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https://up.edu.ph/abansi-steps-in-as-3rd-upb-chancellor/ | Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor – University of the Philippines | Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor April 19, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Dr. Corazon Abansi of the UP Baguio (UPB) Institute of Management (IM) has started her three-year term as the third UPB chancellor on April 14. She will serve until 13 April 2024. Prior to her appointment, she was Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of her predecessor, Dr. Raymundo Rovillos. While UPB has been a constituent university for a little over 18 years, Abansi is only its third chancellor, as both Rovillos and UPB’s first chancellor, Dr. Priscilla Supnet Macansantos, served three consecutive terms. The UP Board of Regents approved Abansi’s selection to the constituent university’s top post in its 1359th meeting on March 25. “Our vision of a resilient university is about adapting and thriving in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous circumstances,” Abansi stated in her vision paper, “Sëbang: Forging New and Old Pathways for a Resilient UP Baguio”. In an explanatory note, she said, “Sëbang is an Ibaloi term for the pathway a person creates towards the forest to hunt or construct farms on mountain slopes. In this vision paper for the Next Chancellor of UP Baguio (14 April 2021 to 13 April 2024), Sëbang connotes a pathway to construct a culturally rooted academic institution.” She used the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, how it has “exposed gaps in our operations and forced us to deviate from our standard policies and usual processes”, to plan UPB’s direction in the next three years, even though many things are unknown, uncertain, and unpredictable about the post-pandemic future. “Ours is a wake-up call to adapt and innovate, and frame challenges into opportunities to discover pathways to renew our pact with the faculty, students, staff, alumni, partners and the greater public,” Abansi said. Abansi enumerated four pathways she intends to pursue: effective teaching and learning; multidisciplinary research and creative works; strong extension and public service; and, competent administration. In the pathway to effective teaching and learning, she said that remote teaching and learning has moved from being an “emergency strategy” to an “organizational reality”. New ways of teaching and learning, therefore, must be inclusive and participatory. “Variants such as fully online, blended, or flexible learning will move across options throughout a student’s life and university years, and will continue on to the foreseeable future,” she said. Abansi added that: the capabilities of the University Library and the Learning Resource Center will continue to be upgraded; academic programs will be reviewed, strengthened, and instituted; and, professional development of faculty will move toward “effective pedagogical methods in a remote learning scenario”. In the pathway to multidisciplinary research and creative works, she welcomed the collective agreement among the colleges to propose the establishment of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension. She also said that apart from the Cordillera Research Center, her administration “will mobilize the Science Research Center and Innovation Hub. . . [as] a nexus that connects all the dots from thought to product, from imagination to reality, and from science to the community.” To ensure the continued conduct of ethical research, “we will sustain the momentum of the Research Ethics Committee and look forward to the crafting of our own Code for Responsible Conduct of Research and the convening of our Research Ethics Review Committee or Board,” she stated. The pathway to strong extension and public service will see the creation of the Social Innovation Laboratory and Business Inclusion or SILBI Center, one of the key components of the Innovation Hub. “This center will complete the downstream-upstream connections in the value chain and will build the capability of the community through short/certificate courses and training programs in entrepreneurship and in support of the creative industry,” Abansi explained. She listed four major components in the pathway to competent administration: (1) digital infrastructure, where technology will continue to be leveraged as a tool to address the needs in administration, teaching, and learning, including the deployment of mental health services; (2) physical infrastructure, where “existing buildings and physical structures will be revisited to align use and maintenance programs given limited or zero residential students”; (3) administrative staff, REPS, and other support staff, where continuing professional development is essential, contractual employees will be prioritized in vacancies of regular items, and benefits of outsourced personnel that provide security and utility service will be given in accordance with existing laws; and, (4) management and leadership, which entails a review of the organization since its elevation to constituent university status in 2002 to adapt to evolving needs. Abansi earned her BS in Agricultural Economics, major in Finance from UP Los Baños (UPLB) in 1980. Nine years later, she graduated with an MS in Agriculture Economics, major in Marketing, also from UPLB. In 1994, she finished another master’s degree, this time an MA in Economics, major in Environmental Economics from UP Diliman. She went back to UPLB and earned her PhD in Agricultural Economics, major in Natural Resource Economics in 1997. In UPB, she served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from 2015 to 2021, Director of Student Affairs from 2012 to 2015, and IM Director from 2011 to 2012. Before joining UPB, Abansi served as De La Salle University Lipa’s Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Research. In 2016, she was one of the recipients of CMO Asia’s Excellence Awards. She was conferred the rank and title of UP Scientist I in 2018, held the One UP Professorial Chair for two consecutive terms from 2015 to 2017 and 2018 to 2021, and received multiple International Publication Awards as a productive UPB scholar. Abansi emphasized the importance of collaboration and multidisciplinarity and it is evident in her research work, not only with UP colleagues, but also with faculty and researchers from other universities. |
https://up.edu.ph/muling-pagsibol-ugnayan-ng-pahinungod-annual-report-2019-2020/ | Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 – University of the Philippines | Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 October 20, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office ANG MULING PAGSIBOL. The Ugnayan ng Pahinungód/ Oblation Corps (UP/OC) releases its annual report to mark its first year of revitalization under the administration of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Eighteen years after its systemwide devolution, Pahinungód was given a new lease on life in six UP constituent units– UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Mindanao, UP Open University, and UP Visayas. These new Pahinungód offices join the 26-year-old Ugnayan ng Pahinungód offices in UP Manila and UP Los Baños as they celebrate another year of public service to the nation. Read the annual report here. Here are some highlights from Pahinungód’s first year. #MagPahinungod |
https://up.edu.ph/music-for-the-city-of-pines-up-symphony-orchestra-in-baguio/ | Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio – University of the Philippines | Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio November 18, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office On December 2, 2022, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) will make its debut performance at the summer capital of the Philippines. 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. From left: soprano Kay Balajadia, tenor Glenn Gaerlan, and flutist Raymond Sarreal. Photos from UP Symphony Orchestra. In celebration of the city, UPSO will be joined by local Baguio talents: soprano Kay Balajadia and the “Pavarotti of Baguio,” tenor Glenn Gaerlan. The orchestra will also feature its very own principal flute player, Raymond Sarreal, as a soloist. The concert program will include Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Ramon Tapales’ Philippine Suite, Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 4, Cécile Chaminade’s Flute Concertino, plus a selection of popular tunes and holiday music to spread the joy and cheer of the season. UPSO’s performance is in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the elevation of UP Baguio as the 7th constituent unit of the UP System. It also comes at the tail end of the investiture ceremonies of UP Baguio’s chancellor, Dr. Corazon L. Abansi, scheduled on the morning of the same day. Dr. Abansi formally began her term on April 14, 2021, but had to delay her investiture due to pandemic concerns. Catch UPSO at the Baguio Convention Center on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 5 pm! The concert is free, with limited seating available. Contact Elena at 0977-809-2139 for tickets and more information. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-philhealth-to-host-first-virtual-international-conference-on-medical-education-in-the-time-of-the-pandemic/ | UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic – University of the Philippines | UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic October 8, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), is intensifying its role in the fight against COVID-19 through the first Virtual International Conference on Medical Education in the Time of the Pandemic. This webinar is scheduled on October 9, 2020, Friday, and interested parties may register via bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar25. Part 1 of the conference-webinar aims to examine the capabilities of the country and the world in health service delivery and the training of doctors and other health professionals during the pandemic. When each one in healthcare facilities is tasked to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all necessary precautions are taken, contributing to delays and difficulties in both COVID and non-COVID related cases. Services for other medical and surgical conditions may also go unserved. The pandemic also highlights the importance of producing more medical professionals who are able to serve more patients. Presentors during the conference-webinar are: Dr. Stella Marie Jose, Deputy Director for Health Operations of the UP-Philippine General Hospital (PGH); Prof. Alfred Kow Wei Chieh, Assistant Dean of Education of the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Medicine; and, Prof. Shahrul Bahyah, Postgraduate Training for Internal Medicine, and COVID Coordinator for the University of Malaya. They will shed light on how medical training institutions are dealing with the challenges brought about by the pandemic as it disrupted the training of health professionals and services in hospitals. Conference reactors include: Dr. Vincent De Leon, Chief Resident of the Department of Radiation Oncology of The Medical City in Ortigas, and President of the Medical City Fellows and Residents Organization; Dr. Madonna L. Aujero, Resident at the Department of ENT-HNS of the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Philippines; and, Dr. Edward Christopher Dee, from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Also joining the conference to deliver important messages to the participants are: Hon. Jose Y. Cueto, Jr., of the Philippine Regulatory Commission; Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila; and Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of UP College of Medicine. This historic conference is part of the Stop COVID Deaths Webinar Series jointly produced by UP, PhilHealth, and UP Manila National Institutes of Health National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP College of Medicine and UP-PGH. Past webinars may be viewed in the YouTube channel of TVUP, UP’s Internet television (webcast) network. |
https://up.edu.ph/engg-alumni-keep-on-supporting-future-engineers/ | Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers – University of the Philippines | Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers October 24, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Alumni donors and officers of the UP Diliman College of Engineering (CoE) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI). Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. At the reception hosted by University of the Philippines President Danilo L. Concepcion, together with officials of the UP Diliman College of Engineering (CoE) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI), alumni of the CoE who donated professorial chairs and new books to support the nation’s future engineers expressed their commitment and gratitude to the University. The donors received Sundial Plaques as tokens of appreciation from UP. The event was held at the UP Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City on October 22, 2019. UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr. acknowledged the donors for providing an additional six professorial chairs for CoE, the second batch the College received for the year: CleanTech Global Renewables, Inc. Professorial Chair in Renewable Energy; Legazpi Premium Development Corporation Professorial Chair in Engineering; Fortunato Tanseco de la Peña Professorial Chair in Productivity Engineering; Renato M. Tanseco Chair in Mechanical Engineering; Ma. Divina Cruz Casillan Professorial Chair in Chemical Engineering; and, Dr. Ruben A. Garcia Professorial Chair in Energy Engineering; as well as funds for the production, marketing and promotion of ES 101 textbooks written by UP Institute of Civil Engineering faculty. CoE Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg said the event marks an auspicious start for his term as the new dean. He said 126 of the total CoE faculty members have been awarded professorial chairs for academic year 2017-2018, and 145 for 2019. He added that the College already has 199 professors eligible to apply for professorial chairs. “We continue to seek help for donations for thesis, research grants, and scholarships. Your gifts to the college will bear fruit. . . (para sa) teknolohiyang makakatulong sa mas maraming Pilipino, para sa mas maunlad na bansa (by making technology serve more Filipinos, towards the goal of attaining a more developed nation),” he said. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion thanks the donors and shares inspiring stories of how UP alumni associations abroad also provide support to their alma mater. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. UP Pres. Concepcion commended the alumni donors for their unwavering support, especially since UP is the nation’s leading research university. He encouraged the alumni to reach out to fellows abroad, to form alumni associations, to continue supporting the University through donations, to teach short but intensive courses in UP, and to help in the internationalization efforts of the University. Legazpi Premium Development Corporation President Jose Go Rañola. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Jose Go Rañola, the president of the Legazpi Premium Development Corporation and an advocate for blind people, said he wants to encourage engineering students in providing assistive technology in the Philippines. Automated Technology Philippines, Inc. (ATECPHIL) President Vincent O. Abella. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Vincent O. Abella, the president of the Automated Technology Philippines, Inc. (ATECPHIL), honored the company’s founder and chairman, Renato “Rene” M. Tanseco (Mechanical Engineering Class of 1959) with the donation of the class. Abella hopes “that future engineers will have a successful career and contribute to building the nation.” A donor and a chair honoree, Renato “Rene” M. Tanseco, said he named a professorial chair after his cousin, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” Tanseco de la Peña. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” Tanseco de la Peña. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. De la Peña, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1969, an MS in Industrial Engineering in 1976, and a PhD honoris causa in 2018, warmly acknowledged his “Kuya Rene’s” gift to the College as a “unique honor”. “I assure you that we will continue to support UP,” he said. De la Peña also serves as adviser of the UPERDFI. Engr. Marcelo M. Casillan, Jr. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Marcelo M. Casillan, Jr., a UPERDFI adviser, Tanseco’s classmate in ME ’59, and long-time patron to the College, donated two professorial chairs: one in honor of his departed wife, Ma. Divina Cruz (BS Chemical Engineering 1960, MS ChE 1968; and the other, in memory of Dr. Ruben A. Garcia who served as CoE dean from 1985 to 1991. “For the love of UP, we really have to give back our blessings,” Casillan said. A representative of the Garcia family added that they, too, are grateful for the opportunity to help the nation’s future engineers. Engr. Renato “Rene” R. Bello. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Renato “Rene” R. Bello (Industrial Engineering Class of 1975) and Carmen Viola Fernando Seriña, donated funds for the production of the new ES 101 book set. Rosario “Chato” Calderon, also a previous donor for projects and of a professorial chair, provided funds for the marketing and promotion of the books. Bello affirmed that this is their way of giving back to the University, providing inspiration to the youth, and contributing to the nation. Dr. Iris Ann Martinez of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, UP College of Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Dr. Iris Ann Martinez, a CoE faculty member and a representative of the professorial chair awardees, expressed her gratitude to the University and the alumni donors for their untiring support. She said such incentives for faculty to pursue researches in their fields of interest and expertise truly benefit their students, UP, and the nation. “I hope dumami pa kayo, kasi marami pang colleagues na ma-iinspire at makakagawa ng research nila (that more of our alumni support the University so that many more of our colleagues will be inspired and pursue their research activities),” she added. The event also provides awardees an opportunity to meet and thank those who were able to inspire them, the College, and the UPERDFI, she explained. In closing, UPERDFI President Frederick Jonathan A. Trinidad reiterated the indispensable role of UP alumni in supporting the Iskolar ng Bayan, the nation’s future engineers, the CoE, as well as the internationalization efforts of UP. Alumni donors, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, and UP College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Alumni donors, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UP College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg, and UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI) officers. Photo by Bong Arboleda. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-of-engineering-team-inspects-north-cotabato-structures-for-safety/ | UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety – University of the Philippines | UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety November 19, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga) A team of engineers from the UP College of Engineering (UP-CoE) further assured the safety of people gravely affected by the recent Mindanao earthquakes by conducting structural assessment of vital buildings in North Cotabato Province and the hard-hit Municipality of Makilala. Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga) Headed by the UP College of Engineering Dean, in coordination with the provincial and municipal local government units, the UP-CoE Team inspected twenty (20) vital public and private structures from November 9 to 11, 2019 to ascertain whether they could be re-occupied, or their access restricted or declared off limits. These included government buildings, gymnasiums, evacuation centers, office buildings, hotels, commercial establishments, condominiums, and a bridge. The municipal building of Makilala was declared off limits after serious damage was detected on the columns in the basement. Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga) The UP-CoE Team is composed of: Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg; Civil Engineers Jaime Hernandez Jr., Eric Augustus Tingatinga, Jihan Pacer, and Julius Baniqued; and Geodetic Engineer Christian Candido, all of whom worked hand in hand with North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmy Lou T. Mendoza, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista, and three local engineers. Structural damage assessment was one of three immediate needs spelled out by Cotabato Province in a November 6, 2019 letter to UP seeking assistance following the series of earthquakes on October 29 and 31, 2019. Ascertaining safety of structures would rationalize evacuation, according to the LGUs. Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga) The UP College of Engineering had been organizing a team of volunteer engineers for Mindanao since October 31. The UP-CoE Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) and Building Research Service (BRS) have traditionally deployed volunteer engineers in response to disasters, the last one being the Bohol earthquake. When the Cotabato LGU request came, they were ready to be deployed to the area in coordination with the UP Resilience Institute. Currently, University efforts to assist affected LGUs are coordinated by a Mindanao Earthquake Response Team (MERT-UP). Aside from the UP-CoE Team, UP had also sent a team of geology experts, and, as of press time, is preparing the deployment of a combined psycho-social and medical response team from UP Manila, UP Visayas, and UP Diliman. Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga) MERT-UP has issued calls for financial donations to support the logistical and subsistence needs of the teams, and the needs of communities best addressed by the University. |
https://up.edu.ph/repainting-of-up-chapels-dome-interior-completed-in-time-for-holy-week/ | Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week – University of the Philippines | Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week March 26, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The restoration of the UP Chapel was supposed to start early last year, but due to the pandemic the restoration plan was pushed back to the latter part of 2020. Photo from the DMCI Homes. Repair and repainting of the Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice, more popularly known as the University of the Philippines (UP) Chapel in the Diliman campus—a recognized National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure—has been completed in time for the observance of Holy Week. Following its repair and repainting of the chapel’s exterior dome, structures and facades last year, Quadruple A developer DMCI Homes has also completed the repainting of the church’s interior ceiling. The chapel’s dome interior repainting was done with the help of JBLS Trading & Construction Aesthetics, and Boysen Philippines, which donated the paint materials. About 138 gallons of paint were used to repaint the entirety of the chapel’s interior dome. Photo from DMCI Homes. Prior to the actual repainting, scaffolding construction and scraping of the dome’s interior were initially done in January. DMCI Homes proceeded to repaint the dome’s interior mid-February this year after getting approval of the paint color to be used from UP officials and the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice. While the repainting was ongoing, masses were still held at the UP Chapel’s grounds for parishioners to attend. DMCI Homes, the property arm of DMCI Holdings, has been working on rehabilitating the 65-year-old chapel since July 2020. The restoration of the UP Chapel was done through a series of consultations with UP officials in an effort to bring back the 65-year-old cultural treasure’s original state of beauty. Before 2020 ended, DMCI Homes facilitated the following repairs in the chapel: repair of masonry cracks; de-clogging of downspouts and drains; installation of new electrical fixtures; and, exterior repainting on the chapel’s iconic dome and roof, as well as of its walls, columns, eaves, under slabs, ceilings, and railings. The murals depicting the Stations of the Cross, the marble altar, the floor mural, and the cross at the center of the chapel—all handiworks of national artists—were left untouched during the rehabilitation. Work on the church’s exterior dome, structures and facades started in July 2020 and was completed last December. Photo from DMCI Homes. The UP Chapel was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin and built by Engr. David M. Consunji, an alumnus of the UP College of Engineering. Consunji is acknowledged as the grandfather of construction in the Philippines and the founder of the DMCI Group of Companies. Due to its unique and timeless design, the UP Chapel is considered an important architectural landmark, as it is the first circular chapel in the country with the altar in its center for a more personal and engaging community worship experience. It is also the first structure in the country to feature a remarkable thin-shell concrete dome, made possible through Engr. Consunji’s innovation in the mixing and delivery of concrete. It is the only structure in the country to feature the works of five national artists. With the interior dome finally repainted, the restoration of the chapel to its original glory is finally complete and people from all walks of life can enjoy and appreciate the chapel’s one-of-a-kind beauty for many years. Take a virtual tour of the newly renovated national historical landmark via qrco.de/UPChapel. Article courtesy of Mr. JC Ruiz, DMCI Homes |
https://up.edu.ph/up-receives-new-professorial-chairs-in-engineering/ | UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering – University of the Philippines | UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering February 18, 2020 | Written by Fred Dabu PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. With the help of the University of the Philippines Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI), UP received two new professorial chairs during the signing of the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in the UP Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City on February 12, 2020. A deed of donation from the PLDT-Smart Foundation signed in 2019 was also renewed. The event was attended by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, and top officials of PLDT, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad, One Meralco Foundation, UP College of Engineering, and UPERDFI. In his message to the donors, Concepcion explained that the professorial chairs are truly beneficial to UP faculty and students, with the University as the premier learning environment for the nation’s future engineers and leaders of vital industries. he said, “Malaking bagay po ito at nagpapasalamat kami sa inyo. Maraming salamat po sa inyo!” PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan conveys his gratitude for being able to help the University and the nation. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Pangilinan, who is a renowned businessman and sports patron, revealed that he is no stranger to UP, since his grandfather had encouraged him to study in UP and his father was in UP Los Baños. He said that their group of companies has been supporting UP in various ways, from the time of UP Presidents Dodong Nemenzo and Emerlinda Roman up to the present. He added that businesses and industries have the obligation to help the academe, and to nurture dialogues and expand relationships that aim to clarify the roles of these sectors in the changing global and domestic landscapes. “It’s our privilege and gratitude for allowing us to help UP in whatever way we can,” he said. UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI) Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. According to UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr., the group of companies where Pangilinan holds leadership positions is presently sponsoring 14 professorial chairs in Engineering: five are from Maynilad; one from Meralco; one from the Meralco Millennium Foundation, in honor of Manuel Lopez; one from MIESCOR, in honor of Cesar Nuguid; one from PLDT SMART Foundation; two from Philex Mining Corporation; one from Maynilad Contractors, called Maynilad UP Centennial Chair; and, the two new donations. This is 7% of the UP College of Engineering’s 196 professorial chairs. Professorial chairs are awarded to faculty members and serve as incentives for the recipients to further excel in teaching and to pursue researches related to their fields of interest and expertise. As a symbol of appreciation and distinction, UP gives the donor a Sundial Plaque, an elegantly framed artwork depicting the meters-high concrete sundial that stands in the UP College of Engineering compound. Top officials of UP, UPERDFI, PLDT, and PLDT-Smart Foundation affix their signatures to the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Top officials of UP, UPERDFI, PLDT, and PLDT-Smart Foundation affix their signatures to the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion presents the Sundial Plaque to PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. They are flanked by PLDT, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad, One Meralco Foundation, UP College of Engineering, and UPERDFI officials. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. (L-R) PLDT Head of Public Affairs Ramon R. Isberto; PLDT-Smart Foundation President Esther O. Santos; PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; UP College of Engineering Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg; and UPERDFI President Rico A. Trinidad. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/surviving-the-big-one-with-diwata-2s-amateur-radio-unit/ | Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit – University of the Philippines | Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit May 14, 2019 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Last month, the Philippines experienced two strong earthquakes in Luzon and Leyte —each measuring at least 6.0 in magnitude—reviving anxieties about the “Big One,’’ an extremely powerful quake that experts predict could hit with devastating effect during our lifetime. A catastrophic event of such magnitude struck Haiti in 2010, when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake with an epicenter near the capital of Port-au-Prince quickly took the lives of hundreds of thousands. Compounding rescue efforts, the quake also devastated the country’s communication infrastructure. In that desperate time, an unexpected group of people heroically acted as bridges between emergency responders and survivors. Amateur radio operators or ‘hams’ tuned into the appropriate frequencies and, with the help of satellites, acted as the eyes and ears of the rescue teams. Once a mere backup system, the amateur radio band became a lifeline, handling most emergency communications in the immediate aftermath of the quake. It is easy to imagine how communication in the Philippines, despite a population of 60 million social media users, could be similarly crippled should the ‘Big One’ strike. Luckily, not only does the country have a close-knit community of amateur radio enthusiasts ready to assist, but we also now have a satellite that can facilitate their communication to any place in the archipelago. The innovation responsible for this is Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit (ARU), which was formally unveiled on April 26. Described by its makers as something of a “walkie-talkie in space,” the ARU allows radio operators to communicate with anyone anywhere in the country. Recently, the UP MPRO had a conversation with three STAMINA4Space engineers behind Diwata-2’s ARU. Izrael Zenar Bautista, Lorenzo Sabug, Jr., and Mary Ann Zabanal-Constante had worked persistently to fit what could become the country’s last line of communication into the microsatellite’s 56-kilogram frame. Bautista, currently a PhD student at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), said the ARU is primarily responsible for Diwata-2’s functionality as a communications satellite. More than any other item in its payload, it is the ARU that allows people to converse over vast distances. STAMINA4Space engineers communicate via Diwata-2’s amateur radio unit (ARU). Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. The unit was born out of a need to improve an already great thing. After Diwata-1 was launched in 2016, the team was already thinking of ways to make its successor better. The engineers were specifically looking to bring the technology closer to ordinary citizens. Bautista said he believes that the ARU democratizes the use of Diwata-2, because even regular citizens with inexpensive equipment can use it. “That’s because the frequency is free for all to use,” he said. “Theoretically, anyone can use it.” This is especially true for amateur radio enthusiasts, many of whom prefer to “homebrew” or self-construct rather than buy their equipment. “You just need to have the right equipment in order to participate,” Bautista added. The two primary functions of Diwata-2’s ARU are to be an FM voice repeater (FMVR) and an Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) message repeater. The voice repeater, allows people to wirelessly converse through voice, with the satellite facilitating the communication. “Actually, with the altitude of Diwata-2,” Bautista added, “you can talk to someone from anywhere in the Philippines. You don’t need to spend for load or the internet; you just need a radio and an antenna.” The APRS message repeater, on the other hand, acts more like a text message. It allows you to receive messages sent by fellow amateur radio enthusiasts via the ARU. Not only can you now send messages to first responders in the event of a major disaster; you can also transmit temperature, weather information and GPS data to others. Step-by-step Diwata-2’s ARU makes use of two radio signals familiar to amateur radio operators worldwide—ultra-high frequency (UHF, 437.500 MHz); and, very-high frequency (VHF, 145.900 MHz). According to Lorenzo Sabug Jr., this familiarity is a benefit. “This means that hams who have accessed other amateur radio satellites only have to do what they’re used to in order to access Diwata-2. And there are so many affordable handheld transmitters that we can tune to UHF and VHF frequencies that make communicating with satellites much more cost-effective.” Sabug noted that there are three steps that an amateur radio operator should follow in order to connect to Diwata-2’s ARU. The first is tracking the satellite as it passes overhead. “We have available orbit tracker apps for mobile phones or PCs. We can track when Diwata-2 is passing over and its direction in the sky,” he said. One should then tune their equipment to 145.900 MHz to receive transmissions from Diwata-2 or 437.500 MHz to transmit messages to others. UP and STAMINA4Space research engineers Izrael Zenar Bautista (3rd from left) and Lorenzo Sabug, Jr. (rightmost) with UP EEEI Associate Professor Marc Caesar Talampas and DOST-ASTI Director Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. He noted that Diwata-2 typically passes at around noon and in the middle of the night, which makes it easier for amateur operators to anticipate it. From these we get an idea when Diwata-2 is coming and where it’s coming from so we can point our antennas in the right direction. Indeed, that pointing is the second necessary step. Taking a directional antenna, a radio operator should physically track Diwata-2’s movement with it as it moves. Lastly, an operator should always follow ham radio etiquette, ensuring that others have already finished their transmissions before making their own. Ideally every user should have an opportunity to use Diwata-2 for their emergency response needs. Aside from its coverage and accessibility, another advantage of Diwata-2 is its virtual immunity from the effects of earthbound calamities. Orbiting at an altitude of more than 600 km., Diwata-2 is higher than any raincloud and is unreachable by tremors or waves that can knock out telephone lines or cellular towers. This makes it a conduit of communication that we can reliably use despite massive devastation on the ground. Balikbayan Box Getting a radio unit with so many functions to fit within a tiny satellite was one of the challenges the team had to overcome. Few know this better than Mary Ann Zabanal-Constante who worked on the ARU’s antenna deployment. “I compare Diwata-2 to a balikbayan box,” she said, “where we try to fit all the important things in so our people can get their money’s worth when we finally send it out.” “To put it simply, a careful study of design and optimization was required from creating the circuit boards, to the enclosure, to the antennas, to Diwata-2 itself to fit all those components in,” Constante said. Details of Diwata-2’s amateur radio unit with handwritten messages by its makers. Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Sabug, Jr., STAMINA4Space and UP EEEI. Completing the ARU was both a national and a practical success. Not only did we now have a working unit built by Filipino experts, but the STAMINA4Space team also touched base with industry partners who can produce the components needed to build more satellites. Constante aims to eventually produce a catalogue of locally built satellite components that have “flight heritage” or have been proven to work in space. The resulting reduction in overhead costs would mean more and better satellites, not to mention better ARUs, which can be locally built by our engineers. For now, however, Constante and the rest of the STAMINA4Space engineers are inviting all interested individuals to keep using Diwata-2’s existing ARU. “We hope you keep using it, and we hope it can continue to serve even more of our people.” Our nation may never be fully ready to cope with disasters like the ‘Big One’, but with more satellites and with amateur radio units patrolling our skies, Filipinos will at least have a fighting chance. Track Diwata-2’s arrival by following its Twitter account. To learn more about amateur radio in the country, visit the Philippine Amateur Radio Association website. |
https://up.edu.ph/filipino-space-scientists-and-engineers-gain-new-home-in-ulys3es/ | Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES – University of the Philippines | Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES September 16, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Video by KIM Quilinguing, UP Media and Public Relations Office Space science and technology in the Philippines gains a new home in UP Diliman with the inauguration of the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems, or ULyS3ES for short, in the UP College of Engineering’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) in Diliman last August 31. DOST and UP officials perform the high-tech ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems, or ULyS3ES, at the UP Diliman College of Engineering’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) last August 31. From left to right are: UP College of Science Dean Giovanni A. Tapang, UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan, DOST-ASTI Acting Director Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, and DOST-Science Education Institute Director Josette T. Biyo. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. ULyS3ES-1 and ULyS3ES-2 The ULyS3ES consists of two buildings in the UPD-EEEI complex, dubbed Building 1 and Building 2. ULyS3ES is “an interdisciplinary facility that serves as a pioneering academic hub for research and development (R&D) and instruction innovations in space technology in the Philippines.” Through this new two-building laboratory, engineers and researchers will “collaborate on the development of small satellites through relevant mission planning and the corresponding design, implementation and test of satellite bus and payload systems.” Building 1 of ULyS3ES (ULyS3ES-1) features office and research spaces that are designed to foster close interactions and open collaboration among the disciplines that contribute to space science and technology, including electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, environmental science, and space studies. Building 1 also includes administrative and faculty spaces, shared spaces for researchers, a conference and meeting area, and an exhibit area in the lobby. The research laboratory in ULyS3ES-1 includes equipment for functional testing of small satellite components and integrated systems, “clean booths” for small satellite assembly, a thermal-vacuum chamber for space environment testing of nanosatellites as well as rapid prototyping equipment. It also houses the Engineering Model of the 50kh microsatellite, Diwata-2, and a Flight Model (FM) of the 1 kg nanosatellite, Maya-1. These satellite models are functional replicas of the actual satellites that were deployed in space, and are used as test beds for further experimentation, research and instruction. DOST and UP officials tour the facilities of ULyS3ES Building 1, speaking to Filipino students studying space science and technology abroad via teleconference. Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Building 2 or ULyS3ES-2, located behind Building 1, includes a conference room, classroom and reconfigurable work space, including a “clean booth” for nanosatellite assembly. It also hosts testing facilities for small satellite components and systems, including a Full Anechoic Chamber (FAC), as well as a temperature and humidity test chamber. The FAC, located in its lobby, is a facility for measuring antenna radiation patterns over a frequency range of 600 MHz to 26.5 GHz (extendable to 40 GHz). The radiation patterns show the directional distribution of energy radiated by the antenna; they can therefore give an idea of the antenna performance in providing wireless range and coverage. The temperature and humidity test chamber, on the other hand, is used to mimic conditions that products might reasonably experience in their eventual working environment. From “University Laboratory” to ULyS3ES Present at the inauguration ceremony were officials from: the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); the DOST Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI); the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD); the DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI); the Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) Program, which is the Philippine government’s space technology program succeeding the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite (PHL-Microsat) program; and, the Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STEP-UP) Project. Also present were: officials from UP Diliman, the UP College of Engineering and the College of Science, and the UP EEEI; officials and representatives from private industry partners, the Aerospace Industry Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Navy; members of the University Space Engineering Consortium of the Philippines (UNISEC-Philippines); and, representatives from academe and the media attended. Dr. Marciano speaks about the origins of the acronym for the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. In his welcome message, Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., the acting director of DOST-ASTI, program leader of STAMINA4Space and a professor at the UP EEEI, explained the inspiration behind the acronym ULyS3ES, which was not, he said, Ulysses, or in the original Greek (Odysseus), the mythological warrior whose exploits are told in Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey. Instead, the acronym came from the name “University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems” itself. “The name came about by a rather strong notion in our heads about what we set out to do. We were really just trying to build a university laboratory,” Dr. Marciano said. “As a university laboratory, it embodies and hopes to fulfill the vital role of the academia in advancing and pushing the boundaries of knowledge in space technology and cascading its benefits to society.” After picking the letters “U”, “L” and “Y” from the words “University Laboratory”, he added that “the rest of the letters were not hard to flesh out.” Nevertheless, he said that the new laboratory might as well have been inspired by Odysseus, too, as he compared space technology to an epic adventure beset by many challenges, much as Odysseus faced throughout his journey. And similar to Odysseus and his crew, Filipino scholars who are sent abroad to study and work on space science and technology also yearn to come home and find an application for their training and hard work. That academic home is ULyS3ES, Dr. Marciano stressed. “So also the Filipinos who have received training abroad, stayed overseas and established themselves there, now have a reason to come back home to the Philippines. ULyS3ES welcomes them all.” Dr. Marciano to head the Philippine Space Agency UP EEEI Director Michael Angelo Pedrasa. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Dr. Michael Angelo Pedrasa, Director of the UP EEEI, cited the ULyS3ES as a significant contribution to the UP EEEI’s vision to become the National Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineering. “As the national institute, we should be internationally recognized for achieving national impact and global significance. This has become one of our ways of getting international recognition.“ Through the STAMINA4Space program, he said, the UP EEEI is now a member of the University Space Engineering Consortium or UNISEC-Global, an international nonprofit body whose primary objective is to help create a world where space science and technology is used in every country for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of humankind. UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan cited the Greek mythology roots of the acronym ULyS3ES as a reflection of the well-rounded education that UP offers through its general education system. The establishment of ULyS3ES also brings to the fore the breadth of UP’s research work, which he says extends to all spheres: lupa or terrestrial research; laot or research in marine science; and now, langit as well, with ULyS3ES and the STAMINA4Space program. He expressed a wish that “the College of Engineering and ULyS3ES will fire up the imaginations not just of engineers but also the College of Science and all the other colleges as well,” including those from the arts and humanities and from the social sciences. DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. For his part, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña stated that the DOST is “proud of this laboratory,“ and of the country’s space technology development program, which was given a total budget of around P10 billion of which P7.5 billion has been spent since the space technology development program was started in 2013. The signing of Republic Act No. 11363 or the Philippine Space Act into law last August 8 established the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), as well as a Philippine Space Council under the Office of the Philippine President. Secretary de la Peña suggested that the DOST and UP should have a joint strategy to steer the future of the PhilSA in accordance with national goals. In relation to that, the DOST Secretary announced that Dr. Marciano would head the PhilSA as its first director-general, an announcement DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara later reiterated. The inauguration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a guided tour of ULyS3ES Buildings 1 and 2 and their facilities, work spaces and equipment. In the last part of the program, former UP College of Engineering Dean Rizalinda L. De Leon, PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico C. Paringit, UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, DOST Usec. Guevara, and STeP-UP Project Leader Paul Jason Co delivered messages congratulating the STAMINA4Space team of engineers and scientists, and the DOST on the successful inauguration of ULyS3ES. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-eeei-hosts-1st-technology-fair/ | UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair – University of the Philippines | UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair April 24, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP EEEI) and Nokia Manila Technology Center, in cooperation with Analog Devices, Inc., Artesyn Embedded Technologies, First Philec, Inc., PHINMA Energy, and Samsung R&D Philippines, will be hosting the 1st EEE Technology Fair, on Wednesday, 24 May 2017, 8:00AM-5:00 PM, at the University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City. With “Enhanced Industry-Academe Collaboration to Support a Culture of Innovation” as theme, the fair aims to engage state universities and colleges, government agencies, and industry partners in advancing the Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering fields in the Philippines by setting the platform for collaboration. UP EEEI will showcase its research projects and recognize the groundbreaking efforts of its faculty members, researchers, and students. Industry partners and government agencies will also lay down the mechanisms for research collaboration and other forms of partnership. For more information, visit the fair website: http://www.eee.upd.edu.ph/eee-tech-fair-2017-0 or contact Ms. Kristine Cruz through email: kristine.cruz@eee.upd.edu.ph or by phone: 981-9500 loc. 3300 / 925-2957. |
