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https://up.edu.ph/philippine-college-radio-congress-2019/ | Philippine College Radio Congress 2019 – University of the Philippines | Philippine College Radio Congress 2019 Philippine College Radio Congress 2019 November 13, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Media and communication students, faculty, scholars, professionals, and enthusiasts from various parts of the country are set to gather at the annual Philippine College Radio Congress, happening on November 26-28, 2019 at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. Now on its fourth year, PCRC 2019, with the theme “Back to Basics,” aims to re-inculcate the fundamental principles and skills that a responsible, knowledgeable, and equipped media practitioner should possess in a rapidly evolving and innovating world. The Congress will feature lectures on broadcast ethics, history, management, as well as creative and hands-on sessions on voice acting, college radio newsroom, and acoustics and recording. Master classes on teaching ethics and on OBE-dizing communication and media curriculum have also been designed for teachers and educators who will be attending this year’s Congress. PCRC is an annual national academic congress that discusses about current trends, new knowledge and skills, and developing technologies in media. PCRC has offered various lectures, hands-on workshops, fora, and interactive activities by practitioners in the industry and the academe since its inaugural year in 2016. The Congress is organized by the UP Department of Broadcast Communication, CHED Center of Excellence in Broadcasting, and DZUP 1602, the official AM radio station of UP Diliman. The Congress was initially conceptualized to be a platform where participants may be able to share and strengthen their advocacy on community building, education, and information dissemination with other higher education institutions from all over the Philippines. The holding of the first PCRC in 2016 led to the immediate realization of a need to organize and form an association of college radios and media schools which can maximize the potential and capacities of radio as a continuously evolving instrument that can provoke change. PCRC 2019 is co-presented by the UP Office of the President, UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and Manila Broadcasting Company, and is endorsed by CHED. Register now at dzup.org/pcrc2019! For queries and other information, visit the official PCRC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/philippinecollegeradiocongress. You may also contact Mr. Gian Librojo at (+632) 8-981-8500 local 2683 or at philippinecollegeradiocongress@gmail.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/a-dangerous-precedent-against-a-free-press/ | A Dangerous Precedent Against a Free Press – University of the Philippines | A Dangerous Precedent Against a Free Press A Dangerous Precedent Against a Free Press June 17, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Press Statement 15 June 2020 While the case purports to be a personal one involving a media institution and an “aggrieved” citizen, the UP College of Mass Communication sees this event as a direct threat to freedom of the press. Why? The trial court judgment of guilt and imprisonment for libel for Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and UP-CMC alumnus and former Rappler researcher Rey Santos Jr. is a bladed weapon against all journalists — and to all who use the internet to expose corruption and wrongdoing of public officials and public figures. The Rappler article of May 2012 all of a sudden became punishable under the Cyberlaw enacted in September 2012, ex post facto. The libel complaint was filed in 2018, six years after the article’s publication and unprecedentedly entertained by the judge and given due course on the theory of the prosecution that the correction of a typo error in 2014 constituted “re-publication”, thereby foisting a new theory dubbed as “continuing publication”. The judge’s decision, if not corrected by the Supreme Court, has –in one fell swoop– eliminated the one-year prescriptive period of libel and created a new, strange abomination: the theory of “continuing publication”. The State can prosecute even after ten, twelve or more years after publication or posting. It is a concept of eternal threat of punishment without any limit in time and cyberspace. This is not a threat to media alone. More important, it is a bladed weapon poised to cut and bleed out any journalist, any writer, or any Filipino social media user, who posts criticisms of public acts of corruption and incompetence on the internet. It is a threat that should be thwarted with increasing courage and limitless fortitude to question, to investigate, and to expose abuse of power. We call on our fellow Filipinos to uphold press freedom and our fellow media practitioners to continue to be brave watchdogs of society. #FreePress #CourageOn #DefendPressFreedom This was originally published on the UP Diliman website: CMC Statement on the Ressa, Santos libel conviction |
https://up.edu.ph/math-culture-for-indigenous-people/ | Math + culture for indigenous peoples – University of the Philippines | Math + culture for indigenous peoples Math + culture for indigenous peoples October 5, 2017 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta How do we take Mathematics out of classrooms and into the real world of work, tradition, and everyday life? Making abstract mathematical concepts as real and concrete to mathematics learners has always been a challenge. This is certainly the case too for Indigenous students. One possible answer is ethnomathematics, the study of the intersection of mathematics and culture, which is now finding its way int the Philippine government’s Indigenous Peoples’ Education (IPEd) program. Brazilian mathematician Ubiratan D’Ambrosio conceptualized ethnomathematics as ethno [culture] + mathema [explaining, understanding] + tics [techné, arts, techniques]—“the art or technique of explaining, knowing, and understanding diverse cultural contexts.” Ethnomathematics as a field of study began in the latter part of the 1980s. A decade or so earlier, movements toward teaching basic education among culturally diverse peoples began to grow globally. “It’s a worldwide movement born out of the realization that IPs have been marginalized for so many years, including within our educational systems,” explains Dr. Wilfredo V. Alangui, math professor at the UP Baguio College of Science. Through colonization, the IPs’ knowledge systems were supplanted by Western knowledge systems. This included Mathematics, which—despite being called “the universal language” and “the door and key of the sciences” that makes it seem removed from things like cultural bias—is a Western, mostly Eurocentric, strain. Dr. Wilfredo V. Alangui, professor of Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, College of Science, UP Baguio, sitting underneath a photo gallery of indigenous people in his office. (Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UP MPRO) In his paper, “There’s a Theory Behind What We’re Doing! Ethnomathematics and Indigenous Peoples’ Education in the Philippines,” which he presented at the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education at the University of Hamburg in July 2016, Willy noted that in the Philippines, IPEd initiatives have been taken by the Department of Education (DepEd), civil society groups, IP organizations and other community-based efforts since the 1970s. Then in 2011, the DepEd issued Department Order 62, adopting the National Indigenous Peoples Education Policy Framework and creating the Indigenous Peoples Education Office (IPsEO) in 2012. The need for schools for indigenous students is dire, as IP communities are often located in remote areas far from any public schools. And too often IP children face discrimination in these schools. Alangui has heard stories about Mangyan children in Occidental Mindoro making long journeys to the closest public school riding on the roof of a jeepney, only to have their teacher call them “stupid” and “ignorant” during school assemblies. Is it any wonder then that IP students lose any motivation to continue schooling and settle for an early marriage and a life spent merely surviving? There are breakthroughs, however. Dr. Alangui and Dr. Ma. Theresa de Villa, an education professor at UP Diliman and the UP Open University, did a research for the Department of Education – Indigenous Peoples’ Education Office where they visited 16 schools, gathering information on their experiences and processes in implementing IP education so as to generate insights on developing an IP curriculum framework. The schools revealed varying approaches in the handling of indigenous knowledge systems and practices, ranging from the insertion of cultural elements in specific subjects, such as counting in indigenous languages and using localized math problems, to an IP curriculum where emphasis is given to teaching IP competencies more than DepEd prescribed competencies. This research resulted to the 2015 issuance by the Department of Education of D.O. 32 providing for a framework for the development of an IP curriculum. Among the partner schools of the study, one in particular stood out: The Paaralang Mangyan na Angkop sa Kulturang Aalagaan (Pamana Ka), an indigenous school built in 1999 by and for the Mangyan community in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, with the help of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM). At Pamana Ka, IP education is done right. Pamana Ka, for example, has an IP curriculum they call “Banig ng Buhay” that is anchored on the life of the Mangyan community, where lessons in different subjects are developed around a yearly calendar of activities approved by the community elders. For instance, the school has an annual activity called Tukawan, which is guided and led by the elders. In this week-long activity which happens in March, they bring the children to the forest to teach them important activities like hunting, fishing, harvesting honey, other indigenous resource management practices, including Mangyan games, while incorporating lessons in Biology, Chemistry, Social Studies, Music and Art. (Incidentally, Alangui noted that many some of the teachers who initially volunteered in Pamana Ka in the mid-1990s are products of the UP Los Baños Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and they continue to help the school in various ways.) The same treatment is given to Mathematics, admittedly a difficult subject to teach. At Pamana Ka, Math comes to life in the Mangyan traditions. For instance, a lesson on fractions begins with a discussion on the honey-harvesting practices in each student’s community and ends with a reflection on the values of sharing and fairness. One of the framed photographs of indigenous people gracing Dr. Alangui’s office at the UP Baguio Cordillera Studies Center. The photo, titled “Lakay Bosaing, Lakay Golokan & Lakay Pecdasen (Dangtey)”, was taken by Joachim Voss in 1980. (Photo by Celeste Castillo Llaneta, UP MPRO) Pamana Ka teachers find ways to teach mathematics concepts that start with things familiar to the Mangyan student. For example, the Mangyan’s practice of harvesting cassava tubers by counting the number of cracks on the ground around the cassava plant becomes an entry point to discuss variables and algebraic expressions—the the number of cracks on the ground are known values (constants), and the number of tubers under each crack is an unknown variable). Teachers take advantage of the knowledge of crossing rivers to discuss the Pythagorean theorem: Mangyan do not cross the river in a straight line. They start from point A on the other side of the river, and wade and move at an angle with the current until they arrive at point B across the river. In short, they cross the river along the hypotenuse or the longest side of (an imaginary) right triangle. And patterns and sequences abound in the Mangyan world, for example, in steps that need to be followed in the performance of a ritual, or in preparing the land for the gahak or kaingin. And Pamana Ka math teachers utilize these realities in Mangyan life to teach number sequences. In short, Mathematics is not just a bunch of abstract equations, but a real part of the Mangyans’ daily lives. And since every lesson begins and ends with a reiteration of their values, their understanding of their own culture is not only respected but enhanced as well. “Pamana Ka changed everything for [the students].” When Willy asked how shifting from a mainstream school to Pamana Ka changed their lives, the students replied that it restored their self-esteem and their motivation to study. The Pamana Ka style of culturally responsive education returned their dreams to them. “So it’s important for us to have IP schools that have this clear orientation of helping our indigenous students. This is why I’m so involved. I have a commitment to that school because as I see it, if we are looking for a model for IPEd, we should all go to Pamana Ka,” Alangui says. The DepEd agrees, which is why Pamana Ka became an immersion school on IP education for teachers and administrators from other regions at the start of the implementation of IPEd. Ethnomathematics may help in ways that go beyond merely passing Math class. “The hope is that students both IP and non-IP don’t become alienated from Mathematics, but for them to see that math means something to their lives. And then, if they become curious enough, they can pursue math in the university, and even earn a graduate degree. These are possibilities opened up by making them see, realize and experience the connection of Mathematics in their lives as IPs.” At least this is what ethnomathematics is trying to do. Because Math isn’t separate from culture. Math is culture. |
https://up.edu.ph/constitutional-performance-assessment-in-the-time-of-a-pandemic-the-1987-constitution-and-the-philippines-covid-19-response-2/ | Constitutional Performance Assessment in the Time of a Pandemic: The 1987 Constitution and the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response – University of the Philippines | Constitutional Performance Assessment in the Time of a Pandemic: The 1987 Constitution and the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response Constitutional Performance Assessment in the Time of a Pandemic: The 1987 Constitution and the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response August 4, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office WEBINAR Constitutional Performance Assessment in the Time of a Pandemic: The 1987 Constitution and the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response August 6, 2020 • 3:00 PM (Philippine time) • via Zoom and YouTube The House of Representatives and the Department of the Interior and Local Government are keen on beginning charter change discussions while the country is mitigating the effects of COVID-19. But what changes does the 1987 Constitution actually need? And how has the pandemic exacerbated key constitutional issues? The UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS), together with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), presents “Constitutional Performance Assessment in the Time of a Pandemic: The 1987 Constitution and the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response,” a webinar happening on 06 August 2020 (Thursday), 3:00 PM (Philippine time). The webinar is free and open to the public, but online registration via bit.ly/31akD28 is required. The webinar will also be streamed live on YouTube at bit.ly/2PlJU3R. Panelists: • Maria Ela Atienza, Ph.D. Professor, UP Department of Political Science • Aries Arugay, Ph.D. Professor, UP Department of Political Science • Jean Encinas-Franco, Ph.D. Associate Professor, UP Department of Political Science • Jan Robert Go Assistant Professor, UP Department of Political Science •Rogelio Alicor Panao, Ph.D. Associate Professor, UP Department of Political Science Moderator: • Amanda Cats-Baril Constitution Building Processes Adviser for Asia and the Pacific International IDEA |
https://up.edu.ph/joint-statement-on-the-up-dilg-pnp-meeting/ | Joint Statement on the UP-DILG-PNP Meeting – University of the Philippines | Joint Statement on the UP-DILG-PNP Meeting Joint Statement on the UP-DILG-PNP Meeting February 5, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP officials met today, 05 February, at the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, with officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to discuss the 1992 agreement between UP and the DILG. During the meeting, the DILG and the PNP affirmed their recognition of the value of academic freedom as well as peace and security in the University of the Philippines. The DILG then presented their list of concerns pertaining to provisions in the 1992 agreement, which included the need to review and update the agreement to present conditions. The DILG assured UP that the review of the agreement will not in any way diminish basic rights and the freedom of speech and assembly in UP, which are protected and enshrined in the Constitution. For its part, UP agreed that a review is in order and they will present its own observations regarding the points raised by the DILG and PNP in subsequent meetings. Further, the parties agree to abide by the rule of law. The three parties declared their willingness to form a Technical Working Group (TWG) to study the 28-year-old agreement and, depending on the TWG’s findings and recommendations, to mutually decide whether to amend some of the provisions of the UP-DILG agreement, or to draft a new accord altogether. The UP officials at the meeting were: President Danilo L. Concepcion, Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia, UP Diliman (UPD) Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, UPD Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Aleli B. Bawagan, and Director of the UPD Public Safety and Security Office John S. Baroña. From the DILG, attendees were Undersecretary for Peace and Order and OIC Bernardo C. Florece, Jr.; Undersecretary for Plans, Public Affairs and Communications Jonathan E. Malaya; and Assistant Secretary for Peace and Order Manuel B. Felix. From the PNP, in attendance were Chief of Directorial Staff PLt. Gen. Joselito M. Vera Cruz, and Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director PBGen. Danilo P. Macerin. |
https://up.edu.ph/pinoy-choirs-receive-top-honors-in-singaporean-competitions/ | Pinoy choirs receive top honors in Singaporean competitions – University of the Philippines | Pinoy choirs receive top honors in Singaporean competitions Pinoy choirs receive top honors in Singaporean competitions July 21, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Two Filipino choirs — one from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the other from De La Salle University-Dasmariñas — received top prizes in separate Singaporean choral competitions in the past month. Despite competing in the contest for the first time and being the only Filipino choir, the Minstrels of St. La Salle took home one gold and two silver awards from the 4th Singapore International Choral Festival held from July 12 to 15. Live from The Esplanade Concert Hall in Marina Bay, the Minstrels took home the gold in the Mixed Voices Open category and a silver award each from the Folklore and Musica Sacra categories. Choir member Justin Sese told Heraldo Filipino, DLSU-D’s student publication, that winning top prizes in their first international competition outside the country was for the Philippines as much as it was for the Minstrels and the DLSU-D Chorale. “We (Minstrels of St. La Salle and DLSU-D Chorale) thank all the people who supported us sa journey namin, thank you Lord and para ito sa Korong Pilipino!” he said. Photo by Heraldo Filipino / Singapore International Choral Festival Meanwhile, the UPLB Chorale became the Grand Prix Champion in the 10th Orientale Concentus held from July 7 to 10 at the School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA) Esplanade Concert Hall. UPLB advanced to the storied competition after a qualifier on June 9 and became the champions on the finale on the 11th. The choir also won the Mixed Choir A2 and Sacred Music Categories while conductor Roijin Zuarez won the Special Prize for the Most Promising Young Conductor. UPLB’s achievements were even lauded by the Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Antonio Morales, who held an appreciation dinner for the choir and the supporters of the scholarship program of the UP Alumni Association Singapore (UPAAS). (Rie Takumi, GMA News) |
https://up.edu.ph/uplb-undergoes-eu-share-institutional-assessment/ | UPLB undergoes EU SHARE institutional assessment – University of the Philippines | UPLB undergoes EU SHARE institutional assessment UPLB undergoes EU SHARE institutional assessment February 12, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office (Photo from https://uplb.edu.ph/component/k2/916-uplb-undergoes-eu-share-institutional-assessment) UPLB has reached another milestone in its goal to become a globally competitive graduate and research university. On Feb. 5-6, the University took part in the institutional assessment of the European Union Support for Higher Education in the ASEAN Region (EU SHARE). EU SHARE aims to strengthen the Region’s higher education system and collaboration and hopes to build a scholarship scheme in ASEAN similar to Europe’s Erasmus. UPLB is the only public university in the country to participate in the said assessment. The two-day activity was conducted to enhance UPLB’s capacity to keep track of its internal quality assurance (QA) system and raise points and recommendations to improve it. Assessors from different countries interviewed students, faculty, staff, and officials. UPLB, on the other hand, presented its self-assessment report to the assessors. (Photo accessed from https://www.facebook.com/pg/UPLBOfficial/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155600805793995) Dr. Alyssa Alampay, UP assistant vice president for academic affairs, in her special message, commended UPLB “for taking the QA challenge” during the opening program at the REDREC Auditorium. Dr. Alampay reiterated the confidence of the UP System in UPLB’s readiness to participate in the assessment. She encouraged UPLB constituents to look at the assessment as a learning experience. “It’s not about the score; it’s about the process and learning from that process,” she said. Meanwhile, Prof. Chavalit Wongse-ek from Mahidol University, who spoke on behalf of the EU SHARE assessors, encouraged UPLB to live up to its commitment in pursuing quality education through the assessment. “Quality is not an accident, it needs intense effort,” he said. Other assessors were Dr. Agus Setiabudi of the Indonesia University of Education, Dr. Jacques Lanares of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and Dr. Oliver Vettori from Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria. Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr., who officially opened and closed the event, expressed his hopes that the assessment would help uncover “blind spots” in the University’s performance. This way, it would be able to reform its strategies towards its main goal and increase efforts in food security and public service in the next two years. He also recognized the assessment as an opportunity for UPLB to reflect on building a regional higher education space in the ASEAN region via QA systems. (Photo accessed from https://www.facebook.com/pg/UPLBOfficial/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155600805793995) In his concluding statement, Chancellor Sanchez encouraged UPLB to uphold its culture of honor and excellence. “The assessment might be over but the real work is cut out for us. With the EU SHARE assessment, we have gained insights on how we can strategically invest in our vision for the University.” (Jessa Jael S. Arana , UPLB) This story was first published on https://uplb.edu.ph/component/k2/916-uplb-undergoes-eu-share-institutional-assessment, “UPLB undergoes EU SHARE institutional assessment.” |
https://up.edu.ph/promoting-rice-and-white-corn-combination-as-a-staple-for-filipinos/ | Promoting rice and white corn combination as a staple for Filipinos – University of the Philippines | Promoting rice and white corn combination as a staple for Filipinos Promoting rice and white corn combination as a staple for Filipinos February 2, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Rice is a major staple food in the Philippines. But while the Philippines is one of the biggest rice producers in the world, it continues to import rice as the million metric tons of palay produced by the country cannot keep up with actual demand and consumption. To ease dependence on imported rice, the government is implementing measures to increase domestic rice production. But researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños believe that these supply strategies should be complemented by remedies from the demand side to achieve rice self-sufficiency. One solution is promoting the consumption of alternative staples that will help reduce rice intake. A relatively cheap and nutritious alternative is white corn grits. But because it is an option that a majority of Filipinos, being much accustomed to rice, may find difficult to consider, the researchers are looking at rice-corn grits mix as a healthier and more acceptable alternative. The study found a general willingness among rice farmers to try rice-corn mixture, but most of them will consider taste, price, aroma and texture. Interestingly, the younger the farmers, the more willing they are to try rice-corn mixture. Education also plays a crucial part in the farmer’s decision making as it can influence the management practices and the technologies to be adopted in the farms. Harvested IPB Var 6 white quality protein maize (Photo credit: Josefina Dizon et al.) Joint to issues on rice sufficiency are health problems associated with rice consumption. The prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes are increasing at alarming rates in the country due, among others, to the traditional diet of white rice (Tan, 2016). In 2016, the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism even branded the Philippines a “diabetes hotspot” with over 3.5 million Filipinos with diagnosed cases. Rice-corn mixture is a good substitute to white rice. Corn has a low glycemic index and so making it part of a standard diet can help address the rising incidence of diabetes in the country. In studying the effects of rice and corn mix consumption on three- to five- year old malnourished Filipino children, researchers also saw that improvements in mean body weight were highest among children who were given a 50:50 rice-QPM corn mix as opposed to those treated solely with rice or with a 70:30 rice-corn mixture. QPM stands for quality protein maize, a variety of white corn with high levels of essential amino acids that other corn varieties, even rice, do not have. Cooked 70:30 rice and white corn combination (Photo credit: Josefina Dizon et al.) Finally, the introduction of the rice-corn mix as a staple has economic benefits. For several years, the average yield of white corn in the Philippines stagnated due to a limited market, in contrast to yellow corn which has a big demand as feeds for hogs and poultry. With the increased market for white corn as food, it is expected that demand for high yielding and quality open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) and hybrids will also follow. Instead of depending on available low yielding traditional varieties, farmers can shift to the more productive OPVs or hybrids. This should translate to a better economic situation of farmers in the Philippines. (“Promoting rice and white corn combination as food staple for Filipinos” is an Emerging Interdisciplinary Research project supported by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. This article was written jointly with the research team led by Dr. Josefina Dizon.) This story was first published on ovpaa.up.edu.ph, “Promoting rice and white corn combination as a staple for Filipinos.” |
https://up.edu.ph/society-for-human-ecology-she-xxii-international-conference-2017/ | Society for Human Ecology (SHE) XXII International Conference 2017 – University of the Philippines | Society for Human Ecology (SHE) XXII International Conference 2017 Society for Human Ecology (SHE) XXII International Conference 2017 October 13, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines Los Baños is pleased to announce the upcoming XXII SHE 2017 International Conference on November 28 to December 1, 2017. This will be the first time that the Society for Human Ecology international conference will be held in the ASEAN region where past SHE conferences were held in USA, Australia, and United Kingdom. This year, the College of Human Ecology of the University of the Philippines Los Baños in partnership with the Society for Human Ecology (SHE), and the International Organization for Human Ecology will host the said conference. The conference theme is “Envisioning Pathways to Just and Sustainable Futures: Celebrating diversity, Pursuing Integration, and Developing Livable Communities.” It will showcase the myriad of global practices, initiatives, and possibilities that contributes to shaping a more sustainable world. The conference aims to bring together global and regional practitioners, researchers, policy makers, experts, and academics in an event to discuss contemporary research and practices in promoting a just and sustainable future. It also aims to strengthen partnership among human ecology institutions in the region and abroad through the creation of an alliance or network of Human Ecology Institutions (HEIs) in Asia and closely link it with the International Society for Human Ecology (SHE). The conference will have paper presentations, organized sessions, and workshops that tackles four major thematic areas: Health, Aging, and Demographic Change Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Food and Water Systems Communities in Transition: Implications for rural resilience, biodiversity and tourism The main message of the Conference will be delivered by distinguished speakers lead by the Keynote address of His Excellency Deputy Secretary General Vongthep Arthakaivalvakatee of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Plenary speakers covering the conference themes will include Mr. Ranell Dedicatoria (Sustainable Cities and Landscapes) from ICLEI Southeast Asia – Local Governments for Sustainability, Dr. Stacy Jupiter (Sustainable Food and Water Systems ) Director at Wildlife Conservation Society, Ms. Gina Lopez (Communities in Transition) Environmental Advocate and former DENR Secretary of the Philippines, and Dr. Tony Capon (Health and Aging) Inaugural Professor of Planetary Health at University of Sydney. The venue for the Conference is the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), one of the main conference partners, which is within the University of the Philippines Los Baños Campus. It is located about 66 kilometers south of Manila and is nestled at the foot of the majestic Mt. Makiling. Hosting a community of research and academic institutions such as SEARCA, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice), the UPLB campus boast of vibrant yet peaceful and serene community life. Inquiries on conference registration, travel accommodations, and other concerns may be addressed through: Email: sheconference2017@up.edu.ph Mobile: +63 917 8858441: or +63 949 104 3275 Telefax: +63 49 536 2682 Website: www.societyforhumanecology.org |
https://up.edu.ph/uplb-celebrates-100th-loyalty-day/ | UPLB celebrates 100th Loyalty Day – University of the Philippines | UPLB celebrates 100th Loyalty Day UPLB celebrates 100th Loyalty Day October 11, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Alumni flock to a stately-decorated Baker Memorial Hall for the UPLB grand alumni homecoming. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UP Los Baños celebrated the 100th anniversary of the day 193 students and 27 faculty members comprising the majority of the UP College of Agriculture enlisted with the Philippine National Guard to help the Allies fight World War I. The campus has named the day its Loyalty Day, celebrated since 1921. It has become a most anticipated event for UPLB administration, faculty, staff, and students when they can reconnect with the alumni and reunite in the spirit of voluntarism and public service. This year, the Loyalty Day theme was “100 years of Uplifting Peoples’ Lives and Beyond”. The steps of DL Umali Hall are festooned in preparation for a grand Loyalty Day Parade. Speaking in Baker Hall, Chancellor Fernando Sanchez welcomes alumni back on campus. Photos by Jo. Lontoc and Jun Madrid, UP MPRO From October 8 to 12, the UPLB community and the alumni joined each other in holding a flower and garden show at the Seniors Social Garden, a prelude celebration in Tanauan City, a fun run at the Grandstand, and a trade fair at the Alumni Plaza; and on the centennial day, October 10, in marching for the Loyalty Day parade around campus, and gathering once again for luncheon, raffle of prizes, and a cultural night inside Baker Hall. UP Los Baños golden and diamond jubilarians of the centennial of Loyalty Day on stage with UP System, campus, and alumni relations officials. Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Seventy-five trophies were handed out in Baker Memorial Hall on October 9 during the UPLB Alumni Association (UPLBAA) Awards to distinguished alumni and alumni families; and medallions were awarded to members of Classes ’58 and ’68, the diamond and golden jubilarians for the centennial Loyalty Day. Those from classes ending in 8 and 3 are the jubilarians this year. The awardees were led by former UP President Emil Javier, who received the UPLBAA Presidential Award. The Outstanding Golden Jubilarians were Cleofas Cervancia, Javier Mateo, Thelma Romero-Paris, Aphiphan Pookpakdi, Nazario Racoma, and Reynaldo Villareal. The families recognized were the Aguiero, Arca-Alejar, Fandialan, Faustino, Mendoza, and Payawal families. (Clockwise, from top left) Alumni from the Fandialan family, the wife of posthumously-awarded Distinguished Alumnus for Youth Development Telesforo Vea assisted by College of Agriculture and Food Sciences Dean Elpidio Agbisit Jr., former UP President and UPLB Alumni Association (UPLBAA) Presidential Awardee Emil Javier, and Distinguished Alumna for Public Service Haidelyn Arevalo receive trophies and certificates from Chancellor Fernando Sanchez and UPLBAA President Leo Ballesfin. Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO “I’m sure I speak for all the awardees tonight that there is a common thread in our careers and life stories: excellence, integrity, and service. I would emphasize service, in keeping with the centenary of Loyalty Day,” Javier said in response. “Among the graduates of UP Los Baños, the spirit of voluntarism is strong,” he stressed. The UPLB grand alumni homecoming and awards were capped with a barn dance, also in Baker Hall. The Outstanding Golden Jubilarian Awardees with UPLB Alumni Association President Leo Ballesfin and UPLB Chancellor Fernando Sanchez. Sanchez, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, Regent Francis Laurel, former UP President Emil Javier, and UPLB Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs and Distinguished Alumni Awardee Serlie Jamias share a table right before the awarding. Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO A highlight of the Loyalty Day centennial is the Art in Biodiversity exhibit in the Sining Makiling Gallery at DL Umali Hall, which will run until December 19, 2018, featuring 100 outstanding works of painting, sculpture, and mixed media by 100 artists. At the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), the stage play “Loyalty Day”–about five student council members preparing for the 100th Loyalty Day celebration–written by UP Artist Layeta Bucoy and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio, ran from October 9 to 12. It was a collaborative production of the Upsilon Sigma Phi, COMA 200a class, and the Department of Social Sciences of CAS. (Jo. Lontoc, UP MPRO) Some pieces from the Art in Biodiversity exhibit. Photo by Jo. Lontoc |
https://up.edu.ph/ensouling-the-iskolar-ng-bayan/ | Ensouling the Iskolar ng Bayan – University of the Philippines | Ensouling the Iskolar ng Bayan Ensouling the Iskolar ng Bayan April 4, 2018 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc An old photo of Pahinungod volunteers going out into the fields to learn from the people they wish to serve. (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) Seeing signs of diminishing social responsibility among students in the early 1990s, UP instituted a program to encourage volunteer service to underserved communities. The underlying belief was that UP’s soul resided in connecting to the people, i.e., public service that went beyond mere fulfillment of requirements to something more integral and committed. In the University, public service has been a cherished tradition, so much so that news of UP possibly losing its soul caused much consternation and forced a System-led intervention. Thus began the continuing journey of the Pahinungod and the Padayon running well into the new millennium. But more than promoting altruism or maintaining tradition, scholars say the effort to uphold public service in the University is essential and not just value added to the University’s teaching, learning, and research and development function. A tool of instruction In a recent study, UP Los Baños researchers noted that “There is a need for research that investigates the instructional effects of volunteer work that simulates and extends the learning-teaching environment using extension (i.e. field work, community engagement) modalities. Such research can elevate its status as a deliberate tool of instruction and likewise, guide its programming and management in this direction.” Glenn Lubuguin in his early years with the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) Drawing on scientific data, Glenn Lubuguin of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod explained that “We learn from volunteerism and public services the same way communities learn from us. In other words, we get as much, if not more, than what we give. As an institution, we make UP better every time we help make communities better.” Lubuguin has been studying participants of University-led public service initiatives and has gained much from their individual insights. However, his studies manifest the need to scientifically establish a connection of community service to the mental development of the volunteers as “scholars of the nation.” It is the University contributing to culture-specific, localized knowledge-making on volunteerism and the Iskolar ng Bayan. In 2012, Lubuguin finished the study “Perceived Effects of Volunteer Experience on Values and Skills Development among UPLB Pahinungod Volunteers.” It drew on the experience of 74 volunteers who participated in six Pahinungod programs. A Pahinungod volunteer immersing with a family in Nakar, Quezon, in 2014, tries out the family transport. (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) The study highlighted positive values developed among volunteers, but Lubuguin noted that these had yet to be connected to improved leadership or management style or application in larger socio-political fields. “For instance, firsthand experiences in underserved communities amplify volunteers’ appreciation of social inequalities and government inefficiency and consequently increased cynicism for public institutions that may not be healthy for active citizenship,” Lubuguin said. He observed that constructive values like interdependence, cooperation, receptivity, merging, and compromise learned from community engagement often conflict with Western leadership styles which value self-assertion and independence. A Pahinungod volunteer does not set herself apart from the children she helps learn. (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) Researchers came up with another study, mindful of the need to align volunteerism with UP goals. They went into a more structured, qualitative study on the development of mental constructs before and after the performance of public service, involving UP volunteers and other state colleges and universities (SUCs). This resulted in the paper “Emergent Constructs among Volunteers of Selected Southern Tagalog SUCs” by Lubuguin, Dr. Pamela Custodio, and Jose Limbay Lahi Espaldon. The study involved 22 reflection papers and three debriefing sessions of 21 participants from Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and three focus-group discussions among selected volunteers of UP Los Baños, Southern Luzon State University in Quezon, and Batangas State University. A change in constructs Notable were changes in the volunteers’ constructs of “community,” “self,” “poverty,” and “helping.” “Self” constructs were redefined based on a new notion of “community.” The construct of “community” now included notions of collective action and sharing of life’s goals. “Community” became a dynamically inclusive entity. “Otherness” or “oneness” no longer depended on shared culture or geography but on one’s ability to relate to individual and group aspirations. Pahinungod volunteers experience planting rice during a community exposure and site visit. (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) A new oneness with the community appeared to enable long-term commitment. “The [islanders] were synonymous to the waters there—calm and free. Soon I found myself comfortable in the waters,” a volunteer said after immersion in remote Ambil Island, Occidental Mindoro. “I knew that like the shark, I had to keep on swimming and venture into deeper water. I had to leave because I would return. And when I did, I had grown wiser.” “Helping” emerged from being an act of benevolence to an act that requires values and skills on the part of the helper, and on the part of the helped, a presumed set of values and potentials. “When I think about it, our country needs gradual healing which could start by understanding the difficult lives of others,” said a volunteer who lived with ginger farmers in Padre Burgos, Quezon. “I gained precious insights from the lifeways of community members. I realized that their indigenous knowledge and cultural practices support environmental sustainability,” said a 59-year-old professor volunteer after immersion in Padre Burgos, Quezon. Pahinungod volunteers socialize with and learn from people of all ages in the community. (Photo courtesy of UPLB Ugnayan ng Pahinungod) “Poverty” was reconfigured from a problem mainly associated with individual responsibility to a more complex and structural problem–something which, however, did not diminish people’s capacity to share. “People there had so little, but they had so much to give. They do not care so much about money,” noted the volunteer from Ambil. The University will do well to continue studying these realizations, the scholars say, and how if indeed the volunteers—future leaders of the country—will be the better for these. |
