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https://up.edu.ph/aghamsining-ups-best-innovations-and-creative-works-to-be-showcased-in-a-2-day-innovation-and-knowledge-festival/ | Agham+Sining: UP’s best innovations and creative works to be showcased in a 2-day Innovation and Knowledge Festival – University of the Philippines | Agham+Sining: UP’s best innovations and creative works to be showcased in a 2-day Innovation and Knowledge Festival Agham+Sining: UP’s best innovations and creative works to be showcased in a 2-day Innovation and Knowledge Festival November 28, 2022 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The University of the Philippines (UP) is showcasing the research and creative work, and scientific and technological innovations of its community in a two-day knowledge festival, and everyone is invited to come and participate. The “Agham + Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022” will be held on November 28-29 at the UP Bonifacio Global City (BGC) campus as a hybrid event—both face-to-face and live-streamed. It will feature the best products from UP’s best in the sciences and the arts. These include innovations and promising research led by brilliant university faculty and researchers and the best technologies adopted by UP’s industry partners and research projects to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. For the arts, the festival will promote the digital and physical outputs of the University’s creative minds, from history to visual arts and cinema and indigenous and local cultures to education and innovation. Some of the projects to be featured are: Project SARAi, or Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines, aims to develop a national crop forecasting and monitoring system for rice, corn, banana, coconut, coffee, cacao, sugarcane, soybean, and tomato farming, and is being implemented by the UP Los Baños, together with several state universities and colleges and national government agencies. Bio-Nitrogen, or Bio-N, is an organic/microbial inoculant fertilizer for rice and corn that increases yield while maintaining soil health. Lab in a Mug/Dengue Detection Kit, or the Biotek MTM aqua kit, a miniaturized nucleic acid-based detection kit with 85% Sensitivity and 100% Specificity in detecting Dengue, and a turnaround time of just 1 hour, with results that can be seen with a naked eye. Yerba Buena, an aromatic herb known as mint, spearmint, or marsh mint found in the Philippines, contains Menthalactone. This substance has been shown to have analgesic or pain-relieving activity. Mussel Glycogen, utilizes the glycogen content of various mussel species in the Philippines and optimizes the procedures for glycogen extraction and use in multiple products. VISSER, or Versatile Instrumentation System for Science Education and Research, is a low-cost, portable, and handheld science kit that allows high school students to conduct over 50 science experiments in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering, which greatly contributes to the enhancement of the STEM strand. PteraBooster, which involves the processing of biowaste using Black Soldier Fly Larvae to produce products such as nutrient-rich organic compost and protein-rich animal feedstuff. And TVUP, the University’s Internet television (webcast) network, offers free informational and instructional material via its Facebook page and YouTube channels, has recently launched its CIGNAL TV Channel 101 in partnership with Cignal TV Inc. The two-day knowledge festival will also feature sessions on Teaching and Learning in the Digital Era, Sining at Ako: Kasaysayan, Kultura at Pagkakakilanlan; Green Energy and Sustainable Solutions, Responsible Consumption and Production, and more. The “Agham + Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022” is organized by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the UP System Technology Transfer and Business Development Office. Registration details shall be posted soon. For updates, visit the OVPAA Facebook page. Download the Agham + Sining Programme here. You may also view the schedule of activities below. #SDG3 #SDG4 #SDG7 #SDG9 |
https://up.edu.ph/two-up-alumni-awarded-for-exemplary-government-service/ | Two UP alumni awarded for exemplary government service – University of the Philippines | Two UP alumni awarded for exemplary government service Two UP alumni awarded for exemplary government service March 13, 2023 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Two alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) were recognized for their exemplary government service by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. at the awarding ceremony for the recipients of the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) Presidential Lingkod Bayan, Pagasa, and Dangal ng Bayan Awards for 2022. The awarding ceremony was held on 8 March 2023 in Malacañang. Among the six Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardees for 2022, recognized for having made significant strides in the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, is Dr. Cynthia P. Saloma Executive Director of the UP Philippine Genome Center (UP PCG), and UP Professor. According to the CSC’s press release, Dr. Saloma was recognized for laying the infrastructure for genomics research in the country and the foundation by which genomic biosurveillance is now part of the arsenal for pandemic preparedness. With her leadership, the UP PGC was able to provide the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases with science-based genomics data critical to the whole-of-nation approach management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Saloma earned her Bachelor of Science in Fisheries degree from UP Visayas, magna cum laude. Among the six CSC Pagasa awardees, on the other hand, is Professor Emeritus Edward A. Barlaan of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), North Cotabato. A Master of Science in Agronomy graduate of the UP Los Baños Graduate School, Dr. Barlaan was recognized for his exemplary efforts and outstanding output as an academician, administrator, researcher, scientist, and extension worker. Besides being a professor in undergraduate and graduate courses, he also served as Vice-President for Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) of USM from June 2020 to April 2022, providing improvements in RDE systems in the university. The CSC’s Presidential Lingkod Bayan (PLB) Award is conferred on an individual or group for exceptional or extraordinary contributions resulting from an idea or performance that had nationwide impact on public interest, security, and patrimony. The Pagasa Award, on the other hand, is conferred to an individual or group for outstanding contribution/s resulting from an idea or performance that directly benefit more than one department of the government. With reports from the UP Office of Alumni Relations. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumna-receives-2023-uae-health-foundation-prize/ | UP alumna receives 2023 UAE Health Foundation Prize – University of the Philippines | UP alumna receives 2023 UAE Health Foundation Prize UP alumna receives 2023 UAE Health Foundation Prize May 31, 2023 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Pictured here from left: Hon Chris Fearn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health of Malta and WHA76 President; Dr Maria Asuncion Silvestre from the Philippines; WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Sector, Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates. © WHO / Pierre Albouy An alumna of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine, Dr. Maria Asuncion Silvestre, was awarded the 2023 United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize during the 76th World Health Assembly for her advocacy work in promoting exclusive breastfeeding and improving the health of mothers and newborns. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Silvestre is a renowned clinician and researcher, a passionate advocate for exclusive breastfeeding, and the founder of a nongovernmental organization Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina, Inc. (KMI). She designed a pioneering protocol called Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care, consisting of a simple set of choreographed actions for health workers attending a mother during delivery and her newborn immediately after birth and during the first week of the child’s life. This affordable Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care Protocol helps to bridge the health equity gap. “Non-separated, the mother/newborn pair is our first food system. We should protect it as passionately and as furiously as we protect our agricultural lands, coral reefs, and rainforests,” Silvestre said during the awarding ceremony, as reported by the WHO. “We sought to ‘re-choreograph’ actions in the first minutes to hours after birth, eliminating unnecessary actions, so we formulated a time-bound sequence of steps. Many health facilities in my country and elsewhere implemented the Protocol and reaped the benefits. Evidence shows that receiving at least one of the four core steps was protective; the more elements of essential care received, the more newborn survival improved. Breastfeeding saves lives,” she added. In collaboration with the Philippine government and 17 other countries of the WHO Western Pacific Region, Dr. Silvestre scaled up the “First Embrace” campaign for Early Essential Newborn Care, a set of simple WHO-recommended and cost-effective interventions. Her work has helped save lives at national level and beyond, earning her the 2023 UAE Health Foundation Prize. The UAE Health Foundation Prize According to the UAE Health Foundation Prize’s Guidelines, the prize is given to a person or persons, an institution or institutions, or an NGO or NGOs that have accomplished notable advances in the health field according to the global strategy for achieving health for all by the year 2000. “The aim of the UAE Health Foundation Prize is to motivate health workers, including scientists, researchers, workers and specialists,” said Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, when presenting the prize to Dr. Silvestre on behalf of the UAE Health Foundation, “in order to make further achievements that benefit health in its various sectors and to contribute with the UN system in general and the WHO in particular to the implementation of projects and programmes that strengthen health for all around the world and address health challenges globally.” The UAE Health Foundation Award was given during the 76th World Health Assembly, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland last 21-30 May, with this year’s theme being “WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all.” A graduate of both UPLB and UP Manila Dr. Silvestre earned her BS in Zoology degree, magna cum laude, in 1978 from the College of Arts and Sciences of UP Los Baños, and her Doctor of Medicine degree from the College of Medicine in UP Manila in 1982. After completing advanced studies in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and Wayne State University, she became a faculty member of the UP College of Medicine and the UP Philippine General Hospital. She advocated for breastfeeding as a core component of pediatric education, and authored a chapter on infant and young child feeding in the textbook Fundamentals of Pediatrics. Aside from founding the KMI, Dr. Silvestre chairs the Early Essential Newborn Care Independent Review Group (IRG) of the WHO Western Pacific Region Office (WHO WPRO), and co-directs the I-CATCH community-based program for Unang Yakap and Breastfeeding with support of the American Academy of Pediatrics in Dulag municipality, Leyte. With reports from the UP Office of Alumni Relations. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-conferred-accountancy-centenary-awards-of-excellence-and-recognition-awards/ | UP alumni conferred Accountancy Centenary Awards of Excellence and Recognition Awards – University of the Philippines | UP alumni conferred Accountancy Centenary Awards of Excellence and Recognition Awards UP alumni conferred Accountancy Centenary Awards of Excellence and Recognition Awards March 17, 2023 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) were proclaimed recipients of “Centenary Awards of Excellence” and “Recognition Awards for the Board of Accountancy Members” during the celebration of the Centenary Year of the Accountancy Profession in the Philippines, led by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The awardees were announced on March 6, 2023, by the PRC Accountancy Board, with awarding ceremonies held during the Grand Centenary Celebration on March 17 at the Manila Hotel. Nominations were made by the different sectors of the Accountancy profession—the public practice, commerce and industry, education, and government sectors. Following recommendations by the Screening Committee, the PRC Board approved the official list of “Centenary Awardees for Excellence,” recognizing their “unquestionable integrity, exemplified by their outstanding contributions and unparalleled dedication in advancing the Accountancy profession and remarkable participation in national development.” The UP alumni, both living and deceased, who have been named among the 100 Accountancy “Centenary Awardees of Excellence” are: Estelita Caleon Aguirre, first and only female President of the Asian Federation of Accountants; former Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue; former Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Executive Director; Manuel S. Alba, former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary; +Emilia T. Boncodin, former DBM Secretary; + Vicente F. Fabella, educator, economist, civic leader, and the first Filipino certified public accountant; Aurora D. Geotina-Garcia, President of Mageo Consulting Inc.; Jaime C. Laya, former Minister of Education, Culture and Sports; former DBM Secretary; former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor; Conchita L. Manabat, founder and first woman Chair of the Deloitte practice in the Philippines; President of the Development Center for Finance; Felipe M. Medalla, former Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); incumbent BSP Governor; Raul C. Pagdanganan, President and CEO of Cardinal Santos Medical Center; member of the UP Board of Regents; Josefe C. Sorrera-Ty, former PICPA National President; Commissioner of Legal Education Board Philippines; Joel L. Tan-Torres, a former member of the Board of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Chair, Board of Accountancy; BIR Commissioner; Maria Gracia M. Pulido-Tan, first woman Chairperson (equivalent to Auditor-General) of the Philippine Commission on Audit’s 115-year history; Manuel (Manny) B. Villar, House Speaker and then President of the Senate, the first Filipino to hold both posts; Guillermo E. Torres, Sr.; Rosario Sevilla Santiago-Bernaldo; Herminio V. Dagohoy; Carlota G. Piczon-Valenzuela; + Belen E. Gutierrez; + Washington Z. Sycip was conferred a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, by UP Diliman in 2001. UP alumni members of the Board of Accountancy, past and present, who received “Recognition Awards” are: + Antonio P. Ferrer; Lucila C. Tarriela; Betty C. Siy-Yap Carmelita G. Salgado; Clemente Q. Uson; Luis A. Cañete; + Ruperto P. Somera; Elvira P. Pacis-Atanacio; Luis C. Liwanag II; Jose V. Ramos; +Filadelfo M. Inocentes; Gregorio G. Centeno; Isagani O. Santiago The conferment of the Accountancy “Centenary Awards of Excellence” and “Recognition Awards for the Board of Accountancy Members” marks the culmination of the year-long celebration of the Centenary Year of the Accountancy Profession in the Philippines, which was declared by then President Rodrigo Duterte through Proclamation No. 1333. With reports by the UP Office of Alumni Relations. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-protests-against-threat-to-academic-freedom/ | UP protests against threat to academic freedom – University of the Philippines | UP protests against threat to academic freedom UP protests against threat to academic freedom January 21, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Members of the UP community, notably the youth sector, stand in front of Quezon Hall in UP Diliman to protest the unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord by DND Sec. Lorenzana. Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UPMPRO. Without academic freedom, the University of the Philippines (UP) would lose its meaning and purpose. This was the statement issued by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion during the quick-response indignation rally held in the morning of January 19, in response to the letter issued by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana unilaterally terminating the UP-DND Accord, action which many members of the UP community regard as a grave threat to the University’s academic freedom and security. Members of the UP community raise their fists to protest the abrupt abrogation of the UP-DND Accord. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. The quick-response rally was organized by the youth sector of the University of the Philippines System and Diliman under the broad-based alliance, UP Rise Against Tyranny and Dictatorship or UPRISE, with other sectors, including members of the lumad community from the Save Our Schools Network. The rally joins the clamor on social media by other members of the UP community protesting the abrupt move by the DND to unilaterally abrogate the Accord, without prior consultation with UP. The UP-DND Accord The UP-DND Accord, which was signed on June 30, 1989 by then UP President Jose Abueva and then Secretary of Defense Fidel V. Ramos, established certain norms and protocols governing relations between the University and military and police forces. These protocols include, among others, that prior notification shall be given by the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police to the UP administration before conducting any military or police operations in any of the UP campuses of the eight UP constituent universities, and that, except in cases of hot pursuit or similar emergencies or ordinary transit through UP premises, no member of the AFP or PNP shall enter the premises of any of the UP campuses. The UP-DND Accord was preceded by the Soto-Enrile Accord of 1981, which stemmed from a letter from then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile to former League of Filipino Students national chair Sonia Soto. This was intended to protect schools and their students, faculty and staff from police and military incursions intended to suppress dissent and protest actions. UP President Danilo Concepcion stresses the importance of academic freedom as the lifeblood of the University of the Philippines. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. UP as a “safe space” “Maraming hindi lubos na nakakaunawa sa kalahagahan ng Accord na ito [There are many who do not completely understand the significance of this Accord],” Concepcion stated, addressing the UP students, faculty, staff and officials who gathered during the rally. “Ang Accord na ito ang nagbibigay kalayaan sa ating mga estudyante at ating mga guro na maging malikhain at mapusok sa pag-iisip at paglikha, sapagkat alam nila na walang susupil sa kanilang mga gawain, na walang magmamanman sa kanilang bawat kilos at galaw, na walang pipigil sa kanilang pagpapahayag ng kanilang mga kaisipan at malayang pagtatagisan ng talino at kuro-kuro [This Accord grants our students and faculty the freedom to be creative and passionate in their thought and works, because they know that no one will suppress them, or monitor their every move, or stop them from the free expression of their views and intellectual debate],” he continued. UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, on his part, expressed his “grave concern” with the unilateral abrogation of the memorandum of agreement between UP and the DND and his objection to it on several grounds. UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo expresses his “grave concern” and objection to the unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND Accord. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Nemenzo said that first, the Accord is constructive and has effectively promoted good will between the two institutions, as well as fostered a mutual respect for each other’s mandate and mechanisms for dialogue and resolutions. Second, the unilateral abrogation of the Accord denies UP its right to academic freedom, which as Concepcion also stressed, is founded on a constitutional right. “If the DND says, as it does, that it would neither post military or police inside UP’s campuses, nor suppress academic freedom and freedom of expression, why abrogate the Accord?” Nemenzo pointed out. Finally, the Accord itself states that nothing within it shall be construed as prohibition against the enforcement of the laws of the land. “Scuttling the Accord strikes a dangerous blow to academic freedom, because it sends the message that intellectual and cultural inquiry, which is sacred in our University, has limits,” Nemenzo warned. He also cited the historical significance of the Accord. “The Accord was a democratic response to the suppression of UP and of freedoms during Martial Law. This year is the 50th anniversary of the Diliman Commune and next year is the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Martial Law. The Accord stands as a testament to the University’s actions on behalf of academic freedom. This is why we should and will defend UP as a safe space, a zone for free thought and free speech. Academic freedom and our University have to be protected and defended at all times.” New Student Regent Renee Louise Co addressing the protestors in front of Quezon Hall, many of whom come from the youth sector of UP. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Like Nemenzo, new UP Student Regent Renee Louise Co cited the historical significance and meaning of the UP-DND Accord in her statement during the indignation rally. “Ang pagtanggal ng UP-DND Accord ay isang napakalaking insulto sa napakaraming mga iskolar ng bayan na nagsakripisyo at nagpakita ng kanilang mga magagawa para pagsilbihan ang sambayanan [The termination of the UP-DND Accord is a huge insult to the many iskolar ng bayan who sacrificed and struggled to serve the people].” On the right side of history Dr. Jay Batongbacal, Executive Associate Dean of the UP College of Law, assured the rally-goers that the UP College of Law is prepared to extend assistance to UP students and student organizations, faculty, staff and other UP sectors. “Rest assured that there are many of us ready to defend our freedom of thought and our freedom of speech. We will stand by you to defend the academic freedom of the University of the Philippines.” UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil R. Sonido, on her part, credited the courage, determination, unity and solidarity of the youth sector of UP. “To all those who continue to doubt and underestimate our youth, enough. Because the kids are all right. They are here and unafraid. They will stand their ground on the right side of history, and they will be remembered for their strength and vigilance, for their relentless service to the people despite red-tagging, despite political persecution, despite big bullies in government picking on them and pointing their guns at them. Our weapon is our criticism, our insolence, our daring, our defiance. History will remember that in the line of fire, UP stood its ground and it will not back down. We will defend the University.” Other speakers included representatives of various UP student organizations and student councils and activist groups, such as: the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP); Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU); NNARA Youth; Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND)-UP Diliman; Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT); Bahaghari; KATRIBU; KADAMAY; GABRIELA; and, Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Jane Elago. Protestors march toward the University Avenue. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Echo the watchword: #DefendUP Across the entire UP System, UP constituent universities and members of the UP community have spoken out in protest against the unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord. As the UP Baguio University Council is finalizing its own statement, Chancellor Raymundo Rovillos issued a message to the UP Baguio community and the public on his Facebook page, calling the abrogation of the UP-DND agreement “very disturbing and alarming”. “Critical thinking and dissent are not synonymous to extremism/terrorism. Refusal to take these nuances into account in the current anti-insurgency drive is dangerous and counter-productive. The unbridled entry of the police and other military forces in the university would instill fear and curtail freedom, therefore threatening to destroy the very essence of a university,” Rovillos warned. Pointing out that UP has offered assistance to police personnel and the National Bureau of Investigation with proper coordination with the UP administration, UP Los Baños (UPLB) Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. said in his statement that the Accord is not a hindrance to the enforcement of the country’s laws and judicial orders on campus. Therefore, the UPLB community views the unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord as an assault against the freedom of UP as an institution, coming at the heels of “earlier threats to discontinue funding for the University, which was intended to silence and intimidate us”. “We will not back down,” Camacho said. “We will continue with our duty to defend the freedom of our people guaranteed under the Constitution—the right to life and liberty, the freedom of speech, of expression and the right of the people to campaign against graft and corruption.” Protestors start to gather in front of Quezon Hall in UP Diliman in response to DND Sec. Lorenzana’s unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord. Photo by Celeste Llaneta, UPMPRO. UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano issued a statement on the UP Visayas website denouncing the sudden termination, without consultation, of the UP-DND Agreement. “Historical events that have shaped the relationship of UP and the country’s security forces—many of these leaving wounds that have yet to heal—explain the University’s strong apprehension,” Camposano said. “While the DND has given assurances that constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms would not be suppressed, these historical events and the sordid reality of recent killings, abductions, and other forms of human rights abuses widely believed to have been perpetrated by security forces cannot but leave us unassured. We call on the members of the UP Visayas community to be steadfast and resolute in the defense of their democratic rights, and in ensuring that the University’s campuses remain free, safe, and welcoming towards a wide range of ideas and advocacies.” UP Manila faculty and officials also issued a statement condemning the move by DND Sec. Lorenzana. “The unilateral decision of the DND is highly unacceptable and cannot be forcibly imposed on UP, the national university of the country. Claiming that the Accord has served as a ‘hindrance in providing effective security, safety, and welfare of the students, faculty, and employees of UP’ is certainly an empty assertion and cannot be used as justification over this arbitrary action. On the contrary, the termination of the Accord will make University constituents vulnerable to State attacks and various forms of human rights violations,” the statement read. The UP Open University (UPOU) community asserted in its official statement that “we are one with the entire UP community in defending our academic freedom and our right for free and safe haven to openly express our ideas”. The statement continues: “This unilateral decision of the DND poses a grave threat, especially in this time where opinions and ideas are expressed in cyberspace. We call on the UPOU constituents and the entire UP community to be vigilant, unwavering, and steadfast in defending our freedom of speech, freedom to express dissent, and our academic freedom that is deeply ingrained in our history as a university.” A rally-goer holds up a sign during the indignation rally in front of Quezon Hall. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. UP Cebu Chancellor Liza Corro and the UP Cebu administration, in their own statement, describe the recent experiences of UP Cebu students and faculty members with direct intimidation and threats, including red-tagging. “We strongly condemned such acts of transgression and bullying. We strongly condemn any and all forms of baseless accusations and red-tagging among our constituents. faculty and students alike. They deserve our respect, not harassment. The UP-DND Accord provides a safeguard for our constituents from such abuse of authority, and for promoting our rule of law. Thus, with the rest of the UP community, we in UP Cebu will staunchly defend our basic rights and will stand our ground.” In the south, UP Mindanao declared in its statement that it “stands with the entire UP System in upholding the rights of the University, its students, faculty, and staff. While the UP-DND Accord cannot be unilaterally terminated, the letter of Sec. Lorenzana poses a threat intended to intimidate UP and its constituents. We, therefore, join the entire community in defending our rights, liberty, and safety.” Finally, former UP President Jose V. Abueva who, together with then Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos, set down the agreement on the conduct of military and police operations inside UP premises on June 30, 1989, issued his own statement on the recent actions of the DND Secretary: “[Then Defense Secretary] Fidel V. Ramos and I had great respect for each other and for the institutions we represented. We had a deep understanding between us about the inalienable rights to freedom, democracy, justice and peace that lasted beyond our respective presidencies. There was a deep, mutual understanding of the need to uphold this agreement and do everything for the good of UP and the rights of its students, faculty and staff. This understanding was rooted in mutual trust, and mutual respect. I am appalled and dismayed about this unilateral abrogation,” Abueva lamented. The signs of the times: UP sectors defending academic freedom in UP. Photos by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. Video by UP Media and Public Relations Office |
