for most of your needs for your stint abroad.” This means that MOVE UP scholars can potentially receive subsidies not only for insurance and airfare, but also for their accommodations and living expenses, as well. The road less traveled One of the bonuses Jacinto and his office want for every MOVE UP scholar is for their courses to be credited (or to be complementary) to a student’s current academic track, with the approval of his or her program adviser. This sense of complementarity, at least in essence, was one of the main reasons Lia decided to spend her semester in Trento, which offered the budding classical singer a chance to broaden her linguistic and cultural horizons. For others, however, like Michelle Danne Desuyo, a BS Agricultural Chemistry student from UP Los Baños, academic life abroad was far less straightforward, but equally rewarding. Michelle, who was an exchange student at the University of Oviedo in Spain last year, found herself in the Faculty of Economics and Business. There, she took courses she hadn’t previously considered taking—Accounting, Human Resource Management, and the Economy of the European Union, among others. BS Agricultural Chemistry student and University of Oviedo exchange student Michelle Danne Desuyo. (Photo by El Bacani, UP MPRO) “Every day I would allot the most time to my Economics course,” Michelle said. “Because the European Union has so many countries! And you need to know the histories of all those countries. I really needed to do things like study tutorials on YouTube on European history.” Luckily, she said her teachers were more than supportive. “I talked to my professor and told him that my major was not Economics. And he helped me and gave me the resources that I needed to read. While the vastly different nature of her courses in Spain meant that none of them would be officially credited back home, Michelle said she would never exchange her experience for anything. “That’s where I got a sense of self-discovery, where I said, I can actually do this! And I got so many intangible benefits like friendships and memories. I wouldn’t have gotten these experiences if I just stayed in UPLB. Because of UP, I was given an opportunity to accomplish things I never thought I would accomplish.” Ambassadors to the world For Jacinto and his staff at the UP OIL, MOVE UP offers an opportunity for more students to experience a similar kind of growth—“intellectual, emotional and academic.” Not only does a semester abroad increase the marketability of students when they graduate, but it also helps them to become, in their own way, ambassadors of both UP and the nation to the world. Lia’s time in Italy, although not without its challenges, gave her a vision of both the life she wanted for herself and a future that she wanted to give to her countrymen. “There’s learning and growth because of the experience of living abroad, staying abroad. Making your own decisions. Experiencing other cultures while also sharing your own culture. It’s something you might not really learn if you just stay here in UP,” she says. UP OIL Director and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Gil S. Jacinto. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) “I had it in my mind that this is the life I want to live. Trento was so beautiful. You walk around and there’s no pollution. Water was free everywhere. There were parks where you could just sit and relax; and learn from watching people. You get the taste of the First World life.” “But you know,” she adds, “I missed the Philippines. And the more I was there, the more I wished that we could have this back here. Not the culture, but the ease of life. Maybe one day I could live there, but I think my knowledge and experience would go to waste if I didn’t come back and contribute. What I can do when I graduate in the future is give back more to the country. We need it, and as a UP student, I think we owe it to our people.” For more information on the guidelines and deadlines of MOVE UP, visit http://oil.up.edu.ph/?p=546. For a list of UP’s partner universities around the world, visit http://portal.oil.up.edu.ph/public/. |
https://up.edu.ph/theater-for-community-and-nation/ | Theater for community and nation – University of the Philippines | Theater for community and nation Theater for community and nation June 19, 2018 | Written by J. Mikhail Solitario At age 14, as a young theater enthusiast, Professor Glecy Atienza tried to convince high school principals to establish and maintain theater groups in their schools. During her lunch breaks, she would take a bus to Manila and speak to principals and convince school administrators to encourage students to experience theater by writing and performing. Atienza started in high school as a member of UP High School’s Drama Club, a dream that she had since grade school. Coming from a family of actors and performers, she says that genetics must have led to her interest in the arts. She attended a workshop at the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) facilitated by Lino Brocka, who challenged the attendees to stay in theater. Atienza shares her experience in running a community theater at the 2nd CUPSCon in UP BGC. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) After gathering enough support and participation from pilot schools such as UP High School, Philippine Science High School, Stella Maris College, Manuel Roxas High School, and Lourdes School, Glecy and her group were able to launch the first Dula-Daluyan Festival under the Metropolitan Teen Theater League which she chaired during the martial law years. While in college, Glecy stayed with PETA, visiting communities during Lent and Christmas and training them to perform Lenten rites and Panunuluyan. Performances featured originally written works because these pieces reflected the experience of the writers and performers. Atienza relays how they were able to make their system sustainable by ensuring that the performers who graduated from their schools came back to become trainers. These individuals eventually banded together and founded the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Pang-Kultura sa Kamaynilaan at Karatig-Pook (Alyansa). The alliance of 31 performing groups in the National Capital Region pooled resources from solicitations and held a festival called “Gawing Ganap and Sining at Kultura sa Paaralan at Komunidad” at the Quezon Memorial Circle. An offshoot of the Alyansa is Guro sa Sining, whose members have retained the orientation of civic-mindedness and immersion in the community. Being a member of the NCCA’s network, the group came up with “Agap, Iglap, Handa”, a forum theater project on disaster preparedness after earthquakes hit Bohol. The group’s pilot area was Pandacan and Sta. Mesa in Manila, where they taught community members what to do, where to go, and what to bring in the event of a disaster such as Metro Manila’s “The Big One.” The training resembled theater rehearsals where movements are practiced and coordinated. Students of Manila Tytana Colleges perform a piece from “Misyon ng Kalikasan” (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Theater as social research Community theater is not based on a geographic or locational community such as a residential area. It is now seen as an avenue or a platform where members of a community come together to work on a project. Atienza recalls a play called “Taya” (formerly “Pataya, Patihaya”) which dealt with drugs, a recommendation of one of their members from Malabon. In 2002, Atienza conducted research but found in difficult to acquire knowledge because people feared discussing the subject openly. When the play was rewritten using local terms and context-based language, the reception was better. She still recognizes that tackling local issues will always carry some danger with it, precisely because it might actually involve the neighbors you constantly interact with, unlike the discussion of national issues which are perceived to be more detached. To Atienza, theater involves all forms of art: song, movement, dance, literature and writing. She works with the idea of ”ganap” with theater’s live component, which necessitates community involvement through actual participation in the performance, being a member of the audience, or giving offstage assistance such as lending props, costumes, and materials for stage design. A short performance on “Sino ba ang Titser” from the play “Titser ng Bayan” (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) In a way, members of the community felt like they contributed part to the theater performance without financial resources involved. The “kaganapan” of the play happens both onstage and behind the scenes. “There’s something about theater that other fields cannot offer. It is the live, interactive, participatory experience of creation,” Atienza says. In fact, theater has helped middle-performing students improve because of discipline and time management. Theater serves as a “laboratory of life” where participants can dissect issues and ask questions about the study of society, using tools of analysis and the body as the first instrument. Within their network, she considers two plays, “Taya” and “Titser ng Bayan”, as their company’s mainstays. “You cannot join these shows without undergoing rigid training and recurring research on the situation. So if you know these plays, you’re definitely from the Alyansa,” she says. “It’s impossible that you emerge from these plays without learning something from the process.” Moreover, these plays will always have songs because as practiced by Bienvenido Lumbera, one of Atienza’s mentors, plays are more relatable when accompanied by music. The songs are similar to dialogue and serve as points of reflection on the material for the audience. “You need to sing from the heart. Find your voice. Use these songs to make a statement,” Atienza advises her performers. Epic heroes in Manila After all these endeavors, Atienza has written a play with support from UP, “Epiko ng Bayani ng Maynila”, whose central theme asks why there are no epic heroes from Manila. She posits that every resident of Manila is a hero in his or her own right. She argues that every Filipino in Manila has his or her stories of adventure and triumph. The play draws inspiration from various Filipino epics but its main story revolves around the lives of theater artists and cultural workers in Metro Manila. With a huge bulk of her life’s work spent outside the University, Atienza reflects, “I think it’s about time I went home.” Before she retires, she wants to give back by creating her own community theater in UP. One of these initiatives is a resource center called Mandala ng Araling Pilipino, which she offered to her home department in the College of Arts and Letters. The resource center will have a script bank and will develop linkages with communities to share knowledge on language and cultural studies. The performing group composed of students and teachers (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) This year, a “truth-telling” festival is in the works, “Sa Totoo Lang”, whose output will be the establishment of community “truth centers” as alternative sources of local, functional information oriented towards creating and producing truth. These “truth centers” may not necessarily be run by the media recognized by Atienza, who has a radio show Wika ng Ina Mo. Glecy Atienza reminds those who are passionate about theater that, “It’s important to remain creative because we want to remain living in our own nation. When we understand the value of the things around us, we see nationalism in a different light.” |
https://up.edu.ph/up-experts-sharpen-skills-build-friendships-with-southern-taiwan-colleagues/ | UP experts sharpen skills, build friendships with Southern Taiwan colleagues – University of the Philippines | UP experts sharpen skills, build friendships with Southern Taiwan colleagues UP experts sharpen skills, build friendships with Southern Taiwan colleagues August 9, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office 44 delegates from Southern Taiwan sign up for the workshops, greeted by Prof. Delia Tomacruz (right). (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Two years after the first formal agreement was signed between the University of the Philippines and a university from Southern Taiwan, 44 delegates composed mostly of academics from Southern Taiwan met with their counterparts from the UP System on August 1, 2018 at the UP Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM). The event, “Briefing on the UP System International Linkages and the Envisioned Taiwan-Philippine University Collaborations”, featured thematic workshops where UP experts joined their Southern Taiwanese colleagues in discussions geared towards shaping future inter-university collaborations between those involved. The Taiwanese delegation was composed of members from: Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Economic Affairs, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Chang Jung Christian University, National Taitung University, Soochow University, National Chiayi University, National Chung Cheng University, National Chung Hsiung University, National Cheng Kung University, National Sun Yat-Sen University, AgriGaia Social Enterprise, Greatlink Travel Service Co., Ltd., Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association, and the Kindness Chain Hotel. Chair Professor Eing-Ming Wu of Shu Te University briefs the group on the history of the UP-Southern Taiwan relationship. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Workshop themes were determined by their impact on regional poverty and inequality alleviation. These areas were: 1) Agriculture, Horticulture, Marine Technology, Aquaculture and Aquatic Products; 2) Public Health and Tropical Disease Preventions; 3) Disaster Prevention and Resilience Management, and Public Safety; and, 4) Technological Advancement and Social Entrepreneurship. These dialogues presented opportunities for researchers across UP’s various campuses to get to know their Southern Taiwanese colleagues, and to jointly discuss how collaborations could arise from their respective strengths. According to Chair Professor Eing-Ming Wu of Shu Te University, these conversations were part of an ongoing effort of “reshaping the past”, from a mindset where the Philippines and Taiwan were seen as developing in isolation, to one where both nations see each other as close friends and partners. Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa (left) together with guests from Southern Taiwan. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) “The relationship between UP and the Southern Taiwan universities is by far among our strongest and most productive,” added UP Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa in his welcome remarks. Having been part of previous discussions with the Southern Taiwanese University Alliance/Network (STUA/STUN), Herbosa cited some of the successes of UP’s academic cooperation with its Southern Taiwan counterparts, specifically in the areas of training and skills upgrading. Among these triumphs was the decision of 24 faculty members from across the UP System in 2017 to take all or part of their graduate education in Southern Taiwan. Of those already in Taiwan, 15 were reported to be PhD students. The Southern Taiwanese delegation joins their colleagues from UP for a photo at the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM). (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The fruits of the UP-Southern Taiwan relationship was further praised by UP Office of International Linkages (UP OIL) Director Gil S. Jacinto. In a presentation given on behalf of Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista, Jacinto narrated how from its first active Agreement with Shu Te University in 2016, UP now boasts partnerships with 14 Southern Taiwanese Institutions. Members of the delegation join their UP colleagues in the workshops. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Jacinto concluded by encouraging faculty members from all institutions to better utilize UP OIL’s projects to facilitate knowledge and personnel exchange between Taiwan and the Philippines. Chief among these are the UP Mobility for Vigor and Excellence (MOVE UP) program, which helps UP undergraduates spend a semester abroad; and the COOPERATE program, which gives financial support to graduate students undertaking research or creative work in a foreign university for their theses or dissertations. (Andre dP Encarnacion, UP MPRO) More information can be found at the UP OIL website: http://oil.up.edu.ph |
https://up.edu.ph/faculty-center-to-rise-again/ | Faculty Center to rise again – University of the Philippines | Faculty Center to rise again Faculty Center to rise again January 25, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo A front view (along Roxas St.) of the architect’s perspective of the new FC shows National Artist Napoleon Abueva’s sculpture, “Siyam na Diwata ng Sining,” figuring prominently in the complex’s design. The architect’s perspective of the back (along Quirino St.) of the new FC shows the six-level parking building. Three years after it was ravaged by fire, the Faculty Center (FC) is set to be reborn as a new and improved facility. It will be a cluster of structures that includes a nine-level faculty building, a six-level parking building, a single story hall, and an amphitheater. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 25 to kick off the construction project. Clockwise from top left: DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and UP President Danilo Concepcion sign the construction blueprints; the lowering of the time capsule; and the ceremonial groundbreaking. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, who underscored the significance of bringing the FC back, likened its rebirth to a phoenix rising from the ashes, “grander and more splendid.” UP President Danilo Concepcion said the University expects the P675-million project to be finished on time, which is November next year. He added that UP holds the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to its promise of efficient project implementation. The agency is the University’s partner in the undertaking. DPWH Secretary Mark Villar promised the “fast and efficient” implementation of the project, which he said is the FC that UP deserves. From left to right: UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, UP President Danilo Concepcion, and DPWH Secretary Mark Villar (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) According to the Office of the VP for Development (OVPD), the new FC will house offices, conference rooms, meeting spaces, lecture and multipurpose halls, libraries, galleries, and recreational areas like break rooms, lounges, and a café. It is expected to accommodate simultaneous events of varying group sizes. The OVPD also revealed that the Claro M. Recto Conference Hall will remain a focal point in the new structure’s design. Similar to the previous FC, the upcoming building is expected to be a place of convergence and collaboration that inspires the exchange of ideas, artistic creation and development, collegial discussion, and academic discourse. From left to right: College of Science Dean Perry Ong, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Dean Maria Bernadette Abrera, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, UP President Danilo Concepcion, College of Arts and Letters Dean Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, and College of Engineering Dean Rizalinda De Leon (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Watch: Faculty Center Groundbreaking Audio-Visual Presentation by TVUP, 25 January 2019 |
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-southern-taiwan-universities-collaborate-for-inclusive-education/ | UP and Southern Taiwan Universities collaborate for inclusive education – University of the Philippines | UP and Southern Taiwan Universities collaborate for inclusive education UP and Southern Taiwan Universities collaborate for inclusive education October 18, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The “University of the Philippines (UP)-Southern Taiwan Universities (STUs) Dialogue” was held at the UP Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Campus on 29 September 2018, a month after the “UP System International Linkages and the Envisioned Taiwan-Philippines University Collaborations: Skills Upgrading and Training” was held, in continuation of the discussions between the officials and faculty of UP and STUs. During these meetings, representatives from participating universities presented their respective institution’s strengths in shaping future inter-university collaborations for a stronger regional development in Southeast Asia. The Southern Taiwan delegation and UP officials pose for a photo in front of the UP Bonifacio Global City Campus Oblation. (Photo by UP OIL) Representatives from the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST), National University of Kaohsiung (NUK), Chang Jung Christian University, National Chiayi University, Yuan Ze University, Shu-Te University, Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association, and the Kindness Chain Hotel comprised the Taiwanese delegation. Representatives from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office Press Division and the Mandaluyong City Local Government also joined the event. National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology President Dr. Ching-Yu Yang (left) and Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa (right). (Photo by UP OIL) Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, UP Executive Vice President, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the STUs’ commitment in nurturing their relationship with UP and the Filipino people. Dr. Ching-Yu Yang, NKUST President, furthered that the STUs are more than willing to continue strengthening their partnership with UP for various academic collaborations. The three thematic discussions on Academic Concerns and University Social Responsibility, Learning Commons, and International Executive Masters in Business Administration (IEMBA) Program were led by EVP Herbosa, UPTV Executive Director and former UP Open University Chancellor Professor Emeritus Grace Alfonso, and University of the Philippines Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP) Director Grace Gorospe-Jamon, respectively. Discussion highlights were later presented in the plenary session. For Academic Concerns and Social Responsibility, the participating universities intend to have more meaningful collaborative programs with UP. Since STUs are composed of more than ten universities, EVP Herbosa suggested that STUs e-mail their research or fields of interest to him so that he can match them with appropriate counterpart units within the UP System. Collaborations with STUs, for example, will be on faculty exchange, graduate degree programs, and English teaching in Taiwan. This could be initiated in the proposed “Weekend Kapihan” in Kaohsiung, a regular matching exercise that aims to come up with concrete proposals and will involve UP and STUs faculty members and researchers. Former UPOU Chancellor and Professor Emeritus Grace Alfonso (center) with Southern Taiwan delegates in one of the discussions. (Photo by UP OIL) Professor Emeritus Alfonso announced that the Learning Commons Center will be launched in partnership with National Kaohsiung University and the Open University of Kaohsiung during the upcoming International Conference on Distance e-Learning (ICODeL) on 26-28 November 2018 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The Learning Commons Center is a platform or place wherein everyone can meet, access information, and take courses. This will be set up in the Information Technology area near NUK and will benefit not just locals but more importantly, overseas workers (Filipino, Malaysian, Thai, and Vietnamese, among others) in Taiwan. Director Jamon-Gorospe said they were keen on implementing the IEMBA Program at UPDEPP. The courses will be taught in English and Mandarin. Assistant Vice President Delia Tomacruz concluded the event by thanking all the participants of the activity. In her closing remarks, she emphasized that “only by working hand in hand can we shake and, hopefully, alleviate regional poverty and inequality.” |
https://up.edu.ph/upd-holds-first-study-abroad-week/ | UPD holds first Study Abroad Week – University of the Philippines | UPD holds first Study Abroad Week UPD holds first Study Abroad Week April 2, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The first day of the UP Diliman Study Abroad Week on March 26 (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP Diliman (UPD) students flocked to the School of Statistics from March 26 to 29 for the first UPD Study Abroad Week. They visited information booths and listened to resource persons talk about UP’s internationalization initiatives, discuss opportunities to study in other countries, and share experiences of foreign exchange students. It was organized by the UPD Office of International Linkages (OIL Diliman). Dr. Hiroshi Kawamura, director of the Office for International Academic Support, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University and Dr. Imee Martinez, director of the UP Diliman Office of International Linkages formally open UPD Study Abroad Week. (Photo by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO) (From left) UP Diliman Office of International Linkages Director Imee Martinez, Hokkaido University Faculty of Science-Office for International Academic Support Director Hiroshi Kawamura, and Embassy of the Czech Republic in the Philippines Deputy Head of Mission Jana Peterková deliver brief messages during the opening ceremony. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Apart from OIL Diliman and the Office of International Linkages of the UP System, other exhibitors were: Hokkaido University, Japan; Japan Information and Culture Center; Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines; Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Manila; Education USA; Fulbright Philippines; Embassy of the Czech Republic, Philippines; Campus France; DAAD-German Academic Exchange Services; Consejeria de Educación, Embassy of Spain, Manila; IE University, Spain; and, UCAM Universidad Catolica de Murcia, Spain. Scenes at UPD Study Abroad Week (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The four-day event featured talks on studying in: the USA; Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Thailand; and, European countries like the Czech Republic, France, Germany, and Spain, among others. Prof. Yukihiro Takahashi of Hokkaido University (HU) talks about the HU Nook in UP Diliman, the website of which was later launched (http://hokudai.upd.edu.ph/about/). The HU Nook is HU’s Philippine Liaison Office. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) According to UPD Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Evangeline Amor, while similar events have been mounted in previous years, those only lasted a day or two. She is hopeful this year’s four-day format will continue so that UPD students can have more time to visit and attend the event. UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Evangeline Amor (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-academia-sinica-host-symposium-on-advances-in-biomedical-applications/ | UP, Academia Sinica host symposium on advances in biomedical applications – University of the Philippines | UP, Academia Sinica host symposium on advances in biomedical applications UP, Academia Sinica host symposium on advances in biomedical applications March 27, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Increasing the technical proficiency of our young scientists and graduate students benefits our University’s research efforts in drug discovery. Local opportunities to learn about current experimental techniques and methods relating to protein expression, purification, and characterization are lacking and often limited to small research laboratories. The AS-Institute of Biological Chemistry (IBC) have established and distinguished research scientists , who have contributed significantly to the field of structural biology. Through extension work, IBC have conducted workshops in Taiwan to train current and future protein biochemists. The workshop aims to bring the IBC’s workshops to UP. It is envisioned to improve the skills and knowledge of UP researchers in current methodologies in protein research. It will also provide the venue for scientific interactions/matching exercises between the two universities, which will initiate collaborative projects/exchanges and other future plans/activities. For more information, email at upasbilateralworkshop@gmail.com. To register, fill out the form here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-still-lone-ph-university-in-the-world-university-rankings/ | UP still lone PH university in THE World University Rankings – University of the Philippines | UP still lone PH university in THE World University Rankings UP still lone PH university in THE World University Rankings September 6, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office MANILA, Philippines – The University of the Philippines (UP) remains the lone Philippine university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. UP is now in the 601-800 bracket of the THE World University Rankings 2018, which ranks the world’s top 1000 universities, released Wednesday, September 6. TOP UNIVERSITY. The Oblation sculpture at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, July 20, 2017. (Photo by LeAnne Jazul/Rappler) In the 2017 rankings, the institution was in the “>800 bracket”, and was the only Philippine institution on the list. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings based its scores on 13 performance indicators that cover teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook, the publication said. The Philippines’ national university got an overall score of 30.6 out of 100. The global university ranking is topped by the University of Oxford, followed by the University of Cambridge. The California Institute of Technology, which topped the list in 2012 and 2016, is currently at third position, tied with Stanford University. Data from THE World University Rankings 2018 (Photo from Rappler) The National University of Singapore is still the top Asian university, and is now ranked 22nd alongside the University of Toronto. This year’s rankings, the publication said, saw the continued rise of Chinese institutions, notably Peking and Tsinghua Universities into the top 30. A total of 77 countries are represented in the ranking, THE World University Rankings said. UP was also included in this year’s Asian University Rankings (rank 201-250) and the BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings (rank 201-250). (Rappler.com) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-leaps-into-the-asias-top-200/ | UP leaps into THE Asia’s Top 200 – University of the Philippines | UP leaps into THE Asia’s Top 200 UP leaps into THE Asia’s Top 200 February 7, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Riding on its research being cited by the world’s scholars, the University of the Philippines made a big jump in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings or the THE ranking of the top 359 universities of the region. The Philippine national university leaped from the 201st-250th ranked group in 2017 to the top 200, placing 156th, in 2018. THE released the results of its 2018 Asia rankings on February 7, 2018. UP is the only Philippine university to figure in the THE rankings, which is currently led by the National University of Singapore. At the same time, in the THE World University Rankings or the THE ranking of the top 1,000 universities in the world, UP moved in overall ranking from the 801st-1,000th ranked universities up to the 601st-800th ranked universities. In the areas of clinical, pre-clinical and health, UP ranks higher, falling under the 201-250 ranked group. UP is one of the top 3 Asian universities that moved the most in terms of citations of UP’s published research works by scholars from different parts of the world according to UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista. According to THE data, UP’s citations score rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 40 in 2018. Breakdown of rankings data for University of the Philippines. Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-philippines The citations score is a measure of the research influence of the university. THE tries to capture the average number of times a university’s published work is cited by scholars globally, using bibliometric data from Elsevier over five years. The citations score comprises 30 percent of the overall score, alongside teaching (25 percent), research (30 percent), international outlook (7.5 percent), and industry income (7.5 percent). From 2017, UP’s teaching score rose slightly from 23 to 23.4; and research, from 10.6 to 11.5.; although its international outlook and industry income scores fell several points. Bautista cited information personally shared by representatives of Elsevier to the university a week ago, revealing that papers from UP are cited 14 percent more frequently than the world average. In medicine, they are cited 336 percent more frequently, according to the same source. “We have not gone to details in terms of areas where we have more influence,” Bautista said. “For now we believe Elsevier when it says our citations are global as opposed to being confined to particular regions only.” The most recent THE Asia University Rankings are published at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2018/regional-ranking. (Jo. Lontoc, MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-continues-upward-trend-in-world-rankings-joins-top-5-from-southeast-asia/ | UP continues upward trend in world rankings; joins top 5 from Southeast Asia – University of the Philippines | UP continues upward trend in world rankings; joins top 5 from Southeast Asia UP continues upward trend in world rankings; joins top 5 from Southeast Asia September 27, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines moved up once again in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Securing a place in the 501-600 bracket, it joined universities from Singapore and Malaysia in the top 5 from Southeast Asia. UP has consistently made progress in the rankings since its entry in 2017. Before breaking into the top 600 for 2019, it climbed to 601-800 in 2018 from its inaugural 801-1,000 position. The continued rise in the rankings is an indication of the national university’s hard work and commitment to excellence in teaching, research and public service. THE world rankings are based on the achievements of research-intensive universities across various core missions. Performance is gauged using thirteen metrics in five main areas: teaching (30 percent), research (30 percent), citations (30 percent), international outlook (7.5 percent) and industry income (2.5 percent). An impressive score in citations–up by 30 points from last year–drove UP’s movement in the 2019 rankings. The high score means that in the past years, UP did not only become more productive but it also produced research that stood out and influenced the work of other scholars around the world. Close to 14 million scholarly publications including 25,000 academic journals indexed by Scopus between 2013 and 2017 were examined by analytics company Elsevier to help THE compare the research influence of institutions. This was not the first time that citations played a big role in UP’s ranking. In 2018, UP leaped several places in the Asia University Rankings as its citation score went up from 13.5 to 40. For 2019, UP also received higher scores in the areas of teaching, with academic prestige as a large component, industry income which gauged a university’s ability to help industry with innovation, inventions and consultancy, and research composed of research reputation, income and productivity. International outlook, or global connections as measured by the number of international staff, students and collaborations, went down by a few points. UP’s performance in the 2019 THE World University Rankings. Source: Times Higher Education UP, one of the two universities from the Philippines that figured in the rankings, remains the country’s top university. UK and American universities constituted the top 10 worldwide, with the University of Oxford in first place, while Tsinghua University led the universities from Asia. Publishing some of the most influential rankings used in the academic community, THE also releases the annual Emerging Economies Universities Rankings in which UP jumped from 201-250 to 166 in 2018. (This article was originally published by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on September 26 and last updated on October 1, 2018: http://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/up-continues-upward-trend-in-world-rankings/) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-soars-to-70th-among-top-universities-from-emerging-economies/ | UP soars to 70th among top universities from emerging economies – University of the Philippines | UP soars to 70th among top universities from emerging economies UP soars to 70th among top universities from emerging economies February 18, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc (UPDATED) The University of the Philippines is now at the top 70 notable universities from emerging economies in 2020. This is according to the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings, where the University had steadily risen from the top 201-250 bracket in 2017, to the top 166 in 2018, and to the top 87 in 2019. De La Salle University is the only other Philippine university in the 2020 rankings, figuring in for the second year. As it did last year, China leads the rankings with its universities claiming the top four places. It is also the one represented best, with 81 institutions. India is still second with 56 institutions, while Brazil is third with 46. THE used London’s Financial Times Stock Exchange Quality of Markets criteria in classifying economies as “advanced emerging, secondary emerging, or frontier.” These include: advanced emerging economies, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, and Taiwan; secondary emerging markets, China, India, the Philippines, and Russia; and, frontier economies, Argentina, Malta, Romania, and Vietnam. UP’s rise in the ranking is remarkable, given an increase in the number of eligible institutions, from 442 last year to 533 this year. The rankings use the same 13 performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings (THE-WUR) to judge institutions, but recalibrate them “to reflect the development priorities of universities in emerging economies.” Breakdown of University of the Philippines’ ranking in the 2020 Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings Performance indicators are grouped into five areas. UP’s scores show its strength in citations, where it got 86.9 out of 100, up from 69.1 the previous year. Its next best score is in industry income: 39.4, up from 35.8; followed by international outlook: 38.1, down from 39.8, UP’s only dip in score. The University improved its score in teaching and research: 24.1 and 17.2 from 21.7 and 16.4, respectively. Data for citations or research influence included citations from 2014 to 2019 of more than 23,400 academic journals indexed by Elsevier’s Scopus database and all indexed publications between 2014 and 2018. Industry income or knowledge transfer looked at how much research income an institution earned from industry, scaled against the number of academic staff it employed. International outlook considered the proportion of international students, staff, and research journal authorship. Teaching or the learning environment used data from an academic reputation survey and looked at staff-to-student ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio, doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio, and institutional income. Research also used the academic reputation survey, looked at research income scaled against the number of academic staff, and measured research productivity through the number of papers published in academic journals indexed by Elsevier’s Scopus database per scholar. In 2020, UP is at the top 500 of THE-WUR’s top 1,400 universities across 92 countries. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-ranking-in-asia-pacific-rises/ | UP ranking in Asia-Pacific rises – University of the Philippines | UP ranking in Asia-Pacific rises UP ranking in Asia-Pacific rises February 21, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Times Higher Education Asia-Pacific University Rankings 2019 The University of the Philippines moves up to the top 101-110 universities of the Asia-Pacific region, leaping from its place in the 151-160 bracket in 2018 and in the 201+ bracket in 2017, based on the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia-Pacific University Ranking released on February 20, 2019. To come up with the ranking, THE analyzes universities across East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania using the same performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings 2019. This year, the ranking for Asia-Pacific universities features the top 300. UP and De La Salle University are the only universities in the Philippines that made it to the table. THE’s Asia-Pacific ranking of UP reflects the latter’s rise in the World University Rankings from its place in the 800+ bracket in 2017, to the 601-800 bracket in 2018, and to 501-600 in 2019. Based on the THE rankings for 2019, UP also ranks 87th among the top 442 universities from 43 emerging economies. Among the top 1,250 world universities, UP is in the 126-150 bracket for Clinical, Pre-Clinical and Health subjects; in the 501-600 bracket for both Life Sciences and Social Sciences; in the 601+ bracket for Engineering and Technology, and Computer Science; and in the 801+ bracket in Physical Sciences. In Asia, UP’s latest ranking was 156th, securing a high spot among the top 350 universities in 25 countries. The THE university rankings cover research-intensive universities across their core missions of teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook, using 13 calibrated performance indicators. THE is a London-based publication. Its calculation of the rankings has been subject to independent audit by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). |
https://up.edu.ph/up-climbs-30-points-to-65th-rank-among-top-universities-in-asia/ | UP climbs 30 points to 65th rank among top universities in Asia – University of the Philippines | UP climbs 30 points to 65th rank among top universities in Asia UP climbs 30 points to 65th rank among top universities in Asia June 3, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines climbed 30 points in the newly released 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, placing 65th this year out of 489 universities ranked. This represents a significant rise from last year’s 95th ranking. This was announced by the Times Higher Education at the Virtual THE Live Asia webinar today. The national university has been featured in the THE Asia University Rankings since 2017. It entered the top 100 for the first time in 2019, soaring 61 places from its 156th position in 2018. In 2017, UP belonged to the 201st-250th ranking group. Breakdown of ranking for the University of the Philippines from 2020 Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings The THE Asia University Rankings use the same criteria (Teaching, Research, Citations, International Outlook and Industry Income) as the World University Rankings. Based on the data analytics presented by Scopus, the citation score is seen to be the main driver for the overall score of the ranked universities. The improvement in UP’s ranking this year is due to its high scores in “Citation” (86.9 points) and “Industry Income” (39.4 points) criteria. UP remains the highest ranked university from the Philippines. You can view the 2020 THE Asia University Rankings here. Related stories: UP achieves top 100 ranking in THE Asia UP soars to 70th among top universities from emerging economies |
https://up.edu.ph/unsung-heroes-up-among-8-asian-universities-shortlisted-in-new-the-awards-asia-category-for-research-excellence/ | “Unsung heroes”: UP among 8 Asian universities shortlisted in new THE Awards Asia category for research excellence – University of the Philippines | “Unsung heroes”: UP among 8 Asian universities shortlisted in new THE Awards Asia category for research excellence “Unsung heroes”: UP among 8 Asian universities shortlisted in new THE Awards Asia category for research excellence June 5, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office From its jump to 65th rank in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings—up 30 points from 95th in 2019—UP scores another win: being shortlisted for the 2020 THE Awards Asia THE DataPoints Merit Award category. This was announced during the Virtual THE Live Asia webinar held on June 3, 10:00 a.m. London time, during which the 2020 THE ranking of Asian universities was released. Shortlisted in this new category, UP is among eight Asian universities, out of a total of 489 universities that were ranked in the 2020 THE Asia University Rankings. According to the THE, the THE DataPoints Merit Award looks “at Asian universities that could be considered to be ‘unsung heroes’—those whose research excellence outpaces the recognition of their strength among the 10,000+ academics polled across the globe in our annual Reputation Survey.” Universities were not required to send in submissions to be considered for this category. Instead, the shortlist was compiled after an analysis of world university data collected by the THE for its suite of rankings, revealing “aspects of university performance that are not necessarily obvious in our published rankings results.” UP is the only university from Southeast Asia included in the shortlist for this category. The seven other universities shortlisted are: the American University of Beirut, Lebanon; Hunan University, China; King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia; Nankai University, China; Soochow University, China; Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China; and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), China. The 2020 Times Higher Education Awards Asia was launched in 2019 “to celebrate the achievements of universities across the continent, building on the success of THE’s long-running UK-focused awards, dubbed the ‘Oscars of higher education,” according to the THE. The awards began with five categories last year, but has been expanded to ten categories this year. UP broke into the top 100 universities in Asia for the first time last year (95th in 2019) after being ranked 156th in 2018, and 201-250 in 2017. The national university remains the highest ranked university in the country, with De La Salle University ranking within 301-350. View the full list of the THE Asia University Rankings 2020 here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-climbs-higher-in-world-university-rankings/ | UP climbs higher in world university rankings – University of the Philippines | UP climbs higher in world university rankings UP climbs higher in world university rankings June 19, 2019 | Written by Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs The University of the Philippines (UP) further climbed international rankings, appearing in the top 33 percent of the 2020 QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings. It placed 356th, up by 28 notches from last year, in the top 1,000 institutions from around the world. As with previous editions, UP held the top spot in the Philippines, ahead of three other Philippine universities that made the latest rankings. It is the only Philippine university among the 16 Southeast Asian institutions in the upper half of the list. This is UP’s fourth climb in the QS world rankings and its highest standing since it moved into the rankings in 2014. Source: 2020 QS World University Rankings Fact File Universities are ranked by QS according to six indicators: academic reputation (40 percent), employer reputation (10 percent), faculty student ratio (20 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), international faculty ratio (5 percent) and international student ratio (5 percent). UP retained its best performance in faculty-student ratio where it ascended 52 spots to 234th. In employer reputation, it was ranked 240th. Academic reputation was another strong indicator for UP where it rose 18 places to reach 242nd. Ratings for academic and employer reputation are determined through annual surveys. In the 2020 edition, more than 94,000 responses from academics and around 45,000 responses from employers worldwide were collected and analyzed by QS. UP recorded the lowest rankings in citations per faculty, international faculty ratio and international student ratio. UP’s ranking by indicator. Source: 2020 QS World University Rankings Fact File UP’s scores by indicator. The highest possible score is 100. Source: 2020 QS World University Rankings QS also publishes the world university rankings by subject area, the regional rankings for Asia and the graduate employability rankings based on the world university rankings but with some refinements in the criteria. In the 2019 edition, UP placed 72nd among 503 institutions in Asia. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-toyota-work-together-on-a-philippine-marine-biodiversity-game/ | UP and Toyota work together on a Philippine marine biodiversity game – University of the Philippines | UP and Toyota work together on a Philippine marine biodiversity game UP and Toyota work together on a Philippine marine biodiversity game July 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Anilao, Batangas is known as the nudibranch capital of the world. Divers love to photograph these tiny sea slugs and their extraordinary forms and colors. Shown in the picture is the nudibranch Chromodoris sp. Photo by Aletta Yñiguez, UP Puerto Galera Center. As part of the University of the Philippines’ continuing partnership with Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, Inc. (TMPF), UP is developing a screen share game about different marine species of the Philippines to highlight the rich marine biodiversity in the country and the need for biodiversity conservation. The global center of marine biodiversity is located in the Verde Island Passage (VIP), Philippines. The VIP is the body of water between Batangas and Mindoro, distinguished by having the highest concentration of coastal fishes, corals, crustaceans, molluscs, seagrasses, and mangroves. Scientists from the California Academy of Sciences make it a point to schedule an expedition to the VIP every year even during the pandemic, because they discover new species each and every time. The VIP is also home to endangered and threatened species, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, whale sharks, manta rays, dugongs, humphead wrasses, giant groupers, and giant clams. This makes it an ideal site for globally strengthening the conservation of endangered species. The anticipated UP Puerto Galera Biodiversity Center will have a program focused on science communication and environmental education to protect the VIP. As one of its first projects, UP, in partnership with TMPF and local game design studio Balangay Entertainment, will be designing a screen share game to introduce our iconic marine species to Filipinos. “We all know the animals from the African safari, but most of us have not been introduced to the species that live in our own oceans. Hopefully, through this game, people will get to know the animals and plants that live in our waters and discover pride in the beauty and richness of our biodiversity,” says Aletta Yñiguez, Chair of the UP Puerto Galera Center Committee and Associate Professor at the UP Marine Science Institute. Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, Inc. (TMPF) donated to UP a check in the amount of PhP100,000 to supplement their initial support to develop the game. Seen in the photo above are: (from left to right) UP Puerto Galera Center Committee Chair Aletta Yñiguez, TMPF Assistant Vice President and Operations Manager Ronald Gaspar, and Education and Outreach Program Officer Aya Cariño-Valdez. Photo from the UP Puerto Galera Center. “Our partnership with UP fulfills our mutual objective of promoting harmony with nature towards biodiversity conservation. Awareness is the first step in protecting and conserving our endangered species,” says Ronald Gaspar, TMPF Assistant Vice President and Operations Manager. “Because of the pandemic, it’s been harder for us to connect with our loved ones. Through this game, we want to create fun experiences you can share with your friends and family. We hope that the players will get to know more about themselves, about each other, but most importantly, about the flora and fauna that live in the Philippine seas,” says Nico Valdez, game designer and president of Balangay Entertainment. The design and development of the game is currently underway. The game is set to launch in October 2021. For more information, please email Raising Initiatives and Consciousness for Healthy Oceans (RICH Oceans) Project Education and Outreach Program Officer Aya Cariño-Valdez at bcvaldez@msi.upd.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-abstracts-asean-university-network-2nd-international-health-promotion-conference/ | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference May 21, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines will host the 2nd International ASEAN University Network – Health Promotion Conference this 20-21 August 2019 in Manila. The conference, with its theme of “Moving Towards Healthy Universities in Asia,” aims to highlight the roles of universities in promoting healthy lifestyles and environments with the end-goal of empowering communities to embark on activities and programs that promote health. Success stories and challenges will be presented and strategies discussed in the context of local communities and universities. The conference is open to participants both in the ASEAN region and all over the world. Everyone is invited to join this conference and become active in health promotion in their own communities! Abstracts are invited on the themes of the conference which include: Mental health Physical activity Health literacy Tobacco, alcohol, and narcotic/illicit drug use Healthy diet and food safety Reproductive health and sexual issues Health promotion: teaching and learning Role of university in national policy development and policy advocacy Research collaboration Abstract submission deadline is extended until June 30, 2019. For more details visit https://aunhpnmnl2019.wixsite.com/conference. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-retains-rank-in-top-500-world-university-rankings-leads-in-asean-in-terms-of-global-research-influence/ | UP retains rank in top 500 world university rankings, leads in ASEAN in terms of global research influence – University of the Philippines | UP retains rank in top 500 world university rankings, leads in ASEAN in terms of global research influence UP retains rank in top 500 world university rankings, leads in ASEAN in terms of global research influence September 4, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The University of the Philippines (UP) retains its spot in a roster of the top 500 universities of the world. According to the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE-WUR), UP remains in the 401-500 bracket, after being assessed alongside 1,527 research-intensive universities. The country’s national university maintained its overall rank despite the number of universities ranked this year increasing from last year’s 1,396. Overall, UP is ranked fifth among noted universities in Southeast Asia (SEA): National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), University of Malaya, and the University of Brunei Darussalam. UP garnered its highest score in the criterion of citations or global research influence, which accounts for 30% of its total score. THE-WUR comes out with the citation score by capturing the average number of times a university’s published work is cited by scholars globally. This year, bibliometric data supplier Elsevier examined 86 million citations from 2015-2020 across 13.6 million journal articles, article reviews, conference proceedings, books and book chapters published from 2015-2019. [View the Times Higher Education World University Rankings report for the University of the Philippines here.] Breakdown of ranking for the University of the Philippines. Source: Times Higher Education According to the THE, citations are a way of measuring a university’s role in spreading new knowledge and ideas and its contribution to the sum of human knowledge. The other performance indicators are grouped into the areas of teaching (30%), research (30%), international outlook (7.5%), and industry income (2.5%). UP Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Carla Dimalanta notes that UP outranks universities in neighboring countries in terms of research citation. Its score of 86.7 outperforms the 81.5 of NUS and the 83 of NTU, the top two ranking universities in the ASEAN region. Singapore’s NUS and NTU are ranked 25 and 47, respectively, in the World University Rankings. “Our citation score is still a high 86.7, albeit down by a not so significant 0.2 points,” UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Ma. Cynthia Rose Bautista tells UP News. “It has been our strongest criterion, propelling UP to be among the top 500 universities in the world in the last 5 years. Interestingly, UP was among the top 10 universities in the world in terms of its citation score in the clinical, pre-clinical and health disciplines in 2020. Its score was higher than that of the top 10 universities in this field—the University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, Imperial College of London, Stanford University, University of Toronto, John Hopkins University, UCL UK, Yale University and Columbia University,” Bautista explained. THE’s 2021 world university ranking by subject has not yet been released. UP is the first Philippine university to figure in the THE-WUR and the only one to break into its top 500. The national university first figured in the THE-WUR in its 2017 rankings where it placed in the 801+ bracket. It climbed to the top 601-800 in the 2018 rankings and to the top 501-600 in the 2019 rankings. UP then broke through to the top 500, within the 401-500 bracket, in the 2020 rankings. UP’s jump into the top 500 has been powered mostly by its outstanding score in research citations or “influence in spreading new knowledge and ideas”. Its score leaped from 69.1 out of 100 in the 2019 rankings to 86.9 in the 2020 rankings. De La Salle University is the only other Philippine university figuring in the THE-WUR, breaking into the top 801-1,000 in the 2019 rankings, before slipping to 1,001+ in the 2020 and 2021 rankings. According to the THE-WUR website, “The University of Oxford tops the rankings for the fifth consecutive year, while mainland China’s Tsinghua University becomes the first Asian university to break into the top 20 under the current methodology.” THE publishes some of the most influential rankings used by the global academic community, which include the Asia University Rankings, Asia-Pacific University Rankings, Emerging Economies University Rankings, and the World University Rankings by Subject. Aside from the Elsevier data, responses from 22,000 scholars around the world are also used by THE, specifically in determining the academic reputation of universities. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-concert-chorus-wows-audiences-with-music-and-environmentalist-spirit/ | UP Concert Chorus wows audiences with music and environmentalist spirit – University of the Philippines | UP Concert Chorus wows audiences with music and environmentalist spirit UP Concert Chorus wows audiences with music and environmentalist spirit May 10, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Concert Chorus (UPCC), one of the country’s foremost internationally awarded choral groups and the University’s premier show choir, brought their Filipino audiences to their feet with stirring performances of foreign religious, inspirational, Broadway and pop music, and of original music and classic OPMs, during their concert at the UP Diliman Carillon Plaza on May 5. The concert was their farewell performance before they embark on their 2017 international concert tour dubbed “Musikalikasan”, as they take the message of music and environmentalism to Europe with them. The concert at the Carillon Plaza was held under the aegis of the UP Alumni Association’s (UPAA) Carillon Concert Seasons, in partnership with the Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity Chancery. This made the UPCC, also known as the Korus, the fifth internationally awarded UP performing group to perform in the series, following the UP Madrigal Singers, UP College of Music’s premier opera singers, the UP Arco String Orchestra, and the UP Jazz Ensemble. The UPCC performs “I Believe” (Drake/Graham/Shirl/Stillman/arr. S.Beard & B.Beard) with Dr. Ramon “Montet” Acoymo as guest soloist during the first half of their Carillon Concert performance. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The UPCC, which celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, pioneered ChoreoCapella or choreographed a capella, and won the Grand Prix at the 6th International Krakow Choir Festival in Poland on June 14, 2015, besting 23 other choirs from all over Europe and the US. Led by its conductor and musical director, Prof. Janet “Jai” Sabas-Aracama, the UPCC took the message of zero waste and environmental protection for which UPAA Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Awardee Ms. Luz Escalante-Sabas, mother of Prof. Aracama, has been an advocate. Ms. Sabas’s advocacy work, along with that of others like her, has helped lead to the signing of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Ms. Sabas was honored during the concert with an original song composed and arranged by Prof. Aracama that drew direct inspiration from her mother’s own words on taking care of the environment. In another song, Dr. Ramon G. Acoymo, one of the country’s premier classical singers and creative, artistic and music director for the Carillon Concert performance, joined the UPCC in another emotional number. The UPCC performs their final number for the night, a medley of the most famous OPMs during the Metropop era (choral arr. Eman De Leon), with conductor/musical director Prof. Jai Sabas-Aracama joining the choir onstage. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Aside from launching the UPCC on its 2017 summer international tour, the UPAA sees the Carillon Concert Season as a way to generate support for the development, improvement and maintenance of the Carillon Tower and the surrounding Carillon Plaza. “We would like to make [this] a first-class venue for special events…at no expense to the alumni,” said UPAA President and UP Alumni Regent Ramon M. Maronilla in an interview before the Friday concert. He believes that special projects such as the musical performances being held at the Carillon Plaza will draw in sponsors and donations from UP alumni and friends. “Abroad and here in the Philippines, if the UP alumni see that we are having a renaissance and reformation in our culture and the arts like this one—and we’re presenting this for free—maybe they will help us. And this should be a big booster in our alumni projects and programs for the benefit of everybody in the UP community,” Maronilla said. As for the UP alumni in Europe and other countries who will be treated to the music and environmentalist spirit of the UPCC very soon, Maronilla thanks them for their full support for “Musikalikasan”, the UPCC, and for all the UP graduates who participate in international competitions and events, “especially coming from our College of Music, where we have the most talented and brilliant artists in all aspects of our cultural life. This is what we want to really promote. In our little way, whatever we can contribute [to the UP Community], we will do it.” The 5th presentation in the UPAA Carillon Concert Season was also supported by the Offices of the UP President and the UP Diliman Chancellor, and the UP Theater under Director Josefina Estrella. The UPCC demonstrates one way to recycle waste by using trash items and discarded water bottles as instruments during a song in the second act of the concert.. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO |
https://up.edu.ph/up-bags-anvil-award-for-public-service-programs/ | UP bags Anvil award for public service programs – University of the Philippines | UP bags Anvil award for public service programs UP bags Anvil award for public service programs March 1, 2021 | Written by Charles Jason C. Ramos and Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP bags a Silver Anvil Award in the 56th Anvil Awards. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. The University of the Philippines received a Silver Anvil in the 56th Anvil Awards of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) in recognition of two of the University’s public service programs. The Silver Anvil represents high standards met by the UP programs in the category of “public relations programs carried out on a sustained basis” for urban or rural community development. These were the Gawad Pangulo for Excellence in Public Service (GPEPS) and the Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCon), both conceptualized and implemented by the UP Padayon Public Service Office (PPSO) since 2015 with the support of the UP Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs (OVPPA). According to PRSP, there were 534 entries of public relations programs and tools, of which only 138 won Silver and Gold Anvils. The entries were screened by 65 Public Relations and Communication professionals, with each qualifier judged by a five-person multi-sectoral jury. There were 85 other programs that won Silver Anvils this year, but UP’s programs were the only awardees from an academic institution. This year’s awards theme was “PR for Good” or “purpose-driven and impactful initiatives that promote corporate integrity and the social good during crises and across platforms,” said Maria Luisa Sebastian, the 56th Anvil Awards chair. “We congratulate all the winners. They serve as role models in our industry,” PRSP President Norman Agatep added. UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, PPSO Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval, and PPSO senior project assistant Charles Jason Ramos received the award on behalf of UP at the Gabi ng Parangal, held on February 19, 2021 via livestream. GPEPS recognizes the best and innovative public service programs across UP to inspire support and replication of their best practices. Nineteen programs have been given the award and prize money that may be used to expand the program or initiate a new one. The awardees were subsequently showcased in CUPSCon, giving them the opportunity to be adopted by other higher education institutions (HEIs). CUPSCon is a biennial conference that promotes public service and engagement by HEIs. It draws an average 300 participants from HEIs and government, non-government, and civil society organizations. Close to 400 papers have been presented in the three conferences held thus far, on such themes as: HEIs engaging society with expertise, compassion and social responsibility in HEI public service and extension; and, academe-community partnership. PPSO administers the two programs as part of UP’s mandate as a public service university, which is also committed to uphold “honor and excellence”. According to PPSO Director Yasol-Naval, the office continues “to develop UP’s public service framework and system for designing, linking, and sustaining relevant, pragmatic, strategic, timely, and pioneering public service programs.” “The office is committed in coordinating and mobilizing the resources of the University for the prompt and efficient response to the demands of public service,” she added. Awardees of the Gawad Pangulo for Excellence in Public Service pose with UP officials, guests, and staff. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. Participants of the Visayas leg of the first CUPSCon, held in UP Cebu, pose for a commemorative photo. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. Participants of the 2nd Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference pose for a commemorative photo in UP Bonifacio Global City. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. Participants of the 3rd Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference held in UP Visayas pose for a photo. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, UP Padayon Public Service Office Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval, UP Visayas Chancellor Ricardo Babaran, and UP Visayas Office of Continuing Education and Pahinungod Director Rhodella Ibabao pose with the keynote speaker of the 3rd Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference, former National Economic and Development Authority chief Ernesto Pernia. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. The UP Padayon Public Service Office staff with Office Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval. Photo from the UP Padayon Public Service Office. |