https://up.edu.ph/villar-receives-honorary-degree-addresses-uplb-class-of-2018/ | Villar receives honorary degree, addresses UPLB Class of 2018 – University of the Philippines | Villar receives honorary degree, addresses UPLB Class of 2018 Villar receives honorary degree, addresses UPLB Class of 2018 June 27, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Members of UP Los Baños Class of 2018 applaud as the program for the 46th Commencement Exercises of UPLB begins. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Senator Cynthia A. Villar received the title of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) and served as the guest of honor and speaker at the 46th commencement exercises of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) on June 23, 2018 at the D.L. Umali Freedom Park in UPLB, Los Baños, Laguna. Villar’s conferment of honorary degree was witnessed by: her husband, former Senator Manuel Villar, children Camille, Manuel Paolo, and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar; and, members of the UP Board of Regents, namely, Commission on Higher Education OIC J. Prospero E. de Vera, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UP Faculty Regent Patricia B. Arinto, UP Staff Regent Analiza S. Fulvodora, UP Alumni Regent Ramon M. Maronilla, UP Student Regent Ma. Shari Niña G. Oliquino, UP Regent Frederick Mikhail I. Farolan, UP Regent Angelo A. Jimenez, UP Regent Francis C. Laurel; and other UP System officials and UPLB officials. Villar’s message for UPLB’s new graduates focused on the youth’s role in ensuring food security and improving agricultural productivity. According to her, Filipinos must enhance their skills and capabilities through education and utilize modern technology for sustainable food production, efficient distribution, and global competitiveness as well. In the Senate, she serves as chair of the Committees on Agrarian Reform, Agriculture and Food, and Environment and Natural Resources. BS Agriculture (summa cum laude) graduate Paul Joshua C. Marquez spoke on behalf of UPLB’s 2,450 graduates, of whom 258 graduated with honors. He affirmed that he would pursue a career path primarily in the service of Filipino farmers. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) Pre-program photo (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The 46th Commencement Exercises of UPLB starts with the Processional of UP officials and entry of the University Colors and the Philippine Flag. (Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) UP President Danilo L. Concepcion confers the degrees and titles earned by the UPLB graduates of 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, chairperson of the UP Board of Regents, and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion lead the conferment of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) to and the hooding ceremony for Senator Cynthia A. Villar. They are assisted by former Senator Manuel Villar and other UP officials. (Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) UP officials and members of the Villar family pose with Senator Cynthia A. Villar (center) after the conferment of her honorary degree at the D.L. Umali Freedom Park in UPLB on June 23, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Senator Cynthia A. Villar delivers her commencement address at the UPLB graduation rites held at the D.L. Umali Freedom Park in UPLB on June 23, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Senator Cynthia A. Villar delivers her commencement address at the UPLB graduation rites held at the D.L. Umali Freedom Park in UPLB on June 23, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) A UPLB graduate receiving her diploma from Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. at the 46th UPLB graduation rites held at the D.L. Umali Freedom Park on June 23, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/kyoto-university-and-uplb-discuss-shared-future-in-international-conference/ | UPLB and Kyoto University discuss shared future in international conference – University of the Philippines | UPLB and Kyoto University discuss shared future in international conference UPLB and Kyoto University discuss shared future in international conference February 6, 2019 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Japanese participants of the 13th Kyoto University Southeast Asia Network Forum pose with officials from UP Los Baños. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Alumni and representatives of both the University of the Philippines and Kyoto University joined their fellow leaders from the public and private sectors at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on January 29, 2019 to attend the 13th Kyoto University Southeast Asia Network Forum. This international conference was co-sponsored by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and Kyoto University, with Japanese-trained UP alumni at the forefront. According to UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Bautista, the conference, with the theme, “Creating Partnerships, Enhancing Innovation for our Common Future,” aimed to foster a vision of a shared future for Japan and the Philippines, “characterized by social cohesion, economic resilience, sustainable growth and development, and greater motivation for creativity and innovation.” To this end, the conference featured a distinguished roster of speakers led by Dr. Kazutoshi Mori, Professor of Biophysics at Kyoto University. His lecture on the history of his research on the unfolded protein response, launched a series of plenary presentations that ranged from genomics to indigenous perspectives that aimed to inspire better research and build partnerships to solve problems common to both nations. Dr. Kazutoshi Mori (center), Professor of Biophysics at Kyoto University, is recognized by UPLB, led by its Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UPLB Chancellor Fernando Sanchez, himself an alumnus of a Japanese university (the Tokyo Institute of Agriculture) expressed his gratitude to his mentors for generously sharing their experience and wisdom with him and his fellow graduates. This history of mentorship and cooperation between UP and Kyoto University was also echoed by Kyoto University Executive Vice President Kayo Inaba, who detailed how the Memorandum of Academic Cooperation signed by both universities in 2015 had vastly expanded the exchanges of students, faculty and information between both institutions. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, in his inspirational message, noted that UPLB had the largest number of Japanese-trained scholars among all of UP’s constituent universities. Recalling a speech he gave on campus at the beginning of his term, Concepcion said that he encouraged UPLB’s researchers to do academic research “more aggressively” and in the tradition of the schools that they graduated from. “It is my dream,” he added, “that during my term as UP president, UP will get a nomination for the Nobel Prize. And this is the reason why Kyoto University is here [to help us].” Concepcion also stressed the need to “plant the seeds” for UP and Kyoto University’s partnership to grow, as well as to find sustainable solutions to benefit future generations together. National Institutes of Health Executive Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-de la Paz talks about Genomic Medicine in the Philippines The conference was well attended not only by representatives from UP, but also those from other state universities and colleges (SUCs), government agencies and private companies. Among those in attendance were Consul General Atsushi Kuwabara of the Embassy of Japan, Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-de la Paz of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and representatives from Mindanao State University, Central Bicol State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, Ifugao State University, University of St. La Salle Bacolod, Partido State University, the University of Santo Tomas, and Far Eastern University. |
https://up.edu.ph/sample-post-title-1/ | Primary Care benefits for all UP faculty and staff – University of the Philippines | Primary Care benefits for all UP faculty and staff Primary Care benefits for all UP faculty and staff April 2, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office New primary care benefits may now be availed of at the University Health Service (UHS) in UP Diliman. These health care benefits are given as part of a pilot study, “Philippine Studies in Primary Care”, which was launched on October 2016 to run for a year until September 30, 2017, unless otherwise extended. Jointly funded by UP System and Philhealth, the study aims to test the effectiveness of a primary care health delivery system in a corporate setting. “Our target beneficiaries are employees, which in the pilot study would refer to university staff of various categories. Since they are part of the mandated clientele of the University Health Service, the health benefit package and the Primary Care health delivery system under study are in that sense, within a ‘corporate setting’,” according to UHS Acting Director Jesusa Catabui. If found effective, the system may be adopted on a national scale and may be made the basis of an appropriate Outpatient Benefit Package by Philhealth, as well. In an interview, UHS Acting Director Jesusa Catabui explained the significance of primary care and its important aspects. Primary Care defined “Primary Care is a health care system that provides for comprehensive first contact care by trained providers, which in the UHS setting, are its staff physicians. As primary care providers, they should be well trained to diagnose and treat patients through a wide range of diseases, and to judiciously refer patients for specialty care when needed. Even after referring patients to medical specialists, they should be able to coordinate and provide for continuing patient care,” Dr. Catabui explained. According to her, the ideal is to have a primary care provider for each Filipino family that will assist them in navigating through the health care system, and avoiding unnecessary expensive tests or a fragmented medical care. Primary Care beneficiaries Although all mandated clients of the University Health Service are entitled to certain health privileges, only the University staff and their dependents (as defined by Philhealth) may avail of the added benefit package under the study. Eligible clients include: faculty members and their dependents, and bona fide non-faculty University staff, whether permanent, UP or non-UP contractual employees, together with their dependents as well. Outsourced University personnel such as our security guards and custodial workers, and students are not included in the study. Aside from free consultation, each eligible patient may avail of free medicines and laboratory tests up to a total of PHP 2000 in one year, as long as: these are prescribed by their primary care provider; the medicines are available at UHS Pharmacy; or the tests are being done at our hospital, according to Dr. Catabui. For example, a non-UP contractual employee can now bring his/her sick spouse, any of his/her 6 children below 21 years of age, or either of his/her parents aged 60 and above, and himself, in the event any of them get sick. Eeach is entitled to the benefits mentioned above. On the other hand, Dr. Catabui added, of course it is better that nobody in the family gets sick at all. They get to enjoy the benefits of good health and Philhealth money is spent on those who really need it. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) In order to track Philhealth expenses for each eligible client who come for consultation, it is vital that patient medical records be now in electronic form. Outpatients consulting at the University Health Service for non-urgent illness will have to line up first at the Records Section for data entry, after which they proceed to the triage nurse where their vital signs, such as body temperature or blood pressure, are taken and recorded on the computer. At the same time, the system queues them to an available doctor assigned at the General Out Patient Department (OPD) for final assessment and treatment. Prescriptions and requests for necessary laboratory tests including ECG and X-ray examinations are electronically generated and then presented to the billing section or to the pharmacist, as the case may be. The customized EMR system also allows for the accurate generation of reports and secure and efficient records management. Primary Care on a national scale “Hopefully, depending on the results of the study, primary care may be adopted nationwide for more accessible and affordable health care services. Proper training and giving enough incentives to our primary care providers are also vital for such a system to work,” Catabui concluded. (Stephanie S. Cabigao, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-dilimans-infirmary-upgraded/ | UP Diliman’s Infirmary upgraded – University of the Philippines | UP Diliman’s Infirmary upgraded UP Diliman’s Infirmary upgraded February 2, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP System, UP Diliman, and DPWH officials cut the ribbon to formally inaugurate the renovated and expanded UP Diliman University Health Service, more popularly known as the Infirmary. Front row, left to right: UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Atty. Ma. Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion, UPHS Director Myrissa Melinda Lacuna-Alip, UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP Vice President for Legal Affairs Hector Danny Uy. Second row, left to right: DPWH QC District Engineer Ramon Devanadera, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Vice President for Administration Nestor Yunque, UP-PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). The University of the Philippines (UP) inaugurated a renovated and expanded health service facility on its Diliman campus on January 27, 2023. The UP Diliman Health Service (UPD-HS), more popularly known as the Infirmary, is now on its way to becoming what UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo called a “model primary health care facility” for UP constituents and the community after undergoing major improvements since 2019. UP President Concepcion and UPD Chancellor Nemenzo unveil the marker while DPWH QC District Engineer Devanadera and UPHS Director Alip look on. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). The Radiology Department, Pharmacy, and Admitting Office were among the upgraded units and relocated to more appropriate locations. Specialists’ clinics, gyms, and physical therapy rooms now augment the existing doctors’ clinics. The main lobby is now a spacious hall accommodating more students during enrolment. The new Emergency Room is situated near the road for ease of access; landscaping and site development has been done to improve access for vehicles and pedestrians. A three-story building is currently being constructed to house the administrative offices, an in‐patient ward, more operating rooms, the dietary department, laboratories, supply rooms, and parking spaces. Construction work, which began under former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, is funded and undertaken by the DPWH. In the new, spacious main lobby of the UPD UHS. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). DPWH Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera, UP System officials led by President Danilo Concepcion, UP Diliman officials led by Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP Manila (UPM) Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UPM-Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi, and UPHS Director Myrissa Melinda Lacuna-Alip led the inaugural ceremony. According to Concepcion, the project was a means to achieve his administration’s goal of filling all the slots for first-year students, which the University could not do without additional facilities. First-year students are required to undergo a thorough medical exam during enrolment. UPHS Director Alip (left) take UP President Concepcion and Atty. Concepcion and the other guests on a guided tour of the newly renovated UPD UHS. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). Together with the PGH—under which the health services of UP Manila, UP Los Baños, and UP Diliman are supposed to operate, based on an administrative order by Concepcion—the UPD-HS is also acquiring new equipment, which includes a Mammotome breast biopsy device for the early detection of breast cancer. “We are increasing the number of specialist consultants and clinics for them,” Concepcion added. “Correspondingly, we need to upgrade laboratory services for tests that the specialists will prescribe.” He said the administration is looking at a public-private partnership for a laboratory facility to be located in the building being constructed. “We also need to think about bringing back surgical operations and upgrading the operating room facility for minor surgical procedures,” Concepcion said. He added PGH surgeons could perform these. “The inauguration of the UPD-HS is a sign that the health of the community is one of the university’s top priorities,” Nemenzo said. He pointed out that the improvements at the UPD-HS align with the “vision of a model primary care facility in the university and community implementing universal health care.” One of the new operating rooms. . Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). The relocated emergency room. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). A garden in the middle of the UHS complex. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). |
https://up.edu.ph/nurturing-wisdom-through-the-liberal-arts/ | Nurturing Wisdom through the Liberal Arts – University of the Philippines | Nurturing Wisdom through the Liberal Arts Nurturing Wisdom through the Liberal Arts May 28, 2019 | Written by Silvino V. Epistola A poster from an exhibit during the June 18, 2011 UP College of Liberal Arts Centennial Celebration. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Finally, for many Filipinos, education has become much too old-fashioned to fit in today’s scheme of things. Even those who hold college degrees now say that education has lost its efficacy, but as many would hasten to add, this is so only because now it is not 1950 but 2000. Old-time education is simply no longer attuned to the rapid pace of our technological times. Since the 1960s, the University of the Philippines, for one, has been changing. The old College of Liberal Arts was split three ways into the University College, which was given the new General Education Program; the College of Arts and Sciences, which would offer the Bachelor Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs; and the Graduate School, which would run the highly specialized Master of Arts degree programs. The resulting arrangement was logical. But someone should have taken into account the careerism endemic in the faculty. For instance, it did not look good career-wise for a faculty member not to belong to the Graduate School. Certainly no professor would accept an appointment in the University College, for this could mean standing on the lowest rung of the faculty hierarchy till one’s retirement. To solve the impasse, the UP Regents abolished the University College and the Graduate School and allowed another three-way split, after the usual heated faculty debates. To this day, the various undergraduate and graduate arts and sciences degree programs are administered each by the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Did this mean that the old College of Liberal Arts was restored to life through a different name? Sadly, no! As some realized even then, the operative part of the title, College of Arts and Sciences, was not “College” but “Arts and Sciences” with emphasis on “and.” What waylaid the mind was the idea that the arts and sciences were component subjects of the College of Liberal Arts as well as that of the College of Arts and Sciences. Hence the mistaken notion that the College of Arts and Sciences restored the College of Liberal Arts to life. We also have forgotten the meaning of “liberal arts.” Actually, all we understood is the separateness of the arts and sciences. For this reason, those working in the sciences regard the arts as so much superfluous baggage, and those working in the arts think that the sciences are an oppressive imposition on their spirit. The poster exhibit at the lobby of Palma Hall showing the history and evolution of the UP College of Liberal Arts during the June 18, 2011 UP College of Liberal Arts Centennial Celebration. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Today, President Francisco Nemenzo, the man who brings back the Liberal Arts to UP, presides over its Commencement Exercises, his first. He will confer the degrees which had been earned by graduates whose minds are still dominated by the notion of the separate cultures of the arts and sciences. His hope is that this will be the last Commencement Exercises in which degrees are conferred a graduating class alienated from the unity of the arts and sciences. All this, of course, lies in President Nemenzo’s dream of making the UP a university that would have the knowledge to make nuclear bombs and the wisdom not to use them. The important thing, then, is wisdom. As he put it in a speech not too long ago, “Only an authentic university has the appropriate organization, scope of learning and academic freedom to nurture wisdom.” A university cannot teach students everything about anything, but it can teach them to teach themselves. In its heyday, the UP had a full-blown Liberal Arts Program to do just that. Today, a 40-year-old General Education Program is continuously being revitalized to produce a UP graduate who understands the unity of the arts and sciences well enough to teach himself not only what he wants to learn, but also to learn, as Alvin Toffler puts it, “to make decisions and to relate to other people.” Prof. Silvino V. Epistola was a professor first at the UP Department of English, before moving on to teach Asian studies and philosophies at the UP Asian Center and UP Department of Philosophy. He was also an award-winning fictionist and essayist. Condensed from the original article published in the UP Forum May-June 2000 issue Get your FREE copy of the UP Forum magazine now. Please send an email to upforum@up.edu.ph or visit the UP Media and Public Relations Office at Room 6B, Fonacier Hall, Magsaysay Avenue, UP Diliman, Quezon City. |
https://up.edu.ph/two-up-researchers-make-history-as-2019-metrobank-foundation-outstanding-filipinos/ | Two UP researchers make history as 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos – University of the Philippines | Two UP researchers make history as 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Two UP researchers make history as 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos September 12, 2019 | Written by UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Eva Cutiongco-dela Paz of UP Manila and Dr. Ricardo T. Jose of UP Diliman have been named 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos for the teacher category. This is the first time that UP had more than one awardee in the same year. Cutiongco-dela Paz was former vice chancellor for research of UP Manila and the current executive director of the National Institutes of Health. She obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree from UP and further trained in molecular genetics at the International Center for Medical Research at the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine and in clinical genetics at the Hospital for Sick Children of the University of Toronto. She is currently the genomics health program director of the Philippine Genome Center. Her mother won the award in 1981 and the mother-daughter win is a first for the prestigious award. Jose is a professor at the Department of History of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at UP Diliman and former director of the Third World Studies Center. He received his BA and MA in history from UP Diliman and his PhD in history/area studies from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. He is the country’s leading scholar on World War II in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific. He also specializes in Japan-Philippine relations and the American colonial rule in the Philippines. The Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Award is given annually to four teachers, three soldiers and three police officers who are exemplary public servants and active agents of positive change and influence in their communities. The winners are chosen by different sectors of society in a rigorous process of selection. This was originally posted on the OVPAA website at Two UP researchers make history as 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-entries-essential-truths-72-86-an-infographic-design-competition/ | CALL FOR ENTRIES: Essential Truths 72-86—An Infographic Design Competition – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR ENTRIES: Essential Truths 72-86—An Infographic Design Competition CALL FOR ENTRIES: Essential Truths 72-86—An Infographic Design Competition October 1, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office This year, the UP Department of History and the UP College of Fine Arts in partnership with Human Rights Violations Victims’ Memorial Commission (HRVVMC) will be having an Infographic Design Competition focusing on the essential truths of the Martial Law Years. The contest aims to feature skills and talents of the students in making socially relevant infographic designs. In recognition of the need to reach out to the students and the youth, the submitted works will be displayed in the Freedom Memorial Museum. For this year’s competition, the participants are expected to submit an information graphic design focusing on the essential truth on declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines in 1972. Deadline of submission is on October 28, 2019. For more information about the competition, please visit: Essential Truths 72-86—An Infographic Design Competition. |
https://up.edu.ph/scholars-present-research-on-law-and-order-during-spanish-times/ | Scholars present research on law and order during Spanish times – University of the Philippines | Scholars present research on law and order during Spanish times Scholars present research on law and order during Spanish times October 11, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc A fully-packed auditorium, mostly with students of history, greets conference speakers. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. Twenty-three works of research and two keynote lectures were presented at the 17th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day Conference on October 3 and 4, 2019, shedding light on law and order during Spanish times. The annual conference held this year in the National Institute of Science and Mathematics Education Auditorium in UP Diliman had the theme, “The Pursuit of Colonial Oder: Interrogating Crime, Law, and Justice in Spanish Philippines”. Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor Leonen and Prof. Florentino Rodao of Universidad Complutense de Madrid were the keynote lecturers. They shared their ideas on decolonizing law and social order. Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen appreciates the space given him to “step back to reflect upon the praxis that we as judges and justices engage in”, with a paper, “Reflections on the Postcolonial Constructions of Legal Text: An Invitation to a more Heterodoxical Interpretation as a Challenge to the Hegemony in the Academe”. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. Leonen spoke of: lingering legal fictions subordinating groups of people in the way they have been made “caricatures”; legal education contributing to a trend of “disempowering pragmatism”’ and, colonial vestiges in the Philippine legal system, among others. Prof. Florentino Rodao of Universidad Complutense de Madrid takes the opportunity to invite scholars to an international Philippine Studies conference in Alicante, Spain in the next year, before presenting his study on “race of the Philippines”. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. Rodao traced how Spain’s view of race had shifted until Spanish settlers began using biological determinism in the 19th century to stake their role in society, consequently fueling nationalism among Filipinos and anticolonialism among the locally born Spanish. The conference, which is open to scholars from the country and abroad, is organized by the UP Department of History, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines. Top officials of the organizing agencies: the University of the Philippines; the National Historical Commission of the Philippines; and, the Spanish Embassy to the Philippines, together with the keynote speakers, faculty members of the UP Diliman Department of History, and guests from the Instituto Cervantes. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. The participants were welcomed by UP President Danilo Concepcion, who gave a message along with Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Moragas Sanchez, NHCP Chair Rene Escalante, and UP Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Dean Maria Bernadette Abrera. Concepcion made mention of the 17 years of the conference elevating the conference to the status of institution. UP President Danilo Concepcion speaks about Spain’s “systematized and unified” laws for its colonial dominion over its colonies, adding depth and breadth to the study of laws at present. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Moragas Sanchez mentions his personal connection to the Philippines and his friends calling him “El Filipino”. He stressed the importance of a balanced study of the effects of the Spanish rule of law. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy Dean Maria Bernadette Abrera speaks of the conference celebrating its own historical landmarks from its 17 years, and going beyond the “former caricatures and platitudes” in Philippine-Spanish relations. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. National Historical Commission of the Philippines Chair Rene Escalante highlights the importance of the theme–the arrival of the Spaniards being integral in the development and practice of law in the Philippines. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-president-danilo-concepcion-pays-tribute-to-dr-aileen-sp-baviera/ | UP President Danilo Concepcion pays tribute to Dr. Aileen SP Baviera – University of the Philippines | UP President Danilo Concepcion pays tribute to Dr. Aileen SP Baviera UP President Danilo Concepcion pays tribute to Dr. Aileen SP Baviera March 22, 2020 | Written by President Danilo L. Concepcion Dear members of the UP community: With heavy hearts, we bid farewell to a stalwart member of our community, UP political science professor and former dean of the UP Asian Center, Dr. Aileen SP Baviera. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to her bereaved family, friends and colleagues. Early in the morning of March 21, Dr. Baviera succumbed to severe pneumonia related to COVID-19, which she contracted during a recent trip to France. Upon her arrival in Manila on March 12, Dr. Baviera went straight to San Lazaro Hospital where she was immediately confined and where she remained under quarantine until her passing. As far as we know, Dr. Baviera is the first UP casualty of COVID-19. As one of our foremost experts in Philippine foreign policy, international relations, and Asian and China studies, Dr. Baviera was a well-known figure in national and international academic circles and in the Philippine media. She conducted policy research and worked with other experts in the country on the issues of Southeast Asian relations, Philippine relations with China, and national security matters. Her legacy lies not just in the many lessons and writings she has left behind, but in our citizenry’s awareness of our responsibility to seek to understand cultures beyond ours, to build cooperative ties with our fellow Asian countries, and above all, to continue upholding Philippine sovereignty. To quote from a 2019 essay by Dr. Baviera, which Rappler has recently reprinted: “If one has to take a side, one must take the side of the Filipino people. The Philippines will have only us Filipinos to defend our interests and to promote our welfare.” Paalam at salamat po, Dr. Aileen. Rest assured, we in UP will continue your work. Nakikiramay, Danilo L. Concepcion President University of the Philippines |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19s-impact-on-the-tourism-industry-in-upcoming-up-cifal-webinar/ | COVID-19’s impact on the tourism industry in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar – University of the Philippines | COVID-19’s impact on the tourism industry in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar COVID-19’s impact on the tourism industry in upcoming UP CIFAL webinar August 12, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions in the world’s airline, travel and tourism industries. Given that the tourism sector is a major source of employment, government revenue and foreign exchange earnings, these disruptions will cause a significant contraction in our country’s GDP and contribute to rising unemployment and the economic recession. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the UP Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders) Philippines, or UP-CIFAL Philippines, will tackle the challenges posed by COVID-19 to the tourism sector in its webinar, “The Future of Tourism in the Time of COVID-19”, to be held on Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. (Manila time). Co-organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in partnership with the UP Asian Institute of Tourism (UP AIT) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the webinar will explore possible solutions towards the responsible recovery of the industry and sustainability of tourism. It offers a venue by which stakeholders such as academics, government agencies, private institutions, and citizen groups could explore ways to address and strengthen the capacity to shift towards a more sustainable tourism. Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is guest speaker. Panelists are: Global Sustainable Tourism Council Chief Executive Officer Randy Durband; DoT Assistant Secretary Roberto P. Alabado III; UP AIT Assistant Professor Richard Philip Gonzalo; UN World Tourism Organization Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness Chief Sandra Carvao; and Philippine Farm Tourism Development Association President Josephine Costales. Dr. Ramon Benedicto Alampay, Associate Professor at the UP AIT, will serve as moderator. Register now at https://bit.ly/covid_tourism. |
https://up.edu.ph/gawad-plaridel-2019-awardee-bonifacio-ilagan-in-the-spirit-of-plaridel/ | Gawad Plaridel 2019 awardee Bonifacio Ilagan—in the spirit of Plaridel – University of the Philippines | Gawad Plaridel 2019 awardee Bonifacio Ilagan—in the spirit of Plaridel Gawad Plaridel 2019 awardee Bonifacio Ilagan—in the spirit of Plaridel November 26, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Gawad Plaridel 2019 awardee in the transmedia category Bonifacio P. Ilagan delivers his Plaridel Lecture at the UP Film Institute, UP Diliman, following his conferment of the award. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Multi-awarded screenwriter, filmmaker, playwright, writer and editor, Bonifacio Parabuac Ilagan, added a new entry to his long list of accomplishments when he was awarded the 2019 Gawad Plaridel award on November 20, 2019. After being presented the award, Ilagan also delivered the 2019 Plaridel lecture in a ceremony held at the UP Film Institute in Diliman. It was attended by University of the Philippines (UP) System, UP Diliman and UP College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) officials, students from the UP CMC and other UP units, fellow Gawad Plaridel awardees, and guests from media organizations and other universities. As the citation for his award stated, Ilagan was presented the Gawad Plaridel “for his socially-conscious works in theater, film and television, which have garnered recognition from the Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Honors for the Arts, Gawad Balagtas, the UP Creative Writing Center, Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, CCP Playwriting Contest, Palihang Aurelio V. Tolentino. Catholic Mass Media Awards, Film Academy of the Philippines, Star Awards, and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.” He was also cited for his passionate commitment to the promotion of a progressive social agenda through his works on various media platforms, for his brave leadership of activist organizations, and for his dedication to advancing art and media that are liberated and liberative for the last 50 years. Mr. Bonifacio P. Ilagan (3rd from left) receives the Gawad Plaridel trophy and citation from (from left) UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, UP College of Mass Communication Dean Arminda Santiago, and UP Professor Emeritus Nicanor Tiongson, who read out the citation during the awarding. Photos by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. The Gawad Plaridel is an annual award given by the UP System and the UP College of Mass Communication to outstanding media practitioners who have excelled in media (print, film, radio, television, and new media) and have performed with the highest level of professional integrity in the interest of public service. Mr. Ilagan was given the award in recognition of his lifetime achievement in the transmedia category, that is, as a Filipino media practitioner who has achieved excellence in at least two media platforms. He is the fifteenth recipient of the Gawad Plaridel and the second for the transmedia category, the first being Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, more popularly known as “Nora Aunor”, who was given the award in 2014. In the footsteps of The Propagandist A Martial Law survivor, lifelong activist and human rights advocate, Ilagan opened his Plaridel lecture by dedicating it to the memory of the Filipino heroes and martyrs who fought and died to defend democracy, freedom and human rights. “Ang Gawad Plaridel para sa akin ay isang hamon upang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang simulain,” he said. He observed that propaganda can be a tool wielded by both those seeking to stifle freedom and those fighting to protect it. He noted that national hero Marcelo H. Del Pilar, who was editor of the reformist paper, La Solidaridad, from 1889 to 1895 and who helped crystallize nationalist sentiments and ignite libertarian ideas through his writings, had been given the label “The Propagandist”. “Pero take note: ng kalayaan, hindi ng repression, ng liwanag, hindi ng dilim, ng demokrasya, hindi ng autokrasiya,” Ilagan added. The Gawad Plaridel is named after Del Pilar’s nom de plume, Plaridel. Mr. Boni Ilagan recounts his experiences as a transmedia practitioner, Martial Law survivor, and cultural activist fighting for human rights during his Plaridel Lecture. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Ilagan recounted his personal experience of the events of the so-called Second Propaganda Movement, the tumultuous period from the 1960s to the early 1970s that led to the First Quarter Storm, the Diliman Commune and the widespread activist movement against a fascist, increasingly authoritarian government. “The portal that opened to me in the arts and the media was theater, and it happened during the life-changing tempest of my youth,” Ilagan recalled. He entered UP in 1968 as a political science student at the UP College of Arts and Sciences, and joined Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero’s UP Mobile Theater. He then later joined the Student Cultural Association of UP. After the First Quarter Storm, he became the chairperson of the Diliman Kabataang Makabayan, and organized a cultural group that eventually became Panday-Sining, one of at least four Manila-based street theater troupes that performed plays which hailed workers, peasants and the proletarian rebellion. He left UP Diliman to join the underground resistance movement in 1971, a year before President Ferdinand Marcos signed Proclamation 1081 declaring martial law. Along with journalist Jose Ma. “Pete” Lacaba, a fellow Gawad Plaridel awardee for print, Ilagan was arrested in 1974, brought to Camp Crame and tortured. He was conditionally released from prison in 1976. He reenrolled in UP, and wrote his first play, the liturgical Pagsambang Bayan, which dramatized the wanton human rights violations of the Marcoses. Pagsambang Bayan was dedicated to the memory of his younger sister, Rizalina, an agriculture student in UP Los Baños, who was abducted in 1976 by a special military intelligence operative team along with nine other activists in Southern Tagalog.They later came to be known as the Southern Tagalog 10. Ilagan continued to deepen his theater collaboration and to write subversive propaganda following Pagsambang Bayan. He also worked as a reporter for the TV Times magazine and as executive editor of The Review Philippines magazine. He worked for the RPN 9 TV network as script writer for public affairs shows, documentaries, soap operas and specials. He also had a chance to be a director. Two earlier works he did for television were the docu-drama series on Filipino freedom fighters called Alab ng Lahi, and Bisperas ng Kasaysayan, a 13-episode fictional story on the revolt of the masses. He also ventured into film with multi-awarded director Joel Lamangan, and co-wrote The Flor Contemplacion Story with screenwriter Ricardo Lee, another fellow Gawad Plaridel Awardee for film. His other screenplays include Dukot, which focuses on extrajudicial killings and political abductions, and Sigwa, about the First Quarter Storm and Martial Law, which won him the FAMAS award for Best Story and Best Screenplay in 2011. “All through the years, I knew I had had to be a propagandist whose task was to seize opportunities when they came along in the pursuit of a commitment far beyond the personal,” Ilagan said. “The difficult task did not appear as daunting when one was bursting to communicate to people, to say what ought to be said precisely when it was prohibited to say so.” He stressed that there is a need for propagandists like him to continue speaking up today. “Tyranny has resurrected, proclaiming authority over the land. History is being turned upside down, because the evils of the past have returned. To claim that the arts and media should be separated from and be free of politics is to perpetuate the oppressive and the exploitative cycle inflicted by an elite against the people. It is to discourage critical thinking at the very least and to abet the stifling of freedoms.” He finished by declaring: “Never again to Martial Law!” UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan on Mr. Boni Ilagan: “He will continue to be our model for being a transmedia practitioner.” Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Commemorating the First Quarter Storm In his opening remarks, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan said that Ilagan’s first media platform “were the streets of Manila and of UP Diliman.” “We see him as the true transmedia practitioner through the years, exploring all these different platforms even as those platforms were developing. Boni will continue to be our model for being a transmedia practitioner.” Tan also added that the conferment of the Gawad Plaridel to “one of our greatest cultural activists” was timely, since UP Diliman will be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the First Quarter Storm from January to February n 2020. Tan also reaffirmed UP’s tradition of activism in all forms and in all media. “We call on the generations of activists who joined us here. Here we proclaim that activism is part of UP.” UP Vice President for Public Affairs and former UP CMC Dean Elena Pernia affirms full support of the UP System for the Gawad Plaridel awarde. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Delivering UP President Danilo L. Concepcion’s message, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia affirmed the full support of the UP Office of the President for the UP CMC in its annual search for exemplars whose professionalism has contributed invaluably to the growth of Philippine media. For her part, Pernia, a faculty member and former dean of the UP CMC, expressed her belief that the UP CMC should maintain its leadership in communication and media education. “The Gawad Plaridel is one way of raising the standards of communication and media performance. I personally have a stake in the continued prize of the UP CMC and in this Gawad Plaridel. I am happy to announce that the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs will adopt the Gawad Plaridel awards as one of its key projects, most possibly under its program on bringing UP closer to the people,” she said. UP CMC Dean Arminda Santiago reminds the audience that the 2019 Gawad Plaridel awardee serves as a role model not only for media professionals and students of Media Communication, but for citizens of our country. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Finally, UP CMC Dean Arminda V. Santiago reminded the audience of the role that Gawad Plaridel awardees play: “The Gawad Plaridel is an award that honors outstanding Filipino media professionals’ lifetime achievements, and we recognize their passion and the outcomes of this passion that contributes to the greater good. It promotes the value of being a socially responsible media professional who is critical and vigilant. Thus, the recipient of the 2019 GP serves as a role model, not only for media professionals, our students of Communication in Media, but the citizens of our country.” UP Broadcast Communication professor Jane Vinculado and UP Communication Research professor Jonalou Labor served as emcees for the awarding ceremony. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. The UP Concert Chorus, conducted by Prof. Jai Sabas-Aracama, performs a special number after Mr. Ilagan’s Plaridel Lecture. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Gawad Plaridel Awardee 2019 Bonifacio Ilagan (center) gets his photo taken with his grandson who is a UP Integrated School student and his long-time friend and fellow Gawad Plaridel awardee and Martial Law survivor Pete Lacaba, and UP and UP CMC officials and staff after the awarding ceremonies. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-resilience-institute-gets-own-home/ | UP Resilience Institute gets own home – University of the Philippines | UP Resilience Institute gets own home UP Resilience Institute gets own home October 1, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo A perspective of the UP Resilience Institute building (Image from the Office of the Vice President for Development) Three years after its establishment by the UP Board of Regents (BOR), the Resilience Institute at the University of the Philippines for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (UP Resilience Institute or UPRI) has finally broken ground for the construction of its own building on September 25. Replacing Villadolid Hall along Lakandula St. in UP Diliman, the P400-million structure is expected to be finished by 2021. It will be the tallest building on campus at ten stories. Top photo: Showing the materials to be placed inside the time capsule are, from left, UP President Danilo Concepcion, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda, and CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III. With them are UPRI Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay (far left) and UP Regent Angelo Jimenez (far right). Partially hidden at the back is Commissioner Noel Antonio Gaerlan of the Climate Change Commission. Bottom photo: The time capsule is lowered by UP President Danilo Concepcion (far left) and Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda beside him. They are joined by, from left, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, and UP Diliman Archaeological Studies Program Director Mary Grace Barretto-Tesoro. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) It will bring under one roof UPRI’s core component, the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, and the Institute’s other programs: Research and Creative Work, Knowledge Sharing, Education, and Institution Building—all of which are currently scattered across locations within and outside UP Diliman. The UPRI building will also house the Archaeological Studies Program. UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan hopes the UPRI will also do research on disasters other than those caused by the weather but which also result in “walang pasok” (class and/or office suspension). He also revealed that the campus will start a ban on single-use plastics soon. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UPRI Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay expresses his gratitude to key government and UP officials on behalf of the Institute. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) DPWH Secretary Mark Villar emphasizes the importance of knowledge and research on disaster resilience in the face of climate change. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The NOAH Center was formerly Project NOAH of the Department of Science and Technology. It was adopted by the University and re-established as the NOAH Center in March 2017 through EO PDLC 17-03 issued by UP President Danilo Concepcion, when the project’s operations were concluded the previous month. In June 2017, UPRI was re-launched with the NOAH Center as its core program. Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda says resilience studies are based on science and naturally reside in the sanctuary of the academe. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP President Danilo Concepcion vows no large trees will be cut in the course of infrastructure development in UP campuses. Smaller trees will be saved and transferred to other locations where they will be allowed to grow. Earlier, Concepcion read the message of former Senator and now House Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda, where she pledged her continued support for similar initiatives—whether in legislation or other means. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The UP BOR approved the Institute’s functions and programs as follows: Research and Creative Work: undertake policy research, action research, and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary research or creative work aimed at producing and applying new knowledge, knowledge solution, or knowhow on reducing and managing natural disaster-risks in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim region with utmost consideration of local cultural and social factors; Knowledge Sharing: disseminate research findings, creative works and innovations in academic forums, professional conferences, communities of practice, and industrial conventions, to regional, national and local public authorities who are mandated to improve the resilience to natural hazards, to the private sector, to the mass media and social media, and to the general public; Education: establish non-degree educational programs and support degree programs within the UP System as a comprehensive network center and hub for the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary theme of disaster risk reduction and management or disaster risk management, including intercultural understanding across the nation and the region; and Institution Building: improve the capability of the UP System as an agent of change to formulate and implement advanced academic programs or courses and undertake leading researches or creative works on disaster resilience in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim region, and undertake appropriate training events in support of disaster risk reduction and management initiatives and institutions of the university, local, national, and regional stakeholders. Signing the materials for the time capsule are, clockwise from top left, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda, and CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by government officials such as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, Commission on Higher Education Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, Albay Second District Representative and House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jose Maria Salceda, Commissioner Noel Antonio Gaerlan of the Climate Change Commission, and Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, among others. DPWH, through the Quezon City Second District Engineering Office, is implementing the construction project. Before the groundbreaking ceremony begins: from left, Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda, UP President Danilo Concepcion, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, and CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP and government officials pose for a group photo after the event. From left, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, UPRI Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay, Albay Second District Representative Jose Maria Salceda, UP President Danilo Concepcion, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, Commissioner Noel Antonio Gaerlan of the Climate Change Commission, and UP Diliman Archaeological Studies Program Director Mary Grace Barretto-Tesoro. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-ombudsman-ched-eye-anti-corruption-programs-for-youth-sector/ | UP, Ombudsman, CHED eye anti-corruption programs for youth sector – University of the Philippines | UP, Ombudsman, CHED eye anti-corruption programs for youth sector UP, Ombudsman, CHED eye anti-corruption programs for youth sector October 3, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc CHED Chair J. Prospero de Vera III, UP President Danilo Concepcion, and Ombudsman Samuel Martires sign a memorandum of understanding for programs against corruption. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. The University of the Philippines (UP), the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on September 26, 2019 at the UP Board of Regents Room, Diliman, Quezon City, committing themselves to create anti-corruption programs, especially for the youth sector. On top of the list of projects are: television programs including teleseryes; new media and other video productions; information and General Education materials on ethics and accountability; and, an elective course, “Ethics and Accountability in the Public Service”. CHED Chair J. Prospero de Vera III, UP President Danilo Concepcion, and Ombudsman Samuel Martires present signed copies of the memorandum of understanding. With them are: UP Vice President Elena Pernia, Professor Emeritus Grace Javier Alfonso, Regent Frederick Mikhail Farolan, CHED Commissioner Ronald Adamat, Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval, UP Faculty Regent Ramon Guillermo, UP Student Regent John Isaac Punzalan, UP Regent Francis Laurel, and UP Staff Regent Mylah Pedrano (hidden). Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. The MOU was signed by UP President Danilo Concepcion, CHED Chair J. Prospero de Vera III, and Ombudsman Samuel Martires. Also present were: Acting Overall Deputy Ombudsman Edilberto Sandoval; CHED Commissioner Ronald Adamat; and UP officials. “CHED welcomes and commends this worthy initiative of Ombudsman [Samuel] Martires to target young people and build the foundation of an ethical and moral future for the country,” CHED Chair de Vera III said. “We commit the full support of the Commission and will mobilize the close to 2,000 public and private universities starting today,” he added. CHED Chair Prospero de Vera III talks about academic initiatives to be undertaken by the Commission under the MOU. Listening are UP President Danilo Concepcion and Ombudsman Samuel Martires. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. CHED will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with TVUP for the production of video materials consistent with the MOU, de Vera III announced. “Dito [sa UP] ay hinuhubog ang isip ng mga estudyante upang sila ay magkaroon ng malalim na pagmamahal sa bayan. Ito pong ating gagawin ngayong hapon ay isang gawain para sa ating pagmamahal sa bayan [Here we shape the minds of students toward a profound love of country. Our activity this afternoon is a means for our love of country],” Concepcion said. “Kinakailangan po ang ating bayan ay pamunuan ng mga taong may pagmamahal sa bayan [Our country needs to be led by people who have love of country].” UP President Danilo Concepcion welcomes representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Higher Education. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. “Hindi natin masusugpo ang katiwalian kung tayo ay magkukulong lamang [We cannot eradicate corruption if we simply put people behind bars],” he added. “Kinakailangan nating baguhin ang pag-iisip ng lipunan [We need to change the way society thinks]. Mass media is very powerful in changing outlooks, mindsets,” Concepcion said during the press conference after the MOU signing, relating his observation of teleseryes being very influential among the youth. Ombudsman Samuel Martires expresses his thanks to the CHED and UP for their enthusiasm in signing up to the Ombudsman initiative. Listening are UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Master of Ceremony Jose Wendell Capili, CHED Chair Prospero de Vera III, and UP President Danilo Concepcion. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/new-up-regent-takes-oath/ | New UP Regent takes oath – University of the Philippines | New UP Regent takes oath New UP Regent takes oath March 3, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Regent Maria Arlissa Aguiluz on the Quezon Hall bridgeway. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Dr. Maria Arlissa Aguiluz, a professor of Prosthodontics, took her oath of office as UP Regent before President Rodrigo Duterte on February 6, 2020 in Malacañang. Appointed by the Palace for a term of two years, Regent Aguiluz replaced lawyer Frederick Mikhail “Spocky” Farolan, who served as UP Regent since November 11, 2016. Aguiluz was Student Council chair and a graduate of the UP Manila College of Dentistry (UPCD); and was in the top 5 in the licensure board exam results for Dentistry. A former head of the Prosthodontics Section, she recently chaired the Department of Basic Health Sciences, Ethics Review Board, and Committee on Revitalized General Education Program, all of UPCD. She is currently Assistant Professor 7 at the UP Manila Department of Clinical Health Sciences, and taking up Master of Science in Bioethics in UP Manila and UP Diliman. In 2015, she received a Service Award for 20 years of continuous service to UP Manila. She is a member and former executive director of the Philippine Dental Association. She is also a member and former president of the Kapisanan ng mga Dentista sa Bulakan. Aguiluz has authored several published works, and has been a training coordinator and a resource speaker on Dentistry, Prosthodontics, and Dental Jurisprudence. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-elect-new-faculty-regent-in-december/ | UP to elect new faculty regent in December – University of the Philippines | UP to elect new faculty regent in December UP to elect new faculty regent in December November 18, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The University of the Philippines will elect a new faculty regent in December 2020, according to the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA). In the running for the position are Professors Aimee Lynn B. Dupo of the Institute of Biological Sciences and Virgilio P. Sison of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics, both of UP Los Baños. Of the initial top five nominees for faculty regent who made it through the nomination round, Prof. Dupo and Prof. Sison are the ones who accepted the nomination. The chancellors of the UP constituent universities (CUs) have been tasked to disseminate the candidates’ curriculum vitae and plans of action, while the CU decides on the dates and time of elections within the time period to be set by the OVPAA. [View: Prof. Dupo’s curriculum vitae and plan of action; Prof. Sison’s curriculum vitae and plan of action] The election period was earlier set from November 16 to 21, 2020 but postponed to December 2020 following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses. “We will announce in a separate memo the new schedule for the election in the CUs, in consultation with the Academic Affairs Committee,” Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista stated in a memo yesterday, November 16, 2020. In the wake of COVID-19, an electronic system called the Faculty Regent Election Voting System of FREVS will be implemented in cooperation with the Information Technology Development Center. Those in the list of eligible voters will be able to vote on the online platform at frevs.up.edu.ph through their up.edu.ph mail accounts. The faculty regent is one of four sectoral representative regents in the Board of Regents (BOR), the highest governing body of the University, consisting of 11 regents including the chair, who is the Commission on Higher Education chair, and the co-chair, who is the president of the University. The faculty and staff regents are nominated and elected by their respective sectors for two-year terms, the student regent for a one-year term; while the president of the UP Alumni Association sits as the alumni regent. Prof. Ramon Guillermo of the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature of the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters is the incumbent faculty regent. The other members are the chairs of the higher education committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and three distinguished members of the professions appointed by Malacañang. |
https://up.edu.ph/uplb-biology-professor-aimee-lynn-barrion-dupo-is-new-up-faculty-regent/ | UPLB biology professor Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo is new UP Faculty Regent – University of the Philippines | UPLB biology professor Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo is new UP Faculty Regent UPLB biology professor Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo is new UP Faculty Regent January 13, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Dr. Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo of the UP Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences is the new Faculty Regent for 2021-2022, as proclaimed by the UP Board of Regents. Dr. Barrion-Dupo garnered the most number of votes in the electronic election for Faculty Regent held across all the UP constituent units and certified by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Her two-year term as Regent begins on January 1, 2021 and ends on December 31, 2022. She succeeds Dr. Ramon Guillermo of UP Diliman. |
https://up.edu.ph/creating-a-nurturing-and-healthy-diliman-through-psycserv/ | Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ – University of the Philippines | Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ November 13, 2018 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion For many freshmen, the privilege of being a UP student is an incomparable experience. Every year, thousands of hopefuls make a pilgrimage to their campuses of choice in the hope of eventually donning the iconic maroon-and-green. And for those who manage to get through, the promise of a new life is cause enough for optimism and celebration. As with all great things, however, there is a another side to this charge. Just ask Dr. Violeta Bautista, head of UP Diliman’s (UPD) Clinical Psychology program. More than most, she has gotten to know first-hand the hidden fears and doubts that beset even the best UP applicants. Dr. Violeta Bautista of the UP Department of Psychology. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Years ago, while working as a consultant for the UP Health Service, Bautista and her colleagues noticed that a number of their interviewees hinted at looming psychological problems. When the institution revised its interview schedule and questionnaire to include items measuring the risk of students’ vulnerability to psychosocial issues, their fears were substantiated. A good number of the applicants were evaluated as being at an elevated risk. For these individuals, getting medically cleared for enrollment required seeing a qualified mental health professional. With the help of her interns, Bautista worked hard to meet this need, while also acting as the head of UP Diliman’s Office of Counseling and Guidance (OCG). It was during this stint that she was approached by UPD Chancellor Michael Tan with the mission to create an office completely devoted to giving psychosocial support and psychotherapy. He asked, “Bolet, is it OK with you to help in establishing a new office?” The Chancellor himself had been hearing accounts of complicated mental health problems sometimes even manifesting as psychiatric conditions. “And of course that is beyond the realm of guidance and counseling,” Bautista said. With that mandate, the UPD Psychosocial Services (PsycServ) was born, beginning small-scale operations in September 2017. Firm foundations While PsycServ is a project formed to address contemporary needs, the seeds of expertise that power it were put into place years ago. When Typhoons Ondoy and Yolanda struck the country in 2009 and 2013, members of the Department of Psychology trained field workers to provide psychological first aid, while counseling and giving therapy to the traumatized. They were also part of moves to establish a CSSP Wellness Center, which would allow the team members to exercise a more direct community service role. Soon after, however, the team, which also include Dr. Anna Cristina Tuazon and Dr. Divine Love Salvador as clinical advisers, were receiving requests of a different sort. Students were being referred to them who had nowhere else to go. Many were suffering from anxiety and depression. Something needed to be done. Dr. Bautista and Psycserv work hard to make Diliman a safe and nurturing campus. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) To address this, PsycServ currently offers an impressive roster of services to all members of the UP community. The most central of these is a free set of eight therapy sessions for clients with psychiatric conditions or so-called ‘complex problems of living’—cases that are not necessarily psychiatric in nature yet, but might require professional assistance. These problems might include anything from work and relationship stress to more serious, chronic conditions. PsycServ personnel are also trained in crisis management, which could be required in cases, for instance, of community members threatening to harm others or themselves. Finally, in the unfortunate event of a suicide, PsycServ personnel also deliver postvention to support the bereaved. “There are those cases that never reach us,” Bautista said. “So we provide postvention services so they don’t suffer the consequences of knowing what happened.” “Some feel guilty about not being able to do anything about what happened,” she said. “Or feeling that if that could happen to someone and he or she was so accomplished, what more me?” Even those who witnessed a failed suicide or who are bearing the stress of supporting a friend with problems might need professional help to process these events. All of these services are offered to members of the UP Diliman community, be they student, faculty or staff member. A growing demand While waiting for their official launch as an office, the committed personnel behind PsycServ operate on a shoestring budget. Everyday operations are conducted by what Bautista dubbed their ‘Psychological Support Specialists’ (PSS), a team of eight part-time personnel with Clinical training. Of these, four have earned their licenses, while the others practice under supervision. Even with this dedicated eight-person core, the demand can be overwhelming. “So far we have taken care of around 450 students,” Bautista said. “And around 35% of them have suicidal ideations.” She noted with relief how lucky she was that her PSS people are as hardworking as they are, especially since some cases have them going far beyond their part-time hours. “Because when you have clients who threaten harm, they call you even on weekends. And the PSS goes to them, talks to them, papakalmahin. Because that is a high-risk situation. We take them to the UP Health Service, because that’s a safe place to be in. You have nurses and security guards to watch over you 24/7.” Despite psychological and psychiatric problems lately being more visible, especially with the passage of the Mental Health Act, Bautista believes that the other side of the equation is just as important. As much as those with problems might need help, efforts must also be made to keep the healthy ones healthy. A sneak peek into PsycServ’s counselling room at Lagmay Hall. (Photo by Jun Madrid UP MPRO) “We only have statistics of those who come here, but based on data by the DOH, we have maybe 15-20% of our population with psychiatric conditions. Malaki iyon! The low estimate is 7-10% but that’s still considerable.” Translating that into the Diliman population, a tentative assumption leaves us with around 80-85% of students who are relatively OK. “The challenge is to keep them well, so we need evidence-based, psychologically informed wellness programs.” Recently, PsycServ launched a group mindfulness workshop, which could help those with and without psychological problems to face life’s challenges with a better toolkit. They have also been quietly holding workshops with faculty and officials from UPD’s different colleges on how to become a ‘lifeline’. These session teach those who are most in contact with students how to provide psychological first aid, respond to crisis situations, identify those who might need help, and make the proper referrals. All of these efforts converge with what Bautista sees as a welcome growth in national awareness about mental health. In addition to the Mental Health Act, she cites the recently held Summit on Transforming UP into a Nurturing and Healthy University last April 2018 as a sign that the mental health conversation in universities is taking a needed step forward. “That’s why your puso at isip theme is so consistent with what UP wants and what PsycServ wants. And that is to not only nurture the intellect and competencies of our students, but to support the processes that turn them into whole persons”. PsycServ is located at Room 209B in UP Diliman’s Lagmay Hall. You may also reach them via telephone number 981-8500, loc. 2496, or mobile number 0916-757-3157. |
https://up.edu.ph/seven-up-researchers-named-among-2020-outstanding-young-scientists/ | Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists – University of the Philippines | Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists June 18, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Of the 12 scientists and researchers who were given the 2020 Outstanding Young Scientist Awards (OYS) by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), seven are from the University of the Philippines. The OYS Awards are given annually by NAST to young Filipino scientists under 41 years old who have made significant contributions to science and technology. According to the NAST website, a total of 12 OYS Awards are available annually, split among the following divisions: Biological Sciences; Chemical, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Engineering Sciences and Technology; Health Sciences; and Social Sciences. NAST is the country’s highest recognition and scientific advisory body for science and technology. The seven new Outstanding Young Scientists from UP are: Dr. Jaime Alfonso M. Aherrera (UP Manila); Dr. Aries A. Arugay (UP Diliman); Dr. Marlon T. Conato (UP Diliman); Dr. Remil L. Galay (UP Los Baños); Dr. Francis Norman C. Paraan (UP Diliman); Dr. Betchaida D. Payot (UP Diliman); and, Dr. Rodney H. Perez (UP Los Baños). They were chosen based on: the quality and number of scientific works and publications; contributions to the advancement of science in general and in the Philippines; and, contributions to the well-being of the Philippine economy and culture. Dr. Jaime Alfonso M. Aherrera (UP Manila) Aherrera is a researcher and a physician who specializes in interventional cardiology, adult cardiology and internal medicine. He completed his training at the UP Philippine General Hospital. Dr. Aries A. Arugay (UP Diliman) Arugay’s research interests focus on political polarization, regional civil society, performative populism and regime instability in democratic regimes. He is a professor at the UP Diliman Department of Political Science and a fellow of the Strategic Studies Program of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies. Dr. Marlon T. Conato (UP Diliman) Conato is an associate professor at the UP Diliman Institute of Chemistry. He specializes in solid state chemistry, inorganic chemistry and material science. His publications center on metal-organic frameworks, zeolites, microporous crystals, polymer nanocomposites and inorganic catalysts. Dr. Remil L. Galay (UP Los Baños) Galay, an associate professor at the UP Los Baños College of Veterinary Medicine, currently works on ticks and tick-borne diseases. His work has led to discoveries on animal parasitic diseases, a significant contribution to his area of research. Dr. Francis Norman C. Paraan (UP Diliman) Paraan, an associate professor at the UP Diliman National Institute of Physics, carries out research in areas such as entanglement, parallel computing and stochastic processes. He has made valuable editorial contributions to the fields of computational and theoretical physics. Dr. Betchaida D. Payot (UP Diliman) Payot is an associate professor at UP Diliman National Institute of Geological Sciences. She is known for her research in igneous petrology and geochemistry. Dr. Rodney H. Perez (UP Los Baños) Perez studies peptides, antimicrobials, protein purification and food biotechnology. He is a university researcher at the UP Los Baños National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the chief editor of the Journal of Science and Technology. Galay, Paraan, and Payot are recipients of the Balik PhD grant implemented by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Original article from the website of the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. |
https://up.edu.ph/from-genotype-shift-to-hiv-epidemic/ | From genotype shift to HIV epidemic – University of the Philippines | From genotype shift to HIV epidemic From genotype shift to HIV epidemic April 6, 2018 | Written by Fred Dabu Reports indicate that HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infections in the Philippines have reached epidemic proportions. Source: Department of Health (2018). HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines: January 2018. Department of Health, Epidemiology Bureau, Manila, Philippines. Available at: http://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/publication/Philippines_HIV_January_AIDSreg2018.pdf [Accessed April 6, 2018]. The HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) revealed that 1,021 new HIV-infected individuals were reported in January 2018, of which 17% of the newly diagnosed already showed signs of advanced HIV infection. With patients’ ages ranging from 3 to 61 years old, more than half of the newly tested were 25 to 34 years old, and 29 percent were 15 to 24 years old. Source: Department of Health (2018). HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines: January 2018. Department of Health, Epidemiology Bureau, Manila, Philippines. Available at: http://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/publication/Philippines_HIV_January_AIDSreg2018.pdf [Accessed April 6, 2018]. According to the same report, “About one-third (327 individuals) was from the National Capital Region. 87% (885 individuals) of newly diagnosed infections was among males who have sex with males. Other modes of transmission were needle sharing among injecting drug users (18 individuals) and mother-to-child transmission (two individuals).” Dealing with the HIV epidemic Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvaña, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), University of the Philippines Manila, said that although the prevalence of HIV infections has gone down by 25 percent in most parts of the world, HIV in the Philippines has gone up by more than 25 percent in the last ten years. TED Fellow Dr. Edsel Salvaña describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that’s currently plaguing his home of the Philippines—and warns us about what might become a global epidemic. “It is now the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the world,” Salvaña said during the scientific conference hosted by the NIH at the Bayanihan Center, Pasig City on March 14. He explained that the majority of infections from 2006 to present was locally transmitted, and that the epidemic is attributed to a shift in HIV genotype, “from subtype B to what looks like a more aggressive subtype CRFo1_AE (AE, for short), which is not a new subtype, but is more common in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.” This genotype shift was discovered through research at the NIH. “It’s now a local epidemic, and the trajectory is quite alarming. In 2000, we only had one new case every three days. In 2007, only one case a day. In 2009, we had two new cases a day. Now, we have 31 cases a day,” Salvaña said. There have been 10,111 reported cases from January to November 2017, or more than 50,000 since 1984 when the first case of HIV in the Philippines was reported. According to Salvaña, there has been “a 30-fold increase in the past decade. Nearly 85 percent of those cases were newly diagnosed in the last five years. If we compare the new cases from 2001-2015, the number of cases worldwide has gone down by 32 percent, but in the Philippines, it has gone up by 4,800 percent, to the point that we now have the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the world, in terms of percentage.” The subtype AE is more aggressive and more transmissible, as illustrated by Salvaña. “This is partially responsible for the explosion of cases in the Philippines. Before the year 2000, about 71 percent were subtype B (the subtype that is more common in the US and Europe), and now it’s 75 percent subtype AE and about 22 percent subtype B. The most common subtype in the world is C, which represents about 50 percent of cases in the world, and most of that is in Africa. Whereas subtype B, the most studied subtype, only represents about 12 percent of the world’s HIV population,” he said. Salvaña further said that an explosive epidemic in the Philippines because of a genotype shift could have global implications. He added that subtype AE infections were also emerging in other countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia, and that the problem might become more complicated due to drug resistance. NIH’s role vs. HIV Dr. Salvaña said the NIH provides important scientific evidence for policy and helps us understand, “and potentially defeat the HIV epidemic.” He added that “NIH is currently doing research on the molecular epidemiology and emergence of drug-resistant HIV. We have collaborated with the Department of Health (DOH) in determining rates of drug resistance to antiretrovirals.” “Research geared towards supporting policy has always been the guiding principle for our HIV work in NIH. We looked at prevalence of HIV in special populations and described the changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines, leading us to discover that the shift in HIV genotype is a major factor in the current epidemic. In addition, we were the first to do a systematic study on the emergence of drug resistance on treatment, and we are currently doing work on transmission of HIV drug resistance which is essential to long-term planning for HIV control and elimination efforts,” Salvaña reiterated. The research efforts of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology focus on the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of the top causes of sickness and death in the country. The NIH offers a variety of cutting-edge services, among them HIV drug resistance testing, genotyping, and research on other disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Get tested, get proper treatment “This is no longer something to be scared of,” Salvaña said, as he encouraged people to get tested for HIV. He said earlier diagnosis means better response to medication, and longer life. Antiretroviral Therapy increases the survival rate in HIV patients. “With treatment, you can live a long and full life. After an unprecedented global effort in research and aid, effective medication was discovered. Turning point came with the discovery of protease inhibitors, and the use of HAART, or High Active Antiretroviral Therapy). Our HAART is a combination of three drugs. The people who use it don’t die of HIV. Most of the data generated on the effect of Antiretroviral Therapy is abroad, but we do have local data here at the NIH. If you are diagnosed with full-blown AIDS, you are six times more likely to die. So you really want to get diagnosed early,” Salvaña said. “Being on treatment reduces risk of transmission by 96 %. New data suggests that if your viral load is suppressed, which we expect after six months of taking your treatment, your risk of transmitting HIV is zero. Undetectable equals untransmissible. Treatment restores your health for you to be able to do the things you used to do. You do not put your loved ones at further risk,” concluded Dr. Salvaña. Learn more about HIV here: HIV (NIH Forum December 2013) http://nih.upm.edu.ph/health/hiv-nih-forum-december-2013 TVUP | University of the Philippines’ Internet TV Network – KALUSUGAN AY KARAPATAN Episode 4: HIV/AIDS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9hLURKXfkw The changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines http://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(17)30154-6/fulltext IDWeek presenter highlights global implications of HIV treatment resistance in Philippines http://sciencespeaksblog.org/2017/10/10/idweek-presenter-highlights-global-implications-of-hiv-treatment-resistance-in-philippines/ HIV Transmitted Drug Resistance in the Philippines: The Case for Baseline Genotyping and Drug Resistance Testing (poster) https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2017/webprogram/Paper65222.html High Tenofovir Failure Rates in an Emerging, Non-B Subtype HIV Epidemic (poster) https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2017/webprogram/Paper64286.html TED Fellow Edsel Salvana describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that’s currently plaguing his home country, the Philippines — and warns us about what might become a global epidemic. https://www.ted.com/talks/edsel_salvana_the_dangerous_evolution_of_hiv Facebook page maintained by the National HIV/AIDS & STI Surveillance and Strategic Information Unit of the Philippines https://www.facebook.com/hivepicenter World Health Organization – HIV/AIDS Department http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/en/ WHO: “Treat all” to end AIDS http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/news/arv-2016-launch/en/ |