https://up.edu.ph/former-doh-sec-cabral-tackles-heart-matters-in-pauw-up-lecture-forum/ | Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum – University of the Philippines | Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum March 7, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Former DOH Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral answering questions about heart and health matters during PAUW-UP’s lecture series while PAUW-UP president Atty. Gaby Concepcion (in black, extreme left) and other PAUW-UP board members look on. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. The proper care for the heart was the subject of a lecture-forum organized by the Philippine Association of University Women-UP chapter (PAUW-UP), with Dr. Esperanza I. Cabral, former Secretary of the Department of Health, former director of the Philippine Heart Center and UP College of Medicine alumna, as guest speaker. The lecture-forum on “Heart Matters” was held on February 27, 2019 in the Tea Room of the UP College of Home Economics. In lieu of a formal speech, Dr. Cabral fielded questions from an audience consisting of UP faculty and retired faculty members as well as administrative staff on medical concerns regarding the heart and health in general. Most of the questions significantly affect women and senior citizens. Dr. Esperanza Cabral answering questions from her audience during PAUW-UP’s lecture series. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Some of the questions she answered during the discussion were the following: Q. How often should people, particularly women, have a heart check-up with a doctor? Cabral: It varies. For people like us, early detection is important; so we should get regular check-ups with our doctors. Even if you are feeling well, you should go for a checkup with your doctor, maybe every six months. If you do not feel well, that is certainly time for you to see your doctor. Q. For women who are undergoing menopause, doctors sometimes prescribe estrogen pills. Are these safe? Cabral: All drugs have side effects. If they tell you that something is a drug but has no side effect, don’t believe it. For people who go into menopause, estrogen pills can be prescribed to relieve the symptoms associated with menopause. Now as I said, all medicines have side effects, including estrogen. There is a very slight increase in the incidence of breast cancer associated with estrogen, but it is very slight. Let’s say 10 out of every 100 women will develop breast cancer. If you take estrogen, then it becomes 11 out of 100 women who will develop breast cancer. But it still means that even if you are taking estrogen, 89 of 100 women will not develop breast cancer, compared to 90 out of 100 of women not taking estrogen who will develop breast cancer. It’s a decision that you and your doctor will have to make for you. Q. What kind of exercise should we do and what kind of food are we supposed to eat to help make our heart healthy? Cabral: When it comes to both physical activity and diet, you need to use your common sense. We should move as much as our body allows us to move at our age. Just move. Dance, or play the piano, or walk. Gentle exercises that you can tolerate. When it comes to diet, there is nothing better than a well-balanced diet. Don’t believe these things like high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrates or high-carb diets. Don’t listen to the fads; they change from one day to the next. Just eat a balanced diet, and if you want to lose weight, eat less. PAUW-UP’s lecture series on “Heart Matters” at the Tea Room of the UP College of Home Economics, with Dr. Esperanza Cabral (standing) as guest speaker. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Q. Is it okay to take herbal and food supplements? Do these have side effects? Cabral: They have plenty of side effects. And they are not going to cure anything. One of the things that I did when I was DOH Secretary was to translate into Filipino the term “no approved therapeutic claims”: “Ito ay hindi gamot, at hindi dapat gawing gamot para sa anumang sakit.” These supplements did not go through the process of investigation, so the Bureau of Food and Drug Administration cannot guarantee that they can cure anything. Now if it is just garlic or ginger pills or things we eat on a regular basis, you can go ahead and take them if you want to. But there are many herbal and food supplements that have harmful effects, including cancer and kidney failure. Regular medicines can do that, too, but at least we know and can be warned about them. There has been plenty of research done on the harmful effects of herbal and food supplements. Your doctor can tell you these things; so you need to rely on your doctor. Q. What are the warning signs of an impending stroke or heart attack? Cabral: These warning signs are late in coming. When you see a warning sign, it’s too late already. You should instead prevent these warning signs by keeping the blood pressure under control, not smoking, eating a balanced diet, and exercising as much as you can tolerate. Just live a healthy life; that is the best way of preventing strokes and heart attacks. In her remarks after Dr. Cabral’s talk, PAUW-UP Chapter president, Atty. Ma. Gabriela R. Concepcion, stated that the PAUW-UP aims to “make our presence more felt on campus, and this is one way: to be of service to the community by having discussions and intimate conversations on matters that are important to us.” The lecture-forum featuring Dr. Cabral is the first in a series to be organized by PAUW-UP this year. PAUW-UP Board Members with guest speaker Dr. Esperanza Cabral (in red, sitting) in the middle. Sitting, from left to right: Dr. Sylvia H. Guerrero, board member; Dr. Elizabeth Diaz, vice-president; Atty. Gaby Concepcion, president; Prof. Carmelita Ramirez, PRO; Dr. Belen Medina, board member. Standing, from left to right: Prof. Ma. Vanessa L. Oyson, assistant secretary; Prof. Rosella Jean Puno, treasurer; Dr. Aurora Zuñiga, board member; Dr. Elvira Verano, auditor. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/amb-edgardo-espiritu-receives-honorary-up-doctorate-advocates-against-judicial-corruption/ | Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption – University of the Philippines | Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption December 3, 2020 | Written by Andre dP. Encarnacion Slide showcasing Amb. Espiritu’s legacy through the years. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here. A graduate of the UP College of Law in 1958, Amb. Espiritu was honored for his achievements and unimpeachable character in the areas of banking and finance, economics, public service, and entrepreneurship. The degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa 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. As a public official, Amb. Espiritu’s most high profile role was as Secretary of the Department of Finance in 1998, when he pushed for anti-corruption measures and crafted policies that helped the country get through the Asian Financial Crisis. As an industry captain, he previously headed banking giants Metrobank, the Philippine National Bank and Westmont Bank, among others. He also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Iceland. Finally, he was a member of the UP Board of Regents and the longest serving president of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA); his tenure saw the beginning and completion of iconic University structures such as the Ang Bahay ng Alumni. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion quotes Amb. Espiritu by calling UP “the anvil upon which we are molded to become instruments for attaining the common good and the betterment of the nation.” Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here. In his opening remarks, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion quoted Amb. Espiritu’s own message to the UP Alumni Council in 2019, where he called the University “the anvil upon which we are molded to become instruments for attaining the common good and the betterment of the nation.” “Truly,” Concepcion added, “it is difficult to think of an individual who has been shaped both by the classroom and by life into an embodiment of honor, excellence, and compassion more than Amb. Edgardo B. Espiritu.” Amb. Espiritu delivers his address. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here. In his own message, Espiritu called for a renewed fight against corruption, which he called a “national problem” that requires all sectors to combat. And while most corruption initiatives in the country are aimed at the Executive and the Legislative branches of government, he believes that a proper reform of the Judiciary will also be key to curbing uneven dispensations of justice between those with power and those without. “A judiciary that dispenses, and is perceived to dispense fair and impartial justice, for instance in adjudicating contracts, is a requirement for attracting investors, both local and foreign, and is therefore a key ingredient for economic growth,” Espiritu said. Amb. Espiritu. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here. To accomplish this, he proposed measures such as promoting greater fiscal and administrative independence for the Judiciary to prevent judges and others from falling prey to both unscrupulous politicians and powerful influences in the private sector. A key intervention here, Espiritu said, would be to improve the compensation and incentives for judges, prosecutors, and court personnel. Moreover, he prescribed a merit-based rather than a politically influenced process of nomination, appointment, and promotion for the aforementioned. Despite already having a considerable infrastructure to combat corruption, Espiritu said he still believed that the most important alliance that any coalition against corruption should have is with the youth. “We must enlist the support of all sectors in society in this fight, particularly the young,” he noted, “through our schools; through progressive academic curriculums, particularly those that seek to hone future lawyers in the virtues of fairness, honesty, and love of the law; through civil society initiatives; through media and the virtual world.” Amb. Espiritu and his family. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here. |
https://up.edu.ph/upaas-e-kapihan-ng-bayan-to-tackle-covid-19s-impact-on-education/ | UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education – University of the Philippines | UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education October 12, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting another “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom on 27 October 2020, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. (Manila time). The discussion will focus on a topic that is gravely affecting the youth of our country and how we are coping—“COVID-19: Its Impact on Education”. Undersecretary Annalyn M. Sevilla, spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd), will be the resource speaker. She will share the DepEd’s plans and actions on how to keep the standard of Philippine education at an estimable level despite the prevailing “new normal” conditions. The usual lively discussion is expected in the open forum. Those interested are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at tels. 920-6868; 920-6871; mobile 0917-8372098; or email upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and their personal participant’s passwords. Or contact Mr. Romeo S.A. Carlos, UPAA Executive Director, at mobile no. (0921) 285-5332. Open to all UP alumni, faculty, and students, as well as the general public, the “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is a public service project of the UPAA that aims to serve as a regular forum for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to the nation’s development. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding the national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern. |
https://up.edu.ph/upaas-ekapihan-on-the-impact-prevention-and-treatment-of-covid-19/ | UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 August 20, 2020 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Photo from the UP Alumni page maintained by the UP Office of Alumni Relations. The COVID-19 pandemic is truly the global crisis of our times. The virus has taken an especially harsh toll on the Philippines, with more than 100,000 recorded infections and thousands of deaths to date. Its effects not only have gravity in medical or public health circles but have taken a distinctly socio-economic and psychological character as well; with ways of relating and doing business with one another being profoundly changed in our country for the foreseeable future. Being better equipped to deal with these dangers means understanding what they are, how to avoid them, and what you can do when faced with them. This is why the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting an “eKapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom video conferencing on August 25, 2020. The resource speaker will be Dr. Gerardo B. Abenes, DVM, MVSc, PhD. His presentation, “Understanding COVID-19: Its Prevention and Treatment”, is on the global pandemic and its economic impact on the Philippines. Dr. Abenes will share his thoughts on the issue profoundly affecting the lives of all Filipinos at present. The usual lively discussion is expected in the open forum. Interested parties are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at Tel. #s 920-6868, 920-6871; Mobile 0917-8372098; or email upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and your personal participant’s password. The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is a public service project of the UPAA that aims to serve as a vehicle for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to the Filipino people’s advancement as a nation. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern. |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19-vaccines-to-be-tackled-in-upaa-ekapihan-via-zoom/ | COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom – University of the Philippines | COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom February 8, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting another “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom on 23 February 2021, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. (Manila time). The discussion will focus on a topic that is gravely affecting our country and how we can better cope with it: “COVID-19 Vaccines in the Philippines”—their availability, comparative efficacies, and affordability. A lively discussion is expected in the open forum. The resource speaker will be Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvana, Director, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Institute of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, and Adjunct Professor for Global Health, University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Salvana is also a member of the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) technical working group on new coronavirus variants. Those interested are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at Tels. 920-6868; 920-6871; Mobile 0917-8372098; or e-mail upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and their personal participant’s passwords. You may also contact UPAA Executive Director Romeo S.A. Carlos at mobile number (0921) 285-5332. Open to all UP alumni, faculty, and students, as well as the general public, the e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP is a public service project of the UPAA, which aims to serve as a regular forum for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to our development as a nation. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding the national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-association-in-america-inc-supports-ups-fight-for-academic-freedom/ | UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom – University of the Philippines | UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom February 17, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office January 26, 2021 U.P. Alumni Association in America, Inc. Letter of Support Dear President Danilo Concepcion, faculty and students: On behalf of the UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. (UPAAA, Inc.), we express our strong support for your stand in preserving the integrity and independence of the University as the bastion of academic freedom in the country. Our vision clearly articulates the values of UPAAA, Inc. as “ a strong broad-based organization of alumni of the University of the Philippines in the service and support of the Alma mater, the UP alumni, the UP system and the community in pursuit of common goals.” Recent developments have prompted us to highlight once more what the University stands for and its role as the nation’s premier educational institution of learning. UP is a microcosm of the larger community but has a significant role in nation-building. It is, and has been, the breeding ground for progressive and creative ideas and free expression represented by the iconic statue of the Oblation. The university has produced leaders in the community and country who have contributed in a large part to the progress of our native land. Stifling academic freedom denigrates the immense promise of the youth to contribute to the future of the country. As a foreign-based nation-wide organization of UP alumni striving to unify UP alumni in the United States and other countries, we provide the anchor upon which alumni living in foreign lands from the diaspora of the past, can look for unity and collaboration. It is therefore with alarm that we see the insidious threat to the independence and leadership of the University in promoting academic freedom in other institutions of learning all over the country. We need the UP youth to go boldly into the future to shape our nation as leaders that the country needs them to be. We need the faculty to continue molding these young minds in the tradition of our heroes of the past and become leaders of tomorrow. We recognize that unlawful behavior is never tolerated by the university and has adhered to the observance of the laws. But it also has the obligation to protect the rights of the students, faculty and everyone within the jurisdiction of the university. When these rights are violated without due process, democracy in the country is gradually eroded. Holding the threat of punishment or fear over the heads of students and the university as a whole becomes a cloud that suppresses growth of academic vibrancy. In pursuit of honor and excellence, UPAAA, Inc. remains truly yours, Daisy M. Rodriguez, RN,BSN,MN,MPA National President, UPAAA,Inc. Dr. Jovenia Celo, MD Executive Vice President |
https://up.edu.ph/celia-diaz-laurel-draws-final-curtain-at-93/ | Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 – University of the Philippines | Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 July 15, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts,” — William Shakespeare, As You Like It A celebrated thespian indeed, Celia Diaz Laurel, played many parts on stage, acting in 74 plays from 1947 to 1992. But she was also more than an actress. She was a production, set, and costume designer, with 83 productions in her belt. Outside the world of theater, but still in the realm of the arts, she had multiple roles as well: painter, author, philanthropist, and advocate. It was the same in her personal life. She was “mommy”, “lola”, “tita”, “Nenita” and “Nitay” to her family, relatives and friends. To many, she was the Celia Diaz Laurel. And she bade farewell to her many roles on 12 July 2021 when she succumbed to complications from a stroke. She was 93. Born on 29 May 1928 in Talisay, Negros Occidental to Anselmo Sison Diaz and Concepcion Gonzalez Franco, Maria Luz Celia Teresita was the youngest of six children. Her family moved to Manila when she was five. She studied at the Assumption Convent, where she was first exposed to stage performance. But it was in UP, where she would further harness her talent. Celia Diaz Laurel as primary school student at the Assumption Convent (left) and as a member of the UP Swimming Team (right). Photos courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives. In 1947, she entered the Fine Arts (FA) program of the University, where she learned from future National Artists Maestros Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino. In the same year, she became a member of the UP Dramatic Club. It was then under the helm of its newly appointed director, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, who was himself also later named National Artist. Throughout her college life, Celia was able to successfully balance her roles as: FA student; theater actress in the UP Dramatic Club, Manila Community Players, and Dramatic Philippines; and, UP Swimming Team member. She was even able to nurture a blossoming relationship with a law student named Salvador Roman “Doy” Hidalgo Laurel, whom she married in 1950, and who would later become a senator and then a vice president of the Philippines. Doy and Celia, already parents of two, graduated from UP in 1952. Celia Diaz Laurel as Kinume in Repertory Philippines’ staging of Rashomon in 1970 (left) and as a recipient of the UP Alumni Association Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award in 2015 (right). Left photo courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives; right photo from UPMPRO. They left for the US that same year, placing daughters Susana and Celine in the care of Celia’s mother. With Doy taking his Master of Laws at Yale University, Celia decided to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in the same university as well. But her love of the stage pushed her in a different direction and she transferred to Yale’s post-graduate Drama program, acting in six productions there. When Celia had gotten pregnant, they decided she would deliver the baby in the Philippines. She gave birth to their third child and first son, Victor, just a few days after she had arrived. Doy remained in the US to finish his master’s but it was not long before he, too, was back home. It had only taken him 10 months to finish the program. Celia Diaz Laurel (middle) takes over her husband’s senatorial campaign in 1967 after he figured in a vehicular accident. Photos courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives. As their family grew, blessed with five more children, David, Lorenzo, Stella, Kristipi, and Marissa, and as Doy’s political career soared, Celia proved herself to be a superwoman. She continued to be an accomplished actress with the UP Dramatic Club, Dramatic Philippines, and Repertory Philippines, where she was in 53 productions. Even as she moved on to theater production design, she also painted, wrote poetry, authored books, did advocacy and philanthropic work. On the home front, she was a supportive wife, a doting mother, and a loving grandmother. Celia, the matriarch of the Diaz Laurel family, was strength amid grief with the loss of Doy, Kristipi, and Stella. Senator Salvador “Doy” H. Laurel and his family in 1968. Photo courtesy of the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives. For her life’s outstanding work, Celia received the 2015 UP Alumni Association Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award, the 2016 Natatanging Gawad Buhay for Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group, and the 2016 Max Soliven Lifetime Achievement Award from PeopleAsia. Such an achiever Celia was that she even launched a book, My Lives Behind the Proscenium, on her 93rd birthday, less than two months before she passed. Celia Diaz Laurel’s book, My Lives Behind the Proscenium, was launched on 29 May 2021, her 93rd birthday. Photo courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives. Yes, all the world is a stage and Celia was but a player. But what an amazing player! She had her entrance and exit. In her lifetime, she played many parts. And she was successful and meaningful in each one. She is survived by her six remaining children, Susana, Celine, Victor, David, Lorenzo, and Marissa, and 19 grandchildren. Her family says her 93 years on this earth was “a life so beautifully lived [it] deserves to be etched into our memory forever.” |
https://up.edu.ph/article-up-mobilizes-experts-to-address-abra-earthquake/ | UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake – University of the Philippines | UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake August 1, 2022 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Monitoring aftershocks following the M7.0 Abra earthquake is done using instruments deployed by citizen scientists from all over the Philippines under a program of the UP Diliman College of Science and UPRI for earthquake research and education. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Luzon on July 27 and had devastating effects, especially in the province of Abra, where the quake’s epicenter was located. The University of the Philippines (UP) immediately sprang into action. It has deployed its experts and has begun securing the immediate release of its quick response funds, mobilizing University organizations to help provide aid and relief to affected communities. The July 28 status report of UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay stated that Dr. Mauro A. Aurelio of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences was “en route to Abra as the advance party of the University to locate the faults where the M7.0 earthquake occurred and document its impacts.” The UPRI-Institution Building Office has been tasked to conduct “initial reconnaissance” and prepare a preliminary assessment of the affected areas. The Institute has also been coordinating with the UP Foundation for the release of available funds to support quick response activities. On top of these, UPRI experts have been tapped as media resource persons on the Abra earthquake and general issues on disasters, disaster risks, and disaster management. The UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, also headed by Dr. Lagmay, has taken the lead in the processing and analyzing satellite imagery of all affected localities. A team from UP Manila (UPM), including the UP Philippine General Hospital and UPM Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, has been organizing a medical mission sent to Abra communities. The initiative is led by Dr. Eric S.M. Talens, UPM Pahinungod director, and former UPM Disaster Response Team chief. The UPRI, along with the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and UP Vanguard, is Nowhere to go. Still, UP Foundation and Sama-Sama Tulong-Tulong are working together for relief operations. One hundred family dome tents donated as humanitarian aid to UPRI by SOS Attitude France and Rotary Philippines will be given to priority localities upon arrival from Europe. Former Regent Spocky Farolan has been coordinating with the Abra provincial government to harmonize actions for communities in immediate need of aid and relief. Shelter tents were donated to families affected by the strong winds of Typhoon Odette. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. UP’s Abra earthquake mobilization follows its Tropical Storm Agaton activities in Leyte. The storm-induced landslides and a “landslide-tsunami” overwhelmed multiple barangays in April this year. Two of those barangays, Pilar and Malaguicay in Abuyog, Leyte, were visited last week by the UP team. The group, composed of faculty and researchers from UPRI and UP Visayas Tacloban College, conducted field surveys in the said localities. While there, the team also advised barangay leaders on how to monitor potential landslides that may affect their community. A field of debris in a coastal community was overwhelmed by a landslide tsunami. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. Before Tropical Storm Agaton, UP assisted those affected by Typhoon Odette in December last year. In January 2022, shelter tents were given to those who lost their homes in Limasawa, Cebu, and Pitogo, Bohol. |
https://up.edu.ph/chief-presidential-legal-counsel-discusses-martial-law-2017-in-upaa-forum/ | Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum – University of the Philippines | Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum July 31, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo, guest speaker at the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”, explained the reasons for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. Panelo said Duterte’s martial law aimed to crush terrorist and drug groups and networks. He also shared his thoughts on establishing a “constitutional dictatorship”, wherein, to address the problems of the state, dictatorial powers were to be exercised by the president, yet these powers would be limited by the constitution. The Kapihan was held on July 18 at the UPAA Board Room of Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman, Quezon City. In the open forum, Panelo answered questions from the audience. Several issues were raised, such as: the scope and duration of martial law in Mindanao; apprehension about a possible extension of military rule; rights violations committed by government troops; relief and rehabilitation efforts; and, the overall welfare of the evacuees who were most affected by the Marawi crisis. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo explains the need for declaring Martial Law in Mindanao. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Panelo, an alumnus of UP Diliman and the UP College of Law, served as legal counsel of several high profile and controversial personalities, such as: Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., Senator Bong Revilla, former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and the family of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Facilitators of the forum were: Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, UPAA president; Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., UPAA Legal Counsel; Atty. Domingo C. Palarca, UPAA director; Atty. Oscar P. Palabyab, UPAA 1st vice president; Atty. Reynaldo C. Laserna, UPAA 2nd vice president; Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, UPAA 3rd vice president; and Atty. Pastor Marcelo M. Reyes, Jr., UPAA Public Issues Committee chair. The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is the UPAA’s regular public forum for nationally relevant issues. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/pids-to-build-a-new-home-in-up/ | PIDS to build a new home in UP – University of the Philippines | PIDS to build a new home in UP PIDS to build a new home in UP January 29, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Foreground, from left to right: PIDS President Celia Reyes, PIDS Chairman of the Board and Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and UP President Danilo Concepcion lower the time capsule into the ground on the site of the future PIDS building in UP Diliman. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 27 to mark the site of a new office building for the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) along Commonwealth Avenue in the University of the Philippines. Diliman campus. The construction of the seven-story building that will serve as the permanent home for the PIDS signifies a new milestone in the partnership between the Philippine government’s primary socioeconomic policy think-tank and the national university. The time capsule is buried in the site of the future PIDS building. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Attending the groundbreaking were officials from the PIDS, including: NEDA Director-General, Chairman of the Board of PIDS, and Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto del Mar Pernia; PIDS President Celia M. Reyes; former PIDS Presidents Josef Yap and Filologo L. Pante Jr.; the founding director of NEDA and UP Economics Professor Emeritus Gerardo Sicat; former Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla and former UP President Alfredo E. Pascual, both PIDS Board Members; and, research fellows and staff members of the PIDS. Also present were representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Budget and Management, and the Commission on Audit. UP officials who attended included: UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; Vice-President for Development Elvira A. Zamora; Vice-President for Academic Affairs Ma. Cynthia Rose B. Bautista; Vice-President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia; and Assistant Vice-President for Public Affairs Maria Angelica D. Abad, among others. Sec. Pernia, PIDS President Reyes and UP President Concepcion sign the building plans that were later inserted into the time capsule. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. In her welcome remarks, Dr. Reyes thanked President Concepcion for welcoming the PIDS into UP. “We are looking forward to long years of harmonious relationship and more productive interaction with the University in terms of collaborative research,” she said. Secretary Pernia highlighted the reputation of the PIDS as a government-related research institute that has been included among the the world’s top think-tanks. “By the end of next year and early 2022 at the latest, the PIDS will be moving here into their new home,” he announced. Dr. Celia Reyes, current president and first female president of the PIDS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Socioeconomic Secretary and Chairman of the Board of the PIDS Ernesto Pernia. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Dr. Gerardo Sicat, considered the founding father of the PIDS, recalled the history of the institute, which he had originally envisioned as a research institute under the UP School of Economics (UPSE). After the idea was set aside by then UPSE Dean Jose Encarnacion, Sicat reconceptualized the PIDS as an institution for national economic development research, which had to harness economists and social scientists, contribute to the flowering of good debate on national economic issues, and be supported by the national government. NEDA founding director, PIDS “founding father” and UP Professor Emeritus Dr. Gerardo Sicat. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. For his part, UP President Concepcion reaffirmed the partnership between UP and the PIDS, especially in terms of research. He added that the construction of the new PIDS building would benefit not only the PIDS, but UP as well. “We have so many plans in order to implement this partnership,” he said, noting that one of these plans was the creation of a degree program through a collaboration between PIDS and UP, similar to the Masters in Economic Regulations program being offered by some universities abroad. “Titignan natin how we can structure it, pero baka pwede tayong gumawa ng degree program using the expertise, talents and facilities of the PIDS.” (We will see how we can structure it, but perhaps we can create a degree program using the expertise, talents and facilities of the PIDS.) UP President Concepcion gives his remarks while PIDS Research Information Department Manager Dr. Sheila Siar, who emceed the event, and former PIDS president Dr. Filologo L. Pante, Jr. look on. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. He added that in light of the rapidly shrinking green and open spaces in the Diliman campus, the UP administration has instituted a policy that buildings must maximize vertical space. Noting that the soon-to-rise PIDS building is seven stories high, he added: “Titignan natin sa ating partnership na baka naman mapataas pa natin yung gusali. Sana ay magawan natin ng paraan na madagdagan pa ng at least two floors itong building nang sa ganon ay magamit naman ng UP.” (We will look into our partnership and see if we can make the building higher and add at least two more floors to the building for UP to use.) UP President Concepcion, PIDS President Reyes, and Sec. Pernia hold up copies of the blueprint and design of the future PIDS building. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Construction of the PIDS new building in UP Diliman will be funded from the General Appropriations Act for FY 2020, and will be implemented by the DPWH. |