https://up.edu.ph/writeshop-for-scholarly-works-on-public-service-pioneered/ | Writeshop for scholarly works on public service pioneered – University of the Philippines | Writeshop for scholarly works on public service pioneered Writeshop for scholarly works on public service pioneered November 6, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Through a workshop held on October 24 and 25, 2017 at the National Arts Center, Mt. Makiling, Laguna, the Padayon Public Service Office of the UP System prepared a batch of University personnel to write journal articles based on the public service programs they have been undertaking in the University. Eight faculty, research, extension and professional staff members of UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, and UP Open University went through workshop sessions on conceptual frameworks and quantitative methods of research that can best apply to their public service, so that they can come up with journal articles, either in English and Filipino, or both. The participants of the Padayon writeshop: Vlademir Shuck of UP Mindanao, Fedelynn Jemena of UP Manila, Charina Maneja of UP Los Baños, Emely Amoloza of UP Open University, Celia Balbin of UP Diliman, Luisa Gelisan of UP Open University, Christine Joyce Mendoza of UP Los Baños, and Soledad Garibay of UP Visayas. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The workshop fellows were: Celia Balbin of the National Institute of Science and Mathematics Education Development in UP Diliman; Christine Joyce Mendoza and Charina Maneja of the College of Human Ecology of UP Los Baños; Fedelynn Jemena of Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office of UP Manila; Soledad Garibay of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences of UP Visayas; Vlademir Shuck of the School of Management of UP Mindanao; and, Luisa Gelisan and Emely Amoloza of the UP Open University. The participants are currently engaged in services ranging from teaching and environmental education and multimedia support for education, to community information management and development, agricultural systems management, and child protection in the hospital. They are each expected to be able to submit an article to a peer-reviewed journal in six months. In the meantime, they will be presenting their public service programs in conferences organized by the University on public service and extension in higher education. From UP Diliman, the resource speakers were journal editors: Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao of the Department of Political Science; Dr. Manuel Sapitula of the Department of Sociology; Dr. Milagros Laurel of the Department of English and Comparative Literature; and, Dr. Vim Nadera of the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature who is currently the director of the Philippine High School for the Arts. Participants of the Padayon writeshop in a session with Dr. Milagros Laurel (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) After being run through the rigors of scholarly writing by Panao and Sapitula, the participants had a session with Laurel and Nadera on nuances of communication in the Philippines and the value of the “indio-genius” as expressed in language. According to Padayon Public Service Office Director Ma. Crisanta Flores, the “writeshop” is being conducted for the first time. It was initiated by her immediate predecessor, Nelson Cainghog. With public service promoted as “a scholarly and interdisciplinary endeavor”, its acceptance as a role of the University of equal footing with teaching and research is likewise promoted, Flores said. UP as a public service university is thus mandated by its 2008 charter, she added. Panao said scholarly publication will not only lend “institutional legitimacy” to public service programs in the University but will strengthen its public impact and help public policy-making for community development. Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, speaking on behalf of Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Dalisay Jr., added that UP is a member of AsiaEngage, a group of ASEAN universities advocating social and community engagement of universities. The UP Padayon Public Service Office is under Dalisay’s office. (Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-applications-for-the-first-public-service-writing-fellowship/ | Call for Applications for the First Public Service Writing Fellowship – University of the Philippines | Call for Applications for the First Public Service Writing Fellowship Call for Applications for the First Public Service Writing Fellowship July 31, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs, through the Padayon Public Service Office has launched the first Public Service Writing Fellowship. As a public service university, University of the Philippines aims to promote and develop public service initiatives and projects across all UP constituent universities. As a research university, the university also aims to promote the production and development of knowledge for the improvement of the lives of Filipinos. Combining the two mandates of the university, the Public Service Writing Fellowship aims to promote public service as a scholarly and interdisciplinary endeavor. It aims to encourage university faculty and staff to continue to write literature-grounded evaluation and documentation in the form of journal articles for publication based on the public service initiatives that they have developed and undertaken. Lastly, the fellowship aims to contribute to the existing pool of literature on public service to further develop public service as a field of research. UP Padayon Public Service Writing Fellowship Eight (8) fellows will be selected from each of the Constituent Universities under the UP System. For CUs without qualified applicants, their slots will be reallocated to others who qualify from other CUs. The fellowship is open to all regular faculty, staff and research, extension, and professional staff (REPS) in active service in the University of the Philippines System regardless of the status of employment whether permanent or temporary. Interested applicants may access the application package through this link http://bit.ly/PSWritingFellowship. Accomplished forms must be emailed to ovppa@up.edu.ph on or before 31 August 2017. Successful fellows will each be given PhP 30,000.00. The fellows are expected to produce a 7,000-word journal article to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. The fellows are expected to attend the Writeshop on 24-25 October to be held at the National Institute of Science and Mathematics Education Development Conference room. Lastly, fellows are expected to present their works during the 2nd Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCon2) either during the Luzon leg on 9-10 November in UP Bonifacio Global City Campus or during the VisMin leg on 28-29 November in UP Cebu. For inquiries, please contact the Secretariat via (632) 981-8630 or ovppa@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/summit-addresses-ups-psychosocial-wellness/ | Summit addresses UP’s psychosocial wellness – University of the Philippines | Summit addresses UP’s psychosocial wellness Summit addresses UP’s psychosocial wellness April 27, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Summit on Transforming UP into a Nurturing and Healthy University on April 19 and 20, 2018 at the UP Professional Schools Bonifacio Global City, Taguig brought together UP System and officials of constituent universities (CUs); staff of the Offices of Student Affairs, Gender, Guidance and Counseling; and psychosocial health experts to discuss a framework for psychosocial health in the University and work on action plans for the CUs. UP President Danilo Concepcion fast-tracked the holding of the summit, through the Padayon Public Service Office under the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs. Participants from UP Manila with resource person Dr. Lourdes Ignacio, Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, and technical working group member Dr. Anselmo Tronco discuss the action plan for their campus. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa representing Concepcion said, “UP must become a nurturing and supportive home. . . with avenues, places, offices, and trustworthy people [others] can turn to.” “We at the UP System can generate policy that will harmonize the programs and initiatives being undertaken at the constituent university level, ensuring a common standard and baseline of support, even as each CU tailors policy into implementable measures appropriate to their context,” Herbosa added. In pre-summit meetings, a technical working group (TWG) worked on a draft framework for an action plan and chancellors reported on their CU’s psychosocial environment. The TWG was composed of: UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla; Dr. Violeta Bautista, chief of the UP Diliman Task Force on Psychosocial Services; Dr. Anselmo Tronco, psychiatric chief of the UP Manila-Philippine General Hospital; Dean Sylvia Estrada-Claudio of the College of Social Work and Community Development; Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Philip Gonzalo; and Director Maria Crisanta Flores and Officer in Charge Frances Fatima Cabana of the Padayon Public Service Office. UP officials, summit participants, resource persons, and organizers of “Transforming UP into a Nurturing and Healthy University.” (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Through the summit workshops, the participants validated the framework, with the CU representatives using it to assess their CUs and to provide them with the basis for their CU action plans. Mental health experts Dr. Dinah Nadera and Dr. Lourdes Ignacio provided ideas for transforming educational systems and lives. Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili served as facilitator. At the end of the summit, Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Dalisay Jr. expressed optimism: “This summit began in a very different mood. It was dismay approaching despair over the series of bad news we keep getting about what’s going on with our students. I’m glad that we turned that around into something that today is much more affirmative. This would lead to positive action very soon.” “All of us are willing to do what it takes to reach out to our students and to one another with empathy, understanding, and kindness. That is after all what a community does,” Herbosa said. The summit allows the chancellors and their representatives to share ideas on transforming their CUs into nurturing and healthy campuses. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista, in her opening remarks, said the conference theme “suggests that UP as a national university is committed not only to promote honor and excellence but also to preserve dignity, a basic principle of mental health care.” “The commitment starts by recognizing that emotions are part and parcel of the human experience and largely influence how effective we are in playing our roles in society,” Bautista said. (Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/can-electoral-reform-curb-patronage-politics/ | Can electoral reform curb patronage politics? – University of the Philippines | Can electoral reform curb patronage politics? Can electoral reform curb patronage politics? February 18, 2019 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Dr. Paul Hutchcroft (center, in blue) poses with members of the UP Department of Political Science’s UP sa Halalan Team. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO Students and scholars of political science gathered at the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Palma Hall in the morning of February 8, 2019 to listen to a lecture by Australia National University (ANU) Professor and Southeast Asia politics expert Paul Hutchcroft. The lecture, Strong Patronage, Weak Parties: The Case for Electoral System Redesign in the Philippines, drew upon years of Hutchcroft’s scholarship on the Philippines, as well as insights from a recently released book with the same title that he edited, published by Anvil with funding from the Asia Foundation. The event was organized as part of the UP Diliman Department of Political Science’s UP sa Halalan Project. Taking the reins of the initiative launched by the UP Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs in 2013, the department will be organizing lectures, fora and other similar events in cooperation with different organizations. Last December, the department co-sponsored the first Senatorial Forum with CNN Philippines, featuring seven candidates for the Philippine Senate in the 2019 General Elections. Hutchcroft contended that electoral system reform, which he distinguished from shifts in systems of government and governance, provided the greatest opportunity to strengthen political institutions, especially political parties, in the country with the least amount of risk. Electoral systems, he explained, are formulas used by states around the world to “turn votes into seats”. UP Department of Political Science Chair Dr. Maria Ela Atienza previews the lecture and briefs attendees about the UP sa Halalan Project. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO The electoral arrangements of the 1987 Constitution, Hutchcroft said, have shaped political parties in the Philippines into “convenient vehicles of patronage”, rather than programmatic entities. Their unchecked proliferation and the lack of political cohesion that ensues are explained, he added, by: 1) the separate elections of president and vice president (who may come from two different parties); 2) the current multi-member plurality electoral system, which encourages intra-party competition; and, 3) the Philippine party list system, whose three-seat cap, he said, violated the principle of proportionality. The weakness of political parties, according to Hutchcroft, disadvantaged the marginalized in particular, as they disproportionately relied on strong collective action in the political realm. And with more parties in the mix, all things being equal, it was harder for governments to be decisive and to adapt policies to changing development needs and opportunities. In these settings, service delivery becomes skewed by electoral considerations over development objectives, with politicians becoming increasingly creative in their efforts to fill their election war chests. Dr. Hutchcroft explains the difference of electoral system reforms from other kinds of political reforms. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO Despite the dim outlook, Hutchcroft affirmed his belief that cultural barriers were not necessarily insurmountable obstacles for creating strong, coherent political parties. He mentioned the closed-list proportional representation system, where parties themselves list and rank legislative candidates, as the “gold standard of building party cohesion” across various cultural and national contexts. In this system, citizens vote for parties rather than candidates, who in turn win a number of seats proportional to the votes they receive. Not only does it provide a more proportional system of incentives for candidates, but it also gives parties the power to manage members who transgress their values and objectives. “By changing the system of incentives by electoral system design,” Hutchcroft said, “you get to change how politics is done.” |
https://up.edu.ph/raising-public-service-awareness-in-up/ | Raising Public Service Awareness in UP – University of the Philippines | Raising Public Service Awareness in UP Raising Public Service Awareness in UP May 4, 2018 | Written by J. Mikhail Solitario Republic Act 9500, also known as the UP Charter, mandates the University of the Philippines to “lead as a public service university by providing various forms of community, public, and volunteer service, as well as scholarly and technical assistance to the government, the private sector, and civil society while maintaining its standards of excellence.” Public service is one of UP’s key responsibilities as the national university. But the actual performance of public service is one thing, while the act of coordinating, harmonizing, and standardizing public service initiatives among eight constituent units in 21 campuses is another feat altogether. This is where the Padayon Public Service Office (Padayon) enters the scene. Padayon is a Visayan word that means “to do promptly, and unceasingly”—an apt description of how UP must tirelessly and relentlessly serve the people. These lofty goals will not be realized without an office at the UP System level to centralize efforts to monitor programs, provide technical assistance, and recommend policies to respond to the needs of UP’s various publics when it comes to volunteerism, community engagement, and sustainable development. We spoke to Padayon’s project managers to discuss existing initiatives and how these are implemented, as well as future plans to maintain and improve the public character of the University. The project associates at work in the Padayon Public Service Office. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Institutionalizing initiatives In order to assess UP’s compliance with its mandate, a system for reporting public service initiatives is needed. This system is provided by the UP Information Technology Development Center (UP ITDC) through the Public Service Module of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) of the University Information System. The template was developed in partnership with the UP System Committee on Public Service Monitoring and Reporting. The aim of the online module is to enable UP faculty, administrative staff, and research, extension, and professional staff (REPS) to report public service initiatives and to retrieve records from the cloud once needed for reports and promotion. The data on public service initiatives can also be used by the respective CUs and the UP System in formulating system-wide policies. The Handbook on Public Service Reporting aims to gather relevant university public service regulations in one easily accessible handbook and provide explanations and examples on the data required in the online module. To complement this initiative, the UP Catalogue of Institutional Public Service serves as the directory of all the extension services offered by UP units across the system, so that they may be accessible to the general public. As a publication of Padayon and the UP Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs, the listing aims to share and disseminate relevant information so that stakeholders and the community may avail of their services and may access them in a manner that will be helpful—not just for possible publicity and income generation, but also for lending a hand to those who would like to avail of professional services at a cost cheaper than those offered by private institutions. The listing has been uploaded in the Public Service website and the entries are downloadable in a searchable PDF format. The Public Service Handbook and the UP Catalogue of Institutional Public Service will be useless without strengthening the capacity of members of the UP community to write and report on the said public service initiatives. To address this, the Public Service Writing Fellowship was crafted to promote public service as a scholarly and interdisciplinary endeavor. It aims to encourage university faculty and staff to continue to write literature-grounded evaluation and documentation in the form of journal articles for publication based on the public service initiatives that they have developed and undertaken. The fellowship was awarded to one (1) Public Service fellow from each of the eight (8) CUs of the UP System. The fellowship was open to all UP faculty, staff, and REPS who wish to write and publish their experiences and the results of the public service initiatives they have designed and undertaken in a scholarly outlet. The chosen fellows underwent a writeshop in order to further hone and develop their respective outputs. The first writeshop was held last October 24-25, 2017 at the Executive House, National Arts Center, Mt. Makiling, Laguna. After the writeshop, successful fellows were given the chance to present their work in the 2nd Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference in November of the same year. Padayon also extends technical assistance to external stakeholders such as national government agencies, local government units, and civil society organizations. One of these partnerships is the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by UP with the Provincial Government of Palawan, City Government of Puerto Princesa, UP Alumni Association and its Palawan Chapter, and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development. The MOU establishes cooperation between the parties and sets up an avenue for UP as an academic institution to support the planning, policy- and decision-making, and crafting of sustainable development processes in Palawan. The end goal is the creation of the Palawan Center for Sustainable Development in accordance with Republic Act 7611. The first phase involves a seminar on solid waste management through the UP College of Engineering, and the next involves a comprehensive land use plan with the School of Urban and Regional Planning as well as coastal planning with the Marine Science Institute. A preview of the UP Catalogue of Institutional Public Service from the Public Service website (publicservice.up.edu.ph) Challenges in contexts Patricia Liganor, one of Padayon’s project associates, notes that the execution of these projects is not without challenges. One is the need for UP to be in the lead even in data collection of its public service initiatives. Sometimes, there are gaps in compliance between constituent units, depending on the context and how these units assign values to the concept of public service reporting and monitoring. For example, some units see actual service inside the University as public service in itself, while others think there must be external stakeholders involved to constitute public service. Liganor foresees an empowered faculty and staff who dutifully maintain their public service profiles without need of constant reminders. Assigned to handle the Palawan partnership, Marielle Antonio believes that the project is in line with the vision of malasakit (compassion) because it directly benefits stakeholders. The center will involve the operationalization of a sustainability center. Definitions and standards are also what hinder the faster rollout of the catalogue. Mimi Barretto recalls how they had to manually input the entries in the existing database and painstakingly sort them in classifications or through labels or tags, by campus, by year, by type or kind of service, by beneficiary and the like. The meaning of the word “institutionalized” in relation to “individual” public service events has varying values and treatment per campus and constituent unit. At the end of the day, the project associates stand firm that public service must not be viewed as an additional burden on one’s teaching and extension load, but instead be seen as a worthwhile academic endeavor of faculty, staff, and REPS of the national university. |
https://up.edu.ph/public-lecture-strong-patronage-weak-parties-the-case-for-electoral-system-redesign-in-the-philippines/ | Public Lecture: “Strong Patronage, Weak Parties: The Case for Electoral System Redesign in the Philippines” – University of the Philippines | Public Lecture: “Strong Patronage, Weak Parties: The Case for Electoral System Redesign in the Philippines” Public Lecture: “Strong Patronage, Weak Parties: The Case for Electoral System Redesign in the Philippines” February 6, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Department of Political Science, UP sa Halalan, and the UP CIDS Program on Social and Political Change (PSPC) invite you to “Strong Patronage, Weak Parties: The Case for Electoral System Redesign in the Philippines,” a public lecture by Dr. Paul Hutchcroft (Australian National University), on 8 February 2019 (Friday), 9:30 AM to 12:00 NN at Palma Hall 400, UP Diliman. Dr. Paul Hutchcroft, a scholar of comparative and Southeast Asian politics who has written extensively on Philippine politics and political economy, will explore the comparative political dynamics of electoral reform processes and their implications for building a more policy-oriented (and less patronage-driven) Philippine electoral system and polity. This lecture is part of UP sa Halalan 2019, a project of the University of the Philippines System and the UP Department of Political Science that seeks to promote a clean, honest, and empowering 2019 elections. For inquiries, please email pspc.cids@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-nominations-to-the-2nd-gawad-pangulo-award-for-excellence-in-public-service/ | Call for Nominations to the 2nd Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service – University of the Philippines | Call for Nominations to the 2nd Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service Call for Nominations to the 2nd Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service April 25, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines, through the Office of the UP Vice President for Public Affairs, has made the call for nominations to the second Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service. Nominations should belong to the five clusters: Arts and Letters and Communications; Science and Technology; Social Sciences, Management, and Law; Health and Allied Sciences; and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery, and Natural Resources Management. Awardees will receive prize money worth PhP 100,000.00. Consistent with the message of President Danilo L. Concepcion during the turnover ceremony, the Award seeks to recognize outstanding public service initiatives of various units of the UP System that exhibit compassion (malasakit) to the different publics that we serve. Nominations must be emailed to ovppa@up.edu.ph on or before 31 July 2017, together with a documentation of the initiative, a list of academic and official citations of the project, certification from project beneficiaries, and certification of proper liquidation of funds if the project is funded by government funds. The nomination package is available in the following link: http://bit.ly/2oKnMUp The winners will be awarded on 5 December 2017, the UN International Volunteers Day. For inquiries, please contact the Secretariat via (632) 981-8630, 0917 5718886 or ovppa@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-issues-call-for-nominations-to-the-4th-gawad-pangulo-award-for-excellence-in-public-service/ | UP issues call for nominations to the 4th Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service – University of the Philippines | UP issues call for nominations to the 4th Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service UP issues call for nominations to the 4th Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service October 6, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines, through the Padayon Public Service Office, has made the Call for Nominations to the 4th Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service. With the theme, “Galing UP, Lingkod Bayan: Pagtugon sa Hamon ng Pandemya,” the award aims to recognize excellent and outstanding COVID-related public service initiatives facilitated and implemented by faculty and staff in all UP constituent universities. For this year, fifteen (15) units will be conferred the award in a virtual ceremony on December 6, 2021 and receive a prize money of PhP 100,000.00 each. Colleges, departments, institutes, and other units in UP are enjoined to submit their nominations by accomplishing and submitting a complete nomination form with the appropriate documentary attachments. Public service initiatives that have been implemented from March 1, 2020 until July 31, 2021, with tangible and substantive outputs based on the stated objectives and outcomes, may be nominated. The nomination package, consisting of the award guidelines, selection criteria, and nomination form, may be downloaded at bit.ly/4thGawadPanguloPublicService. Nominations must be certified by the CU Member of the System Committee on Public Service Monitoring and Reporting, endorsed by the Chancellor, and sent in PDF format to padayon@up.edu.ph with the subject: Gawad Pangulo: Award for Excellence in Public Service Nomination_<name of constituent university>. Nominations will be accepted until October 15, 2021. For inquiries, please contact the Gawad Pangulo Secretariat via email at padayon@up.edu.ph. For updates, please visit the UP Padayon Facebook page and follow the office on Twitter. This announcement was first published on the UP Padayon Public Service Office website. |
https://up.edu.ph/we-are-family/ | We Are Family! – University of the Philippines | We Are Family! We Are Family! November 16, 2018 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo 2015 UPOU Family Day (Photo from UPOU Information Office) We’re not just colleagues. We treat each other like family.” This is how Dr. Jean Saludadez, UP Open University (UPOU) Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, describes how UPOU employees relate to each other. The community of roughly 200, based in the UPOU Los Baños headquarters and scattered across several learning centers in the Philippines, makes time to cultivate interpersonal relationships, which the UPOU administration actively supports. “Our leadership has always had the heart for all who work here, whether faculty or staff, permanent or contractual,” says Human Resources Development Office chief Michael Lagaya, who has been with UPOU since 1998. Celebrating milestones It’s not uncommon for institutions to commemorate foundation day anniversaries. Celebrating growth and progress, they’re milestones for many organizations. In UPOU, Foundation Day has two components—the formal anniversary program with “outsiders,” and the informal gathering of “insiders.” Institutional milestones are celebrated in the former, while the people behind the institution take center stage in the latter. It’s in that informal setting, an exclusive “for UPOU people” event, where its best workers are recognized. The UPOU Service Awards, which began in 2000, recognize length of service in multiples of five years. UPOU was five years old at that time. Over the years, the Service Awards program has included honoring employees for other achievements. The Gawad Chancellor rewards exemplary service by faculty, administrative staff, and research, extension, and professional staff (REPS). Research grants, professorial chairs, and other incentives are given those who have published scholarly works. These are of course not unique to UPOU. What makes them different, especially in the area of scholarship, is that administrative staff members are included. Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Jean Saludadez (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) “We give both the academic and non-academic sectors the opportunity to undertake research. We don’t believe that scholarship can only come from faculty or research staff,” says Saludadez. In fact, some administrative staff members have traveled abroad to present their papers in conferences. Family Day By 2015, when UPOU marked its second decade of existence, the Service Awards had evolved into “Family Day.” Lagaya and Saludadez recall that the idea came up in one of their meetings for the celebration. “It’s not just a label or a title. It’s the result of our reflection on UPOU’s 20 years. Our anniversary really is a celebration of our UPOU family—our teamwork, the work challenges we overcome together, the personal struggles we help each other through,” says Saludadez. Just like family gatherings, the UPOU Family Day celebrates the accomplishments of its family members such as receiving awards, winning competitions, and earning degrees. This year, the event had a surprise award called “UPOU Face of the Year.” It was given to employees who best promoted institutional visibility and showcased UPOU’s “face” to the world, through social media and other online platforms, and even through UPOU souvenir items. Family Day is like a well-attended reunion, says Saludadez. “Our staff members from the learning centers all over the country fly out to attend Family Day. It’s that important to them.” How important is Family Day to the administration? Human Resources Development Office chief Michael Lagaya (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) “It’s a must. Even if we are swamped with organizing other anniversary activities like conferences, exhibits, and competitions, we don’t skip Family Day,” Lagaya says. Beyond the anniversary In UPOU, the employees aren’t just family members for a day. Because of the size of its workforce, each is aware and often involved in another’s work. Like any family, there are shared responsibilities in which all are equally recognized for doing their part. Saludadez puts it this way: “If you’re part of the work, you’re part of the reward.” Cooperation is encouraged in UPOU because it cultivates understanding of, and appreciation for, each other’s work. “This is our way of making each and everyone realize that we all contribute to the University, that our work interconnects and unites us. When you strengthen connections that are work-related, personal relationships are enhanced as well,” she adds. UPOU’s bike enthusiasts often go on rides together. (Photo from UPOU Information Office) Lagaya relates that these bonds are manifest in the leisure activities their colleagues participate in, from shared interests like dancing and singing to hobbies like bicycling and sports. “Especially during times of personal difficulty, you realize how much UPOU employees care about each other. They will help without being asked. They will organize activities that will benefit their co-workers who are in need.” Bonding with colleagues includes playing volleyball. (Photo from UPOU Information Office) The UPOU headquarters is also being developed as a home away from home for its employees. Everyone is looking forward to the completion of the Academic Residences, where there are spaces for both the long-term use and short visits by faculty, staff, and students from across the country and abroad. “Even those in our headquarters are allotted rooms where they can rest because of overtime work when we have big events like conferences and the graduation,” Saludadez says. UPOU actively takes care of its own, supplementing monetary benefits with psychic income. It does what it can with the resources available to harness the capabilities of its employees and provide them with opportunities for growth. “Whatever form of support the University can give, we give to UPOU employees. As long as we can, we help. We try our best to make our people happy,” Saludadez concludes. |