https://up.edu.ph/upso-celebrates-independence-day-upmbts-championship-with-1st-live-concert-in-2-years/ | UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years – University of the Philippines | UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years June 3, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office On June 12, 6:30 pm, at the Amphitheater in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), together with the Office of the UP President, will hold its first face-to-face concert in over two years. Titled “BAGONG MUNDO: MGA BAYANI AT KAMPEON,” the live concert will acknowledge the “new world” we see as we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and look back at the heroes that we lost along the way. The concert will also commemorate the Philippine Independence Day and celebrate the UP Men’s Basketball historic championship win in Season 84 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) tournaments. The UPSO concert will feature the Philippines’ premier soprano, Lara Maigue, and tenor, Ervin Lumauag—both graduates of the UP College of Music—and special appearances by the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the UP Singing Ambassadors. Photos from the UPSO. The UPSO concert will feature soprano Lara Maigue, and tenor Ervin Lumauag, both UP College of Music graduates. It will include special appearances of the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers, known affectionately as The Madz, and the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA). Works to be performed include the finale of Antonin Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony, Lucio San Pedro’s Lahing Kayumanggi, Leopoldo Silos’s Lagi Kitang Naaalala, Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, and much more. The concert is free and open to the public, with limited seating. Audience members are required to wear their face masks and observe social distancing. Vaccine cards may be checked. After two years of the pandemic, we are all emerging from our isolated quarantines to a new world with new rules and standards of etiquette, but always with the same utak, puso, at diwa that has always defined the University of the Philippines. Join us in celebrating the promise and possibilities of the “next normal” with the music of the UPSO. |
https://up.edu.ph/araw-ng-mga-puso-kasama-ang-upsa-at-upso-%e2%99%a5/ | Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ – University of the Philippines | Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ February 3, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The month of love has arrived, and what better way to celebrate it than with music? This February 14, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) and the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) collaborate in “Puso,” a Valentine’s Day concert that reminds us that not only is love tender, but it is also strong and brave. The concert will open with the boisterous drinking song Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici (Brindisi) from “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi before quickly relaxing into the lyrical, more solemn Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” of Pietro Mascagni. A happy, playful folk song Katakataka will pick up the mood before once again quieting down into a series of tender, well-loved love songs: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s If I Loved You from “Carousel,” Hymne à l’amour by Marguerite Monnot, and I Believe (Quodlibet with Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Stillman, with orchestration by Josefino Chino Toledo. Sergei Prokofiev will come next to give a jolt of surprise and energy with scenes from his ballet Romeo and Juliet. The final number, Balikbayan da Box, will be a medley of iconic 90’s Filipino pop songs that considers a backward scenario: what if we are the ones sending boxes to our loved ones abroad? What could we put inside to remind them of the sounds and feelings of home? Joining the UPSO in concert is the world-renowned choral group, the UP Singing Ambassadors. The UPSA has gone a long way from its humble beginnings in 1980. It earned eight Grand Prizes, 36 First Prizes, and other awards for the country and the University in 20 international choral competitions in Italy, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Wales, and Switzerland. They have showcased Filipino culture through songs, customs, indigenous weaves, and dances in several goodwill performances in Europe, Asia, Australia, UAE, Africa, and the USA. The UP Symphony Orchestra. Photo from UPSO. UPSA accepts students and new graduates from different colleges in the University. It is also engaged in socio-civic activities for the less privileged, the elderly, the sick, and disaster victims, who constantly receive its musical generosity. Dr. Ed Lumbera Manguiat is UPSA’s award-winning founder and musical director. The UP Singing Ambassadors. Photo from UPSA. Catch the premiere of “Puso” on February 14, 7 pm on the UP Symphony Orchestra’s Facebook Page and YouTube channel. The concert will be available for viewing until February 23, 2022. |
https://up.edu.ph/singkaban-at-balanghai-pasasalamat-at-pagsalubong-an-upso-concert-in-honor-of-two-up-presidents/ | Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents – University of the Philippines | Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents February 7, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office In gratitude to outgoing University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion and to welcome incoming UP President Angelo “Jijil” A. Jimenez, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong, Musikang Alay ng Orkestra ng Bayan.” The concert title is inspired by the design of UP College of Fine Arts Professor Toym Imao. The singkaban and balanghai are visual metaphors for a portal that welcomes and sends off our UP community leaders. Singkaban is a bamboo arch installation folk-art tradition from President Concepcion’s home province. At the same time, the balanghai is an ancient sea vessel associated with Butuan, the hometown of incoming President Jimenez. The UPSO at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), Kaohsiung, Tawan. Photo from the UPSO. The concert program features a repertoire similarly crafted in part by both presidents. It will include Vincenzo Bellini’s Casta Diva, Giacomo Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, Pietro Mascagni’s Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, and The Swan from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. The orchestra will also perform Bernard Green’s Overture on Philippine Folk Songs, Chino Toledo’s arrangements of Mga Kantang Bisaya, Rosas Pandan, and Cebuano Love Songs, as well as Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate. For the occasion, the orchestra will be joined by soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano Anya Evangelista, and tenor Malvin Macasaet. Guest performers, from left to right: Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano; Anya Evangelista, soprano; and Malvin Macasaet, tenor. Photos from the UPSO. Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra for the university. They maintain a roster of 65 members exclusively from the alumni, students, faculty, and staff of all UP campuses. They have been under the direction of Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo since their inception in August 2018. UPSO recently completed a small campus tour with performances in UP Baguio, Diliman, and Mindanao in December of 2022. They are also fresh from their successful first international performance held at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at the beginning of this year. |
https://up.edu.ph/reconnection-an-online-blended-performance/ | (Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance – University of the Philippines | (Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance (Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance October 13, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Watch “(Re)Connection”, an online blended performance featuring the works of Brahms, Beethoven, Barber, Chaminade, and more, on October 16 at 7:00 PM (Manila time). The online concert will be streamed on the Abelardo Hall Concert Series Facebook page and YouTube channel. Admission is free, but donations will be greatly appreciated. Funds raised will be for the benefit of the UP College of Music students in their remote learning requirements. Donations can be made via: PayPal: upmusicalumni@gmail.com Bank of the Philippine Islands: Acct. Name: (BPI) C/A 3081-1197- 07 Gcash: UPCMAA Inc +63966-762-0832 For inquiries, please email upmusicalumni@gmail.com. Register at bit.ly/upsoreconnection. |
https://up.edu.ph/concert-and-installation-commemorate-fqs/ | Concert and installation commemorate FQS – University of the Philippines | Concert and installation commemorate FQS Concert and installation commemorate FQS February 12, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc A symbolic theatrical performance. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Performances of the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), University choral groups, and several militant artists on a set-up dominated by an art installation brought the spirit of the First Quarter Storm (FQS) to life on February 7, 2020 on the historic AS Steps of UP Diliman’s Palma Hall. The event, “FQS: Konsyertong Bayan sa Ika-50 Taon”, was written by Bonifacio Ilagan and directed by Chris Millado, with musical direction by UPSO Conductor Josefino Chino Toledo. It featured an art installation of Toym Imao, called “Nagbabadyang Unos”, inspired by the barricades of the UP Diliman Commune of 1971, and upon which flowers were offered for dead activists by University officials and National Artists from UP. The UP Symphony Orchestra and University choral groups, during a rainy evening performance. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Toym Imao’s “Nagbabadyang Unos” at the lobby of Palma Hall, UP Diliman. Photo by Jun Madrid A crowd composed of FQS and Diliman Commune veterans, University constituents, and the general public converged for the evening concert, shielding themselves from the rain with jackets and umbrellas, but staying glued to their seats and places for the entirety of the show. The numbers were linked together by spiels by Bonifacio Ilagan and atmospheric soundscape from the FQS recreated by Teresa Barrozo, beginning and ending with orchestral variations and community singing of “UP Naming Mahal”. Musikang Bayan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UPSO Conductor Josefino Chino Toledo, with performer Rody Vera and student actors waving banners to the audience. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO A section of the choir. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The featured songs were “Baligtad na ang Mundo”, “Di Pangkaraniwan”, and “Anak ng Bayan”, all performed by the band, Musikang Bayan. These were followed by “Awit ni Bobby”, “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa”, “Jocelynang Baliuag”, “Tagpi-tagping Kundimang Hibik ng Bayan”, “Sulong Gerilyero”, “The Internationale”, “Kalatas ng Manggagawa” (excerpt), an FQS medley, “Alamat ng Lahi”, “Bella Ciao”, and a “Bayan Kong Hirang” medley. These were performed by the vocal groups AUIT Vocal Chamber Ensemble, the UP Singing Ambassadors, the UP Staff Chorale, and the UP Cherubim and Seraphim; and vocal soloists Greg de Leon, Becky Demetillo, Stefanie Quintin-Avila, Malvin Macasaet, Upeng Fernandez, Rody Vera, and Michelle Mariposa. In the “eye” of “Nagbabadyang Unos”. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Sculpture below the eye of “Nagbabadyang Unos”. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Dance and theatrical performances were rendered by selected students from the UP Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts; Sarah Samaniego, Leong Sil Rose Panuelos, and Louise Grace Nightingale Meneses of the UP Dance Co.; Panday Sining, Alay Sining, and the UP Repertory Company. Lester Demetilo and Dodgie Fernandez provided guitar accompaniment, and Janine Samaniego of the UPSO played “The Internationale” on the violin. Joel Lamangan and Monique Wilson recited the names of the FQS heroes and martyrs, while the UPSO played Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”. Bonifacio Ilagan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Rody Vera, accompanied by the UP Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Upeng Fernandez and Dodgie Fernandez, leading the crowd in a marching song. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Messages were delivered by UP President Danilo Concepcion, outgoing UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan and incoming Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo near the end of the program. “Gaya nang naganap limang dekada na ang nakaraan, hinaharap din ng ating administrasyon ang mga hamon ng panahon sa pamamagitan ng pagtatatag ng mga institusyon at polisiyang sisigurong walang makalilimot sa ating kasaysayan bilang isang pamantasan, isang pamayanan, at isang bayan [Like what happened five decades ago, our administration faces challenges of the times, by establishing institutions and policies that will ensure no one forgets our history as a university, a community, and a nation],”Concepcion said. He cited UP’s annual Day of Remembrance in September and the ground-breaking for a martial law memorial on campus as examples. Actors recreating street protests of FQS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Actors recre”Kalantas ng Manggagawa” moment. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPROating street protests of FQS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The concert was an offering of the Offices of the UP President and of the UP Diliman Chancellor, organized through the UP Diliman Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts and Surian ng Sining, in cooperation with the College of Music and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. UP President Danilo Concepcion recites an excerpt from a poem by Jose Rizal exhorting remembrance of those fallen during the night. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Incoming UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO Student actors performing amid rains. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO |
https://up.edu.ph/celebrate-the-sounds-of-the-christmas-season-with-the-up-symphony-orchestra-at-home/ | Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! – University of the Philippines | Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! December 15, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On October 16, the UP Symphony Orchestra kicked off their online concert series with their first online blended performance, (Re)Connection. It was dubbed “blended” due to the concert being in a format that combined newly, remotely recorded works and existing archive videos from previous concerts. This Friday December 18 at 7pm, catch “Ang Paghihintay: Bago MagPasko Kasama ng UPSO”, the second concert of their ongoing series. The concert will feature works of Wagner, Prokofiev, Toledo, Alcala, and Shostakovich, and will speak of the feeling of anticipation we are all experiencing—anticipation not only for Christmas, but for the return to “normalcy”. The orchestra will be joined by the 2019 National Music Competition for Young Artists winner, mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa. The concert will be streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. It will be available until December 22. But what is Christmas without some community singing and all those traditional holiday songs? Following shortly after their first December concert for the year, UPSO’s annual traditional community Christmas concert arrives on the virtual stage. Taking advantage of the online platform, “Pasko na! Pasko na!” includes choirs from UP campuses all over the country. Sing carols and other holiday classics along with our choirs from Luzon (the UP Madrigal Singers, the UP Medicine Choir), the Visayas (UP Cebu Serenata, UP Iloilo High Harana), and Mindanao (UP Mindanao Koro Kantahanay). And like the community concerts of Christmases past, each choir will be given their time in the spotlight in a solo spot number. The concert will be available starting December 23, 7pm until January 2, 2021, again streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. For updates, you may register for the concerts’ respective Facebook events, or follow them on Instagram or Facebook. You may also subscribe to the orchestra’s email newsletter at tiny.cc/upsomail. |
https://up.edu.ph/song-and-dance-come-together-in-upsos-concert-distant-dances/ | Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” – University of the Philippines | Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” August 24, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office What originally began as a necessary adjustment has become a new medium for the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO). Ten months and six online performances later, the group is excited to launch its fourth concert season and second series of virtual concerts with bigger, more collaborative productions lined up. Beginning on August 27, 2021 with “Distant Dances,” the orchestra will perform together with mezzo-soprano Pauline Tan and the UP Dance Company. Ms. Pauline Tan, mezzo soprano. Photo from the UPSO. Pauline Tan is a Filipino mezzo-soprano whose deep love for poetry and song has taken her across the globe to pursue a career in music. An alumna of the Bard Graduate Vocal Arts Program, Pauline hopes to keep working with artists and organizations that share her vision of bringing more diversity and compassion in the arts. In the fall, Pauline will be joining the Chicago Opera Theater as a Resident Young Artist, following her artistic compass and taking part in non-standard adaptations of familiar operas as well as premieres of new works by living BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) composers. Meanwhile, founded by Mr. Basilio Villacruz in 1987, the UP Dance Company was set up for the apprenticeship and professional training of UP dance major students. They take pride in having mounted many original performances over the decades, and constantly work towards both the promotion of traditional Philippine dance culture and of newer and more experimental expressions of the art form. Currently, Prof. Angela Lawenko Baguilat leads the company as Executive Director and Faculty Adviser. The UP Dance Company. Photo from the UPSO. The program features movement-influenced and programmatic music including Antonin Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, Felipe de Leon’s Manila Sketches, Gustav Holst’s Japanese Suite, George Bizet’s Habanera from “Carmen,” and a traditional Pandangguhan originally arranged for rondalla by Leopoldo Silas with lyrics by Levi Celerio, and rearranged for orchestra by Josefino “Chino” Toledo, conductor and music director of UPSO. The concert will stay true to the group’s established “online blended” format of mixing archive videos from past performances, and new, remotely recorded works. Catch the premiere of “Distant Dances” along with all previous and upcoming UPSO concerts on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The premiere is set for Friday August 27, 7:00 pm, and will be available for viewing until September 3. |
https://up.edu.ph/across-the-big-ocean-the-up-symphony-orchestra-marks-magellans-journey-around-the-world-through-music/ | “Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music – University of the Philippines | “Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music “Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music March 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived on Philippines shores. This year, the world commemorates the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world and the role that the Philippines played in this historic event. In solidarity with the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines and the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman’s Arts and Culture Month celebrations on the same theme, the UP Symphony Orchestra presents “Across the Big Ocean: A Quincentennial Celebration of March Sixteen Fifteen Hundred Twenty-One”. Through music, the official orchestra of the University will trace Magellan’s journey around the world and give their audience the opportunity to lose themselves in another era. Adding to the excitement of the performance are UPSO’s featured guest artists, including renowned performer soprano, Bianca Lopez-Aguila, UP College of Music pianist, Prof. Pia Diño Balasico, and comedian-musician tenor, Itchie Boy Montilla. This is the fourth installment of the orchestra’s ongoing online blended concerts series, which began last October. Their virtual hour-long performances include a mix of archived videos from past performances, and new, remotely recorded works. The series will include two more performances scheduled for release in late May and late July. “Across the Big Ocean” will be streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The premiere is set for Friday March 26, 7pm, and will be available for viewing until March 31st. Be part of this once-in-500-years celebration! See you there! |
https://up.edu.ph/lantern-parade-at-up-diliman-goes-for-sea-and-sky/ | Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky – University of the Philippines | Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky December 17, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The winning lantern of the College of Arts and Letters. Photo by Jun Madrid For six hours and through intermittent rains later in the night, the UP Diliman Lantern Parade, the biggest in the UP System, once again brought the community together for Christmas 2019. It went around the two-kilometer Academic Oval starting at the Oblation Plaza, winding up at the Quezon Hall Amphitheater, and culminating in a grand fire-dancing and fireworks display. Participants from the UP System Administration. Photo by Jun Madrid Participants from the UP System Administration. Photo by Jun Madrid The traditional UP Lantern Parade was held in campus on December 13, 2019 with the theme of inspiring everyone to soar high, “Pumailanlang”, or “to surpass the suffering and difficulties faced by the country”. Lantern contest hall-of-famer College of Fine Arts mounted a show highlighting issues of Philippine seas. Participants from the UP Diliman administration. Photo by Jun Madrid Participants from the UP Diliman administration. Photo by Jun Madrid The College of Arts and Letters emerged as the winner, among 26 “Pumailanlang” entries, with its “flying creative”. Second and third places went to the composite bird and tableau lantern of the College of Social Work and Community Development, and the Philippine Eagle lantern of the College of Science, respectively. The lanterns of the College of Music depicting a hatching egg, and the College of Home Economics depicting a bird of indigenous weaves won honorable mentions. The lantern of the College of Social Work and Community Development. Photo by Jun Madrid The lantern of the College of Science. Photo by Jun Madrid The lantern of the College of Home Economics. Photo by Jun Madrid The lantern of the College of Music. Photo by Jun Madrid For the hall-of-famers group, the tentacled lantern depicting corporate greed won from among the College of Fine Arts creations. The “esprit de corps” lantern and coral baby lantern won second and third places, respectively. Paymayas don UP headbands. Photo by Jun Madrid Lumad youth follow the union’s float. Photo by Jun Madrid DZUP station manager and Tropang RadYo host Prof. Jane Vinculado and Trending Na! host Prof. Junel Labor were the masters of ceremony. The UP Concert Chorus, the UP Singing Ambassadors, and the UP Choncords led community singing of carols; and the Legato Performing Arts Group provided a fire-dancing spectacle. The winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid A winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid A winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid In his message, Chancellor Michael Tan said the College of Fine Arts choice of presenting Philippine marine issues was appropriate as a tribute to National Scientist and University Professor Emeritus Edgardo Gomez, who passed away recently. Tan reiterated a sub-theme of the celebrations, “liwanag lalo sa panahon ng kadiliman”, and wished the University a 20/20 vision for the future. Legato performers. Photo by Jun Madrid Legato performers. Photo by Jun Madrid UP President Danilo Concepcion enumerated benefits due to qualified UP employees and contractuals for the holidays, which include the 2018 performance-based bonus, service recognition incentive, performance enhancement incentive, and collective negotiation agreement incentive. He also announced the promotion of non-UP contractuals who have served for not less than five years to UP contractuals in the beginning of 2020. Lantern parades are held in all UP constituent universities, with administrative offices, academic units, organizations, and community groups getting creative on their lanterns and presentations. It began in 1922, inspired by the tradition of folk trekking together in early morning darkness to attend the misa de gallo. Institutionalized by UP President Jorge Bocobo in 1934 “so that students can have a frolicsome activity before the year ends”, it has evolved in different campuses to reflect their people and milieu. |
https://up.edu.ph/iconography-homage-to-the-shapers-of-philippine-music/ | ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music – University of the Philippines | ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music September 5, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office To commemorate the UP College of Music’s 103rd Founding Anniversary, the UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association, Inc. proudly present two shows for its founding month. It will aptly greet the month with ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music on Saturday, September 7, 2019 and close it with KÁROLY, JENÖ AND FRANZ on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. While KÁROLY, JENÖ AND FRANZ feature the enduring chamber music of Takácks, Goldmark and Liszt, ICONOGRAPHY, on the other hand, will promote the musical legacy of National Artists for Music Jose Maceda, Francisco Feliciano, Lucio San Pedro, Andrea Veneracion, Ramon Santos and Ryan Cayabyab. Both shows will promptly start at 7pm and will be held at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. Since its completion in 1963, the Abelardo Hall Auditorium has become the premier training ground for countless Filipino musicians. A convenient venue for recitals, concerts, theater and dance performances flawlessly executed by students, faculty and alumni, the Abelardo Hall Auditorium has also provided a perfect setting for numerous symposia, workshops, masterclasses, and seminars handily facilitated by acknowledged experts in the field of music and dance. Now on its second year, the Abelardo Hall Concert Series envisions the Abelardo Hall Auditorium as a center of culture not just for the university, but for the larger community. Season 2 comprises of six (6) monthly concerts that showcase the diversity of talents in various areas of music specialization. The lineup is a mix of genres and styles that is truly the mark of UP. See poster for ticket prices and details. Follow the Abelardo Hall Concert Series on Facebook for updates. |
https://up.edu.ph/upso-celebrates-the-start-of-a-new-academic-year-with-simula-handog-sa-mag-aaral/ | UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” – University of the Philippines | UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” September 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Mixed emotions mark the beginning of each academic year—excitement, anxiety, hope, and joy. A new year of remote and blended learning is no different. The UP Manila Classical Ensemble. The University of the Philippines’ (UP) official system-wide orchestra, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), will take all of these emotions and transform them into a musical journey for audiences in their next online concert “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral.” In this celebration dedicated to UP students, UPSO performs with students from three different UP campuses. Hailing from UP Los Baños, Harmonya is a string ensemble composed of students from all the different colleges of UPLB. They are dedicated to the ardent pursuit of excellence in music and explore all classical and contemporary genres. UPSO will also be joined by the UP Manila Classical Ensemble. Throughout its seven-year existence, the organization has mounted numerous concerts, charity events, and learning workshops that aim to harness the musical talents of UP Manila students. The Ensemble takes pride in its members’ diverse backgrounds, welcoming musicians and non-performers from various majors of the UP Manila, the country’s Health Sciences Center. Also performing in the concert are two incoming sophomore students from the UP College of Music. Soprano Christy Lagapa is pursuing a degree in Voice Performance under the tutelage of Prof. Katherine Molina and last 2017, was a semi-finalist of The Voice Teens Philippines competition. Baritone Nathan Mangune is currently a trainee of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and is completing his own Voice Performance degree under Prof. Ma. Cecilia Valena. The concert program includes Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite, Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate March, Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 4, Christine Muyco’s Passage to Kublo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Non Piu Andrai from the Marriage of Figaro, and Cesar Franck’s Panis Angelicus. Read and learn more about the program and guest artists on the souvenir program. “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” will premiere on September 24, 2021 at 7:00 pm on the UPSO’s Facebook Page and YouTube channel, free of charge. Invite your family and friends to the performance as we kick off the school year together! Mga Iskolar ng Bayan, mula sa UPSO, welcome to UP! |
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-ay-2021-2022-hopes-for-blended-learning-in-2nd-sem/ | UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem – University of the Philippines | UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem September 22, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Clockwise from top left: UP President Danilo Concepcion, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, UP Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Office of Student Affairs Director Richard Gonzalo, and Student Regent Renee Louise Co Screenshots from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO The University of the Philippines (UP) hopes for a blended learning environment for its students in the second semester of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022. This, as it formally opened the school year on September 16 with an online welcome assembly. The norm for the first semester and trimester is still remote teaching and learning. Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista clarified that does not mean purely online. Instead, it is a mix of online and other remote means of delivering education, such as course packs in flash drives or printed form. The uncertainties of the pandemic—health protocols, changing restrictions, and vaccination rollout—could tip the scales of UP education in one of two ways going into the second semester or trimester. Either the University remains in remote mode or goes into blended mode, where limited face-to-face classes complement digital, not necessarily online, teaching and learning. The Student Affairs System (SAS) continues to deliver student support services. In his presentation, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Office of Student Affairs Director Richard Gonzalo enumerated the three primary considerations in the remote delivery of services: the home as the immediate learning environment, the digital divide, and mental health concerns. Current UP students talk about their experiences in remote learning. Screenshots from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO These realities guide the implementation of SAS’ four umbrella initiatives: Student Financial Assistance, Student Learning Assistance, Mental Health Promotion, and Student Activities and Organizations. In his message to new and returning UP students, President Danilo Concepcion reiterated the University’s continued commitment to do all possible to help its students. He also enjoined everyone to unite as one community in navigating UP’s journey into the next normal—not a return to pre-pandemic UP life, but not just an extension of current UP life. Student Regent Renee Louise Co closed the program by urging her fellow Iskolar ng Bayan to fight for medical solutions, the safe reopening of classes, employment and livelihood, and human rights and national sovereignty. She also asked them to register and vote in the upcoming national elections. Professor Janet Aracama (middle) conducts the UP Concert Chorus performance in the online program. Screenshot from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO View the recorded UP Systemwide opening of AY 2021-2022 here. Read the academic policies for the first semester/trimester of AY 2021-2022 here. To avail of Student Learning Assistance, visit https://slasonline.up.edu.ph/. You may click on the “SFA Helpdesk” link on the SLAS website for contact information of specific constituent universities or campuses. |
https://up.edu.ph/aurea-carmina-the-up-cherubim-and-seraphim-at-50/ | Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 – University of the Philippines | Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 September 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Four decades of UPCS sing together at the group’s 45th anniversary concert in Abelardo Hall. Photo from the UPCS. The UP Cherubim and Seraphim (UPCS), official children’s choir of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, is celebrating 50 years of joyful singing with a virtual concert, “Aurea Carmina” (Golden Songs), to be premiered on its official Facebook page @UP Cherubim & Seraphim on September 25, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. Founded in 1971 by Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera of the UP College of Music, the group has championed the development of a unique Filipino repertoire for children by regularly commissioning new works, drawing on this archive, and sharing this repertoire with children all over the country. The golden anniversary concert will feature songs by Lucio San Pedro (“Sa Mahal Kong Bayan”), Felipe Padilla de Leon (“Maligayang Bati”), Eudenice Palaruan (“Sa Dakong Sikatan”), Joey Ayala (“Manong Pawikan”), and Ryan Cayabyab (“Nais Ko” and “Bata ang Bukas”) in fresh new choral arrangements by Krina Cayabyab, Nhick Pacis, Phoebe Roa Pacleb and UPCS alumna, Annie Roque-Nepomuceno. The choir consists of 28 talented young artists ranging in age from 7-16 and drawn from the UP Integrated School and other institutions from the communities surrounding UP, the national University. It is currently led by Elena Rivera Mirano (Director Emeritus) and Alyssa Liyana Dioquino (Associate Conductor), with Celinda Guevarra and Michelle Nicolasora as pianists. They will be joined by five decades of singers coming from the ranks of the group’s alumni. Special guest performers include Joey Ayala, Ryan Cayabyab, Lynn Sherman (also an alumna of the group), Solinda Bautista, Vikoy Bautista, Felicitas Cabildo, Luisa Dioquino, Phoebe Roa Pacleb, and Robin Rivera, instrumentalists. The concert is brought to you through the generous sponsorship of the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA). Visit the UP Cherubim and Seraphim’s official website for more information. The pioneer batch of the UP Cherubim & Seraphim with founder, Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera, at Rizal Park (1974). Photo from the UPCS. The first batch of the UP Cherubim and Seraphim, with founder Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera, returning from the group’s first Southeast Asian tour in 1978. Photo from the UPCS. The group poses in front of the Oblation in the 1980s, a tradition for official groups of UP Diliman. Photo from the UPCS. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-celebrates-the-holidays-as-one-community-with-a-concert-featuring-the-upso-up-choruses/ | UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses – University of the Philippines | UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses December 21, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office ‘Tis the season to be jolly—as one community together! In a concert that unites all eight constituent units (CUs) in the University of the Philippines (UP) System, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents “Tanging Araw Nating Pinakamimithi,” premiering on Wednesday, 12.22.21 at 7 pm. Since its official launch in 2018, the UPSO has hosted free annual Christmas concerts for the UP community. These concerts have always been a time to feature and celebrate performing groups in various UP campuses but were typically only accessible to those who could travel to the Diliman campus in Quezon City. In 2020, however, after shifting to online, blended performances, the orchestra expanded its reach and included the UP community throughout the entire country in their celebrations. The UP Manila Chorale is only one of the many choruses across the UP System to perform in the UPSO’s 2021 Christmas concert. Photo from the UPSO. This year, the orchestra will perform with the UP Madrigal Singers, the UP Concert Chorus, the UP Dance Company, and the UP Engineering Choir from the Diliman campus; the UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble from the Los Baños campus; the UP Manila Chorale and UP MedChoir from the Manila campus; the UP Serenata from UP Cebu; the UP High School in Iloilo Harana Choir of the UP Visayas campus; and the UP Mindanao Koro Kantahanay. The campus participants are UP Baguio Chancellor Corazon L. Abansi; UP Open University Chancellor Melinda dP. Bandalaria; UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr.; UP Visayas Chancellor Clement C. Camposano; and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. If you are curious about what these leaders of our campuses and the UP System will be doing, you will have to watch the concert to find out. For the first time in its history, the orchestra is proud to feature every UP constituent unit together in one concert—arguably the first show featuring performances from all campuses across the UP System. The Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla. Photo from the UPSO. But wait, there’s more! This holiday concert will feature not one but two symphony groups! Joining the UPSO on the virtual stage is the Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla. A result of more than 15 years of international rondalla festivals in the country, the Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla was set to launch in 2020 when all plans were put on a halt by the pandemic. Times have been challenging and may continue to be so, but if we stand together and have some fun while doing it, this “new” normal will soon transition into a “better” normal. “Tanging Araw Nating Pinakamimithi” premieres on the palindromic 12.22.21 at 7 pm on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. |
https://up.edu.ph/co-begins-term-as-38th-up-student-regent/ | Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent – University of the Philippines | Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent January 21, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu New UP Student Regent Renee Louise Co. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO. Renee Louise Co, a University of the Philippines College of Law student, took her oath of office as the 38th Student Regent (SR) on 20 January 2021 in the Board of Regents (BOR) room at Quezon Hall in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The ceremony was officiated by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and was witnessed by Co’s father and sisters, outgoing SR Isaac Punzalan, the staff of the office of the Secretary of the University, and student journalists. As a member of the BOR, the SR aims to uphold and defend students’ rights, represent the students’ collective stand in governance and policy-making in the University, and maintain linkages with students in every UP campus. Earlier this month, Co was selected by the 50th General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), a body composed of all student councils of the UP System, from a roster of nominees that included Siegfred Severino and Francesca Adrienne Kapunan. The selection process went through deliberations in college-wide, university-wide, and system-wide stages. Co earned a BA Political Science degree from the UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, served as the editor of the CSSP student publication, is the chairperson of Kabataan Partylist – UP Diliman and the co-convenor of UP Rises Against Tyranny and Dictatorship (UPRISE). |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-confer-honorary-degree-on-former-justice-antonio-carpio/ | UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio – University of the Philippines | UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio December 3, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines (UP) will hold a ceremony to confer a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, degree upon UP College of Law alumnus and retired Justice of the Supreme Court Hon. Antonio T. Carpio on 10 December 2020, Thursday, at 4:00 p.m. The ceremony will be held at Malcolm Hall, College of Law, UP Diliman, with a limited number of seats for invited guests in compliance with IATF policies. The ceremony will also be live streamed on TVUP’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/TVUPph. A special video presentation will follow. Justice Carpio was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 26, 2001, and served honorably until his retirement in 2019. The degree of Doctor of Laws, which the University will be conferring upon Justice Carpio, is the highest academic recognition of an individual’s contributions to the advancement of a field in a particular discipline through one’s extraordinary accomplishments. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alum-ca-justice-jhosep-lopez-moves-to-highest-ph-court/ | UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court – University of the Philippines | UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court January 28, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Photo from SC Public Information Office Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Jhosep Ylarde Lopez was appointed to the Supreme Court (SC) by President Rodrigo Duterte on January 25, following the early retirement of SC Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla in November last year. He was sworn in as the 190th SC Associate Justice by SC Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta on January 26 at the En Banc Session Hall. CA Presiding Justice Remedios A. Salazar-Fernando was also at the oath-taking ceremony. Lopez graduated cum laude in 1983 with an AB Political Science degree from the then UP College of Arts and Sciences. He worked as a research assistant at the then newly-established UP Law Center Institute of Judicial Administration (now Institute for the Administration of Justice) while he pursued his Law degree at the UP College of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Laws in 1988. He took his Masters degree in Public Governance at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), graduating in 2006. He was appointed as CA Associate Justice in May 2012 and would have marked nine years as such this year. Prior to his stint in the CA, Lopez was Manila City Prosecutor from 2006 to 2012. He was elected councilor of Manila’s 3rd District for four terms, from 1992 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2006. In his first two terms, he was the chief legal consultant of then Mayor Lito Atienza. From 1993 to 2006, he was a partner at the Lopez Rasul Maliwanag Baybay Palaran Law Offices. He was chief legal counsel of the Philippine Senate for a year before he ran for public office. And prior to the Senate, Lopez was chief legal officer of UP-Philippine General Hospital. This, after serving as UP Diliman legal counsel at the Office of Legal Affairs, where he began his career in public service and the legal profession after passing the Bar Examinations in 1989. Lopez is also an educator. He is a senior lecturer at the UP College of Law. He also teaches at PLM College of Law and New Era University College of Law. He is expected to serve as SC Associate Justice until his mandatory retirement on 08 February 2033, his 70th birthday. |