https://up.edu.ph/molecular-epidemiologist-explains-vaccine-effect-for-the-philippines/ | Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines – University of the Philippines | Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines March 1, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Molecular epidemiologist Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana was positive on the safety and benefit of the vaccines with emergency use authorizations (EUAs) in the Philippines’ fight against COVID-19, and on the manageability of COVID-19 cases in the country as the vaccines were being rolled out. Speaking on February 23, 2021 as the resource person for the online forum, eKapihan, organized by the UP Alumni Association, Salvana warned, however, that the figures on both COVID-19 cases and those from clinical trials of the vaccines, on which he based his talk, were subject to change, as both were on-going events. Vaccine effect Salvana also said that based on clinical trials thus far, none of the vaccines available for emergency use can totally prevent viral transmission; but although they may not be able to “kill the lion”, they can “turn it into a kitten”, that is, prevent hospitalization from severe cases, thus easing the burden on the health care system, and prevent death. Salvana compared Pfizer, Astra, and Sinovac, the three vaccines with EUAs in the country, and Moderna with each other. He noted that Sinovac, based on its Brazil “stress-test” on health workers, understandably lagged in terms of protecting recipients from developing symptoms; but it was still at par with Astra and Moderna in preventing by 100 percent deaths or cases that would necessitate hospitalization. A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Jo. Lontoc, UPMPRO. “What is urgently needed? The vaccines to prevent deaths and severe disease among the vulnerable is the most important right now, until we can get to the point when we can block transmission and get herd immunity,” Salvana said. He referred to the frontliners, the elderly, and the chronically ill as the vulnerable populations. “The data for children are not given for now. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to work [on them], but there are still clinical trials ongoing that can better define how we can use these vaccines,” Salvana pointed out. “Do not give for now,” he said, referring to children. Salvana stressed that vaccine development for COVID-19 started 17 years ago from the original SARS outbreak. He added that 208 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been given, “and not a single person [had] been proven to have died from it.” But caution must be taken on pregnant, immunocompromised, those with severe allergies, and the “frail elderly”. They should consult their doctors first. Pandemic manageability Salvana expressed optimism regarding the pandemic outlook in the Philippines. “If we stick to minimum health standards, our cases number will actually remain manageable.” A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO. To illustrate, he said there should have been a major surge at the end of January and the first couple of weeks of February following the last holidays, when a lot of people came out. “Thankfully [the surge] didn’t happen which tells me people are starting to learn to live with the virus,” Salvana said. “All we really did see was a little bump up and it was outside Metro Manila.” “Looking at what’s going on right now, the curve remains relatively flat, which makes me hopeful that we’re gonna be able to keep this trend until we get everyone vaccinated,” he concluded. “The case fatality rate is better than worldwide—2 percent versus 3 percent. Our deaths are relatively low. We’re the 110th in the world in terms of deaths per million—109 per million compared to the US which has 15 times our death rate per million or 1,446 [per million], 1,294 [per million] in France,” Salvana said. According to him, “The positivity rate [from tests] has been going down. It’s consistently about 5-6 percent.” Case management is also improving leading to higher survival rates, he said. “Our number of cases is actually pretty good compared to other countries,” Salvana pointed out. Because of these, he said the economy can remain open as the vaccines are being rolled out. If there are localized surges, he recommended proactive contact tracing and localized lockdowns. A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO. State of variants He also stressed the importance of genetic surveillance being conducted by the UP Philippine Genome Center to track any new variant, contain it immediately, and make sure they are not spreading further. Talking about the variants, feared for increased transmissibility: “We’re not sure of sustained community transmission yet. It seems like we caught them early. “If you look at Israel, they went from 40 percent UK variant to 80 percent UK variant in one month. Now we have about 2 percent of our samples that we are looking at is UK variant. That hasn’t changed much. So it means like we’re doing a good job of keeping the UK variant under control.” He noted that Pfizer and Moderna still had “enough antibody diversity to overcome the sustained mutation.” Even so, he added, “There is no evidence right now that these mutations in isolation in these viruses that we see in the Philippines are actually increasing their virulence or if there’s gonna be any effect on vaccines.” In his synthesis, Salvana said: “Now, with the vaccines that we have and more in the pipeline, and a faster roll-out, maybe in a year, we will have a semblance of normalcy.” However, since there was not enough vaccine from just one producer, he recommended the use of all scientifically proven vaccines as soon as possible to save lives. Salvana is Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the UP Manila-National Institutes of Health and Adjunct Professor for Global Health of the University of Pittsburgh. A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/deadline-of-submission-of-entries-to-search-for-up-mental-health-advocacy-project-extended/ | Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended – University of the Philippines | Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended September 2, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The deadline of submission of entries to the search for UP Students Mental Health Advocacy Projects has been extended from September 1, 2021 to September 5, 2021. This was announced by the University of the Philippines’ Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (UP OVPAA) and the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). Mental health (MH) advocates play critical roles in responding to the mental health concerns and coping needs of UP students. To help create a network of advocates for a healthy and nurturing UP, the UP OVPAA and the OSFA launched the Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health, with the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects as one of its component projects. The Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects is a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups. The project is a way of involving students in the promotion of mental health. For inquiries, please contact wellness.osfa@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-tackle-covid-19-mental-health-as-suicide-cases-spike/ | UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike October 6, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Trigger Warning: mention of suicide The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only taken a toll on the economy, tourism, and everyone’s physical health but also, and more importantly, each person’s mental well-being. Global studies have shown the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression, especially among vulnerable youth. As the country nears its two-year mark in the battle against COVID and cases still refuse to cease, the Philippines is no exception. This Friday, October 8, from 12pm-2pm, join us for a timely “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series episode. Titled “COVID-19 and Mental Health of Youth,” speakers will discuss this alarming spike in anxiety, depression, and suicide among the youth. They will also talk about how frontliners and everyone else can respond when faced with such cases, even possibly in a loved one. How are the Filipino youth coping? What can healthcare workers do when faced with young people manifesting signs of psychosocial stress? What are the common factors of distress, and how can we address them? All this and more will be answered throughout the webinar. Dr. Michelle Ong, Ph.D., from the UP Diliman Department of Psychology will open the event. She will be followed by Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at UP PGH, Dr. Cornelio G. Banaag Jr., who is also known as the Father of Child Psychiatry in the Philippines. Dr. Lourdes Medina, a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma therapy, and Ms. Dina Paterno, President and Co-Founder of Beacon International School, will share their own perspectives on the topic. UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita Padilla will deliver a closing synthesis. You definitely don’t want to miss this episode. Register here and follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community. |
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-kapihan-features-lecture-on-judicial-independence/ | UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence – University of the Philippines | UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence July 23, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, UP alumni regent and president of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), delivers the welcome remarks for the “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” on July 17, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”, a public event hosted by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) and held at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City on July 17, 2018, featured a lively discussion on “Reviewing Judicial Independence” with Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines, as resource speaker. Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., legal counsel of the UPAA, introduces Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen as the guest speaker of the “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Despite the suspension of work and classes due to heavy rains that afternoon, the event was attended by students and faculty of UP Diliman, UP College of Law, Malabon University, members of the UPAA Board of Directors, and UP alumni. The event started with an ecumenical invocation led by Dr. Pacita C. Gavino, secretary of the UPAA, which was followed by welcome remarks given by Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, president of the UPAA. Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., legal counsel of the UPAA, then introduced Leonen as guest speaker. Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, gives a lecture on judicial independence. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Leonen, who also served as dean of the UP College of Law before being appointed to the SC, delivered a lecture on the historical development of the study of law and the role of the judiciary in the country. He explained the importance of the judiciary, the rule of law, and also of the participation of public institutions, such as the academe, media, and the courts, among others, in ferreting out truth and justice. Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, gives a lecture on judicial independence. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) According to Leonen, law was transmitted within a social context and was studied with social sensitivity. It should be progressive, and should always be about doing justice. He discussed how judges arrived at decisions while maintaining the independence and integrity of the courts. He also invited the public to be involved in the deliberation of candidates for the SC, to write letters to the members of the SC about issues of national significance, and to become critical and responsible citizens. Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” open forum. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Atty. Reynaldo C. Laserna, UPAA 2nd vice president, delivered the closing remarks. Atty. Domingo C. Palarca, UPAA Director, served as moderator. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/the-chosen-projects-up-student-mental-health-advocacy-projects-organized-by-student-organizations/ | The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations – University of the Philippines | The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations October 14, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the University of the Philippines (UP), mental health (MH) and psychosocial wellbeing is a top priority, now more so than ever. Since last year, Since last year, UP students and faculty have had to adjust to the abrupt shift to remote and online teaching and learning. At the same time, they have to confront the stress and anxiety of coping with a global health crisis, the pain of loss, and financial and economic worries, on top of the usual pressures of academic life in UP and other family and personal issues. Many UP students find themselves struggling alone, and sometimes the burden can be too much. Fully aware of the critical need for mental health awareness and promotion, the UP System Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) initiated several mental health promotion programs in 2021. One such program is the “Sandigan, Sandalan Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health.” A component project under the “Sandigan, Sandalan” initiative is the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects, a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups. The project allows for the involvement of UP students in mental health promotion by featuring student-led programs that other groups can replicate. As of October, 10 entries for these programs have been submitted to the OSFA: UP Behavioral Science Society October 2020 Mental Health Month Celebration, BehSci x Mental Health: Information Campaign Series on Mental Health, Mars, Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health Amidst the Pandemic The October 2020 Mental Health Celebration by the UP Behavioral Science Society is a month-long project focusing on mental health awareness and promotion. As part of its year-long promotion of behavioral science concepts and their relevance and ubiquity in society, the organization launched a four-part information campaign series on mental health for MH month. It discussed body image issues and how Filipino values affect mental health, ultimately providing a more holistic view of mental health through the integration of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. The release included films that did not feed into the common misconceptions and social stigmas related to mental health. The series was launched with a Facebook post, “Debunking Mental Health Myths,” which aimed to present a more accurate picture of mental health and issues. The post reached 9,700 Facebook users, and 1,000 users liked, commented on, and shared the post. UPLB DALUYONG: Bridging the Gaps of Isolation in these Trying Times The objectives of the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Teknolohiyang Panlipunan-UP Los Baños (UPLB) has always included the promotion of camaraderie and the holistic development of its residents. However, with the ongoing pandemic, the organization has had to adjust its activities to maintain and strengthen the members’ relationships despite the geographical distance present at these times. Thankfully, online platforms have helped connect and create an environment that is easily accessible for the organization members. To replicate the feeling of physical classes, the organization has created a Discord server that mimics the org tambayan, the lobby of UPLB College of Human Ecology (CHE). The members of the organization have focused on being present in each other’s lives by incorporating games and activities that promote camaraderie and cooperation among the members through web-based platforms. Through these activities, the residents are provided with opportunities to bond and communicate. With the current setup faced by students, several adjustments have been made to ensure that the members feel secure and comfortable in the organization they belong to. Despite the lack of physical interaction, STP-UPLB has created a safe space for the members of its organization. AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop The UP Medical Students for Social Responsibility (UPMSSR) and the Asian Medical Students’ Association – Philippines (AMSA-Phil) are continuing and expanding the annual psychological first-aid (PFA) workshop, dubbed “AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop,” to transition into training trainers with PFA knowledge and skills, with a vision to eventually train enough participants to be able to establish a mental health helpline operated by AMSA-Phil members. Currently, AMSA-Phil is meeting with other stakeholders such as the Alliance of Philippine Medical Colleges to host an event tackling Disaster Medicine and MH. The two-day event hosted discussions on mental health, PFA, its role in MH care, and its applications last June 24 and 26. The event aimed to equip medical students with PFA skills to build resilience, support, and hope during the pandemic. The UPMSSR will also host a capacity-building workshop on improving safe spaces and organizational culture alongside this. Halcyon Headlines The UP Halcyon, a UP Visayas-org, relaunched “Halcyon Headlines.” It is a social media initiative supporting the PagAtiman donation drive, which aimed to provide food packs to pedicab drivers in Tacloban City. The relaunch of the initiative was done through social media platforms and with the help of partner organizations, namely, Positive Youth Development Network (PYDN) through the Young House Heroes Initiative (YHHI) Hingyap PH. “Halcyon Headlines” will primarily benefit people who are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. One specific mental health topic or issue each month serves as the sole focus of the online publication. “Halcyon Headlines” will explain the common symptoms of academic burnout among students and feature personal testimonies on such experiences. “Halcyon Headlines” will also incorporate suggestions on how to help others deal with these issues and provide tips on how to counter psychological distress during and upon patient recovery. Isip Mo Sagip Ko; Bookmark This: You Matter–Bookmark Donation Drive The idea behind “Isip Mo, Sagip Ko” was pioneered by several members of Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumultho (PMB) of UP Visayas. The first phase of “Isip Mo, Sagip Ko” was organized in September 2018. “Isip Mo Sagip Ko” aims to eradicate the stigma and stereotyping of mental health in provinces; provide psychosocial support and an entertainment platform while promoting mental health awareness through games and interactive activities; and organize a series of webinars featuring mental health experts. It also encourages participants to share their experiences. The project continued until January 2019 for the second phase of its implementation. In line with the PMB’s celebration of its 39th anniversary, a face-to-face version of “Bookmark This: You Matter Bookmark Donation Drive” was launched in partnership with the local government of Due and the Due Municipal Health Office. Resident PMB members showcased their creativity by designing bookmarks following the theme #MentalHealthMatters. These bookmarks were then published online for public consumption. “Bookmark This: You Matter” aims to inform communities about the importance of mental health in our daily lives, especially in a learning setup that can make us feel disconnected from one another. At the same time, it raises the call for accessible and functional mental health facilities for immediate communities. Student Chapter Inc. ACcoMpany The Association for Computing Machinery, UP Diliman Student Chapter, upholds as a core value the wellbeing of its constituents, which includes ensuring support for the members’ mental health. The organization’s initiative, “ACcoMpany,” aims to promote and support its members’ mental health journey with a holistic approach. “ACcoMpany” is so named as to make the members feel that the organization is standing by them and is here to support them throughout their journey. Activities range from teaching other members about their interests (e.g., teaching about financial literacy, photography, designing with Notion) to venting sessions where members have heartfelt talks about their troubles. “AClaiM” has an awarding ceremony at the end of each semester that recognizes members for their exceptional performance, both academic and extracurricular, and aims to give them a sense of self-fulfillment. Tahanan: Tayo-tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino The UP Diliman Family Life and Child Development Circle (FLCD Circle) Playdates started some time ago to promote the role of play in children’s development and wellbeing. The FLCD Circle shared activity and recipe guides, songs, and movies that the family can do and engage in as recreational activities to cope with the home quarantine. The organization takes on the effects of quarantine on the children’s mental health. It shows how to listen, communicate, and support them better as family members. Similar to the previous “Tahanan: Tayo-Tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino” discussions, the FLCD Circle, will launch a webinar for parents, teachers, social workers, and others working with and taking care of children. Through the webinar, the FLCD Circle strives to open the discussion on the complex topic of mental health, especially for children and families, and allow participants to be heard and raise questions to mental health professionals. Mental Health Mondays–UP Diliman In a global health crisis, mental health issues have drastically increased due to the lack of physical, emotional, and even spiritual connection among our peers. With this, the UP Diliman Philippine Association of Nutrition – Alpha Chapter (PAN-Alpha) was able to release at least nine infographic materials on different types of food that individuals can consume to help alleviate mental health issues. Hence, PAN-Alpha proudly presents “Mental Health Matters” with a “Mental Health Mondays” theme. This project promotes mental health issues specifically in connection with nutrition through nutritional psychiatry, a field that aims to develop comprehensive, cohesive, and scientifically rigorous evidence-based to support a shift in thinking around the role of diet and nutrition in mental health. UP Mental Health Month The UP Mental Health Month of the UP Diliman University Student Council, UP Buklod-Isip, UP PUGAD Sayk, BUKLOD CSSP, and COPE UP or UP Mental Health Month Team champions a series of projects and initiatives on mental health’s different aspects or facets. The past campaigns focused on bringing awareness to mental health, promoting ways to take care of students’ mental health, and encouraging discussions on mental health. Last year’s “UP Mental Health Month” put forward an MH campaign relevant to the times through social media postings and interactive events. Six initiatives and projects were lined up during last year’s campaign: ‘Bigay-Gabay,’ a guide on the accessible and available mental health resources and services; ‘Kaya ‘To, Kaya Mo,’ motivational posts that encouraged interactions from the audience; ‘Mars, Alam Mo Ba?’, a “pause and play project” that tackled issues and debunked myths on mental health concerning the online setting; ‘Usap Tayo?’, a webinar discussion on socio-political issues surrounding mental health; ‘Chillax,’ a series of mindfulness workshops; and ‘Gig N’ Take,’ the culminating event filled with performances from local bands and artists who advocate for mental health. This year’s campaign aims to respond to the more systematic aspects of mental health in the country, focusing on the individual and the political, cultural, and social structures concerning mental health. As the campaign expands its scope, it also aims to grow its target audience by catering to other UP campuses and other communities within the country. Kaakbay: Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19 Focusing its efforts on alleviating the suffering of the UP community and considering that an individual’s wellbeing must include both physical and psychological health, the Diliman-based UP Red Cross Youth (UP RCY) launched “Kaakbay: a webinar on Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19” on October 24, 2020. “Kaakbay” was conceptualized when UP RCY offered a virtual learning opportunity open to all since the first-aid training it specializes in is traditionally done in a physical setting. A segment of the webinar, “Psychological First Aid Methods,” emphasizes the presence of innate coping mechanisms in each individual and how PFA is a mode of support for severe distress. The webinar’s themes of self-care and resilience are very much in line with the UP RCY’s mission and vision as an organization. Their experience in Kaakbay has inspired the organization to grow as a psychosocial support system more eligible to serve others. With the three phases of training, integration, and implementation, the organization can actively contribute to the demand for mental health support. To supplement the training from Pahinungod, RCY will reach out to other experts for consultation on mental health information and methods for psychological first aid. Sandigan at Sandalan para sa UP UP students and student organizations are helping promote mental health awareness and de-stigmatize mental health needs through empathy, understanding, creativity, and resourcefulness. This is the core of the UP System’s “Sandigan, Sandalan Training, and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health” Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects. To view the series of video presentation of Mental Health Projects kindly click on this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/WvqlhWAQZgU #UPCares # UPMentalHealthMonth #SandiganSandalan #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthPromotion #Selflove #UPFight #StaySafeandHealthy |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-spotlights-covid-19-impacts-on-mental-health/ | UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health – University of the Philippines | UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health March 9, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Trigger warning: mentions of suicide On top of COVID-19 variants, surges, and lockdowns, a “silent pandemic” has yet to be addressed and mitigated. Depression, anxiety, and even suicide cases increased worldwide. Fear of infection, loss of jobs and income, stress due to lockdowns, worry over things beyond one’s control, and other triggers have affected children, parents, seniors, and health care workers alike. What do we know about the rising tide of mental health problems brought by the pandemic? What are the common symptoms of depression and anxiety? How can we live a mentally healthier life despite everything going on around us? How can we help individuals at risk for mental health problems? In partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19 and its effects on individuals and communities. In this special Stop COVID Deaths episode, experts will share their perspectives on the big picture of COVID 19 and psychological well-being. Titled “THE RISING TIDE: Mental Health Outcomes of the Pandemic, the discussions will cover the increasing mental health problems around the world, as well as specific university programs and initiatives which may overwhelm rising mental health cases. Dr. Evangeline dela Fuente, Chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at UP College of Medicine; and Dr. Blesile Suzette S. Mantaring, Director of the Office of Student Affairs at UP Manila, will be the main discussants of the event. Dr. Violeta V. Bautista, Director of PsycServ and Chair of the Clinical Psychology Program at UP Diliman, will open the discussions for the episode. While Dr. Stella Marie L. Jose, Deputy Director for Hospital Operations of UP PGH, will sum up the essential points covered during the program. Join us this Friday, March 11, 2022, from 12 to 2 pm, by registering here. You may also catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Let’s all learn how we can be positive agents of change to respond to mental health needs and reduce the stigma of mental health conditions. The 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. Together, let’s stop COVID deaths! |
https://up.edu.ph/up-releases-episode-3-of-byaheng-blended-ni-zia-with-a-focus-on-mental-well-being/ | UP releases Episode 3 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia,” with a focus on mental well-being – University of the Philippines | UP releases Episode 3 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia,” with a focus on mental well-being UP releases Episode 3 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia,” with a focus on mental well-being October 26, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the University of the Philippines (UP), taking care of the mental health of its students and other academic community members is paramount. UP students have to transition to blended learning from two years of remote learning, on top of academic pressures and the strain of dealing with a pandemic. To help UP students adjust and thrive in the new blended mode of learning and to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month this October, the UP Office of Student Development Services (OSDS) has released Episode 3 in its four-part video series, “Byaheng Blended ni Zia,” with a special focus on “Mental Well-being.” This video provides practical ways to manage school anxiety and access professional help. In addition, the UP OSDS has also published a Directory of Mental Health Service Providers in all of UP’s constituent units. This Directory offers contact information on mental health service providers across the UP System who can help students with mental health concerns, students diagnosed with mental health conditions, and students seeking psychosocial rehabilitation. Download the Directory of Mental Health Services Providers here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-students-invited-to-join-2-webinars-on-issues-affecting-mental-health/ | UP students invited to join 2 webinars on issues affecting mental health – University of the Philippines | UP students invited to join 2 webinars on issues affecting mental health UP students invited to join 2 webinars on issues affecting mental health February 20, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Troubled by love and relationship issues during the time of COVID-19? Stressed over the lack of learning resources online for remote learning on top of everything else? The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs is presenting two webinars on Monday, 22 February, on these two important issues affecting students’ mental and psychosocial health. Photo from the UPD OVCSA Facebook page The first webinar talks about “Hangga’t Andito Ka: Celebration of Love and Life”. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The webinar features as resource speaker Don Anagaran III, a UP Film Institute, College of Mass Communication student. He will discuss relationship issues, concerns and thriving amidst all the difficulties and trials in life. Despite all odds, there will always be a reason and purpose to celebrate life and to flourish in love. Please register for this webinar here: bit.ly/OCGSELF3. Photo from the UPD OVCSA Facebook page The last installment of the webinar series on “Surviving LDR(L): Long Distance/Remote Learning”, dubbed “Akala Mo Lang Wala! Pero Meron! Meron! Meron!: Information and Digital Literacy”, will be held at 3:00 p.m. This webinar aims to offer helpful tips and hacks for students when it comes to searching for academic resources online to support their remote learning. Resource speakers are: Assistant Professor Yhna Therese Santos from the UPD School of Library and Information Studies; Assistant Professor Elenita Que from the UPD College of Education; and, and Bea Camille Cortez from the UPD College of Fine Arts. Register for this webinar at bit.ly/SLDRLWeb4Reg. For more information and more helpful webinars, visit the UPD OVCSA Facebook page. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-takes-on-the-case-of-a-special-infant-with-covid/ | UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar takes on the case of “A Special Infant with COVID” – University of the Philippines | UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar takes on the case of “A Special Infant with COVID” UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar takes on the case of “A Special Infant with COVID” October 22, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is much more challenging for people with underlying health issues and compromised immune systems. This vulnerable demographic includes not only senior adults and people with co-morbidities but newborn infants with congenital defects as well. Congenital defects rank among the 20 leading causes of death for all ages in the Philippines and the third leading cause of death among newborns. The factors that impact a child’s congenital development, both genetic and environmental, highlight the importance of pre-natal care and nutrition of females of reproductive age. Saving the life of a child with a congenital defect requires immediate diagnosis and surgery, both of which are made even riskier in the context of a pandemic. The 27th installment in the UP webinar series “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS”, the very first online medical grand rounds in the Philippines, will focus on the case of “A Special Infant with COVID”—a 12-day old infant with pneumonia and multiple congenital abnormalities, including a Chiari malformation, which is a defect wherein the spinal cord meets the brain and can result in problems in the brain and/or in the spinal cord. This webinar is scheduled on Friday, October 23, from 12nn to 2pm. Dr. Lady Scarlett Sedano, neurosurgery resident of the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), will be the presentor, while Dr. Ronnie Baticulon, consultant at the UP-PGH Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroscience, and associate professor of anatomy at the UP College of Medicine (UPCM), will be the discussant. The reactors are: Dr. Maynila Domingo, consultant at the Section of Perinatology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UP-PGH, and clinical associate professor of the UPCM; Dr. Ma. Liza Antoinette Maniquis-Gonzales, professor of pediatrics at the UP-PGH and UPCM Associate Dean for Faculty and Students; and Dr. Loudella V. Calotes-Castillo, pediatric neurology consultant specializing in neuromuscular diseases. The UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is organized by the University of the Philippines in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with the UPCM and the UP-PGH. Register here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar27 |
https://up.edu.ph/experts-address-covid-19-vaccine-safety-issues-for-people-with-allergies/ | Experts address COVID-19 vaccine safety issues for people with allergies – University of the Philippines | Experts address COVID-19 vaccine safety issues for people with allergies Experts address COVID-19 vaccine safety issues for people with allergies February 24, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu You are invited to listen to the country’s top experts as they discuss the latest scientific findings on COVID-19 vaccines and possible physiological reactions among people with health concerns. In the next University of the Philippines webinar, “May Mga Allergy Ako: COVID-19 Vaccine- SAFE BA?”, to be held on Friday, 26 February 2021, 12 noon, Dr. Marysia Stella T. Recto will talk about COVID-19 vaccines in relation to allergies and other reactions. Recto is the immediate past president of the Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (PSAAI), and Professor of Adult Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the UP-Philippine General Hospital, This webinar aims to explain possible but rare reactions to administered vaccine, and how health workers will manage any reaction, as well as provide answers to questions raised by participants. The experts will also expound on: who should not be given COVID-19 vaccines, patients who need further evaluation, and special groups who can receive the vaccine. Dr. Rommel Lobo, President of PSAAI, and Dr. Elena E. Pernia, UP System VP for Public Affairs, will open the webinar with special messages. Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine, will also share her insights during the webinar. Dr. Leilanie Apostol-Nicodemus, Professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the UP-PGH, and Karen Davila, broadcast journalist of Headstart on ANC will serve as webinar reactors. The Stop COVID Deaths webinar series is organized by UP in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP PGH. To participate in this webinar, sign up at: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar42. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-addresses-publics-vaccination-concerns/ | UP webinar addresses public’s vaccination concerns – University of the Philippines | UP webinar addresses public’s vaccination concerns UP webinar addresses public’s vaccination concerns May 12, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Answering questions about vaccination from the public will be the focus of the latest edition of the University of the Philippines webinar series, “Stop COVID Deaths”, livestreamed on May 14, 2021, at 12 noon. Titled “Nalilito pa rin ako: FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccination”, the webinar will feature as main resource person, epidemiologist and public health expert Dr. Enrique Tayag, Director IV of the Department of Health (DOH) Knowledge Management and Information Technology Systems. Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, a member of the DOH Technical Advisory Group and Associate Professor at the UP College of Medicine, and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, will be the panel discussants. The webinar will also feature inputs from Dr. Nina Gloriani, Lead of the Vaccine Expert Panel and former Dean of the UP College of Public Health, who will deliver the opening remarks. UP College of Medicine Dean Charlotte Chiong will deliver the closing remarks and synthesis of the discussions. Together with regular webinar facilitators: Dr. Susan Pineda-Mercado, an international public health expert, and UP National Telehealth Center Director Raymond Francis Sarmiento, the experts will answer questions from the audience, usually composed of health workers from all over the world. The webinar aims to address “vaccine hesitancy” among the public, which experts say presents a barrier to achieving better control of the spread of COVID-19. They observe: many senior citizens questioning the need for vaccination when they are compelled to stay at home; others not knowing where to go for vaccination; the general public debating about vaccine brands and their safety; some who have received one shot wanting to switch to another brand; and, many more fearing possibilities of allergies and adverse reactions. Those who wish to participate in the webinar may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar52. If registration reaches full capacity, a YouTube Live broadcast will also be available on TVUP at http://tvup.ph and http://www.youtube.com/tvupph. Certificates of attendance will be issued to those who have attended at least 50% of the webinar duration. The webinar is the 52nd in the weekly series produced by UP in partnership with the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-focus-on-home-care-for-mild-covid-19/ | UP webinar to focus on home care for mild COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to focus on home care for mild COVID-19 UP webinar to focus on home care for mild COVID-19 April 28, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The number of new COVID-19 cases may have dropped following the declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), but these numbers are still at high levels. Many cases of COVID-19—around 69 % of all cases, according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group—are mild and can be managed at home. What are the COVID-19 home management steps that family members need to know? What should be done when more than one member of the family has COVID-19? What should patients do to take care of themselves? And what are the danger signals to watch out for that would indicate that hospitalization might be needed? The 50th installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series will focus on home care for mild COVID-19. Watch the special-edition webinar, “Sa Bahay Na Lang: Home Care for Mild COVID-19”, on Friday, 30 April, at 12:00. The webinar will also highlight how the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) COVID TeleGabay Project and The Medical City COVID Home Care Program are reaching thousands of patients who prefer to stay home when they test positive for COVID-19, to be presented by Dr. Jonas del Rosario of the UP-PGH and Dr. Amiel Dela Cruz of TMC. Reactor is former Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial, who will also share how other organizations are supporting families and health workers on the ground. Opening remarks will be delivered by UP Manila Chancellor, Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, and closing remarks by UP College of Medicine Dean, Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong. Register for the Zoom webinar here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar50. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-discusses-management-of-covid-cases-in-families/ | UP webinar discusses management of COVID cases in families – University of the Philippines | UP webinar discusses management of COVID cases in families UP webinar discusses management of COVID cases in families May 26, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Medical experts will discuss COVID-19 infection of healthy young adults which escalate into severe illness, and management of multiple infections in households in the 54th edition of the University of the Philippines webinar series “Stop COVID Deaths” to be livestreamed on May 28, 2021, at 12 noon. The webinar, “COVID sa Pamilya: Hindi pala Ligtas ang Malusog at Nakababata”, will point out that not only seniors and persons with pre-existing illnesses become severely ill from COVID-19. It will highlight the critical importance of vaccination of all eligible ages in households. Dr. Grace Astudillo, fellow in training for infectious diseases at the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), will present the case of a 36-year-old healthy male, who was infected with SARSCov2 and developed severe COVID within 28 days of the positive test result. Dr. Ralph Villalobos, Consultant of the UP-PGH Division of Pulmonary Medicine, will discuss clinical management of such a case. Dr. Anna Guia Limpoco, Board Member of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, will give a perspective on COVID-19 management, taking into account the mixed and intergenerational households of the Philippines. The webinar will also feature inputs from Dr. Stella Marie L. Jose, UP-PGH Deputy Director for Health Operations, who will deliver the opening remarks. UP College of Medicine Dean Charlotte Chiong will deliver the closing remarks and synthesis of the discussions. The webinars feature Dr. Susan Pineda-Mercado, an international public health expert, and UP National Telehealth Center Director Raymond Francis Sarmiento, as regular facilitators. Those who wish to participate in the webinar may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar54. If registration reaches full capacity, a YouTube Live broadcast will also be available on TVUP at http://tvup.ph and http://www.youtube.com/tvupph. Certificates of attendance will be issued to those who have attended at least 50% of the webinar duration. The webinar is the 54th in the weekly series produced by UP in partnership with the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital. The series aims to tap into the experiences of clinicians, hospital administrators, and researchers to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice in the clinical management of COVID-19 cases. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-announces-additional-flexible-academic-measures-for-the-remainder-of-the-semester/ | UP announces additional flexible academic measures for the remainder of the semester – University of the Philippines | UP announces additional flexible academic measures for the remainder of the semester UP announces additional flexible academic measures for the remainder of the semester November 26, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Recognizing the extreme challenges of switching to remote teaching and learning in the middle of a pandemic, and economic and technological limitations made worse by the spate of typhoons that battered the country, the University of the Philippines has announced additional flexible academic measures for the remainder of the first semester of AY 2020-2021. This includes the extension of the deadline for the submission of grades to give students more time to accomplish academic requirements and faculty to grade them, and a policy of no failing grades to be given to students this semester. After due deliberation on the situation of faculty and students in the wake of the typhoons, and in the spirit of balancing divergent positions and interests of faculty and students in the wider context of Philippine higher education, the UP Administration—specifically President’s Advisory Council (PAC), composed of the UP System Executive Committee, Chancellors, and the Philippine General Hospital and UP Bonifacio Global City Directors—upon the recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee consisting of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Assistant Vice-Presidents for Academic Affairs and Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs of UP’s constituent units—endorsed the guidelines for the remainder of the first semester AY 2020-2021 and the proposed modification of the academic calendar for the second semester AY 2020-2021 and midyear 2021. The academic guidelines were laid down in Memorandum No. 2020-143 issued by the UP System Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) on 26 November 2020. The UP Board of Regents, in its 1356th meeting on the same day, approved the PAC-endorsed guidelines and modified academic calendar with an additional condition for the conduct of bridging activities. Guidelines for the remainder of the semester The first semester for AY 2020-2021 will end as scheduled, with 9 December as the last day of classes, and final examinations to be held from 11 to 18 December. However, the deadline for the submission of grades is moved from 8 January to 22 January 2021 to give students more time to complete requirements and the faculty more time to grade them. Moreover, the grades for the first semester AY 2020-2021 will be numeric. The reason for the numeric grades is that, unlike in the second semester of the previous academic year when the University was caught unprepared by the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, students have been provided course packs to enable independent learning even when formal classes are not possible. Many students also need grades for scholarships, licensure examinations, future studies, and employment requirements. However, a grade of 4.0 or conditional failure, or a failing grade of 5.0 shall not be given this semester. Faculty members are also not allowed to give a forced drop (DRP) to students on the basis of non-attendance of synchronous classes or non-communication within the semester, for instance, during scheduled consultations. Instead, students will be given an INC. This change effectively suspends the rule on attendance that states: “When the number of hours lost by student’s absence reaches 20 percent of the hours of recitation, lecture, laboratory, or any other scheduled work in one subject, s/he shall be dropped from the subject; . . . If the majority of the absences is excused, a student shall not be given a grade of 5.00 upon being thus dropped (often referred to as ‘forced drop’); but if the majority of the absences are not excused, the student shall be given a grade of 5.00 upon being thus dropped.” Faculty members are encouraged to help students affected by the typhoons and the pandemic to comply with the requirements in time for the 22 January deadline for the submission of grades. Students with missing or incomplete requirements by 22 January shall be given a grade of INC. Suspended is the rule that states that a student whose class standing is not “passing” and who fails to complete requirements or take the final exam automatically receives a grade of 5.0. Instead, students will be allowed to complete their requirements within the prescribed period within one academic year, after which they shall be given a final grade. Students who fail to complete an INC within the prescribed period must re-enroll in the course or its equivalent. Faculty members are enjoined to continue calibrating their course requirements with the current conditions in mind. Course requirements may be further reduced to the essentials of a course, and no additional course requirements should be specified. Faculty members may conduct bridging academic activities before the extended deadline for the submission of grades, provided the students in their course agree to these. Suspended academic rules and modified academic calendar The UP Administration also issued a reminder in the memo that, in addition to the suspended rules on class attendance and INCs above, the following academic rules remain suspended with the approval of the BOR: 1. The deadline for dropping and filing of leave of absence is suspended. 2. A 12-unit course load will be considered a regular load for undergraduate students. 3. The First Semester AY 2020-2021 will not be counted towards MRR. This is because it is the first time for students to do remote learning and they will still calibrate the course load that they can manage, especially for graduate students who are working from home and for other students who have a workload outside of their school work. 4. A student enrolled in a course this semester that is a prerequisite to another shall be allowed to enroll in the latter course for credit in the subsequent semester, despite having no grade yet for the prerequisite course given the extension of the deadline for submission of grades to 22 January 2021. 5. The following rules on scholastic delinquency are suspended for the first semester AY 2020-2021: a. Warning b. Probation c. Dismissal d. Permanent Disqualification In light of the postponement of the submission of grades and the time needed to prepare course guides and resource materials, the UP BOR approved the following modified academic calendar for the second semester of AY 2020-2021 and midyear 2021. Second Semester AY 2020-2021 Start of Classes: 1 March 2021 Reading/Wellness Break: 29 April – 5 May 2021 Reading/Wellness Breaks for the split-sem schedule: 25 – 27 March 2021; 20 – 22 May 2021 End of Classes: 11 June 2021 2021 Midyear Start of Classes: 5 July 2021 Reading/Wellness Break: 29 – 31 July 2021 End of Classes: 20 August 2021 Finals Period: 23 – 26 August 2021 Extremely difficult semester The OVPAA memo described the unprecedented difficulties faced by UP students and faculty this semester, given the public health crisis and the impacts of natural disasters on the UP community. Academic units had to redesign programs, balance student demand for course slots with the faculty’s appeal for smaller classes, and rush requests for funds to cover resources for remote teaching and learning. Faculty members have had to cope with an inordinate amount of work, from designing learning activities and planning course requirements, selecting course materials, to preparing course packs with course and study guides and resource materials for uploading in the CUs’ Learning Management System, or for printing and delivery to students with poor connectivity. Some faculty members face the same technological challenges that students have to deal with, and some also have to juggle the added workload with their family care and domestic duties. Students have also had to grapple with an overwhelming amount of readings and requirements in the four or five courses they have to attend remotely. Additionally, they have had to adjust to the different time frame and rhythm of independent and remote learning without much preparation, while studying in homes and environments that may have poor Internet connectivity, occasional power outages, and may not be conducive to learning. These difficulties, which were revealed in a “Kumustahan” and in surveys conducted by the CUs prior to the typhoons, prompted the UP System to call for a review of course content and requirements, as well as a reading break from synchronous classes and the submission of course requirements. With the typhoons exacerbating the situation for many members of the UP community, both the UP System and CU administrations called for even greater compassion and flexibility on the part of the faculty and for an iterative reconfiguration of course content and requirements for the remaining weeks of the semester. Read the OVPAA Memorandum No. 2020-143 here. |