https://up.edu.ph/spanish-university-firms-up-ties-with-up-for-law-education/ | Spanish university firms up ties with UP for law education – University of the Philippines | Spanish university firms up ties with UP for law education Spanish university firms up ties with UP for law education June 6, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office A delegation from the University of Málaga and the University of Deusto visited UP on June 4, 2018 to strengthen a graduate academic exchange project in Law for the former and to explore ties for the latter. The delegation met with UP President Danilo Concepcion and UP College of Law representatives. UP College of Law Dean Fides Cordero-Tan (center) and UP and Ateneo de Manila University law professor, Ruben Balane (third from right), welcoming some of the University of Málaga (UM) and University of Deusto (UD) delegates led by UM School of Law Dean Juan Jose Hinojosa Torralvo (fourth from left) and UD School of Law Dean Gema Tomas Martinez (second from right). (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Concepcion signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the University of Málaga, represented by its School of Law Dean Juan Jose Hinojosa Torralvo, to supplement the academic exchange project with provisions for a Master of Law student exchange. The University of Deusto was represented by its School of Law Dean Gema Tomas Martinez. University of Málaga School of Law Dean Juan Jose Hinojosa Torralvo, University of Deusto School of Law Dean Gema Tomas Martinez, and UP President and former College of Law Dean Danilo Concepcion express enthusiasm over establishing relations among their schools. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) UP College of Law Dean Fides Cordero-Tan welcomed the delegates, while UP legal educators Ruben Balane, Solomon Lumba, and Ryan Oliva attended the informal meeting and witnessed the MOA signing. Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) School of Law Dean Sedfrey Candelaria was also present. ADMU is the other Philippine member university of the academic exchange project, which is under the Erasmus Programme. UP President Danilo Concepcion signs the memorandum of agreement for student exchange, witnessed by University of Málaga School of Law Dean Juan Jose Hinojosa Torralvo, UP College of Law and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) School of Law faculty member Ruben Balane, and ADMU School of Law Dean Sedfrey Candelaria. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Concepcion said the UP College of Law will offer next year a Master of Law course at the UP Professional Schools-Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, which the delegates also visited. “I’m looking forward to stronger relationships of our schools, and hopefully, with the University of Deusto, and some more Spanish schools,” Concepcion said. (Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/upou-launches-edu-hack-podcast-series-2/ | UPOU launches “Edu-Hack” podcast series – University of the Philippines | UPOU launches “Edu-Hack” podcast series UPOU launches “Edu-Hack” podcast series May 5, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Image from the UPOU website Flexibility and compassion. These were the key takeaways in the first episode of UP Open University’s (UPOU) podcast series, “Edu-Hack: Navigating through a Turbulent Educational Landscape” on April 28. The discussion centered on answering the question, “How are Philippine Universities Responding to Disruptions in Education Brought About by COVID-19 Pandemic?” Dr. Alexander Flor, Dean of the UPOU Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, moderating the first of UPOU’s podcast series, “Edu-Hack: Navigating through a Turbulent Educational Landscape”. Screenshot from the replay of the podcast The panelists were UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria, University of Batangas (UB) Vice President for Academic Affairs Abegayle Chua, and De La Salle University (DLSU) Association of Faculty and Educators President Antonio Contreras. This year saw Southern Luzon and Metro Manila being hit with back-to-back crises, with the phreatomagmatic eruption of Taal Volcano in January and the COVID-19 pandemic in March. For the education sector, it meant multiple weeks-long class suspensions. While the institutions to which the panelists belonged had online learning systems in place, Chua said it best: “No one was prepared for this kind of lockdown.” UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria. Screenshot from the replay of the podcast UPOU started shifting to online classes in 2001 and its classes were fully online by 2007, so Bandalaria said that the University initially assumed things would be business as usual. But she admitted the quarantine brought up issues beyond the usual open and distance e-learning operations. Anxiety, stress, accessibility, work-school scheduling, and health risks were some of the concerns raised by faculty, staff, and students alike. Chua described the class and work suspensions due to Taal Volcano activity as the “dry run” for the COVID-19 quarantine. While web presence and blended learning were already in place at UB, the pandemic forced the institution to shift everything online. Chua, being an otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose, throat or ENT) surgeon, knew “we could not go back to school” because of the health risks. University of Batangas (UB) Vice President for Academic Affairs Abegayle Chua. Screenshot from the replay of the podcast Sixteen years ago, DLSU already started adopting a learner-centered, outcomes-based approach and online platforms eventually replaced face-to-face sessions when classes were suspended. COVID-19 changed things drastically, but Contreras said, “We hit the ground running.” “We anchored our response to this crisis on flexibility and compassion,” explained Bandalaria. “Now is not the time to be rigid,” according to Contreras. As for Chua, “Everything now is fluid [and] leniency is key at this time.” The panelists were in agreement that higher education institutions need to monitor and adjust its actions according to changes in the COVID-19 situation—from government decisions to emerging concerns from their academic and surrounding communities. UB has prepared scenarios for different end-of-quarantine periods and has anticipated its next term to be fully online. Chua said they have also studied the possibility of limited physical attendance for necessary laboratory work and preparations for those who will be taking licensure examinations. De La Salle University (DLSU) Association of Faculty and Educators President Antonio Contreras. Screenshot from the replay of the podcast DLSU has been providing internet connectivity support for its students and faculty, and has refunded the fees it collected for the use of its facilities. Contreras revealed that DLSU is working under the assumption that classes will resume on July 1, but fully online. Like UB, has started to look into managing courses with key activities that require physical presence. The private university has also foreseen a possible decrease in enrollment following the COVID-19 pandemic. UPOU, because of its nature as an open and distance e-learning institution and its fully online classes, has thus far been exempted from class suspensions and other decisions on the academic year. To cater to the needs of its students, UPOU has made revisions to its academic calendar, adjusting academic year terms, registration schedules, and admission applications periods. The changes will be announced once approved. As it is primarily a graduate institution, UPOU has also anticipated a decrease in enrollment at the graduate level. This episode of “Edu-Hack” may be viewed here. For announcements on succeeding episodes of the podcast series, follow the UPOU Facebook account at https://web.facebook.com/UPOpenUniversity/. |
https://up.edu.ph/pdlc-reaffirms-ups-support-for-community-pantries/ | PDLC reaffirms UP’s support for community pantries – University of the Philippines | PDLC reaffirms UP’s support for community pantries PDLC reaffirms UP’s support for community pantries April 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion reaffirms his administration’s and the University’s support for the community pantries, which are now emerging within UP’s campuses and communities as a spontaneous response of University employees and community residents to the food and other basic needs of ordinary citizens. “My wife Gaby and I have been personally involved in helping out these pantries and I would like to assure the University community that we find this initiative laudable, timely, and worthy of everyone’s support,” President Concepcion said. “These pantries address a real need, and do not carry any political colors except the red, white, and blue of Filipinos at their patriotic best. Helping the needy should be something to unite all Filipinos, especially the UP community.” At the same time, President Concepcion reminded the organizers, supporters, and beneficiaries of community pantries to observe the necessary safety protocols, in light of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. “We must take note of the legitimate concerns of our health authorities and local residents in terms of these protocols,” he added. “But with precautions, these pantries can bring out the best in us, and remind us of our sense of community despite the worst that this pandemic has wrought.” |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-on-house-resolution-no-2075/ | Statement on House Resolution No. 2075 – University of the Philippines | Statement on House Resolution No. 2075 Statement on House Resolution No. 2075 August 6, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP is a large community of scholars, researchers, and experts in multiple fields. By and large, members of the UP community are free and encouraged to conduct research and harness their expertise in the service of the Filipino people in any way they deem appropriate. However, there is a difference between the endeavors of individual UP researchers and the projects and programs of official UP academic and research units, with the latter bearing the University’s name, symbol, and approval. Initiatives involving particular UP faculty and research staff members, such as the OCTA Research Team’s polling, research, and consultation activities, have no connection to UP and are not sponsored, endorsed, or organized by the University. The University is currently taking steps to enhance protocols to protect its name, symbols, colors, and brand in public. Should questions about the UP credentials of individuals and groups arise, UP authorities are ready to verify such credentials should it be necessary. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-hold-necrological-tribute-to-former-up-president-jose-v-abueva/ | UP to hold necrological tribute to former UP President Jose V. Abueva – University of the Philippines | UP to hold necrological tribute to former UP President Jose V. Abueva UP to hold necrological tribute to former UP President Jose V. Abueva August 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines (UP) will hold a necrological tribute to its former President, Dr. Jose V. Abueva, tomorrow, August 26, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. Members of the UP community who worked with Dr. Abueva over the years will be sharing their stories about Dr. Abueva. Speakers include UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, former UP President and Professor Emeritus of Political Science Francisco Nemenzo, Department of Education Secretary and Professor Emeritus of Public Administration Leonor M. Briones, Professor Emeritus of Economics and former NEDA Secretary-General Ernesto M. Pernia, University Professor Emeritus of English Dr. Gémino H. Abad, University of the East President and former Commission on Higher Education Chair Ester Albano Garcia, and former UP Regent Angelo Jimenez. After the speakers, the Abueva family will give their response. Dr. Abueva, Professor Emeritus of Public Administration and Political Science, served as the 16th President of the University of the Philippines from 1987 to 1993 and concurrently as chancellor of UP Diliman from 1990 to 1991. He was a prolific author, political science, and public administration scholar who advocated for constitutional reform to establish a Federal-Parliamentary Democracy. He was also a peace activist who campaigned for a non-killing society. Dr. Abueva passed away on August 18 at the age of 93. Join the rest of the UP community in honoring UP President Abueva via Zoom. Please click the link to join: https://up-edu.zoom.us/j/89040170782?pwd=Y040aGpFNU9yQU9qMWVWekRBT1Vtdz09 Webinar ID: 890 4017 0782 Passcode: JVAbueva Aside from the University’s tribute, President Abueva’s family has also created an online memorial for him where his family call upon the public to join them in prayers for his eternal repose. Those interested may use the links below: Zoom link: https://up-edu.zoom.us/j/82511751563?pwd=ZDI0QWFKRFRBZmF4VnBLQ082b0h1dz09 Meeting ID: 825 1175 1563 Passcode: JVAbueva The family will be holding daily prayers for him, every 7:00 PM, from August 26 until his 40th day on September 26. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-continue-providing-teaching-enhancement-and-academic-support-grants/ | UP to continue providing teaching enhancement and academic support grants – University of the Philippines | UP to continue providing teaching enhancement and academic support grants UP to continue providing teaching enhancement and academic support grants October 26, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The University of the Philippines (UP) administration will continue providing teaching enhancement and academic support grants for UP faculty, REPS (research, extension, and professional staff), administrative employees, and one-time device support for the first semester of AY 2021-2022. This continuing grant of teaching enhancement and academic support was announced in a memo, Memorandum No. PDLC 21-19, released on October 22. According to the memo, courses will continue to be delivered remotely in the first semester of the academic year, just as they have been during the previous academic year. Alternative work arrangements for administrative staff and REPS will remain in effect for the same period, in light of the continuing community quarantine and the logistical constraints to mass vaccination and the achievement of herd immunity in the country against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. The University, however, is preparing to transition to blended teaching and learning by the second semester of AY 2021-2022 and to new forms of alternative work arrangements in the next normal of living and working with the pandemic and other disruptions. The guidelines for the grant of teaching enhancement and academic support and one-time device support are as follows: For UP Faculty * Teaching enhancement grant of Php1,500/month * One-time Device Support of Php6,000 Conditions for eligibility: * faculty member (permanent, temporary, UP contractual, substitute, including the newly hired) must have a teaching load at the time of grant * in addition, for the one-time device support, the faculty member has not been officially issued any appropriate device, such as a laptop or desktop computer Effectivity date: July 2021-June 2022 For REPS and Administrative Employees: * Academic support of Php1500/month maximum–subject to the conditions for the Academic Support Rates for Administrative staff Conditions for eligibility: * The number of administrative staff to be listed as eligible and subsequently granted academic support must not exceed 60% of the total number of administrative employees per CU/UPSA (excluding UP PGH) * REPS include those of permanent, temporary, UP contractual, casual, and substitute status * Administrative employees likewise include those of permanent, temporary, UP contractual, casual, and substitute status Effectivity date: June 2021-May 2022 For more details on the release of the Academic Support grant for administrative staff, click here to read the memo in full. [Memorandum No. PDLC 21-19] |
https://up.edu.ph/up-experts-to-answer-questions-on-covid-19-mutations-and-variants/ | UP experts to answer questions on COVID-19 mutations and variants – University of the Philippines | UP experts to answer questions on COVID-19 mutations and variants UP experts to answer questions on COVID-19 mutations and variants January 13, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Leading public health experts from the University of the Philippines will be answering questions about the latest COVID-19 threat in the webinar, “Are You Afraid of the COVID-19 Mutations and Variants: A Public Health Perspective”, to be streamed on January 15, 2021 at 12 noon. Infectious disease expert Dr. Marissa M. Alejandria and public health expert Dr. Evalyn A. Roxas, with reactors Doctor to the Barrio Dr. Juan Javier F. Garchitorena and Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations President Maria Fatima Garcia-Lorenzo, will address such questions as: Will the recently available vaccines work against the new variants? Can more mutations be expected? And what is the impact of these on public health measures? The webinar will tackle the new variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.7 lineage) emerging in the United Kingdom, which has an unusually large number of mutations. The variant has since been detected in numerous countries. Health experts observe that the variant seems to be more contagious, but does not appear to cause a disease that is more severe. The webinar is the 36th of the Stop COVID Deaths webinar series for health professionals presented by UP in partnership with the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-Telehealth Center. It is a special edition organized in cooperation with the UP Manila College of Public Health and the UP Philippine General Hospital. Those who wish to participate may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar36 |
https://up.edu.ph/from-giant-shipworms-to-biofuels/ | From giant shipworms to biofuels – University of the Philippines | From giant shipworms to biofuels From giant shipworms to biofuels July 28, 2017 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc This giant which lived inside long crusty tubes under the sea had eluded scientists for a very long time, earning the title of “Loch Ness Monster of mollusks” in a New Yorker scientific feature. Little was known of the shipworm with the scientific name Kuphus polythalamia. All modern-day scientists had were the empty skeletal pipes turning up in different parts of the world, and pre-War specimens that had turned into mush. Early scientists had established that it was descended from the wood-burrowing and wood-consuming shipworms that locals called tamilok, which live in mangrove wood and whose bodies are much softer and nowhere near the giant shipworm’s size which recorded a length of five feet. It was only when a local show known to feature strange cuisine, Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho, broke the news in 2010 of people eating a strange creature for its meaty flesh and alleged curative powers that scientists got wind of where to look.A researcher in the Marine Natural Products Laboratory (MNPL) of the UP Marine Science Institute (MSI), Jem Lapitan, saw the video on TV and reported it to Dr. Gisela Concepcion, her supervisor, head of the MNPL and UP lead person in the project studying the tamilok and their symbiont bacteria, or bacteria in symbiotic relationship with them. A preserved giant shipworm, a bivalve as indicated by the two valves before its mouth. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) After confirming the existence of giant tamiloks in the area with research collaborators in Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU), the UP researchers acted quickly. They braved the long flight to Sultan Kudarat, met their counterparts from SKSU led by Prof. Julie Albano, and endured a dangerous ride through risk areas to a coastal area where the giant tamilok were said to live. Leading the team on the ground, Marvin Altamia, a research associate at the UP-MSI, already knew a lot about mollusks, especially tamilok. He conducts research for the Philippine Mollusk Symbiont International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (PMS-ICBG), which is led by marine microbiologist Margo Haygood of the University of Utah, and dr. Concepcion in UPMSI, in association with top scientists in marine microbiology, natural products chemistry, biochemistry, and evolutionary biology from the University of Utah, Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences-Philadelphia, and Northeastern Eastern University’s Ocean Genome Legacy (OGL). Shipworms fall under these experts’ study. A shipworm belongs to the family of bivalve mollusks. Its two shells have been reduced to two raspy teeth just before its mouth, used to gnaw at wood and burrow in it. Its body is host to several bacteria in symbiotic relationship with it. Bacteria are responsible for producing enzymes necessary to break down wood for ingestion by the shipworm. Cellulose which constitutes wood and other plant materials is quite indigestible without enzymes from bacteria. Because of their symbiont bacteria, shipworms were the bane of ship hulls which were made of wood in the old days. They earned the reputation of being the termites of the sea. Arriving at the marine lagoon in Sultan Kudarat, the researchers found it full of decaying matter, mostly forest debris from land. The sediment reeked of rotten eggs, the usual smell of hydrogen sulfide. They found the giant shipworms not growing in wood but buried in thick pitch-black muck three meters from the surface of the lagoon. It was easy to see how scientists had missed it. A giant shipworm was brought to Gisela’s laboratory, where Dan Distel of OGL and Gisela’s research staff chipped at the bigger but closed end of the calcareous tube, creating an opening to slide off the creature from the tube onto the table. The animal easily fell into notoriety as a science fiction horror creature feature. The black slimy body resembles that of a worm from hell. Its “head” is all mouth with two “beaks” for lips and its tail ends with a pair of siphons and stalk-looking “pallets”. But the researchers found that the “monster” was really immobile and could not possibly swallow creatures whole. It could hardly eat, its mouth being located awkwardly at the closed bottom of the pipe. Knowing how shipworms and clams in general thrive on symbiosis with bacteria in their bodies, Marvin knew that a lot of questions about the newly found creature would be answered by looking at its symbiont bacteria. After having seen the strange habitat of the giant shipworm and its distance from solid wood, he knew they were off to discover a new set of bacteria. Guided and assisted by Gisela and foreign collaborators, particularly Margo and Dan, who are the world’s experts on shipworms, Marvin and the MSI research team proceeded with experiments. The team took out flesh from the gills and other organs and cultured microorganisms found in the specimen. Knowing the giant shipworm’s rotten-egg-smelling home, the team used a dish with a sulfuric medium, and was able to isolate sulfur-processing bacteria. They found this to be dominant in the shipworm’s gills. The team’s hunch about the giant shipworm’s “chemoautotrophy” (or more specifically, what is known as “sulfur- or thio-autotrophy”) was spot on. The Marine Natural Products Laboratory crew of the UP Marine Science Institute headed by Dr. Gisela Concepcion (seated, middle). Shown are: (left to right, standing) MJ Cleofas, Meljune Chicote, Victor Chua, Jose Miguel Robes, Iris Bea Ramiro, Marvin Altamia, Jortan Tun, Jessa Laude, Albebson Lim, Miguel Azcuna, Noel Lacerna, Renheart De Leon, Oliver Belleza, and Melfeb Chicote; and (left to right, seated) Emma Handy, Neda Barghi, Carrissa Shipman, Dr. Concepcion, Dr. Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes, Myra Ruth Picart, Malem Flores, Irene Pamisan, and Eliza Belen. Through complicated and high-technology processes, they characterized the bacteria, and found its enzyme to be indeed a catalyst in hydrogen sulfide oxidation. The team looked at the bacteria’s genome, and amplified the genes associated with the sulfur-processing enzyme. The team had of course suspected sulfur-processing symbiont bacteria all along. And they knew that in hydrothermal vents under the sea, tubeworms and mussels are host to bacteria that utilize hydrogen sulfide being spewed from under the earth. In processing the sulfide using its enzymes, the bacteria produce energy which the host animals use to fix carbon into organic compounds, which in turn nourish the host animals. Hydrogen sulfide is the same compound produced by decaying organic matters in the sea. “It often results from the microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen gas, such as in swamps and sewers,” Gisela explains. “The lagoon was oxygen-less. Why? Trees, wood, and leaves fell to the lagoon and were broken down by microbes. Microbes consume oxygen as they break up organic matter.” The muck in the lagoon contains broken-down, decaying pieces of wood. In later tests, the team found bacteria from the shipworm and the hydrothermal mussels arranging themselves into a cluster, a behavior exhibited only by bacteria of the same family. This confirmed his suspicions relating the creatures at the coast to those in the ocean trenches. With the findings, the PMS-ICBG proved that somehow during its evolution, the shipworm emerged from wood, and favored bacteria that process sulfur, which is abundant in the sea. Having discovered new symbionts to aid in its nourishment, the shipworm thrived in the harsh, oxygen-lacking environment of seabeds, not needing to devour food, but only growing a calcareous tube to protect its fragile body. Growing into a gigantic size, it was able to harbor more bacteria particularly in its overgrown gills, while its digestive system shrank to insignificance. This family of bacteria was harnessed by the mussels and tubeworms (which are real worms) so that they could survive in and populate the deeper part of the sea, near boiling hydrothermal vents, where no living creature was expected to survive. This discovery thus contributes to the study of evolution and to learning how life forms spread and survive between land and the deep blue sea, extending the “wooden-steps” theory. The details have been published by the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in a paper by Dan Distel et al. (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1620470114). But the study of the giant shipworm is also significant for the study of biofuels, which is a major component of the PMS-ICBG project. Enzymes used by cellulose-processing bacteria to break down wood to something digestible by animals for their energy needs, are prime candidates for producing biofuels out of abundant organic matter, e.g., waste materials from major crops, mostly constituted by cellulose. Could enzymes from the symbiont bacteria of giant shipworms, thriving on rotting matter, also be used to derive fuels? A meter-long fresh specimen removed from its calcareous tube with a valve (v), siphon (s), and pallet (p) indicated. Photo from “Discovery of chemoautotrophic symbiosis in the giant shipworm Kuphus polythalamia (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) extends wooden-steps theory” by Dan Distel et al., published online at Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on April 17, 2017 (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1620470114) Scientists also say symbiosis with bacteria entails a balance-maintaining mechanism, which defends itself against diseases and harmful infections that may disrupt the symbiosis. Scientists are now testing bacterial isolates from marine organisms against important microbial pathogens, including drug-resistant strains, in the country to produce antibiotics. Dr. Concepcion said they have had the most “hits” or anti-infective extracts from the bacterial isolates from shipworms. Wherever the scientific investigations lead, some general conclusions stand out: bacteria are members of the ecosystem more significant than people think. Also, there are more and more ways of life being discovered from which we can learn to not only harness energy from the environment but also survive in harsh environments. The alien-looking creatures with their posse of bacteria find their way in the strangest nooks of the earth like nobody else. And a “missing link” has just been found by scientists in the Philippines. |