https://up.edu.ph/former-up-law-dean-and-international-law-luminary-merlin-magallona-passes-on/ | Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on – University of the Philippines | Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on January 2, 2022 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Former UP College of Law Dean Merlin M. Magallona. UP Media and Public Relations Office file photo. A “Filipino luminary in the field of international law,” “a pillar of the Philippines’ international legal academy,” and “one of the best Supreme Court justices we, unfortunately, did not have,” not to mention “one of the staunchest legal defenders of our country’s territorial sovereignty.” These are only some of the accolades from colleagues, former students, and friends to Prof. Merlin M. Magallona, University of the Philippines (UP) Professor of International Law and former Dean of the UP College of Law. Dean Magallona passed away on the evening of January 1. He was 87. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from the UP College of Law. He spent decades teaching international law to generations of UP Law students, who have since become renowned scholars and leading practitioners of international law themselves. He served as Dean of the UP College of Law from 1995 to 1999, as Associate Dean from 1991 to 1995, and as Director of the UP Law Center’s Institute of International Legal Studies from 2000 to 2001. He was a participant in the Tokyo External Session of The Hague Academy in 1968 and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University in 1969. In 1994, he was Visiting Research Fellow at the Graduate School of International Development of Nagoya University in 1994. In 1999, the Judicial and Bar Council nominated Dean Magallona for the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He was chair of the Department of International and Human Rights Law of the Academic Council of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) of the Supreme Court. He is also a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Permanent Court of Arbitrators. In 2001, he was appointed an Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, which he served until his resignation in July 2002. He served as a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Legal Education from 1999 to 2003. Twice, he served as counsel for the Republic of the Philippines in the oral arguments before the International Court of Justice. First, he handled the case of Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (Advisory Opinion, 1995), and second, the case Concerning Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan (Indonesia v. Malaysia), in which the Philippines intervened in 2001. Dean Magallona was a member of the Expert Group on the Legal Aspects of the New International Economic Order established by the UN Institute on Training and Research in 1992, and also listed as an Expert in Human Rights of the UN Human Rights Commission. From 1999 to 2000, he served as a member of the arbitral tribunal of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France. In 2002, he represented the Philippines in the Working Group of the UN Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in Rome in 1998. He headed the Philippine Delegation to the meeting of the ICC Preparatory Committee in 2002. In 2004, the Supreme Court appointed him as an amicus curie in the controversial Fernando Poe citizenship case. He was part of the organizing committee and the Executive Council of the Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) in 2004 and is a member of the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the International Honor Society for the Social Sciences, Pi Gamma Mu. Dean Magallona was a prolific author of books, papers, and publications on international law. His published book-length works include Globalization and Sovereignty: The Republic in Crisis (2017); Legal Education: The Search for its Strategic Center in Filipino Cultural Development (2016); The Philippines in the International Law of the Sea (2015); Philippine Constitution and International Law (2013); Dictionary of Contemporary International Law (2011); Supreme Court and International Law: Problems and Approaches in International Law (UP Law Center, 2010); Fundamentals of Public International Law (2005); A Primer on the Relation of Philippine Law and International Law (2000); International Issues in Philippine Perspective (1998); A Primer on the Law of the Sea (1997); A Primer on the Law of Treaties (1997); Japan in the New State of World Capitalism: Problems in Law and Development in Philippine-Japanese Relations (1995); and The Dismantling of the Philippine State (1994). He often served as a resource person for issues such as constitutionality of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. He was renowned for his advocacy in upholding the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty against the incursions of foreign powers such as China. In the landmark case, Magallona vs. the Executive Secretary 2011, Dean Magallona, Akybayan Party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Prof. Harry C. Roque Jr., and UP College of Law students as petitioners, took on then Executive Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, and other executive officials of the national government questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 9522, or “An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines.” Then Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio penned the unanimous decision in Magallona v. Executive Secretary upholding the amendment to the country’s archipelagic baselines to conform to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He shared in an opinion article published in Rappler on December 12, 2020. “This case opened my eyes—that we could defend and preserve our sovereign rights in the WPS through the Rule of Law by questioning before an UNCLOS tribunal the validity of China’s historic claim under its nine-dash line. We had, however, to first put our house in order by bringing our archipelagic baselines into conformity with UNCLOS so that we could go to an UNCLOS tribunal with clean hands.” Dean Merlin Magallona’s legacy lives on in his former students, colleagues, and fellow advocates for nationalistic international law, who continue the fight to protect and preserve Philippine sovereignty in the global arena. |
https://up.edu.ph/philsa-upd-dost-asti-aim-to-launch-biggest-ph-satellite-in-2023/ | PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 – University of the Philippines | PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 June 21, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu 3D render of the MULA satellite. Image courtesy of SSTL, from the STAMINA4Space Program website The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) aims to complete and launch into space the country’s biggest, 130-kilograms, commercial-grade satellite by 2023. Dubbed as the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment, or MULA, this Earth Observation satellite will be used in capturing operational-quality-images of approximately 100,000 km2 of land area daily as part of government’s information gathering on the country’s natural resources. According to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, the MULA project is being developed by the DOST-funded Advanced Satellite and Know-how Transfer for the Philippines (ASP) Project, and is being implemented by the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), in coordination with the PhilSA. The satellite is being designed and manufactured together with British company Surrey Space Technology Ltd (SSTL). MULA’s TrueColour camera can capture high resolution images needed for disaster management, land use and land cover change mapping, crop monitoring, and forestry management. The satellite will also be equipped with the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for ship and aircraft detection and tracking. “Equipped with the acquired technical know-how and capabilities through our experiences in building DIWATA and MAYA satellites, we are now moving forward with our first operational and industrial quality satellite aimed towards providing a wide range of socio-economic benefits for the country,” said PhilSA Deputy Director-General and ASP Project Leader, Dr. Gay Jane Perez, who is also Associate Professor of and Deputy Director for Research and Extension of the UP Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology. “With its capability to capture higher resolution images, we will be able to better monitor terrestrial ecosystems, as well as our land and marine resources to ensure both agricultural productivity and environmental integrity. We will also be able to assess environmental conditions to be more proactive in disaster management and mitigation,” she added. Dr. Perez said further that while MULA will be the first of the country’s next generation satellites, the project helps Filipinos develop expertise in space science and technologies that cater to the needs of our nation. Since December 2020, more than 30 Filipino engineers have remotely attended a small satellite system design course conducted by SSTL, while nine of them are undergoing full immersion for the design and manufacture process in the UK. Engr. John Leur Labrador, MULA Project Manager and Electronics and Communications Engineering cum laude graduate from UP, added that the spacecraft can be imagined as “a Filipino astronaut tasked to take images of our natural resources while monitoring aircraft and ship activity in our country.” “We use the satellites to generate images and other data to support evidence-based policies for better governance, leading to productive communities and inclusive development. This is in line with PhilSA’s mission of value addition and creation from space that supports societal benefit and economic development,” concluded Dr. Joel Marciano, Jr., PhilSA Director-General, who is also a faculty member of the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute. The Philippine Space Agency was established on August 8, 2019, when Republic Act 11363 or the “Philippine Space Act” was signed into law. PhilSA builds on the foundation created by the development, launch, and operation of Earth Observation microsatellites Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, and CubeSats Maya-1, Maya-2 and the upcoming Maya satellites under STAMINA4Space (formerly “The Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite” or “PHL-Microsat” Program), together with Japanese university partners. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-cicc-to-launch-professional-course-on-digital-governance-and-cybersecurity-for-govt-officials/ | UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials – University of the Philippines | UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials March 5, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta With people’s lives, communications and business and personal transactions moving increasingly online, cybersecurity has become a necessity, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns keeping most people indoors and dependent on the Internet and technology. The University of the Philippines, through the UP Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (UP-CIFAL), the UP College of Law and the UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga, has partnered with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) under the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), to offer a Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity. The virtual launch of the new professional course will be held on Tuesday, 9 March 2021, at 9:30 a.m. The Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity was created through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between UP and the CICC on 13 October 2020. Under the MOA, the three UP institutions and the CICC collaborated on creating a professional course to strengthen the capacity of key leaders and personnel of the CICC. The course offers a universal framework to address the emerging concerns of 21st century governance and cybersecurity, which are manifested at global, national and local levels. The course aims to provide learners with: an appreciation and understanding of modern information and system technology; the complex domains of cybersecurity; and, the methods and approaches of various sectors, namely, government, private sector, and civil society in addressing cyber risks and challenges. It is designed to equip learners with knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges of cybercrime, which is imperative to guarantee and protect the rule of law, the right of the individual, sectors, and states, and to promote justice and robust institutions anchored on responsible freedom and sustainability. The Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity will be initially offered to select government officials, and cascaded later on to other agencies, including local government units. It will be delivered through modules, and under each module are topics on various themes and issues, with: Module 1 focusing on “Philippine Governance in the Cyber Age”; Module 2, on “Digitization, Digitalization, and Digital Transformation: Whole Ecosystem Approach”; Module 3, on “Key Issues in Cybersecurity: The Philippine Context”; Module 4, on “Cybersecurity as Transnational Concern”; Module 5, on “Promoting the Rule of Law, Justice and Strong Institutions”; and, Module 6, on “Case Analysis and Solution-Seeking Measures or Policies”. Register for the virtual launch of the new professional course here: https://tinyurl.com/CybersecurityCourseLaunching |
https://up.edu.ph/making-it-in-the-marketplace/ | Making it in the marketplace – University of the Philippines | Making it in the marketplace Making it in the marketplace May 3, 2018 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta In that most technical of colleges in UP Diliman, the College of Engineering, is an advanced course with a different flavor. The course is a fusion—part technology and innovation class, part crash course in marketing and business, and part personality and motivational workshop. However, unlike a traditional thesis course in Engineering that would result in a technology prototype, or a traditional entrepreneurship course in Business Administration that would produce a business plan, students here have to hurdle a real-life challenge in the world of industry: to successfully pitch a tech-business venture to a panel of Filipino and foreign industry leaders, technopreneurs, and potential capital investors. In short, students would have to prove that they and their venture have what it takes to make it in the marketplace. The course was designed, improved and facilitated by a UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering professor and the director of the UP Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, Dr. Luis G. Sison based on his MS-level course IE 298. With the course title, “Higher Education Institutional Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship” (HIRIT), it aims to help students accelerate technology translation and startup formation by teaching the basic tools and skills for identifying and pursuing market opportunities, and by giving students the chance to network with technopreneurs, investors, and industry partners. In December 2015, HIRIT won for Sison the UP Gawad Pangulo for Progressive Teaching and Learning. A year later, it won two silver medals for the Asia category and for the Teaching Delivery category in the third Reimagine Education Awards, a global competition for transformative initiatives across the educational sector. Dr. Luis Sison at his technopreneurship class at the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) R&D with economic impact The course had its start in the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT), a consortium of eight universities that offers masters and doctoral degrees in various engineering fields. “When the consortium was formed, there were concerns about the government making a lot of investments in R&D, and those investments not being translated into economic impact,” Sison recalls. “So they required all ERDT scholars to take a technopreneurship class.” In 2009-2010, Visiting Professor Matthew Bristow handled the new course, which first-year ERDT scholars took during the summer term. The next year, Prof. Bristow was joined by Sison and fellow UP Engineering professor, Nestor Rañeses. The year after that, Sison and another UP faculty member took over the course. Growth mindset and deliberate practice The drive behind the evolution of the course can be seen in its introduction, which you can watch on the UP OVPAA YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HS68IRj3TM&t=261s). In it, Sison lays down the basic principles of the course, which feature some distinctly non-engineering concepts. Dr. Sison lays down one of the ground rules in the technopreneurship introductory lecture video : “Everyone here in the class has to participate. There is no such thing as an observer in this class. You’re here, you join a team, you pitch a venture, you work on your venture.” Yes, even sit-in students who are not technically enrolled. The first principle is that of the “growth mindset” as opposed to the “fixed mindset.” These terms were coined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. With a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are fixed traits. They believe that talent alone, without effort, creates success. On the other hand, with a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. According to Dweck, the most successful and motivated people are those who have a growth mindset. The other principle is that of deliberate practice, referring to a special type of practice that is purposeful and systematic. In his video, Sison breaks down the components of deliberate practice into: 1) setting increasingly harder goals for yourself; 2) recognizing that it takes hard work; and, 3) learning from a coach or mentor and seeking and responding to continuous feedback. Product-market fit Students’ performance in the technopreneurship class is measured by how well they perform on the last and most critical day: demo day. That is, how well their pitches are received by the panelists, and how well they are able to respond to the panelists’ questions. The panelists then rate the ventures with a “yes”, “no” or “maybe”, and the teams are awarded points based on that. The end-goal is for students to get market validation, or what is called product-market fit, for their venture. “Does your product address a solution that the end-users, the customers, are willing to pay for? That is the goal, and students are allowed to iterate both the technology, the business model, and even the target market until they’ve achieved that goal,” explains Sison. The class is divided into teams, and throughout the semester, the teams go through at least four cycles of this iteration. “One rule is that you’re allowed to pivot as many times as necessary until you find product-market fit,” Sison points out. Students are allowed to change their products and ventures in response to market feedback, as long as they make it to demo day. In fact, the only thing not allowed is not trying. After all, the world of innovation is one of risk-taking, of testing idea after idea, and of recognizing that every failure is a chance to learn. Practicing what we preach This same mindset, according to Sison, has powered the evolution of the technopreneurship course over the years. “We have to practice what we preach. That means being open to feedback, reacting on that feedback, and taking it seriously instead of personally.” This feedback came from the panelists’ responses and how many venture teams scored a “yes” or a “maybe” from the panelists after demo day. “At the beginning, it really sucked,” Sison admits. “We got a lot of nos and just a few maybes. It was a real-world test. It’s hard validation for the course, not just academic evaluation.” The work the students do pays off not just in a passing grade, but in the form of actual startups and business ventures. As of 2016, notable class ventures have earned a total of over P170 million in public and private funding. These include those funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), namely,Tanglaw, SmartSurface, HeartSmart and Jolt, the latter two co-funded through the UK Newton Fund Leaders in Innovation fellowship. One, HeLe, is funded by the Philippine California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) and has the Philippine National Ear Institute as clinical collaborator. Others are in various stages of pilot testing and pilot requests. Dr. Luis G. Sison has compiled his lessons and processes from the technopreneurship course in a workbook, “Tech to Go: A Student’s Guide to Bringing Technology to the Market,” which will soon hit the shelves. Continuous evolution After its Reimagine Education Awards win, the course has since been adopted by the DOST as a program to support the development of other incubators, with UP supplying the DOST with the training content and processes. The course is also set to expand as part of a project by the Commission on Higher Education involving a core of 10 universities. “We’re training other faculty in the process, not just in UP but also in other universities,” says Sison. “We were chosen as one of the five of the first batch of innovation hubs around the country, and we’re the lead for the NCR. So our engagement is nationwide.” Dr. Luis G. Sison has compiled his lessons and processes from the technopreneurship course in a workbook, Tech to Go: A Student’s Guide to Bringing Technology to the Market, which will soon hit the shelves. |
https://up.edu.ph/nih-anniversary-highlights-innovative-research-products-and-solutions/ | NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions – University of the Philippines | NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions March 1, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Participants from various educational and research institutions, government agencies, corporations and organizations attend the 21st anniversary scientific conference of the National Institutes of Health-UP Manila on February 28, 2019. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. The 21st anniversary conference of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila), held in partnership with the UP Manila Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO), focused on the objective of turning health research into innovative products, policies and solutions for the benefit of society. It was held on February 28 at the Bayanihan Center, UNILAB Inc. complex, Pasig City. Keynote and plenary speakers during the day-long scientific conference discussed the many processes, factors, lessons and examples concerning the theme, “Lab to Life: Translating Health Research for Filipinos”. Their presentations encouraged meaningful collaboration among research institutions and study groups from various disciplines, government agencies and corporations in order to impact national policies, protect intellectual properties of researchers and institutions, improve existing products and services, and promote advancements or new solutions that are commercially viable through innovations in research and technology transfer. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla urged the participants to keep translating research into life-saving policies, devices, or products, given the many challenges faced, especially in the field of health. Noticing that the top diseases in the country have been the same for more than six decades, she said that closer partnerships with corporations and entrepreneurs, as well as related government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), are needed. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion congratulates the NIH and encourages its researchers to aim for a nomination to the Nobel Prize. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. (L-R) Dr. Catherine Lynn T. Silao, the overall chairperson of the NIH 21st Anniversary Organizing Committee; NIH Executive Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-de La Paz; UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; and, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion assured the NIH of his administration’s full support, adding that a more vibrant and interdisciplinary collaboration between industry, academe, government and UP alumni around the world would yield more and better research output that can immediately be utilized to solve the woes of Filipinos. He said UP alumni, especially those who had become research chiefs abroad, could provide the country with the needed assistance and expertise. He also encouraged the NIH, with the help of partner government agencies, to aim for a Nobel Prize nomination. Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Undersecretary for Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara delivered the keynote message at the event. She discussed the current state of Filipino health science research and innovation, the National Unified Health Research Agenda 2017-2022, and the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda 2017-2022 as pathways leading to the realization of a decent and comfortable life for every Filipino in the future. One of the main points she raised was the focusing of the efforts of Research and Development to have social and economic impact to improve the people’s quality of life. These include managing research initiatives and logistics for: diagnostics, drug discovery and development, functional foods, nutrition and food safety, hospital equipment and biomedical devices, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, information and communication technology, and molecular technologies for health. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. The officials then proceeded to the Bayanihan lobby for the ceremonial opening of the poster exhibits. Plenary discussions on translational research and technology transfer by Dr. David Simmons, a counsellor from the World Intellectual Property Organization, and Carmen G. Peralta, a consultant from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, followed. The panel discussions held in the afternoon featured thematic lectures to further educate and inspire the participants of the day-long conference. The first panel discussion was by: Dr. Nilo T. Bugtai, head of the Biomedical Devices Innovation and e-Health Research Group of the De La Salle University (DLSU); Michael Jorge N. Peralta of the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of the University of Santo Tomas (UST); and, Ace C. Acosta, commercialisation manager of Slipstream Commercialisation and Innovation Liberation Front. Their presentations explained key factors and processes in the creation of socially beneficial ideas and inventions. The second set of panelists talked about the importance of partnerships with industry experts in developing, optimizing and marketing products. Sharing the lessons they learned from working together with representatives from the health industry and the academe were: Jose Maria Ochave, senior vice president for the Business Development Group of United Laboratories and president of Ritemed Philippines; Prof. Bienvenido S. Balotro of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, UP Manila; and, Dr. Lorraine Hermosura-Faeldon, chief medical officer and co-founder of Valea Health. Patricia San Jose, technology transfer officer of TTBDO UP Manila, and Jerry G. Ligaya, director of the Technology Licensing Office of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), emphasized protecting patents and intellectual property rights first before publishing research output. The next set of panelists, made up of: Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, executive director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD)-DOST; Jasper P. Araña, technology transfer officer of the Innovation and Technology Support Office of Adamson University; Gia Santos, CEO and co-founder of Valea Health; and, Dr. Erna C. Arollado, director of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of NIH, presented some of the biomedical technologies, products and innovations their institutions were developing for the public. Among these are: researches on surgical robotics, advanced medical tools, Internet of Medical Things (IOMT), behavioral change technology, drug delivery, and herbal and non-invasive treatments for diseases. Many of these were also exhibited as the subjects of research abstracts and teaser posters at the lobby. The fifth and last panel discussion provided participants with inspiration and examples for creating or developing enabling environments for innovative works. Maria Christina L. Ibañez, Innovation Resource manager of the Miriam Innovation Center, presented how her college prepares their students, from basic to higher education levels, to excel in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Dr. Ricardo DT Quintos II, a professor at the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, UP Manila, encouraged the public to create a culture of innovation, to look for better ways of doing tasks or helping people, and for the University to become capable of managing the intellectual capital being generated through continuous research and development. Dr. Gonzalo Serafica, a DOST balik-scientist, Science and Technology Ecosystem Builder, and a consultant of UP, DLSU, and USAID STRIDE (United States Agency for International Development-Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development program), shared lessons gained from his experiences as a scientist and entrepreneur. He also discussed how research is successfully translated and commercialized for the benefit of society. |
https://up.edu.ph/infographic-tips-for-upcat-2020-examinees/ | [INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees – University of the Philippines | [INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees [INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees October 3, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office What is UPCAT? UPCAT stands for University of the Philippines College Admission Test, a way of gaining admission into the baccalaureate programs of UP. This year it will be administered on October 5 and 6 in testing centers across the country. This year’s exam is called UPCAT 2020 because it is for admission into Academic Year 2020-2021. Last year, there were a total of 140,593 applicants for UPCAT 2019, though only 101,134 were eligible. Out of the eligible applicants, 90,408 took the exams. Thirteen percent or 11,821 were qualified for admission. Taking the UPCAT Text by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo and inforgraphic design by Peter Drapeza, UP Media and Public Relations Office. Source: UP Office of Admissions website 1. Check your test permit. Make sure you have filled in all data required. Read and follow the instructions given by the Office of Admissions. 2. Visit your testing hall in advance so you get there easier when UPCAT day comes. Avoid the frantic search. You don’t want to waste time and end up being late for the test even if you arrived early. For those who will take the test in UP Diliman, you were given maps and you can check out https://upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/UPD-Map-2018.pdf to get more info. 3. Prepare the things that you should bring for the exam. a. Bring your test permit with UP dry seal, complete information, and signature. b. Bring and submit documents required of you. The UP Office of Admissions marks these as deficiencies on your test permit. Keep these documents ready and when asked, submit them. c. Bring good quality pencils—not too light but not too dark. No part of the test will ever require you to use any other kind of writing instrument. No pens of any kind. Just good quality pencils. d. Bring a snack and drink. You can eat at any time during the test because there are no breaks. But please don’t bring something that might soil the test materials and food so odorous or noisy to unwrap that it distracts your fellow examinees. e. Be ready with a jacket or sweater in case it gets cold. f. Don’t bring scratch paper. We’ll provide this for you. The scratch paper we issue is the only paper you must use. You can always ask for additional sheets, so there’s really no need for you to bring scratch paper. 4. Condition yourself to be calm and focused. Make sure you get a good night’s rest and a proper, but not heavy, meal before the exam. Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight or may cause discomfort. If you feel anxious, take slow, deep breaths to relax. 5. Be early. Arrive at your testing hall before 6:30 AM for the morning session and before 12:00 NN for the afternoon session. 6. You are not allowed to use mobile phones, cameras, nor calculating devices during the test. Put your mobile phones on silent mode, with the vibration function turned off. These are self-explanatory. 7. Understand and follow instructions. Read carefully before answering. You can ask examiners or proctors only to clarify instructions and not about any test item you don’t understand. You can also inform them of irregularities like missing or duplicate items or pages in the test booklet. Make sure you’re filling out the answer sheet correctly and completely. Check to see if you’ve written all needed data and shaded the right ovals properly. Take note of skipped items and go back to them when you still have time. 8. Finally, don’t cheat. Don’t even try. Don’t even think about it. Unless you want to say goodbye to the UPCAT and the chance to be admitted to UP. UPCAT Results Check the UPCAT website for announcements on the availability of UPCAT results by April 2020. You will need the same email account that you used for application to view your application results. If you qualify for admission to UP, register according to the instructions provided by the college or unit to which you have been accepted. |
https://up.edu.ph/in-memoriam-august-2017/ | IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 – University of the Philippines | IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 August 22, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Our In Memoriam page carries details of faculty, staff and others affiliated with the university for whom we have received obituaries. Please contact us via web.mpro@up.edu.ph if you have information you would like to be featured. The University regrets to announce the deaths of the following members of the UP community: ANANIAS B. AURELIO Retired UP Assistant Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Ananias B. Aurelio has passed away. Long before computers and search engines, Mr. Aurelio remembered significant dates, policies, personalities and landmarks in the university. He is the father of UP Journalism alumna Julie M. Aurelio of The Philippine Daily Inquirer. ROGER D. POSADAS Former UP Diliman Chancellor Roger D. Posadas earned his BS Physics degree from UP Diliman in 1964, and his PhD in Relativity Physics from the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) in 1970. Dr. Posadas was UP Diliman Chancellor from 1993 to 1996. Previously, he was UPD College of Science Dean from 1983 to 1993, and Physics Department Chair from 1980 to 1992. He conceptualized and initiated the development of the UP Science Complex, spearheaded the establishment of the College of Science in UP Diliman, and instituted the Philippines’ first PhD Program in Physics. He also formulated a 5-year development plan for the Department of Physics that paved the way for its designation by the national government as a national center of excellence called the National Institute of Physics. He taught in UP Diliman for more than 50 years. BALTAZAR D. AGUDA Dr. Baltazar Aguda was also a Research Professor in the University of the Philippines. He earned his BS Agricultural Chemistry degree from UP Los Baños and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Alberta (Canada). Dr. Aguda was a multidisciplinary scientist who started his scientific career as a theoretical-physical chemist investigating the nonlinear dynamics of complex biochemical reaction systems, developing methods for predicting interaction network instabilities and the construction of predictive computational models. He and his co-workers published mechanistic models of other cellular processes associated with hallmarks of cancer, and in 2008, his book Models of Cellular Regulation was published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Aguda held faculty positions in Canada (Laurentian University) and the USA (Boston University School of Medicine. He delivered lectures at Harvard University (USA), Caltech (USA), Weizmann Institute (Israel), University of Cambridge (UK), and Humboldt University (Germany). MARIA LILIA F. REALUBIT Dr. Maria Lilia Fuentebella Realubit is a retired professor of the University of the Philippines College of Arts and Letters (Department of English and Comparative Literature), and a recipient of Masirang na Bituon kan Kabikolan (Lifetime Achievement Award) in the first Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon (Tomas Arejola Prize for Bikolano Literature) in 2004. She is the founder of Kabulig Bikol and Bikol Heritage Society, Inc. As a prominent Bikolano writer, her writings include an English translation of Mariano Goyena del Prado’s cultural work “Ibalon: Ethnohistory of the Bikol Region” (Ibalon: Monografia historica de la region bicolana) (1983); “Bikols of the Philippines” (1984); “Bikol Dramatic Tradition” (1989); “Haliya Anthology of Bikol Poets and Poems” (2004); “Bikol Literary History” (2004); and “Jose T. Fuentebella: Nationalist and Statesman” (2004). In February 2011, she published “Bikol Poetry Galore At Last A Report,” a critique of modern rawitdawit (Bikol poetic narrative). PIO P. FRAGO Former Director of the Human Resource Development Office and Professorial Lecturer of the National College of Public Administration, Pio Perez Frago (AB, 1958, LLB, 1963, CGM, MPA, 1978) died of cancer last August 14, 2017 at the age of 78. Pio Frago was considered as an institution by the community for having served in UP under several presidents, from Dr. Vicente Sinco (late 1950s) to Dr. Jose V. Abueva (early 1990s). Known for his cheerful disposition, Atty. Frago, as fondly called by many, had a solution to every concern. Many sought his legal, as well, as personal advice due to his encyclopedic memory, vast experience and compassionate heart. He was survived by his wife, Erlinda and two daughters, Perlita and Maria Carina. |