https://up.edu.ph/discovering-connections-connecting-discoveries-new-webinar-series-will-introduce-new-online-resources-for-up-faculty-and-staff/ | “Discovering Connections, Connecting Discoveries”: New webinar series will introduce new online resources for UP faculty and staff – University of the Philippines | “Discovering Connections, Connecting Discoveries”: New webinar series will introduce new online resources for UP faculty and staff “Discovering Connections, Connecting Discoveries”: New webinar series will introduce new online resources for UP faculty and staff February 18, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office A new webinar series dubbed “Discovering Connections, Connecting Discoveries” will introduce University of the Philippines (UP) faculty and staff to the new online resources of the UP System. The webinar series will run from 22 to 26 February, as announced by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The schedule of the upcoming webinar series, along with their registration links, is as follows: 22 February, Monday 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. – OpenAthens: Your One-Stop Site for Online Database Access Facilitator: John Christopherson LT. Fredeluces, College Librarian, UPD University Library https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsfu2oqzsuHtT8WpjWm9FUnQjG99WrLgRi 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. – Getting Started with Gale Reference Complete Facilitator: Ms. Sarah Diane Enriquez, Solutions Specialists, CE Logic, Inc. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrd-ugrz4iG9CYlwG7-TSRQB1hoBPakTx 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Jumpstarting Your Research with JOVE Unlimited Facilitator: Dr. Maaike Pols, Scientific Advisor, JoVE https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkc-GvrTItEtxNwvU3kYiGy1KAUVqL6yYH 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Empowering Knowledge with Elsevier Tools Facilitator: Mr. Johan Jang, Customer Consultant, Elsevier SEA Facilitator: Mr. Alexander van Servellen, Senior Consultant, Research Intelligence Elsevier SEA https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqc-GpqTsrHdd2aHGn5jZ1PWe_es8EQVsO 23 February, Tuesday 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Everything You Need to Know About EBSCO Academic Search Complete Facilitator: Mr. Bonneth Siguisabal, Information Consultant, EBSCO International, Inc. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtd-mtqTIuGtSYQ3hpmpcrgXmB_mdNQnc2 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Productive Research with ProQuest Facilitator: Ms. Kurinji Malar Kaliappan, Customer Experience Training and Consulting Partner, ProQuest Information and Learning Ltd. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMldeigqzMtG9AWjqtf8ux-5Ogm7YfORYtK 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Cambridge Core: The Home of Academic Content Facilitator: Ms. Caroline Kerbyson, Training and Systems Manager, Cambridge University Press https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sf-igqj8jH9R1heCLoNvZUBJztLQOuGc 24 February, Wednesday 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. – Engaging Research with Emerald Premier E-Journal Facilitator: Ms. Sarah Diane Enriquez, Solutions Specialists, CE Logic, Inc. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqceGrqzsoHdB0Etobp4ZPSy0cfRxWjKEl 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Philippine E-Journals: A Treasure Trove of Resources Facilitator: Ms. Sarah Diane Enriquez, Solutions Specialists, CE Logic, Inc. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrfuqpqj4vG9T0dmHXyxEkYvKj0G_K7gxI 26 February, Friday 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Scholarly Content with Springer Nature Journals Facilitator: Ms. Odessa Maceda, Licensing Manager, Philippines Springer Nature https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYocOipqjguEtI6tWorUIPxdeo-CdjK_1uD 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. – Maximizing Your Research with Project MUSE Facilitator: Ms. Cassandra Seow, SEA Representative for Project MUSE https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdOqvpjsjHdRTR9KReZsOVRcl1PaWQm1F 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. – Teaching and Research with Taylor and Francis Online Facilitator: Ms. Quinie Lim, Senior Marketing Executive, Taylor & Francis Group https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdeytrzMtEtDQ8MWFkUWVw1GV1xu0GfUD 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Transitioning to a New Normal in Education with JSTOR Facilitator: Ms. Sarah Diane Enriquez, Solutions Specialists, CE Logic, Inc. https://up-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtd-itpjMjE9Si-tNRfZ3GSY1xQy4vu1iZ Download the schedule of the webinar series in PDF format here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-advocates-mental-health-promotion-in-the-teaching-and-learning-environment/ | UP advocates Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching and Learning Environment – University of the Philippines | UP advocates Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching and Learning Environment UP advocates Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching and Learning Environment May 14, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In this pandemic, college mental health focal persons will play critical roles in responding to students’ mental health (MH) concerns and coping needs. In the University of the Philippines, college mental health focal persons are UP faculty members and Student Affairs staff who can advocate MH care in classes and other teaching-learning contexts. At least 240 participants have registered in the 2nd semester AY 2020-2021. The UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OVPAA-OSFA) started the Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy programs for Mental Health in March 2021 to provide practical knowledge on Mental Health Promotion. The Training Program on Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching-Learning Environment is now in its 3rd Batch run for the 2nd semester AY 2020-2021. The training team is led by Asst. Prof. Maria Angela Mabale, MA, RN (College of Nursing, UP Manila), and Mr. Airon Andrew Bonifacio, RND (College of Home Economics, UP Diliman). The program resource persons include Rowalt Alibudbud, MD (College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University); Victoria Patricia De La Llana, MD (College of Medicine, UP Manila); Raymond John Naguit, MD (Youth for Mental Health Coalition); Eleanor Caballo, RGC (College of Arts and Science, UP Manila); and Blesile Mantaring, MD (Office of Student Affairs, UP Manila). In the previous batches, the training team emphasized the value of mental health in the University setting. According to Dr. Alibudbud, MH promotion leads to academic excellence because it enhances the capability of people to perform at their best leading to academic excellence. In class management, the team emphasized that MH promotion in remote learning requires rethinking the design of classes. While faculty members are focused on shifting to online delivery of knowledge and assessment, mental health promotion in teaching and learning should bring us back to what makes teaching and learning productive endeavors for students. Dr. Alibudbud emphasized that the teacher-student interaction in classes is a relationship. He reiterates the importance of building trust and empathy to nurture this relationship. Dr. Dela Llana highlighted that UP teachers are given a unique and special opportunity to be significant in the life journey of our students to help them find a semblance of meaning, relief, and connections in classrooms. Dealing with psychosocial concerns and problematic behavior is a crucial component of MH promotion in class management. The training team introduced systematic ways of handling students to assist participants in incorporating MH care in these situations. Ms. Carballo shared approaches on how to become an effective bridge for UP students struggling with psychosocial concerns. Dr. Mantaring described the value of a network of personnel who can support UP students in UP Manila. According to Dr. Naguit, the logic behind many of the recommendations provided in the training program is to translate compassion into concrete action steps. Speaking as a teacher and mental health service provider, Dr. Dela Llana highlighted that the last thing we want to do is make students feel that their emotions are wrong or that their feelings do not matter to us. Acknowledging that UP faculty members themselves also face mental health concerns, Asst. Prof. Mabale highlighted the evolving nature of MH promotion in teaching contexts. During the community forums with participants and resource persons, Mr. Bonifacio emphasized that if we are to become advocates of mental health, we should also be able to apply MH concepts, such as self-care, to our respective situations. The experience will require exploring and learning. According to Asst. Prof. Mabale, advocating MH in remote learning could be viewed as a challenge to rediscover new ways of coping as well as new ways of taking care of ourselves. The 3rd run of the Training Program on Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching-Learning Environment began on 11 May 2021 to accommodate the college mental health focal persons from all constituent universities of UP. This program is UP’s way to build a community of college mental focal persons with the capacity to advocate mental health care in the University. Should you have inquiries, you may contact the OVPAA-OSFA at wellness.osfa@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/sandigan-sandalan-training-and-advocacy-program-for-mental-health-to-be-held-in-june/ | Sandigan, Sandalan training and advocacy program for mental health to be held in June – University of the Philippines | Sandigan, Sandalan training and advocacy program for mental health to be held in June Sandigan, Sandalan training and advocacy program for mental health to be held in June June 8, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In this pandemic, mental health (MH) advocates play a crucial role in creating a nurturing community in the University of the Philippines (UP). MH advocates are UP faculty members, Student Affairs personnel, and students who can champion MH promotion in the different teaching-learning environments. Together with MH professionals, MH advocates comprise the University’s Mental Health and Wellness Network that can respond to the MH concerns and coping needs of UP students. To strengthen this network, the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OVPAA-OSFA) is once again organizing the Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health for the month of June. Training sessions have been scheduled on June 7, 14, 21 and 28. One of the components of the Sandigan, Sandalan is the Peer Support Training on Mental Health Promotion for UP students. Student MH advocates or kaSandalan are nominated members of student councils, student organizations, and student groups who can champion MH care among their peers. To be effective advocates, kaSandalan should be aware of the importance of MH promotion and actions to create a nurturing environment with their peers. The Peer Support Training is an online program on MH promotion and community forums where participants can interact with other advocates and invited MH experts. The program covers: (1) general mental health information; (2) ways on how students can help their peers; (3) promotion of safe and resilient school environments; and, (4) participation in MH advocacy in the University. The training team is led by Dan Paolo Yema (College of Arts and Sciences, UP Los Baños) and Maria Rowena Beatriz Inzon (Office of Student Activities, UP Los Baños). The program resource persons include: Dr. Rowalt Alibudbud (College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University); Dr. Victoria Patricia De La Llana (College of Medicine, UP Manila); Dr. Raymond John Naguit (Youth for Mental Health Coalition); Eleanor Caballo, RGC (College of Arts and Science, UP Manila); and, Dr. Blesile Mantaring (Office of Student Affairs, UP Manila). The Sandigan, Sandalan program started on 31 May 2021. For inquiries, please contact the OVPAA-OSFA at wellness.osfa@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/the-up-system-town-hall-session-for-ay-2020-2021/ | The UP System Town Hall Session for AY 2020-2021 – University of the Philippines | The UP System Town Hall Session for AY 2020-2021 The UP System Town Hall Session for AY 2020-2021 February 21, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs presents Town Hall, an online session to inform UP students regarding preparations for the Academic Year 2020-2021, and an opportunity for the Academic and Student Affairs personnel to address pressing concerns of students in remote learning mode on February 23, 2021, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, via Zoom. Kindly register through this link: https://up-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0pWoBXtkQlOoSkQ2OPjRKw Registration before February 22, 2021, 6:00 pm is highly encouraged. For inquiries, you may contact UP OVPAA-OSFA: wellness.osfa@up.edu.ph |
https://up.edu.ph/up-uses-the-rankings-feedback-to-pursue-directions/ | UP uses THE rankings feedback to pursue directions – University of the Philippines | UP uses THE rankings feedback to pursue directions UP uses THE rankings feedback to pursue directions September 10, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Graduating students in UP Baguio raise their right hands while reciting the alumni pledge. UP MPRO 2019 file photo. The University of the Philippines took stock of its performance in the last Times Higher Education-World University Rankings (THE-WUR) edition to understand the setbacks in the rankings and address them accordingly as the country’s flagship university. UP slipped from the 401st-500th bracket of the top 1,526 universities in the 2021 THE-WUR edition to the 601st-800th bracket of the top 1,662 universities in the 2022 edition because of lower scores in the criteria of teaching, international outlook, and citation, which are three of five primary criteria. UP remains among the top ASEAN universities and the highest-ranking Philippine university. Globally, UP’s THE ranking is bracketed alongside other distinguished universities such as the University of Alabama, University of Houston, Keio University, Kobe University, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, University of Maryland-Baltimore, Université du Québec, University of Rome, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (THE, 2021). In terms of teaching, where out of 100, UP’s score dipped from 23.5 to 22.6, the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) said it was affected by a decrease in the number of graduates. This, the office said, can be attributed to the implementation of the Department of Education’s K-12 program. Based on its assessment, UP will recover its teaching or learning environment score only after the 2023 THE-WUR, with a usual number of graduates. This will be combined with the efforts to increase the ratio of PhDs to academic staff, its staff to student ratio, and the institutional income. UP’s international outlook score, which went from 33.4 to 33.1, was due to restrictions in hiring foreign faculty and enrolling foreign undergraduate students, the OVPAA added. The University thus remains in pursuit of contractual appointment of foreigners as regular faculty with the same teaching, research, and publication requirements as Filipinos. It is also working to institutionalize cross-appointments. In addition, UP is expecting more foreign students as it organizes Asia Pacific Rim University’s (APRU) student mobility programs in October 2022. UP said its citation score decreased from 86.7 to 74.3, despite an overall increase in publications over the years, because of the time lag between publication and citation. The OVPAA added that data for publications from international collaboration, which bears more weight than national collaborations and single authorships in the citation score, were still unavailable for submission to THE for its 2022 rankings. Despite the lower citation score, UP managed to stay at number four in ASEAN in citation scores after securing the number one spot in the previous year. UP’s encouragement of more international collaborative research should address the lower citation score. This kind of research correlates with high citation scores in THE. The OVPAA said that this notwithstanding, the University is conscious of avoiding the pitfalls of past collaborative projects. UP hopes to sustain the increase in publications in general arising from its research. Research is a significant criterion where UP improved its score, from 16 to 17.5. The University also improved in terms of industry income, from 39.5 to 41.7. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-student-orgs-present-mental-health-advocacy-projects-for-world-mental-health-day/ | UP student orgs present mental health advocacy projects for World Mental Health Day – University of the Philippines | UP student orgs present mental health advocacy projects for World Mental Health Day UP student orgs present mental health advocacy projects for World Mental Health Day October 8, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office With the stress, anxiety, and chaos of living in the 21st century, the issue of mental health has never been more critical. And especially in this pandemic, populations and communities are facing difficulties in terms of mental health investment and making mental health services open and accessible to many. The University of the Philippines (UP) joins the global celebration of World Mental Health Day on October 10 as declared by the World Health Organization. This year’s celebration takes on the slogan “Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality,” in recognition of the need to scale up quality mental health services at all levels and to find new ways of providing mental health care to the people. In keeping as well with Proclamation No. 452, which designates every second week of October as National Mental Health Week, the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) launched the “Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health.” One of the component projects of the “Sandigan, Sandalan” initiative is the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects, a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health (MH) promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups. This project also aims to transform students into active partners for mental health promotion in the University, thus helping to create a network of advocates for a healthy and nurturing UP. The end result of the search is the top 10 mental health advocacy projects organized by student organizations across the UP System: UP Behavioral Science Society: October 2020 Mental Health Month Celebration, BehSci x Mental Health: Information Campaign Series on Mental Health Mars, Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health Amidst the Pandemic; Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Teknolohiyang Panlipunan UPLB DALUYONG: Bridging the Gaps of Isolation in these Trying Times; UP Medical Student for Social Responsibility AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop; UP Halycon- Halcyon Headlines; UPV- Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumulutho: Isip Mo Sagip Ko; Bookmark This: You Matter Bookmark Donation Drive; Association for Computing Machinery – UP Diliman Student Chapter Inc. Student Chapter Inc.: ACcoMpany; Family Life and Child Development Circle-Tahanan: Tayo-tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino; Philippine Association of Nutrition – Alpha Chapter: Mental Health Mondays; UP Bukluran sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (UP Buklod-Isip), UP Psychology Society (UP PsychSoc), UP Psychological Understanding for Growth and Distinction Society (UP PUGAD Sayk), UP Diliman University Student Council, BUKLOD CSSP, and COPE UP – UP Mental Health Month UP Red Cross Youth – Kaakbay: Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19. Click here to view the series of video presentations of mental health projects and find out how UP students can help promote mental health in the University. #MentalHealthMonth #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAdvocates #SandiganSandalan #UPCares #WeCare |
https://up.edu.ph/book-on-pandemic-surgery-to-be-virtually-launched-at-29th-up-stop-covid-deaths-webinar/ | Book on pandemic surgery to be virtually launched at 29th UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar – University of the Philippines | Book on pandemic surgery to be virtually launched at 29th UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar Book on pandemic surgery to be virtually launched at 29th UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar November 3, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta For its 29th installment, the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar series is doing something special: holding the very first Virtual National Book Launch on Pandemic Surgery. The book to be launched virtually on November 6, Friday, at 12:00 noon is Pandemic Surgery: An Integrated Ethics and Technical Reference. It was conceived as a complementary volume to the earlier published handbook containing procedural guidelines for staff of the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). This book on pandemic surgery aims to provide the conceptual basis for the corresponding structural and procedural adjustments in surgical care during a pandemic. The material was developed and written by faculty and residents of the Department of Surgery of the UP College of Medicine (UPCM); and it was extensively reviewed by practicing surgeons, academics, and advocates. It is meant to be of value to surgical administrators, clinicians, and trainees at the UP-PGH, as well as in most other local institutions. While the coverage is extensive, the provided material, for purposes of conciseness and relevance, is admittedly not exhaustive. The editors are aware that a lot remains unknown regarding SARS-CoV-2 as well as the actual effectiveness of COVID-19 measures. The ebook can be downloaded here: bit.ly/PandemicSurgeryBook Presentors at this special virtual book-launch edition of the UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar series are: Dr. Alvin Caballes, Professor at the Department of Surgery and Chief of the Social Medicine Unit, UPCM; and, Dr. Marie Carmela Lapitan, likewise Professor at the UPCM Department of Surgery. Reactors at the event are: Dr. Roy Trinidad, President of the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) Panay Chapter; and Dr. Rhoel de Leon, past President of the PCS Northern Mindanao Chapter. Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of UPCM, will deliver the welcome remarks; while Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, UP-PGH Director will give the opening remarks. Dr. Jose Antonio Salud, PCS President, will deliver the closing remarks. The UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar series is produced by the University of the Philippines in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center, in cooperation with the UP Manila College of Medicine and the UP-PGH. This special edition of the webinar series is co-sponsored by the Philippine College of Surgeons. Registration slots are limited, so sign up now at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar29 |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-focus-on-oral-cancer-treatment-in-the-time-of-covid-19/ | UP webinar to focus on oral cancer treatment in the time of COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to focus on oral cancer treatment in the time of COVID-19 UP webinar to focus on oral cancer treatment in the time of COVID-19 December 16, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Oral cancer is the 8th leading type of cancer in the Philippines. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2018, oral cancer deaths make up 0.51% of the total deaths in the country. Lip cancer, a specific type of oral cancer, develops from abnormal cells that grow out of control and form lesions or tumors on the lips, creating thin, flat cells that line the lips, mouth, tongue, cheeks, sinuses, throat, hard and soft palates. Lip cancer is notorious as a rapidly growing type of tumor of the head and neck, if it is not diagnosed and treated early. Certain lifestyle choices can increase the risk of developing lip cancer, including tobacco use, heavy alcohol intake, and excessive sun exposure. Treatment includes performing a biopsy and imaging tests, followed by surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. To begin with, these options are already difficult and often inaccessible for poor patients, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made receiving oral cancer treatment even more challenging. The 35th installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) webinar series “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS”, which will be held on Friday, December 18 at 12:00 noon, will focus on the case of a “Farmer with Rapidly Growing Lip Tumor”. Farmers are at high risk of developing oral cancer due to constant exposure to the sun for prolonged periods of time. In this case, an 81-year old female farmer from Mindanao noticed a patchy discoloration on her face that quickly progressed into a tumor around her lips. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, she was unable to consult a doctor. The tumor has rapidly worsened, and she is finally seen to by a physician in the Doctors to the Barrios program. Dr. Mike Gianan, a Doctor to the Barrio working in Zamboanga Del Norte, will explain the details of the case, while Dr. Christine Joy Arquiza, Clinical Associate Professor at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will be the discussant. Dr. Nodel Nodora, Technical Officer of the WHO-Western Pacific Region Office will be the reactor. Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Anthony Cordero, Director of the UP Manila Community Health Development Program, while UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita Padilla will give the closing remarks. The “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS” webinar series is organized by UP in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, in cooperation with the UP College of Medicine and the UP-PGH. Register now: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar35 |
https://up.edu.ph/blazing-a-trail-in-the-digital-landscape/ | Blazing a trail in the digital landscape – University of the Philippines | Blazing a trail in the digital landscape Blazing a trail in the digital landscape May 28, 2018 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo UP Open University (UPOU) Networks is the first of its kind in the country, perhaps even in Southeast Asia. It’s certainly the first among member institutions in the Asian Association of Open Universities. UPOU Networks is an online repository of multimedia learning materials, both open and proprietary, produced by the University. And in this day and age, when the Internet releases tons of data faster than you can say “information superhighway,” wouldn’t you like to learn from a reliable source? Examples of UP-produced open educational resources found inside the UPOU Commons, which is only one of four sections inside UPOU Networks Creating content, sharing knowledge Describing the uniqueness of UPOU Networks, UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria says that “This is not just an index or listing of links to learning materials, which is quite common. This is a collection of UP-created content which we are disseminating online and sharing with everyone.” For UPOU Information Office Director Joane Serrano, who was also director of the UPOU Multimedia Center until recently, the initiative allows the University to further contribute to the collective knowledge and content coming from the Global South. “We’re mostly consumers of learning objects from the Global North, especially open educational resources (OERs). This needs to be challenged. We need to work toward a level playing field,” Serrano says. The Center is involved in the production of most materials in UPOU Networks. So what does one get from UPOU Networks? Accessing networks.upou.edu.ph brings you a variety of content. UPOU Live is where lectures, symposia, research presentations, seminars, and other University events are broadcast in real time. UPOU On Record is a collection of podcasts and other audio materials. UPOU Commons is where OERs are housed under a Creative Commons license. UPOU Mix contains learning objects in various formats and on different topics. Pushing for genuine openness The UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 is “to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has identified OERs as strategic in improving access to quality education. UPOU, whose leadership in open and distance e-learning has been recognized by law through the Open and Distance Learning Act, fully supports these global initiatives by pioneering the OER movement in the country. “Not many people in the Philippines know about OERs, which is why the University needs to work even harder for this revolutionary education movement to take root and prosper,” Serrano continues. From left to right, some members of the UPOU Multimedia Center, the office behind UPOU Networks: University Researcher Luisa Gelisan, Information Systems Researcher Edison Sevillo, and Director Joane Serrano (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Admittedly, there’s some resistance from those who feel OERs run contrary to the protection of intellectual property rights. This perceived conflict seems to be one of the biggest challenges facing the progress of the OER movement in the country. And universities need to strike a balance between both if they wish to remain relevant in the global pursuit of quality education for all. As for UPOU, it will continue to create and advocate the use of OERs not only to educate but to enrich knowledge through sharing, collaboration, and creation. Moving for greater accessibility Accessibility continues to be one of the main issues surrounding quality education. There’s a digital divide between the technology-rich and technology-poor. And even within the group with digital technology is the issue of inclusive access. Can everyone “read” your content? Can everyone navigate your website or mobile application with ease? Early this year, UPOU embarked on a mission to widen access to its resources through its Universal and Inclusive Accessibility Program, which covers “all aspects of [its] academic and administrative functions and services.” It aims to adhere to UNESCO’s Guidelines on the Inclusion of Learners with Disabilities in Open and Distance Learning. For UPOU Networks, this means improvements in readability across different devices and browsers as well as varying availability of computer peripherals. UPOU Networks houses the learning materials of the e-Service Management Program, a massive open online course offered by UPOU. Edison Sevillo, an information systems researcher at the UPOU Multimedia Center, explains that readability requires design flexibility, where a website conforms to the size of the screen, whether it is a computer monitor, a tablet, or a smartphone. “We must also be logical and methodical in creating a smooth flow of tabbing sequences for those who don’t have or use a mouse or whose track pad isn’t working,” Sevillo says. He adds that among other accessibility solutions, they are also exploring text-to-speech options for those who are visually impaired. The UPOU Networks mobile application was recently released as another initiative to further promote access to the online repository of learning materials. “It really needed to be user-friendly with just a few clicks or taps and fewer swipes, etc.,” Sevillo says. UP led open and distance education in the country with the establishment of UPOU in 1995. Over the last two decades, technological advancements have changed how information is shared and retrieved, and how teaching and learning are done. And UP isn’t only keeping pace. With UPOU Networks, it’s making a distinct mark on Philippine education in the digital age. |
https://up.edu.ph/upou-sharing-educational-resources-and-courses-for-free-since-2010/ | UPOU sharing educational resources and courses for free since 2010 – University of the Philippines | UPOU sharing educational resources and courses for free since 2010 UPOU sharing educational resources and courses for free since 2010 October 2, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office As the country’s leading academic institution in open learning and distance education, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) adheres to the philosophy of open education and has been a staunch advocate of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and open access courses. As early as 2012, the UPOU has crafted its OER policies and has put in place strategies to promote, support, contribute and integrate OER values in its institutional processes and practices. OERs, as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2012, are “teaching, learning and research materials in any medium, digital or otherwise, that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. Open licensing is built within the existing framework of intellectual property rights as defined by relevant international conventions and respects the authorship of the work.” OERs play a pivotal role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and specifically Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which calls on the international community to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Recognizing the transformative potential of OERs in achieving SDG 4, UPOU continues to produce free educational resources in various formats. These free educational resources are housed in the UPOU Commons under the UPOU Networks, an online repository of all UPOU-produced multimedia resources. Through the UPOU Networks, the university is able to provide free access to a plethora of knowledge in various multimedia formats such as publications, videos, animations, web-streamed lectures, presentations, seminars, university events, and podcasts. The UPOU Networks is now the university’s window to the world where communal interaction happens both in real-time during scheduled webinars and asynchronously through recorded multimedia materials. This is in line with UPOU’s thrust as a Public Service university, its vision for “Pamantasang Bukas Para sa Magandang Bukas,” and its mandate in Republic Act 10650 (Open and Distance Learning Act) as the lead institution to promote best practices for open and distance learning in the country. Since 2010, there are at least 700 learning resources uploaded on the UPOU Networks. The UPOU Networks can be accessed via https://networks.upou.edu.ph/. Additionally, UPOU started exploring Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as early as 2011 and offered its first MOOC in 2013. With this, UPOU was the first university in the Philippines to offer not just OERs but also MOOCs, which are free online courses intended for unlimited participation. More than accommodating thousands in enrollment, UPOU has emphasized the “openness” of these courses. UPOU recognizes the potential of MOOCs to meet the demands of a changing educational landscape, to reach a wider audience, to make education more open and accessible, and to promote lifelong learning. UPOU has been developing and offering a number of MOOCs through its platform, the Massive Open Distance e-Learning (MODeL, https://model.upou.edu.ph). These courses have allowed UPOU to cater to lifelong learners, career shifters, out-of-school youth, alternative learning system students, and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). From 2013, there have been more than 80 courses offered via the UPOU MODeL, and has accommodated almost 70,000 learners. As the pioneer and the first university in the Philippines to offer fully online courses, UPOU has been a keen advocate on the use of technology-enhanced learning to deliver its courses to a wide range of learners, especially to learners not normally reached by a University of the Philippines (UP) campus and the conventional educational system. It encourages and supports the creation of open educational and training materials for its academic programs and community extension work. With these values, it recognized the use of OERs and offering of MOOCs as key to its mandate to promote lifelong learning and provide access to quality education through the use of distance education materials and technologies. Creating, using, and promoting OERs and offering MOOCs are just two of the programs UPOU implements to advocate not only access but also equity in quality education. UPOU has unique brands of public service aimed to widen access to continuing professional education, provide digital opportunities to local communities, foster critical discussion of relevant issues in the community and society, and provide technical assistance to higher education institutions (HEIs), local governments, people’s organizations, and civil society. Written by Joane V. Serrano, PhD |