https://up.edu.ph/resilience-begins-at-home/ | Resilience begins at home – University of the Philippines | Resilience begins at home Resilience begins at home January 10, 2018 | Written by Fred Dabu Mandated to advance national development and also to help save people’s lives, the University of the Philippines established the UP Resilience Institute (RI) in July 2016, followed by its adoption of the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center in March 2017 as its core component. By harnessing the expertise of academics and professionals in the fields of science and technology as well as the arts and humanities, these UP hubs are at the forefront of scientific research and extension work on natural hazards, climate change actions, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and the promotion of disaster resilience in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim. The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world, and minding its many tantrums is the unenviable but vital job of UP’s top disaster scientist, Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay. A faculty member of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS), Lagmay also concurrently heads the RI and the NOAH Center. Dr. Lagmay obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UP and holds a PhD degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He is also an Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). UP RI Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Lagmay speaks to Mayors, Municipal Planners, and Disaster Risk Reduction Officers during the National Rollout and Training-Workshop on the Formulation of the Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP). (Photo courtesy of the UP Resilience Institute.) Our own backyard One of the first projects of the RI and the NOAH Center aims to make all UP campuses and communities around the country resilient to climate change and geared for long-term development. Lagmay explains that UP “must first do it in our own backyard, if we are to get all municipalities to prepare and plan ahead. We can’t preach what we don’t practice. The first step is to do the resilient campuses project so that it can be a model for campuses in the Philippines.” He says that the project uses climate change projections prescribed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific and intergovernmental body under the United Nations. “We have to translate the projections of climate change into hazard maps that can be used by the UP campuses to plan ahead and to develop. Before we do it for the entire Philippines, we must do it in our backyard first. I’m not saying the campuses are not planned. I’m saying that campuses need to be more resilient and adaptive to the climate change impacts, building resilience, which is relatively a new concept,” Lagmay says. On October 20, 2017, the UP Padayon Office hosted the UP RI and NOAH Center’s teleconference with representatives from UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Baguio, UPLB, UP Mindanao, UP Iloilo and UP Open University. (Photo courtesy of the UP Resilience Institute.) Probabilistic hazard maps According to Lagmay, the RI and NOAH have many projects lined up, aside from the resilient UP campuses project. Among these are the completion of climate flood maps for the entire Philippines for the years 2049-2079, and the landslide maps for 2049-2079, based on the representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5 as prescribed by the IPCC. “We also are producing storm surge hazard maps with climate change projections. Basically, these are multi-scenario, multi-hazard maps. Collectively, they’re called probabilistic hazard maps that get us to understand better the risks involved in planning against hazard impacts. We also have a project on detecting CO2 using low-cost UV cameras, and another on solid waste management,” Lagmay adds. “We are also proposing to study the interaction of the seas, land, and atmosphere. Because here in the Philippines and in other tropical areas, as well as areas near the equator, it’s very hard to predict weather, and largely that may be due to unknown factors related to the interaction of the sea, ocean, land and atmosphere. That needs to be understood,” he emphasizes. Dr. Lagmay says that Senator Loren Lagarda wanted the UP Resilience Institute “to lead all the state universities and colleges in helping the Climate Change Commission get the local government units to complete their local climate change action plans.” OpenStreetMap volunteers at the OpenStreetMap and Grab’s Mapping Party held at the Grab Headquarters in Makati on November 25, 2017. They helped in mapping the building footprints of the UP campuses around the country to aid in the UP Resilient Campuses Project of the UP RI. (Photo courtesy of the UP Resilience Institute.) He looks forward to completing the abovementioned tasks. “It’s a huge task. But with all the previous projects that we have been engaged in over the past several years—like the 30 mainstreaming climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in 34 municipalities of Leyte and Samar, and the rebuild projects in Iloilo and Cagayan—we have learned a lot. And with the proper budget, we can cascade this knowledge through the different UP campuses to the state universities and colleges, so each state university and college can be an information and training hub for their locality.” This setup will also leverage “the technical expertise of the different faculty members of all of these universities across different sectors: health, infrastructure, energy, environment, biodiversity, tourism, and many other sectors,” Lagmay explains. Open and shared data “Disaster risk is an unresolved problem of development. If the communities plan well, if they are smart in developing, putting the structures, the evacuation centers, critical facilities out of harm’s way, or if it’s in harm’s way, knowing what to do to address the problem, you are actually reducing disaster risk. So by reducing disaster risk you are becoming more adaptive and resilient through development planning,” he adds. This will enable the development of communities nationwide, spurring economic growth and meeting the goals of sustainable development. But this kind of whole-of-government approach will require open and shared data. “To be able to do all of those things, you need to open up data. You need everybody to have access. And all over the world, that’s where disaster prevention and mitigation are leading. We share to generate more knowledge that’s more powerful to address our problems. If you don’t share the data, if data is kept under control in certain offices, you may compromise opportunity, and that opportunity could be a chance to save lives.” The Philippines’ South South collaboration on Climate Information and Services between the Climate Change Commission (CCC), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), UP RI, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) was launched on November 23, 2017 at the Sofitel Hotel during the Climate Change Consciousness week. In Photo: Assistant Secretary Evelyn Cruzada, Office of the Cabinet Secretary; Mayor Ronaldo Golez of Dumangas, Iloilo; CCC Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman; Mr. Oscar Lizardo, NOAH Center Information Chief; Ms. Rosalina De Guzman, Chief of the Climate Data section of PAGASA; and Dr. Bjoern Surborg of GIZ. (Photo courtesy of the UP Resilience Institute.) According to Lagmay, NOAH data can be downloaded via the Internet “preferably by bulk download,” without any preconditions. “If it’s publicly funded, the people should be able to access and take advantage of that information. In time, with the work of NOAH and the UP Resilience Institute, with better education, we can learn to be able to share valuable data that saves people’s lives. That is one of the main goals of UP RI and NOAH,” he said. He also urges the use of transdiciplinary tools to promote disaster and risk awareness. “Use music, use poetry, use the arts to raise awareness about disasters. Science must be embraced by the people. Because if it gets embraced, its value grows. There’s direct application. Benefits are seen. And for the field of disaster risk reduction, it will mean saving lives and getting communities to develop better, unhampered by natural hazard impacts,” Lagmay concludes. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-mobilizes-in-response-to-mayon-volcano-eruption/ | UP mobilizes in response to Mayon Volcano eruption – University of the Philippines | UP mobilizes in response to Mayon Volcano eruption UP mobilizes in response to Mayon Volcano eruption January 30, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines is mobilizing its resources to respond to the destruction caused by the ongoing eruption of Mayon Volcano in Albay. Through its Resilience Institute (RI), UP sent three experts to Albay last January 24 to coordinate on-ground efforts and provide technical assistance to the Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development, Inc. UP’s top disaster scientist and RI executive director Dr. Mahar Lagmay is in charge of coordinating the university’s aid efforts. RI is working with different sectors of the university including the University Student Council, UP NOAH Center, Padayon Public Service Office, UP Vanguard, UP Reserve Officer Training Corps and the Office of Regent Spocky Farolan, among others. Resilience Institute Executive Director Mahar Lagmay and Regent Spocky Farolan lead a coordination meeting with representatives from the UP MMDA Volunteer Corps, UP Vanguard, TVUP, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya, RAHA Volunteers, UP Diliman University Student Council, UP Diliman NSTP Office, and UP Manila PGH for the UP Mayon relief initiative. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) UP is now accepting donations—preferably canned sausages and corned beef, dried fish, and empty 5-gallon water containers with faucets—for affected families in Albay. These can be dropped off at Peralta Hall, Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST) Grounds, Ylanan Street, UP Diliman, Quezon City, starting today, January 30, until Saturday, February 3, 2018. Cash donations will also be accepted at this account: UP Foundation, Inc. Account Number: 102270018964 Unionbank Commonwealth Branch For monitoring purposes, depositors are requested to send a photo or scanned copy of the deposit slip to padayon@up.edu.ph. Volunteers may sign-up at http://bit.ly/UPMayon and a confirmation SMS will be sent. Inquiries can be directed to the UP Resilience Institute via email at resilience.institute@up.edu.ph or via mobile at (0939) 390 4814 and (0975) 851 3046. The UP Board of Regents, during its 1332nd meeting, formally authorized President Danilo L. Concepcion to mobilize the UP System in helping the communities affected by the eruption of Mount Mayon. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-launches-drrm-handbook/ | UP launches DRRM handbook – University of the Philippines | UP launches DRRM handbook UP launches DRRM handbook October 31, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The University of the Philippines Padayon Public Service Office and the UP Resilience Institute (RI), together with the College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), launched the first Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) handbook for academic institutions on October 24, 2018 at the Bulwagang Tandang Sora, CSWCD, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Titled “Sakunang Darating, Saklolo’y Tayo Rin”, the book was written and edited by UP’s DRRM experts from various academic disciplines, departments, and campuses. Former UP President Alfredo Pascual (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Featuring the latest DRRM interventions and lessons gained by members of the University, the book will be useful not only to UP constituents but also to various academic institutions, government offices, organizations, and individuals, according to Professor and former UP President Alfredo Pascual. Professor Ferdinand Llanes (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Prof. Ferdinand Llanes, editor of the book and founding director of the Padayon Public Service Office, said the multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and evidence-based book presents valuable information and lessons based on the authors’ experiences; and that it aims to enhance the preparedness, resiliency, and capabilities of communities during an emergency or disaster situation. Professor Alfredo Mahar Lagmay (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Prof. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, executive director of the UP RI, said the book serves as “a guide in building a better, climate resilient, and disaster-free Philippines, with an empowered citizenry working towards genuine development”. Professor Benito Pacheco (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) In closing, Prof. Benito Pacheco, College of Engineering professor and former UPD Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, said DRRM should be taught holistically, more creatively, with a historical perspective, and to more people, not only in UP but to everyone. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) UP Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa (center) and the co-editors and authors of the book, “Sakunang Darating, Saklolo’y Tayo Rin”, witness the unveiling ceremony led by Professors Ferdinand Llanes and Alfredo Pascual. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Co-editors and authors of the book, “Sakunang Darating, Saklolo’y Tayo Rin” (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-joins-nationwide-simultaneous-earthquake-drill-on-february-21/ | UP joins Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on February 21 – University of the Philippines | UP joins Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on February 21 UP joins Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on February 21 February 15, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office On February 21 (Thursday), the University of the Philippines System will participate in the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) to test the University’s evacuation procedures, communication protocol with the Emergency Operations Center, and the capacity to carry out its first response operations among its faculty, staff, and students as it has done in the past three years. The drill will simulate a large magnitude earthquake and all constituent universities are encouraged to conduct related activities such as the sounding of an alarm, “duck, cover, and hold” exercise, evacuation and assembly in designated areas, reporting via Incident Command System, and other similar simulations. All units are requested to document their NSED activities and submit to the UP Resilience Institute as the office tasked by the Office of the UP President to coordinate the NSED. Join the drill on February 21 and use the hashtag #UPShakeDrill to document your NSED activities. UP Shake Drill Checklists, Guides and Other Reference Materials |
https://up.edu.ph/up-holds-summit-on-student-volunteering-and-social-responsibility/ | UP holds summit on student volunteering and social responsibility – University of the Philippines | UP holds summit on student volunteering and social responsibility UP holds summit on student volunteering and social responsibility November 24, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the University of the Philippines (UP), volunteerism is crucial in nurturing civic engagement and strengthening community spirit among UP students and their partners. With COVID-19, students may now organize meaningful volunteering projects with safety and program concerns in place. The UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Office of Student Financial Assistance, and Ugnayan ng Pahinungod organized the One for All: Summit on Student Volunteering and Social Responsibility on 25 October 2021. The summit determined policies, practices, and other actions that can support the meaningful and safe conduct of volunteering by UP students. The different CU offices in charge of Student Affairs and Activities participated in the online event with the National Service Training Program (NSTP), National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC), and Ugnayan ng Pahinungod offices across eight CUs. The summit took stock of procedures, protocols, and practices that the CU offices implemented to encourage volunteering and assist student volunteers. Discussions highlighted areas where Student Affairs, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, NSTP, and NSRC units can work together to nurture volunteerism among UP students even during COVID-19. With many offices supporting student volunteers, the summit presented an opportunity for future joint activities and conversations on student volunteerism and the vocation to serve. |
https://up.edu.ph/e-ayvp-philippines-2021-asean-youth-volunteers-pursue-online-training-during-pandemic/ | E-AYVP Philippines 2021: ASEAN youth volunteers pursue online training during pandemic – University of the Philippines | E-AYVP Philippines 2021: ASEAN youth volunteers pursue online training during pandemic E-AYVP Philippines 2021: ASEAN youth volunteers pursue online training during pandemic August 25, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the schooling of more than 1.6 billion students around the world. Schools remain closed and the youth in more than 33 countries are mandated to stay at home. Almost all learning activities involving the youth have shifted online. In this light, the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) Secretariat at the University of the Philippines (UP), through the Ugnayan ng Pahinungód / Oblation Corps, the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (The National University of Malaysia) through the University Community Transformation Centre (UCTC), and the ASEAN University Network University Social Responsibility & Sustainability (AUN USR&S), in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat and Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, have decided to pursue online trainings in hosting the E-AYVP Philippines 2021 from August 30 to September 17. This year, AYVP features ASEAN-focused webinars and masterclasses that aim to develop youth volunteers to become future leaders of ASEAN. With the theme of “Strengthening the ASEAN Education Delivery Systems in Challenging Times”, this three-week programme will involve 100 or more youth, ages 18-30 and selected from ASEAN member countries plus three more: China, Japan, and Korea. The volunteers will be trained in skills related to addressing complex challenges faced by the education sector during the pandemic. E-AYVP Philippines 2021 likewise focuses on volunteerism as the youth’s means of engaging their own communities. The AYVP, now in its ninth year of implementation, features over seven ASEAN-focused online webinars, six project management workshops and 22 masterclasses. Previous programmes were conducted physically in Malaysia (2013 & 2014, 2018 & 2019), Cambodia (2015), the Philippines (2016), and Indonesia (2017) and Malaysia. E-AYVP Philippines 2021 will support innovative education-based community engagement in providing education services and empowering local communities, by working with government agencies, non-governmental agencies, private companies, social enterprises, and other organizations in the surrounding area. Expert resource persons include representatives from government and international organizations, faculty, and university officials. Topics include: best practices and lessons in addressing gender inequalities; empowering youth on the application of ICTs; enhancing social integration; and, many others related to promoting understanding and awareness of ASEAN identity and ‘unity in diversity’ among the youth. This year’s e-AYVP Philippines will be using Zoom as the video conferencing application, and the University of the Philippines Open University’s MoDEL (https://model.upou.edu.ph/) Learning Management System (LMS) as the conference platform. Through the platform, the participants will have access to: e-AYVP Philippines 2021 announcements; information about the sessions; assignment and related readings, if any; evaluation forms for every session; copies of the session recordings; and, forums where they can interact with other participants outside of the Zoom session. Creating an account in the platform will also enable them to receive email reminders and other announcements. Resource persons from the Philippines, including members of the UP community, slated to speak during the e-AYVP 2021. Screenshots from the e-AYVP 2021 information video. For more information, visit the AYVP website. To register, visit the E-AYVP Online Registration website. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-papers-asean-university-network-2nd-international-health-promotion-conference/ | CALL FOR PAPERS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR PAPERS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference CALL FOR PAPERS: ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference February 19, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office ASEAN University Network 2nd International Health Promotion Conference Moving Towards Healthy Universities in Asia August 19-21, 2019 Manila, Philippines The University of the Philippines hosts the 2nd International ASEAN University Network – Health Promotion Conference this Aug. 20-21, 2019 in Manila. The conference, with its theme of “Moving Towards Healthy Universities in Asia,” aims to highlight the roles of universities in promoting healthy lifestyles and environments with the end-goal of empowering communities to embark on activities and programs that promote health. Success stories and challenges will be presented and strategies discussed in the context of local communities and universities. The conference is open to participants both in the ASEAN region and all over the world. Everyone is invited to join this conference and become active in health promotion in their own communities! Visit: https://aunhpnmnl2019.wixsite.com/conference For abstract submission: https://aunhpnmnl2019.wixsite.com/conference/abstract-submission For registration: https://aunhpnmnl2019.wixsite.com/conference/registration Note: Registration fee and payment procedures are still being finalized. You may visit the website for updates. |
https://up.edu.ph/u-p-to-host-thailands-angthong-college-of-dramatic-arts-performance-on-january-22/ | U.P. to host Thailand’s Angthong College of Dramatic Arts performance on January 22 – University of the Philippines | U.P. to host Thailand’s Angthong College of Dramatic Arts performance on January 22 U.P. to host Thailand’s Angthong College of Dramatic Arts performance on January 22 January 18, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines will host a free show by Thailand’s Angthong College of Dramatic Arts on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium, College of Music, U.P. Diliman, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. as part of the ongoing celebrations on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Thailand and the Philippines. There will be three short performances by thirty five Thai dancers: The Pursuit of Supanna Matcha the first number, is an episode from the Khon Thai Masked Dance Drama, in Ramakien or The Thai Ramayana. The second number, Natnaree Sri Ayothaya is a tribute to the beauty of Thai women and the delicate style of Thai dancing. Rum Wong, the troupe’s final number, is a slow round dance continuously moving in a circular manner. It incorporates graceful hand movements and simple footwork, and involves the participation of male and female dancers. The cultural exchange has been made possible with the cooperation of the University of the Philippines Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs, U.P. Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (UP-OICA), U.P. College of Arts and Letters (CAL), U.P. College of Mass Communication (UPCMC), U.P. College of Music, and the Royal Thai Embassy, Manila. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-unveil-restored-oblation-plaza-postponed/ | [POSTPONED] UP to unveil restored Oblation Plaza – University of the Philippines | [POSTPONED] UP to unveil restored Oblation Plaza [POSTPONED] UP to unveil restored Oblation Plaza February 20, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office We regret to inform the public that, due to unforeseen circumstances, the unveiling of the newly-restored Oblation Plaza slated for Saturday, 23 February 2019, at 5:00 PM, has been postponed. The new schedule will be announced soon. |
https://up.edu.ph/laurel-family-presents-gift-of-appreciation-to-up/ | Laurel family presents gift of appreciation to UP – University of the Philippines | Laurel family presents gift of appreciation to UP Laurel family presents gift of appreciation to UP July 5, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO The family of former Philippine President Jose P. Laurel, through G.A. Yupangco & Co., Inc., donated a digital grand piano to the University in appreciation of the contribution of its scholars and experts to the making of the biographical film, Laurel. The piano has been placed at the lobby of the Plaridel Hall of the UP Diliman College of Mass Communication (UP CMC). Faculty and staff from the different departments of UP CMC collaborated in the writing, production, and release of the film. The former president’s only living child, Potenciana Laurel-Yupangco, spearheaded the donation. Her late husband, Graciano Araullo Yupangco, established G.A. Yupangco & Co., Inc., which is now headed by their son, Philip. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-nominations-university-of-the-philippines-school-of-statistics-deanship/ | CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: University of the Philippines School of Statistics Deanship – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: University of the Philippines School of Statistics Deanship CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: University of the Philippines School of Statistics Deanship August 2, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Search Committee for the UP School of Statistics Deanship shall receive nominations from August 1-7, 2019. Please submit the following documents both in printed form with original signatures and, when appropriate, as soft copies in USB drive: Nominator/s’ signed nomination letter containing the justification for the nomination. The current contact details of the primary nominator should be included. Nominee’s summarized curriculum vitae in a maximum of three (3) pages. Nominee’s signed letter of acceptance of the nomination, stating willingness to serve as Dean of the UP School of Statistics Nominee’s vision and plans for the School All letters/nominations shall be addressed to: Dr. Michael L. Tan Chancellor, University of the Philippines Diliman Nomination- Deanship of the UP School of Statistics through Dr. Grace T. Cruz Chair, Search Committee for UP School of Statistics Deanship Room 236, West Wing, Palma Hall, Roxas Ave. corner Roces St., UP Diliman Who May Nominate: UP School of Statistics faculty, REPS, administrative staff, students and alumni; others from outside the institution, interested candidates Who May be Nominated: The nominee must possess the following basic qualifications: Filipino citizenship Commitment to academic freedom and the values and ideals of the university Distinction or outstanding academic credentials in the nominee’s chosen field of expertise which should be along the lines of the School’s disciplines or fields Leadership qualities and administrative or managerial capability Willingness to serve Recognition of resource generation as pivotal role in the job The nominee need not be a faculty at the time of her/his nomination. Should she/he be appointed, she/he must have a faculty appointment. |
https://up.edu.ph/upoild-sees-upcis-ferris-university-agreement-as-model-for-other-up-units/ | UPOILD sees UPCIS-Ferris University agreement as model for other UP units – University of the Philippines | UPOILD sees UPCIS-Ferris University agreement as model for other UP units UPOILD sees UPCIS-Ferris University agreement as model for other UP units September 6, 2019 | Written by Wystan de la Peña The cooperation agreement between the UP Center for International Studies (UPCIS) and Yokohama’s Ferris University is a model for future schemes with other foreign educational institutions. UPCIS Welcomes Ferris University guests on 20 August 2019, from left to right: Prof. Sarah Raymundo, Nikki Rae Rallos (UP Diliman), Koto Ransho (Ferris University), Jesse Leigh Morales (UP Diliman), Prof. Chiho Ogaya, Miho Sasaki, Moe Arai (Ferris University), and Prof. Amparo Adelina Umali, III (UP Diliman). Prof. Imee Su Martinez, PhD, director of UP Diliman’s Office for International Linkages-Diliman (UPOILD), led UPOILD staff members Aura Carbonilla, International Programs Officer for Student Mobility, and Noelle Rivera, International Programs Officer for Administrative and Legal Matters, in making the observation during a courtesy call-cum-meeting with her counterparts from Ferris University. Martinez met with Prof. Chiho Ogaya of the Department of Communication Studies, Miho Sasaki, Manager of International Office, and Moe Arai, Chief of International Office, to discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two universities. Among other things, the meeting discussed the possibility of UP identifying select courses offered in English and a beginner Filipino language course that Japanese students can take in Diliman. They also explored the need to insert a clause for automatic renewal in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two universities. The MOA, signed in 2017, is up for renewal in 2021. The MOA, which provides for students of both universities to visit or study for a year in the partner institution, has allowed select students from the UPCIS-offered GS 197 Special Topics class on Japanese Traditional Performance Practice and members of two Japanese traditional performance groups based at the UPCIS, the UPCIS Noh Ensemble and the UPCIS Bunraku Ensemble, to come to Ferris University every November. Ferris University students come to UP Diliman in February. UPCIS Welcomes Ferris University guests at the Center by faculty and staff with UP Diliman students and office staff who have formerly participated in the Short-Stay Visit exchange program in Japan, standing, from left to right: Moe Arai (Ferris University), Leo Niel Jasper Sese, Nikki Rae Rallos, Prof. Sarah Raymundo, Prof. Amparo Adelina Umali, III, (UP Diliman) and Maria Fe Lafuente; seated, from left to right: Prof. Chiho Ogaya, Miho Sasaki, Koto Ransho (Ferris University), Jesse Leigh Morales and Prof. Wystan de la Pena (UP Diliman). Grants from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) and UP’s Mobility for Vigor and Excellence (MOVE-UP) provide UP students with the financial subsidy for their visits to Ferris University. During those visits, the two groups of students tour each other around their campuses, host meals for their visiting counterparts, and discuss contemporary problems confronting their countries and deliberate on possible solutions. An important highlight of the UP students’ visit to Ferris University is a performance of an excerpt from a Noh play and a Bunraku dance performance before their counterparts, many of whom have yet to watch these two Japanese theater traditions. In previous visits, Ferris University students expressed admiration for their UP counterparts’ desire to learn about Japanese theater traditions. Noh is an ancient elite theater tradition in Japan that developed in the 14th century and Bunraku is the traditional puppet theater that began in the 17th century. UP students receive Noh and Bunraku training from Japanese masters and culture-bearers, respectively, and from a group of Filipino teachers personally taught by these Japanese. During their visits to Japan, students devote part of their time in training sessions with the masters – those in Noh train in Tokyo, while those in Bunraku train on the island of Naoshima. Ogaya and Umali initiated the idea of short-stay visits in 2009 when Ogaya was still teaching at the Yokohama National University (YNU). They continued the project in Ferris University when Ogaya transferred there. UPCIS has maintained its short-stay visit agreement with YNU. Ferris University guests stand in front of the Oblation and Quezon hall, from left to right: Moe Arai, Miho Sasaki, and Prof. Chiho Ogaya. This academic year, both universities are hosting their first exchange student from the partner institution. Jesse Leigh Morales (BA Comparative Literature) is set to leave in end-August for a year’s study at Ferris University. Koto Ransho (BA Global and Intercultural Studies) is currently enrolled in UPD as an exchange student. Accompanying the visitors from Ferris University during their meeting with Martinez were Assistant Professor Sarah Raymundo, UPCIS Director, Amparo Adelina C. Umali III, UPCIS coordinator for East and Southeast Asia Studies, and the two exchange students. Meeting at the UPOILD. From left to right (background): Prof. Sarah Raymundo, Aura Carbonilla, Noelle Rivera, Prof. Imee Martinez (UPOILD); (foreground): Moe Arai and Miho Sasaki (Ferris University). Prior to the meeting with Martinez, the Ferris University guests, accompanied by UPCIS Director Prof. Raymundo, made a courtesy call on UPD Chancellor Michael Tan. UPCIS pays a courtesy call to the UP Diliman Chancellor with Ferris University guests. From left to right: Chancellor Michael L. Tan (UP Diliman), Moe Arai, Miho Sasaki (Ferris University), and Prof. Sarah Raymundo (UP Diliman). Earlier, Raymundo, Umali, and faculty affiliate Prof. Wystan de la Peña led representatives from different batches of UP students who participated in the short-visit program in hosting the three visiting Japanese in a Filipino lunch. UPCIS hosts take their guests out for lunch, from left to right (foreground): Koto Ransho (Ferris University), Jesse Leigh Morales, Prof. Sarah Raymundo, Prof. Wystan de la Pena (UP Diliman); (background): Prof. Chiho Ogaya, Miho Sasaki, Moe Arai (Ferris University), and Prof. Amparo Adelina Umali, III (UP Diliman). |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-entries-1st-lockton-philippines-legacy-awards-nationwide-action-research-competition/ | CALL FOR ENTRIES: 1st Lockton Philippines Legacy Awards Nationwide Action Research Competition – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR ENTRIES: 1st Lockton Philippines Legacy Awards Nationwide Action Research Competition CALL FOR ENTRIES: 1st Lockton Philippines Legacy Awards Nationwide Action Research Competition September 18, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, Lockton Philippines is proud to launch the 1st Legacy Awards to recognize research initiatives that aim to protect the environment. As one of the leading employee benefits, insurance, and risk management service providers in the country, Lockton Philippines remains committed to supporting initiatives that advance civic consciousness, sustainable practices, and environmental stewardship. The Legacy Awards aims to gather young, innovative change agents to develop action research proposals that promote the responsible and efficient use of resources and the collaboration among key stakeholders and communities. Aside from cash prizes, Lockton Philippines’ 1st Legacy Awards provides participating student teams the opportunity to see their research proposals come to life, if chosen to be adopted by one of Lockton’s Corporate Partners, thus, truly creating a positive impact on the environment. University of the Philippines undergraduate students are invited to submit their action research proposals and become active contributors in the promotion of environmental risk management in the country. See poster for more details: For downloads: Application Form Entry Kit Terms and Conditions |