https://up.edu.ph/upcat-advisory/ | UPCAT Advisory – University of the Philippines | UPCAT Advisory UPCAT Advisory June 1, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines is advising UPCAT applicants who shared their UPCAT Online credentials—usernames and passwords—to unauthorized third parties to immediately change the usernames and/or passwords to their other accounts in order to safeguard their data privacy rights. When practicable, users should activate a two-step verification or other modes of multifactor authentication in order to protect their accounts. Please DO NOT SHARE your username and password to anyone. Your personal information must be protected at all times. Please visit the UPCAT main website upcat.up.edu.ph and click the Application Status button to view your results. For UPCAT-related inquiries, you may send an email to upcatresults@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/a-pioneer-at-heart-up-professor-emeritus-virginia-betty-flor-agbayani-96/ | A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 – University of the Philippines | A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 November 7, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Prof. Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani at the UP Alumni Association in America 2011 Homecoming One chapter in UP Diliman: Home and Campus (UP Press, 2010) describes how Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, then an instructor at the UP School of Fine Arts, looked upon the site of the new UP Diliman campus, which in 1949 was a vast frontier land overgrown with cogon grass, with only two concrete buildings and the Sierra Madre mountains as backdrop, and declared it beautiful, “like a cathedral without walls”. Prof. Flor-Agbayani was one of the UP pioneers who made the exodus from the 10-hectare campus on Padre Faura St. to the new UP campus in Diliman. Following a fire that razed one of the houses in Area 2—houses on campus were made of sawali at the time—UP President Bienvenido Gonzalez asked Prof. Agbayani how UP could help the residents. She replied, “Sir, permanent housing.” The UP budget, however, had no provision for faculty or staff housing at the time. Later, “sensing that Agbayani was really a pioneer at heart” according to the book, UP President Vidal Tan approached Agbayani and her husband, Mariano Leano, and asked whether she was willing to “volunteer” to build her own home, using their own money. They agreed, and the Agbayanis built their first home, the first permanent house in the Diliman campus in the site known as Area 1. Artist, educator, pioneer “Pioneering” is a word that was associated with Prof. Flor-Agbayani throughout her life and career until her passing on October 22, 2018 in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 96. Born on May 20, 1922 and hailing from Batac, Ilocos Norte, Prof. Flor-Agbayani graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the UP School of Fine Arts in 1947. During her college years, she became Junior Council and Student Council representative, was president of Pallete and the Brush Association, chairperson of the Fine Art’s Woman’s Club, and a member of Phi Alpha. She was a staff artist of the Philippine Collegian from 1946-1947, and an associate editor and a staff artist of the 1947 Philippinensian. After graduating in 1947, Prof. Flor-Agbayani worked as an instructor at the UP School of Fine Arts, and was instrumental in the transition of the School of Fine Arts to the College of Fine Arts in 1970. In 1975, she became the country’s first woman to be given the Fine Arts full professor rank. Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani’s “Baguio Cathedral” (1970). She served as the chairman of the Studio Arts Department, and was College Secretary, Graduate Program Coordinator, Officer-in-Charge, and then Associate Dean of the UP College of Fine Arts, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses and mentored many of the country’s master artists and National Artists. After retirement, she was conferred the title of Professor Emeritus, and continued to lecture and conduct graduate program activities. Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani (1st from left) with National Artists Larry Alcala (4th from left) and Napoleon Abueva (4th from right). Source: Artists and Models Ball Souvenir Program 1980. Her passion for art education in the country also led her to teach at and nurture budding artists from the Philippine High School for the Arts, where she served as Director by appointment of the Philippine President. The Grand Dame of Philippine Art Education She was known, nationally and internationally, as “The Grand Dame of Philippine Art Education” for her pioneering efforts and innovative approaches in the inclusion of art education at the primary and secondary levels, and in the development and nurturing of numerous world-class artists from the Philippine High School for the Arts and the UP College of Fine Arts. She was also an Arts and Archeology consultant to several international government and professional organizations. She was a British Council Fellow and Scholar, served as Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Projects in Archeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA), and as World Councilor for Southeast Asia and the Pacific region of the International Society for Education through Art (INSEA). An award-winning scholar, Prof. Flor-Agbayani also spoke frequently at national and international venues, and even after her retirement, continued to present papers and lectures on Philippine history, art and culture in universities and civic organizations in the United States. Prof. Flor-Agbayani’s influences upon the history and development of Philippine and international art and Philippine art education are immeasurable, and a source of pride for UP and the country. But for the UP Community, her pioneering spirit will live on in the campus she helped shape. According to the UP Diliman: Home and Campus, Prof. Flor-Agbayani was proud “to say that she was glad that she was able to show her loyalty to the University when UP needed everybody’s help in order for it to be able to stand on its own feet. And proud that she was around to contribute and be a witness to all the changes that the University has gone through. But most of all, she was very grateful that while faces and personalities had come and gone, she was there to celebrate and welcome the dawn of another UP century.” Prof. Flor-Agbayani is survived by five children: Anna Victoria Agbayani Resurreccion; and Marianne, John Patrick, Cana-Mari, and Franz John Agbayani; son-in-law Rey Resurreccion; grandson Carl Francis Agbayani and his wife, Marie. Her daughter, Ida Agbayani, died in 1999. (Celeste Ann Castillo, UP MPRO) Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani’s “Red Barn” (1980). |
https://up.edu.ph/farewell-to-virginia-moreno-the-high-priestess-of-philippine-poetry/ | Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry – University of the Philippines | Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry August 15, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Filipino poet, playwright and cultural icon Virginia R. Moreno at her tribute to National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, which included an exhibit dedicated to Joaquin, and the video screening of Joaquin’s Portrait of an Artist as Filipino (film adaptation, 1965), directed by National Artist for Film and Theater Lamberto Avellana, UP Film Center, 19 May 2018. Photo from JW Capili. She became known among her fellow poets, writers, and literary icons as “The High Priestess” and “The Empress Dowager of Philippine Poetry.” Lofty titles, true, but in the case of Filipino writer, poet, playwright, educator, and founding Director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Film Center, Professor Virginia Reyes Moreno, the monikers are well-deserved. Professor Moreno, sister to Asia’s Fashion Czar Jose “Pitoy” Moreno, also a UP alumnus, passed away on August 14, 2021, with news about her death at the age of 98 reported on social media. Born in Tondo, Manila, on April 24, 1923, Moreno lived a storied life, with her work spanning literary genres, from poetry to theater to cinema. She earned her degrees at UP Diliman, where she was literary editor of the Philippine Collegian, and the Kansas Institute of International Education, as a Rockefeller fellow in creative writing. In 1969, Moreno studied at the British Film Institute in London under a British Council grant. In 1973, she was a Writer-in-Residence at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. She also co-directed the documentary The Imaginative Community: 7 Poets in Iowa. Throughout Moreno’s career, she mentored generations of Filipino writers, visual artists, academic scholars, teachers, curators and filmmakers, who remember her as a feisty and lovable professor of English and Humanities. She was the leading proponent for establishing the Humanities Center in UP Diliman, which evolved into Bulwagang Rizal or the UP Faculty Center (destroyed by a fire in 2016). In 1959, she co-founded the UP Department of Humanities, now the UP Department of Art Studies. She became the first executive director of the UP Film Institute’s Film Center in 1976, a post she held until 1991. Her play, Straw Patriot (1956), was translated into Filipino by Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez in 1967 as Bayaning Huwad. In 1969, The Onyx Wolf, also known as La Lobra Negra and Itim Asu, won the National Historical Playwriting Contest. The Cultural Center of the Philippines turned the play into a ballet performance a year later, with National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes performing as the lead. Moreno’s first poetry collection, Batik Maker and Other Poems, garnered the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Poetry (First Prize) in 1972. The book is also notable because of the care and craftwork that went into it. As described in the website of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Library of Women’s Writings “Of the 13 handcrafted copies made for its 1975 CCP-launching, 5 vanished altogether, spirited away by those possessed by its lush dreamwork and haunting strains. Bookmaker Hilario S. Francia meticulously crafted and stitched each copy of the book. In the famous broken-sword motif of Javanese royalty, Moreno herself chose the batik-cloth cover and flew it in from Jakarta. Her brother, Jose Moreno, supplied the Kyoto rice paper for its pages, bought from one of his Osaka sojourns. (National Artist for Music) Lucrecia Kasilag deployed her gamelan orchestra for the occasion. Seasoned actors Vic Silayan and Lolita Rodriguez, along with Moreno’s diplomat friends, recited the poems in three languages—in the lyrical English master text, in the elegant French translation, and in Larry Francia’s masterful Filipino.” In 1984, Moreno won the Southeast Asia (SEA) Write Award, recognizing the impact of her literary excellence and cultural leadership in the ASEAN region. In 1991, she was conferred the Chroslais dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the French Government. She also served as chair of the UNESCO Culture Committee of the Philippines. Until she passed away, she was President of J. Moreno Foundation, Inc. Moreno’s literary legacy will live on among the writers, artists, playwrights, and filmmakers—Filipino and foreign alike—who have been touched by the bold and creative spirit of “The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry.” |
https://up.edu.ph/dating-propesor-at-csc-chairperson-karina-david-pumanaw-sa-edad-na-73/ | Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 – University of the Philippines | Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 May 8, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Larawan ni Karina David. Mula kay Kara David. Pumanaw na ang dating Chairperson ng Civil Service Commission na si Karina Constantino-David. Si David ay isang propesor sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at dating tagapangulo ng Department of Community Development. Siya ay nagsilbi sa gobyerno sa loob ng mahigit isang dekada sa ilalim ng iba’t ibang administrasyon. Naging undersecretary siya ng DSWD mula 1986 hanggang 1988; naging pinuno ng Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) mula 1998 hanggang 2000; naging pinuno ng Civil Service Commission mula 2001 hanggang 2008; at, nagsilbi bilang miyembro ng Board of Trustees ng GSIS mula 2010 hanggang 2016. Bukod sa pagiging isang tapat na public servant, si David ay naging aktibo rin sa pag-oorganisa ng mga komunidad at maralitang taga-lungsod sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang non-government organization na HASIK. Kilala rin siya bilang isa sa mga unang nagsulong ng karapatan ng mga kababaihan sa Pilipinas. Isa siya sa mga nagtatag ng grupong Every Woman na lumalaban para sa pantay na pagtrato at pagtingin sa mga kababaihan. Tagapagtaguyod rin siya ng Child Protection Network na tumutulong naman sa mga batang biktima ng karahasan at pang-aabuso. Hindi lang sa larangan ng akademiya at serbisyo-publiko nakilala si David. Siya rin ay aktibo sa larangan ng sining at musika. Isa siyang batikang kompositor at gitarista at naging bahagi ng musical duo na Inang Laya. Si Karina ay asawa ng mamamahayag na si Propesor Randy David; ina nina CP, Kara, Nadya, at Jika; at lola nina Julia, Jacinta, Xavi, Alonso, at Lila. Si Karina ay nagmula sa pamilya ng mga makabayang historyador na sina Renato Constantino at Letizia Roxas-Constantino. Si David ay pumanaw sa edad na 73, noong Martes ng gabi sa Philippine Heart Center. Sa ngayon, wala pang detalye ng kaniyang burol at libing. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-start-accepting-applications-for-first-year-students-on-jan-7/ | UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 – University of the Philippines | UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 December 18, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines will begin accepting applications for first-year students for Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 on 7 January 2021, via an online portal especially for admissions applications. First-year applicants to UP for AY 2021-2022 will not undergo the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT). This decision follows the unanimous vote by the University Councils (UCs) of all the UP constituent universities not to administer the UPCAT for AY 2021-2022 in light of health and logistical issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. [Related: No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification] Instead of the UPCAT, the University Councils, the highest academic policymaking body of the constituent universities in the UP System, approved a modified freshmen admissions system specific to AY 2021-2022. This includes an additional assessment of incoming first-year students by academic units to qualify for a degree program, if deemed necessary. Applicants will be notified of such assessment or other additional requirements after the evaluation of their high school records. The online submission of all application forms is likewise meant to minimize exposure to the novel coronavirus. The steps to applying as a first-year student to UP for AY 2021-2022 are as follows: • Applicants shall accomplish Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) electronically and upload their photo and electronic signature. • High schools shall be requested to log on to the Grades Submission link to accomplish Form 2 (High School Records) on behalf of the applicants. An online survey was sent earlier to high schools using their registered email addresses in the records of the UP Office of Admissions (OAdms). • If a high school has not received the email of the UP OAdms, applicants from that school must inform the Office of the school’s current official email address via dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph to facilitate communications between the UP OAdms and the high school. Admission to UP is highly competitive, and admission for AY 2021-2022 will be no different, even without the UPCAT. Degree programs in UP have limited slots for incoming first-year students. Therefore, to select incoming first-year students who qualify for a degree program, UP must strictly assess the applicants’ high school grades. There is no minimum grade requirement to be able to apply as a first-year student of UP. However, submission of application DOES NOT MEAN automatic admission. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to use secure email accounts preferably with two-step verification to better protect their right to data privacy. While UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will continue to coordinate with concerned high schools for alternative modes of submission. Details on how to accomplish the forms shall be posted in the online portal. The deadline for submission of applications is Monday, 15 February 2021. For those interested in applying for admission to the University of the Philippines for AY 2021-2022, the link to the online portal will be available on or before 7 January 2021. For concerns regarding the online submission of application, and to prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would like to remind the general public to get their information only from the UP Office of Admissions at: Landline: (02) 8981-8500 local 3827 / 3828 / 3830 / 3831 Cellphone: +63 918 904 9195 E-mail: upcatapplications@up.edu.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions |
https://up.edu.ph/no-upcat-2021-up-admissions-system-undergoing-modification/ | No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification – University of the Philippines | No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification November 10, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo File photo / Jun Madrid, UP MPRO The University Councils (UCs) of the eight constituent universities (CUs) of the University of the Philippines System, as the highest academic bodies of the CUs, unanimously decided that there will be no UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for the intake of first year students in Academic Year 2021-2022. The results of the Special UC Meetings of UP Diliman and UP Manila and of the referendums of the other CUs were submitted to the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) on October 28, in time for an update on UPCAT in the 1355th meeting of the UP Board of Regents (BOR) on October 29. As stated in a memorandum issued by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on 30 October 2020, the University Councils of the CUs “unanimously voted NOT to administer UPCAT in light of logistical issues in the paper-and-pencil testing of about 100,000 17-year old applicants.” Taking into account the uncertain trajectory and uneven spread of COVID-19 in different parts of the Philippines, majority of the UC members did not deem it feasible to administer the usual UPCAT involving around 1,600 testing personnel deployed to 94 testing centers throughout the archipelago. According to the same memorandum, majority of the UC members did not consider an online UPCAT examination feasible either. This is primarily due to the length of the exam and variety of items that would require a consistently strong Internet connection to download within the time allotted for examinees to answer. The University Councils are vested with the power to “fix the requirements for admission to any college or unit, graduation and grant of honors subject to minimum system-wide requirements”, according to Sections 16 and 17 of Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter of 2008. For this reason, proposed changes in the University’s admission policy must be approved by the University Council of each UP constituent university, which consists of the chancellor as chairperson and all faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor and higher as members. The BOR, for its part, noted during its October 29 meeting the report presented by the Office of Admissions (OAdms) and the OVPAA, as well as the choice of all University Councils in the UP System to forego administering the UPCAT for AY 2021-2022. The BOR also instructed the OAdms to come up with a modified freshmen admissions system specific to AY 2021-2022 by February 2021 in light of the pandemic. This includes the use of big data analytics to arrive at a UP admission score model, which the OAdms, together with other concerned offices, is currently developing, as well as the determination by academic units of an additional layer of screening for particular programs, if deemed necessary. The OAdms had presented five options for UP admissions to the eight University Councils, the System Academic Affairs Committee, University Executive Committee, and the President’s Advisory Council even while it was simultaneously taking stock of the availability of the UPCAT testing centers and the volunteer testing personnel in the event the UC decided to administer UPCAT 2021. Had there been no pandemic, UPCAT 2021 would have been administered on 10-11 October 2020. The submission of UPCAT application Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) and Form 2 (High School Records) is still required, although these forms have been modified to account for stricter data privacy, efficiency, and the health and safety risks in this pandemic. While UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will accept manually accomplished forms. Following the decision of the University Councils, OAdms has set the start of the application period in December 2020. The exact date will be announced. For those interested in applying for admission to the University of the Philippines for AY 2021-2022, please watch for further announcements from the OAdms. To prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would also like to remind the general public to get their information regarding the UPCAT and admissions into UP only from the Office of Admissions’ website and Facebook page, and the UP System website, Facebook page, and Twitter account. |
https://up.edu.ph/upri-convenes-drr-and-climate-change-experts-from-all-cus/ | UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs – University of the Philippines | UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs March 19, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Participants exchange ideas on the role of UP in policymaking for disaster risk reduction and climate action. From left to right: Dr. Lagmay (UP Diliman), Dean Jonnifer Sinogaya (UP Cebu) and Dr. Genaro Cuaresma (UP Los Baños). Selected faculty members from all eight constituent universities (CUs) of the University of the Philippines gathered together on February 27, 2019 to exchange notes and take stock of their experiences in providing policy advice to the government in the areas of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change. The “Scoping Workshop on the Role of Academia in Policymaking for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action” was organized by the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), with support from the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA). Held at Microtel Technohub in Quezon City, the event marked the first-ever system-wide convention of fellows under the UPRI umbrella. A total of 37 faculty members from UP’s major campuses, including the UP Open University, attended the workshop, representing various disciplines in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and management. Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, UPRI Executive Director and Professor at the UP-National Institute of Geological Sciences, formally opened the workshop with an update on the current status of UPRI as a distinct unit under the Office of the President. He explained that the Institute itself is a product of three independent initiatives that eventually converged under one roof in 2017, namely: the Resilience Institute conceived by then UPD Vice Chancellor Dr. Benito Pacheco; the RESILIENCE website project spearheaded by then UP Vice President for Public Affairs and now Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” de Vera; and, Project NOAH under Dr. Lagmay. UP Vice President for Public Affairs Dr. Elena E. Pernia, also a former dean of the UP College of Mass Communications, welcomed the participants on behalf of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Dr. Rajib Shaw, highly regarded DRR and climate change adaptation scholar who concurrently chairs the UNISDR Science and Technology Advisor Group, delivered the keynote speech through a video message, where he underscored the critical role of the academe in global climate action and resilience. Professor Pacheco of the UP Institute of Civil Engineering and former executive director of UPRI, also gave an inspirational talk, highlighting transdisciplinary collaboration as the backbone of a “network-emergent serendipity” made possible through UPRI. Dr. Rajib Shaw shares his insights with the participants The workshop proper kicked off with a network mapping exercise in the morning, followed by small parallel group discussions in the afternoon. The network map provided a snapshot of past and ongoing linkages between and among faculty members of the various UP campuses. Meanwhile, the group discussions delved on the issues and challenges that the participants have encountered in providing DRR and climate change advice to the government. Ways forward to strengthen academe-government engagement in policymaking for DRR and climate action were also discussed. Small group discussion on academe-government policy engagement Participants of the scoping workshop identify their involvement in selected government agencies The one-day activity concluded with a closing message from Dean Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza of the UP-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG). It formally ended with a ceremonial pledging of commitment from participating UPRI fellows to remain steadfast in advancing the University’s advocacy and efforts towards strengthening the capacity of UP, the nation and the region to withstand adversities and build sustainable and resilient communities. Professor Kristoffer Berse of UP-NCPAG served as overall facilitator and lead convenor of the workshop. The activity was undertaken as part of Dr. Berse’s INGSA project under UPRI, in association with the UP-NCPAG and the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk. Plans are in the pipeline to hold separate strategic planning sessions with the rest of UPRI fellows in UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Mindanao, UP Visayas, and UP Open University. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-launches-online-portal-for-first-year-applicants-for-ay-2021-2022/ | UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines | UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 January 7, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Applicants for first-year admission at the University of the Philippines (UP) for Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 can now access the online portal upadmissionsonline.up.edu.ph to submit their applications. Before accessing the UP online admissions portal, applicants are enjoined to visit upcollegeadmissions.up.edu.ph for preparatory information and instructions as well as the latest announcements. After the applicants have read the pertinent information on this website, they will be directed to the online application portal. Online submission of applications For safety reasons and in compliance with the IATF’s community quarantine guidelines, the UP Office of Admissions (OAdms) is implementing a No Walk-In Policy. Instead, all applicants are strongly encouraged to apply via the online portal. However, while UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will continue to coordinate with concerned high schools for alternative modes of submission. To minimize exposure to the coronavirus, however, all forms shall be submitted online. Applicants shall accomplish Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) electronically and upload their photo and electronic signature. The names of the applicants will be sent to their high schools for batch processing of grade submission starting January 18, 2021. High schools shall be notified and then be requested to log on to the Grades Submission link to accomplish Form 2 (High School Records) on behalf of the applicants. The online admissions applications for UP are being done in light of the unanimous decision by the UP System’s University Councils (UCs) that there will be no UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for AY 2021-2022 applicants due to health and logistical issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UCs further approved an additional assessment by academic units to qualify for a degree program, if deemed necessary. Applicants will be notified of such assessment or other additional requirements after the evaluation of their High School Records. General information on admissions The UP OAdms has made a General Information Bulletin on Freshman Admissions (AY 2021-2022) available on both the website and the online portal. Admission into UP is very selective due to high demand. While they come from very diverse backgrounds, applicants to UP are all ranked according to indicators of academic preparedness for university life. In the absence of the UPCAT, a composite of the final grades in Grade 8, 9, 10 and first semester of Grade 11 shall be the basis to determine the UP admission grade (UPG). Specific degree programs may request for additional requirements to qualify for admission, if deemed necessary. To implement the policy of democratic access, UP also considers socio-economic and geographic factors in its admission process. Selection for admission to a campus is based on the applicant’s UPG, campus quota, and/or cut-off grade. A successful applicant can receive an offer of admission to only one of his/her UP campus of choice. The successful applicants for a given campus are ranked according to grade predictors and quotas of their chosen degree programs. Some degree programs are more competitive due to their high demand. Applicants should choose only degree programs they are interested in. If an applicant is not successful in his/her first choice of campus, the process continues in order of priority of his/her remaining choices. Filipino public high school graduates who are in the top ten of their graduating class may apply for freshman automatic admission for AY 2021-2022, as provided by Republic Act No. 10648 or the Iskolar ng Bayan Law of 2014. The law also requires that applicants comply with other admission requirements of the University and enroll in a UP campus that is in the same region as their high school. For more details and instructions, please visit upcollegeadmissions.up.edu.ph. For assistance and concerns regarding the online submission of application, and to prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would like to remind the general public to get their information only from the UP Office of Admissions at: Landline: (02) 8981-8500 local 3827 / 3828 / 3830 / 3831 Cellphone: +63 918 904 9195 Facebook Messenger Helpdesk (8:00 am – 11:00 pm): facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions E-mail: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph |
https://up.edu.ph/up-ncpag-prof-bags-vam-award/ | UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award – University of the Philippines | UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award March 8, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Dr. Berse receives the award with his wife and daughter. Joining them were former and current PPSC and PSPA officers, (from left to right) Dr. Lourdes Portus, Dr. Amaryllis Torres, Dr. Perante-Calina, Dr. Cynthia Zayas, Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr., and Dr. Danilo Reyes. Photo from PSSC Facebook page. Dr. Kristoffer B. Berse of the University of the Philippines (UP) National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) was conferred the prestigious 2019 Virginia A. Miralao (VAM) Excellence in Research Award by the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) for his publication entitled “Cities as aid agencies: preliminary prospects and cautionary signposts from post-disaster interurban cooperation in Asia.” The VAM Award was established in 2010 to recognize the best article, book chapter or book written by a promising young scholar from among the member professions of the PPSC, a long-standing umbrella organization of professional social science associations in the Philippines. Dr. Berse’s winning entry was a book chapter in “Crossing Borders: Governing Environmental Disasters in a Global Urban Age in Asia and the Pacific” co-edited by Michelle Miller, Michael Douglass and Matthias Garschagen (Springer, 2018). The PSSC selected his work for “bringing to light a new dimension in the ongoing discussion of disaster risk reduction and management concerns…. [as it] gave an excellent analysis of the effectiveness of local government ‘aid’ in post-disaster situations as opposed to national, cross-country or multilateral aid.” The awarding ceremony took place on February 23, 2019 at the Philippine Social Science Center in Quezon City. Dr. Berse received a modest cash prize and commemorative trophy designed by Toym Imao. Dr. Berse (3rd from left) receiving the VAM trophy from Dr. Amaryllis Torres, PSSC Executive Director, and Dr. Dr. Perante-Calina, PSPA President. Photo from PSSC Facebook page. It was the first time that the VAM Award was given to a public administration scholar. The Philippine Society for Public Administration (PSPA) under the leadership of Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr. and Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina formally nominated Dr. Berse and his work. Previous VAM winners from UP include Marco Stefan Lagman and Dr. Kristian Saguin from the Department of Geography and Dr. Arnisson Andre C. Ortega of the UP Population Institute. In 2018, Dr. Berse was selected as one of six inaugural Research Associates of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and as Young Scientist of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR). Dr. Berse is currently Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator at UP-NCPAG, where he also holds the Rafael M. Salas Professorial Chair in Public Administration. |
https://up.edu.ph/attention-high-schools-with-students-applying-to-up-for-ay-2021-2022/ | Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines | Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 March 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The deadline for the online submission of Form 2 is extended to 31 March 2021. The UP Office of Admissions has initiated contact with high schools since 16 February 2021. Schools that have not received any notification or have changed their registered email address are advised to contact dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph. For inquiries, concerns and assistance, please proceed to our Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB page (https://www.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions/). The Helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
https://up.edu.ph/ncpag-forum-assesses-performance-of-duterte-administration/ | NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration – University of the Philippines | NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration September 11, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda. As part of the academe’s role of conscientization, monitoring, and assessing the policies and performance of government, the Center for Policy and Executive Development (CPED) of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) of the University of the Philippines (UP) held a forum at the NCPAG Audio-Visual Room in the afternoon of September 3, 2019. UP NCPAG faculty members, Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Dr. Enrico L. Basilio, and CPED Director Ebinezer R. Florano presented their reflections on the priority agenda stated by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, and discussed their assessments on the country’s social, economic and political dimensions, respectively. (L-R) Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan, Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano, and Dr. Enrico L. Basilio. Photo by Bong Arboleda. Social Sector Raquiza presented data showing the state of poverty, inequality, health, and education in the country, as she discussed the expected role of government in ensuring “that all members of society are able to attain a certain standard of living and have access to opportunities to improve their lives.” She emphasized that government should improve the people’s well-being, promote equality, and contribute to social cohesion. Raquiza reported that Filipinos in the agriculture sector, farmers, fisherfolk, low-income earners, and those in urban poor communities benefit the least, even from the growth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). “They languish in the low-value, low-productive, even precarious, labor market marked by poverty-level wages. They have little access to social protection, and they are exposed to hazardous working conditions,” she said. “Agriculture is in dire straits, . . . historically declining, and this decline continued under this administration,” she added. Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza. Photo by Bong Arboleda. Raquiza concluded that poverty incidence generally stayed the same, with the gains of observed economic growth not being equitably shared with the majority of the population. She noted there is still high inequality, and that there has been no major breakthrough in the past 30 years. She recommended “more redistributive measures, especially in fiscal policy and measures.” She added that “access to quality education and quality healthcare remain a challenge for the majority,” and that these require “significant improvements”. “Given significant levels of poverty and inequality across various dimensions, there is need to increase focus on social equity,” she said. Economic Sector Basilio’s discussion focused on economic indicators and trends. He noted an above six percent GDP growth rate for the Philippines in the past 3 years, with construction, finance, real estate, manufacturing, trade, and services among the industries and sectors having the highest average growth rate from 2012 to the present. However, he added that the country’s trade gap is widening, wherein there are more imports than exports, leading to a ballooning trade deficit and a declining import cover. He also reviewed the present drivers of economic growth, key legislations, and sources of revenues, such as the series of tax reform measures. Dr. Enrico L. Basilio. Photo by Bong Arboleda. Basilio said that the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” plan is still Luzon-centric, with 79% of the projects to be done in Luzon, 7% in the Visayas and 14% in Mindanao. He added that self-rated poverty went down, with more people thinking things improved, and that the growth rate should be pegged at ten to 12% for a period of ten years for most people to gain from the trickle-down effect. In conclusion, he said, “progress in achieving the 10-point socioeconomic agenda is advancing strongly.” Political Sector Florano examined the public policy aspect in his reflections on public policymaking in the Duterte Administration. He identified key points in the social, economic, political, and public administration sectors mentioned by President Duterte during the 4th SONA. Cited for enacting 133 laws, including priority measures, he also credited this administration for being “more productive than the first two years” of the previous administration, adding that 39 of these were national laws, comprising 29%, while 94 were local laws, comprising 71%. Florano explained that policies and intentions should be communicated clearly for the benefit of the citizens. However, he noted that there was “so much confusion on government policy” in the last three years since there are lingering questions regarding public pronouncements and implementation of policies and laws. Issues concerning the West Philippine Sea, respect for women, anti-crime and the drug war, corruption, and new cabinet-level agencies, among others, became highly controversial or were marked with inconsistencies or vagueness due to actions and statements coming from the president and members of the administration. Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano. Photo by Bong Arboleda. Florano posed questions on the “true public policy” vis-à-vis the intentions and actions of the administration on such critical national issues. He proposed further “academic studies to answer and understand research questions related to public policymaking”, to reveal the “true public policy”, and to help increase effectiveness and efficiency in governance. “Ideally, public policies should be authoritative, based on law, and actions and intentions should be in sync,” Florano said. “There should be clear communication of public policies for better delivery of public services. There should be no room for misinterpretations,” he concluded. Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan. Photo by Bong Arboleda. Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan gave a recap of the presentations. Prof. Simeon A. Ilago, officer-in- charge of NCPAG, delivered the closing remarks. Ms. Danica Joy C. Navidad served as emcee for the forum. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-papers-the-first-philippine-public-policy-conference/ | CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference – University of the Philippines | CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference April 30, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Center of Policy and Executive Development (CPED) of the University of the Philippines-Diliman National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), together with the Philippine Public Policy Network (PPPN), will organize the two-day Inaugural Conference and Organizational Meeting on 21-22 November 2019 to be held at the International Center for Public Administration, UP NCPAG. Likewise, CPED will receive and review abstracts of conference papers until May 15, 2019. The scope of discussions captures the theme of the conference, “Towards Adaptive Public Policy-Making in Anxious Times”. The same call for papers is being sent out by PPPN Interim President and UP NCPAG Dean Ma. Fe Villamejor-Mendoza, Ph.D., to practitioners, policymakers, academics, and students. Dean Mendoza envisions the conference as a platform for multi-disciplinary discussion, collaboration, and learning to discuss public policy challenges in a rapidly changing global environment brought about by the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution and the shift of geo-political forces. For which reason, conference papers should delve on current issues, such as programs on poverty, inflation, Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, federalism, war on drugs, among others, that influence policy as a discipline, an evaluative measure, and an innovation. Abstracts of the conference papers will be accepted until May 15, 2019. The PPPN will also hold its first organizational meeting during the two-day event. The PPPN commits to become the country-based network of public policy scholars under the umbrella of the Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN). At the core of the initiative is CPED’s direct coordination with institutions and organizations to participate in the conference and constitute a dynamic “marketplace of ideas” where public policy converges stakeholders to embody policymaking that responds to issues, processes, and implementation. CPED welcomes interested participants to contact Ms. JJ Somera at 920-1353 or pppncon2019@gmail.com, particularly on the format of abstracts of conference papers and registration details. Updates on the Philippine Public Policy Network (PPPN) Inaugural Conference and First Organizational Meeting will be posted on the CPED and NCPAG Facebook pages. For more details, please download the aide-memoire. |