https://up.edu.ph/cheds-suc-fair-features-covid-technologies-and-agri-products-from-up/ | CHED’s SUC fair features COVID technologies and agri products from UP – University of the Philippines | CHED’s SUC fair features COVID technologies and agri products from UP CHED’s SUC fair features COVID technologies and agri products from UP July 1, 2022 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP System and UPLB officials and staff oversee the UP exhibit booth at the CHED SUC Fair 2022. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). The Commission on Higher Education (CHED)’s State Universities and Colleges (SUC) Fair 2022 was held from June 28 to July 1 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, Pasay City. Bestsellers during the fair include agricultural, dairy, and souvenir products from UP Los Baños (UPLB). The SUC fair highlighted UP’s response to the pandemic, specifically through technologies from the UP Philippine Genome Center (PGC) and the UP Surgical Innovation and Biotechnology (SIBOL) program. UPLB showcased some of its world-class products during CHED’s SUC Fair 2022. Photos by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). PGC showcased its COVID RT-PCR testing, bio-surveillance, and genomic sequencing capabilities and activities through print materials. Also exhibited were its COVID info-materials and multi-Omics technology platforms. Medical devices recently invented by SIBOL were exhibited: a face mask reusable up to 30 wash cycles but one that has biodegradable filters; the Powered Air Purifying Respirator providing clean air through a battery-operated blower connected to a loose-fitting hood or helmet; the Prone Pillow Plus for enlarged chests and abdomen, with slots for wires to monitor fetal heart tones and uterine contractions; the RxBox Telemetry System enabling healthcare workers to monitor vital signs remotely; and, the myBESHIE or Bot Ensuring Safety and Health in Isolated Environments enabling remote humanlike communication between patients in isolation, healthcare workers, and other parties without the need for internet. People bustle over at the UP System booth at CHED’s SUC Fair 2022. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). CHED Chair Prospero de Vera. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). The CHED-initiated fair was hosted this year by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges-National Capital Region and the Philippine Normal University in partnership with the private National University. It carried the theme, “Promoting Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Culture, and Arts for National Development and Global Competitiveness,” and the tagline, “WeAreSUC: Sustained Excellence, Unified Efforts, Competitive Standards.” A total of 81 public and private institutions participated in the fair, the second to be held and the first following the enactment in 2021 of Republic Act 11522 commemorating a National Higher Education Day every year, which SUC Fair 2022 celebrated together with the anniversary of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). During his speech, CHED Chair Prospero de Vera recognized the SUC presidents for ensuring that the free higher education law was correctly implemented. “These presidents are also responsible for ensuring that education continued in the worst times of COVID,” he added. “Today, they are here because they want to show another aspect of their state universities and colleges’ expertise… They are exhibiting their products through their research and extension programs,” De Vera said. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-participate-in-18th-map-international-ceo-webcon-2020/ | UP to participate in 18th MAP International CEO WebCon 2020 – University of the Philippines | UP to participate in 18th MAP International CEO WebCon 2020 UP to participate in 18th MAP International CEO WebCon 2020 September 12, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta For more details about the 18th MAP International CEO WebCon 2020, including the event program, visit its official website at mapceoconference.ph. The University of the Philippines will be participating as a collaborating organization in the 18th Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) International CEO Web Conference (WebCon) 2020, with a hundred UP students and 20 faculty members from four different UP constituent units—UP Diliman, UP Baguio, UP Visayas and UP Cebu—joining in the event and more being invited to participate. Dubbed “A Whole New World: Reigniting the Stalled Global Economy”, the 18th MAP International WebCon 2020 will be held on September 15, 2020, Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. via ZOOM. The 18th Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) International CEO WebCon 2020 will focus on the challenges of a world transformed not just by the COVID-19 pandemic but by geopolitical and geo-economic shifts even before the pandemic. It aims to jumpstart critical conversation and ignite ideas that would trigger the transformation to a changed business landscape in a new world order. Session speakers include Dr. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network; Mr. Blair H. Sheppard, PwC UK Global Leader in Strategy and Leadership; Atty. Amal Alamuddin Clooney, Special Envoy, Global Media Freedom, British Foreign and Commonwealth Office; H.E. Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and Dr. Thierry Apoteker, Chairman and Chief Economist, TAC Economics. The 18th MAP International CEO WebCon, “A Whole New World: Reigniting the Stalled Global Economy”, is also open to the public for free via Facebook live or YouTube. |
https://up.edu.ph/ugnayan-ng-pahinungod-opens-national-volunteerism-celebrations/ | Ugnayan ng Pahinungod opens national volunteerism celebrations – University of the Philippines | Ugnayan ng Pahinungod opens national volunteerism celebrations Ugnayan ng Pahinungod opens national volunteerism celebrations December 4, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Screenshot from the webinar “HEIs Making a Difference thru Volunteerism: Ang Kwento ng Pahinungód”, which kicked off National Volunteerism Month. Watch the replay of the webinar on YouTube or on the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Facebook page. The Ugnayan ng Pahinungod or Oblation Corps of the University of the Philippines, in coordination with the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA), opened on December 1, 2020 the country’s celebration of the National Volunteers Month with the webinar “HEIs Making a Difference Through Volunteerism: Ang Kuwento ng Pahinungod”. (Watch the replay of the webinar on YouTube or on the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Facebook page. Through testimonies, the webinar showed the participating higher educational institutions (HEIs) the philosophy, history, and institutionalization of volunteerism in the state university, while presenting the experiences of the Pahinungod volunteers and beneficiaries. Screenshot from the webinar “HEIs Making a Difference thru Volunteerism: Ang Kwento ng Pahinungód”, which kicked off National Volunteerism Month. UP President Danilo Concepcion, credited for reviving the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod as a UP System-wide volunteer service program coordinated through a UP System council, opened the program. “In unifying the volunteer programs of constituent universities (CUs), we aim to firm up our efforts and be able to help more effectively,” he said in Filipino. Former UP President Emil Javier, credited for establishing the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod in 1995, talked about the origins of the Ugnayan in 1994 when the University pondered on the question of “losing its soul”. The program formally operationalized the philosophy of volunteerism as another dimension of the University function, enhancing its teaching, research, and extension services. The program was devolved to the CUs in 2001. Slides during Ugnayan ng Pahinungod UP System Director Grace Aguiling-Dalisay’s presentation. Ugnayan ng Pahinungod UP System Director Grace Aguiling-Dalisay talked about the operations, prospects, and challenges of the program since its revival under the UP System last year. She said the revival was a reiteration of UP’s leadership in public service. A session presenting the testimonies of Pahinungod volunteers, community partners, and beneficiaries followed. The community partners who gave testimonials were Mayor Fernando Mesa of Alabat, Quezon, and Norman Jando, former principal of Kidawa National High School in Laak, Davao de Oro. Mesa coordinated medical missions to his municipality, and Jando, Gurong Pahinungod services to the school. PNVCA Executive Director Donald James Gawe then invited the public to the activities lined up in December, which was declared the National Volunteers Month through Proclamation No. 55, Series of 1988. PNVSCA accorded the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod a central role in the celebrations to highlight the important role of HEIs in the promotion of volunteerism, Gawe said. A photo of the volunteers of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Mindanao. The opening program was moderated by Pahinungod CU Directors Ruben Gamala of UP Visayas, Aurelio Vilbar of UP Cebu, and Doris Wilson of UP Baguio. Director Michael Gatela of UP Mindanao closed the program. Sign language interpreters were provided by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies. |
https://up.edu.ph/the-semester-that-was-the-semester-ahead-up-reports-on-academic-roadmap-for-ay-2020-2021/ | The semester that was, the semester ahead: UP reports on academic roadmap for AY 2020-2021 – University of the Philippines | The semester that was, the semester ahead: UP reports on academic roadmap for AY 2020-2021 The semester that was, the semester ahead: UP reports on academic roadmap for AY 2020-2021 January 18, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in March last year sent schools scrambling to deliver education amid the threat of disease and the ensuing protocols to ensure public health and safety. While some Philippine colleges and universities like UP have been employing some blended learning strategies such as, the use of virtual learning environments to complement the traditional classroom setup, the need to fully employ remote teaching and learning (RTL) have suddenly become more urgent and necessary. Within the reality of what the World Economic Forum calls the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”—the increasing speed with which digital technologies have become more ubiquitous and mobile in today’s world—the University was already working on how to utilize these advancements and be more adaptive to the changing landscape of higher education. But COVID-19 put deployment on the fast track. VP for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista begins her presentation. Screenshot of Zoom recording taken by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO. A review of the historic first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021 and developments for the coming second semester, almost a year after COVID-19 gripped the world, were part of UP’s Academic Roadmap AY 2020-2021 that was presented on January 11 via Zoom. The event also included the launch of the online initiative, “Alone but Together Remote Teaching and Learning Expo Portal”, which is expected to go live soon. Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista gave an overview of the roadmap in connection with Memorandum No. 2020-68, which the Office of the VPAA released on June 19, 2020, containing UP’s academic plans for the school year. She enumerated the three operational principles behind the roadmap: “protect our UP community from the pandemic, sustain the continuity of instruction and learning, [and] consider equity concerns in all plans.” On mode of teaching, she shared some discussion points from the Senior Leaders International Meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities on October 7, 2020. The consensus was, she said, “[There was] no turning back to the old normal in teaching and learning” and that a hybrid of online and face-to-face sessions were necessary in the “next normal”. There will be an increasing shift to independent learning and curriculum innovation, such as restructuring of programs and credentials. VPAA Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista. Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. On UP’s academic calendar, Bautista said there were 14 weeks in the first semester, with a “reading and wellness break” that was provided in response to “student and faculty overload”. For the 15-week second semester that begins on March 1, the week-long reading and wellness break has already been included in the calendar. The seven-week midyear term will be used for bridge courses, not just for current students but also for recent graduates who were unable to fully immerse themselves in laboratory work and practical training. On physical infrastructure, the VPPA reported that UP subscribed to a Zoom 3,000 webinar account, and rolled out connectivity and gadget support for faculty and students. A Digital TV Project with curated courses will also be piloted in the next semester. On academic infrastructure, UP acquired the following software: NVIVO, SPSS, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, ArcGIS, and Qualtrics. Bautista revealed that UP President Danilo Concepcion is pushing for a subscription to Web of Science to add to UP’s library resources. Learning management systems, such as Canvas, were purchased, as Bautista emphasized the need to streamline the systems being used to avoid the need for students to switch systems depending on the teacher or class. She also mentioned: the creation of UP’s RTL microsite; the conduct of webinars to build capacities of students, faculty, and staff; and, the consolidated copyright guide for the use of resource materials for academic purposes. VP for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista’s presentation was guided by Memorandum No. 2020-68 issued by her office on June 19, 2020. It contained the academic plans for Academic Year 2020-2021. Screenshot of live Zoom event taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. On program preparations, additional teaching assistants and teaching fellows were hired across the UP System. Bautista also divulged the University’s still pending request to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, through the Commission on Higher Education, to hold limited in-person classes for thesis and similar courses in the first semester. More than P81 million in funds were requested by UP’s constituent universities (CUs) to prepare to meet the demands of the academic year. On course preparations, there were online courses: Course Redesign 101 to help faculty prepare their course pack for remote teaching; and, Remote Learning 101 to aid students in preparation for “guided independent study”. Logistics for printing and delivery of these course packs, which cost P7.6 million, were also arranged, with P2.3 million to be added. Incentives were given to faculty members who completed their course packs. Across the UP System, the incentives totaled almost P41.3 million, with the figures for UPD, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, and UP Cebu based on first submissions alone. For monitoring, student and faculty surveys were conducted; and CUs engaged their respective faculty members through “kumustahan” to see how they were doing. The online event also had detailed presentations by: UP Diliman (UPD) University Librarian Elvira Lapuz, on System-wide library resources; her immediate predecessor, Prof. Chito Angeles, on library automation; Assistant VP (AVP) for Student Affairs and Office of Student Financial Assistance Director Richard Philip Gonzalo, on student support,;AVPAA (Curriculum and Instruction) Evangeline Amor, on results of the faculty and student survey, as well as UP’s microsite on remote teaching and learning; and, Dr. Jose Antonio Clemente, who led the launch of the Alone but Together RTL Expo Portal. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-pcc-strengthen-partnership/ | UP and PCC strengthen partnership – University of the Philippines | UP and PCC strengthen partnership UP and PCC strengthen partnership February 7, 2023 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Inked. The signatories, UP President Danilo Concepcion (fourth from left) and PCC OIC Executive Director Caro Salces (fourth from right), along with witnesses UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. (third from left) and PCC at UPLB Center Director Thelma Saludes (third from right), hold up copies of the newly signed memorandum of partnership and cooperation in extension and research. With them are: (left to right) Benevieve Villanueva, UPLB Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs; Fernando Paras Jr., UPLB Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development; Roberto Cereno, UPLB Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs; and, Dr. Arnel Del Barrio, a UPLB College of Agriculture and Food Sciences professor and former PCC Executive Director. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO). The University of the Philippines (UP) and the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) reinforced its long-standing partnership with the signing of a memorandum of partnership and cooperation in extension and research on February 3 at UP Los Baños (UPLB). Signatories were UP President Danilo Concepcion and Caro Salces, PCC Officer-in-Charge Executive Director. UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr., and Thelma Saludes, PCC at UPLB Center Director, served as witnesses. Among the provisions in the memorandum is the allotment of P3 million by PCC each year to fund “development research and collaborative projects with UP”. PCC will also serve as an “extension arm of UPLB in the field of ruminant livestock production and management, particularly in dairy and meat buffalo production, and buffalo-based enterprise development”. For the use of UPLB’s administrative facilities, PCC will pay an annual administrative cost of P650,000. The contract is effective until the end of 2030. PCC at UPLB was one of the first regional centers established in accordance with Republic Act No. 7307 or the Philippine Carabao Act of 1992. This law also provides that the UPLB chancellor sit as a member of the PCC Advisory Board. PCC at UPLB currently utilizes a total of 58,233 square meters of land for its administration and extension office, gene pool facilities, and milk processing plant and milk outlet. UP and PCC officials pose for a group photo in front of the UPLB Main Library with PCC at UPLB staff. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO). |
https://up.edu.ph/isang-libong-alumni-para-kay-oble-isang-libong-kumustahan-on-february-27/ | “Isang Libong Alumni Para Kay Oblé, Isang Libong Kumustahan!” on February 27 – University of the Philippines | “Isang Libong Alumni Para Kay Oblé, Isang Libong Kumustahan!” on February 27 “Isang Libong Alumni Para Kay Oblé, Isang Libong Kumustahan!” on February 27 February 9, 2021 | Written by University of the Philippines Mindanao “UP alumni, do you miss the campus fairs such as the UP Diliman Fair, the UP Los Baños Feb Fair, the UP Manila Fiesta, the UP Cebu Cookout, the UP Tacloban Orgs Fair, the Tatak UPMin of UP Mindanao, and other festivities in UP campuses in your student days? In that case, this is the all-campuses-in-one fiesta that we’re all waiting for! The UPAA Davao, whose members hail from different UP campuses, is hosting a virtual alumni gathering called “ISANG LIBONG ALUMNI PARA KAY OBLÉ, ISANG LIBONG KUMUSTAHAN” on 27 February, Saturday, 7pm, via Zoom and Facebook Live. There will be games, raffles, and performances by alumni from different places. Masaya ito, pramis! Pandemic man ngayon at magkakalayo tayo sa isa’t isa, pwede namang mag-virtual kumustahan. Pwede pa ring feeling close online. So please mark your calendars and prepare for a night of fun and entertainment on February 27 para sa Isang Libong Kumustahan! Check the UP Alumni Association Davao Facebook page for the event details.” |
https://up.edu.ph/up-surveying-students-readiness-to-transition-to-blended-or-f2f-learning/ | UP surveys students on the gradual opening of campuses – University of the Philippines | UP surveys students on the gradual opening of campuses UP surveys students on the gradual opening of campuses December 2, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines System is surveying the gradual opening of campuses from 1 to December 7, 2021. The survey covers undergraduate and graduate students aged 18 years old and above enrolled in UP’s seven (7) residential constituent units (CUs). The survey aims to assess the readiness of UP students in the residential CUs to transition from remote teaching and learning (RTL) to blended (BL) or face-to-face learning (F2F) in 2022. The findings of this survey will provide valuable inputs to the ongoing formulation of appropriate policies, protocols, and actions that would ensure the gradual and safe opening of UP’s campuses in 2022. The University encourages all students to participate in this survey. To respond, please check your UP email and access the link using your UP accounts. |
https://up.edu.ph/tvup-launching-a-new-age-of-information-and-education-via-cignal-101/ | TVUP: Launching a new age of information and education via Cignal 101 – University of the Philippines | TVUP: Launching a new age of information and education via Cignal 101 TVUP: Launching a new age of information and education via Cignal 101 November 18, 2022 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II During the launch of TVUP’s Cignal Channel 101. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Quality higher education’s reach just got a boost via digital satellite TV. On October 12, 2022, the University of the Philippines (UP) celebrated the official launch of its latest educational offering for the Filipino public: TVUP’s Channel 101 via digital satellite television provider Cignal TV. With this launch of TVUP’s Cignal Channel 101, the UP brand of quality higher education is now available to Cignal TV’s 4.1 million subscribers and can reach even the most remote parts of the country. TVUP is a television network operated by UP and a collaborative engagement between UP and Cignal TV. The network aims to provide professionally produced and curated content for information and educational purposes both to its UP audience and the general Filipino audience. The channel is currently available on Cignal 101. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion (left) and Cignal TV President Robert P. Galang at the launch. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). According to UP President 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 is a public space to inspire innovation, creativity, critical thinking and understanding, and respect for diverse cultures. Its lineup of high-quality programs showcases scientific breakthroughs, national issues, and concerns, Philippine culture and society, etc. Here is the lineup of TVUP programs that are available on Cignal 101: Check out TVUP Channel 101’s offerings. Image from Cignal TV’s Facebook page. K-Check is a 25-minute daily Philippine scholastic quiz show. It is the classic, well-loved quiz show now infused with the fresh, fast pace energy of today’s online and streaming game show content. Sine Pinoy examines the issues and concerns of Pinoy Cinema by having one-on-one interviews with the filmmakers and film personalities themselves. Ang Usapang Pelikula ay naglalayong bigyang diin ang larangan ng pelikula bilaing sining, industriya, produktong kultuural, textong panlipunan, at bilang isang tiyak na akademikong disiplina. Protest Art features different communities and marginalized individuals seeking to have their voices heard through the impactful medium of art. iSports Time is a gameshow that aims to push for a healthier and more active lifestyle among Filipinos. Student-athletes compete against each other to complete the iSportsTime Obstacle course. Each station is designed to test every aspect of the athlete’s strength. DyipniTok is an entertainment talk show featuring local OPM artists who share their life stories and journeys in their musical careers. The show is set in a moving jeepney that makes its rounds on the UP campus. Apart from being interviewed, artists jam with the program host. Tara Let’s Dance is a feature show on different dance genres in the Philippines. The show’s objective is to educate the audience about the rich culture of Filipinos in the art of dance and promote an active lifestyle. Kalinangan, Kasaysayan, and Kamalayan (KKK), a news magazine show, is taking us on a journey to the exciting world of the arts, culture, history, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Classroom Beats is a magazine-type show whose dynamic and charismatic hosts explore discoveries and innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and their applications in our daily lives. Gulayan sa Tahanan features the freshness and benefits of planting vegetables at home. Segmented into three parts, Trivia banters, Taniman Hanggan Anihan, And Luto-luto, and Buro-buro, the show seeks to involve families, communities, and the country in the national movement for food security. Camille, a teleserye, follows the story of Camille Dela Rosa, a university student who faces adversities in her studies, friends, family, and love life. Tanging Familya is a heartwarming teleserye about a family trying to create a safe and loving space in a complex and uncertain community. Batas at Bayan, a drama anthology, is based on corruption-related cases filed or decided upon by the Office of the Ombudsman and reviewed by appellate courts under the Philippine Justice System. Stop C.O.V.I.D. Deaths, a webinar series that provides current information on COVID-19 and other outbreaks, viruses, infections, and disasters. This 2-hour program, hosted by public health experts Dr. Susan Pineda Mercado and Dr. Raymond Sarmiento, features a panel of experts from different fields. TVUP aims to educate and inform everyone within the UP community and everyday Filipinos with meaningful and enriching content while combating misinformation and propaganda. This network is relevant in today’s age of easy-to-access and fast information and will only grow in relevance with future projects and numbers. It is important not just to gain new knowledge but to share it with others and start an open discussion, something that TVUP will certainly be able to do. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-japanese-federation-of-bar-associations-sign-agreement-for-comparative-law-studies/ | UP and Japanese Federation of Bar Associations sign agreement for Comparative Law studies – University of the Philippines | UP and Japanese Federation of Bar Associations sign agreement for Comparative Law studies UP and Japanese Federation of Bar Associations sign agreement for Comparative Law studies January 20, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II UP President Danilo Concepcion (center) and UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo (right) with representatives of the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UPMPRO). On January 13, 2023, the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) as a way “to strengthen the international connection between the Philippines and Japan.” This newly signed partnership comes in the form of a comparative study of family law, nationality law, and international law between member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially the Philippines and Japan. Both UP and the JFBA had representatives take part in this virtual MOA signing to establish the ASEAN-Japan Comparative Law Study. Representing UP was then UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, and representing the JFBA was President Motoji Kobayashi. Concepcion cited the significance of this signing by acknowledging the need and demand for legal services in cross-border cases involving Filipino and Japanese citizens. “This is what we intend to address,” he said. “To be able to look at our laws with more comparative depth, so we could serve our clients better. This will eventually lead us to gaining a more profound understanding of how our laws vary and allow us to dispense more appropriate legal advice to those who seek our help.” He added that he hopes that the two years in this program will be enough to familiarize Filipino and Japanese legal scholars with each country’s respective laws and legal practices, as well as to encourage them to create networks that would facilitate the easier flow of legal information, advice, and support, whether among individuals or institutions. “I know that we are all pushing for the success of this endeavor and I am glad that we are doing this before I end my term as UP President.” The parties agreed that this MOA signing marked a huge turning point for both the University and the JFBA, thanks to the increase in both local and international support. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-graduates-dominate-the-top-10-veterinarian-board-exam-passers/ | UP graduates dominate the top 10 Veterinarian board exam passers – University of the Philippines | UP graduates dominate the top 10 Veterinarian board exam passers UP graduates dominate the top 10 Veterinarian board exam passers March 14, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II Graduates of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) dominated the list of top 10 examinees who garnered the highest scores in the March 2023 Veterinarian licensure board exam. This was announced recently by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Maria Adrianna Isabella Gray Claraval, who ranked no. 1, also had the highest examination rating of 83.58% in this batch. The March 2023 Veterinary board exam topnotches from UP are: Maria Adrianna Isabella Gray Claravall (Rank 1 – 83.58%) Nikki Flores Pasion (Rank 2 – 82.60%) Novehm Allen Gerona Pagal (Rank 3 – 82.10%) Brigitte Cuarteros Calimag (Rank 5 – 81.68%) Gabrielle Ann Lansang Cruz (Rank 9 – 80.88%) Olive Marie Polido Gonzales (Rank 10 – 80.84%) The University is proud of these Iskolar ng Bayan for not only passing their board exams but reaching the top ten spots as well. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-welcomes-new-first-years-to-yearly-freshie-talks-event/ | UP welcomes new first-years to yearly Freshie Talks event – University of the Philippines | UP welcomes new first-years to yearly Freshie Talks event UP welcomes new first-years to yearly Freshie Talks event October 2, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II The University of the Philippines Office of Student Development Services (UP OSDS) hosted its annual “FRESHIE TALKS” event, where incoming first-year students from different UP constituent universities were invited to gain a better understanding of their college-student journey in UP. This event took place on September 29, 2023 at the UP Institute of Civil Engineering David M. Consunji Theater. This event aimed to help inform UP first-year students who are either curious or nervous about starting their college life in UP, and to encourage them to make the most out of their college experience here in UP. To do this, the UP OSDS invited several UP alumni to be key speakers. UP alumna and entrepreneur Mica Pineda talks about her experiences in UP. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. The UP alumni speakers come from a wide variety of fields in media and business, and each offered their own unique perspective for the new first-year students. The first speaker was famous host, actress, and entrepreneur Mica Pineda, who talked about making the most out of one’s UP experience. After her was famous TV personality and lecturer at the UP Film Institute Ramon Bautista, who shared a funny and insightful message on how to survive college. Next to share their insights on how to make the most out of studying in UP is Country Manager of Amazon Web Services (AWS) Jerry Bongo. The last of the UP alumni to offer their advice to the first-years is Vice-President for Corporate Services of AP Renewables, Inc., Leo Robel, Jr. All Maroons (from left): Jerry Bongo of Amazon Web Services, Vice-President for Corporate Services of AP Renewables, Inc., Leo Robel, Jr., and TV personality Ramon Bautista share their UP experience to this year’s freshies. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/film-event-at-up-law-center-explores-philippines-legal-victory-in-south-china-sea/ | Film event at UP Law Center explores Philippines’ legal victory in South China Sea – University of the Philippines | Film event at UP Law Center explores Philippines’ legal victory in South China Sea Film event at UP Law Center explores Philippines’ legal victory in South China Sea October 4, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II Director Emerson S. Bañez, retired SC Justice Francis H. Jardeleza, and Assistant Professor Jacqueline Joyce F. Espenilla during the open forum. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) A film showing at the University of the Philippines Law Center (UPLC) delved into the story behind the Philippines’ victory in its maritime claims in the South China Sea. “A New Arbitration in the South China Sea” was shown at Malcolm Theatre at the UP College of Law in Diliman on September 18 in an event attended by students and faculty members from the UP College of Law. Some notable attendees were the film’s director, Assistant Professor Emerson S. Bañez, from the UPLC; Chairman of the International and Maritime Law Department of the Philippine Judicial Academy and retired Supreme Court Justice Francis H. Jardeleza. Attorney Neil Simon S. Silva moderated the event. The documentary, “A New Arbitration in the South China Sea”, offers a more in-depth look into the legal processes and actions that the Filipino legal team undertook to secure the country’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. This film highlighted key individuals and strategies that they used to win their case over their formidable global opponent, China. After the preview of the documentary film, an open forum was held involving both Director Emerson S. Bañez and retired SC Justice Francis H. Jardeleza. Also included was Assistant Professor Jacqueline Joyce F. Espenilla of the UPLC Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. Questions were asked by UP Law students in regards to the documentary. |
https://up.edu.ph/upm-nih-celebrates-25th-anniversary/ | UPM NIH celebrates 25th anniversary – University of the Philippines | UPM NIH celebrates 25th anniversary UPM NIH celebrates 25th anniversary March 5, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP President Angelo Jimenez (center) opens the celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of the UP National Institutes of Health, along with UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla (3rd from left), Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. (3rd from right) and Department of Health Officer-in-Charge Secretary, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire( 2nd from right). They are joined by heads of the different institutes of health, as well as other officials of UP Manila, DOH and DOST. Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO. The University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP NIH) celebrated its 25th anniversary on February 27, 2023 at the UP Professional Schools in BGC, Taguig. A two-day anniversary conference, “Transforming Philippine Health Systems Toward Universal Healthcare Through Research Partnerships”, was held with Department of Health (DOH) Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. as keynote speakers. The occasion also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between UP Manila-NIH and the DOH for two projects under the NIH: the creation of the Institute of Health Promotion, and the expansion of the National Practice Guidelines for the healthcare sector. The signatories were Vergeire and UP Manila (UPM) Chancellor Carmencita Padilla. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla speaks about the long-standing link between the National Institutes of Health and the public national health sector through the Department of Health and the Department of Science and Technology. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). In her opening message to the conference, Padilla said: “We anticipate that the Universal Health Care Law will generate more demand for quality research and we are here to respond through the DOST and the DOH.” “UP Manila commits to DOH and DOST in providing our country with a continuous stream of next-generation Filipino scientists, an expanded capacity of rapid skills training, improved infrastructure for basic, clinical, and scale of opportunities translating our researches to tangible products useful to the community,” Padilla added. Addressing the researchers of the NIH, “more than 300 warm bodies from 15 institutes and centers” plus partners from local and foreign universities and industry, she said: “You have made a dent in the improvement in the lives of our people.” She described them as a driving force behind many advances in Philippine health care as “exemplified during this pandemic”. This was when, “We really had to turn to science and evidence” for measures to address the new disease in the Philippine setting. She thanked the University for providing the environment for faculty and researchers to “dream boldly”, leading to products and policies that fulfil their health-for-all goal. “We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to UP Manila for being a long-standing institutional partner in implementing reforms and priority policies, programs, and activities for the healthcare sector,” Vergeire said, before signing the MOU. DOH Assistant Secretary Beverly Lorraine Ho and UPM-NIH Executive Director Eva Cutiongco-de la Paz signed the MOU as witnesses. UP President Angelo Jimenez expresses the support of his administration to the National Institutes of Health, the research arm of UP Manila, the country’s health sciences center. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). The anniversary celebration was attended by UP President Angelo Jimenez. “We shall provide to the best of our abilities and resources what the NIH requires. Whether exploring new partnerships or strengthening existing ones, or allocating funds for research, human resources, or infrastructure development, the administration shall do what is humanly and legally possible to address the needs of the NIH,” he said in his message to the NIH. The faculty and scientists of the National Institutes of Health celebrate the 25th anniversary of the institutes with Department of Health Officer-in-Charge Secretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., and UP President Angelo Jimenez. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/taiwan-university-delegates-explore-steam-partnerships-with-up/ | Taiwan university delegates explore STEAM partnerships with UP – University of the Philippines | Taiwan university delegates explore STEAM partnerships with UP Taiwan university delegates explore STEAM partnerships with UP February 13, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc A souvenir photo of the Edu-Connect Southeast Asian Association delegates and their UP counterparts after conferring with each other for possible academic partnership during a reception at the University Theater, UP Diliman. Professors in the front row or holding the banner include: UP College of Engineering Dean Maria Antonia Tanchuling; President Yang Ching-Yu of National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology; UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao,; Professor Emeritus Ernesto Pernia;Dean Elpidio Agbisit Jr.,of the UP Los Baños College of Agriculture and Food Science; and, UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) A delegation from Southern Taiwan higher educational institutions met University of the Philippines (UP) counterparts at a “homecoming visit” to UP organized by the Edu-Connect Southeast Asian Association in time for the UP presidential turnover ceremonies on February 10, 2023. The delegates attended the ceremonial turnover of the UP presidency from Danilo Concepcion to Angelo Jimenez at the UP Diliman Quezon Hall Lobby and, afterwards, met with several UP System and constituent officials for possible academic partnerships at a reception in the nearby University Theater. They were particularly looking at developing interdisciplinary academic programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture/Marine/Fishery and Mathematics (STEAM) with UP. The delegates were headed by Dr. Eing-Ming Wu, executive director of Edu-Connect Southeast Asan Association Kaohsiung and Chair Professor at Shu-Te University. They were welcomed by UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista and Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, and briefed on UP internationalization by Deputy Director Noel Christian Moratilla of the UP Office of International Linkages. Moratilla also introduced the delegates from UP. Delegates from Southern Taiwan universities and counterparts from the University of the Philippines exchange contact information at a reception in the University Theater Lobby, UP Diliman, as they explore partnerships for developing interdisciplinary programs. Photos by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) Deputy Director Noel Christian Moratilla of the UP Office of International Linkages introduces the delegates from UP before presenting the University’s internationalization efforts to the Edu-Connect Southeast Asian Association delegates. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Executive Director Eing-Ming Wu of the Edu-Connect Southeast Asian Association with President Yang Ching-Yu of National Kaohsiung University, explains the mission of the delegation visit to the University of the Philippines. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose Bautista, Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, Professor Emeritus Grace Javier Alfonso, and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Delia Tomacruz receive tokens of appreciation from the Edu-Connect Southeast Asian Association delegates represented by National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology’s President Yang Ching-Yu and Dr. Peter Chen, also of Taiwan’s Kindness Hotel; Chair Professor Eing-Ming Wu of Shu-Te University and Edu-Connect Executive Director; and, Dr. Fang-Rong Chang from Kaohsiung Medical University. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). |
https://up.edu.ph/australian-ambassador-university-relations-foundation-for-ph-aus-strategic-partnership/ | Australian Ambassador: University relations foundation for PH-AUS strategic partnership – University of the Philippines | Australian Ambassador: University relations foundation for PH-AUS strategic partnership Australian Ambassador: University relations foundation for PH-AUS strategic partnership March 25, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The participants to the courtesy visit to UP of Australian Ambassador to Philippines Hae Kyong Yu PSM (front row, fourth from right) and networking of Australia alumni in UP, at the Quezon Hall Lobby steps, UP Diliman, March 15, 2023. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu PSM visited the University of the Philippines (UP) on March 15, 2023 to meet with UP System officials and alumni of Australian universities in UP and to express her commitment to further relations between Australia and the Philippines through ties with the University. Accompanied by Rollie dela Cruz of the Scholarships and Innovation Department of the Embassy, Yu was welcomed by UP President Angelo Jimenez, Vice President for Public Affairs and Australia alumnus Jose Wendell Capili, and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Office of International Linkages Director Imee Su Martinez. Representing UP Diliman was Maria Theresa Payongayong, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Chancellor. Also present was former UP Baguio Chancellor, Raymundo Rovillos. Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu PSM speaks before UP officials and Australia alumni in UP in the BOR Room. Photo by Bong Arboleda (UPMPRO). Exploratory talks were held at the UP Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, together with alumni of Australian universities and scholarships who now serve in UP. Among them were UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla and UP Los Baños Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Nathaniel Bantayan. Alumni present in the meeting included: Edna Co of the National College of Public Administration and Governance; Corazon de Ungria and Elmer Estacio of the Natural Sciences Research Institute; Grace Barretto-Tesoro, Armand Mijares, and Michael Herrera of the School of Archaeology; Ramon Carlo Pio Roda of the Virata School of Business; Olivia Cabrera, Benjamin Vallejo, and Lemnuel Aragones of the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology; Raymond Marvic Baguilat of the Institute of Human Rights; Laura David and Rene Abesamis of the Marine Science Institute; Paul Jason Perez of the School of Library and Information Studies; Severino Salmo III of the Institute of Biology; and, Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. and Rowel Atienza of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute. “I was delighted to hear that beyond the Australian alumni network, that you actually have 26 partnerships with various Australian universities. Let’s see if we can make that grow even more. I would love to see these partnerships not only deepen but also grow in numbers,” Yu said. She also emphasized that aside from the Australia Awards, many more scholarships from Australian universities and companies could be provided to Filipinos. “I’m very excited to see how UP is involved in so many areas and how UP is responsible for creating the innovative ideas, the cutting-edge technology, the research and development, that are, frankly, the foundation of any economic growth and prosperity for any country,” Yu said. She emphasized that university partnerships are essential in the diplomatic relations between Australia and the Philippines, following the 2015 Joint Declaration on the Australia-Philippines Comprehensive Partnership. “We are about to elevate the comprehensive relationship between our countries,” Yu said. “When we actually have shared goals, aspiration, and vision for us to be much, much more than the sum of two parts, then we call that relationship one of a strategic partnership. That’s definitely where we are already.” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu PSM and UP President Angelo Jimenez lead spirited discussions with Australia alumni. Photo by Abraham Arboleda (UP MPRO). During discussions, Chancellor Padilla pointed out a need for scholarship for physicians, who are often in search of fellowships. In response, Dela Cruz invited applications for Australia Awards scholarships in the area of public health. MSI Director David spoke about MSI facilities, including a research vessel and a laboratory in the West Philippine Sea, where Australia can send post-doctoral researchers. Prof. Marciano, seconded to the Philippine Space Agency as its first Director General, reported how the agency was working with Australian counterparts on rules for sustainable use of outer space. Together with President Jimenez, Yu was given a tour of the Natural Sciences Research Institute by Prof. De Ungria, and of the School of Archaeology by Prof. Mijares. Central to the strategic partnership plan, which both countries are working on to be signed at the end of the year, are the universities. “In an environment when conflict is affecting our prosperity as well as our peace, I would argue that true friends, true partners are exactly what we need… All parts of our country, particularly universities, who are out there coming up with solutions, finding ways to really stretch the frontier of economies, have to work even more closely together,” Yu pointed out. “And I see you and your relationships with Australia as the biggest asset that the Philippines and Australia have, that will be the rock-solid foundation of the new strategic partnership that we are about to enter into,” she said. |