https://up.edu.ph/fidel-nemenzo-formally-invested-with-up-diliman-chancellorship/ | Fidel Nemenzo formally invested with UP Diliman chancellorship – University of the Philippines | Fidel Nemenzo formally invested with UP Diliman chancellorship Fidel Nemenzo formally invested with UP Diliman chancellorship June 18, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, along with the rest of the executive staff of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, was formally invested with leadership of the UP constituent university on June 7, 2021, after they took the reins from the administration of Dr. Michael Tan in March last year. UP President and UP Board of Regents Co-Chair Danilo Concepcion led the investiture ceremonies, titled “Pagpapanday sa Panata at Pagsinta (Forging Vow and Love)”, that turned over symbols of office and authority, the University medallion and mace, to Nemenzo who was elected 11th chancellor of UP Diliman. UP President Concepcion leads the investiture ceremonies for UP Diliman Chancellor Nemenzo, titled “Pagpapanday sa Panata at Pagsinta (Forging Vow and Love)”. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. After his acceptance, Nemenzo formally swore in his executive staff composed of: Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Maria Theresa Payongayong; Vice Chancellor for Administration Adeline Pacia; Vice Chancellor for Research and Development Gonzalo Campoamor; Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil Sonido; Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Aleli Bawagan; and, Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Raquel Florendo. Accompanying Nemenzo and serving as witnesses to his investiture were members of his family, Dr. Maria Victoria Raquiza and Julio Anton Mulawin Nemenzo. In his investiture speech, he spoke of the anchor of his governance, his administration’s response to the pandemic, and his administration’s thrusts of academic excellence, operational efficiency, and the community’s health and well-being. Having been nurtured by UP Diliman from his childhood to the present, he accepted the call to serve it as “pag-aalay” to the institution. “Everything that we have done in the past year and everything that we plan to do for the rest of my term are anchored on my vision for UP Diliman as a vibrant and diverse academic community, a partner in nation-building, and one which plays a role of social critic through evidence-based scholarship and moral courage,” Nemenzo said. UPD Chancellor Nemenzo officially swears in his executive staff. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Pandemic response Barely two weeks into his term, however, he was confronted by the COVID-19 lockdowns. One of his first responses was the formation of a multidisciplinary task force which meets once a week to plan, implement, and update the University’s pandemic response. The administration provided accommodation to its frontliners, strengthened the University Health Service, and provided free testing and facilities for quarantine, testing, and vaccination. “Today I am proud to say that we have put into practice what I had envisioned for UP in the context of the pandemic: to make our University an academic center of excellence providing an interdisciplinary hub that works with government, industry, and civil society in protecting the UP Diliman community and our people’s health,” Nemenzo said. With the sudden shift to remote learning, UP Diliman strengthened its University Virtual Learning Environment, crafted guidelines, and conducted webinars to help the students and faculty cope. “We saw this as an opportunity to reimagine our classrooms and learning spaces as social laboratories to innovate and test new ideas mindful of the principles of inclusivity and compassion. . . . This remains an ongoing challenge,” Nemenzo pointed UP Diliman Chancellor Nemenzo delivers his investiture speech. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Academic excellence Beyond the pandemic, a major thrust of the UP Diliman administration is the strengthening of the General Education Program. It aims “to equip students with imaginative and critical faculties that will enable them to deal with complexity and change and provide them the cultural and ethical moorings in this fast-changing world”. Nemenzo spoke of launching a tri-college PhD program for Data Science and Analytics; and of establishing a Data Commons, which is a computing hub, data repository, and archives to serve the entire UP System. He also envisioned greater collaboration with other state universities and colleges in developing disciplines such as space engineering. UP President Concepcion join UPD Chancellor Nemenzo and his executive team onstage. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO Operational efficiency “Key to our efforts toward operational efficiency is the development and integration of various data management systems,” Nemenzo said. He announced the recent launch of a human resources information system called PUSO or Personnel Unified System Outlook and a similar system for finance offices. He reported the launch of at least two online platforms for consultations between the administration and individual constituents. To encourage research, creative work, and publications, his administration was working on easing the procurement process, and providing additional support staff, mechanisms, and incentives, he said. “We have been training our staff to improve processes and procedures,” Nemenzo added. UP officials sing the “UP Naming Mahal” at the close of the investiture ceremonies. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Health, environment, nation Another major thrust of his administration is the health and wellbeing of the community. “I have created a task force that will integrate our University health and wellbeing services and programs from medical services to psychosocial support, from prevention to treatment, whether for the sick, the vulnerable, or for the well,” Nemenzo said. “One of my priority programs for UP Diliman is to turn the campus into a safe, smart, resilient, sustainable campus,” he said. On environmental sustainability, Nemenzo spoke of the transformation of the campus into an incubator of environment-friendly practices. For nation-building, he formed a multidisciplinary team “to hold policy dialogues and bring UP expertise to bear on the key policy areas that will shape the national conversation leading up to the 2022 national elections”. He also reaffirmed his administration’s defense of academic freedom, an essential element, he said, for UP’s dual role of knowledge producer and social critic. Prior to chancellorship, Nemenzo, a professor of Mathematics specializing in Number Theory, served as UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Research and Development. He was a student of UP Diliman from pre-school to college. Nemenzo is also known for having been a musician, an activist and a runner. Chancellor Nemenzo and his family, UP NCPAG Associate Professor Marivic Raquiza, Ph.D., and UP School of Economics alumnus Anton Nemenzo. Photo by the UP Diliman Information Office. |
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https://up.edu.ph/up-taiwan-heis-continue-exploring-collaborations/ | UP, Taiwan HEIs continue exploring collaborations – University of the Philippines | UP, Taiwan HEIs continue exploring collaborations UP, Taiwan HEIs continue exploring collaborations February 13, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office In continuing exploration of possible collaborations between southern Taiwan universities and the University of the Philippines, a Taiwanese delegation composed of university, government, and industry representatives met with top UP officials on February 4, 2018 at the Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Southern Taiwan universities and the UP System began actively pursuing system-wide linkages in April 2016, under the administration of President Alfredo Pascual; and the most recent meeting signified a seamless continuation of the efforts into the administration of President Danilo Concepcion. The Taiwanese delegation, led by Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association Executive Director Eing-Ming Wu, chair professor of Shu-Te University, met with UP Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa, who represented Concepcion, Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista, and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs for Internationalization Gil Jacinto. UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista and Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa answer most of the delegation’s inquiries. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The delegates included representatives from Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Education, the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association, Chang Jung Christian University, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung Medical University, National Chung Hsing University, National Kaohsiung Normal University, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, National Taitung University, Shiu Chien University, Shu-Te University, St. John’s University, Tamkang University, Tungfang Design University, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Center for Jewelry Company, the Formosa Social Development Institute, Hamastar Technology Co. Ltd, and Pretty Lady Co. Ltd. Bautista highlighted the resurgence of academic exchange under mutual thrusts to internationalize and uplift regional human capital; and now, with industry expressing interest and efforts to directly impact on the economy through partnerships among universities, cities, and industry. The efforts will involve the Philippine National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association program. Visits to these Philippine agencies were next in the delegates’ itinerary. In the short time since formal partnerships began in May 2016, 13 active memorandums of agreement have been forged between UP and southern Taiwan universities. Eight UP faculty members are now taking graduate studies in Taiwan. In UP Cebu, a Masters course is jointly delivered with Shu-Te University. In November 2017, academic cooperation between UP and the Taiwan Strategic Alliance for Colleges of Education and Humanity/National Taiwan University System was formalized. The Taiwanese delegates, economic and cultural officials, and UP officials give the thumbs up sign for UP at the Oblation Plaza, UP Diliman, Quezon City. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Among the proposals forwarded at the last meeting was the establishment of a one-stop shop to facilitate a more targeted matching of academic offerings and demands between Philippine and Taiwan universities; and pursuit of more twin, joint, dual-degree, or sandwich academic programs. Immediately, UP, CHED, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices in both countries can sit down for strategic planning to catalyze more and affordable academic exchange. Academic exchange could also include Philippine undergraduate students, who may have the budget for studies abroad in the wake of the legislated free tuition. A Taiwanese industry representative cited the suitability of UP as a technology demonstration site. (Jo Lontoc, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/ups-call-for-the-midyear-isko-iska-break-muna-tayo/ | UP’s call for the midyear–“Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo!” – University of the Philippines | UP’s call for the midyear–“Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo!” UP’s call for the midyear–“Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo!” August 12, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta After a long, tiring academic year of remote learning and none of the fun college life on campus they had before the pandemic, students across the University of the Philippines (UP) System deserve a break. But then, who says UP’s online events and activities can’t be fun and creative? UP students may now be able to cross the distance between the campuses and meet their peers. For this mid-year break 2021, UP has launched the “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo: Midyear Competitions and Workshops for UP Students”. Through this initiative, students across all UP constituent universities and campuses sustain their creative and critical thinking skills and get to know one another during the midyear break, despite the pandemic. Screenshot of the launch by UPMPRO. The official virtual launch of the midyear-long event was held on August 11, and can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Intended for the engagement and participation of students in all UP constituent units, the “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo” midyear event will feature online and interactive games and contests, online musical and artistic performances, speech competitions, digital video competitions, training webinars on wellness and mindfulness—for UP students, and by UP students. “Kahit na nasa gitna tayo ng isang pandaigdigang krisis, ipagpapatuloy pa rin natin ang paglikha ng mga bagong karanasan habang pinananatili nating ligtas ang ating mga sarili at kapaligiran mula sa pandemyang ito [Even if we are in the middle of a global crisis, we will continue creating new experiences while keeping ourselves and our environment safe in this pandemic],” UP President Danilo Concepcion said during the launch. “Ikinagagalak kong anyayahan kayo na maging bahagi ng kauna-unahang UP System-wide na proyektong inaasahan nating magbubuklod sa mga miyembro ng ating klase, organisasyon, komunidad, kampus, at sa buong sangka-UP-han [It is my pleasure to invite you to be part of the first UP System-wide project that we hope will draw together the members of our classes, organizations, communities, campuses, and the entire UP community].” UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pemia, in her welcome remarks, expressed her hope that the “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo: Midyear Competitions and Workshops for UP Students” would be the start of a new UP System-wide tradition. The launching ceremony also featured the head organizers from four major competitions within the “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo” midyear event: Prof. Raul Navarro of the UP College of Music, who invited choirs across the UP System to participate in the 3rd Gawad Pangulo Choral Competition; Prof. Jocelyn Pinzon of the UP Cebu College of Communication, who invited UP students to cosplay as their favorite Philippine historical and folkloric characters and join the competition held as part of the quincentennial commemoration of the Philippine part in the first circumnavigation of the world and the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan; Prof. Mary Katherine Cabral of the UP College of Music, who plugged the Unibersipop Songwriting Competition 2021, which is open to all current UP students at any level; and, Sheila Samoza of the UP Kalipunan ng Mag-aaral sa Kasaysayan, Hinz Benedict Caaya of UPV Kamaragtas, and Carlos Joaquin R. Tabalon of UP Lipunang Pangkasaysayan unan ng Mag-aaral sa Kasaysayan for Sabat it Katutubo: Makabagong Sining sa Makasaysayang Kaganapan, a digital poster-making competition open to all students, faculty and staff across the UP System, based on concepts emerging from the celebration of the quincentennial anniversary. The student-representatives of UP Kalipunan ng Mag-aaral sa Kasaysayan, UPV Kamaragtas, and UP Lipunang Pangkasaysayan unan ng Mag-aaral sa Kasaysayan announcing the Sabat it Katutubo: Makabagong Sining sa Makasaysayang Kaganapan digital poster-making contest. Screenshot of the launch by UPMPRO. Finally, UP Special Assistant to the Vice President for Public Affairs Jonalou Labor and UP Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Philip Gonzalo reiterated the invitation to all UP students to participate in the University’s newest midyear event. The “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo” launch was capped by a stirring rendition of the “UP Naming Mahal” by the ConChords. UP student organizations can submit proposals for their own ideas for events and competitions. All participants are UP students of all levels, from the high schools to the graduate level. Proposals can be submitted here. UP students are also invited to keep informed on the contests, workshops, and events under the “Isko, Iska, Break Muna Tayo: Midyear Competitions and Workshops for UP Students”. The ConChords do the “Unibersidad ng Pilipinas” cheer. Screenshot by UPMPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-joins-nationwide-earthquake-drill/ | UP joins nationwide earthquake drill – University of the Philippines | UP joins nationwide earthquake drill UP joins nationwide earthquake drill February 26, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Occupants of Palma Hall Pavilions and nearby buildings simulate converging at the designated evacuation area on the site of the old Faculty Center. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO In all the campuses of UP in the country, designated open spaces were filled with people rushing out of buildings in a “duck, cover, and hold” scenario shortly after alarms sounded at 2:15 PM, February 21, 2019. A large magnitude earthquake had supposedly just struck. In UP Diliman, a communications center was organized under a tent on the basketball court of the UP Diliman Police headquarters. Two tables, chairs, and a white board were immediately set up; while a group of officers posted themselves on site with two-way radios. Soon, they were receiving radio reports from more than 250 deployed SSB (Special Services Brigade) operatives, security guards, and other police officers, whose jobs required them to be equipped with the communications device. On the white board, the receiving officers tallied reports on the number of “evacuees” and “casualties” in what is called a command post exercise for communications. On that day, it reported around 11,000 drill participants from more than 70 buildings on the Diliman campus. Police and security operatives at the Emergency Communications Center in the UP Diliman Police headquarters receive and tally radio reports from the different campus buildings. Photo by Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO A task force member keeps tallies at the Emergency Communications Center in the UP Diliman Police headquarters for the campus-wide earthquake drill. Photo by Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO In the UP Vanguard headquarters on the same campus, a contingent from the Campus Maintenance Office simulated a road blockage scenario. Several buildings simulated medical emergency response situations. Personnel from the UP Diliman Health Service responded in Melchor Hall. Similar drills were performed in the rest of the UP System. Emergency Response in cooperation with UP Los Baños University Police Force and Los Baños Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. Photo courtesy of UP Los Baños Office of Public Relations. Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill at UP Visayas New Administration Building Miagao Campus. Photo courtesy of UP Visayas Information and Publications Office UP thus joined the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). In UP Diliman, the drill was led by Chief Security Office (CSO) John Baroña. Preparedness was reinforced by checklists, guides, and other reference materials provided to each participant unit by the UP Resilience Institute led by Dr. Mahar Lagmay. Using these materials, the institute coordinated the NSEDs in the UP System and would assess the preparedness of the UP System for disaster scenarios based on reports from the constituent universities. Dr. Mahar Lagmay of the UP Resilience Institute briefs members of the UP Medical Alumni Society in America on evacuating the Board of Regents Room on top of Quezon Hall, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO Earlier, the Office of the UP President, represented by Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa, enjoined all constituent universities and the Philippine General Hospital to conduct the drill to simulate response to a large-magnitude earthquake. They were encouraged to conduct activities such as the sounding of an alarm, “duck, cover, and hold” exercises, evacuation and assembly in designated areas, reporting via Incident Command System, and other similar simulations. Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia and Atty. Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion practice “duck, cover, and hold” while attending an event in the Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO Alumni attending an event in the UP Board of Regents Room, UP Diliman evacuate the premises during the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO More photos: Occupants of Palma Hall, UP Diliman simulate evacuation to a designated area at the AS Parking Lot. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Students and faculty members take a break from their classes to simulate evacuation during a large magnitude earthquake. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UP Los Baños constituents participate in the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. Photo courtesy of Mark Jayson E. Gloria, UP Los Baños Office of Public Relations |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-donations-personal-protective-equipment-for-pgh/ | Call for Donations: Personal Protective Equipment for PGH – University of the Philippines | Call for Donations: Personal Protective Equipment for PGH Call for Donations: Personal Protective Equipment for PGH March 15, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office |
https://up.edu.ph/upmasa-to-assist-uplb-infirmary-pgh-diliman/ | UPMASA to assist UPLB Infirmary, PGH Diliman – University of the Philippines | UPMASA to assist UPLB Infirmary, PGH Diliman UPMASA to assist UPLB Infirmary, PGH Diliman May 21, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO When a delegation from the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society in America (UPMASA) visited President Danilo L. Concepcion on February 21 at the Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, proposals of assistance for the improvement of facilities in the UP Los Baños Health Service or Infirmary, and support for the planned establishment of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in UP Diliman were discussed. Concepcion expressed his desire to strengthen the UPLB Infirmary since it is the nearest government health facility in that part of Laguna that caters to thousands of patients, where minor surgical operations are also performed, especially for caesarean section (CS) births and other emergency cases. He lamented the worn out facilities for surgery, lack of equipment such as for CT scans, and limited accommodation for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The doctors from UPMASA offered to help upgrade UPLB’s operating room. Donation of an operating microscope was also mentioned. Concepcion updated the delegation on the planned establishment of a PGH-Diliman which has already been started, with the Php 50 million feasibility study to be done by the end of July this year. This is projected to be a Php 6 billion project, a 1,400-bed hospital, comparable with the country’s most modernized hospitals. Two more UP hospitals are also to be built, one in Clark, Pampanga and one in Los Baños, Laguna. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Concepcion pledged to support and expand the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, the volunteer office of UP, to help students in provinces receive UP-quality education and for more people in marginalized areas to receive educational and medical services. Dr. Eric S.M. Talens, director of the UP Manila Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, affirmed this by saying the office conducts at least one major mission every month, through a network of dedicated volunteers. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO UPMASA members also discussed with Concepcion how UP can resolve the challenges they face in the process of sending donations from the US to UP. Concepcion said he will look into the issues involving these. Concepcion was with Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa, Vice-President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia, and Atty. Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion. Talens was with fellow UPMASA members, namely: Val Dolorico, Gela Dolorico, Dulce Bautista Mangaser, Anacleto “Jun” Mangaser, Filo Dalope, Manny Dalope, Jean Dy, Manning Dy, Alex Faves, Anita Faves, Solita Canard, Mody Rivera, Manny Rivera, Ave Pino, Zeny Lat, Iman Lat, and Zacharias Asuncion. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO UPMASA is comprised of graduates from the UP College of Medicine (UPCM) who have trained or worked in North America. It is one of the most outstanding organizations of UP alumni known for supporting UP Manila through scholarships, endowments, expertise, and conducting medical missions to marginalized communities in the Philippines. Recently, it supported the modernization of 500 beds and the needs of indigent patients of PGH, and raised funds for the construction of the new building and dormitory of UPCM in Manila. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-cmc-honors-its-best-graduates-in-2018-glory-awards/ | UP CMC honors its best graduates in 2018 Glory Awards – University of the Philippines | UP CMC honors its best graduates in 2018 Glory Awards UP CMC honors its best graduates in 2018 Glory Awards October 9, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The 2018 Glory Awardees pose for a photograph. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The lives and careers of twelve distinguished alumni of the UP College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) were honored with the 2018 Glory Awards on October 6, 2018 at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni. The recipients of the awards are chosen from alumni of the College who have made significant contributions in its four core disciplines: broadcasting, communication research, film, and journalism; or in allied communication fields. The Glory Awards are named after the College’s first dean, Gloria D. Feliciano, who shepherded the program from 1965 to her retirement in 1985. Awardees are chosen by a panel of jurors composed of leading figures in the communication industry and are judged for their contributions to and impact on the domains of knowledge, leadership and social responsibility within their specializations. The 2018 Awardees are, in no order: Pedro “Boo” Chanco, III of the Philippine Star; Dolores F. Cheng, founder of the Center for Possibilities Foundation; Cecilia Victoria “Ces” Drilon of the ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem Group; ABS-CBN Chief of Staff Florida “Linggit” Tan-Marasigan; Jose Ramon D. Olives, former Strategy and Business Development head of ABS-CBN; GMA Network Entertainment Group Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable; GMA First Vice President for News Mary Grace Dela Peña-Reyes; Luz Rimban of the Asian Center for Journalism and VERA Files; Film Director and Producer Chito S. Roño; ABS-CBN Middle East Correspondent Michelle Fe “Maxxy” Santiago; ABS-CBN News Deputy Editor for Multimedia Fernando G. Sepe, Jr.; and, digital media and measurement expert, Beth Uyenco. GMA 7’s Lilybeth Rasonable (in black) receives her award from the UP CMC Alumni Association’s Malou Choa-Fagar, UP CMC Dean Elena Pernia, UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Many of the awardees credited their alma mater for empowering them to become capable professionals. Lilybeth Rasonable, for instance, who is behind TV hits like My Husband’s Lover, said the University taught her to excel and “rise above the noise”. She said that it has been fulfilling to subsequently open the minds and hearts of GMA’s viewers, while also educating them through the LGBT-centered themes of the aforementioned show, and through historical or women-empowering soaps like Encantadia and Amaya. This sentiment was echoed by Luz Rimban of VERA Files, who noted how her education, family and friends had helped her through tough times as a journalist. “Every day you live with bad news,” she said. “From crimes to catastrophes and corrupt politicians who, even when straight-faced, lie. And you know that they’re lying”. Luz Rimban of VERA Files talks about the pleasures and challenges of being a journalist. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) “So why are we here, why do we do this? “, Rimban asked. “In this day and age, in these dark moments, we are the eyes and the ears of the people. We are the voice of the powerless and the silenced. Let us be a light in these dark times”. The Glory Awards also served as a tribute to the life of the late Maryo J. delos Reyes, a two-time CMC Alumni Association president. Some of the film and TV director’s favorite songs were performed by singer-actress Isabelle de Leon, actor Ruru Madrid, balladeer Steven Paysu and recording artist Raymond Lauchengco. (Andre Encarnacion, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/pernia-sworn-in-as-vp-for-public-affairs/ | Pernia sworn in as VP for Public Affairs – University of the Philippines | Pernia sworn in as VP for Public Affairs Pernia sworn in as VP for Public Affairs January 25, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo UP President Danilo Concepcion swears in Dr. Elena Pernia as VP for Public Affairs. Joining her are her husband (rightmost), Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, their daughter-in-law Jonah de Lumen-Pernia, and their grandchildren Juan Lorenzo and Alexa Luna. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP Diliman College of Mass Communication Dean Elena “Neny” Pernia took her oath as VP for Public Affairs on January 25 at the office of UP President Danilo Concepcion. She succeeds Dr. Jose Dalisay Jr., who retired on January 15. Pernia’s appointment as VP was effective January 16. The new VP and her family pose for photos with the UP President after the oathtaking. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Pernia signs her oath of office. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) From left to right: Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Roberto Lara, Executive VP Teodoro Herbosa, President Danilo Concepcion, VP for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, NEDA Secretary Ernesto Pernia, VP for Planning and Finance Joselito Florendo, VP for Development Elvira Zamora, and VP for Administration Nestor Yunque. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Pernia’s CMC colleagues join her after she took her oath of office. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Pernia is a member of the Department of Communication Research with a rank of Professor 12. She has over 20 years of experience in communication/media education, research, planning and evaluation. Her highly distinguished academic career focuses on capacity-building of students, local governments, health professionals, and civil society organizations to design, implement, and evaluate their own communication programs. She has authored several books, including Communication Research in the Philippines: Issues and Methods, which has become a standard textbook in research classes in several universities. Her research efforts cross various fields, including effectiveness of educational television programs, science communication, and news diversity. Pernia was a board member of the Social Science Division of the National Research Council of the Philippines and the International Communication Association. She was also part of the editorial board of the Communications Review of the University for Asia and the Pacific. From June 2012 to June 2016, she was the Readers’ Advocate at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. In 2015, Pernia received the Communication Excellence in Organization Award. After the seriousness of an oathtaking ceremony, Pernia gamely smiles for the camera with her daughter-in-law Jonah and granddaughter Luna. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Pernia surrounded by well-wishers. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) |