https://up.edu.ph/eropa-2019-conference-explores-the-future-of-public-administration/ | EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration – University of the Philippines | EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration October 2, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Professor Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, and Professor Pan Suk Kim in the first plenary session of the conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Delegates of the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) coming from Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam, India, China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines gathered for the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference to discuss vital issues affecting the Asia and the Pacific region, elect officers of the organization, and adopt resolutions and plans for upcoming activities. This was held at the International Center for Public Administration (ICPA) of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Quezon City on September 22 to 27. With the main theme, “The Future of Public Administration: Rethinking Resilience, Equity, and Sustainability in the Region”, the conference featured plenary discussions, paper presentations, and parallel sessions on four sub-themes, namely: Social Equity and Well-Being; Environmental Sustainability; Public Finance and the Good Life; and, The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Development. Participants were engaged in scholarly and timely discussions on a very broad range of topics which covered: food and water security, agrarian reform, labor, education, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, bureaucracy, civil society, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change, and many others connected with meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations’ agenda for international development. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion welcomes the delegates of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, EROPA Secretary-General Orlando S. Mercado, and NCPAG Officer-in-Charge Simeon A. Ilago welcomed the delegates in the opening ceremony on September 23. Ilago encouraged the delegates to “rethink, learn and unlearn, discover and rediscover, frame and reframe ideas and actions that will help shape the future of the study and practice of Public Administration.” Concepcion affirmed that the conference “complements and fulfills the mandate of both the academe and of EROPA.” He added that addressing the problem of climate change “would require serious transformation in how we manage our affairs and our resources, in addition to the already challenging complexities brought about by globalization, changes in technologies, and human activities.” Mercado shared insights from his experiences as a former Philippine senator and reminded the participants to look closer at the details in trying to find solutions to the issues, or in seeing the “gorillas” likely being overlooked. EROPA Secretary-General Orlando S. Mercado addresses the participants in the opening ceremony of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. The first plenary session featured presentations by Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, senior adviser of the Khazanah Research Institute, Malaysia, and Professor Pan Suk Kim of the College of Business and Governance, Yonsei University, Korea, on “the future of Public Administration”. An open forum followed, moderated by UP NCPAG Professor Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza. Sundaram urged the audience “to address the problems that we have inherited” in his discussion on good governance. He said that: “we should think about developmental governance”; face global warming with idea of a “global green new deal”; “reduce climate change while raising living standards for all people”; and, “strengthen stakeholders” in implementing a school feeding program to solve hunger and malnutrition. “As public administrators you have the potential to make sure that our governments’ collective commitment to the SDGs enable us to improve the conditions of living for the vast majority of our people,” concluded Sundaram. Kim highlighted the shifting of discourse from Western to Asian, the need for connectivity, and the use of technology. “We have to improve Asian public administration. . . We have to have our own theory,” he said. This is through “Asianization” or localization, so that “we can interpret our own problems in our own ways”, he added. “We can learn a lot from each other so we can transform Asian public administration to more creative innovation. We need to develop our own indigenous or localized or Asian way. We need to promote innovative culture. Innovative culture is having innovation in every workplace,” concluded Kim. Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) President Cecilia Garrucho talks about theater and leadership in the 2nd plenary session. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. In the 2nd plenary session, Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) President Cecilia Garrucho gave a presentation on the history and experiences of PETA where she highlighted how theater helps to transform people and communities for the better, through their vision of having a “theater for the people”, cultivating commitment and leadership, and immersion to learn the needs of those whom they work with. The plenary session on “Social Equity and Well-Being” featured as resource speakers: Sungkyunkwan University (Korea) Professor Rosa Minhyo Cho; UNICEF (Philippines) Chief of Social Policy Anjanette Saguisag; and, Department of Education (Philippines) Secretary Leonor M. Briones. Director Bruno Carrasco of the Public Management, Financial Sector, and Trade Division of the Asian Development Bank, and Professor Michael Mah-Hui Lim (Malaysia) served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Public Finance and the Good Life”. For the plenary session on the “Fourth Industrial Revolution and Development”, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, STRIDE Program Chief of Party Richard Abendan, and Professor Yuan He of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China) served as resource speakers. UP Resilience Institute Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Lagmay and Professor Agus Pramusinto of the Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Resilience and Environmental Sustainability”. Philippines Civil Service Commission Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala is elected president of the EROPA 27th General Assembly. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Professor Heungsuk Choi of Korea University, Deputy Director General Ernesto Perez of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Philippines), and Civil Service Commission (Philippines) Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Special Panel on Competition, Regulation, and Public Sector Reform”. Heads of state member delegations and new EROPA officers also delivered their messages at the conference. Officers and delegates of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. EROPA, an international organization of states, groups and individuals in Asia and the Pacific, was formally constituted at the first meeting of its General Assembly held in the Philippines in December 1960: to “advance the economic and social development of the region through the promotion of the study, practice and status of public administration and management”; and, to “provide a forum to exchange information and ideas on innovative approaches to efficient, effective and ethical public service”. |
https://up.edu.ph/ups-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-celebrates-2nd-anniversary/ | UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary – University of the Philippines | UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary April 20, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor When COVID-19 hit, it left nations scrambling in the dark. No one knew what the new viral disease was, how fast it spread, and how deadly it could be. As an immediate response, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), launched the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series. The series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series, which pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. This Friday, April 22, from 12 pm to 2 pm, the university celebrates the pioneering series’ second anniversary. The special episode, titled “Giting at Tapang sa Panahon ng Pandemya: Reflecting on COVID-19 Lessons,” will reflect on these two long years full of ups and downs. What has the pandemic highlighted, and what did we learn from it? Did our health services become better organized? Did we find ways of financing the tremendous demands on goods and services? Did we train our doctors and nurses well during the pandemic? Were we able to turn this crisis into an opportunity to create reforms in health care systems? The special episode will feature a roundtable discussion among four leaders who exemplified restraint and commitment at the height of the pandemic. They are front-liners, patients, and researchers who will share their learnings, innovations, and stories that inspired them to persevere and inspire others. Dr. Albert Francis E. Domingo, recently appointed as Concurrent Director III of the Department of Health (DOH) Communication Office and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, comes with the perspective of the generation on deck—the next cohort of leaders who took to the field and worked with local governments to organize the country’s COVID-19 response on the ground. National Scientist Dr. Ernesto Domingo, who first organized the Universal Health Care (UHC) study group in 2008, will reflect on the past 12 years after conceptualizing this policy shift. Dr. Gerardo ‘Gap’ Legaspi, UP-PGH Director, led the transformation of the UP-PGH into a COVID-19 referral center. At the height of the pandemic, he contracted COVID more than once, rescued people and equipment during a fire, and organized and reorganized the UP-PGH wards during three surges—he will talk about an elegant and simple way to organize healthcare delivery services beyond the pandemic. Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine who brought vision and outside-the-box administrative interventions, will also share her insights on the mental health of doctors-in-training during the pandemic. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, National Adviser of the COVID-19 Response Task Force, will deliver the opening remarks. He will reflect on the national response, its challenges, pitfalls, and the approaches that worked as we move forward. Finally, UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla will deliver the synthesis, and closing remarks, whose invaluable support and unwavering commitment to the webinar cemented its success. The webinar also aims to commemorate all our front-liner heroes who have fallen during this pandemic, whose sacrifices have enabled the country to persevere during the darkest times. To join us in this celebration and reflection on lessons learned and recommendations for moving forward, register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar96. Audiences may also catch our weekly live tweets and streams through the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. |
https://up.edu.ph/nus-officials-visit-up-to-strengthen-academic-partnership/ | NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership – University of the Philippines | NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership February 21, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. National University of Singapore (NUS) and University of the Philippines (UP) officials discussed prospects for stronger academic collaboration between the two universities during the meeting held in the UP Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, on February 19, 2019. The NUS delegation aimed to “learn about UP’s plans on research, innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization, which could be building blocks that will facilitate the flow of ideas, talent and access to markets, and funding opportunities between Singapore and the Philippines.” The NUS officials also visited the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman, and listened to presentations on some of the research initiatives being developed at the Hub. University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion welcomes the officials of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion provided the NUS officials with an overview of UP’s constituent universities, academic programs, and faculty, staff and student constituencies in UP campuses across the nation. He also mentioned that since there is still no formal memorandum of understanding to effectively start academic collaboration between NUS and UP, the officials should immediately consider this. NUS President Tan Eng Chye introduced his university to the UP officials, citing a large constituency of about 38,000 students (28,000 undergraduate students and 10,000 graduate students), 1,600 faculty in research, 5,000 administrative staff, 4,000 research personnel and close to 300,000 alumni. He added that they hope the number of Filipino alumni from the NUS would increase. National University of Singapore (NUS) President Tan Eng Chye. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Chye talked about the more than 20 years of focus of NUS on innovation and enterprise and its enhanced collaboration with industries. He said the NUS aims to establish an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network, a network of innovator hubs via universities located in the big cities in Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and East Timor, to harness the tremendous potentials seen in Southeast Asia. Universities develop entrepreneurs, incubate start-ups, translate research, and facilitate the flow of ideas, talent and access to markets and funding opportunities, he explained further. The NUS officials also discussed how they conduct their student exchange program or mutual exchange internships in Singapore, establish the platforms for start-ups, and connect with companies and investors that help start-ups to succeed. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla noted that UP’s partnership with the NUS can serve as a platform for UP products and innovations to reach ASEAN countries. UP and NUS officials listen to presentations on UP’s innovative products during the NUS delegation’s visit to the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Technopreneurs from UP talk of their innovative products during the NUS delegation’s visit to the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. The NUS delegation consisted of: President Tan Eng Chye; Vice President (University and Global Relations) Andrew Wee; Dr. Lily Chan, CEO of NUS Enterprise; Prof. Wong Poh Kam, director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Centre and director of NUS Overseas College; Mr. Jonathan Chang, NUS Enterprise; Prof. Eduardo Araral, co-director of the Institute of Water Policy and an associate professor in Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Mr. Banderlipe Mc Ronald I. Simbajon, manager of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Director Bernard Toh of the Office of Alumni Relations; Mr. Ng Shan Jun, senior executive of the Office of Alumni Relations; Director Edi Fung of the NUS Development Office; and, Mr. Andy Loo, senior associate director of the NUS Development Office. NUS and UP officials visit the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. The UP delegation consisted of: President Danilo L. Concepcion; Regent Angelo A. Jimenez; Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa; Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose B. Bautista; Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia; Prof. Gil S. Jacinto, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs (International Linkages); Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell P. Capili; Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Rica D. Abad, and also the director of the Office of Alumni Relations; Prof. Aura C. Matias, chairperson of the UP System TWG on Technology Entrepreneurship; Chancellor Michael L. Tan of UP Diliman; Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla of UP Manila; Vice Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, UP Diliman; Executive Director Eva Cutiongco-de la Paz of the National Institutes of Health; Executive Director Cynthia P. Saloma of the Philippine Genome Center; Director Adeline A. Pacia of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Diliman; Director Lourdes Marie S. Tejero of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Manila; Prof. Jose Marie Abilay, Business Development manager of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Los Baños; Director Concepcion P. Ponce of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Visayas; Dean Jose V. Camacho Jr. of the Graduate School, UP Los Baños; and, UPSCALE Manager Jhaze Asuncion. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-mbb-alumna-wins-2nd-prize-in-swedish-forskar-grand-prix/ | UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix – University of the Philippines | UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix November 26, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta A University of the Philippines molecular biology and biotechnology graduate is making waves in the research world in Sweden. Ms. Sophia Raine C. Hernandez, currently a Ph.D. student at the Umeå University in Sweden and working with the Bushell Lab at the Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, won second prize in the final heat of the Forskar Grand Prix (Researchers’ Grand Prix) held on November 25 in Stockholm. The title of her winning presentation? “Tackling Malaria by Looking at the Biology of Parasites.” According to its English website, the Forskar Grand Prix is “a competition in which researchers in Sweden compete to find out who is best at presenting their research in just four minutes.” Participants qualify to compete in the final heat by winning in regional heats and two online heats. During the Grand Prix, seven finalists emerged. Among them, Hernandez qualified in the regional heat of Umeå, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Umeå University/Curiosum Science Centre that took place in November 2020. At last, in Stockholm, the finalists compete to determine who receives the honor of taking home the title. Communication and media researcher Michael Bossetta of Lund University won the championship, while Louise Karlsson of Halmstad University took third place as a researcher in stress-related diseases. The scientist-superhero vs. malaria Hernandez opened her presentation by admitting that she dreamed of becoming a superhero as a child. But when she grew up, she chose to become a scientist instead, since scientists, much like superheroes, work to protect humans from an array of villains. Only the villains, in this case, are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. For Hernandez, her arch-nemesis would be the parasite Plasmodium, which causes malaria, one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. Malaria causes around half a million deaths each year and disproportionally affects developing countries. Knowing this, Hernandez made it her quest to defeat this super-villain of disease using science—by developing tools to study the essential genes of the parasites to try to get a better understanding of the parasite’s biology and provide valuable information to the development of ways to target the parasite such as therapeutics and vaccine design. Watch Ms. Hernandez give her winning presentation here: https://youtu.be/aC7lwq4Wb2E?t=1604 Hernandez earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BS MBB), cum laude, from the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman. In 2018, she and fellow UP MBB graduate Andrea Ong received the Sanger Prize, an outreach competition for undergraduate students who live in and study in low or middle-income countries. They joined the Wellcome Sanger Institute while they were both in their final year of undergraduate studies at UP. UP NIMBB associate professor Dr. Denise Noelle Mirano-Bascos, Hernandez’s thesis adviser in UP, describes Hernandez in an email interview as “a student who was passionate about being a researcher.” Hernandez joined Dr. Bascos’ laboratory in her third year, then went on a student internship to the laboratory of Dr. Joseph DeRisi of the University of California-San Francisco for one summer. “She finished her thesis in my lab on the sex-specific immune response of mice to immunization with malaria proteins and did a lot of good work,” Dr. Bascos recalled. Hernandez then became an instructor at the UP NIMBB for one year before going abroad for her graduate studies. “Her supervisors at her internships enjoyed having her in their lab because she is very hardworking, reliable, and skilled in the laboratory. She is also very resourceful and independent. It doesn’t hurt either that she has such a wonderful personality and is so easy to get along with,” Dr. Bascos went on, sharing that Hernandez may have gotten her passion for scientific research from her mother, Dr. Christine Hernandez, associate professor of the UP Institute of Chemistry. Dr. Richelle Duque Björvang, winner of the online heat Ms. Hernandez was not the only UP alumna who impressed online audiences and an expert jury on how they presented their research in as engaging, educational, and easy-to-understand away as possible in just four minutes. Ms. Richelle G. Duque Björvang also a BS MBB graduate of UP Diliman, magna cum laude, a graduate of the UP College of Medicine, and currently a Ph.D. student in the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, was one of the two finalists who emerged from this year’s online heat, Researchers’ Grand Prix Digital. Held in September, the online heat had several thousand people rating the presentations of different contestants. When the online votes were combined with an expert jury, Louise Karlsson and Richelle Duque Björvang emerged as the winners. Karlsson would later go on to place third in the Forskar Grand Prix. Björvang’s research delved into the relationship between exposure to chemicals and women’s fertility. According to the Forskar Grand Prix website, she is also looking forward to the experts’ feedback to help her become better at communicating her research, and considered the competition a “good platform for me to raise awareness on how chemicals affect women’s health.” With reports from the UP OAR |
https://up.edu.ph/ricardo-p-babaran-installed-as-10th-chancellor-of-upv/ | Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV – University of the Philippines | Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV August 30, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Dr. Ricardo P. Babaran was formally installed as the 10th chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on August 29 at the UPV Little Theater, Iloilo City Campus. He has assumed office on November 1, 2017 and is serving a three-year term. Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran receives the mace from President Danilo L. Concepcion. President Danilo L. Concepcion affixes the medallion on Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran along with CHED-OIC and UP BOR Chair Prospero De Vera. Babaran is a faculty member of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences where he also earned his BS Fisheries degree. He graduated with the MS Engineering degree from the University of Washington and earned his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science at Kagoshima University in Japan. Among others, the Chancellor has started steering the University towards the following agenda: • strengthening academic programs; • strengthening institutional synergy with similar institutions for agriculture, and fisheries research and sustainability; • strengthening international institutional linkages; • integrating health and wellness agenda into the university’s operational policies to address apparently high incidence of cancer cases and other diseases among faculty and staff ; • laying the groundwork for supporting the emerging bid of UPV Tacloban College to become the 9th constituent university of UP; and • facilitating the construction and renovation of structures in UPV’s three campuses. Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran (7th from right) with the UP Board of Regents and UP officials CHED-OIC Prospero De Vera and UP President Danilo Concepcion led the investiture rites which was attended by the members of the UP Board of Regents, UP officials, SUC Presidents, government officials, faculty, staff, students, alumni, fishers; and various stakeholders. (With reports from Lyncen M. Fernandez, UPV Information and Publications Office) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-mbb-summa-cum-laude-wins-2017-sanger-institute-prize-in-cambridge-uk/ | UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK – University of the Philippines | UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK July 19, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Ryan Timothy Yu, who recently graduated summa cum laude (BS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) from the University of the Philippines Diliman, was chosen winner of the 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The Sanger Prize is an annual international competition open to undergraduates from low- to upper-middle-income countries. Mr. Yu was declared winner by the Sanger Prize trustees after a two-step screening process, the last one of which entailed submission of a lengthy essay on single molecule sequencing that is formatted following the style of the high-impact scientific journal Nature Reviews. As part of his prize, Ryan gets to choose a laboratory at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Genome Campus) in Cambridge, UK, in which to do a 3-month internship. All his expenses, including visa costs, flights, accommodation and reasonable living expenses will be paid for by the Sanger Institute. The 2015 winner of the prize was also from the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman – Liezel Tamon, herself a summa cum laude graduate and is now doing her MSc/PhD at the Max Planck Research School for Molecular Biology in Goettingen, Germany. Both Ryan and Liezel come from the Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory (DMBEL). Ryan Timothy Yu wins the 2017 Cambridge Sanger Institute Prize (Photo by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and UP Diliman Information Office) Mr. Yu has presented his 2-year research on NRAS mutations in colorectal cancer in three international conferences, namely: the 13th International Congress of Human Genetics (ICHG) in Kyoto, the 2016 International Conference of the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology (ICKSMCB) in Seoul, and the 25th International Conference of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. Table (clockwise from front): Mia Baquirin-Reisland, Aileen Uy, Isabelle Viola, Dr. Rey Garcia, Krizelle Mae Alcantara, Dr. Dennis Sacdalan, Charles John Uy, Jana Quismundo, Andrea Ong, Kim Quililan, Aeiou Martija, Lech Havel Tizon. Back Table (clockwise from left): Sarah Coralde, Jonathan Chan, Ryan Timothy Yu, Daniel Paul Uy, Tiffany Ong, Joshua Malapit, JM Sytangco, Carmela Cruz, Kent Canlas, Kenneth Roquid, Sidney Chua, Carlo Cristobal, Charles Christopher Bataclan, Arman Ghodsinia, J-Ann Marie Lego.(Photo by Dr. Rey Garcia) The prize caps a successful academic year for DMBEL which has won a total of ten awards for the university in one year: Sanger Institute Prize (Ryan Timothy Yu), 25th FAOBMB Youth Science Forum (first place, Arman Ghodsinia), four Sigma-Aldrich Excellent Poster Awards in different categories at the 2016 ICKSMCB (Krizelle Mae Alcantara, Kenneth Anthony Roquid, Carmela Rieline Cruz and Daniel Paul Uy), two Best Poster Awards at the 25th FAOBMB (jointly for co-authors Marian Abigaile Manongdo, Charles Christopher Bataclan, Kenneth Anthony Roquid and Jose Lorenzo Ferrer), Philippine representative to the 2016 Novartis International Biocamp in Switzerland (Joshua Reginald Malapit), and Philippine representative to Global Biotech Revolution’s 2017 GapSummit in Washington, D.C. (Fidel Emmanuel Serrano). (Frances Fatima M. Cabana, MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/kalinangang-up-kalinangang-bayan-115th-foundation-day-of-the-university-of-the-philippines/ | Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines – University of the Philippines | Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines June 18, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines celebrates its 115th Foundation Day Anniversary today, June 18, 2023. With over a century of service to the nation, the University has among its alumni the leaders of the country and servants of the people in education, research, politics, business, sports, culture, and the arts. This music video pays tribute to the immeasurable contribution of the University’s artists to the shaping of the soul of the country as well as the nourishment of its mind and spirit. Mabuhay ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas! Patuloy na naglilingkod sa Sambayanan! |
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-staging-marawit-awit-para-sa-marawi/ | UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” – University of the Philippines | UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” February 23, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Association, in cooperation with the Sigma Rho Fraternity Alumni Council, is staging a concert entitled “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” on February 27, 2018 (Tuesday), 6:00 p.m., at Cine Adarna of the UP Film Institute in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The project is intended to raise funds towards the education of the afflicted children of Marawi City in the wake of its recently ended occupation by Maute Group-ISIS rebels. The MarAwit concert will highlight the three most awarded and internationally acclaimed choral groups of the University and the country, namely: – The U.P. Concert Chorus – The U.P. Madrigal Singers – The U.P. Singing Ambassadors Ticket prices are P3,000, P2,000, and P1,000 – available at the UPAA Secretariat at Rm. 211, 2nd Floor, Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City; Tels. 920-6868 and 920-6871; email: upalumn@yahoo.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/three-up-alumni-named-among-the-2021-metrobank-foundation-outstanding-filipinos/ | Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos – University of the Philippines | Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos August 11, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Three University of the Philippines alumni, two educators and one soldier, are among the ten 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos. The ten awardees were introduced at a virtual press conference held on August 6. The two UP alumni who received the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Teachers are: Dr. Iris Thiele Isip-Tan, who graduated from the UP Diliman College of Science and the UP Manila College of Medicine, where she teaches now; and, Dr. Maria Minerva V. Patawaran-Calimag, who earned her Master of Science in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) from the UP College of Medicine and is currently a professor at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Colonel Augusto N. Padua, on the other hand, is one of the recipients of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Soldiers. He earned his Master of Management degree from the UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga and is currently Executive Officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, A-3, of the Philippine Air Force. According to the Metrobank Foundation website, the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos is “a career-service award for Filipino exemplars in the academe, military, and police sectors”. The four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers chosen will each be awarded a cash prize of PhP 1 million, a golden medallion, and “The Flame” trophy during the conferment ceremonies on September 2 as part of Metrobank’s 59th anniversary celebration. “As a community held together by hope especially during these turbulent times, may we derive inspiration from the awardees’ example,” Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña is quoted as saying. “The entire nation continues to be at a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the situation is still evolving. During this extended period of unease, we are fortunate to be inspired by the dedication of public servants and front liners who are steadfast in their mission.” |
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-ipo-celebrate-national-intellectual-property-month/ | UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month – University of the Philippines | UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month April 6, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Since 2017, April has been celebrated as the National Intellectual Property Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 190 signed last April 4, 2017 in view of international celebrations on intellectual property such as the World Book and Copyright Day and the World Intellectual Property Day. In this light, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association is inviting everyone to attend a series of events organized in partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines. The three-day celebration from April 17-19 with the theme Itaguyod ang Yamang Isip Tungo sa Kaunlaran will feature an exhibition of Philippine indigenous works, contemporary visual arts, publications and live performances in music and dance. The event will be held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman. Full lineup of events for the week-long celebration of the Intellectual Property Rights Month organized by the UP Alumni Association with the Intellectual Property Office For more information, contact the UP Alumni Association Secretariat at 920 6868 and 920 6871 or email them at upalumn@yahoo.com. |
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-honors-up-health-frontliners/ | UPAA honors UP health frontliners – University of the Philippines | UPAA honors UP health frontliners UPAA honors UP health frontliners December 21, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP-PGH health frontliners. A screenshot from the Livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube channel. The University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) chose to give only one distinction during its 2020 Distinguished Alumni Awards. UPAA honored all health frontliners from UP for “their heroic service to the Filipino nation in its hour of direst need, the coronavirus pandemic that ravaged the world in 2020 and which continues to this day.” In a virtual program on December 11, 2021, Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi represented the 4,600 employees of the hospital. The Philippine Nurses Association President Melbert Reyes responded, representing UP’s allied medical practitioners. UPLB Artist-in-Residence Luis Enano “Junyee” Yee Jr. designed this year’s UPAA Distinguished Alumni Award trophy, with UP Professor Emeritus Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. writing the citation. Legaspi said PGH had treated more than 7,300 moderate to severe cases as a COVID-19 referral center. UP PGH Director Gap Legaspi accepted the award on behalf of the UP health frontliners. A screenshot from the Livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube. “Having only this award for 2020 is intended to highlight the immeasurable value of their achievement during this severe national crisis and their commitment to the UP tradition of excellence and service even at great personal risk,” UPAA Board Secretary Pacita Gavino said. The citation recognized the awardees “for giving freely of their expertise in whatever capacity and to their utmost ability to alleviate the suffering of their fellow human beings at great personal risk and cost above and beyond the call of duty.” It added that “No finer example of honor and excellence can be found than the patriotic dedication and professional competence that these thousands of UP health frontliners all over the world exhibited during the crisis.” UPAA President Reynaldo Laserna and UP President Danilo Concepcion. Screenshots from the livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube channel The awards ceremony featured tributes to the awardees by UPAA President and UP Regent Reynaldo Laserna, UPAA 2nd Vice President Romy Nones, UP President Danilo Concepcion; and the UP Symphony Orchestra performing with the UP Madrigal Singers, UP Concert Chorus, UP Staff Chorale, Auit Vocal Ensemble, and other artists from UP. The Department of Science and Technology Bamboo Rondalla performed the national anthem, and UPAA Treasurer Director Amroussi Rasul recited doxologies. UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili was the master of ceremonies. TVUP produced the program under the direction of Prof. Grace Javier Alfonso. The UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awards used to be the highlight of the annual UPAA Grand Alumni Homecoming and Reunion, which has been postponed in the wake of the pandemic. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-celebrates-literature-month/ | UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month – University of the Philippines | UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month April 7, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC) celebrates Literature Month 2021 with the theme “Quinientos Katuig nga Pagsurat han Filipino nga Kalibutan.” The month-long celebration coincides with the quincentenary of the first circumnavigation of the world. Included in the schedule of events are literary discourses, a dramatic performance, and a storytelling session. Tsika-LIT, the first feature, is a continuation of the literary conversations started as part of UP Tacloban’s celebration of National Arts Month (February). The Tsika-LIT episode for Literature Month will feature students from the BA Communication Arts (BACA) program discussing selected poems. It will be broadcasted via Bátì UP Tacloban, the college’s community internet radio. Next is a conversation about the idea of “history as literature” with insights drawn from the MA thesis of Assistant Professor Efmer E. Agustin. This third “Mana-bana” episode of Bátì UP Tacloban, entitled “The Marvelous: History and Literature”, is part of the conversation series Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura, one of Bátì’s essential programs. On the third week of April, the celebration will spotlight an experimental mediatized verbatim theatre performance. “XXX-sakto nga mga Pulong,” directed by Assistant Professor Popo T. Amascual engages with the elements of a theatrical form to expose stories of online harassment. This show will involve students’ talents taking the Theatre Arts strand of the BACA program. Rounding out the Literature Month celebration is “Susumaton,” a pre-recorded storytelling by the students of the Literature 170 (Waray Literature) class of Assistant Professor Jessa A. Amarille. The presentation illuminates the importance of oral narratives, including local myths, legends, and folk tales, which the students retrieved and documented themselves. The official social media account of the Division of Humanities will serve as the primary platform for this series of events. As we continue to navigate these trying times, celebrating the arts is certainly one way to keep us afloat. Article by PT Amascual. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-launches-kaagi-kabilin-kultura-history-heritage-culture-conversation-series/ | UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series – University of the Philippines | UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series April 13, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On 16 March 2021, UP Visayas Tacloban College launched the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series through its community internet radio Bátì UP Tacloban with “Reflections on Eastern Visayas in the Quincentennial Commemorations,” a conversation between Dr. Rolando Borrinaga, a prominent historian of Eastern Visayas, and UP Tacloban faculty member Mars Edwenson Briones. The series is part of UP Tacloban’s participation in the Quincentennial Commemorations of the Philippine leg in the first circumnavigation of the world, the victory at Mactan, and the birth of Christianity in the Philippines. Watch the replay of this episode on Bátì UP Tacloban’s Facebook page. Dr. Borrinaga ruminated on the first encounter between Filipino natives and Spaniards in Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and the events following this encounter. The conversation was streamed exactly 500 years after Ferdinand Magellan’s first sighting of Samar island. The following day, on 17 March 1521, Magellan’s expedition disembarked at Homonhon, setting foot on Philippine soil for the first time. Dr. Borrinaga has contributed to the Quincentennial Commemorations through his research and “revisionist papers” on the encounter in Homonhon, which he said has been obfuscated by errors and a hoax. Dr. Borrinaga’s studies show that that the first Easter Sunday mass in the Philippines happened in western and not in southeastern Limasawa. The Mojares panel has upheld this finding and endorsed his recommendation to adopt western Limasawa as the site of the first Easter Sunday mass in the country. Dr. Borrinaga also explained the theme of the Quincentennial Commemorations, which is “Victory and Humanity.” The word “victory” refers to Lapulapu’s triumph in the Battle of Mactan while the word “humanity” refers to the Filipino natives’ compassion and magnanimity towards the ailing and famished crew of Magellan in Homonhon. Dr. Borrinaga fleshed out Spanish historian Antonio Pigafetta’s account of this encounter with the explanation that the natives generously offered coconuts and honey, which were abundant in the island, to Magellan and his crew to restore their health. The conversation with Dr. Borrinaga also explored early Spanish cartography of Eastern Visayas, toponyms, and some of their phonetic and spelling changes through time. The second episode of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura Conversation Series airs on 15 April 2021 with UP Tacloban faculty member Asst. Professor Efmer E. Agustin as the featured scholar. The title of the episode is “The Marvelous: History and Literature.” It is one the activities in UP Tacloban’s 2021 National Literature Month celebration, which is led by the Division of Humanities and which bears the theme “Quinientos Katuig nga Pagsurat han Filipino nga Kalibutan” (500 Years of Writing the Filipino World). Drawing on the writings of the 17th century Jesuit missionary and historian Father Francisco Ignacio Alcina, the conversation with Prof. Agustin will explore the literary aspects of writing history, which could encourage a more critical and contemplative approach to history and historiography. The first and second episodes of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura Conversation Series are in the form of mana-bánà or speculations about themes or ideas in and about Philippine history, heritage, and culture. In June 2021, Bátì UP Tacloban will add another episode to the series this time in the form of a roundtable discussion among local scholars, religious leaders, and cultural workers about the Santo Niño de Tacloban, whose feast is annually celebrated on June 30. The episode will also serve as the launching of the online exhibition “Santo Niño, Bendísyuni: Images and Narratives of the Holy Child in Eastern Visayas.” Featuring photos and oral narratives about Santo Niño sculptures from different parts of the region, the exhibition is also part of UP Tacloban’s contribution to the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines. The launching episode of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series is available online at https://www.facebook.com/BatiUPTacloban/videos/491725412212462 |