https://up.edu.ph/xiamen-university-officials-visit-up/ | Xiamen University officials visit UP – University of the Philippines | Xiamen University officials visit UP Xiamen University officials visit UP June 14, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP President Angelo Jimenez interacts with Chinese delegates, with Executive Director Yu Hongbo of the Xiamen University Office of Overseas Campus Affairs/International Cooperation and Exchange, taking notes and interpreting for both parties, during a visit of XMU officials to UP on June 8, 2023. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) Officials of Xiamen University (XMU), led by its president, Prof. Zhang Zongyi, visited the University of the Philippines (UP) on June 8, 2023 to meet UP officials and partners and to explore areas of further collaborations between UP and XMU. The two parties had a breakfast meeting at the Board of Regents Room at Quezon Hall, UP Diliman with the XMU delegation, both expressing their interest for partnership in their flagship areas of Economics, Life Sciences, Sociology, Anthropology, and Marine Operations. They were also updated on the current XMU-UP partnership for the UP Diliman Confucius Institute, which was inaugurated on October 12, 2015. Currently, official relations between the two universities are confined to their co-membership in the ASEAN+3 University Network and the establishment of the Confucius Institute in UP Diliman. Members of the parties from Xiamen University and the University of the Philippines are introduced by UP Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, during a visit by the former to UP Diliman on June 8, 2023. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) “One of the most important geo-political facts today is the presence of a stronger China. No other nation in the world has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty within such short a time as the People’s Republic of China,” Jimenez noted one of China’s recent contributions to humanity. He also mentioned the concept of the greater China in the world, where a stronger Chinese language program would be needed by UP to become a more global university. “The University of the Philippines is keen to establish stronger relationship not just with Xiamen University or the Confucius Institute, but with other Chinese universities, to emphasize shared interests, and a shared destiny despite our ethnic, historical, and cultural differences so that we could create a peaceful, prosperous Asian continent,” Jimenez said. Zhang noted that one of the good conditions for further connections between the two universities is the proximity between Xiamen and Manila, only a two-hour plane flight between the two. He noted that a father of Anthropology in China, Lin Hui Xiang from XMU, was a graduate of UP in 1928. He spoke of a need to strengthen collaborations between XMU and UP, observing that Asian people are hard-working and diligent. “We need to create a much stronger Asian continent,” Zhang said. The two universities exchange gifts, with Executive Director Yu Hongbo, Xiamen University Office of Overseas Campus Affairs/International Cooperation and Exchange handing over what looks like a prayer wheel to UP President Angelo Jimenez, as Prof. Zhang Zongyi, XMU President looks on, during a visit of XMU officials to UP on June 8, 2023. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) The two universities exchange gifts, with Prof. Zhang Zongyi, Xiamen University President, handing over a miniature of an XMU research vessel to UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, as UP President Angelo Jimenez looks on, during a visit of XMU officials to UP on June 8, 2023. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) With Zhang were XMU officials: Prof. Zhou Yinggang, School of Economics Dean; Ma Jinlong, School of Life Sciences Council Chair; Prof. Hu Rong, School of Sociology and Anthropology Dean; Yu Hongbo, Office of Overseas Campus Affairs/International Cooperation and Exchange Executive Director; Zheng Hui, General Alumni Association Secretary-General; Dr. Wang Haili, Marine Operations Director; and, Dr. Shi Xueqin, Confucius Institute-UPD Chinese Director. With Jimenez were UP officials: Executive Vice President Jose Fernando Alcantara; Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo Cubillan; Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili; Vice President for Planning and Finance Iryn Balmores; former Vice President for Legal Affairs Hector Danny Uy; Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Office of International Linkages Director Imee Su Martinez; UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II; former UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan; UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Raquel Florendo; and UP Diliman Confucius Institute Director Lourdes Tanhueco-Nepomuceno. Officials of the University of the Philippines led by President Angelo Jimenez (center) and composed of (left to center) former Vice President for Legal Affairs Hector Danny Uy, Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Office of International Linkages Director Imee Su Martinez, UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Raquel Florendo, UP Diliman Confucius Institute Director Lourdes Tanhueco-Nepomuceno, Vice President for Planning and Finance Iryn Balmores, former UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo Cubillan, Executive Vice President Jose Fernando Alcantara, and UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, meet with Xiamen University delegates led by President Zhang Zongyi (center) and composed of (center to right) School of Sociology and Anthropology Dean Hu Rong, School of Economics Dean Zhou Yinggang, Office of Overseas Campus Affairs/International Cooperation and Exchange Executive Director Yu Hongbo, Marine Operations Director Wang Haili, School of Life Sciences Council Chair Ma Jinlong, General Alumni Association Secretary-General Zheng Hui, and Confucius Institute-UP Diliman Chinese Director Shi Xueqin. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-elevated-to-autonomous-college-in-time-for-its-50th-foundation-anniversary/ | UP Tacloban elevated to autonomous college in time for its 50th foundation anniversary – University of the Philippines | UP Tacloban elevated to autonomous college in time for its 50th foundation anniversary UP Tacloban elevated to autonomous college in time for its 50th foundation anniversary June 5, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The UP Tacloban College Oblation is now a symbol of resilience, as the campus celebrates its 50th founding anniversary, after withstanding the storm surge and winds of Typhoon Yolanda that laid the entire campus and the rest of Tacloban City to waste almost ten years ago. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UP MPRO) Fresh from its elevation to an autonomous unit of the University of the Philippines (UP) under the Office of the President, UP Tacloban College celebrated its 50th founding anniversary on 23 May 2023 with a parade, an anniversary convocation, and a concert of the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol along Magsaysay Boulevard, Tacloban City. Marking the transition from a College of UP Visayas to an autonomous unit on its way to being the newest constituent university of UP, President Angelo Jimenez swore in incumbent Prof. Patricia Arinto as Dean of the elevated College during the convocation. UP President Angelo Jimenez administers the oath of office to Prof. Patricia Arinto as Dean of the now autonomous unit of UP Tacloban College, 23 May 2023, at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UPMPRO) Prior to the convocation, a motorcade drove around downtown, before the assembly of UP Tacloban’s past and present constituents and alumni marched from the Tacloban campus to the old Provincial Capitol. The convocation and concert were also attended by: members of the UP Board of Regents and officials of the UP System Administration; Chancellors of UP Constituent Universities; UP Tacloban institutional partners in government and the private sector; and the general public. The UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), under the baton of its music director, Prof. Josefino “Chino” Toledo of the UP College of Music, performed a diverse program, which included a medley of Visayan songs. The back-to-back programs featured performances from UP an Balangaw, one of the oldest and award-winning performing arts groups in Eastern Visayas, and the Tacloban-based soprano, Mary Jeane Egloso-Cowan and tenor Malvin Macasaet, both UP College of Music alumni. Professor Emeritus Josefino “Chino” Toledo conducts the UP Symphony Orchestra in a concert at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol on 23 May 2023, celebrating the College’s 50th anniversary and its elevation as an autonomous unit of the UP System. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UPMPRO) The award-winning horn quartet of the UP Symphony Orchestra performs “Concerto for Four Horns” by Carl Heinrich Hubler, in the orchestra’s concert at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol, 23 May 2023, celebrating UP Tacloban College’s 50th anniversary and its elevation as an autonomous unit of the UP System. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UPMPRO On April 27, 2023, the UP Board of Regents approved the proposal for autonomy of UP Tacloban to better enable the College to fulfill its mandate in Eastern Visayas and work toward becoming a full-fledged constituent university (CU) of the UP System within three to five years. Welcoming the public to the convocation, Dean Arinto said it was fitting to hold the celebration in the Capitol where the idea for the regional UP unit was conceived and where the marker for its inauguration on 2 July 1973 was placed. UP Tacloban Dean Patricia Arinto welcomes UP officials, constituents, alumni, and friends to the College anniversary convocation at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol, 23 May 2023. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UPMPRO) “Autonomy is the way for UP Tacloban to more fully situate itself in the political, economic, and social realities of the Eastern Visayas region and respond to the imperative for growth by, among others, expanding its courses and programs to promote access and equity and by pursuing more strategic research and public service programs in areas critical to the development of the region,” Arinto said. “I pledge to you the full support of our administration in all your endeavors for the next six years, or at least for as long as I’m president,” Jimenez said in his speech. “It was not that easy for you to win you this autonomy…. There are members of the Board [of Regents] here today who saw how we fought for that autonomy, and our strongest interrogators were also our strongest supporters. There was no objection,” he said earlier. He congratulated the entire community of UP Tacloban for the historic achievement, and Arinto, whom he described as the “dynamo” of the College. UP President Angelo Jimenez expresses his full support of UP Tacloban College, 23 May 2023, in a speech at the College anniversary convocation held at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UP MPRO) Scenes from the UP Tacloban College 50th Anniversary celebration A lively parade of UP Tacloban College constituents and alumni marched from the campus complex to the old Leyte Provincial Capitol, 23 May 2023. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UP MPRO) Jose Clarin, Home Development Mutual Fund regional officer, speaks for the pioneer batch (1973-74) of UP Tacloban College during the its 50th anniversary convocation at the old Leyte Provincial Capitol, 23 May 2023. (Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UPMPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-aims-to-become-the-peoples-arts-culture-hub-wherever-it-is/ | UP aims to become the people’s arts & culture hub wherever it is – University of the Philippines | UP aims to become the people’s arts & culture hub wherever it is UP aims to become the people’s arts & culture hub wherever it is June 19, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Former UP Baguio Chancellor and new Program Development Officer for Culture and the Arts Raymundo Rovillos. Celebrating its 115th founding anniversary, the University of the Philippines (UP) announced the formation of a committee under the Office of the President to coordinate arts and culture initiatives in the entire UP System for greater impact. “In actively harnessing its vast intellectual, cultural, and creative resources, as President [Angelo] Jimenez augurs, UP is poised to reawaken not only its own soul but also the soul of the nation,” Prof. Raymundo Rovillos, former Chancellor of UP Baguio, said in a concept paper for the proposed President’s Committee on Culture and the Arts (PCCA). Rovillos has been designated Program Development Officer by Jimenez, whose policy and vision statement when he was nominated for UP presidency highlighted the importance of arts and culture in the growth of the University. Jimenez talked about “creating synergies and sharing of resources”, which can produce greater and lasting impact. He said that looking deeper into UP’s cultural and artistic assets is not only a method for better self-awareness, but a start in harnessing these for greater engagement with the public, for wellness, and for diplomacy. “I agree with PAJ that as a national university, UP should open its doors more widely to society. Our culture and arts initiatives should positively impact not only our immediate UP community but also the larger Filipino community,” Rovillos pointed out. “I realized that there are many arts and culture initiatives already existing in all the campuses, but many of these initiatives are known and experienced only in specific units within UP,” he added. The main strategy of the PCCA, he said, would be greater cooperation, complementation, and convergence among the CUs. Its vision centers around the long-standing tradition of “kalinangang UP, kalinangang bayan.” “Layunin ng panawagan at kampanyang ito na maging ‘hub’ o sentro ng kultura at sining ang UP sa lahat ng dako ng Pilipinas. Gagawin nating lugar ang bawa’t kapookan ng UP bilang espasyo ng kalinangan, kagalingan, paguugnayan, pakikipagkapwa-tao at pagkakaisa isa sa loob at labas ng Pamantasan. Bubuwagin ang anumang naging mistulang pader sa pagitan ng ‘tayo’ at ‘sila’. Iwawasto ang mga maling paratang at bansag laban sa UP at ipapadama ang pagmamasakit sa kapwa Pilipino, lalo’t higit sa mga naisantabi ng ating pagkabansa, tulad ng mga Katutubong Pilipino. Palalawakin pa natin ang mga pinakamahuhusay na kasanayan hinggil sa relasyon at ambag ng kalinangan sa pampook at pambansang kaunlaran,” Rovillos said in a written message. In choosing Rovillos to head the campaign, Jimenez noted the former’s successful effort in bringing UP Baguio closer to the community of Baguio City, making UP Baguio visible in the national and global arenas, and establishing UP Baguio as a hub for culture and arts in the Cordillera and Northern Luzon Region. Rovillos accomplished these through collaborative work and multi-stakeholder partnerships, resulting in cultural infrastructure such as museums, theaters, and archives; creative festivals and art exhibitions; and indigenous studies. According to the PCCA concept paper, in the next six years, the committee will focus on: establishing an organizational/administrative mechanism for inter-CU planning, monitoring and evaluation of culture and arts initiatives; building an institutional mechanism for establishing or strengthening the culture and arts ecosystems at the system and CU-community levels; developing a culture and arts policy/guidelines at the system and CU levels; and organizing culture and arts events to demonstrate “proofs” of concepts/framework. Watch Professor Rovillos talk about the PCCA in this video. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-releases-episode-4-of-byaheng-blended-ni-zia-with-a-focus-on-joining-up-student-orgs/ | UP releases Episode 4 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia” with a focus on joining UP student orgs – University of the Philippines | UP releases Episode 4 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia” with a focus on joining UP student orgs UP releases Episode 4 of “Byaheng Blended ni Zia” with a focus on joining UP student orgs May 24, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the University of the Philippines (UP), assisting its students and encouraging them to be aware and involved with society is paramount. UP students have to deal with transitioning to blended learning from two years of remote learning, on top of academic pressures and the strain of dealing with the aftermath of a pandemic and several natural disasters. To help UP students adjust and thrive in the new blended learning mode, the UP Office of Student Development Services (OSDS) has released Episode 4 in its four-part video series, “Byaheng Blended ni Zia”, with a special focus on “Student Orgs”. This video provides practical tips in choosing and joining the right student organization that captures their interest and advocacy. For students with questions and concerns on joining Student Organizations, please contact the Office of Student Affairs of your respective campuses. Watch the whole playlist of Byaheng Blended ni Zia below. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-dilimans-new-baseball-field-inaugurated/ | UP Diliman’s new baseball field inaugurated – University of the Philippines | UP Diliman’s new baseball field inaugurated UP Diliman’s new baseball field inaugurated August 16, 2022 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Sen. Pia Cayetano (front, 3rd from right) and UP President Concepcion (front, 2nd from left) unveil the marker in front of the new baseball field, with UPD Chancellor Nemenzo (front, extreme left), UP CHK Dean Diaz (front, extreme right), and UP team coaches and athletes as witnesses. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). The University of the Philippines (UP) inaugurated on August 5, 2022, a new 21,750-square-meter baseball field in UP Diliman that follows international standards. Its natural grass turf is also a competition-level venue for softball and throwing events, such as shot put, discus, and javelin throw. Located between the old UP Gymnasium and Ylanan Street, the facility will be fitted with night-time lighting by October or December in time for the University Athletics Association of the Philippines Season 85, according to UP President Danilo Concepcion. It will include aluminum bleachers with an 800-seating capacity, a bullpen area, locker rooms, bathroom and shower facilities, and perimeter fencing. UP and UP volleyball varsity alumna Senator Pia Cayetano, who has been leading Congress efforts, since 2012, toward budget appropriations for sports facilities and varsity programs in UP, was the guest of honor. With President Concepcion, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, and UP Diliman College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis “Kiko” Diaz, she signed baseballs to be used in ceremonial pitches. After which, they will be displayed at the College. UPD Chancellor Nemenzo (2nd from left), UP President Concepcion (3rd from left), and Sen. Cayetano (4th from right) hold up the ceremonial baseballs they and UP CHK Dean Diaz (extreme left) signed. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO). Cayetano and the UP officials then proceeded to unveil the marker beside the baseball field, which read: a “venue for Human Kinetics classes and training ground of student-athletes. . . . Through this facility, the University continues to perform its mandate of promoting physical education, encouraging competitive participation in sports activities, and instilling school identity and solidarity.” Concepcion, who led the inauguration, thanked alumni for supporting UP infrastructure projects. Diaz, UP Baseball Team Head Coach Anthony Dizer, and Ronilon Pagkaliwagan, UP Softball Team, expressed their gratitude for a facility that, according to them, has been a dream and inspiration for their athletes to excel. Varsity players and several UP Diliman officials and deans were also present to witness the inauguration. Below are some photos of the baseball field from Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs, Prof. Jose Wendell P. Capili. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-new-tennis-courts-and-clubhouse/ | UP opens new tennis courts and clubhouse – University of the Philippines | UP opens new tennis courts and clubhouse UP opens new tennis courts and clubhouse February 15, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera (standing left of ribbon) and UP President Danilo Concepcion (standing right of ribbon) cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new tennis courts and clubhouse in UP Diliman. Witnessing are UP varsity tennis players, UP System officials, and UP chancellors, UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz, and Atty. Gaby Concepcion. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Four tennis courts and a clubhouse were inaugurated on February 9, 2023 on Ylanan Street, UP Diliman, the newest additions to the rising UP Diliman Sports Complex. Members of the UP tennis varsity teams, the main beneficiaries of the construction project, witnessed the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the marker, which were led by outgoing UP President Danilo Concepcion and District Engineer Ramon Devanadera of the implementing agency, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). From left to right, photo 1: President Danilo Concepcion narrates the movement of UP Diliman sports facilities throughout the years and updates the community on the most recent and upcoming ones. Photo 2: Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo explains how tennis has brought UP Diliman citizens together through the years. Photo 3: College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz looks at the varsity tennis players as he envisions more victories and inspired performances from them with training in the new facilities. Photos by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). With the facility in place, “we hope to generate stronger support for our tennis program and athletes,” Concepcion said during his welcome remarks. UPD College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz had earlier presented members of the UP Men and Women’s Tennis Varsity Teams to Concepcion and expressed their thanks to him for pushing for the project. According to the marker, the facility was built to be “a premier training venue promoting the highest standard of play in tennis for UP athletes and students and a space for recreational play fostering healthy and active lifestyles for the UP community.” UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo spoke about the “tradition of tennis” on the Diliman campus, with the old tennis courts dating back to the 1950s. These became centers of community activity even for those who did not play tennis, he added. Nemenzo thanked the Concepcion administration and the DPWH for the project that is in line with his vision of promoting “total academic development” and “an integrated sports development.” (Left to right) UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr., UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP President Danilo Concepcion, Atty. Gaby Concepcion, Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Roberto Lara, Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar, UP Open University Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria, UP Vice President for Administration Nestor Yunque, UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia, and UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Carlos Diaz pose for a souvenir shot after inaugurating the new tennis courts and clubhouse at UP Diliman. With them are the UP varsity tennis players and staff from the Office of the Vice President for Development. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Although the courts were ready, the 10,865-square-meter project had yet to be fully finished. Upon completion, “the new UP Diliman Tennis Courts and Clubhouse will be an International Tennis Federation (ITF) compliant lawn tennis construction project,” according to the project brief. Department of Public Works and Highways Quezon City District Engineer Ramon Devanadera hopes to continue the fruitful cooperation between the DPWH and UP. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). “The development [features] a horizontally sprawling clubhouse structure crowned by the playing ground with four acrylic courts.” The large width of the hallway of the clubhouse would serve as a lounging and spectators’ area during games. It has space for administrative offices, storage areas, lockers, toilets, showers, and a 50-seater classroom. UP Diliman’s old tennis courts, located at the corner of Osmeña and Roces streets at the Academic Oval, have been a “shared sanctuary” of different tennis-based organizations, including the UP Tennis Club and the Tennis UP Organization. Aside from being far from the master-planned UPD sports complex, “the facility is severely lacking in amenities to support the amount of customers it serves,” according to the project brief. “This could be seen in the lack of provisions for storage and lockers where stocks have overflowed into the locker room. The locker room, a single caged enclose for males and females, is an exposed room that contains 50 units of lockers shared by both varsity athletes and visitors who want to rent storage space. The washrooms are also insufficient relative to the occupant number.” Devanadera expressed the hope “that fruitful cooperation between DPWH and the University will continue to flourish.” He congratulated Concepcion for the series of UP-DPWH infrastructure projects accomplished during his presidency. The UPD tennis courts and clubhouse project was initially funded during the term of UP President Alfredo Pascual. Views of the tennis courts and clubhouse. UP’s new track and field oval is located at the back of the tennis court and clubhouse in the bottom photo. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). |