https://up.edu.ph/upou-hosts-conversations-on-cognitive-innovation-and-multidisciplinary-research-training/ | UPOU hosts conversations on cognitive innovation and multidisciplinary research training – University of the Philippines | UPOU hosts conversations on cognitive innovation and multidisciplinary research training UPOU hosts conversations on cognitive innovation and multidisciplinary research training September 25, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) invites the UP community to its Research Conversations: “Where do new ideas come from? Cognitive Innovation and Multidisciplinary Research Training” with Prof. Sue Denham, Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience in University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. The activity will be held at the Audio Visual Room of the DICT Building in UP Diliman, and online via http://networks.upou.edu.ph/ on 15 November 2018, 9AM. Sue Denham is a professor in Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, a former Director of the Cognition Institute and co-ordinator of Cognitive Innovation (CogNovo), is an expert in neural and cognitive models of perception, especially multi-stability in auditory perceptual organisation. Prof. Denham’s talk is part of the Research Conversations series at UP Open University, presented by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies. RSVP for food and seating here. Watch the talk live at UPOU Networks |
https://up.edu.ph/upou-webinar-on-preparing-for-new-normal-set/ | UPOU webinar on preparing for new normal set – University of the Philippines | UPOU webinar on preparing for new normal set UPOU webinar on preparing for new normal set May 26, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo UPOU webinar on preparing for new normal set With the gradual easing of restrictions across the country, everyone has been bracing for the new way of life. Minimum health standards have to be complied with: physical distancing, regular disinfection and decontamination, good hygiene, and wearing of facial masks. All these to ensure physical health amid the threat of COVID-19. But what about psychosocial health? Experts on mental and emotional well-being have been giving tips on how to cope with extended periods of isolation, but as society transitions into the new normal, the need to prepare oneself for post-quarantine life has also emerged. In “Capacitating Oneself for the New Normal,” Dr. Emely Dicolen and Prof. Finaflor Taylan of the Social Work Program of the UP Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) will talk about “Appreciative Resilience in Times of Crisis” and “Gender Perspective and Psychosocial Support and Well-being,” respectively. This is the upcoming episode of the UPOU’s “Let’s Talk it Over” webinar series and was organized by the Social Work Program of FMDS. The event will be streamed online on May 27 via UPOU Networks. Go to networks.upou.edu.ph to register for the web streaming. |
https://up.edu.ph/upou-to-hold-being-and-becoming-adaptable-parents-and-teachers-webinar/ | UPOU to hold “Being and Becoming Adaptable Parents and Teachers” webinar – University of the Philippines | UPOU to hold “Being and Becoming Adaptable Parents and Teachers” webinar UPOU to hold “Being and Becoming Adaptable Parents and Teachers” webinar July 27, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo If you are parents or teachers of K-12 students who feel apprehensive about the planned shift in education delivery due to the pandemic, UP Open University’s (UPOU) webinar may help you cope with the upcoming changes in teaching and learning. “Being and Becoming Adaptable Parents and Teachers” will be streamed live on UPOU Networks on July 30, 10:00 AM. It is part of the University’s webinar series, “Edu-Hack: Navigating a Turbulent Educational Landscape”. Resource speakers include: Dr. Rachel Red-Amparo, teacher and founder of Brainworks School; UP Los Baños Professor Kate Palma de Jesus, a homeschooling mom; and, Balaiwari founder and Chief Playmaker Gian Carlo de Jesus, a homeschooling dad. It will be moderated by UPOU Faculty of Education Professor J. Aleta Villanueva. To participate in the livestream event, register at https://networks.upou.edu.ph/podcast/. |
https://up.edu.ph/dagdag-stress-sa-covid-19-may-dagdag-suweldo-ba-ang-frontliners/ | “Dagdag Stress sa COVID-19: May Dagdag Suweldo ba ang Frontliners?” – University of the Philippines | “Dagdag Stress sa COVID-19: May Dagdag Suweldo ba ang Frontliners?” “Dagdag Stress sa COVID-19: May Dagdag Suweldo ba ang Frontliners?” March 3, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta After eleven months of fighting a global pandemic, our health frontliners are suffering from stress, fatigue and burnout from working long hours under extraordinarily challenging conditions. Filipino health workers in other parts of the world have been hailed for their heroism and perseverance where others have given up. Both within and outside of the country, frontline Filipino health workers have suffered severe illness and death. And yet, compensation packages for health workers have remained the same. The 43rd installment of the University of the Philippines’ webinar series, “Stop COVID Deaths”, is a special edition that aims to answer the question of “Dagdag Stress sa COVID-19: May Dagdag Suweldo ba ang Frontliners?” The webinar will focus on how to solve the urgent and critical need to maintain the health of Filipino health workers; and to compensate them well for their selfless and courageous service in the face of a shortage of health human resources and the embarrassingly and relatively low wages given to frontline workers in the Philippines, when compared to neighboring countries in the ASEAN and the rest of the world. It will be held on Friday, March 5, 2021, at 12nn. Registration slots are limited, so sign up now at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar43 Resource speakers during the webinar will talk about compensation packages for health care workers, not just for the pandemic but for current and future needs to achieve universal health coverage. Dr. Ernesto Pernia, UP Professor Emeritus and former Secretary, National Economic and Development Authority, will serve as the main presenter. The reactors will be: Dr. Carlo Panelo, Professor at the UP College of Medicine Department of Clinical Epidemiology; Dr. Carlos Naval, a private practitioner at the Galileo SurgiCenter; and, Dr. Rafael Marfori, Assistant Program Leader of the Philippine Primary Care Studies. Opening remarks will be delivered by UP Vice President for Finance Dr. Lisa Bersales, while UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita Padilla will give the closing remarks. The “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is organized by UP in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital. |
https://up.edu.ph/how-will-health-workers-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19/ | “How Will Health Workers Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19?” – University of the Philippines | “How Will Health Workers Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19?” “How Will Health Workers Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19?” February 10, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu Join the next University of the Philippines (UP) webinar on “How Will Health Workers Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19?” on Friday, 12 February 2021, 12 noon, as hospital administrators and medical experts explain how healthcare and frontline workers in hospitals across the archipelago will be vaccinated and protected against COVID-19. Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), will share plans for vaccination among staff. Dr. Lito Acuin, Hospital Chief of the Asian Medical Center, will discuss what they will do in private hospitals. And Dr. Christina Padolina, City Health Officer of Navotas City, will talk about local governments’ plans for rolling out the vaccine for health workers at the primary and secondary levels. The resource speakers will provide us with details on how the required two doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be administered in public and private hospitals, health centers, and related facilities. They will also present other preparations for vaccine roll-out, including transportation and cold chain requirements for continuous vaccination of their staff. Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine, and Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila, will also share their insights during the webinar. The “Stop Covid Deaths” webinar series is organized by UP in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health – National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP PGH. To participate in this webinar, sign up at: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar40. |
https://up.edu.ph/a-surge-in-covid-19-cases-up-webinar-takes-on-the-important-questions/ | A surge in COVID-19 cases? UP webinar takes on the important questions – University of the Philippines | A surge in COVID-19 cases? UP webinar takes on the important questions A surge in COVID-19 cases? UP webinar takes on the important questions March 11, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Over the past week, there has been an increase in the numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19. On March 9, the country’s COVID-19 case count breached the 600,000 mark, with Octa Research fellow Dr. Guido David saying that COVID-19 cases in virus epicenter Metro Manila are climbing faster than expected and reports from hospitals showing an increase in admissions. What do these increases in case numbers mean and why are they happening now? And with these increases happening while vaccination programs are being rolled out in hospitals and health workers getting their shots, are frontliners safer now that there is a vaccine? How is the vaccination program doing in the face of the case number increases? The 44th installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is a National Virtual Town Hall Meeting for Hospitals. The webinar, titled “IS THERE A SURGE? May COVID-19 Vaccine Na, May Maiiba Ba?”, will take a closer look at the increasing number of cases and how hospitals are coping. It will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021, at 12 noon. The main presentation will be given by Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). Reactors include Dr. Vincent Balanag, Executive Director of the Philippine Lung Center; Dr. Fritz Famaran, Chief of Hospital of the Jose Rodriguez Hospital; and Dr. Nina Berba, infectious disease specialist from the UP College of Medicine and PGH. Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, UP System Executive Vice President and Special Adviser of the National Task Force on COVID-19, while the closing remarks will be given by Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila. Register for this special edition of the UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar series here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar44 |
https://up.edu.ph/hope-and-heroes-in-u-p-s-online-video-festival/ | Hope and heroes in U.P.’s online video festival – University of the Philippines | Hope and heroes in U.P.’s online video festival Hope and heroes in U.P.’s online video festival October 21, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Short videos on everyday heroism and hope in the days of face masks and social distancing are the focus of PAG-AALAY webXHIBITION & FESTIVAL. The University of the Philippines is now accepting entries to the online video series in the categories of narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, virtual/augmented reality, and music video. Winners will be presented “Pag-aalay” trophies which were specially handcrafted by multi-talented U.P. artist and UPTV Director Dr. Grace Javier Alfonso. The trophy presents two silver hands offering a world enveloped in katakataka leaves, the same plant sculpted at the base of the U.P. Oblation. Also known as wonder plant and miracle leaf, katakataka is a hardy plant that thrives nearly everywhere it is thrown. On the trophy it symbolizes patriotism, with the Philippines engraved among its leaves. The trophy and cash prizes in each category will be awarded in a virtual Video Festival Awards Night later this year: P15,000 for the first prize, P10,000 for second prize, P7,000 for third prize, along with a special Chooks-To-Go People’s Choice Award. The festival is seeking entries that capture the changing times and the selfless acts and offerings of hope that go with them. The short videos do not necessarily have to focus on the university system, but may look at different people and their lives through the pandemic. “Committing these stories and experiences to film is not only to honor the subject’s heroism but also instill hope and determination in the filmmaker and the audiences it will reach. The global pandemic is a shared experience which no one can come out of unaffected,” said UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. With the theme “Pag-aalay sa Panahon ng Pandemya,” the festival will have shortlisted videos featured on TVUP and streamed via TVUP’s Facebook page. Entries must have a total running time of 30 to 90 seconds, in a video format that can be easily uploaded to different social media platforms. Videos with duly accomplished Festival entry forms available on the TVUP Facebook Page can be submitted via email at television@up.edu.ph from now until 15 December 2020. PAG-AALAY is open to all Filipino filmmakers, amateur or professional, and to multimedia creators and artists. For complete submission guidelines, visit TVUP Facebook Page. Participants must observe all government-ordered health and safety requirements, quarantine regulations, and other community restrictions in the production of their videos. The PAG-AALAY webXHIBITION & FESTIVAL is brought to you by the University of the Philippines, Chooks-To-Go, UP College of Mass Communication, UP College of Music, UP College of Mass Communication Foundation, Inc., and TVUP. |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19-frontliners-kamusta-na-kayo/ | COVID-19 frontliners, kamusta na kayo? – University of the Philippines | COVID-19 frontliners, kamusta na kayo? COVID-19 frontliners, kamusta na kayo? April 21, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta On Friday, 23 April, the University of the Philippines (UP) marks the one-year anniversary of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series. The weekly series, which is held in partnership with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), aims to overcome fear, promote good practices, and quickly disseminate to all health practitioners and facilities whatever is the evolving knowledge on management and treatment of COVID-19 based on the experience of the country’s leading clinicians, medical specialists and world-class experts in various fields. At the time of the series’ first webinar, close to 24 frontline doctors and nurses had already died from COVID-19. Today, over a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have racked up 945,000 cases of COVID-19, with over 16,000 deaths and over 141,000 currently active cases in the Philippines. More than a million overseas Filipino workers have returned, with more than 15,000 testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Over a year later, the situation appears even grimmer than when it first began. For Filipino medical and healthcare frontliners, it has been over a year of relentless battling against the virus, of caring for patients, and risking their own health and well-being and even their lives. At no other point in time in recent human history have medical and health frontliners been subjected to the trauma of multiple deaths on a daily basis, the inability to comfort or touch patients or their family members, and loss within their own circle of co-workers, if not death in their families. For its 49th episode, the Stop COVID Deaths webinar series now asks: As our medical and healthcare frontliners move forward and persevere, how are they doing in terms of their own well-being? In this webinar, UP PGH Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Dr. Anselmo Tronco, will lead the discussion on how frontliners seek and continue to find meaning in serving patients despite the adverse conditions they face. COVID-19 survivor and UP PGH spokesperson, Dr. Jonas del Rosario, will share his personal journey through COVID-19 and back, and how he has coped with the grief of losing both his parents to the pandemic. Mr. Ardie Lopez, who composed the anthem of the webinar (that recently won an award) will speak on his own expression of faith and hope in these difficult times. The webinar will be opened by Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, with UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla giving the closing remarks. Registration slots are limited to this special edition of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series; so, sign up now at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar49 |
https://up.edu.ph/prizes-up-for-short-videos-on-heroism-and-hope-in-time-of-pandemic/ | Prizes up for short videos on heroism and hope in time of pandemic – University of the Philippines | Prizes up for short videos on heroism and hope in time of pandemic Prizes up for short videos on heroism and hope in time of pandemic January 15, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The University of the Philippines is launching an online festival of short videos on the theme “Pag-aalay sa Panahon ng Pandemya” or everyday heroism and hope in a time of COVID-19, and calling on filmmakers to submit entries before January 30, 2021. Entries to the “Pag-aalay: Webxhibition and Festival” are eligible for P15,000, P10,000, and P7,000 prizes, and a special Chooks-To-Go People’s Choice Award, all with trophies, to be awarded in a virtual awards night in February 2021. The videos, which must run from 30 to 90 seconds, may fall under narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, virtual/augmented reality, or music video categories. They should be upload-able to different social media platforms. Shortlisted videos will be featured on TVUP, the Internet television network of UP, and streamed via TVUP’s Facebook page. The entries must be emailed to television@up.edu.ph, together with an accomplished festival entry form, which can be downloaded here: 2021 Video Festival Entry Form |
https://up.edu.ph/help-ayaw-magpabakuna-ni-lolo-at-lola/ | Help! Ayaw magpabakuna ni Lolo at Lola – University of the Philippines | Help! Ayaw magpabakuna ni Lolo at Lola Help! Ayaw magpabakuna ni Lolo at Lola June 2, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines continues, but recent evidence shows that only 11% of senior citizens choose to get vaccinated, despite the availability of vaccines. Why is the turnout so low? Is it fear of the side-effects? Is it the prospect of waiting in line for hours in the heat? How do we make it easy and convenient for Filipino senior citizens to get protection against COVID-19? The 55th episode of University of the Philippines’ “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, “HELP! Ayaw magpabakuna ni Lolo at Lola”, will dig deeper into vaccine hesitancy among senior citizens. The webinar will be held on Friday, 4 June 2021, at 12:00 noon. Those interested to watch may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar55 In this webinar, Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Special Adviser to the National Task Force on COVID-19, will share the latest data on the low engagement of seniors in vaccination programs. Dr. Shelley Ann F. De la Vega, gerontologist and head of the UP Manila-National Institutes of Health’s (UPM-NIH) Institute on Aging, will talk about the inconveniences and struggles that seniors endure to get vaccinated. Dr. Enrique T. Ona, Jr., former Department of Health secretary, will provide some reflections on how the system can be improved, while Dr. Lilian De Las Llagas, Commissioner on Higher Education, will provide the public health perspective on how coverage of senior citizens can be improved. In order to provide more insights on why most Filipino senior citizens refuse to be vaccinated, the audience is encouraged to share their experiences on vaccination of seniors in their households. The UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is organized by the University of the Philippines in partnership with the UPM-NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-welcome-its-students-in-a-virtual-ceremony/ | UP to welcome its students in a virtual ceremony – University of the Philippines | UP to welcome its students in a virtual ceremony UP to welcome its students in a virtual ceremony September 15, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta It’s the start of a brand-new academic year at the University of the Philippines (UP), and it’s back to a semester of remote teaching and learning for a majority of UP students and faculty. Of course, with the new academic year come new possibilities, new opportunities to learn, and new friendships to be made, and AY 2021-2022 is no exception. To welcome its new first-year students and to welcome back its continuing students, the University of the Philippines will hold a System-wide assembly tomorrow, September 16, at 10:00 a.m. New and returning UP students will be officially greeted by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, Student Regent Renee Louise Co, Vice President for Academic Affairs Ma. Cynthia Rose Bautista, and Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Philip Gonzalo. Students from all across the UP System will give video messages of inspiration plus lessons on how they survived the past year of remote learning amid community quarantines. There will also be a musical performance by the UP Concert Chorus. The UP System Welcome Assembly will be live-streamed via TVUP.ph and TVUP’s YouTube channel. All UP students from Baguio to Mindanao are invited to attend. |
https://up.edu.ph/vaccine-rollout-discussed-in-up-covid-forum/ | Vaccine rollout discussed in UP COVID forum – University of the Philippines | Vaccine rollout discussed in UP COVID forum Vaccine rollout discussed in UP COVID forum March 17, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Dr. Enrique Tayag of the Department of Health (DOH) is the featured resource person in the University of the Philippines (UP) webinar on the vaccine roll-out, “COVID-19 Vaccines: Naiinip Ka Na Ba?”, to be livestreamed on March 19, 2021 at 12 nn. With UP professor and DOH Technical Advisory Group member, Dr. Anna Ong Lim, and Dr. Gloria Baltazar, Director of the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center as reactors, Tayag, a government epidemiologist who is currently Director of the DOH Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, will discuss what the public can reasonably expect from the government’s vaccination roll-out program. Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, UP Executive Vice President and National Task Force on COVID-19 Special Adviser, and UP College of Medicine Dean Dr. Charlotte Chiong will also deliver experts’ remarks. The webinar aims to answer questions such as: How many Filipinos can be expected to be vaccinated this year? What is the projected time of vaccination for health workers and seniors? When will the general public start receiving vaccines? When will vaccines become commercially available? What are the roles of the local government unit and the private sector? What countries into vaccine production seem to be willing to collaborate with the Philippines to provide more supply at the earliest possible time? The webinar is the 45th in the series of weekly webinars titled “Stop COVID Deaths”, produced by UP in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital. Those who wish to participate may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar45. If registration is already at full capacity, a YouTube Live broadcast will also be available on TVUP at http://tvup.ph and http://www.youtube.com/tvupph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-hold-systemwide-welcome-ceremony-for-the-opening-of-academic-year-2020-2021/ | UP to hold Systemwide Welcome Ceremony for the opening of academic year 2020-2021 – University of the Philippines | UP to hold Systemwide Welcome Ceremony for the opening of academic year 2020-2021 UP to hold Systemwide Welcome Ceremony for the opening of academic year 2020-2021 September 6, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines invites you to the welcome ceremony for the opening of Academic Year 2020-2021 on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 9:00 AM (Manila Time) via Zoom and YouTube. If you wish to participate via Zoom, please register at bit.ly/Students-Welcome-Webinar. You may also engage through YouTube livestream at https://youtu.be/FOD5RbUMfN0. New and returning students are encouraged to join this first UP Systemwide Welcome Ceremony. The University of the Philippines has chosen to prioritize everyone’s safety with the implementation of remote welcome ceremonies and orientation programs. We recognize this is a deviation from the norm, but we are committed to providing a robust onboarding experience with this new approach. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-discuss-the-countrys-outlook-in-the-next-12-months-under-covid-19/ | UP webinar to discuss the country’s outlook in the next 12 months under COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to discuss the country’s outlook in the next 12 months under COVID-19 UP webinar to discuss the country’s outlook in the next 12 months under COVID-19 April 7, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Record increases in case numbers, crowded hospitals, new restrictions on movement, higher levels of fear and frustration. A month ago, it seemed as if things were improving for the country. Now, with soaring numbers of COVID-19 cases and the reinstitution of enhanced community quarantine protocols in the National Capital Region and four other provinces, as well as localized lockdowns in certain areas, it suddenly feels as if we are back to square one. What does the trend data tell us about the pandemic? What do we know about the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at the national and local levels? Will it get worse before it gets better? What about the economy? What can we expect in the coming months? How should families prepare for what is ahead? How should health workers prepare for what lies ahead? These are the questions the upcoming 47th episode of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series will attempt to answer. The next webinar will focus on “COVID-19 in the Philippines: What are the Scenarios for the Next 12 Months?”, and will open with a UP Economics professor, Dr. Toby Melissa Monsod, presenting a perspective on the economy. The main presenter is Dr. John Q. Wong, lead epidemiologist of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF); and reactors are an infectious disease specialist, Dr. Cybele Lara Abad from the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), and a pulmonologist, Dr. Aileen David Wang of the UP College of Medicine. This special edition “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar will be held on 9 April 2021, Friday, 12:00 noon. Register now at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar47 The “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is organized by the University of the Philippines in partnership with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with the UP-PGH. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-focus-on-the-lgus-role-in-the-covid-19-vaccine-rollouts/ | UP webinar to focus on the LGU’s role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollouts – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to focus on the LGU’s role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollouts UP webinar to focus on the LGU’s role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollouts June 9, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office More vaccines have arrived; move vaccines are coming. But while there is reason to be optimistic, the question remains: Are Filipinos prepared for this? When it comes to informing citizens where to go to register for vaccination schedules and how to prepare for vaccinations, local government units (LGUs) play the biggest role. LGUs manage the supply chain as well as the information campaign to generate demand for the vaccines. In “Is my LGU Prepared for Vaccine Roll-out? Part 2”, the 56th installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, Dr. Peter Julian A. Cayton of the UP Pandemic Response Team and Associate Professor of the UP School of Statistics will present the stories behind the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out and implementation statistics. Representing the local government units in the National Capital Region (NCR) are Mayor Francis Javier M. Zamora of San Juan City and Dr. Christia S. Padolina of Navotas City. Mayor Maria Ofelia O. Alcantara of Tolosa, Leyte and Dr. Mariano Antonio T. Banzon of Balanga, Bataan, on the other hand, will give a picture of how things are going outside the NCR. Finally, the private sector outlook and the importance of strategic communication will be offered by Ms. Margot B. Torres, Chair of the Task Group on Strategic Communications with Task Force T3 and the Managing Director of McDonald’s Philippines. This special edition episode in UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is organized by UP in partnership with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital. Watch the episode on Friday, June 11, 2021, 12:00 noon. Register here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar56 |
https://up.edu.ph/tvup-to-launch-on-cignal-tv-channel-101/ | TVUP to launch on CIGNAL TV Channel 101 – University of the Philippines | TVUP to launch on CIGNAL TV Channel 101 TVUP to launch on CIGNAL TV Channel 101 September 30, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office TVUP, the television network operated by the University of the Philippines (UP), will officially launch on CIGNAL TV Channel 101 on October 11, 2022. Since its inception as an internet television network in November 2016, iTVUP was organized as a public digital library of open educational resources (OERs) that could be easily accessed and freely shared among students and teachers nationally and internationally. Even then, UP recognized the value of iTVUP to produce supplementary learning materials for students and faculty of UP, state colleges and universities (SUCs), private higher educational institutions (HEls), and the general public. In June 2022, a partnership between UP and Cignal TV Inc. established TVUP as a broadcast satellite channel available on Cignal 101. With this partnership, TVUP has been expanding its operations by producing quality productions, such as documentaries, magazine shows, lectures, game shows, animations, teleseryes, info-tainment shows, and other shows for the benefit not only of UP students and faculty but also of the general public. TVUP is a testament to UP’s character as the national university, a teaching, research, public service, and global/regional university, shared freely with all state universities and colleges, private and public. According to UP President L. Danilo Concepcion, TVUP’s availability as a digital channel was a “perfect opportunity to nurture lifelong learning in our people.” He added that, through TVUP on Cignal 101, UP’s knowledge resources could be extended to as many Filipinos as possible, “whether these are students looking to enrich their lessons or ordinary citizens who wish to gain more knowledge and develop skills.” TVUP exists as a public space to inspire innovation, creativity, critical thinking and understanding, and respect for diversity of cultures. Its lineup of high-quality programs showcases scientific breakthroughs, Philippine culture, and society, national issues and concerns, etc. With almost 600 video productions, TVUP is an important medium in implementing a blended learning environment. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-tackle-workplace-safety-amid-covid-19/ | UP webinar to tackle workplace safety amid COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to tackle workplace safety amid COVID-19 UP webinar to tackle workplace safety amid COVID-19 October 27, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), and co-sponsored by the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, Inc., would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. With the economy gradually reopening and workers slowly shifting back to physical office work hours, safety remains a concern. This Friday, October 29, from 12nn to 2pm, join us for another special episode of the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, where we will discuss “WORK BUBBLES: Ligtas ba sa COVID-19 ang ating mga Workers?” What specific measures are needed to provide optimum protection for our workers? How can the workplace be made safer? How can we prevent the virus from spreading as we travel to and from work? We will also take a closer look at workers’ psychosocial and mental well-being—what has been done and what more can we do to recover from the economic hardship brought about by COVID-19. Dr. Joselito Gapas, an expert in occupational health and safety from the First Philippine Holdings Corporation, will be the main speaker. He will present a case study about workers’ safety. Meanwhile, Dr. Gigi Alampay of the Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development (CORD) will share the latest research on workers’ mental health. We will also hear reactions from Dr. Rosalie V. Rivera from Shell Companies in the Philippines and Dr. Paul Michael R. Hernandez from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health of the UP Manila College of Public Health. Dr. Anna Sofia Victoria Fajardo, Vice President of Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, Inc., and Dr. Stella Marie Jose, UP PGH Deputy Director for Health Operations, will open and close the event. Interested participants may freely register here for exclusive Zoom access. However, you may also catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. The “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/call-for-applications-international-workshop-in-omics-in-infectious-diseases/ | Call for applications: International Workshop in ‘Omics in Infectious Diseases – University of the Philippines | Call for applications: International Workshop in ‘Omics in Infectious Diseases Call for applications: International Workshop in ‘Omics in Infectious Diseases October 5, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP’s Philippine Genome Center in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) through the funding support of DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), and British Council’s Newton Fund Program is once again organizing an international workshop on infectious diseases this time with focus in ‘Omics technology. The applications of ‘Omics technologies in health is huge, and improving local capability in this area is the rationale behind this international workshop. While it is important to build on the Philippines’ capability in this area, the workshop in its entirety is meant to increase the level of awareness and correct misconceptions regarding the relevant technology requirements in order to pursue “omics” research in the Philippines. The workshop happening on November 5-9 in UP Diliman will consist two symposia on ID ‘omics and control, flanking a hands-on analytical/computational short course in ‘omics data generation and analysis. The five-day workshop aims to: (i) inform policy makers, public health workers, clinicians and biomedical researchers on the potential of ‘omics technology in performing ID surveillance and control, assisting in the rapid detection of drug resistance strains, and informing clinical disease management, including next generation diagnostics (ii) equip researchers and field epidemiologists with the analytical tools to perform genomic surveillance and analyses locally, and to harness the Philippine-wide networks that the PGC, University of the Philippines (UP) and LSHTM can support to perform regional ID surveillance (iii) develop an effective regional network for ID genomic surveillance in Philippines, centered on the genomic capacity of the PGC and by harnessing the expertise available in LSHTM (iv) build capacity in the basic tools of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and other ‘omics analysis that can be applied to multiple areas of research across a wide range of organisms, including the evaluation of host-pathogen interactions and specific host or pathogen responses (v) provide hands-on experience with the generation and analysis of ‘omics data, including the application of portable sequencing and processing of the resulting big data. Advanced users are allowed to develop more advanced analysis pipelines. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA • Participants may range from MSc graduates and research assistants with extensive research experience, to PhD graduates and early-career researchers with a maximum of 10 years post-PhD research experience. • Participants must have a research or recognized institution post (research contract/fellowship) at a recognized institution in either the UK or the Philippines TO REGISTER, click https://bit.ly/geid2app before 8 October 2018. • For applicants in the UK, applications may be sent to Taane.Clark@lshtm.ac.uk. • A confirmation email will be sent to registrants on October 12, 2018. • The thirty (30) shortlisted participants for the hands-on workshop are expected to attend all sessions and are required to bring a hard drive or USB with at least 8 GB usable memory. • Those who will not be selected to participate in the hands-on workshop are welcome to attend the scientific symposia on Day 1 (November 5) and Day 4 (PM session) at the Institute of Biology Auditorium, and will feature keynote talks on the use of –omics technology for disease control and management, the role of the PGC and its links to public health. • Workshop proper [Day 2-Day 4 (AM session)] on analytical/computational short courses covering the analysis of raw ‘omics data, integration, and correlation with disease outcomes will be held at the Philippine Genome Center Training Rooms. POSTER SESSION Attendees of the symposium and workshop participants are also encouraged to participate in the poster session to be held on November 6, 2018. Abstracts relating to the genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and bioinformatics analysis of infectious diseases must be sent to geid2.0abstracts@gmail.com no later than October 8, 2018 (Monday). Confirmation emails will be sent by October 12, 2018. Guidelines: • Abstract must be written in English with the font Arial, size 11 pt, single-spaced, and justified on MS Word. • Title of the paper must be in bold capital letters and centered • Name(s) of the author(s) must be below the title and underlined. • Abstract should contain an introduction, objectives, major findings, and conclusion, and should have no more than 300 words. • Poster should be 2” x 3” feet and contain the abstract, introduction, objectives, methods, major findings, and conclusion. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Wherever possible, gender balance and diversity will be sought in the selection of candidates, and extra support to enable participation of Early Career Researchers with special needs will be given. SUPPORT The British Council and the Philippine’s Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) will cover the costs related to workshop participation, including: travel, accommodation, and meals. Although this cost will not be covered by the British Council or DOST, participants are encouraged to purchase an adequate travel and medical insurance. The British Council accepts no responsibility for any problems which may occur when the participants are in-country. For queries or clarifications, please call 981-8500 local 4703 and or email pgc@up.edu.ph Visit the www.pgc.up.edu.ph or follow @phgenome on Facebook and Twitter to know more about us. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-welcomes-students-to-ay-2020-2021-unveils-initiatives/ | UP welcomes students to AY 2020-2021, unveils initiatives – University of the Philippines | UP welcomes students to AY 2020-2021, unveils initiatives UP welcomes students to AY 2020-2021, unveils initiatives September 17, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. All UP constituents, students, faculty, administrators, and staff, are dealing with the “uncertain” and “unusual” situation forced by the COVID-19 pandemic on teaching, learning, and operations. This was acknowledged by the officials of the University of the Philippines in its online welcome ceremony for students on September 9, the day before the first semester of Academic Year 2020-2021 officially started. UP President Danilo Concepcion, Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, and Student Regent John Isaac Punzalan all said the event was certainly not the welcome new and returning students expected. Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Concepcion called this semester a “testament to our ability as Filipinos to overcome hardships”. He asked the UP community for understanding and cooperation as everyone grapples with new methods and processes. There will be mistakes and inadequacies, and some necessities may not be given or addressed immediately, but Concepcion emphasized that “as long as we are united in our belief that the pandemic must not succeed in crippling education and intellectual development, the torch of knowledge will triumph over our fears and worries.” To freshmen, in particular, he asked them to accept the new normal as a historic challenge, one that would be the mark of their generation as students who continued to study and learn despite a pandemic. In the end, Concepcion reiterated the importance of keeping health and safety as top priorities and that while the University’s buildings may be closed, UP as an institution remains open to its constituents. Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Bautista, meanwhile, said COVID-19 “thrust universities worldwide into uncharted territory.” Remote learning would be the norm for UP at this time, she added, clarifying that remote learning does not exclusively mean online learning. It means holding no physical meetings, possibly employing ICT, and being synchronous/real-time or asynchronous. Course packs in digital or printed format will be the “primary means of delivering course content”. She described course packs for remote learning as more comprehensive than course packs for face-to-face classes, because these include study guides. Some faculty members will be providing course packs at the beginning of the semester while some will be giving these at intervals. Slides from UP VP for Academic Affairs Bautista’s presentation during the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. “This semester will definitely be far from ideal,” Bautista admitted. “If we were still unable to predict problems that arose even under the best circumstances of a regular semester, we will definitely be unable to anticipate many more unprecedented problems as we shift to remote learning, but we will learn from these problems, find solutions to them iteratively, and build on these solutions for a better planned second semester.” She further revealed that UP recognized the imperfections of this semester and “continues to suspend rules on academic standing.” This semester will not be counted as part of the maximum residence rule for students and their regular load of 15 units has been reduced to 12 units. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Philip Gonzalo, who is also the director of the Office of Student Financial Assistance, gave a brief orientation on the reconfiguration of the UP Student Affairs System (SAS) as well as its new programs in response to remote learning. Factors considered in the reconfiguration include: independent learning with limited interaction with peers and personnel; the home as a new learning environment which may not be fully conducive; digital divide; socioeconomic circumstances of households; effects of remote learning on mental health and psychosocial well-being; venues for connecting and expressing freedoms; and, protection of students’ rights. Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. The new SAS programs to be rolled out are: the Student Learning Assistance System (SLAS); the UP Student Mental Health and Wellness Network; Peer Learning Groups (PLGs); and, the Student Helpdesk. The SLAS expands Student Financial Assistance Online, which was created in 2014 to accept applications for tuition subsidy and allowance. It will gather information on financial capacity, connectivity situation and options, and other learning assistance requirements to allow students to continue their studies. [Apply for gadgets and internet subsidy via UP’s Student Learning Assistance System Online] Undergraduates from low income households, including those enrolled at the UP Diliman College of Law and UP Manila College of Medicine, shall each receive an internet connection subsidy worth P1,500 per month through a telecommunications company of their choice. Based on updated application information, those from the “most vulnerable” shall be offered gadgets on top of the internet connectivity allowance. This is in line with the Kaagapay sa Pag-aaral ng Iskolar ng Bayan Fundraising and Resource Generation Campaign that was launched in July to support the remote learning needs of around 5,600 UP students from financially-challenged households. [Support the remote learning needs of our Iskolar ng Bayan] The UP Student Mental Health and Wellness Network aims to increase the availability of mental health service providers in the different UP campuses who can “provide service and facilitate referral, treatment, and other interventions”. Toward the creation of this network, Student Affairs offices from across the UP System will submit information on accredited organizations and individuals that offer mental health and psychosocial services. A harmonized process is intended for the efficient facilitation of referals within and across UP constituent universities. The University acknowledges the critical role peers play in instruction and learning. PLGs will consist of students guided by faculty facilitators to provide tutorial services, peer counseling, and other support activities. The PLGs are “envisioned to address students’ concerns on self-paced learning and contribute to the overall mental health and well-being [of students] by enjoining [their peers] to be active agents in coping activities”. The Student Helpdesk will be “a one-stop center for seeking advice on academic matters, emergency concerns, and even legal concerns, even when they are at home”. It will be managed using a triage system, referring students to appropriate units and groups that can directly address their needs, and giving information on application processes for learning support and financial aid, among others. Apart from these programs, Gonzalo reiterated the following: merit-based scholarship awards and incentives will continue to be given; campus learning resource centers remain operational; the process of recognizing student organizations is still in place; counseling and guidance services are available; and, financial assistance programs such as scholarships, grants, tuition loans, student and graduate assistantships, and donor-funded initiatives, will continue to accept applications. He added that most student housing facilities will be closed during the first semester for the University to formulate protocols and prepare for “when the pandemic subsides”. Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Punzalan, representing the students in the UP Board of Regents, the University’s highest governing body, described this year as being “historic”, not only because of the pandemic but also because the current situation “shows how ready we are to come together to protect our right to education and offer our intellect and talent to our countrymen.” He enumerated to his fellow Iskolar ng Bayan some of the things that they need to fight for and protect: health, accessible education, academic freedom, and the freedom to know and be involved. “Our voices will never be silent,” he declared. He was optimistic that the next time students see each other, “we will be cheering ‘UP fight’ together while watching sporting events, going on food trips around the campus, studying and hanging out with our classmates and fellow organization members, and participating in demonstrations to fight for our rights.” Punzalan ended by asking his constituents to “find hope in ourselves, in our fellow students, and in our community as One UP. Be the light in the midst of darkness.” Screenshot of the UP Systemwide Opening of AY 2020-2021 Online Welcome Ceremony. The replay can be viewed on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia formally closed the online welcome ceremony. “We have been called to be creative and confident, patient and understanding, but most of all, committed to do our best in addressing educational challenges.” To UP students in particular, she gave this reminder: “The phrase ‘para sa bayan’ (for the country) is not empty rhetoric, but a guide to how one must live.” The program also included productions by TVUP: “Upward, Onward, Forward”, a backgrounder video on the University; and,“Husay at Galing”, a music video of the song originally composed by Ferdinand Jarin with musical arrangement and instrumentation by Pordalab. |