https://up.edu.ph/are-the-covid-19-vaccines-safe/ | “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” – University of the Philippines | “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” January 26, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu While the development and deployment of new vaccines for the management of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, offer protection primarily for health frontliners and high-risk populations, concerns over the safety and efficacy of these vaccines should be addressed by all stakeholders, especially since clinical trials are still on-going. Correct information on the different vaccines, processes for ensuring safety, how immunity is attained by people in different environments, what side effects and adverse reactions may be expected, and other related issues, should be discussed by health experts to foster public confidence on the science at work. The upcoming webinar, “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?”, to be held on Friday, 29 January 2021, 12 noon, will tackle the benefits of vaccination for health workers as well as their families and patients. Since they are among the first ones who will receive the vaccine, they must be assured of their safety, efficacy and protection, as well as that of their families, patients, and co-workers. Dr. Antonio Dans of the UP College of Medicine and the Philippine General Hospital will discuss processes for ensuring safety; while Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health will explain the benefits of inoculation. Dr. Anna Ong Lim, infectious disease expert from UP PGH, will present her reactions on the topics under deliberation. Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, UP Executive Vice President and Special Adviser for the National Task Force on COVID-19, and Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila, will also join this special online event. The webinar series, “Stop Covid Deaths”, is organized by UP in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Heatlth-National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP PGH. To participate in this webinar, sign up at: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar38. |
https://up.edu.ph/where-are-we-in-covid-19-vaccination/ | Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? – University of the Philippines | Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? January 20, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Less than a year after COVID-19 spread across the globe, vaccines for emergency use against the disease have been rolled out in some countries. The urgency to inoculate drove the development of these vaccines at an unusual speed. But where is the Philippines in the global race for COVID-19 vaccination? Unauthorized inoculations have been reported and divulged. COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination have elicited numerous opinions from experts and the public, from pricing to supply, from delivery to deployment, from storage to local use. Social platforms continue to be peppered with strongly worded, heated discussions on issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and their use. Ultimately, there is one government agency we should all be looking to for answers. And that is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency tasked to authorize and regulate vaccine use in the Philippines. At this time of pandemic, the FDA is also in the unenviable position of having to allay fears and apprehensions, and deal with the pressure of speeding up its approval processes, while still upholding scientific standards for safety and effectiveness. Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo, FDA Director General and Department of Health Undersecretary, will be on the hot seat to talk about the official status of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Listen to him in the 37th Stop COVID Deaths webinar, “Are We Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccines?” as he walks us through vaccine approval and the varying scenarios for use in different sectors. The online event happens on January 22 at noon via Zoom. Register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar37 to get updates from the FDA chief himself on the different COVID-19 vaccines that have been applied for emergency use in the Philippines. Reactors to Domingo’s presentation will be: Dr. Franco Felizarta, a UP alumnus and an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist in California, USA who has received the COVID-19 vaccine; Ayala Healthcare President and CEO Paolo Maximo Borromeo; and, veteran journalist Roby Alampay, also a co-anchor on One News’ The Chiefs and founder and CEO of PumaPodcast. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-college-applications-for-ay-2022-2023/ | UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 – University of the Philippines | UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 October 26, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines College Application 2022 (UPCA2022) is now open. Please visit the UP Office of Admissions’ website to access the Application Portal. Applicants are required to read the General Information Bulletin before filing their application. Deadline for submission of all application documents is November 30, 2021. |
https://up.edu.ph/university-councils-deliberate-on-suspending-upcat-for-the-2023-intake/ | University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake – University of the Philippines | University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake August 12, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Quezon Hall. UP Diliman. UP Media and Public Relations Office file photo. UP’s University Councils are now deliberating on the possible suspension of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for AY 2023-2024. In a special meeting held on August 3, 2022, the members of the President’s Advisory Council (PAC) of the University of the Philippines (UP), which includes the Chancellors of UP’s eight constituent universities, agreed to discuss in their respective University Council meetings the proposal of the Office of Admissions to suspend the administration of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for first-year admission in Academic Year 2023-2024. According to Office of Admissions Director Francisco De Los Reyes, the proposal to suspend UPCAT for this year is in light of concerns about the public health situation. In addition, the University is facing the logistical challenges of ensuring the safety and well-being of the more than 100,000 applicants and around 1,600 personnel who will administer the test nationwide. To date, deliberations on the suspension of the UPCAT for this year are ongoing in the eight UP constituent units—Baguio, Cebu, Diliman, Los Baños, Manila, Mindanao, Open University, and the Visayas. The University will make further UPCAT-related announcements after the UC discussions. Aside from the Chancellors, the UP President’s Advisory Council members include the UP President and Vice Presidents of the UP System, the Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City Campus. The University Council, on the other hand, is the highest policy-making body of each UP constituent university within the UP System. It comprises the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each UP constituent unit. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-announces-no-upcat-yet-for-ay-2022-2023/ | UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 – University of the Philippines | UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 December 7, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Oblation at the UP Cebu South Road Properties. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. For the second year in a row, the University of the Philippines (UP) will not be administering its UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) for AY 2022-2023. This is according to Memorandum No. OVPAA 2021-158 released by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on November 18, 2021. The memo states that due to the “immense logistical challenge of administering UPCAT in the UP campuses and 95 testing centers throughout the archipelago while the trajectory of the pandemic remains uncertain,” the UP Office of Admissions made a motion to once again suspend the UPCAT for first-year student intake for the next academic year. The University Councils across the UP System voted overwhelmingly in favor of the motion. According to the UP Faculty Manual, the University Councils are the highest policy-making body of each UP constituent university (CU) composed of the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each CU. For AY 2022-2023, the admissions model used by the UP Office of Admissions’ for the first-year student intake of AY 2021-2022 will be used. According to the memo: “In light of this decision, the Admissions Scoring Model, which the Office of Admissions’ data scientists developed” and refined by “a working group of experts designated by their respective CUs” and that “the University Councils overwhelmingly approved in 2020, will continue to be used with some fine-tuning in the preprocessing and transmutation of grades that enter the model.” Download and read the memo here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-explains-the-current-admissions-system/ | UP explains the current admissions system – University of the Philippines | UP explains the current admissions system UP explains the current admissions system August 31, 2022 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The Office of Admissions in the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman. UP MPRO File Photo. While forgoing its college admissions test in light of the public health situation, the University of the Philippines (UP) assured the public its ad hoc admissions system is more closely analyzing the applicants’ high school performance so that “excellence and equity” are not compromised in accepting new students. Excellence refers to choosing the best students for UP education. In contrast, equity refers to democratic access or “leveling the playing field” so that students’ profile reflects the socio-economic and geographic profile of the country. Recently, several sectors have expressed apprehension over UP forgoing the test component of the UP college admissions system in favor of high school grades. Various sources, including a proposed Senate resolution, have asserted that the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) is standardized among all aspirants and serves to level the playing field. High school grades, however, are affected by several factors, including different grading systems in different types of high school, teachers’ and schools’ standards, among others. As an August 26, 2022 Senate press release said: “It is not the student-applicant’s fault that the high schools they attended do not have the habit of giving relatively higher grades. Without UPCAT, we are killing the dreams of these highly qualified students without giving them a chance.” Prof. Franciso de los Reyes, data scientist and UP Office of Admissions director, said that both the old and the ad hoc system of UP admissions have always utilized high school grades as a basis for determining an applicant’s qualification for acceptance to the University. In the old system used in pre-pandemic times, the UPCAT was a component alongside the applicants’ high school general weighted average (GWA). Both are considered when generating the applicant’s UPG. UPG refers to the University Predicted Grade, or the measure by which UP sets the cutoff between qualifiers and non-qualifiers. It is a prediction of how they would perform in UP. As de los Reyes pointed out, in both the old admissions system with the UPCAT and the ad hoc admission system utilized during the COVID era, the applicants’ grades submitted by their high schools are transmuted and standardized into a figure that, based on previous records from the schools, cancels out factors such as grade inflation. “Even during normal times, UP cancels out the difference in grading systems among high schools and regions,” he said. “It corrects the difference of grades between more austere schools and those that may have inflated grades. It deals with biases in grading through a system of transmutation and standardization,” he explained. “These are biases UP can detect and rectify aided by its long experience of dealing with different kinds of high schools as it administered the admissions process through the years,” de los Reyes pointed out. He emphasized that the shift to the ad hoc system in response to the pandemic was not a simple matter of removing the test part of the admissions system. While the UPCAT could not be administered for Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023, applicants’ high school performance would be considered through an admission score model that goes beyond obtaining the usual GWA for the computation of the UPG—an admission score model that was approved by the University Councils of the various UP constituent units. “This is a model that went back to the high school records of 90,000 of UP’s past applicants down to each subject, and studied how these related to how they eventually performed in college,” de los Reyes said. “Using lessons from this study, we now utilize patterns and combinations of specific high school grades and other data instead of the UPCAT to come up with the UPG.” Data science and intensive analysis conducted by UP data scientists inform each step of UP’s admission system. According to de los Reyes, a closer study of high school grades is enough to measure what the UPCAT is meant to—aptitude per subject—by scrutinizing the student-applicant’s performance in the different subjects and issues from year to year. “As always, the UPG is then considered and weighed alongside the applicant’s kind of high school, their socio-economic status, and geographic location,” de los Reyes added. He reported that the UP admissions system is constantly undergoing refinement. “The effect of the pandemic will have to be factored into UP’s admission system. Remote learning, suddenly imposed upon teachers and students, would have an impact on teaching, learning, and student performance that would vary immensely across different strata of society and affect the student’s chances at UP admission,” he pointed out. According to UP, the shift to the ad hoc admissions system was studied by a multidisciplinary committee in 2020, which has a core group of 40 data scientists. It took the committee six months, beginning in November, to formulate and run the chosen model. The University Councils of each UP constituent unit finally approved the model in May 2021 on the strength of the scientific rigor and vetting that went into its development. |
https://up.edu.ph/return-of-the-upcat-in-2023/ | Return of the UPCAT in 2023 – University of the Philippines | Return of the UPCAT in 2023 Return of the UPCAT in 2023 September 22, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Oblation at the Oblation Plaza, UP Diliman. UP MPRO File Photo. UP to hold UPCAT for first-year student intake in AY 2024-2025 The University of the Philippines (UP) will hold the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) in 2023 for first-year admission in Academic Year 2024-2025. This will be the first time the UPCAT will be held since 2020. This was decided during a meeting on September 14, 2022, of UP’s President’s Advisory Council (PAC), which includes the President and the Vice Presidents of the UP System, the Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents, the Chancellors of UP’s eight constituent universities, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City Campus. UPCAT 2024 will be held face-to-face on June 3 and 4, 2023, in almost a hundred testing centers nationwide. Those qualified to apply are current grade 11 students who are expected to graduate from senior high school at the end of AY 2023-2024. Successful applicants will be admitted in the First Semester of AY 2024-2025. The application for UPCAT 2024 will open in March 2023. The early opening of applications for UPCAT 2024 and the holding of the UPCAT in June will ensure the timely release of results in light of the anticipated large increase in applications. The University Councils (UCs), comprised of the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each UP constituent university, will meet to refine the details of the administration of UPCAT 2024. In the meantime, the application period for the UP College Admission (UPCA) for AY 2023-2024 is ongoing. |
https://up.edu.ph/the-up-college-admission-test-upcat-is-back/ | The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! – University of the Philippines | The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! February 15, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Office of Admissions of the University of the Philippines has released an announcement on the conduct of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) 2024. Please read the announcement below. For questions and clarifications, you may send a message to the Office of Admissions via this email address: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph. You may also get in touch with them via their official Facebook page. |
https://up.edu.ph/attention-up-first-year-applicants-for-ay-2021-2022/ | Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines | Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 February 15, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The online application portal for Form 1 will close at 11:59 p.m. tonight, 15 February 2021. The online portal for Form 2 submission will be live from 16 February to 5 March 2021. The UP Office of Admissions is now initiating contact with the high schools, which is being done in batches. Applicants are advised to occasionally visit the portal to see if their school has already submitted their grades. After the deadline of Form 2 submission on 5 March, the applicant will receive their Forms 1 and 2 as well as the acknowledgment receipt in PDF format. For questions and concerns as well as additional information about application process, please message the UPCAT-U.P. System Facebook page. |
https://up.edu.ph/deadline-for-high-schools-to-submit-form-2-for-admission-to-up-extended-to-15-april/ | Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April – University of the Philippines | Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April March 29, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The University of the Philippines Office of Admissions (UP OAdms) has extended the deadline for the online submission of Form 2 by high schools with students applying to UP from 31 March to 15 April 2021. This will be the ultimate deadline in order for the University to proceed with the processing of applications in time for the opening of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022. Slower rate of online submissions The extension of the deadline for the online submission of Form 2 was made in light of the notices and requests from many high schools to further extend the period for the submission of the grades of their students applying to UP. On top of the already considerable job of collating and submitting the grades of their student-applicants, high schools are also dealing with the impact of COVID-19. This has resulted in a slower rate of submissions due to modified work arrangements. The declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over the National Capital Region (NCR) and four other provinces due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, and the localized lockdowns elsewhere in the country, are further contributing to the delays in data integration and quality check. Among the 108,350 who applied for first-year admission to UP for the coming academic year, an estimated 32,200 Form 2 submissions are yet to come in. This is in spite of intensified efforts on the part of UP to assist the high schools by providing more Helpdesk volunteers and more Data Control personnel proactively reaching out to high schools to offer assistance, as well as the additional help given by the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinugod’s systemwide network. Modified timeline The UP OAdms’ newly modified timeline sets the final deadline of all UP first-year application requirements (both Form 1 and Form 2) on 15 April. Given the adjustments in the admissions process, the UP OAdms sets the most realistic time of release of qualified UP applicants on or before 15 July 2021. As before, high schools that have not received any notification, have changed their registered email address, or are having difficulty with online submission are advised to contact dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph as soon as possible. Any inquiries, concerns and requests for assistance may also be coursed through the Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB page. The Helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-application-results-for-ay-2021-2022-to-be-released-on-15-july/ | UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July – University of the Philippines | UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July June 3, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office For those applying as first-year students at the University of the Philippines for Academic Year 2021-2022, the results of the UP college application will be released on 15 July 2021. Applicants must log on to the application portal to view the results of their applications. Qualified applicants must confirm their slot through the portal on or before 30 July 2021. Inquiries, concerns and requests for assistance may also be coursed through the Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB Page. The Helpdesk is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-in-final-stage-of-assessing-applications-for-ay-2021-22-some-shortlisted-applicants-to-be-notified-for-additional-requirements/ | UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements – University of the Philippines | UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements June 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of Admissions is now in the final stage of assessing applications after evaluating more than 100,000 high school records. Shortlisted applicants in certain degree programs requiring additional assessment will be notified by the concerned academic unit for the additional requirements. As stated in the General Information Bulletin, the University Councils of the UP System unanimously approved an additional assessment by academic units to qualify for admission in some degree programs, if deemed necessary. This is NOT yet the announcement of results for UP College Application 2021. Shortlisted applicants shall be contacted by phone or email regarding the additional screening if needed in their application. Note that not all applicants will be contacted, only those in the shortlist of specific degree programs. For applicants who do not receive a notification, please wait for July 15, 2021 to know the final result of your application. |
https://up.edu.ph/time-slots-set-for-accessing-up-admission-results-on-july-15/ | Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 – University of the Philippines | Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 July 12, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The results of applications for admission to the University of the Philippines (UP) for AY 2021-2022 will be released on July 15, 2021. To manage online traffic, the UP Office of Admissions is encouraging applicants to visit the application portal according to the time slot corresponding to the first letter of their surname. Time First letter of surname 8:00am – 10:59am A to F 11:00am – 1:59pm G to M 2:00pm – 4:59pm N to S 5:00pm – 7:59pm T to Z 8:00pm – 7:59am A to Z (free for all) Applicants will need the username and password they used during the application period. For applicants who changed their registered email, please notify the UP Office of Admissions of the changes through upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph or through the FB Online Helpdesk. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-applicants-reminded-of-upg-cutoff-for-appeals/ | UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals – University of the Philippines | UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals July 19, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of Admissions is reminding applicants for Academic Year 2021-2022 of the following UPG cutoffs for appeals per campus: Campus UPG cutoff for Appeals UP Baguio 2.700 UP Cebu 2.700 UP Pampanga 2.549 UP Diliman will not accept appeals UP IloIlo 2.700 UP Los Banos 2.800 UP Manila 2.580 UP Tacloban 2.749 UP Mindanao 2.800 Open U 2.800 Interested applicants are encouraged to file their appeal to the Office of the University Registrar of the target campus/constituent university. The email addresses are as follows: UP Baguio – our.upbaguio@up.edu.ph UP Cebu – our.upcebu@up.edu.ph UP Diliman – our@upd.edu.ph / our.diliman@up.edu.ph UP Los Baños – our.uplb@up.edu.ph UP Manila – upm-our@up.edu.ph UP Mindanao – registrar.upmindanao@up.edu.ph UP Open University – registrar@upou.edu.ph UP Visayas – our.upvisayas@up.edu.ph |
https://up.edu.ph/tips-on-employment-relations-in-telework-working-from-home-covid-19-in-webinar-on-december-3-and-4/ | Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 – University of the Philippines | Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 November 27, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Since COVID-19 has been running rampant across the world, many employees have withdrawn to their homes to work in order to help contain the virus. Teleworking enables them to fulfil work duties while avoiding personal contact with colleagues and preventing the spread of the disease. Although teleworking has long since been a common practice on a part-time or an occasional basis for some, shifting to working full-time in a home office poses a different challenge. To shed some light upon the issues and challenges of working, teleworking and labor and employment relations in “the new normal”, the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) is organizing the 10th Asian Regional Congress of the International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), which will be held on line via Zoom on 3-4 December 2020. This virtual conference on labor and employment relations in Asia assembles a distinguished panel of esteemed scholars who could help navigate the portal of new possibilities in the future of work and employment relations. Experts will share what is known so far about the architecture of emerging employment relations, with the view that the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a portal or a gateway to a new world that includes a more humane, innovative world of work and employment relations. Interested participants may register at conference’s official website. The program can be viewed here: for Day 1 and Day 2 The 10th ILERA Asian Regional Congress is sponsored by the International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) Executive Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the UP Diliman Office of International Linkages, and the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts. For more information, visit the official website of the 10th ILERA Asian Regional Congress. |
https://up.edu.ph/intersections-of-infections-hiv-amid-the-covid-pandemic/ | Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic – University of the Philippines | Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic September 14, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune cells, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV is a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.1 million lives since 1981. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines had one of the highest rates of increase in HIV in the world. What happened during the pandemic? Were HIV patients able to receive treatment and care during the lockdowns? Who is most at risk for HIV? This Friday, September 16, from 12 noon to 2 pm, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), National Telehealth Center (NTC), and cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID—current COVID-19 problems, other outbreaks, viruses, infections, and disasters. This week’s “Stop COVID Deaths” episode, “HIV sa Panahon ng COVID-19”, will try to find the reasons behind the alarming spike of HIV cases in the country and focus on prevention and the role of front liners in reducing stigma around the disease. These will all be discussed by a panel of experts: Dr. Sybil Lizanne R. Bravo, Division Chief of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Associate Professor with the Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UP College of Medicine; Dr. Kate Leyritana, Medical Director of the Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines; Dr. Ricardo Manalastas, Jr., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UP Manila; and, Teresita Marie P. Bagasao, Project Director of Meeting Targets and Achieving Epidemic Control (EpiC)-HIV. Register here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account, TVUP’s YouTube channel, and Facebook page. The award-winning UP “Stop COVID Deaths” Webinar Series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series. It pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. Follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-features-case-of-pregnant-covid-19-patient/ | UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient – University of the Philippines | UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient November 26, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Experts will discuss the case of “A Pregnant COVID Survivor with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Post-Caesarian Section” in the 32nd in a webinar series presented by the University of the Philippines for health professionals dealing with COVID-19. To be held on November 27, 2020, 12:00 nn to 2 PM, the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar, and 14th of the first online medical grand rounds in the Philippines, will have as main resource persons Dr. Marvic Gabitan, a fellow of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and Dr. Judith Montero, a fellow of the UP Manila-Philippine General Hospital (UPM-PGH) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Maria Angela Bandola, a UPM-PGH Obstetrics Infectious Disease specialist, and Dr. Dennis Teo, an LCP Pulmonary Critical Care specialist, will be the discussants. They will focus on the case of a 30-year-old nurse, at her 34th week of pregnancy, who was exposed to a COVID-19 patient, delivered the baby prematurely, and then developed sepsis. “Based on what we know at this time, pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people,” the experts say. “Additionally, pregnant women with COVID-19 might be at increased risk for other adverse outcomes, such as preterm birth,” they add. “Understanding the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women can inform clinical practice, teaching, training, and public health communication,” according to the webinar brief. “Team approaches are needed when managing pregnant women who may have COVID exposure,” it added. UP spearheads the webinar series in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the UPM National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with the UPM College of Medicine and the UPM-PGH. Registration slots to the webinar are limited. Interested parties must sign up at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar32. |
https://up.edu.ph/how-is-the-philippines-responding-to-the-delta-variant-up-webinar-asks/ | How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks – University of the Philippines | How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks July 22, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office With recent logs of more Delta variant or B.1.617.2 cases plaguing neighboring countries, fear and anxiety have yet to be quelled surrounding this variant that is known to be 50 percent more contagious than all the others and dubbed as “more aggressive and fatal”. Considering this, the country may need to re-impose stricter guidelines and measures in order to contain its spread. As a follow-up to the previous episode, we shift gears and ask: How is the country’s health care system preparing for this? What is happening in the localities in the Philippines where this is reported? What are hospitals and health facilities doing to protect frontline workers? Are we looking at another possible surge? Ultimately, are we ready? This is what this week’s installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, “READY NA BA TAYO? A Conversation on the COVID-19 Delta Variant”, will tackle. Seven doctors from all over the country where new Delta variant cases have been reported will be presenting: Dr. Abdullah B. Dumama, Jr., Undersecretary of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team in Visayas and Mindanao; Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, head of the Biomolecular Laboratories at the Philippine Red Cross; Dr. Julius M. Drilon, Medical Center Chief of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod; Dr. Regina P. Berba, head of the Hospital Infection Control Unit at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH); and Dr. Vincent M. Balanag, Jr., Executive Director of the Lung Center of the Philippines. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, will open the webinar, while UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla will deliver her closing remarks as well as her synthesis. You may register through this link bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar62. The webinar may also be viewed on TVUP’s Youtube Channel See you at 12NN on Friday, July 23, 2021. Stay informed and together, let’s stop COVID deaths! |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-investigate-breakthrough-covid-infections/ | UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections August 25, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor It has been proven that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 reduces the risk of hospitalization, severe illness, and even death. But we also cannot deny the fact that it doesn’t completely stop the virus from infecting us. The Delta variant has rapidly overtaken all other variants of concern. And with the rise of COVID-19 cases these past few weeks despite lockdowns and other government efforts, it is imperative to talk about breakthrough infections and how to ultimately stop them. The University of the Philippines, in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital, would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. This Friday, August 27, at 12:00 noon, the episode will tackle “Breakthrough Infections: Bakunado na Ako, Bakit COVID (+) Ako Ngayon?” What are the risk factors that contribute to breakthrough infections? Are breakthrough infections among the vaccinated like infections among the unvaccinated? How can frontliners who are fully vaccinated continue to protect themselves from infection? All these questions and more will be answered by the panelists: Dr. Regina P. Berba, Head of the Hospital Infection Control Unit at the Philippine General Hospital; Dr. Benilda B. Galvez, Retired Manager of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Department of the Lung Center of the Philippines; and, Atty. Maria Anthonette C. Velasco, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Tourism Promotion Board. Dr. Eric Tayag, Director for Knowledge Management Information Systems from Department of Health, will give the opening remarks while Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the College of Medicine, will give the closing remarks. Register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar67 Article by Deina Blancaflor |
https://up.edu.ph/up-baguio-research-journal-website-launched/ | UP Baguio research journal website launched – University of the Philippines | UP Baguio research journal website launched UP Baguio research journal website launched June 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Visit UP Baguio’s The Cordillera Review website at www.thecordillerareview.upb.edu.ph. The Cordillera Studies Center (CSC) of the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) launched in a virtual program online the website of its official research journal, The Cordillera Review (TCR), 17 May 2021. Published through the Cordillera Studies Center (CSC), the TCR is a multidisciplinary refereed journal dedicated to studies on Philippine culture and society, with emphasis on research pertaining to the Cordillera region and Northern Luzon, Philippines. Dubbed as the Journal of Philippine Culture and Society, its first issue was released in March 2009 with Prof. Delfin Tolentino, Jr. as editor-in-chief. With the newly-launched TCR website, the journal becomes an open-access electronic journal. According to CSC Director Dr. Ruth Tindaan, the launching is part of the reconfiguration of the TCR from print to an online-access journal that has been in the works within the center. This shift also transformed the publication into having an international editorial board. Pointing out the relevance of the project being timely especially with the implications to access to research materials brought about by the pandemic, Tindaan also emphasized the importance of widely disseminating scholarly works published in the TCR. In the launching program, UPB Chancellor Dr. Corazon Abansi acknowledged the efforts and resources invested since the previous administration that made the TCR shift possible. The chancellor also stressed the goal of the TCR website of providing support to the academic and research community and a positive experience for all readers of the journal. “This move also comes with the not insignificant benefit of reducing our environmental footprint,” Abansi added. The website currently offers free-download access to the past issues of the TCR as well as functions for free sharing on social media to foster what Abansi pointed out as an opportunity to “transform from mere consumption to engagement”. This resonates with what Tindaan mentioned as among the aims of the TCR online to encourage opportunities of interaction among researchers and scholars through the platform. Published biannually, the TCR welcomes submissions of studies and papers that contribute to the discourses on indigenous societies and Philippine culture in general. Information including the submission guidelines are available on the website at thecordillerareview.upb.edu.ph. Print copies of the previous TCR issues are still available from the CSC and its official online spaces. Article by the UP Baguio Public Affairs/JL Lazaga & RN Gueco. |
https://up.edu.ph/covidization-101-covid-19-updates-in-baguio-city-and-potential-vaccines/ | COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines – University of the Philippines | COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines August 10, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Good news has been coming out of Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region, whose local government has been commended recently by a World Health Organization delegation for their local COVID-19 response and contact tracing strategy. Will there be more good news from the City of Pines about potential COVID-19 vaccines? Find out in the upcoming public webinar on “COVIDIZATION 101: A webinar on COVID-19 Update in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines,” with Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes, head of the Baguio HSO Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, as guest speaker. The webinar, which is organized by the UP Baguio College of Science Lecture Series Committee and the UP Biology Society, will be held via Zoom on August 12, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. Please pre-register via: https://up-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iA1rCliFQrOsk6B0AZcFog. |
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