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https://up.edu.ph/upso-weaves-music-through-a-childrens-story-in-an-upcoming-concert-kathang-likas/ | UPSO weaves music through a children’s story in an upcoming concert, “Kathang Likas” – University of the Philippines | UPSO weaves music through a children’s story in an upcoming concert, “Kathang Likas” UPSO weaves music through a children’s story in an upcoming concert, “Kathang Likas” October 19, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office This October, the University of the Philippines (UP) Symphony Orchestra reaches out to the young and the young at heart with a 45-minute animated production, “Kathang Likas.” Featuring an original children’s story written by Charley Magalit, “Kathang Likas” takes us on an adventure with Lupa the Carabao, Dagat the Turtle, and Langit the Eagle. Charming illustrations by Nina Martinez, expertly animated by Neal Andrew Lim and set to music, tell the sad tale of the deteriorating habitats of Philippine endangered species. The lasting effects of this destruction will not only be felt by the animals but by our children and us. But hope is not all lost as the concert ends on a high note, sharing the things we can do to help reverse this situation. Magalit, the production’s writer, director, and narrator is a versatile singer-actress, comfortably moving between musical theatre and opera. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Philippines College of Music in Diliman, where she majored in vocal performance and pedagogy. She worked for the Walt Disney Company Cruise Line and as a lead vocalist in Hong Kong Disneyland. While in Hong Kong, she also performed with the Hong Kong Opera Society as one of their soloists. She took her Masters in Music Theatre at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama under the University of London and graduated with distinction. Shortly after graduation, she made her debut during the national tour of “Cat in The Hat,” where she captivated different generations in the audience all over the United Kingdom. She was last seen on stage for the UK tour of “Amélie the Musical,” where she was the cover for the title role. Skillfully performed by the UP Symphony Orchestra, the production’s wide range of featured music includes Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, Francis Poulenc’s The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant, Joey Ayala’s Manong Pawikan, Jose Estella’s Ang Maya, and Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Each piece, virtually led by conductor Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo, was deftly woven into the storyline, creating a unique blend and flow of music. “Kathang Likas” premieres on the orchestra’s YouTube channel, and Facebook page on Friday, October 29 at 7 pm, and will be available for viewing until November 6. While waiting, all kids (and kids at heart) are encouraged to color the Kathang Likas Coloring Pages and upload pictures of themselves on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #kathanglikas for a chance to be featured on the orchestra’s social media platforms! The orchestra also accepts all types of video questions from kids about music or the orchestra, more details of which can be found here. Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, the UP Symphony Orchestra was approved by the University of the Philippines Board of Regents during its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018. The orchestra embodies the University’s commitment to excellence and is the brainchild of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Its main functions are to be a repertory orchestra for musicians, a laboratory orchestra for Filipino composers, and a training orchestra for young conductors. You may contact them at any of their social media platforms or at info.upsymphonyorchestra@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/ups-ode-to-joy-the-up-symphony-orchestra-performs-beethovens-ninth-symphony-for-the-up-community/ | UP’s ode to joy: The UP Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the UP Community – University of the Philippines | UP’s ode to joy: The UP Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the UP Community UP’s ode to joy: The UP Symphony Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the UP Community December 12, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The UP Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on December 7 at the Abelardo Hall in honor of the great composer’s 250th birth anniversary. A second performance—free for the UP Community—will be held on December 12 at the UP Amphitheater. Photo by the UP Symphony Orchestra from the UPSO’s Facebook page In 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven was born and baptized in Bonn, in the Holy Roman Empire. He would grow up to become one of the greatest composers of all time. In 2020, the world will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. In anticipation of this, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), under the musical direction of Prof. Josefino “Chino” Toledo, the chairperson of the Department of Composition and Theory, UP College of Music, held its run-up to Beethoven’s birth anniversary with “Canticles of Joy: Proclaiming the Joy of the Season with the Complete Monumental Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and the Works of Prokofiev and Alcala”, which was held on December 7, 2019 at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. The UPSO performing in “Canticles of Joy” in the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. Photo by the UP Symphony Orchestra from the UPSO’s Facebook page “Canticles of Joy” was a massive production organized by the UPSO, the UP College of Music and the UP Office of the President. It is a fitting tribute to the composer who created the iconic symphony, also known as “Ode to Joy” after the poetic fourth and final movement. Aside from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, the UPSO also performed “Troika” from Sergei Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije Suite, and the Magi’s Journey (Composer’s Notes) by Nilo Alcala, then led the audience in singing four traditional Christmas carols after the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. With members of the UPSO hailing from various UP constituent units, the production was a UP System-wide collaboration. Aside from the UPSO, the performers included four vocal soloists: soprano Angeli Benipayo, mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa, tenor Malvin Macasaet, and baritone Jeconiah Retulla; as well as four UP choirs in the chorus: the UP Madrigal Singers, led by conductor Prof. Mark Anthony Carpio; the UP Concert Chorus, led by Prof. Janet Sabas-Aracama; the UP Singing Ambassadors, headed by Dr. Ed Manguiat; and the UP Staff Choral Society, headed by Mr. Chris M. Reyes. Joining the chorus were UP College of Music students from the chorus classes of Prof. Aracama, Prof. Carpio and Prof. Beverly Shangkuan-Cheng. With the chorus in the back, the soloists perform for the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 [from left to right]: Jec Retulla, baritone; Malvin Macasaet, tenor ; Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano; and Angeli Benipayo, soprano. Photo by the UP Symphony Orchestra from the UPSO’s Facebook page And while “Canticles of Joy” had limited seating due to its venue, this performance of what could be considered Beethoven’s grandest opus will be offered for free to the UP community and the greater public in an open-air concert dubbed “Liwanag ng Pasko sa [Ka]Diliman: Musikang Handog ng Orkestra ng Bayan”. This free concert, organized by the UP Office of the President, the UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor and the UP College of Music, will be held on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, 6:00 p.m., at the University Amphitheater. It will feature Jourdann Petalver as pianist and Lara Maigue as singer. In addition, the performing choirs, which will include the UP Cherubim and Seraphim, will serenade the audience with their own spot musical numbers. Photo from the UPSO Facebook page Ang Orkestra ng Bayan The performance of this classical opus marks the UPSO’s second Christmas offering to the UP Community. Tagged as the Orkestra ng Bayan, the UPSO was established by the UP Board of Regents as the official UP System-wide orchestra in its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018. “For us, the UPSO, this is going to be our first complete symphony performed,” Prof. Toledo said in an interview during rehearsals at Abelardo Hall for the “Canticles of Joy”. “The UPSO was started only a year ago, so it’s a rather young orchestra. In spite of that, we’re trying to do a big piece of work ,” he added. Of course, being a young orchestra does not mean the UPSO is short of talent, brilliance, and experience in handing complex musical works. “Challenge-wise, we’ve played more difficult pieces; so we’re used to performing complex musical works. But it’s always different. We’re going to perform a longer piece of work, so it’s a little harder in terms of the clean-up of lines, in terms of narrative. But in terms of complexity, we’ve performed many, more complex pieces before.” The UPSO during rehearsals for “Canticles of Joy.” Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UP MPRO. For Prof. Toledo, the UPSO’s function is three-fold: “One is to promote Filipino music, especially composition that’s written by UP composers. And this is going to be a laboratory orchestra of young conductors, and a repertory orchestra of the musicians. The problem is, when musicians go to bigger orchestras, even here and abroad, they need to have a certain amount of training and repertoire familiarity, so I think we can provide that kind of solution to that very big gap.” The UPSO maintains a roster of 65 members exclusively from within the UP Community, including alumni, students, faculty and staff from all UP campuses. Aside from providing the training ground for both composers and musicians, the UPSO serves as a representative not only of the University, but also of the country on the worldwide stage. The UPSO aims to mount at least six major concerts in every season. Ode to Joy Since it was first performed on May 7, 1824, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony has been considered one of the best known works in common practice music, one of the greatest achievements in western music history, and one of the most often performed and recognizable symphonies in the world. “This is something that we don’t get to perform often,” said Prof. Mark Carpio. “It’s also a rest from the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, so this is something new to the ears. And we believe it’s something that everybody should listen to at least once in their lives,” Carpio added. The chorus waiting for their turn to sing during rehearsals for “Canticles of Joy.” Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UP MPRO. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is also significant in other ways. It is longer and more complex than any symphony to date, and requires a larger orchestra. It is also the first “choral symphony”, and Beethoven the first major composer to incorporate voices in the final movement, with four vocal soloists and a chorus singing the words of Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy”. “It’s always challenging to make several choirs sing together, because when several choirs join together, it becomes a totally new choir,” said Carpio. “We have more than a hundred singers and we are only given a few rehearsals with the orchestra.” Prof. Janet Sabas-Aracama also considers the piece itself challenging. “It’s really so wide, and while we are all talented here in UP, we also have many young singers in the choirs, so their vocal ranges are being somewhat stretched. But they are very diligent in studying the pieces, so I think we will overcome,” she added with a smile. UP College of Music Dean La Verne C. de la Peña notes that the musical performance is a labor of love for the musicians and production crew involved. “We are self-funded. Of course, the UP Symphony Orchestra is receiving funding from the UP System, but that’s only good for the musicians’ allowances.” Not included are the meals for the musicians, chorus members and production crew for every rehearsal, which Dean de la Peña considers the biggest challenge. Another challenge? “Looking for time to rehearse, because rehearsals and the performance also coincide with Hell Week, the Music students’ recitals and all that. So you can imagine how challenging it is for many of our students.” And because the Symphony also includes people from other campuses, some coming from UP Manila or as far away as UP Los Baños, attending rehearsals means braving the horrendous Metro Manila traffic, going home late, then having to wake up early the next day to go to work or to class. “This is the life of a musician in our Community,” de la Peña remarked. UP College of Music Dean Verne de la Peña giving a few words during “Canticles of Joy.” Photo by the UP Symphony Orchestra from the UPSO’s Facebook page A joyful offering for Christmas But for the performers and audience members alike, these sacrifices are well worth it the instant the majestic strains of Beethoven’s opus fill the air. As Carpio put it: “This work has a nickname, which is ‘Ode to Joy’, and it is about finding joy in everything that we do, and especially in uniting everyone.” This December musical concert “is an annual offering that we do at the College of Music,” said Dean La de la Peña. “We used to present Handel’s Messiah, but now we’re trying a new thing because for one, it’s Beethoven’s 250th birth anniversary. The nice thing about Beethoven is, unlike the Messiah, which is really more sectarian, the message of ‘Ode to Joy’ is more inclusive, more universal.” Photo from the UPSO Facebook page “Canticles of Joy” is also the UP College of Music’s final offering for the Abelardo Hall Concert Series, or the AHA Concert Series, for 2019. “I think we had about six offerings for the first semester of 2019, and about six as well from January; so this closes the season,” Dean De la Peña said. “Also, the UPSO is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Their very first concert was also last year around this time; so we’re very excited about how the UPSO has developed, and it’s really attracting a lot of audiences. All of the UPSO’s performances are always sold out, just like this concert is sold out.” He invites everyone to come to the free, open-air concert, “Liwanang ng Pasko sa [Ka]Diliman”, on December 12, to be held the day before the UP Lantern Parade. “We did this last year, too. This is the new tradition we are establishing for the UP community: An open-air concert for the entire UP. We’re very excited about that as well.” He also announced more productions from the Abelardo Hall Concert Series and from the UPSO in the coming year. “The UPSO has a lot of plans for next year. They have standing invitations to China and to the Middle East, and of course, we are going to the different UP campuses, to UP Mindanao in February and probably UP Baguio sometime after,” he said. As for the AHA Concert Series, Dean De la Peña said that the UP College of Music can still do around six concerts for the second semester, from January to May 2020, before the much-needed renovations on the Abelardo Hall Auditorium begin in earnest. “So look forward to that,” he finished with a smile. Maestro Chino Toledo rehearsing with the UP Symphony Orchestra for the December 12 performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, dubbed “Liwanag ng Pasko sa [Ka]Diliman: Musikang Handog ng Orkestra ng Bayan.” Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/upso-and-the-up-madz-to-honor-those-who-have-passed-on-in-remembrances/ | UPSO and the UP Madz to honor those who have passed on in “Remembrances” – University of the Philippines | UPSO and the UP Madz to honor those who have passed on in “Remembrances” UPSO and the UP Madz to honor those who have passed on in “Remembrances” November 19, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Christmas is nearly upon us, but before we dive into the festivities of the season, we look back and remember the lives of those who have gone ahead, celebrating them whom we hold in our hearts. To honor those who have passed on, especially during this pandemic, the University of the Philippines (UP) Symphony Orchestra and the UP Madrigal Singers come together on November 26, 2021, to perform the Philippine premiere of the monumental Camille Saint-Saëns’ Messe de Requiem, Op. 54. Soprano Bianca Lopez-Aguila, mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Jimenez, tenor Ervin Lumauag, and bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca will join them in offering this mass for the dead. Saint-Saëns composed the Requiem in 1878 in memory of his dear friend and patron, Albert Libon. This performance of the UP Symphony Orchestra and the UP Madrigal Singers is relevant not only for being the first performance of this composition in the Philippines but also for marking the centennial death anniversary of the composer this year. The UP Madrigal Singers Recognized by the UNESCO as Artists for Peace for “putting their fame and influence to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace,” the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers is one of the most awarded choral groups in the world, having won all the top prizes in most of the world’s prestigious choral competitions, including the Grand Prix in the 2016 Concurso Internazionale di Guido d’ Arezzo in Arezzo, Italy. They are the first choir in the world to win the prestigious European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice (1997 and 2007) and the first Asian choir to be accorded the BrandLaureate Premiere Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (2012). Founded in 1963 by National Artist for Music, Professor Andrea O. Veneracion, the UP Madrigal Singers, now under designated successor Mark Anthony Carpio, demonstrate that choral music can be socially relevant and transformational every day. They have continued to touch the hearts and souls of those who come to their performances and have carried on various programs to nurture and develop future generations of conductors and choral singers worldwide. The soloists for the evening (left to right): Jacqueline Jimenez, Enrico Lagasca, Bianca Lopez-Aguila, Ervin Lumauag. Soloists Lopez-Aguila, Jimenez, Lumauag, and Lagasca once shared a seat in the semi-circle the Madz is known for. As alumni of the choir, they continue sharing their soulful voices as soloists despite their successful individual careers within and outside the Philippines. At its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018, the University of the Philippines Board of Regents approved the foundation of the UP Symphony Orchestra. Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, the orchestra embodies the University’s commitment to excellence and is the brainchild of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Its main functions are to be a repertory orchestra for musicians, a laboratory orchestra for Filipino composers, and a training orchestra for young conductors. Ang Orkestra ng Bayan, the UP Symphony Orchestra. “Remembrances” premieres on November 26, 2021 at 7pm on the orchestra Facebook page and YouTube channel and will be available until December 5, 2021. You may contact the UP Symphony Orchestra at any of their social media platforms or via email: info.upsymphonyorchestra@up.edu.ph, and the UP Madrigal Singers thru their website PhilippineMadrigalSingers.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/chopin-before-and-beyond-ends-abelardo-hall-concert-series-season-1/ | “CHOPIN: BEFORE and BEYOND” ends Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 1 – University of the Philippines | “CHOPIN: BEFORE and BEYOND” ends Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 1 “CHOPIN: BEFORE and BEYOND” ends Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 1 June 7, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For Abelardo Hall Concert Series 2018 Season 1 finale, the U.P. College of Music proudly presents “CHOPIN: BEFORE and BEYOND” A Solo Concert Featuring Albert Tiu. Described by American Record Guide as “an artist of uncommon abilities”, the Filipino pianist is also known for his innovative programming and eclectic repertoire. His recitals, billed “The Classical Elements” (Earth, Air, Water and Fire), “Chopin without Chopin” (music by Godowsky, Busoni and Rachmaninov influenced by Chopin), and “Bee Flat” (the two Sonatas in B-flat by Beethoven) are just a few examples of his inventive recital programs. His 2010 recording “Nocturnal Fantasies”, featuring Chopin and Skyrabin was hailed by Gramophone for “performances where heart and mind unite in a deeply affecting union”. Catch the highly acclaimed classical pianist on June 29, 2018 (7PM) at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. Admission tickets are priced at P500 and P250 with special discounts for students (50%), the elderly (20%), and people with disabilities (20%). For ticket reservations, please contact Faye Manuzon at 926 0026 or 981 8500 loc. 2629 or via email at abelardohall.music@gmail.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/college-of-music-offers-sessions-with-the-up-dance-company-on-march-23-24/ | College of Music offers “Sessions with the UP Dance Company” on March 23-24 – University of the Philippines | College of Music offers “Sessions with the UP Dance Company” on March 23-24 College of Music offers “Sessions with the UP Dance Company” on March 23-24 March 16, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For its second offering in the Abelardo Hall Concert Series, Season 1, the UP College of Music presents SESSIONS WITH THE UP DANCE COMPANY with guests Kelly Peralejo, soprano; Patrick Roxas, guitar; and independent artist Bullet Dumas. Featuring the works of Elena Laniog, Herbert Alvarez, Flordeliza Punzalan, Sarah Samaniego, Que and Basilio March 23, 7pm March 24, 3 pm & 7 pm UP Abelardo Hall Auditorium Tickets at Php 500 and 250 50% discount for students, 20% discount for senior citizens *Bullet Dumas appears on March 24, 3 pm and 7 pm only. For ticket reservations and inquiries, please call Ms. Faye at 981 8500 loc 2629 or at 926 0026 |
https://up.edu.ph/abelardo-hall-concert-series-opens-2nd-season-with-mr-c/ | Abelardo Hall Concert Series opens 2nd season with Mr. C – University of the Philippines | Abelardo Hall Concert Series opens 2nd season with Mr. C Abelardo Hall Concert Series opens 2nd season with Mr. C August 23, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The public is invited to the Abelardo Hall Concert Series’ second season that showcases a diversity of talents from the UP College of Music. In its opening salvo, the UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association proudly present: “Back Home with Mr. C and Friends” featuring Tony Maigue (flute), Kit Viguilla Navarro (soprano), Jonathan Badon (tenor), Giancarlo Gonzales (cello) and Ryan Cayabyab (music director and host) on September 1, 2018, at 7:00 PM. Admission tickets are priced at P500 and P250 with special discounts for students (50%), the elderly (20%), and people with disabilities (20%). For ticket reservations, please contact Faye Manuzon at 926 0026 or 981 8500 loc. 2629 or via email at abelardohall.music@gmail.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/abelardo-hall-launches-2019-concert-series-with-up-symphony-orchestra-up-madz/ | Abelardo Hall launches 2019 concert series with UP Symphony Orchestra, UP Madz – University of the Philippines | Abelardo Hall launches 2019 concert series with UP Symphony Orchestra, UP Madz Abelardo Hall launches 2019 concert series with UP Symphony Orchestra, UP Madz February 20, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office First concert features pianist Pia Dino-Balasico, playwright-singer Rody Vera “Resist!—Anthems of Struggle and Triumph” will be the fiery opening salvo of the 2019 Abelardo Hall Concert Series. The four-month-old University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) will make its Abelardo Hall debut on February 23 at 7:00 PM, together with the UP Madrigal Singers, pianist Pia Dino-Balasico, and playwright-singer Rody Vera. They will perform under the baton of UPSO musical director Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo. The concert repertoire will sweep through works inspired by historic protests, revelry and rejoicing—from the aftermath of the French Revolution to 18th and 19th century independence movements. A highlight will be Filipino protest music remembering the 49th anniversary of defiant student mass actions known as the First Quarter Storm (FQS), which were ignited in the UP Diliman campus before spreading nationwide from January to March 1970. The featured composers include Ludwig Van Beethhoven, Johannes Brahms, Giuseppe Verdi, Jan Sibelius, Ramon Santos, Juan Hernandez, and Chino Toledo. UPSO is composed of 65 accomplished musicians recruited from the UP community. With funding from the University of the Philippines System, the orchestra will have several performances every year as the newest pillar of a vibrant cultural scene in the university. The Abelardo Hall Concert Series, launched in 2018 by the UP College of Music under dean Verne de la Peña, has been enlivening the community north of Metro Manila through year-round, high-caliber productions held in 54-year-old Abelardo Hall Auditorium (AHA), a 500-seat venue known for its outstanding acoustic environment. For the first of its two concert seasons in 2019, AHA will feature UPSO again in “Faith, Hope and Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music” on April 11. Also lined up are “Viva La Diva,” a special tribute to Maestra Fides Cuyugan-Asencio on March 23; and “Abelardo Rocks,” showcasing young indie bands nurtured in the UP College of Music. Tickets to any of the concerts are available at P500 and P250, with a 50% discount for students and 20% discount for senior citizens. |
https://up.edu.ph/abelardo-hall-concert-series-season-2-offers-ripieno-ensemble-in-kundiman-redux/ | Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 2 offers Ripieno Ensemble in “Kundiman Redux” – University of the Philippines | Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 2 offers Ripieno Ensemble in “Kundiman Redux” Abelardo Hall Concert Series Season 2 offers Ripieno Ensemble in “Kundiman Redux” September 25, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Abelardo Hall Concert Series, now on its 2nd season, comprises of monthly concerts that showcase the diversity of talents that are or have been part of the UP College of Music. The line up is a mix of genres and styles that is truly the mark of UP. For season 2’s second offering, the UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association, in cooperation with the Office of the Chancellor thru the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, proudly present: Ripieno Ensemble in “Kundiman Redux” on September 28, 2018, 7PM, featuring Joseph Emmanuel Hernandez (cello), Danelle May S.A. Dionisio (clarinet), John Owen Castro (flute), Sara T. Matsuura (piano), Pauline Arejola (soprano), Stefanie D. Quintin (soprano), Patricia Poblador (violin) and Alexander John L. Villanueva (conductor and artistic director). Bianca Bonifacio, a teacher who writes hope hidden in metaphors, and Sofia Paderes, a Fine Arts student who likes painting with words, will be performing with the group. On this rare occasion, Ripieno Ensemble will showcase an all-Filipino repertoire highlighted by kundiman art songs played on Nicanor Abelardo’s very own upright piano. Admission tickets are priced at P500 and P250 with special discounts for students (50%), the elderly (20%), and people with disabilities (20%). For ticket reservations, please contact Faye Manuzon at 926 0026 or 981 8500 loc. 2629 or via email at abelardohall.music@gmail.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-singing-ambassadors-to-celebrate-successful-european-tour-with-back-to-back-concerts/ | UP Singing Ambassadors to celebrate successful European tour with back to back concerts – University of the Philippines | UP Singing Ambassadors to celebrate successful European tour with back to back concerts UP Singing Ambassadors to celebrate successful European tour with back to back concerts September 20, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office After spending three months performing and competing around Europe, the UPSA is set to come back and hold concerts on September 30 and October 1. Do not miss the chance to hear an international repertoire from varied musical periods on their educational concert titled UPSAri-Sari: Musikasaysayan II, to be held at the UP Abelardo Hall Auditorium on September 30 at 6 pm. This concert, in partnership with the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, is UPSA’s welcome gift to the new batch of Iskolar ng Bayan. The first 50 freshmen to sign-up in this through this link: tinyurl.com/UPSAri-Sari2Tickets will be given a free ticket! Regular tickets are priced at 300 pesos. Students get a 50% discount, while senior citizens and PWDs get a 20% discount. Tickets can be reserved online through tinyurl.com/UPSAri-Sari2Tickets. In remembrance of their late founding member, Mr. Rafael Isberto, who passed away in Germany during the tour, UPSA will hold a homecoming and tribute concert titled Tunay Na Ligaya in the UP Film Center on October 1 at 7 pm. The concert, titled after Isberto’s favorite song, will feature selections from UPSA’s competition repertoire and some Western and Filipino favorites. Tickets are priced at 300, 500, and 1000 pesos. Students get a 50% discount, while senior citizens and PWDs get a 20% discount. Tickets can be reserved online through tinyurl.com/TunayNaLigayaTickets. During their European tour, UPSA garnered for the University and the country 3 Grand Prizes, 13 First Prizes, and several special awards from 4 different international choral competitions. They dedicate this win to all Filipinos, and hope to be welcomed back warmly by their kababayans in their upcoming concerts. |
https://up.edu.ph/faith-hope-and-devotion-lenten-reflections-in-music/ | Faith, Hope and Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music – University of the Philippines | Faith, Hope and Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music Faith, Hope and Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music April 1, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Barely five months after the establishment by the UP Board of Regents as the official orchestra of the university, the UP Symphony Orchestra has been making waves and living up to their moniker as Orkestra ng Bayan. Under the leadership of the country’s premier conductor and composer, Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo, the UPSO has featured works of classical composers alongside protest songs and contemporary Filipino compositions never tackled by any of our local orchestras. The UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association, Inc., in cooperation with the Office of the University President and the Office of the Chancellor thru the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, proudly present: “Faith, Hope and Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music”. After the highly successful launching concert last February, the UP Symphony Orchestra returns to the Abelardo Hall Auditorium stage on Thursday, 11 April 2019 at 7 pm. Also featuring the chorus classes of the UP College of Music, the concert of religious and spiritual pieces will spotlight the works of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Maria Christine Muyco, George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach, an apt prelude for the observance of Holy Week for the entire family. Admission tickets are priced at P500 and P250 with special discounts for students (50%), the elderly (20%), and people with disabilities (20%). For ticket reservations, please reserve at https://forms.gle/dWvLya8E1hxPwAik6 or contact Ms. Faye Manuzon at 926 0026 or 981 8500 loc. 2629. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-symphony-orchestra-plays-music-for-lenten-reflections/ | UP Symphony Orchestra plays music for Lenten reflections – University of the Philippines | UP Symphony Orchestra plays music for Lenten reflections UP Symphony Orchestra plays music for Lenten reflections April 16, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Video by the UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), together with UP chorus classes and vocal groups Auit and UP Madrigal Singers, breathed life to spiritually inspired compositions for its second concert offering in 2019, “Faith, Hope & Devotion: Lenten Reflections in Music,” held on April 11, 2019 in the Abelardo Hall Auditorium of the UP Diliman College of Music. The set was composed of the reflective “Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn” of Johann Sebastian Bach and choruses from “Messiah Part Two” of George Frideric Handel, the introspective “Passage to Kublo” by UP professor Maria Christine Muyco, the cathartic and show-stopping “Francesca da Rimini” of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and the “Russian Easter Overture” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, before it tapered off to an encore of a Manoling Francisco, SJ medley. Prof. Chino Toledo and the UP Symphony Orchestra as seen from the center aisle. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The well attended and well applauded performance was conducted by UPSO Music Director and UP Artist III Josefino Chino Toledo. The orchestra, which is the official orchestra of the UP System, came fresh from the success of its initial concert offering in 2019, “Resist! Anthems of Struggle and Triumph”, which it performed in UP Diliman and UP Los Baños to sold out audiences. It had its inaugural performance, “Ang Unang Pasko ng UP Symphony Orchestra”, on December 13, 2018 at the UP Diliman Amphitheater. In the audience were guests of honor, (from left) UP Regent Angelo Jimenez, Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa, President Danilo Concepcion, Atty. Ma. Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion and National Artist for Music Ramon Santos. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The orchestra was established on August 30, 2018 and has since been hosted by the UP Diliman College of Music. It consists of sixty-five members comprised of twenty-four alumni, thirty-four students, six faculty members, and one staff member. The UPSO aims to mount at least six major concerts in a year. Photo Gallery The concert begins with a cantata from the Baroque period. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Prof. Chino Toledo turns to the violin section. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Prof. Chino Toledo gestures to the brass section. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The pianist during a piano highlight of Tchaikovsky’s “Francesa da Rimini”. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The violinists in front. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The male section of the choral ensemble and the orchestra’s double bassists, performing a “Messiah” chorus. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Prof. Chino Toledo returns to the violin section. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO |
https://up.edu.ph/abelardo-hall-closes-season-with-rock-concert/ | Abelardo Hall closes season with rock concert – University of the Philippines | Abelardo Hall closes season with rock concert Abelardo Hall closes season with rock concert May 27, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In its 55 years, the Abelardo Hall Auditorium has become the premier training ground for countless Filipino musicians, many of whom went on to reap honors for the country. Today, the auditorium continues to provide a convenient venue for recitals, concerts, and theater and dance presentations performed by students, faculty, alumni of the college, as well as visiting artists of national and international stature. It has also provided a perfect setting for numerous symposia, workshops, masterclasses, and seminars handled by acknowledged experts in the field, the field of music and dance. The Abelardo Hall Concert Series, now on its second year, envisions the Abelardo Hall Auditorium as a center of culture not just for the university, but for the larger community. The Season comprises of monthly concerts that showcase the diversity of talents that are or have been part of the UP College of Music. The intended lineup is a mix of genres and styles that is truly the mark of UP. For this Season’s grand finale, the UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association, in cooperation with the Office of the Chancellor thru the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, proudly present: “Abelardo Rocks” featuring DJ Chynna Salazar, DJ Marla Añonuevo and the homegrown bands of the UP College of Music. In what promises to be another unique and intense production on May 31, 2019, at 7:00 PM, Abelardo literally Rocks with performances from ConChords (Champion, A Capella Championship 2018 for both International and Over All Categories), Debonair District (a unique jazz quintet that adapts various Filipino and foreign repertoire to the jazz idiom), PinkMen (a psychedelic folk rock group that plays anything and everything in between from sad to funny stories), Sound Architects (a post-rock outfit that primarily make instrumental atmospheric music through intense dynamic contrasts and heavily layered textures of sound), and Yomi no Kuni (a post-metal / progressive metal quartet with the desire to create and share music and the vision of breaking free from norms established by society). Admission tickets are priced at P200 with special discounts for the elderly (20%), and people with disabilities (20%). For ticket reservations, please reserve here or contact Ms. Faye Manuzon at 926 0026 or 981 8500 loc. 2629. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-law-moot-court-team-continues-a-tradition/ | UP Law Moot Court Team continues a tradition – University of the Philippines | UP Law Moot Court Team continues a tradition UP Law Moot Court Team continues a tradition August 13, 2019 | Written by University of the Philippines College of Law The UP College of Law holds a laudable record in moot court competitions in international law that it regularly joins around the world. It won yet another competition, this time held 6-7 August 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. The UP Law Moot Court team was declared Overall Champion of the Asia Cup 2019 International Law Moot Court Competition. It also bagged 3rd place for Best Memorial. The problem argued was a “Case Concerning the Maritime Operation “Sheer Cliff” and Certain Criminal Proceedings: Kingdom of Amphit (Applicant) vs. Republic of Rhea (Respondent). Leslie Diane D. Torres won as Best Speaker for the Applicant while Marianne Angeli B. Estioco and Abelardo G. Henandez were declared 2nd and 3rd Best Speaker for the Respondent, respectively. Team members were Marianne Angeli B. Estioco (IV-D), Anton Miguel Sison (IV-E), Abelardo G. Hernandez (IV-E), Leslie Diane D. Torres (IV-D), with Professor Rommel J. Casis as Coach. Team captain, Marianne Angeli B. Estioco messaged, “We are extremely glad to bring home the championship for the country and the University. This victory is a product of long hours of research and training, and we are truly grateful for the College’s support in our endeavors. We hope to continue to uphold UP’s long history of excellence in oral and written advocacy.” Asia Cup 2019 competition had the widest participation since its inception, with seventy-two (72) teams participating from seventeen (17) jurisdictions. Of these, sixteen (16) teams qualified for the international rounds, and the UP College of Law was the Philippines’ sole representative in the competition. The team faced and emerged the winners over teams from South Korea, Malaysia, and Russia. Since 2013, Asia Cup Competition for future international lawyers in Asia has been co-organized by the Japanese Society of International Law and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA). The Competition is open to students from Asian countries with the aim to disseminate understanding of international law, in the Asian region. It also intends to make a substantial contribution towards building a network among students in this academic field, from Asian countries. This story was first published on the UP College of Law Facebook page under UP Law Moot Court Team continues a tradition. |
https://up.edu.ph/look-to-history-for-inspiration-concepcion-to-up-baguio-grads/ | ‘Look to history for inspiration’ – Concepcion to UP Baguio grads – University of the Philippines | ‘Look to history for inspiration’ – Concepcion to UP Baguio grads ‘Look to history for inspiration’ – Concepcion to UP Baguio grads July 2, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP President Danilo L. Concepcion addresses the graduating class. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO In his address to the UP Baguio graduating class of 2018, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion urged the graduates to look to Philippine history’s heroic figures as models in creating a better future. Concepcion’s address marked the climax of UP Baguio’s graduation ceremonies, which were held at the CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, Camp John Hay, Baguio City on June 21, 2018. The graduates came from UP Baguio’s three major colleges: the College of Science, the College of Arts and Communication, and the College of Social Science. They took to the stage to receive their diplomas and took an oath to their alma mater and the country before their families, friends, and mentors. UP Baguio graduates engage in the solemn ‘Ritwal ng Pagtatanglaw’. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Concepcion’s message reconciled the negative impressions on the youth held by previous generations with their potential to solve the country’s problems through noble service. According to Concepcion, the tendency of older generations to view the youth as selfish and ungrateful (but not without reason) has been echoed across time, as with, for example Jose Rizal’s observations of how his many student compatriots in Madrid led idle and dissolute lives. The President, however, added that he believed the overly skeptical dismissal of younger generations to be lacking in merit. He gave the example of distinguished Filipinos throughout history, such as Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, as well as the Kalinga hero of the Martial Law period, Macli-ing Dulag, as individuals who, when they were young, managed to view their individual lives from within the context of broader societal struggles despite peril to themselves and to their loved ones. Members of the UP Baguio Class of 2018 pose for a photograph. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Just as history produced and molded the individuals who would eventually change society in the past, Concepcion believed that the current UP Baguio graduating class also included individuals who would work towards creating a better world. In this effort, they would be aided by their UP education, which had shaped their minds to be inquisitive and critical (mapagtanong at mapanuri), both inside and outside the classroom. Taking full advantage of this gift, however, required a deep and penetrating understanding of history. “Ang pagiging mulat sa kasaysayan at kaganapang panlipunan ang magtitiyak sa malalim na pagsusuri sa alinmang trending na kaisipan at mga usaping umiiral sa ating panahon.” (An understanding of history and society ensures a deeper analysis of any ‘trending’ idea or conversation in our times.) This understanding, he said, served as a foundation for our convictions, as well as a tool to remedy society’s ills. UP President Danilo Concepcion (3rd from left) joins Chancellor Raymundo Rovillos and officials from UP Baguio in singing UP Naming Mahal. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Concepcion concluded his address by inspiring students to live out the essence of being a true iskolar ng bayan. “Sa halip na mabuhay nang makasarili, gamitin sana ninyo ang nag-iisang buhay na ito upang magmalasakit, at mabuhay nang makatuwiran at may katuwiran.” (Instead of living selfishly, may you become models of compassion, and live your lives justly and meaningfully.) (Andre DP Encarnacion, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/leonen-to-upb-grads-do-we-still-have-the-passion-and-courage-to-do-right-by-our-people/ | Leonen to UPB grads: ‘Do we still have the passion and courage to do right by our people?’ – University of the Philippines | Leonen to UPB grads: ‘Do we still have the passion and courage to do right by our people?’ Leonen to UPB grads: ‘Do we still have the passion and courage to do right by our people?’ July 8, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The Ritwal ng Pagtatanglaw, a UP Baguio graduation tradition symbolizing the pursuit and sharing of knowledge. The flame of a single candle is used to light other candles, and that light is passed on until all the candles held by the members of the graduating class have been lit. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Supreme Court of the Philippines Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen, commencement speaker of Pagtatapos 2019, contextualized his question by telling the UP Baguio (UPB) graduating class that, in the course of their careers, many professionals “lose appreciation of the social value of their profession.” He explained that “somewhere along the way, convenience takes the form of pragmatic silence. Expediency overwhelms conscience.” Supreme Court of the Philippines Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Leonen urged the 423-strong UPB Class of 2019, “Be better than us. Make your existence more meaningful. Do not allow yourselves to be silenced. Do not be silent in the face of injustice. Do not succumb to the temptation of having more than just enough. Do not trade kindness with the false badges of success. When you come into power, discharge it for the public trust that it is. Do not temper principle with pragmatism. Do not hide behind comfortable acquiescence. Do not seek comfort at critical times. This will just disguise your complicity. Do not further enable and empower the status quo. Do not enrich yourself at the cost of others.” UP Baguio Chancellor Raymundo Rovillos introduces Justice Marvic Leonen as the commencement speaker. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) To empower themselves and their communities “against the machinations of the powerful,” he asked the graduates to: read, analyze, understand, and be critical; engage others through conversation, not through digital media but face-to-face discussions; act on their beliefs; not look for and depend on heroes and heroines; and, have the courage to speak up. Summa cum laude graduate, Kenworth Bryle Bal-iyang, speaks on behalf of the graduating class (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The lone summa cum laude graduate, Kenworth Bryle Bal-iyang, earlier delivered a message on behalf of the graduating class. In his address, he shared his reflections on what makes the Iskolar ng Bayan excellent: critical thinking and grit. And as they were about to go from being students to alumni, Bal-iyang told his fellow graduates that if fellow alumni “do not live up to [our] values of honor and excellence, it is up to us to remind them of their obligations to the nation.” Magna cum laude graduate, Lil Abner Aquino, delivers a message during the Ritwal ng Pagtatanglaw. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Lil Abner Aquino, magna cum laude graduate of BA Language and Literature, spoke during the Ritwal ng Pagtatanglaw, a UP Baguio graduation tradition symbolizing the pursuit and sharing of knowledge. The flame of a single candle is used to light other candles, which in turn light up more candles, until all the candles held by the members of the graduating class have been lit. Tanglaw is a Filipino word for torch or source of light or illumination. Aquino emphasized that he and his fellow graduates will fight for a better society and for the Filipino nation’s progress. Selfless service, sacrifice, the offering of oneself to the country—those are what it means to genuinely be a source of light in society, he said. Pagtatapos 2019 was held on June 24 at the CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, Camp John Hay. Of the 423 graduates, 413 earned undergraduate degrees and 10 were conferred master’s degrees. Joining Bal-iyang in the honor roll were five magna cum laude graduates and 54 cum laude graduates. The breakdown of graduates per college was as follows: 124 from the College of Arts and Communication; 161 from the College of Science; and, 138 from the College of Social Sciences. Here are other photos of Pagtatapos 2019. Members of the graduating class assemble at the covered court behind the CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Justice Leonen asks the graduates to stand and applaud the people who have supported them. (Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) Members of the UP Baguio Class of 2019 get ready to shift their UP Sablay from the right shoulder to the left as the University, through Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa, confers upon them their degrees and titles. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The jubilation after the symbolic shifting of the UP Sablay. (Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) The graduates get their diplomas. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The performance of Paggawisan Tako Am-in, a student organization of indigenous peoples in UP Baguio (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The UP Baguio Class of 2019 takes the Oath of Loyalty to the University. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The graduates of UP Baguio mount a lightning rally at the end of the ceremony, with the singing of the University Hymn, “UP Naming Mahal.” Happy chaos ensues after the graduation ceremony. (Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) The UP Baguio graduates gamely pose for photos amid the flurry of activity around them. (Top photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO, bottom photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-receives-two-new-professorial-chairs-in-engineering/ | UP receives two new professorial chairs in Engineering – University of the Philippines | UP receives two new professorial chairs in Engineering UP receives two new professorial chairs in Engineering January 25, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The donors of two professorial chairs in Engineering received a warm welcome at the University of the Philippines Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City on January 18, 2018. They also received Sundial Plaques as tokens of appreciation for their commitment and generous support to the University. Representatives of the benefactor families, Dr. Antonio Tanchuling, Jr. for the Antonio and Lourdes Tanchuling Mining Engineering Centennial Professorial Chair; and Mrs. Rosario Halili-Quintos for the Juan, Jr. and Rosario Halili-Quintos Professorial Chair in Engineering; and Secretary Fortunato de la Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), delivered inspiring messages as they expressed their reasons for supporting UP. Dr. Antonio Tanchuling, Jr. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) UP President Danilo L. Concepcion thanked the alumni for their endowments. He also recognized the officials of the UP College of Engineering (UP CoE) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI) for getting more support for UP’s education, research and development initiatives. UP Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa; Executive Director Alfonso Aliga, Jr. of UPERDFI; Chairman Pedro H. Maniego, Jr. of UPERDFI; Dr. Aura C. Matias, treasurer of UPERDFI and former dean of the UP CoE; and Dr. Menandro S. Berana, associate dean for Instruction and Research of the UP CoE also expressed gratitude to the donors. Berana said the number of CoE faculty with Masters and PhD degrees are increasing, and that 126 professorial chairs were awarded to faculty who applied last year. He assured everybody that the College would continue to produce research beneficial to Filipinos and that the faculty would continue to inculcate a culture of research among their students to produce new generations of researchers and scientists. De la Peña said the DOST aims to strengthen the transfer and utilization of technologies developed through research and development, through the joint efforts of UP, UPERDFI, alumni, and the private sector. He also announced the contribution to a new incentive for students and faculty who are able to obtain an intellectual property approval or patent, the incentive initially pegged at P50,000 each year, for the next 10 years. Tanchuling said his family decided to sponsor a professorial chair in honor of their parents, Antonio (BS Mining Engineering, 1952) and Lourdes (BS Pharmacy, 1952), who believed that education was a tool to combat poverty and to promote genuine concern for others, especially for the rank and file, the laborers and their families. They wanted their parents’ vision which included giving back to the community, sustainable mining, preservation of the environment, optimal use of natural resources, and love for country passed on to students, through the faculty, who contribute to the making of a just and better world. Halili-Quintos said her family, through their company, Rosehall Management Consultants, aimed to help the College produce innovative research that would improve the people’s quality of life. Mrs. Rosario Halili-Quintos (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Concepcion said professorial chairs encourage UP faculty to further excel in teaching, research work, and public service. Last year, UP received the following professorial chairs in Engineering: the Vicente T. Paterno Mechanical Engineering Centennial Professorial Chair; the RASA Surveying and Realty Corporation Professorial Chair in Geodetic Engineering; the Hermenegildo B. Reyes Mechanical Engineering Centennial Professorial Chair; and, the Meneleo G. Carlos, Sr. Electrical Engineering Centennial Professorial Chair. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-civil-engineering-students-environmentally-friendly-concrete-wins-championship-in-international-competition-in-quebec-canada/ | UP civil engineering students’ environmentally friendly concrete wins championship in international competition in Quebec, Canada – University of the Philippines | UP civil engineering students’ environmentally friendly concrete wins championship in international competition in Quebec, Canada UP civil engineering students’ environmentally friendly concrete wins championship in international competition in Quebec, Canada April 4, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP Civil Engineering students raised the Philippine flag high as they were awarded first place in the Eco-Concrete Competition. L-R: Engr. Froilan Martillano (ACI Philippines director); Engr. Justin Seranilla (coach); student winners, Angelica Anne Munar, Alexis Declaro, Ryan Ramelo and Paulo Santos; Engr. Christian Orozco (coach and ACI Philippines vice president); Engr. Ramon Allado (ACI Philippines president) Students from the Institute of Civil Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman won the championship in the Eco-concrete Competition at the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Spring 2019 Convention in Quebec, Canada. The students used locally abundant Diliman tuff as partial replacement to cement and waste glass in making an environmentally friendly concrete. The students won over schools from North and South America, Europe and Asia. The students were: Angelica Anne Munar, Ryan Ramelo, Paulo Santos and Alexis Declaro. They were advised by Asst. Prof. Justin Jesse Limbo Seranilla and Asst. Prof. Christian Orozco. The delegation to Canada was led by ACI Philippines Chapter President Ramon Allado joined by ACIP Director Froilan R. Martillano. About the competition: The eco-concrete competition aims to promote the idea of environmental performance in concrete mix design as an important aspect of sustainability. Teams thus have the mission to develop an innovative concrete mixture, which will have the lowest possible environmental impacts while maintaining optimal mechanical and durability performances. About ACI: the American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational & training programs, certification programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials. These share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete. UP Diliman’s environmentally friendly concrete About the Concrete Invention from UP Diliman: Rapid global urbanization boosts the demand for concrete at an unprecedented rate. This means that the environmental footprint of concrete production can no longer be ignored. The conventional concrete mix, which consists only of cement, gravel, sand, and water, must be revisited to achieve environmental sustainability in the decision-making process. This study compares a base-case scenario (BCS) concrete mixture consisting of gravel, sand, water, and Portland cement, with an alternative-case scenario (ACS) concrete mixture composed of recycled, co-product, and locally sourced raw materials that replaced conventional concrete materials. An average improvement of 23.9% was observed in the environmental performance of concrete using five parameters, namely, global warming, carcinogenic impact, ozone depletion, ecotoxicity, and fossil fuel depletion. Concrete testing after 14 days of curing showed a compressive strength equal to 41.30 and 32.40 MPa for the BCS, and ACS, respectively. The BCS and ACS, after 14 days of curing, had a resistivity of 3.52 and 18.41 kΩ-cm. This study shows that an environmentally friendly, yet strong and durable concrete can be produced. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-chapel-celebrates-milestones-at-the-turn-of-the-new-year/ | UP Chapel celebrates milestones at the turn of the New Year – University of the Philippines | UP Chapel celebrates milestones at the turn of the New Year UP Chapel celebrates milestones at the turn of the New Year January 5, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The repainted exterior dome of the UP Chapel showing its original color. Photo from DMCI Homes. The Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice, the circular structure with the unique dome within the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus, celebrated milestones in 2020. The first milestone was the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the completion and blessing of the Parish Church, more popularly known as the UP Chapel. It was blessed by the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Rufino Cardinal Santos, on December 20, 1955 after the completion of its construction. To celebrate this event, a special Thanksgiving Mass was held on December 20, with Most Rev. Honesto F. Ongtioco, Bishop of Cubao, presiding over the celebration and Very Rev. Primitivo Viray Jr., SJ, Provincial of the Society of Jesus, co-presiding. As this was also the 6th day of Simbang Gabi, the Mass was livestreamed on the UP Parish of the Holy Sacrifice’s Facebook page. Rehabilitation of the UP Chapel Restored walls of the UP Chapel. Photo from DMCI Homes. The second milestone was the completion of the repair, restoration and repainting of the UP Chapel by DMCI Homes, the real estate arm of DMCI Holdings through its wholly owned subsidiary DMCI Project Developers, Inc. (PDI). DMCI Homes worked on rehabilitating the 65-year old national historical landmark and cultural treasure by repairing its old and worn-out parts and repainting its interior and its exterior facade. Work started in July 2020 and was completed in December. For the chapel’s rehabilitation, DMCI Homes did a series of consultations with UP officials and UP Parish to address the immediate needs of the chapel and to ensure that its original state of beauty and elegance was maintained when the repairs were executed. The restoration of the UP Chapel was supposed to start in early 2020 but due to the pandemic, the restoration plan was pushed back to the latter part of the year. Close-up of repainted roof and dome of the UP Chapel. Photo from DMCI Homes. DMCI Homes led a team that facilitated the repair of masonry cracks, de-clogging of downspouts and drains, and the installation of new electrical fixtures. Repainting work was performed on the chapel’s iconic dome and roof, as well as on its walls, columns, eaves, under slabs, ceilings, and railings. The murals depicting the Stations of the Cross, the marble altar, the floor mural, and the cross at the center of the chapel were left untouched during the rehabilitation. In 2021, DMCI Homes will restore next the chapel’s ceiling or the underside of the dome as this was rescheduled to give way to the church activities during the 2020 Christmas season. Railings along the UP Chapel were also repainted. Photo from DMCI Homes. National Historical Landmark and Cultural Treasure The UP Chapel had its beginnings in 1954 when Fr. John Patrick Delaney, S.J., who was the UP chaplain during the transfer of the University’s campus from Manila to Diliman in 1949, saw the need for a more permanent structure to replace the sawali-bamboo building that until then had been serving as the house of worship for the Catholics in the UP community. Fr. Delaney came up with the concept for the UP Church and commissioned young, up-and-coming UP artists, engineers and an architect to build the structure. Architect Leandro Locsin designed the church according to Fr. Delaney’s vision of a Church centered on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, with the priest close to his parishioners in a spirit of oneness and communion—a Church whose doors would always be open to anyone seeking to talk to God. Engr. Alfredo Juinio, who served as the structural engineer for the project, and Engr. David Consunji, founder of the DMCI Group of Companies, constructed it as the country’s first circular, concentrically arranged chapel with the altar at its center. It is also the first to have a thin shell concrete dome, supported by pillars located at the sides of the church; so there are no supports to block the space inside. The thin shell-dome was made possible through Engr. Consunji’s innovation in the mixing and delivery of concrete. Inside the chapel, artist Arturo Luz designed the floor mural, titled the “River of Life”, executed in terazzo and radiating from the altar; while Napoleon Abueva created the giant wooden double-sided crucifix and the altar base. Finally, Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok painted the 15 murals of the Stations of the Cross. In time, these five men—Locsin, Luz, Abueva, Manansala and Kiukok—would be named National Artists of the Philippines, making the UP Chapel the only structure in the country to feature the works of five National Artists. With its unique and timeless architectural design, the UP Chapel has been recognized as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and a Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. With the newly completed restoration, DMCI Homes hopes to preserve the architectural, engineering, cultural, and religious significance of the UP Chapel for more people in the coming decades. |
https://up.edu.ph/alumni-push-for-scientific-research-agri-devt/ | Alumni push for scientific research, agri dev’t – University of the Philippines | Alumni push for scientific research, agri dev’t Alumni push for scientific research, agri dev’t August 31, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Council, the advisory body of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), passed resolutions on the pursuit of scientific research and the development of the agriculture sector in its meeting on August 17 at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman. The Council meets each year on the day before the general homecoming. UP Alumni Association President and Alumni Regent Ramon Maronilla welcomes the members of the Alumni Council and calls the meeting to order. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) On scientific research and development, the Council agreed that the UPAA will do the following: urge the UP administration to prioritize scientific research and development in the curriculum; and, “exhort UP alumni in congress and the executive branch to legislate and implement laws that encourage and enhance scientific research and development in the country”. To develop the agriculture sector, the Council resolved that the Association will encourage and help create non-government organizations (NGOs) that will promote agricultural management and productivity based on the Coalition for Agricultural Modernization in the Philippines, Inc. (CAMP) model. It will aim to “raise awareness on the plight of the agricultural sector and to create public discourse on finding solutions to the problems through public symposia”. These solutions will then be endorsed to concerned government agencies for action. The UPAA will also urge the legislative and executive branches of government to “prioritize the development of the agricultural sector to reduce poverty and attain food security” in order to satisfy the requirements of the country’s growing population. These resolutions were based on the earlier presentations of the meeting’s main speakers, 2018 UPAA Lifetime Achievement Awardee, Engr. Filemon Berba Jr., and 2018 UPAA Most Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. Ruben Villareal. Engr. Filemon Berba Jr., 2018 UPAA Lifetime Achievement Awardee (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Dr. Ruben Villareal, 2018 UPAA Most Distinguished Alumnus (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Berba’s “Science and Technology: Addressing Long-Term Inclusive Growth” highlighted the role of S&T in economic development. The former UP regent lamented the fact that the Department of Science and Technology had one of the lowest budget allocations and he advocated for better technology-based vocational courses. Berba is a staunch advocate of S&T and is the president of the Philippine Foundation for S&T, a non-stock, non-profit private organization. He cited the Foundation’s Philippine Science Centrum and its travelling exhibit as great examples of ways of sparking interest in S&T among Filipinos. Villareal, on the other hand, talked about CAMP, a non-stock, non-profit NGO where he serves as a board member. The former UP Los Baños chancellor said that the organization was a think tank that provided services such as policy recommendations and technical advice to improve the capabilities of the agriculture sector. One of its initiatives is the promotion of farming viable produce apart from rice, such as fruits and vegetables, which helps address food security and contributes to economic gains. (Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo, UP MPRO) UP President Danilo Concepcion shared news on infrastructure development in the University at the Alumni Council Meeting. Read the full story here: PDLC updates Alumni Council on infra projects |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-in-america-to-hold-grand-reunion-and-convention/ | UP alumni in America to hold grand reunion and convention – University of the Philippines | UP alumni in America to hold grand reunion and convention UP alumni in America to hold grand reunion and convention August 14, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Association in America (UPAAA) will hold its grand reunion and convention on August 30-September 2, 2019 at the Crowne Plaza San Francisco Airport. The UPAAA Grand Reunion and Convention is a biennial event designed to bring together UP alumni in North America to work towards the common goal of supporting our beloved Alma Mater pursue its mission in providing excellent and affordable public education to the best and the brightest minds in the Philippines. It is also an occasion for UP alumni to honor their achievers and loyal members, recapture memories of campus life at UP, renew old friendships and forge new ones. As such, the UPAAA exists to explore possibilities of strengthening the relationship between US-based alumni and UP in their mutual quest for academic excellence and national development. To register, please visit: https://www.upaaagrandreunion.com/ For updates, follow UPAAA on Facebook at @OfficialUPAAA |
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