https://up.edu.ph/davao-city-up-sports-complex-football-field-passes-fifa-certification/ | Davao City-UP Sports Complex football field passes FIFA certification – University of the Philippines | Davao City-UP Sports Complex football field passes FIFA certification Davao City-UP Sports Complex football field passes FIFA certification April 24, 2019 | Written by Rene A. Estremera The Davao City-UP Sports Complex Football Field with a glimpse of Mt. Apo in the background. Courtesy of UP Mindanao Public Relations Office. The Football Field at the Davao City-University of the Philippines (UP) Sports Complex was issued a Field Certificate by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for having passed the test that was conducted on 5 February 2019 according to their quality program for Football Turf. The certificate, signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accredits the Football Field, located inside the UP Mindanao campus in Davao City, to host international football (soccer) games from 17 April 2019 until 16 April 2022. Prof. Erwin Protacio, chairperson of the UP Mindanao Department of Human Kinetics and a member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine Football Federation, said, “The FIFA accreditation was a requirement in the football field construction contract so that we have quality assurance. The test was done by a third party expert who is accredited by the FIFA. The field has the standard size for international competitions, an even playing surface, and consistent length of its artificial grass, which are features that tend to bring out the best from the players.” He further added, “I believe this is the first time in Palarong Pambansa that a FIFA-certified field will be used. The secondary school football games will be played here and the new playing field lights can allow evening games. For international matches in the future, we need to upgrade the lights for high density TV and provide perimeter fences.” A copy of the FIFA field certificate At the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between UP and the City of Davao on 10 January 2019, UP President Danilo Concepcion had already committed to exploring the establishment of a College of Human Kinetics in UP Mindanao. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on the same occasion, also expressed her vision of transforming Davao City into a premier sports-tourism destination. Protacio added, “With the structures in the Sports Complex, we hope to attract prospective students to our proposed degree programs related to sports. Hopefully we can recruit the best athletes who will become national players, licensed coaches, sports trainers/teachers, and sports administrators.” Following the Field Test in February, the Football Field was used in March for the UP Mindanao Mindanao Men’s Football Cup and the tryout of the Under-15 Girls National Team, which brought 82 players to test the field in competition conditions. |
https://up.edu.ph/former-upv-student-tops-pmas-masaligan-class-of-2021/ | Former UPV student tops PMA’s “Masaligan” Class of 2021 – University of the Philippines | Former UPV student tops PMA’s “Masaligan” Class of 2021 Former UPV student tops PMA’s “Masaligan” Class of 2021 May 6, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office A 25-year old former student of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UP Visayas), Cadet 1CL Janrey Cabanero Artus, graduated summa cum laude from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) this year. Since its establishment in 1939, the PMA has produced top military graduates who became leaders in the country’s armed forces and police. Image from ABS-CBN. Watch Cadet 1CL Artus’ video profile on the PMA’s Facebook page. Artus, who hails from San Enrique, Negros Occidental, is the valedictorian of the 164-strong “Masaligan” (MAndirigmang SAmahan na Lakas at SandIGAN ng Bayan) Class of 2021. He was a student in the BS Chemical Engineering Program of the School of Technology, UP Visayas, enrolled from the first semester 2012-2013 to the first semester of 2016-2017. In an informal sharing, UP Visayas Chancellor Clement C. Camposano recalled Artus as a “good and responsible student” and “always one of the students who score high in exams”. Image from ABS-CBN. Watch Cadet 1CL Sastado’s video profile on the PMA’s Facebook page. Two other former UP students also ranked among the top 10 of the PMA “Masaligan” Class of 2021. At Rank 7 is Cadet 1CL Harold Mars Alicpala Sastado of Batangas City. Sastado is an alumnus of UP Los Baños, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, cum laude. Image from ABS-CBN. Watch Cadet 1CL Lim’s video profile on the PMA’s Facebook page. And in Rank 10 is Cadet 1CL Shirly Fatima Eguia Lim of Tacloban City. She is one of four women who ranked among the top 10 in the PMA “Masaligan” Class of 2021. A former Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholar, Lim was a chemical engineering student at UP Visayas. She also graduated cum laude from the PMA this year. With reports from ABS-CBN and Rappler |
https://up.edu.ph/up-president-leads-project-launchings-at-the-up-visayas-iloilo-city-campus/ | UP President leads project launchings at the UP Visayas Iloilo City Campus – University of the Philippines | UP President leads project launchings at the UP Visayas Iloilo City Campus UP President leads project launchings at the UP Visayas Iloilo City Campus March 18, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP System officials, UP Visayas officials and guests at the inauguration of the Oblation Plaza at the UP Visayas Iloilo City campus. Photo from UPV-IPO. President Danilo Concepcion visited UP Visayas to launch and inaugurate several projects at the Iloilo City campus, initiated under his administration on March 16, 2022. President Concepcion was joined by his wife, Atty. Gabriela Concepcion, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Rica Abad and Dr. Grace Alfonso of TVUP. One of the UP Visayas’ prominent alumni, Senator Franklin Drilon, attended the events with officers and members of the UP Alumni Association Iloilo Chapter and the iAmUPHi Alumni Group. Chancellor Clement Camposano led the UPV officials, including his vice-chancellors: Dr. Philip Ian Padilla, Dr. Rhodella Ibabao, Dr. Harold Monteclaro, and Prof. John Lorenz Belanio, as well as the faculty and staff in the series of events scheduled on the day. A Turn-over of the UPHSI Multipurpose Building, Phases 1 and 2, and the Launching of the Handumanan Project, which will pursue the Adaptive Reuse of the Old High School Building and the Women’s Club Building, was held at the UPV Little Theater with the UPV alumni Iloilo represented by Assoc. Justice Francis Jardeleza, as well as members of UPAA-Iloilo Chapter, UPV officials, faculty, and staff. In his message, Sen. Drilon recounted his early days on the campus and his aspirations to enhance these cherished structures of the UP High School. An Artist’s Reception at the Lantip Gallery featured “From Lin-ay to Hangaway” Voices of Ilonggo Women Artists at the UPV Main Building followed. The exhibit features artworks of Women in Prison, which coincides with the Women’s Month Celebration. The Panapton Gallery and the Ed Defensor Wing of the UPV Main Building Museum Complex maintained by the Office of Initiative in Culture and the Arts were also opened for viewing. The Inauguration of the University Avenue organized by the Office of Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development came after, which showcased Indigenous Dance and Ambahan of the Panay Bukidnon and a performance from a tribe from the Iloilo Dinagyang. The event also became a venue for celebration for the whole community. In between these events, UP Visayas Officials also presented to President Concepcion UPV Proposed Infrastructure Projects for concept approval and locational clearance and the Proposed UPV Academic and Extension Campus in Pueblo de Panay in Roxas City. This took place at the OICA Conference Room, UPV Main Building. (Ms. Anna Razel Ramirez, UPV-IPO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-dilimans-bulletin-on-stranded-construction-workers-on-campus/ | UP Diliman’s bulletin on stranded construction workers on campus – University of the Philippines | UP Diliman’s bulletin on stranded construction workers on campus UP Diliman’s bulletin on stranded construction workers on campus April 22, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office UPD-Bulletin-2020-17 May mga kumakalat na balita ngayon sa social media tungkol sa grupo ng mga stranded na construction worker sa loob ng kampus ng UPD na diumano ay napilitan nang kumain ng mga ligaw na hayop at prutas mula sa mga puno sa kampus dahil sa labis na pagkagutom. Direktang kinausap ng Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development (OVCPD) ang mga trabahador at nadiskubreng hindi naman sila kinakapos sa pagkain, sa halip ay nabigyan na ng P4,000 na ayuda noong Marso 17 at P2,000 noong Abril 14 ng kanilang employer. Ininspeksiyon din ng OVCPD ang kanilang supply room na naglalaman ng tatlong sakong bigas (25 kilo ang bawat isa) at mga delata mula sa All UP Workers Union at iba pang organisasyon sa loob ng kampus. Ayon sa mga trabahador, nagulat na lang sila noong nag-viral ang ulat, dahil ang mga larawan ay kuha ng grupo ng mga tao na pumunta sa site upang mamahagi ng relief goods, ngunit hindi sila ininterbyu o tinanong tungkol sa kanilang sitwasyon. Para sa buong balita, mag-email lamang sa OVCPD sa ovcpd.upd@up.edu.ph. Makaaasa kayong ginagawa ng UPD COVID-19 Task Force ang lahat upang matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng lahat ng sektor sa UP Diliman. Sa panahong ito ng walang-katiyakan dulot ng pandemya, walang lugar sa pagkabalisa at fake news. Ang mga ahensiya ng media ay dapat na maging responsable sa pagbabalita at ang mga mamamayan ay dapat beripikahin muna ang mga balita bago ito i-share sa social media. Kung nais ninyong tumulong sa pamamagitan ng cash donation, i-deposito lamang ito sa mga sumusunod na account: GCash and Paymaya: 09167654695 Paypal: paypal.me/tieronesantos BPI: 9239 4326 43/Marco Giorgione A. Dava GoGetFunding: https://gogetfunding.com/fundraiser-for-upds-maninindas-and-jeepney-drivers/ Paki-email ang kopya ng deposit slip/online transaction kay sa ovcpd.upd@up.edu.ph. Banggitin din kung ano ang mga item (alkohol, bigas, de lata) na nais ninyong maibili mula sa inyong donasyon |
https://up.edu.ph/pgc-holds-1st-national-genomics-conference/ | PGC holds 1st National Genomics Conference – University of the Philippines | PGC holds 1st National Genomics Conference PGC holds 1st National Genomics Conference October 24, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The speakers and participants of the 1st National Genomics Conference (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) conducted its 1st National Genomics Conference on October 10 to showcase its research programs and further encourage collaboration among Filipino scientists to beef up omics research in the country. The daylong event was also part of the Center’s year-long tenth anniversary celebration. Senior Bioinformatics Specialist Carlo Lapid (left) talks to conference participants about the bioinformatics capabilities of the PGC. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) In the morning, PGC research programs on coconut genomics, conus exeogenomics, cardiovascular genetics, diabetes genetics, and colorectal cancer were presented. The leader of the Coconut Genomics Program, Dr. Hayde Galvez, presented “Improvement of Coconut Varieties through Genomics, Genetics, and Breeding for a Competitive and Sustainable Philippine Coconut industry (Genomics-Assisted Molecular Breeding).” Dr. Hayde Galvez, leader of the PGC Coconut Genomics Program (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Dr. Arturo Lluisma, the leader of the Conus Exeogenomics Progam, talked about the potential of conopeptide genomic data in drug discovery and other applications, as well as the use of computational structural biology approaches in drug discovery workflows. Dr. Arturo Lluisma, head of the PGC Conus Exeogenomics Progam (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) “Lunas na Sakto para sa Puso ng Pilipino: Personalized Medicine in Cardiovascular Health Care” was the presentation of Dr. Rody Sy, a project leader in the Cardiovascular Genetics Program. The aim of personalized medicine is “the right drug, at the right dose, for the right Filipino.” He said that while studies on genetic markers associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and response to drugs across varying populations have shown “inter-ethnic variability,” there is “insufficient pharmacogenetic and genetic susceptibility data among Filipinos.” Sy added that by studying genetic markers, treatments costs may decrease, and ineffective chronic therapy may be diminished because of guided treatment. Dr. Rody Sy, a project leader in the PGC Cardiovascular Genetics Program (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Molecular Diabetes Study Group Project Leader Dr. Jose Nevado’s “Sweet Genes Are Made of This: Let’s talk about diabetes!” was presented under the Diabetes Genetics Program. Similar to Sy in his talk on CVD, Nevado also lamented the lack of genetic studies on Filipinos for risk of diabetes. The group has narrowed down “six significant gene variations of interest after statistical tests” from the initial 355 gene variations linked to the disease, which was trimmed to 274 variations after quality assurance tests, and later further cut down to 29 variations after genetic tests. Molecular Diabetes Study Group Project Leader Dr. Jose Nevado (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) A project leader in the Colorectal Cancer Program, Dr. Reynaldo Garcia, then discussed “Novel mutations in EGFR pathway genes of Filipino colorectal cancer patients present distinct and overlapping oncogenic phenotypes.” A project leader in the PGC Colorectal Cancer Program, Dr. Reynaldo Garcia (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Apart from the select research programs, the Conference also featured two products which were developed with assistance from the PGC and other agencies. One was Biotek-M Dengue Aqua Kit, a portable dengue diagnostic kit, with the project leader, Dr. Raul Destura, of UP Manila; and the other was PhilGeneStrips, a field-ready test kit for the detection of shrimp pathogens, with Dr. Erwin Enriquez and Dr. Nina Rojas of Ateneo de Manila University. Dr. Raul Destura of UP Manila talks about Biotek-M Dengue Aqua Kit. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Dr. Erwin Enriquez and Dr. Nina Rojas of Ateneo de Manila University demonstrate the use of PhilGeneStrips. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) In the afternoon session, Dr. Cynthia Saloma, the PGC executive director, revealed the Center’s expansion to the Visayas and Mindanao via satellite facilities in the Miagao campus of UP Visayas and in the UP Mindanao campus. Dr. Victor Marco Emmanuel Ferriols is the project leader of the PGC-Visayas Satellite Facility, while Dr. Lyre Anni Murao is the project leader of the PGC-Mindanao Satellite Facility. From left, Dr. Cynthia Saloma, PGC executive director; Dr. Lyre Anni Murao, project leader of the PGC-Mindanao Satellite Facility; and Dr. Victor Marco Emmanuel Ferriols, project leader of the PGC-Visayas Satellite Facility (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The establishment of the PGC’s Protein, Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility was reported by the program leader, Dr. Neil Andrew Bascos; while the development of a laboratory information management system for biorepository for the PGC Biobank and Biorepository Core Facility was discussed by the project leader, Dr. Elena Catap. PGC’s research and development program also presented its goals for the next five years on social responsibility, genomics appreciation, operational efficiency, social entrepreneurship, and linkages. In the left photo is PGC Biobank and Biorepository Core Facility project leader, Dr. Elena Catap and in the right photo is PGC Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility program leader, Dr. Neil Andrew Bascos (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Dr. Asao Fujiyama of the National Institute of Genetics, Japan delivers his keynote address at day’s end. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The event was capped off by the keynote address of Dr. Asao Fujiyama of the National Institute of Genetics, Japan. Fujiyama’s address, “The Road of Genomes,” which he also called in his presentation a congratulatory address to the PGC, included an enumeration of major events and breakthroughs in DNA sequencing from 1997 to 2017. He also pointed out that “technology advances drive science,” and gave examples of technologies that have allowed a deeper pursuit of certain fields, such as the telescope for astronomy or sequencing machines for genomics. Fujiyama ended his speech by reiterating the goal of genomics, which is the “understanding of life forms through the identification of genomic elements.” |
https://up.edu.ph/philippine-genome-center-call-for-donations-for-protective-personal-equipment/ | Philippine Genome Center: Call for Donations for Protective Personal Equipment – University of the Philippines | Philippine Genome Center: Call for Donations for Protective Personal Equipment Philippine Genome Center: Call for Donations for Protective Personal Equipment March 25, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office To address inquiries on how to help and/or provide assistance during the COVID-19 National Health Emergency: The Philippine Genome Center of the University of the Philippines was tasked to handle the sequencing of COVID-19 samples for the next two (2) weeks, in coordination with the health workers from UP Manila National Institutes of Health, to provide our scientists with crucial scientific information to mitigate the spread of the disease. In our effort to continually protect the PGC skeletal work force during this national health emergency, we are accepting PPE donations, such as N95 masks, surgical masks, disposable impermeable laboratory gowns and caps, face shields, and shoe covers to replenish our supplies and at the same time share these donations to the NIH, PGH, and UP Health Service. Thank you very much for your support. *Featured image courtesy of Philippine Genome Center – UP Mindanao |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19-variants-and-countrys-readiness-for-each-discussed-by-up-experts/ | COVID-19 variants and country’s readiness for each, discussed by UP experts – University of the Philippines | COVID-19 variants and country’s readiness for each, discussed by UP experts COVID-19 variants and country’s readiness for each, discussed by UP experts February 17, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Experts from the University of the Philippines will discuss the presence of COVID-19 variants in the country and the implications of each for testing and clinical management of patients, as special topics in the University’s Stop COVID-19 Deaths Webinar No. 41, titled “COVID-19 Variants of Concern in the Philippines: Are We Ready?”, to be streamed on February 19, 2021, from 12 noon to 2 PM. Dr. Eva Cutiongco-De la Paz, Program Director for Health of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC), will report on the presence, dominance, and location of the variants in the Philippines. PGC, a research unit of UP, has been the seat of genetic surveillance of the COVID-19 virus or SARSCov2 and its mutations in the country. A microbiologist and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Raul Destura, creator of the first Philippine test kit for SARSCov2, will talk of the implications for testing of the UK, South Africa, and Brazil variants. Dr. Jubert Benedicto, the head of the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Critical Care Unit-Management Action Team, will discuss research findings on the treatment against the new variants. The organizers say that the special edition webinars of the series aim to keep the health sector informed, adapted, and adjusted to the evolution of SARSCov2 in the country. The Stop COVID Deaths series taps into the experiences of clinicians, hospital administrators, and researchers in order to protect the health system against COVID-19 by bridging the gap between knowledge and practice in the clinical management of cases in the Philippines. The series is organized by the University in partnership with the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with the UP-PGH. Those who wish to participate may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar41. If registration is already at full capacity, a YouTube Live broadcast will also be available on TVUP at http://tvup.ph and http://www.youtube.com/tvupph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-on-lambda-variant-what-we-know-so-far/ | UP webinar on Lambda variant: What we know so far – University of the Philippines | UP webinar on Lambda variant: What we know so far UP webinar on Lambda variant: What we know so far August 18, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor 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. The 66th webinar of the Stop COVID Deaths series, “Lambda Naman Ngayon! Variants and Vaccines”, will be held this Friday, August 20, 2021 from 12nn to 2pm. The webinar will focus on this new variant of interest, the Lambda variant, which is making waves across news sites. Should we be concerned? What do we need to do differently? With the limited information we have so far on Lambda’s virulence and infectivity, it’s important to get hold of all the facts as early as right now. Dr. Cynthia Saloma, Executive Director of the Philippine Genome Center, will lay out the facts on the Lambda variant. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Special Adviser to the National Task Force against COVID-19, will provide an update on vaccination implementation; while Felix Lopez, Vice President of People of Cebu Pacific, will talk about the work in the private sector, specifically Cebu Pacific Airlines, which is responsible for transporting vaccines. On the other hand, Dr. Noel Bernardo of the Philippine Red Cross will share the work of the foremost humanitarian organization in the country. Opening remarks will be given by UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia, while Dean Charlotte M. Chiong of the College of Medicine will give her closing synthesis. Register here bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar66. |
https://up.edu.ph/senior-citizens-and-safety-during-alert-level-1-to-be-tackled-in-up-webinar/ | Senior citizens and safety during Alert Level 1 to be tackled in UP webinar – University of the Philippines | Senior citizens and safety during Alert Level 1 to be tackled in UP webinar Senior citizens and safety during Alert Level 1 to be tackled in UP webinar March 16, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor When the COVID-19 pandemic started, the hardest-hit sectors were frontliners and senior citizens. Authorities implemented extraordinary precautions for the elderly, who were twice as vulnerable to the virus. They were at the highest risk for infection, hospitalization, and death from the get-go. Making things worse is that senior citizens were not allowed to go out during lockdowns. This drastic change in daily routine and the lack of social interaction have also affected their mental health. Most seniors have described the experience as a lonely journey full of stress, anxiety, and silent suffering. But as restrictions slowly ease and now that the country is at Alert Level 1, how safe is it for them to go out? Have most of the country’s senior citizens been fully vaccinated and boosted already? As for those who have not yet been vaccinated, are they at risk of contracting the virus? This Friday, March 18, 2022, from 12 to 2 pm, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (UPM NIH), National Telehealth Center, and cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. In this particular “Stop COVID Deaths” episode, titled “ALERT LEVEL 1: Puwede na ba lumabas ang mga senior?”, Dr. Shelley Ann dela Vega, Director of the Institute on Aging at UPM NIH, and Dr. Nina Gloriani, Chairperson of the Vaccine Expert Panel-Technical Working Group for COVID-19 Vaccines, will do a deep dive on the status and vaccination levels of senior citizens, and weigh the risks and benefits of going out for seniors. UP-PGH Director for Health Operations Dr. Stella Marie L. Jose will also deliver her synthesis and closing remarks. Register here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. “Stop COVID Deaths” is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical online seminar 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/first-edu-connect-visit-in-2020-highlights-bayanihan/ | First Edu-Connect visit in 2020 highlights “bayanihan” – University of the Philippines | First Edu-Connect visit in 2020 highlights “bayanihan” First Edu-Connect visit in 2020 highlights “bayanihan” March 3, 2020 | Written by Fred Dabu Officials and faculty from the University of the Philippines and the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association delegation. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. To strengthen collaboration between the University of the Philippines (UP) and universities in Taiwan, UP hosted a “homecoming” visit or meeting, the first for this year, at the Balay Kalinaw, UP Diliman, for top officials and delegates from UP and the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association on February 5, 2020. According to UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association Executive Director Eing-Ming Wu, the visit was a “homecoming” since representatives from the two delegations had already been conducting workshops and meetings in the Philippines and in Taiwan in the past years. University of the Philippines President Danilo L. Concepcion. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Concepcion said the aim of these meetings was to provide opportunities for discussing academic partnerships, faculty advancement, and academe-industry linkages, among others, that seek to address the two nations’ social issues, to alleviate poverty and inequality, and to stimulate development in the region. He said UP’s relationship with Edu-Connect and their partners “are becoming among the strongest and the most fruitful.” Dr. Eing-Ming Wu, Chair Professor of Shu-Te University and Executive Director of Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association, Kaohsiung. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Wu further said that they were inspired by the Filipinos’ “bayanihan spirit” in pursuing teamwork and partnerships to achieve common goals. Meetings in previous years included representatives from: key Philippine government agencies, such as the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA); local government units; the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC); the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO); and, other Philippine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Edu-Connect and UP delegates discuss possible academic partnerships and international exchange programs for students and faculty. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Concepcion noted that the meetings held in 2018 and 2019 covered vital topics and possible collaboration in education, research, and development in fields such as agriculture, aquaculture, public health, resilience, technological advancement, social entrepreneurship, learning commons, and post-graduate programs, among many others. “We are enriching our shared and unique expertise in these fields through mutual learning and cooperation. We can be proud of what we have done and established, so far,” he said. These meetings led to the establishment of the Taiwan-Philippine Academic Network Platform, the UP-Kaohsiung-Pingtung Fellowship Center, the hosting of the 2018 International Conference on Open and Distance e-Learning (ICODEL), and the Learning Commons Center. Edu-Connect and UP delegates discuss possible academic partnerships and international exchange programs for students and faculty. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. The first inter-university and multi-sectoral meetings and workshops held in 2019 focused on the themes: Exploring International University-Industry Linkages; Educational Collaborations; University Social Responsibility Projects; and, Research Lab Networkings in the Manila Metropolitan and Calabarzon regions. By midyear, the Edu-Connect delegation also went to the Manila Metropolitan and the Cordillera regions, to focus on: Austronesian Studies and Indigenous Affairs; Indigenous Innovation and Ecotourism; Regional Development with Business Intelligence and Entrepreneurship Education; Smart Highland Agriculture and Technology Development Training; English Learning and Social Immersion Programs for University Students Development; and others. Edu-Connect and UP delegates discuss possible academic partnerships and international exchange programs for students and faculty. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Dr. Ru-Jer Wang, president of the National Taichung University of Education; Dr. Herchang Ay, president of St. John’s University; and, Dr. Shun-Hsiang Weng, president of Meiho University, also gave inspiring messages during the program. Thematic discussions about possible collaboration between UP and Edu-Connect members were then held within their respective subgroups on: Arts and Letters, Agriculture, Business, Engineering, International linkages, and Science. Professor Gil S. Jacinto, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Director of the Office of International Linkages of the UP System. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO. Headed by Concepcion, the UP delegation was comprised of: Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa; Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Banzon-Bautista; Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Office of International Linkages Director Gil S. Jacinto; Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (R&D Resource Management) Mary Delia G. Tomacruz; UP Mindanao Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Nilo Oponda; UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters Dean Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete; College of Science Dean Giovanni A. Tapang; Virata School of Business Dean Joel L. Tan-Torres; UP Los Baños College of Agriculture and Food Science Associate Dean Adeliza A. Dorado; UP Diliman College of Engineering Asst. Prof. Roderaid Ibanez; Office of International Linkages-Diliman International Programs Associate Victoria Fajardo; and, UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP) Director Edna Estifania A. Co. The Edu-Connect delegation was comprised of top officials of: National Taichung University of Education, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, St. John’s University, National Taipei University of Business, National Chung Hsing University, National University of Kaohsiung, National Chiayi University, National Tsing Hua University, National Taitung University, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Chang Jung Christian University, I-Shou University, Meiho University, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Green Power Agriculture Technology Co., Rainbow Family Life Education Association, Blessed & Blessing Church in Tainan, Chef Teng Restaurant Group, City Union Marketing Co., i-Pass Corporation, Brogent Global Inc., Mayushan Foods Co., GreatLink Travel Services Co., and MECO-EduConnect Start Up Training Network in Asia. |
https://up.edu.ph/fire-at-the-frontlines-up-pgh-staff-step-up-to-save-lives-awarded-the-order-of-lapu-lapu-for-their-bravery-and-heroism/ | Fire at the frontlines: UP PGH staff step up to save lives, awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu for their bravery and heroism – University of the Philippines | Fire at the frontlines: UP PGH staff step up to save lives, awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu for their bravery and heroism Fire at the frontlines: UP PGH staff step up to save lives, awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu for their bravery and heroism June 11, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The UP-PGH medical staff and personnel, including UP-PGH Director Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, who led the evacuation of patients during a fire at said hospital last May 16, pose for a photo during their conferment of the Order of Lapu-Lapu. Photo from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). In this COVID-19 crisis, hospital workers are critical to humanity’s health and survival. When a disaster strikes on top of an already overwhelming public health crisis, the pressure of a zero-casualty goal weighs even heavier on doctors, nurses, aides, utility workers, security personnel, and responders. The May 16 fire at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), the largest COVID-19 referral facility, tested the mettle of its employees and proved they were ready and willing to go beyond the call of duty. It was their genuine desire to save lives that spurred them to think fast and remain calm. These effectively diffused panic and encouraged cooperation from patients and watchers to evacuate in an orderly manner. A baby who underwent heart surgery was one of the infants evacuated during the fire at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila on early Sunday morning. Photo courtesy of Heart Response/Fire and Rescue Alert Responders, from the Philippine Star’s Facebook page, dated May 16. Six hours after patients were evacuated due to the PGH Fire. Many patients are still not allowed to go back to their rooms due to heavy smoke. Around 60-80 pay patients were temporarily transferred to PGH’s new ER. Photo by Camille Elemia, from Rappler’s Facebook page, dated May 16. The heart of heroism and the spirit of service exemplified by its employees, and UP PGH’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (DRRMP), with pandemic protocols in place, ensured that no one died from the blaze that broke out past midnight. Stepping up and stepping in Dr. Rodney Dofitas, who heads manpower support in the UP PGH COVID-19 Crisis Team, happened to be in the hospital when the fire started in the Operating Room Sterilization Area (ORSA) on the third floor of the Central Block. No, he was not on duty at the time. He had been with his aunt who sadly passed away a few hours before the fire. He was in the elevator when, upon the door opening at the third floor, he heard loud voices. When he went out to investigate, he saw smoke spilling out onto the hallway outside ORSA. The Crisis Team had to be informed, but his phone was barely hanging on to battery life. Dr. Rodney B. Dofitas, Head of the Manpower Support, PGH COVID Crisis Team (below), speaks during the May 23 episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar. Watch the episode on TVUP’s YouTube channel. A quick charge and messages sent to the Team, Dofitas knew he had to take charge until UP PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi arrived. He also knew where to find someone crucial to managing the emergency because Dofitas had seen him hours before. Safety Officer Joel Santiago was in his hospital bed when Dofitas returned to his room. Only, it was not like his visit earlier that evening. Dressed in his hospital gown, Santiago did not hesitate to get up, put on pants and boots, and go into action. Dofitas and Santiago worked with the firefighters on the scene. Screenshots from Dr. Dofitas’ presentation during the May 23 episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar. Watch the episode on TVUP’s YouTube channel. In another part of the hospital, at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), nurse Kathrina Bianca Macababbad was bathing the babies in her care when she was alerted to the fire on the floor below. Wasting no time, she fought back her fear and with fellow nurses, started the priority evacuation of the 35 babies in NICU. The healthier ones, those who were breathing on their own and could be transported in emergency vests, were brought down first. Refusing to leave any baby behind, she and nurse Jomar Mallari rushed back and forth from the ground to the fourth floors to rescue babies on mechanical ventilators, then babies who were intubated. All babies were saved. Dofitas, Santiago, Macababbad, and Mallari, along with UP PGH residents, Dr. Earle Ceo Abrenica and Dr. Alexandra Lee; Safety Officer Ramil Ranoa; NICU nurses Esmeralda Ninto and Phoebe Rose Malabanan; and, nurse and volunteer firefighter Quintin Bagay Jr., were conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu by President Rodrigo Duterte on June 2 for their heroism. The Order of Lapu-Lapu is conferred upon those who accomplished extraordinary acts of service and exceptional contributions to the country. Collective effort While they received the recognition, the UP Manila (UPM) and UP PGH leadership emphasized that it was everyone at the hospital that helped avert what could have been a more disastrous fire had it claimed lives. UPM Chancellor Carmencita Padilla said that in her 43-year stay at UPM and UP PGH, there have been three fire incidents, including the one that happened on May 16. All three took place at night, evacuation had to be undertaken, and all were zero-casualty incidents. Every evacuation carried out by responders and personnel, she said, “is an offering of their lives,” and she expressed gratitude to and lauded the brave and selfless actions of UP PGH staff and the firefighters. UP PGH Director Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi (below) speaks during the May 23 episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar. Watch the episode on TVUP’s YouTube channel. “The best asset of UP-PGH is its people,” Legaspi emphasized. The hospital director declared he was “indebted to [all] the personnel” because it was their collective action, their bayanihan, that saved everyone. Bayanihan was also at work after the fire. UP PGH received a deluge of support, from other hospitals taking in PGH patients to providing industrial fans and equipment that helped dissipate smoke inside the building, from donating respirators and masks to food and drink, and even money. People first, property second. These were Legaspi’s priority concerns when he arrived at the hospital less than an hour after he received news of the fire. He scoured all levels of the Central Block to check that everyone had been evacuated before working with responders and hospital personnel to move equipment out of danger. He estimated the damage at around P50 million. Screenshots from Dr. Dofitas’ presentation during the May 23 episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar. Watch the episode on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Dofitas added that it was the cooperation between UP PGH personnel, responders, patients, and watchers, all following the hospital’s preparedness plan, which ensured that no one perished in the fire and that damage was limited to property. “We knew what to do because we had regular drills,” Santiago said. This, on top of an updated disaster risk management plan that incorporated the health safety protocols of the pandemic. Appropriate evacuation areas had been identified. COVID-19 patients were separated from non-COVID-19 cases. Bagay concurred with Santiago. “It was just a matter of following the protocols in place.” Dr. Regina Berba, head of the UP PGH Hospital Infection Control Unit, revealed that no resulting infections from the evacuation have yet been reported. Institutional preparedness Willingness to act and help in times of disaster can only do so much without guidance on what needs to be done in an efficient manner. In fact, individual actions without adherence to plans in place, the “doing what I think is right” mindset, adds chaos to an already volatile situation, according to Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran, head of UPM DRRM. Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran, head of UPM DRRM, shows a strategic map of the UP-PGH during the May 23 episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar. Watch the episode on TVUP’s YouTube channel. This is where the Incident Command System (ICS) comes in. It plays a key role in managing emergency events and disasters. It is the unified system that makes sure the DRRMP is implemented effectively. “The ICS is used for command, control and coordination in managing an incident, and whose main purposes are for the safety of the responders and other personnel involved in the incident, achievement of tactical objectives, and efficient and optimal use of resources,” explained Genaro Cuaresma, UP Resilience Institute Director for Institution Building. He praised UP PGH’s DRRMP and ICS that “resulted in the presence of mind, timely response, and appropriate courses of action done by all personnel during the time of the incident, which averted a major disaster in the country’s leading government hospital.” It would not have been possible if they had not been capable and properly trained to handle such an event. “The immediate and orderly evacuation of the patients in the affected areas gave the Emergency Response Team time to evacuate and salvage expensive medical equipment in the ORSA and adjacent areas,” Cuaresma added. “UP PGH’s preparedness is worth emulating. . . . Like UP PGH, [other] institutions should conduct regular emergency drills which should be taken seriously. . . . Disaster preparedness is a continuing cycle of: (1) hazards and risks assessment; (2) building a plan; (3) capacity building; (4) testing and evaluating; and, (5) improving the plan. As such, an institution’s DRRMP, ICS, response protocols, and ERT readiness, among others, should be tested regularly.” As UP PGH responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also fully capable of handling an emergency because it has the necessary tools, systems, and strategies in place. In any emergency or disaster, hospitals and health care facilities are one of the most important structures for survival; so there is no such thing as “overpreparedness” as Padilla called it. |
https://up.edu.ph/ana-patricia-non-to-talk-about-community-pantries-in-upcoming-upaa-e-kapihan/ | Ana Patricia Non to talk about community pantries in upcoming UPAA e-Kapihan – University of the Philippines | Ana Patricia Non to talk about community pantries in upcoming UPAA e-Kapihan Ana Patricia Non to talk about community pantries in upcoming UPAA e-Kapihan June 17, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Photo from the Ana Patricia Non (community pantry group) Facebook group page Since entrepreneur and University of the Philippines (UP) Fine Arts alumna Ana Patricia Non started the first community pantry on Maginhawa Street in Teacher’s Village, community pantries have sprung up everywhere across the country as symbols of the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos. Still, many others continue to express interest in setting up their own community pantries in their own localities. In an upcoming “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” to be hosted by the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), Ms. Non, the originator and benefactor behind the original free-food-for-the-poor project called the Maginhawa Community Pantry, will discuss the whys, whats, and hows of her altruistic brainchild, which has since been cloned in other parts of the city and the country. This “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” will be held online via Zoom on 22 June 2021, Tuesday, 10:00-11:00 a.m. (Manila time). Those interested are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at tels. 920-6868; 920-6871; mobile 0917-8372098; or e-mail upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and their personal participant’s passwords. The UPAA “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is open to all UP alumni, faculty, and students, as well as the general public. The “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is a public service project of the UPAA which aims to serve as a regular forum for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to our development as a nation. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding the national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern. |
https://up.edu.ph/ups-first-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-for-2022-targets-the-omicron-wave/ | UP’s first Stop COVID Deaths webinar for 2022 targets the Omicron wave – University of the Philippines | UP’s first Stop COVID Deaths webinar for 2022 targets the Omicron wave UP’s first Stop COVID Deaths webinar for 2022 targets the Omicron wave January 11, 2022 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The new wave of COVID-19 infections sweeping the globe is caused mainly by the new Omicron variant. For the Philippines, an exponential increase in cases with a high positivity rate has been a cause of concern. Omicron is hospitalizing many people. Some patients are in intensive care. Experts predict that a surge is forthcoming during the next two weeks. As the holiday season seems to have created opportunities for the spread of Delta and Omicron, frontline health workers must be ahead of the curve in terms of information. The percentage of cases that Omicron causes are still unknown, and there are indications that there are still cases of Delta spreading. However, Omicron may have been causing a steep rise in patients during the past few days. People are testing positive despite complete vaccination. This first episode of the University of the Philippines (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series for 2022 will have familiar speakers to open this year’s crucial discussion on the Omicron surge. Dr. Franco Felizarta, an infectious disease specialist from the US, will provide the latest information and everything we need to know about the variant based on scientific studies. Dr. John Wong, a senior epidemiologist of Epimeterics, will speak on the epidemiology of the current surge and projections. Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, a consultant for pediatrics at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), will address homecare for COVID-19. Please register for the webinar here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook pages. The 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. We start this year with high hopes to again consolidate our ranks and find ways to serve those who need us the most. Welcome back to our “Stop COVID Deaths” 2022 webinar series. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-revisits-hospital-struggles-amid-covid-surge/ | UP webinar revisits hospital struggles amid COVID surge – University of the Philippines | UP webinar revisits hospital struggles amid COVID surge UP webinar revisits hospital struggles amid COVID surge January 26, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. With the exponential spike in COVID-19 cases this month, hospitals are once again overwhelmed and understaffed. But while certain wards are allowed to close, the emergency room is the one part of a health facility that should always be up and running. The question is, how do we prevent emergency rooms from shutting down? Moving forward, emergency rooms and pre-hospital services around the country must rethink how they are organized. While frontliners must be protected, medical facilities should also treat COVID and non-COVID 19 patients effectively and efficiently. This episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is co-sponsored by the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine, featuring three hospital emergency room heads: Dr. April B. Llaneta from the UP PGH; Dr. Maria Veronica E. Datinguinoo from the East Avenue Medical Center; and Dr. Lourdes D. Jimenez from The Medical City. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, the new head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UP PGH, will respond following the presentations. Dr. Richard Henry S. Santos, President of the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine, will deliver the opening remarks. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla will provide the synthesis. This episode will air live on Friday, January 28, 2022, from 12 PM to 2 PM. Please register for the webinar here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube and Facebook pages. The 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. Together, let’s stop COVID deaths! |
https://up.edu.ph/covid-and-disasters-ph-health-care-post-odette/ | COVID and disasters: PH health care post-Odette – University of the Philippines | COVID and disasters: PH health care post-Odette COVID and disasters: PH health care post-Odette February 3, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. Last December 16 to 17, the strongest typhoon of 2021, Typhoon Odette (Rai), hit the Philippines. Odette’s rapid intensification in just 24 hours made it difficult for authorities to prepare and evacuate. The typhoon affected 11 out of 17 regions and ravaged more than 36 million homes, leaving nine million Filipinos displaced and scrambling. Odette happened simultaneously in the early stages of the Omicron surge. Today, there are at least 150,000 people still living in evacuation centers. A majority still have no access to water and electricity. Two hundred and twenty health facilities were also damaged, making access to primary care, mental health programs, and even COVID-19 vaccination rollouts difficult. On top of this, Omicron is gradually gaining a foothold outside the National Capital Region. How, then, can our health workforce prepare for the double whammy of COVID-19 surges amid super typhoons? As the third most disaster-prone country in the world, what are the long-term preparations and adjustments needed to protect us and our healthcare frontliners? How do we save everyone from disease outbreaks in massive evacuation centers? In this episode of the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, titled “COVID-19 Na, May Bagyo Pa! Paano Na?”, we will take a step back and look at the impact of Typhoon Odette with consideration of the risks of the current Omicron surge. Join us this Friday, February 4, from 12 pm to 2 pm to hear the discussions of the Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao, Dr. Abdullah B. Dumama, Jr. Dr. Mariella S. Castillo of UNICEF will also talk about displacement and its impact on children. Finally, Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran from UP Manila will discuss public health policy, preparedness, and response implications for typhoons and infectious disease outbreaks. Former UP PGH Director and DOH Undersecretary Dr. Johnny Nañagas will deliver the opening remarks. UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla will provide the closing synthesis. Register here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube and Facebook pages. The 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. Together, let’s stop COVID deaths! |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-discuss-the-possibility-of-war-what-it-means-for-us/ | UP webinar to discuss the possibility of war, what it means for us – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to discuss the possibility of war, what it means for us UP webinar to discuss the possibility of war, what it means for us February 23, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila-NIH National Telehealth Center and cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. History teaches us that wars and plagues often go together. With the brewing tension between Ukraine and Russia, the world waits and watches how events between them will unfold. However, this conflict could also have adverse effects worldwide. How should countries prepare for this amid our battles with the pandemic? How are we preparing and ensuring the safety of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)? The Philippines is far from economic recovery because of COVID-19. The possibility of war will further hurt us. We may have to repatriate many of our OFWs. How should we ensure the safe passage of our OFWs without risking the spread of the virus? How do we prepare the health sector for this? Can we negotiate these developments without causing fear and panic? In this special UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar, titled, “Giyera sa Panahon ng Pandemya: Apektado Ba Tayo?”, we take a break from clinical discussions and zoom out to look at the bigger global security picture and how that could affect us in the middle of a pandemic. The episode will air on Friday, February 25, 2022, from 12 pm to 2 pm. We will hear perspectives from Dr. Antonio G.M. La Viña, UP Law Professorial Lecturer on constitutional law, Former Dean of the Ateneo School of Government, and Former Environment Undersecretary. Dr. Juan Ma. Pablo Nañagas, former PGH Director and Health Undersecretary, and Dr. Daniel Lising, Global Health Expert of the UP College of Law, will also be speakers in this program. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Senior Adviser of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UP PGH, will deliver the opening remarks. Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, UP Manila Chancellor, will give the synthesis and closing remarks. Register here and join us as we explore more updates about health and the pandemic as we come to a better understanding of current global events vis-à-vis COVID-19. The 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-discusses-covid-19-effects-after-infection/ | UP webinar discusses COVID-19 effects after infection – University of the Philippines | UP webinar discusses COVID-19 effects after infection UP webinar discusses COVID-19 effects after infection June 16, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Medical experts will discuss the possible long-term effects of COVID-19 infection in the 57th edition of the University of the Philippines (UP) webinar series, “Stop COVID Deaths”, to be livestreamed on June 18, 2021, at 12 noon. The webinar, “Gagaling pa ba Ako, Doc?: Mga Pangmatagalang Komplikasyon ng COVID-19 (Will I Ever be Cured, Doc? Long-Term Complications of COVID-19)”, will be based on a case study from the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), one of the country’s COVID-19 referral centers. “More than a year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we now know that some patients have new, recurring, or ongoing symptoms and clinical findings more than four weeks after infection,” the webinar organizers said. “Under the broad heading of ‘post-COVID conditions’, longer term effects can occur even in those with mild or asymptomatic infections,” they added. The webinar is the 57th in the weekly series produced by UP in partnership with the UP Manila National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center (UPM-NIH-NTC) and in cooperation with the UP-PGH. The series aims to tap into the experiences of clinicians, hospital administrators, and researchers to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice in the clinical management of COVID-19 cases. This week, a case study will be presented by Dr. Ian Gabrielle Hipol and discussed by Dr. Marishiel Samonte, both from the Department of Family and Community Medicine of UP-PGH. Reactors include Dr. Leonora Fernandez from the Division of Pulmonary Medicine; Dr. Sharon Ignacio from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine; and Dr. Sedric John Factor from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine. The webinar will also feature inputs from UP College of Medicine Dean Charlotte Chiong, who will deliver the opening remarks, and UPM-NIH-NTC Adjunct Faculty Dr. Susan Pineda-Mercado, who will deliver the closing remarks and synthesis of the discussions. Those who wish to participate in the webinar may register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar57. If registration reaches full capacity, a YouTube Live broadcast will also be available on TVUP’s website and YouTube channel. Certificates of attendance will be issued to those who have attended at least 50% of the webinar duration. |
https://up.edu.ph/can-children-get-covid-up-webinar-explores-the-topic/ | Can children get COVID? UP webinar explores the topic – University of the Philippines | Can children get COVID? UP webinar explores the topic Can children get COVID? UP webinar explores the topic June 30, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Can children get COVID? In the early part of the pandemic, it was believed that COVID-19 and its moderate and severe forms were mainly a risk for adults, particularly adults with comorbidities like heart disease, diabetes or diseases of the immune system. The upcoming 59th episode of the University of the Philippines (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, an episode co-sponsored by the Philippine Pediatric Society and its regional chapters, will take a closer look at Philippine data on COVID19 and children, its risks, symptoms and management. The webinar is slated for Friday, 2 July 2021, at 12:00 noon. To participate in the webinar, register here. The webinar will also be aired on TVUP’s YouTube channel. Data suggests that fewer children get infected compared to adults, and that children exhibit primarily mild symptoms or are even asymptomatic. However, reports from other parts of the world point to how some children can get severely ill from COVID-19. They might require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe. In rare cases, they might die. Researchers from India have recently reported a rare but serious medical condition associated with COVID-19 in children called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). According to the report, this condition usually develops four to six weeks after children and teenagers have recovered from COVID-19. Babies under a year old and children with certain underlying conditions may be more likely to have severe illness from COVID-19. This Friday’s webinar will present data from studies done at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) to be presented by Dr. Maria Liza Antoinette M. Gonzales. A teen from the United States, Millie Velasquez Walker, who has had COVID and still has lingering symptoms, will join the panel. Another teenager, Patrick De Guzman from the Philippines, will offer the perspective from Manila. The Department of Education, through Undersecretary Diosdado M. San Antonio, will share its perspective on the topic. Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Joselyn Eusebio, President of the Philippine Pediatric Society, and closing remarks by Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila. |
https://up.edu.ph/three-people-one-ventilator-up-webinar-takes-on-covid-19-crisis-level-hospital-care/ | Three people, one ventilator: UP webinar takes on COVID-19 crisis-level hospital care – University of the Philippines | Three people, one ventilator: UP webinar takes on COVID-19 crisis-level hospital care Three people, one ventilator: UP webinar takes on COVID-19 crisis-level hospital care June 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In a pandemic, scarcity of resources is a given. Historically, pandemics are characterized by shortages of human, financial, material and infrastructure resources. For the COVID-19 pandemic, even developed countries with a tremendous amount of resources for staff, equipment, drugs and medicines have experienced shortages, huge gaps in service delivery and severe distress among patients and providers because of ethical and moral dilemmas as to who should be prioritized in crisis situations. For instance, what happens in the health facility when three people need a ventilator and only one is available? This question can be a matter of life and death. Should the decision be made by patients? What is the role of the family? Is it for the doctor and the medical team to decide? Are there guidelines to help decide on who gets access to a bed, a drug or a ventilator? The 58th installment of the University of the Philippines webinar series, “Stop COVID Deaths”, “Who gets the last ventilator? COVID-19 Crisis-Level Hospital Care”, is a virtual grand rounds that will discuss this critical issue by using the ventilator as a proxy for any life-saving intervention. The webinar will be held on 25 June 2021, Friday, at 12:00 noon. Sign up for registration slots at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar58, or watch the webinar on TVUP’s YouTube channel. While the Philippines has not experienced a shortage of ventilators, preparedness for a surge requires taking a closer look at our challenges in relation to scarce resources for life-saving interventions. Among the questions to be faced are: Do we just need more supplies? Do we need a system for sharing of supplies across regions? Do we need guidance on how to manage and monitor limited supplies within institutions, across health facilities and centrally across the country? Main presenter for this week’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar is Dr. Leonora Fernandez, Chief of the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). The panel of reactors include: Maria Fatima Lorenzo, President of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations; Dr. Ralph Elvi Villalobos, consultant with the Division of Pulmonary Medicine at the UP-PGH; Atty. James Dennis Gumpal, head of the UP Manila Legal Office; and, Prof. Leonardo De Castro of the Department of Philosophy, UP Diliman. Opening remarks will be by Dr. Marita Reyes, head of HTAC, former Chancellor of UP Manila and former Dean of the UP College of Medicine, with synthesis and closing remarks by Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine. The “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is produced by the University of the Philippines in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP-PGH. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-takes-on-public-transport-in-the-time-of-covid/ | UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar takes on public transport in the time of COVID – University of the Philippines | UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar takes on public transport in the time of COVID UP “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar takes on public transport in the time of COVID October 13, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institute of Health (NIH), the National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. Efficient transportation has always been an issue in the Philippines. It is no surprise that it has also been gravely affected during this pandemic. The main concern is how to safely transport workers, emergency cases, and most especially, frontliners in their day-to-day jobs. We are not likely to go back to pre-COVID times soon, so we must adapt and find ways to stay safe as we go about the business of living and making a living. This Friday, October 15, from 12pm-2pm, we shall discuss all this in the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar episode, “Travel in the Time of COVID-19”. With the highly transmissible Delta Variant, especially in closed spaces, will public transport be safe? Likewise, is there enough ventilation in LRTs and MRTs? What kind of precautions should we be taking to stay safe while traveling? The webinar will discuss taking public transportation every day and traveling to farther places by plane, land, and sea. What are the requirements when moving from one province to another? Is there enough information, training, and capacity in the transport system to ensure no risk of contracting and further spreading the virus? Our main speaker, Hon. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary of the Department of Tourism, will enlighten us about the topic. She will discuss current measures that are being undertaken to protect both our domestic and international tourism industries. Alongside Hon. Romulo-Puyat are three panel reactors: Engr. Gerald Jo Denoga, Assistant Dean for Research of the UP College of Engineering in Diliman, Prof. Richard Gonzalo, Assistant Vice President of the UP System and Professor at the UP Asian Institute of Tourism, and Cielo Villaluna, Philippine Airlines (PAL) spokesperson. UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla will give the closing remarks. Sign up here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube and Facebook pages. The “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series. It has pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. Register here and follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-everything-we-know-about-covid-19-booster-shots/ | UP Webinar: Everything we know about COVID-19 ‘booster shots’ – University of the Philippines | UP Webinar: Everything we know about COVID-19 ‘booster shots’ UP Webinar: Everything we know about COVID-19 ‘booster shots’ November 4, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. This Friday, November 5, from 12:00 to 2:00 pm, the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series will tackle one of the most talked-about topics regarding COVID-19 and vaccines: booster shots. Titled “COVID-19 Boosters Na, Mix-and-Match Ba?” this special episode will discuss all the latest updates regarding the rollout of booster shots here in the Philippines. With only 24.96 percent of the country’s total population fully vaccinated, how will the booster shots rollout look like? Do we have enough vaccines for primary and booster doses? What’s the difference between a “booster shot” and the third shot of vaccine? What does the science tell us about mixing and matching different COVID-19 vaccine brands? We will hear updates from our speakers, Dr. Eric Domingo, Undersecretary for Health and Director-General of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Dr. Marie Carmela Lapitan, UP Professor of Clinical Epidemiology; and Dr. Christia Padolina, City Health Officer of Navotas. Through his opening remarks, Dr. Ted Herbosa, Special Advisor to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, will provide the “big picture” scenario. At the same time, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla will close the event with her synthesis. Please register for the webinar here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube and Facebook pages. The “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/ups-public-service-conference-highlights-bayanihan-compassion-hope-and-trust-during-the-pandemic/ | UP’s public service conference highlights Bayanihan, compassion, hope, and trust during the pandemic – University of the Philippines | UP’s public service conference highlights Bayanihan, compassion, hope, and trust during the pandemic UP’s public service conference highlights Bayanihan, compassion, hope, and trust during the pandemic November 24, 2021 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II Can the most significant global public health crisis lead to a reawakening of the greatest human values of altruism, compassion, and trust? According to the speakers at the University of the Philippines’ (UP) 4th Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCon), yes, it can. The UP Padayon Public Service Office held this year’s CUPSCon on October 21, 2021, via online platforms. The purpose of this conference was to share information with the attendees on the best practices and challenges that come with public service and the direction where future public service is heading. Screenshot by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO. This year’s theme was “Public Service in Time of COVID: The Role of Academic-Community Partnership in Addressing the Challenges of a Global Pandemic,” which aimed to highlight how the partnerships between academe and other institutions have played a pivotal role in combating and handling the global COVID-19 pandemic and showcasing the various engagements of academe with multiple sectors such as government, civil society, communities, and industries in its pursuit of public service. In her welcome address, UP Vice President for Public Affairs, Elena E. Pernia noted that within the past 18 months since the beginning of the pandemic, the Filipino public has gone through five forms of emotions: anxiety, empathy, anger, hope, and boredom, with anxiety and empathy being the two most dominant emotions. Different factors played a large part in creating anxiety among Filipinos, such as the government’s handling of the pandemic, information on the virus, and the rising number of positive cases. UP VP for Public Affairs Elena Pernia presents a graphic showing five human emotions expressed by the Filipino public in social media during the pandemic, with anxiety (dark blue) and empathy (light blue) being the most predominant. Screenshot by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO. “Despite these negative feelings, our struggles with COVID-19 have awakened our innate ability to empathize and to become compassionate,” Pernia said. Various examples of Filipinos exhibiting compassion include donations to frontline workers from prominent individuals and companies, which have gained massive traction from the online community. “Bayanihan is a beautiful Filipino term and an even more meaningful response at this time of the pandemic. Bayanihan, that Filipino spirit that encapsulates solidarity, cooperation, partnership, and compassion becomes manifest as various sectors think together in spontaneous magnanimity, to volunteer their services and to provide funds, consumable goods, various health equipment, and supplies, innovative solutions, and even quarantine facilities and testing center.” Pernia finished by talking about this year’s CUPSCon highlights, the resilience and stories of human kindness that helped Filipinos in their daily lives combating the COVID-19 pandemic. UP Padayon Public Service Office Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval introduced the keynote speaker, UP PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi. Screenshot by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO. Dr. Gerardo P. Legaspi, Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), spoke on his experiences with the UP PGH during the COVID pandemic. He said that the future was looking bright for the hospital before the pandemic. However, once the coronavirus began to spread, both the hospital’s patients and staff members experienced fear of and uncertainty with this new contagious disease, to the point where they had to suspend their services as a safety measure temporarily. Dr. Legaspi also mentioned that while there were doubts once they converted the hospital into a COVID center, it did not take long until people from different communities and organizations came together to cooperate. UP PGH Director Legaspi shared the experiences of the UP PGH staff during the pandemic. Screenshot by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO. According to Dr. Legaspi, this pandemic has proven no more valuable resource than human resources. He said that with help from many people, they managed the fear from the pandemic, kept up to date with the latest information on the virus, and kept both their frontline workers and patients feel safe and comfortable through PPE, housing, and transport. What started initially as a war against COVID-19 blossomed became a cooperative partnership, a source of pride and inspiration. And it wasn’t just his staff that came together but various communities that offered their support, such as the UP System, Big Business, NGOs, other hospitals, and many other influential individuals. Dr. Legaspi said that hope was an essential factor that led to the creation of all these partnerships. “I think at that time when it was very chaotic, and there was no clear plan in what was going to be done, maybe the PGH offered a glimmer of hope of some organization or some scientific reasoning for what is being done. And just maybe, that the healthcare workers continue to report working in the hospital that everything will be alright,” he said. He mentioned that the next vital factor in helping secure and maintain their relationship was trust. “Trust is what brings forth continuous partnerships and continuous relationships with our benefactors.” UP PGH Dir. Legaspi articulates the contexts and commitments of medical frontliners during the pandemic. Screenshot by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO. Dr. Legaspi ended his talk by comparing his UP PGH trainees’ experience with his own from the EDSA Revolution in 1986 when it came to the massive disruption in their daily lives and the uncertainty and fear around them. Just as he learned so much when he was on the field, his trainees were able to learn very much as well. They should be proud to claim that they were there during these challenging times by providing support and continuing to support them after the pandemic. Watch the CUPSCon virtual plenary here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-makes-clinical-trials-of-vco-vs-covid-19/ | UP makes clinical trials of VCO vs COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP makes clinical trials of VCO vs COVID-19 UP makes clinical trials of VCO vs COVID-19 July 2, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Photo from the UP PGH Facebook page. The UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is not only the country’s biggest and premiere tertiary referral hospital, it is also a University hospital, which is a critical facility for training and research in the service of the country’s public health sector. The PGH being designated by the Department of Health as a COVID-19 tertiary referral center in March 2020 was an affirmation of the government’s regard of the institution for fighting the pandemic. Since then, PGH has been accepting the most serious cases of COVID-19 infections, while not sacrificing its mandate as a general hospital for the masses. It has shared experience and learnings in the clinical management of the disease, primarily through a weekly public webinar. With its proven expertise, the hospital has been allowed compassionate use of convalescent plasma treatment, which has shown promising results for treating serious COVID-19 infections. UP-PGH is also now the venue of a pioneering study by the University of the Philippines, “Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) as Adjunctive Therapy for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients”, in collaboration with the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCHRD). The principal investigators are Marissa Alejandria, MD and Leslie Michelle Dalmacio, PhD, both of UP Manila. The research aims to verify the safety and efficacy of a VCO dosage as a therapy to supplement the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, aged 18 years old and above, admitted at the PGH. Involving more than 75 participants, it began in October 2020. The patients are administered a certain dose of VCO orally. Patients are observed as regards to primary outcomes such as: recovery or resolution of symptoms and duration of hospital stay; the duration by which symptoms progress to a point where patient may need intensive care unit admission or use of ventilation machine after onset of VCO administration; and, a series of blood test outcomes. The time it takes after the VCO administration until a negative result from an RT-PCR test is also monitored. The PGH clinical trials come in the heels of earlier research pointing to VCO antimicrobial properties, benefits to the immune system, and relief of inflammatory conditions and other symptoms in mild and suspect COVID-19 cases. Dr. Fabian Dayrit, Ateneo de Manila University chemistry professor and President of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines, had led in-vitro research supported by DOST-PCHRD that showed compounds from VCO decrease coronavirus count by 60-90 percent when there is low viral load. The results were announced in October last year, with emphasis on VCO’s capability to boost the body’s immune response against COVID-19. In an article by the Institute of Food Technologists, Dayrit explains that ingesting VCO results in the body’s production of the compounds he studied, monolaurin and lauric acid. “Together, monolaurin and lauric acid have the physicochemical property of being able to destroy the membrane of lipid-coated viruses,” according to the article. “What is needed now are clinical trials to validate this and to recommend the amount of intake,” Dayrit says in the article. Dayrit’s work, published through a paper co-authored with Dr. Mary Newport, was followed by a study by the DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute using results of the tests done on 57 people at a community hospital and quarantine facility in Laguna. A press release from the Institute says that five of 29 patients, probable and suspect COVID-19 cases, who were served meals with VCO manifested diminishing signs and symptoms as early as the second day. The patients who were served meals with VCO showed no COVID-19 related symptoms at Day 18, while symptoms persisted in some patients who were served the same meals without VCO until Day 23. The overall conclusion was VCO helped reduce the severity of symptoms of patients with mild COVID-19 and those suspected of infection. Administering VCO to more serious patients in the hospital setting was the next logical step, according to experts. “Indeed, we look forward to the results of clinical trials on the various uses of VCO as an adjunct for the treatment of COVID-19,” Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, Executive Director of the PCHRD, said in a council’s press release. The UPLB National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Photo from the UPLB Biotech-Nat’l Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology FB page. UP has been at the forefront of VCO studies with the UP Los Baños National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology or BIOTECH being a part of the technical working group for the revision of the Philippine National Standard for VCO in 2006. This wasaccording to a status report in 2007 by National Scientist Bienvenido Juliano, of UP Los Baños. At about the same time, the UP Manila National Institutes of Health commissioned a literature review on public health and epidemiological research needs and issues regarding coconut oil and cardiovascular diseases. A couple of years earlier, Dr. Conrado Dayrit of the UP Manila College of Medicine had “started testing the dietary oil on HIV-positive patients and this bold initiative drew the nation’s interest and woke up a sleeping industry on the healing potential of VCO,” said DOST’s Fortunato dela Peña in a 2007 National Academy of Science and Technology monograph. Main Reference: Virgin Coconut Oil as Adjunctive Therapy for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients-Tabular View-ClinicalTrials.gov. (2021). Clinicaltrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04849637?view=record, accessed June 30, 2021. Other References: Juliano, Bienvenido O. “Overview and Rationale”. Virgin Coconut Oil: State of the Art, edited by NS Bienvenido O. Juliano. NAST Monograph Series 14 2007. https://www.nast.ph/images/pdf%20files/Publications/Monograph%20Series/NAST%20Monograph%20Series%2014.pdf, accessed June 30, 2021. Fortunato de la Peña-Posts. (2021). Facebook.com. https://web.facebook.com/dostSecFTP/posts/1549041775247381/, accessed June 30, 2021. De la Peña, Fortunato O. “Message”. Ibid. The Potential of Coconut Oil and its Derivatives as Effective and Safe Antiviral Agents Against the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV-2019). (2020, January 31). Ateneo de Manila University. http://ateneo.edu/ls/sose/sose/news/research/potential-coconut-oil-and-its-derivatives-effective-and-safe-antiviral, accessed June 30, 2021. Researchers think coconut oil may help treat COVID-19 patients-IFT.org. (2020, April 20). Ift.org. https://www.ift.org/iftnext/2020/april/researchers-think-coconut-oil-may-help-treat-covid-19-patients, accessed June 30, 2021. Gumaru, M. (2020). Virgin coconut oil (VCO) study results on COVID-19 suspect and probable cases released by DOST-FNRI. FNRI Website. https://fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/programs-and-projects/news-and-announcement/800-virgin-coconut-oil-vco-study-results-on-covid-19-suspect-and-probable-cases-released-by-dost-fnri, accessed June 30, 2021. Christine Jane Gonzalez. (2020). VCO a potential antiviral agent against COVID-19-Filipino research. PCHRD Website. https://www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/6599-vco-a-potential-antiviral-agent-against-covid-19-filipino-research, accessed June 30, 2021. Thaddeus, D., & Gauiran, V. (n.d.). Treatment for Emerging Infections: Convalescent Plasma and COVID-19. https://home.nbbnets.net/nvbsp-v2/downloadables/lectures/NVBSP-WEBINAR_DeonneGauiran_TreatmentForEmergingInfections.pdf, accessed June 30, 2021. VCO trials on serious COVID-19 cases, patients with comorbidities pushed. (2021). CNN. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/4/16/virgin-coconut-oil-COVID-19-patients.html, accessed June 30, 2021. Ma. Cristina Arayata. (2020, August 5). VCO clinical trial in PGH might start this week: DOST chief. @Pnagovph; Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1111130, accessed June 30, 2021. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-talk-about-domestic-abuse-during-covid-19/ | UP webinar to talk about domestic abuse during COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to talk about domestic abuse during COVID-19 UP webinar to talk about domestic abuse during COVID-19 November 24, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Trigger warning: mentions of violence, abuse The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), would like you to join the fight against COVID-19. “Wear your masks, practice proper hygiene, and only go out when necessary.” These have been the health protocols and guidelines we have been following ever since the start of the pandemic. Especially in the early stages where vaccines were not available yet, people limited themselves from going out, hence the multiple quarantines and lockdowns across the globe. However, along with this deadly virus emerged a so-called “shadow pandemic,” or the alarming rise in domestic violence and abuse against women and children. “In the case of COVID-19, isolation, restricted movement, and stay-at-home measures to contain the spread of the infection have a particularly acute impact on women. The chances of women and their children being exposed to violence dramatically increased. Family members spend more time in close contact, and household stress intensifies. The risk grows even greater when families also have to cope with potential economic or job losses,” the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes. This particular episode of the Stop COVID Deaths webinar series will discuss this very problem. Titled “Stay Safe, Stay Home Daw: Domestic Violence and Abuse during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” the webinar will focus on how we, as frontliners, can help address this pressing issue. The webinar will be from 12 pm to 2 pm on Friday, November 26. Dr. Bernadette Madrid, a multi-awarded pediatrician who initiated the Child Protection Unit at UP PGH and the thought leader in child abuse as a public health problem in the Philippines, will present data, contexts, challenges, and long-term effects child abuse against the backdrop of COVID-19. You will also hear from Dr. Vanessa-Maria F. Torres-Ticzon, training officer of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at PGH, who will discuss abuse and teenage pregnancy among girls ages 10 to 14. Dr. Lyra Ruth Chua, past president of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society and head of the Task Force on Gender-based Violence, will present the importance of a multidisciplinary team and training conducted throughout the country through women and children’s protection units around the country. Atty. Katrina Legarda, a renowned lawyer for women’s rights, will discuss the legal dimensions of this growing problem. UP PGH Deputy Director for Health Operations Dr. Stella Marie L. Jose will deliver the synthesis and closing remarks. Please register for the webinar here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube and Facebook pages. Join us in spreading the word about this shadow pandemic, and together, let’s all stop COVID deaths. The “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-expanding-the-pgh-to-serve-more-filipinos/ | UP expanding the PGH to serve more Filipinos – University of the Philippines | UP expanding the PGH to serve more Filipinos UP expanding the PGH to serve more Filipinos March 14, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Perspective of the UP-Philippine General Hospital Complex in Manila. Illustration from the Public-Private Partnership Center. The University of the Philippines (UP) is one step closer to providing ordinary Filipinos greater access to its brand of world-class and affordable tertiary hospital care and comprehensive cancer care through two upcoming projects: the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH) Cancer Center and the UP PGH Diliman. On March 10, 2022, the proposals for the two major infrastructure projects were elevated by the Investment Coordination Committee-Technical Working Group (ICC-TWG) to the ICC Technical Board (ICC-TB) for re-endorsement to the ICC Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC). The ICC-CC is the highest decision-making body in the Executive Branch that approves major capital projects. Hopes are high for the ICC-CC’s elevation of these priority health projects to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board. Once the NEDA Board approves the projects, the bidding for private sector partners will begin. High-quality and affordable cancer care for poor Filipinos Cancer affects all age groups and all bodily systems and is now the second leading cause of mortality in the country after diseases of the heart and the vascular system. The UP Manila National Institutes of Health’s Institute of Human Genetics study showed that 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos have cancer. In comparison, four Filipinos die of cancer every hour, or 96 cancer patients every day. In 2020, over 150,000 new cases and 90,000 deaths were recorded[1]. During the first half of 2021, over 27,000 deaths from cancer were recorded by the Philippine Statistics Authority or 9% of the total deaths during this period. The UP Philippine General Hospital in UP Manila, Ermita. Photo from the UP PGH Facebook page. The UP-PGH Cancer Center is the University’s response to cancer care’s growing challenge and complexity. It will be a 200 to 300-bed dedicated cancer center within the University’s Manila campus in Ermita. With at least half of all beds exclusively serving underprivileged Filipinos, the new facility will offer advanced, integrated, and affordable oncology care services to those who cannot otherwise access the kind of treatments available in private hospitals. The UP-PGH Cancer Center will be structured as a 30-year Build Transfer Operate (“BTO”) arrangement under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. The private partner will design, finance, construct and commission a new standalone hospital building with a dedicated 150-bed area for charity patients and a 50-150 bed area for paying patients. The UP-PGH will provide all clinical services free of charge for charity patients, while the private sector will offer clinical services to paying patients. The private partner will also provide all major equipment, including replacement equipment, and undertake maintenance and management of the facilities and non-clinical services such as cleaning, catering, laundry, and security for the entire hospital under a 30-year PPP concession. The UP-PGH in northern Metro Manila The UP PGH is the largest government tertiary hospital in the country and the only national referral center for tertiary care. From its 10-hectare site in the UP Manila campus, and with its 1,100 beds and 400 private beds, the UP PGH provides direct and high-quality medical and healthcare to more than 600,000 patients every year, including thousands indigent Filipinos from all over the country. But with the growing population of Metro Manila alone, 13.4 million as of 2020 and counting, the UP PGH has been constrained by its limited space and capacity from serving more patients and reaching more communities, especially the underserved communities in northern Metro Manila as well as in nearby provinces. The proposed UP PGH Diliman, to be built on a 4.2-hectare area in the UP Diliman campus in Quezon City, near the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, is envisioned to fill that gap, making world-class hospital care accessible to more Filipinos, especially the poor. The UP PGH Diliman will be a 700-bed public tertiary hospital accessible to the poor. It aims to complement and enhance the capacity and services of the original UP PGH in Manila. Drawing on the University’s knowledge and research capacities in many disciplines, from the STEM fields to the social sciences to the arts and humanities, the UP PGH Diliman hopes to be the top research hospital in the country. It will complement and enhance the network of health facilities and specialized hospitals in the Quezon City area. The UP PGH Diliman will include, among others, an outpatient department building, a main hospital building, a central podium/administration building, a College of Medicine and Research Laboratory building, and a parking building. It will offer the following specialty services: Genomics and Genomic Research Neurovascular Surgery and Neurosciences Oncology and Wellness Center Hospice and Palliative Care Primary Care in a Multispecialty Outpatient Facility Integrative Medicine Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Center Biomechanical Devices and Equipment Center Sports Medicine Hematology Infertility and Difficult Pregnancy Geriatrics and Home Care Disaster Risk and Reduction Special Services—Toxicology The first two services will also provide much-needed research on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Rare Neurological Diseases (RND). For the UP-PGH Diliman Project, the private sector partner or concessionaire will take on the task of designing, engineering, constructing, and commissioning the buildings and procuring and installing the medical and non-medical equipment. The private sector partner will also operate and maintain all non-clinical services, including facility maintenance, cleaning, laundry, catering, and security. On the other hand, the UP PGH will be responsible for providing the clinical, teaching, and research services and assume the costs of the clinical workforce, drugs, and consumables. The concessionaire’s contract length for the UP-PGH Diliman Project is 25 years. PPPs for healthcare The UP Oblation in front of the UP PGH. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP Media and Public Relations Office). The UP PGH Cancer Center and the UP PGH Diliman are Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. Through these projects, the Philippine health sector may develop a precedent for private-sector cooperation and coordination in providing cancer care for the population and, more broadly, for guided private-sector support of and participation in the public healthcare agenda. For most of the past decades, health investments in the public sector have not kept pace with population growth, and much of the sector’s growth was in the private health sector. Despite this, compared to their private counterparts, public servants in health are expected to serve a more significant and poorer fraction of the population in more challenging locations and with fewer colleagues. They also contend with inflexible and often laborious administrative burdens that hamper the work of specialty health care. Many government hospitals use outsourcing to meet their needs more responsively while also freeing up their human resources to focus on value-adding health care services for indigent patients. Back-of-the-house functions like janitorial, maintenance, and security services; critical systems like hospital information and communication technology; and advanced, highly clinical applications like hemodialysis units and laboratories are usually outsourced. The PPP structure was chosen for the two infrastructure projects after an intensive study found it the most cost-effective and efficient way to implement the projects, with a lower financial impact on the University than public procurement. Without the need for phased government financing, PPP also has a faster timeline for completion. The PPPs will not be privatized. UP remains the owner and operator. The University retains control of the private partner activities through contractual means, including the Minimum Performance Specifications and Standards (MPSS) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Through agencies such as the DOH and the PPP Center, the national government has been encouraging the use of PPP as a possible delivery mechanism where the government can partner with the private sector in delivering quality and cost-efficient health services. Hospitals and other healthcare infrastructure are a vital necessity for the country during the pandemic and in a future where climate change, natural disasters, and new, potential diseases threaten the welfare of the people. Through the UP PGH Cancer Center and UP PGH Diliman projects, UP creates a model for state universities and colleges (SUCs) and other government agencies to conceptualize and implement their health infrastructure and services, all to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being of all Filipinos from all walks of life. [1] Source: Globocan (2020) |
https://up.edu.ph/airborne-or-aerosol-up-webinar-answers-the-debate-on-covid-19-transmission/ | Airborne or aerosol: UP webinar answers the debate on COVID-19 transmission – University of the Philippines | Airborne or aerosol: UP webinar answers the debate on COVID-19 transmission Airborne or aerosol: UP webinar answers the debate on COVID-19 transmission July 7, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office How exactly is COVID-19 transmitted? For the answer, watch the 60th episode in the University of the Philippines (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, which will be held on Friday, 9 July 2021, at 12:00 noon. The debate on the exact mode of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, is typical for new viruses that require close examination. Apart from the fields of biology and medicine, information on the transmission of microbes benefits from the perspectives of engineers who can measure viral particles and recreate how these can move in the air; physicists who study the properties and behavior of particles; as well as infectious disease specialists who can link all this information to human behavior that creates risk of infection. We know that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through droplets. We know that certain hospital procedures can aerosolize the virus and make it airborne, which is why hospitals take airborne precautions. The question is, in the community, the workplace, homes and eventually in schools, are there situations where smaller particles can float in the air and still cause infection even after a person who sneezed or coughed has left the room? How long can the virus remain viable (i.e. capable of reproducing) in the air or on surfaces? What are the situations that have the highest risks in community transmission? How can we protect ourselves? Other questions are: Do we need to stay farther from each other to keep social distance? Completely refrain from eating indoors? How do we properly ventilate our offices, our homes and our schools? These questions and many more on the risks of SARS-CoV-2 transmission will be discussed in the UP “Stop COVID Deaths” 60th webinar. The main presenter is Prof. Gerald Jo C. Denoga, a Mechanical Engineering professor and Associate Dean for Research of the UP Diliman College of Engineering. Reactors are: Dr. Regina P. Berba, Head of the UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Hospital Infection Control Unit; and, Fr. Jett Villarin, SJ, a physicist and former President of the Ateneo de Manila University, with the special participation of veteran health broadcast journalist Niña Corpuz who will make a presentation on how to communicate health risks to the public. Opening remarks will be delivered by Dr. Elena E. Pernia, UP Vice President for Public Affairs, and closing remarks, by Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine. Register here, or watch the livestream on TVUP’s Youtube channel. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-focuses-on-covid-19-in-ph-provinces/ | UP webinar focuses on COVID-19 in PH provinces – University of the Philippines | UP webinar focuses on COVID-19 in PH provinces UP webinar focuses on COVID-19 in PH provinces September 15, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. This Friday, September 17, at 12 noon, the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series will zero in on what’s happening in the provinces. While efforts are mostly focused on the NCR+ bubble, there’s no denying that COVID-19 cases are still steadily rising in the rural areas where hospitals are just as congested, if not more so. The “COVID-19 Outbreak sa Probinsya” episode will take a look at the situation on the ground in different provinces. What are the major challenges in vaccination, testing, treatment, and care? What are the innovations from the field? How are hospitals dealing with the lack of supply of RT-PCR tests, oxygen tanks, and ICU beds? And ultimately, how are frontliners in the provinces coping? The opening remarks will be given by Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo of UP Diliman. We will be hearing first hand from healthcare workers on the ground: Dr. Rio Magpantay, Regional Director of the Department of Health, will report on Region 2. Dr. Bryan Albert Lim of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital will represent Cebu City. An infectious disease specialist, Dr. Leonell Albert Quintos, will discuss the situation in Central Mindanao. And Dr. Fahra Tan-Omar, Chief of Sulu Provincial Hospital, will share what’s happening in Jolo. The webinar will close with UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla’s synthesis and message. Register here and stay connected with your credible online community. |
https://up.edu.ph/official-statement-on-the-postponement-of-the-23rd-commencement-exercises-of-up-mindanao/ | Official Statement on the Postponement of the 23rd Commencement Exercises of UP Mindanao – University of the Philippines | Official Statement on the Postponement of the 23rd Commencement Exercises of UP Mindanao Official Statement on the Postponement of the 23rd Commencement Exercises of UP Mindanao July 28, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the last twenty-five years, the University of the Philippines Mindanao has made it its mission to mold learners into leaders. And every year, it is with great pride that we send off our graduates in their sablay during the commencement exercises so they can find their place in the world guided by “Honor and Excellence.” However, the declaration of a national health emergency due to COVID-19 has disrupted our operations. In response, UP decided to cut short the previous semester and give students the option to defer complying with the adjusted course requirements until next year. We wanted to celebrate the achievements of this year’s graduates through a virtual graduation. But, the rising number of positive cases in the city, affecting even Brgy. Mintal, has slowed down production work for the said virtual event originally planned for streaming on July 30. With this in mind, the University has decided to postpone holding the 23rd Commencement Exercises for next year. We understand that some might feel disappointed, but we ask for your kind understanding as we prioritize the health and wellbeing of all our constituents. Note that the names of the graduating students who have completed their requirements in June 2020 were endorsed by the University Council to the UP Board of Regents for final approval of graduation as of 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020. To the Class of 2020: Congratulations! See you next year! Sabay-sabay sumablay sa 2021! |
https://up.edu.ph/the-challenge-of-rehabilitation-for-covid-survivors-in-up-stop-covid-deaths-webinar/ | The challenge of rehabilitation for COVID survivors in UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar – University of the Philippines | The challenge of rehabilitation for COVID survivors in UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar The challenge of rehabilitation for COVID survivors in UP “STOP COVID DEATHS” webinar June 30, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Out of the over 36,000 cases of COVID-19 in the country as of the latest count, almost 10,000 have recovered. But for many of the patients who manage to survive severe COVID-19, rehabilitation is only the next stage of the fight. COVID-19 patients who were placed in intensive care units may have rehabilitation needs related to the effects of intubation and ventilation as well as prolonged immobilization and isolation from loved ones. Some of these effects include impaired lung function, physical deconditioning and weakness, difficulty in swallowing and speaking, mental health issues like depression, delirium and cognitive impairment, and the need for continuing psychosocial support. Those with other underlying diseases or older persons may have greater needs. Rehabilitation plays a critical role in early discharge and in preventing relapse and readmission. Rehabilitation services for survivors need to be a part of pandemic preparedness and planning as care for the patients does not end upon discharge from the hospital. The University of the Philippines in partnership with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center is presenting the 11th installment of the webinar series “STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates” this Friday, July 3, at 12 n.n., focusing on “Rehabilitation for Critical Care Survivors of COVID-19”. Dr. Celso F. Bate, physiatrist at The Medical City and VRP Medical Center, will be discussing interventions based on frontline practice, as well as options for the continuation of rehabilitation through inpatient, outpatient, home-based or telehealth services. The UP “STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates” is held every Friday from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Registration slots are limited, so sign up now: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar11. |
https://up.edu.ph/new-up-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-to-focus-on-the-doctor-as-covid-19-patient/ | New UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar to focus on the doctor as COVID-19 patient – University of the Philippines | New UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar to focus on the doctor as COVID-19 patient New UP Stop COVID Deaths webinar to focus on the doctor as COVID-19 patient July 30, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office By now it is common knowledge that among the very first COVID-19 deaths in the Philippines were doctors. Estimates from April 2020 indicate that 22 doctors had already died from the disease. Last March 15, a 69-year old male with a history of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea made his way to the emergency room. He was experiencing fever and myalgia and expressed concerns about possible exposure to COVID-19 at a conference held earlier that month in Clark City. Nasal and throat swabs were taken for SARS-Cov-2 (what we commonly now know as COVID-19), in addition to a CBC and a chest X-ray, both of which came out normal. The bad news came the next day–our patient’s swab tests tested positive and he was immediately admitted. The patient noticed himself feeling out of breath, a condition known as ‘exertional dsypnea’, and his symptoms worsened to the point where the medical staff had to reach a decision whether or not to intubate him and supply oxygen through a mechanical ventilator. This snippet might fit the profile and experience of a typical at-risk patient for COVID-19, except that the patient in question was renowned cardiologist Dr. Rody Sy. In this case, Dr. Sy was a patient that understood his dire situation and the pivotal decisions made on his behalf that could spell the difference between life and death. The experiences and tragedies that befell the country’s medical professionals have provided the silver lining of being very instructive to those in the medical community like Dr. Sy, who can make interventions to prevent them. Why were doctors getting infected? Why were they not getting better? And what strategies would work best to aid one’s survival from a severe COVID-19 infection? In this episode of Virtual Grand Rounds of the University of the Philippines-Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Webinar Series on STOP COVID DEATHS, titled ‘The Doctor as Patient: The Journey of Dr. Rody Sy’.we will join him in taking a closer look at the therapeutic and diagnostic dilemmas during the early stages of COVID-19 in the Philippines, what we have learned since then, and how we can better understand the perspective of the patient, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The very first UP-PhilHealth “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS” will be held on July 31, 2020 (Friday) 12nn. Register here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar15. |
https://up.edu.ph/mensahe-para-sa-mga-magsisipagtapos-2020/ | Mensahe para sa mga Magsisipagtapos 2020 – University of the Philippines | Mensahe para sa mga Magsisipagtapos 2020 Mensahe para sa mga Magsisipagtapos 2020 September 7, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Video at edit ng TVUP Binabati ko kayo, mga mahal kong iskolar ng bayan, sa inyong pagtatapos mula sa UP Nating Mahal. Kayo ay nabibilang sa katangi-tanging Batch 2020. Natatangi sapagkat kayo ay nagsipagtapos sa panahon ng isang pandemya. Na kahit pa napaikli ng pandemyang ito ang inyong paglagi at pag-aaral sa loob ng ating pamantasan ay buong husay at tapang ninyong hinarap ang lahat ng hamon ng pagkakataon at matagumpay kayong nakaraos sa mga kursong inyo ngayong tinapos. Totoo nga na kakaiba ang mga seremonya ng pagtatapos sa ating bansa ngayon. Subalit hindi man ninyo naranasan ang mga kaabang-abang na tradisyon tulad ng pagsusuot ng ating Sablay, paggawad ng mga titulo at karangalan, paglahok sa mga lightning rally, at iba pa, kayo naman ay mga tunay pa rin na mga gradweyt at ngayon ay alumni na ng UP. Taos-puso pa rin nating ipinagdiriwang ang okasyong ito, gaya ng mga nagdaang araw ng pagtatapos, at pinasasalamatan natin ang lahat ng ating mga nakasama sa makabuluhang paglalakbay na ito. Sa mga nakalipas na buwan, natutunan natin kung paano harapin ang isang kakaibang sitwasyon sa kasaysayan ng ating daigdig at lipunan, ang pagharap sa sakit na COVID-19. Bagamat hindi pa lubos na natatapos ang mga panganib na sanhi ng nasabing sakit, ating tandaan na hindi biro ang paghubog, pagsasanay at paghahandang ibinahagi sa inyo ng UP upang mapagtagumpayan ninyong sama-sama ang anumang hamong inyong kakaharapin. Ating tandaan na ang panahon ng krisis ay hindi lamang isang masamang panaginip. Ito rin ay isang mabuting pagkakataon upang tayo ay lalong magpunyagi, magpakahusay at makapaglingkod sa bayan. Isabuhay natin ang diwa ng UP, ang pagkakaisa, ang paglilingkod nang buong husay at dangal, at patunayan natin na walang hangganan ang pagaambag ng ating Unibersidad at ng kanyang mga alumni sa paghahanap at paglalapat ng mga epektibong alternatibo at solusyon sa anumang suliranin. Sa tulong ng inyong mga propesor, kamag-aral, kasama sa kolehiyo at mga organisasyong kinabibilangan, naibigay ng UP ang lahat ng aralin at kasanayan, sa loob ng higit na maikling panahon at sa pamamagitan ng kakaibang pamamaraan ng pagtuturo. Dapat nating mapagtanto na ang tunay at higit na makabuluhang larangan ng pagkatuto ay nasa labas ng ating pamantasan. Kayo, ang Batch 2020, ang unang henerasyon ng mga nagsipagtapos na iskolar ng bayan sa panahon ng pandemyang COVID-19. Inaasahan kong kayo ay mangunguna sa pagbabangon sa ating bayan mula sa lusak ng trahedyang ito. Gamitin sana ninyo nang wasto ang karunungang Tatak UP. Buong giting at husay nawa ninyong gampanan ang pagiging mabuting Pilipino, na may utak at puso para sa kapwa at para sa bayan. Muli, binabati ko kayo sa makasaysayan at makabuluhang okasyong ito. Gabayan nawa kayo ng Poong Maykapal. Danilo L. Concepcion Pangulo Unibersidad ng Pilipinas |
https://up.edu.ph/up-online-grand-rounds-to-focus-on-covid-19s-impact-on-the-gastrointestinal-tract/ | UP online grand rounds to focus on COVID-19’s impact on the gastrointestinal tract – University of the Philippines | UP online grand rounds to focus on COVID-19’s impact on the gastrointestinal tract UP online grand rounds to focus on COVID-19’s impact on the gastrointestinal tract September 10, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office While COVID-19 is well-known for its impact on the respiratory system, research has shown that SARS-CoV-2 can also harm the gastrointestinal tract. The 21st installment in the UP webinar series “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS” will focus on one such case: a patient with a history of Crohn’s disease who showed symptoms of gastric distress and partial gut obstruction but whose diagnosis was delayed, and who is also suspected to be COVID-positive. The webinar, “Barado at Sarado: Gut Obstruction During the Time COVID-19?”, will be held on Friday, September 11, 2020, at 12:00 n.n. Dr. Brent Viray, Senior Resident at the UP Philippine General Hospital’s (UP PGH) Department of Surgery, will be presenter for this particular case, while Dr. Hermogenes Monroy, Chief of the Division of Colorectal Surgery, UP PGH Department of Surgery will be the discussant. Dr. Orlando Ocampo, Head of the PGH COVID Response Task Force and Chief of the Trauma Division of the UP PGH, and Ms. Cecilia G. Peña, Deputy Director for Nursing of the UP PGH, will be the reactors. Grand rounds are an integral part of traditional medical education and inpatient care wherein doctors, pharmacist, residents and medical students gather to discuss the particular medical problems and the treatment of a particular patient. The webinar series “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS” are the very first online medicine grand rounds in the Philippines. The series is organized by the University of the Philippinesin partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, in cooperation with the UP Manila College of Medicine and the UP PGH. Register now at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar21. |
https://up.edu.ph/six-upcmc-alumni-named-2020-glory-awardees/ | Six UPCMC alumni named 2020 Glory awardees – University of the Philippines | Six UPCMC alumni named 2020 Glory awardees Six UPCMC alumni named 2020 Glory awardees October 7, 2020 | Written by Oscar Gomez Two journalists, an arts community advocate, a development communicator, an education innovator, and a producer-writer of hit television shows are this year’s six outstanding alumni of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UPCMC) who will receive the coveted Glory award. The “Glory” honors UPCMC alumni who did not only produce excellent work consistently but also made an impact in mass communication and society. Selected by a jury of their peers, the 2020 Glory awardees are Karen Davila (broadcast journalism), Dr. Rey de la Cruz (special education), Deo Endrinal (television arts), Dr. Monina Movido-Escalada (development communication), Lutgardo Labad (arts & culture advocacy), and Criselda Yabes (literary journalism). UPCMC Alumni Association president Malou Choa Fagar announced that due to the continuing public health crisis, the Glory awards presentation on November 14 will take place in a virtual environment. The Glory Awards were inspired by the legacy of honor and excellence of Dr. Gloria Feliciano, the founding dean of UP mass communication programs, who served from 1965 to 1985. UPCMC produced some of the best practitioners in broadcasting, film, journalism, and communication research in the past 55 years. Many alumni also shone in allied fields like marketing communication, social advocacy, public relations, and the performing arts. The seven distinguished jurors of the 2020 Glory Awards were UPCMC dean and film professor Dr. Arminda Santiago; UPCMC communication research department chairperson Dr. Julienne Thesa Baldo-Cubelo; PR expert and former UP vice president for public affairs Tessa Jazmines; broadcast news veteran Jose “Jing” Magsaysay, who also represents the family of Dean Feliciano; writer-director and 2019 Glory awardee Floy Quintos; noted film and TV director, writer and educator Jose Javier Reyes; and 2018 Glory awardee Luz Rimban, executive director of the Asian Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University. THE 2020 AWARDEES Broadcast journalist Karen Davila is a veteran news anchor and correspondent of ABS-CBN. Her long-running daily Q&A show Headstart on ANC puts newsmakers on the proverbial hot seat to illuminate current and controversial issues. Davila began her career as a writer-presenter of documentaries for The Probe Team and was part of the ABS-CBN investigative journalism series The Correspondents. She also moderated presidential debates and the televised sessions of the World Economic Forum-East Asia Summit. She bagged international prizes for her in-depth reporting about children and street drugs, children in jail, and the Marcopper Mining environmental disaster. Davila also won the TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) and TOWNS (The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service) awards and was the Rotary Club of Manila’s Journalist of the Year in 2004. Recently her popular program about successful micro and small entrepreneurs, My Puhunan, was cancelled as a result of the non-renewal of ABS-CBN’s congressional franchise. Nonetheless she is continuing to present inspirational stories of hope and resilience (particularly during the pandemic) on her own social media pages. Author and special education expert Rey de la Cruz is also a Palanca award-winning playwright, pioneering alternative filmmaker, gender-equality advocate, and developer of innovative teaching strategies. Peer-reviewed journals and conferences recognized his research showing the effects of creative drama on social and oral-language skills of children with learning disabilities. Drawing from his versatile range of disciplines, De la Cruz originated and disseminated the classroom use of the ancient Philippine board game sungka in teaching social and math skills engagingly, for which he received a diversity award from the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children-Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners. He was an adjunct professor in Chicago State University where he taught special-education courses to undergraduate and graduate students. In recognition of his exemplary achievement in the education field, the Illinois State University College of Education inducted him into its Alumni Hall of Fame. As head of ABS-CBN’s content production unit Dreamscape Entertainment, Deo Endrinal is one of television’s top ”showrunners” who has overall creative authority and management responsibility for TV shows. He started as a writer and producer for GMA Network (Martin After Dark and Lunch Date), TV5 (Pops) and ABS-CBN, his home network for the past three decades. Some of the most successful ABS-CBN programs from the 1990s up to the present bear his imprint—from Showbiz Lingo, The Buzz, Today with Kris, Game Ka Na Ba?, Mula Sa Puso, ASAP and recent hits May Bukas Pa, Tayong Dalawa, Walang Hanggan, On The Wings of Love, Kadenang Ginto, The General’s Daughter, and Ang Probinsyano. Since 2018 Endrinal has been producing movies for the digital platform iWant such as Glorious, Bagman, Call Me Tita, and the recent Love Lockdown, which experimented on new ways of filming in a pandemic. He orchestrated the movie’s efficient production under strict physical distancing protocols. The denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise pushed the network to find a new home on Youtube and Facebook, where Endrinal helped Kapamilya Online Live garner millions of subscribers in record time and where he continues to introduce new content. Monina Movido-Escalada is an internationally acclaimed development communicator and a professor emeritus at the Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte. She rose from a research assistant to assistant professor of broadcast communication in UP Diliman in the 1970s. In the past three decades, her research pursued a deeper and better understanding of farmers’ management and decision-making practices. The findings enabled her to develop learning strategies that include entertainment-education approaches using radio soap operas, for example. Her research design, monitoring, evaluation and scaling up initiatives resulted in favorable behavior change in the way farmers manage their resources. Escalada has been honored by the World Bank, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, the UN Environmental Program, and the governments of Vietnam and Japan for her agricultural innovations. She also won the St. Andrews Prize for Environment, the United Kingdom’s only international prize for environmental achievement. Lutgardo Labad has stood at the vanguard of Philippine arts and culture advocacy for almost half a century. He is a multi-awarded theater artist, teacher, cultural worker, and arts & heritage promoter. Labad was instrumental in developing the creative arts and theatre curriculum of the Philippine Educational Theater Association. As PETA’s pedagogy and artistic director for 25 years, he conducted workshops for disadvantaged provincial communities, the urban poor, and the indigenous peoples of Mindanao.“Gardy” is probably best known as a musical scorer. He has worked on 85 films, winning nine awards for scoring the cinema classics of National Artists Lino Brocka, Eddie Romero and UPCMC distinguished alumnus Maryo de los Reyes such as Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang (1974), Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? (1976) Pakawalan Mo Ako (1982), Bilangin Ang Mga Bituin sa Langit (1990), Magnifico (2004), and Naglalayag (2004). After resettling in his home province of Bohol in 1994, Gardy organized community theater groups across the Visayas to make them integral to sustainable development thrusts, especially in ecological and cultural tourism. He received the Galing Pook award for best local government unit cultural program and was honored by Philstage with a lifetime achievement award in theater in2019. He used to chair the dramatic arts committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He is also the international staging director and impresario of the world-famous Loboc Children’s Choir. Criselda Yabes is a veteran freelance journalist and award-winning author of 10 books. Her long-form journalism written in engaging literary style has been the trademark of her craft, just like how she immerses herself for lengthy periods in her subjects and locales. Yabes released her newest book last August 31 (National Heroes Day) entitled The Battle of Marawi, her gripping account of the five-month urban warfare between Philippine government forces and radical Islamist rebels in 2017. She began her journalism career reporting on the restored democracy, restive military, and raging insurgencies of the 1980s. That period inspired her first book, The Boys from the Barracks: The Philippine Military after EDSA, in which she traced the history of dissent within the military through intimate portraits of the soldiers who took part in several uprisings. Yabes remarkably won the top writing laurels in two different categories of the UP Centennial Literary Prize in 2008—one for her creative non-fiction book, Sarena’s Story: The Loss of a Kingdom, about the fall of the Sulu Sultanate, and another for a book under fiction, Below the Crying Mountain, a weave of love stories set against the backdrop of the Moro rebellion that broke out in the 1970s. “Below the Crying Mountain” was the only Filipino-written novel nominated for the prestigious Man Asian Literary Prize in 2010. It was re-published by Penguin Books Southeast Asia in 2019. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-pgh-hotline-155-200/ | UP-PGH HOTLINE 155-200 – University of the Philippines | UP-PGH HOTLINE 155-200 UP-PGH HOTLINE 155-200 April 22, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office TUMAWAG sa 155-200 para sa mga katanungan at pag-aalala ukol sa COVID-19 at iba pang karamdaman. May ubo at lagnat ako, meron na ba akong COVID-19? Masakit ang lalamunan ko at mabigat ang pakiramdam, ano ang gagawin? Nahihilo, mataas ang BP, may diarrhea at gastrointestinal bleeding, saan ako pupunta? Mayroong may COVID-19 sa barangay/hospital namin. Mahahawa ba kami? Tingin ko ako ay COVID+, ano ang aming gagawin at saan kami pupunta? May medical emergency kami, sa PGH ba ang punta namin? May frontliner sa lugar namin. Dapat ba mag-alala kami? Gusto kong mag-donate ng pagkain at kagamitan. Sino ang tatawagan ko? Bukas po 24/7 para sa mga katanungan ukol sa COVID-19 at iba pang karamdaman, paano mag-boluntir, at mag-donate. Ang HOTLINE ay toll-free sa Pilipinas. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-confers-honorary-degree-on-former-university-president-alfredo-e-pascual/ | UP confers honorary degree on former University President Alfredo E. Pascual – University of the Philippines | UP confers honorary degree on former University President Alfredo E. Pascual UP confers honorary degree on former University President Alfredo E. Pascual September 7, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Former UP President Alfredo Pascual addressing the UP Manila Class of 2020. Screenshot from the livestream of the UP Manila commencement exercises. Former UP President and a business leader, Alfredo E. Pascual, was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws at the University of the Philippines Manila’s first virtual 111th Commencement Exercises, which was held on Sunday, September 6, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., with replay available on the UP Manila Commencement YouTube channel. Mr. Pascual congratulated the more than 800 members of UP Manila Class of 2020 on their historic achievement, as well as the faculty, staff and administrators of UP Manila for their quick and decisive actions to help the country battle the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that, even before the pandemic, the rapid technological changes brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or FIRe for short, have brought about disruptions in society, work and labor, and the economy at an unprecedented scale, scope and speed. “We now live in a VUCA world, meaning volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. This kind of environment is a challenge for many but you, our young graduates can cope. I know you can. You have time on your side, and ability to adapt yourselves to the emerging changes. More importantly, you have the opportunity to become active players in rebuilding our country post-COVID,” he said. He also compared the UP sablay to the fabric of Filipino society, woven from people’s aspirations, struggles and victories. He exhorted the UP graduates to live a life of service to the country by taking on leadership roles in their chosen fields and weaving meaningful change and transformation. To become good leaders, he added, UP graduates must have humility, integrity, courage, agility, and resilience. Former UP President Alfredo Pascual exhorts the new graduates to live a life of service by becoming good leaders. Screenshot from the livestream of the UP Manila commencement exercises. “As I have said before, we from UP must succeed not because we have a reputation to keep but because we have a country to serve,” he finished with the words were his well-known call during his administration as UP President. Mr. Pascual served as the 20th president of the University of the Philippines from 2011-2017, distinguishing his term with a range of impactful initiatives and reforms that earned him a special citation from the Board of Regents. His strategic vision of ONE UP unified the UP System with its eight constituent universities (CUs) across 17 campuses nationwide. Former UP President Alfredo E. Pascual being awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at UP Manila’s very first virtual 111th Commencement Exercises, with current UP President Danilo L. Concepcion (left) looking on. Screenshot from the livestream of the UP Manila commencement exercises. Facilities and infrastructure were significantly improved with the addition of over 100 new buildings and structures, plus 50 major renovations in various campuses. Investments also went to modernizing equipment in the UP Manila-Philippine General Hospital, the Philippine Genome Center, and the UP Manila-National Institutes of Health building. Funds were also allocated for the rehabilitation of facilities for the performing arts and creative works in different campuses. He also sought to internationalize the University, subjecting its systems and curricular programs to international evaluations. By the end of his term, UP entered the Times Higher Education list as one of the top research universities in Asia. The University has since continued to rise in this and other global rankings of educational institutions. His administration’s focus on serving the country has meant enhanced public service capabilities through a University public service office, the internet-based TVUP, and the UP Resilience Institute. His Green UP movement has resulted in improved environmental sustainability. UP President Danilo Concepcion presenting former UP President Alfredo Pascual with his third degree from UP. Screenshot from the livestream of the UP Manila commencement exercises. Mr. Pascual earned his BS Chemistry degree, cum laude, and his MBA in UP. He has since worked as an international development banker, corporate governance advocate and management educator. He is currently involved with the Technical Advisory Group on Climate Change and the Environment in the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization, and with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Multi-Sector Governance Council, to name a few. He is also an Independent Director of Concepcion Industrial Corporation. Mr. Pascual received the honorary degree from the UP Board of Regents upon the recommendation of the President of UP and Committee on Honorary Degrees. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-tackle-covid-19-and-its-impact-on-the-philippine-healthcare-system/ | UP webinar to tackle COVID-19 and its impact on the Philippine healthcare system – University of the Philippines | UP webinar to tackle COVID-19 and its impact on the Philippine healthcare system UP webinar to tackle COVID-19 and its impact on the Philippine healthcare system May 4, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region and contiguous areas has had profound effects on our health care systems. Hospitals are barely able to accommodate COVID and non-COVID patients. Local government units are unable to keep up with the pace of testing and contact tracing needed, and communities that are going hungry with the extended quarantines. In this episode of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) shares its lessons learned from a surge in early March 2021 that shut down certain parts of the hospital. The webinar will include a discussion on the important role that genetic sequencing has played in affirming and prioritizing contact tracing, isolation, and education of individuals who may have been exposed to patients who contracted any of the new variants. The role of telemedicine in decongesting the crowded hospitals of Metro Manila is presented. The 51st installment in the webinar series, which recently marked its first-year anniversary, is titled “SOS: Save Our Systems from the COVID-19 Surge”. It will be held on Friday, May 7, 2021, at 12:00 noon. Dr. Nina Berba, head of infectious disease control at the UP-PGH, will be the main presenter. Reactors are Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, UP-PGH Director; Dr. Eva Cutiongco de la Paz, UP Manila National Institutes of Health Executive Director; Dr. Raymond Sarmiento, Director of the UP Manila National TeleHealth Center, National Institutes of Health; and, Dr. Sito Nunez, Chief of East Avenue Memorial Medical Center. Register for this special edition of the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series here: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar51 |
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