https://up.edu.ph/vistan-inaugurated-as-12th-chancellor-of-up-diliman/ | Vistan inaugurated as 12th Chancellor of UP Diliman – University of the Philippines | Vistan inaugurated as 12th Chancellor of UP Diliman Vistan inaugurated as 12th Chancellor of UP Diliman June 7, 2023 | Written by Fred Dabu UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II raises the University Mace that he received from Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo as University Registrar Maria Vanessa Lusung-Oyzon looks on. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) Assistant Professor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II, who was appointed by the University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents as the 12th Chancellor of UP Diliman effective 3 April 2023 until April 2026, received the University Mace during the inauguration rites “Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong” held at the Quezon Hall on 5 June 2023. This tradition symbolizes the transferring of authority over the Constituent University from the outgoing to the present officials. It was also an opportunity for the new Chancellor to introduce his administrative team to the UPD community. Professor Fidel R. Nemenzo, 11th Chancellor of UPD, walks with Major Ferdinand Paulo S. Quiocho and Cadet 2Lt. Brenden Ashley Molina during the ceremonial inspection of the UPD ROTC Rayadillo Honor Guards. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, in his message, conveyed UP’s gratitude to immediate past Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo for successfully leading the UPD community navigate through the many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jimenez welcomed the leadership of Vistan as he called for unity in standing up as one community for justice and civil rights. “We are generators of new knowledge. We are hubs of social change,” said Jimenez, as he emphasized UP’s role in society. He also encouraged everyone in the University to always embody honor, excellence, and compassion in rendering public service. UP President Angelo A. Jimenez delivers his message to the University. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) Chancellor Vistan thanked the UP community, UP System officials, and attendees of the ceremony. He pledged to use the authority turned over to him in a “democratic or participatory manner,” and to serve “always with resolve, and the best interests of the University and its stakeholders in mind.” He added that he looked forward to a productive and harmonious working relationship with the UP System administration, and the different offices and sectors of the UP community. “I am also very thankful to my predecessor, Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, and his administration, for shepherding UP Diliman through the pandemic, and placing us in a good position to meet the challenges in the coming years,” Vistan said. Vistan shared his vision of cultivating “a culture of Honor and Excellence” in UPD and affirmed his commitment to democratic and participative governance. He said UPD personnel should be supported by “infrastructure, equipment, efficient work systems, nurturing work conditions, and continuous capacity building.” He added that “UP Diliman will remain vigilant and responsive to the issues and concerns of the times.” As of now, Vistan’s executive officials are: Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (Officer-in-Charge) Percival F. Almoro; Vice Chancellor for Administration Adeline A. Pacia; Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil R. Sonido; Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Roehl L. Jamon; Vice Chancellor for Research and Development Carl Michael F. Odulio; and, Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Raquel B. Florendo. He said they will ensure a smooth transition during the next few weeks until the new officials for OVCAA and OVCSA can be appointed. As a closing presentation, soprano Bianca Lopez-Aguila sang The Dawn’s “Iisang Bangka Tayo”. UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II delivers his inaugural message. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) Before his selection and appointment as Chancellor, Vistan served as the Dean of the UP College of Law, and concurrent head of the UP Law Center and the UP Office of Legal Aid. Vistan graduated from the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program of the Yale Law School in 2017. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from the UP College of Law in 2003, graduating cum laude and class valedictorian. He started teaching law in 2006 at the Angeles University Foundation School of Law; and in 2015, he joined the ranks of the regular faculty of UP. Prior to his law studies, Vistan obtained his Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology as an Oblation Scholar from the UPD in 1998, graduating cum laude. More photos from the event UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II (center) poses with UPD Registrar Maria Vanessa Lusung-Oyzon (left) and 11th UPD Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo (right). (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II addresses the audience comprised of UP System and UP Diliman officials, employees, representatives from UPD colleges, and the family of Vistan seated in front. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/search-for-the-next-up-diliman-chancellor/ | Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor – University of the Philippines | Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor February 28, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Search Committee for the Chancellorship of UP Diliman is accepting nominations until March 3, 5 p.m. Email the nomination papers, with the subject heading “Nomination for the UP Diliman Chancellor,” to the Office of the Secretary of the University (osu@up.edu.ph) and to the chair of the committee, Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, PhD (mbramolete@up.edu.ph). See photos for more details. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-hosts-1st-asian-journalism-research-conference/ | UP hosts 1st Asian Journalism Research Conference – University of the Philippines | UP hosts 1st Asian Journalism Research Conference UP hosts 1st Asian Journalism Research Conference April 28, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Some 300 students and faculty from various universities in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong attended the first Asian Journalism Research Conference last April 24-25, 2017 at the University of the Philippines (UP), the only academic conference for undergraduate students in the region. The conference was organized by the UP Journalism Department in partnership with the University of Sto. Tomas and the Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta, Indonesia. With the theme, “The Fourth Estate: Revisiting the Normative Ideals of Journalism in a Multimedia Era”, the conference tackled timely issues faced by today’s journalists, such as attacks from trolls, fake news and a lack of freedom of information. Keynote speaker and veteran journalist cum academic Dr. Cherian George from the Hong Kong Baptist University spoke about the challenges of journalism in the so-called post-truth era. He emphasized the need to check facts now more than ever. “Facts are still facts and should be the basis of reality,” he said, adding that so-called alternative truths are simply lies. He noted that in many regimes, politicians hide behind these alternative facts persuading the public to believe in their “perception of reality” rather than the hard truths. While, Dr. Azman Azwan Azmawati of the Universiti Sains Malaysia, gave a talk on stereotyping in the news. Chit Estella Journalism Award Winners 2017 From left: UP Asst. Prof Terry Conjuico, Tress Reyes of CNN, UP students Celine Samson, Bryan Gonzales, Nicole Lagrimas, Karen Macalalad, Ian Tapao, Ateneo de Manila students Stephanie Sayson and Patricia Sarmiento, UP Assoc Prof. Rachel Khan and emcee Kara David of GMA Network. Photo by Jeuel Barroso/UP Journalism Club. During the second day of the AJRC, the UP Journalism Department held its annual Chit Estella Journalism Student Research Award, named after the late Professor Lourdes Estella-Simbulan, who taught at the Department and was a trustee of Vera Files, an online news organization that practices investigative and long form journalism. University of the Philippines students Bryan Gonzales and Celine Samson bagged the Best in Investigative Journalism Award for their work entitled, “An investigative study on the implementation of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) and its impact on local illegal drug activities.” UP students Nicole Lagrimas, Karen Macalalad and Arianne Tapao also bagged the Best in Special Projects for their documentary titled, “Ignored. Informed. Information: Dismantling health, societal hazards for Tondo’s scrap metal works”. Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University students Patricia Sarmiento and Stephanie Sayson won the Best in Academic Research for their paper, “A Case Study on the Visual Representations of Para-Athletes in Elite Sports Events by Print News Media and the Perception of these Portrayals of Persons with Disabilities.” The conference was sponsored and supported by the University of the Philippines Office of International Linkages, the UP Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development, the UP Diliman Office of Culture and the Arts, the University of Sto. Tomas, VERA Files, Philippine Press Institute, Jollibee Food Corporation, Prof. Roland Simbulan and family and the UP Journalism Club. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-co-organizes-national-confab-on-filipino-psychology/ | UP Tacloban co-organizes national confab on Filipino psychology – University of the Philippines | UP Tacloban co-organizes national confab on Filipino psychology UP Tacloban co-organizes national confab on Filipino psychology December 2, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Together with the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino (PSSP), the Division of Social Sciences (DSS) of the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (UP Tacloban) organized the 45th Pambansang Kumperensiya sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino held on November 25-27, 2021 via Zoom. “#TindogTayo: Pagbangon at Paninindigan para sa Sarili, Kapwa, at Bayan,” this year’s theme, was a nod to both the PSSP’s comeback after being unable to hold the annual conference last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and UP Tacloban’s commemoration of the eighth anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda which devastated the campus and much of Eastern Visayas in November 2013. With almost 400 participants including psychology students, teachers, practitioners, and researchers, as well as licensed professional teachers, social workers, and guidance counselors, the conference aimed to: (a) discuss experiences of standing up for the self, others, and the nation; (b) examine the meaning of paninindigan in the Filipino experience; (c) feature new research on Filipino culture, society, and psychology; and, (d) share knowledge and skills in Filipino Psychology. Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Executive Director of the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, gives his keynote presentation. Screenshot from the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino. Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Executive Director of the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, served as keynote speaker. He shared experiences and reflections on his advocacy work in uplifting the lives of homeless people and supporting the widowed and orphaned families of those killed in line with the current administration’s war on drugs. The PSSP conference also featured various plenary sessions aside from parallel paper presentations. On the second day of the conference, the plenary session featured three speakers who discussed different ways of rising from life’s challenges. UP Diliman Associate Professor Anna Cristina A. Tuazon talked about the difficulties of long-distance relationships during the pandemic. Assistant Professor Pierce S. Docena shared some reflections and lessons learned from UP Tacloban’s mental health and psychosocial support initiatives in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Finally, Mr. Gerardo “Jun” V. Cabochan, Jr., Executive Director of the Pandayan Bookshop, highlighted their attempts to live up to the concept of kapwa in their business affairs. The plenary speakers. Screenshot from the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino. The last day of the conference featured two plenary sessions. Drawing on his expertise in Philippine history, Assistant Professor Emmanuel Jeric A. Albela from the University of Santo Tomas traced the development of electoral practices in the Philippines to elucidate various electoral reform issues facing the country. Atty. Golda S. Benjamin, a Silliman University College of Law faculty member, discussed human rights and the environment. In particular, she tackled the controversial proposal for the 174-hectare Smart City reclamation project that would have severely impacted Dumaguete’s protected marine areas. Top: UST Assistant Professor Emmanuel Jeric A. Albela. Bottom: Human rights lawyer Silliman University College of Law faculty member Atty. Golda S. Benjamin. Screenshots from the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino. The conference ended with a cultural presentation featuring song performances from the Sinirangan Chamber Singers and UP Tacloban’s psychology students from Batch Limbasog. The 45th PSSP conference was made possible through the efforts of the PSSP Board of Directors headed by its President, Dr. Jose Antonio R. Clemente, and Vice President and convention convenor, Darren E. Dumaop, in partnership with the psychology faculty of UP Tacloban DSS led by Assistant Professor Ruth Edisel Rylle B. Sadian-Cercado. The De La Salle University Department of Psychology, Good Shepherd Professional Training Services, and Center for Educational Measurement co-sponsored the conference. Screenshot from the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino. Article contributed by UP Visayas Tacloban College Assistant Professor Pierce S. Docena. |
https://up.edu.ph/joint-international-federation-for-theatre-research-conference-and-asian-theatre-working-group-colloquium-2018/ | Joint International Federation for Theatre Research Conference and Asian Theatre Working Group Colloquium 2018 – University of the Philippines | Joint International Federation for Theatre Research Conference and Asian Theatre Working Group Colloquium 2018 Joint International Federation for Theatre Research Conference and Asian Theatre Working Group Colloquium 2018 August 18, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines Diliman, through the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA), College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and the Asian Center (AC), is hosting the Joint 2018 International Federation for Theatre Research Conference and Asian Theatre Working Group Colloquium 2018 (IFTR-Asia 2018) with the theme Bodies in/and Asian Theaters from 20 to 23 February 2018. A growing interest on the body as a starting point of discourse is seen in the past decades. Even theatre studies has been involved on scrutinizing the body as an important performance aspect. In Western theatre practice, physical theatre is a well-articulated practical approach for understanding the body vis-à-vis theatre and performance. However, the increasing number of the most influential theorizations and conceptualizations has primarily, if not exclusively, focused on how the cultures in the West (Europe and the Americas) conceive it. Taking the cue from Asianists like Bryan Turner, Zheng Yangwen, Rey Ileto, Vincente Rafael and Kuan-Hsing Chen, it is important to note that peoples in Asia experienced colonization, decolonization and now globalization albeit different modalities. These contexts, as these Asianists suggested and implied, are important socio-political and historical factors for understanding the Asian body. With this, Bodies in/and Asian Theatres is envisioned to contribute to the study of the body, particularly its functions and placements in the different cultural performances in the Asian region. On the occasion of Katha-wan [a contraction of katha (creative creation) and katawan (body)] or the celebration of the UP Diliman Month 2018 vis-à-vis the National Arts Month in the Philippines, Bodies in/and Asian Theatres invokes the Asian bodies as creative and critical entities. IFTR-Asia 2018 attempts to answer these general questions: what do we mean when we talk about bodies in Asian theatres and performances? What do we mean when we talk about Asian bodies in different performances outside the region? How does theatre affect the way we think about the bodies of Asians? For more information about IFTR-Asia 2018, please visit http://iftr-asia2018.upd.edu.ph/index.html. Our keynote speakers include Dr. Susan San Kwan (University of California Berkeley), Dr. Julius J. Bautista (Kyoto University) and Ms. Agnes Locsin (Former Artistic Director Ballet Philippines). For more details of our keynote speakers, please visit: http://iftr-asia2018.upd.edu.ph/keynote-speakers.html. For the roundtable plenary, we have invited renowned physical theatre practitioners and dramaturgs: Mr. Pichet Klunchun (Thailand), Dr. Lim How Ngean (Malaysia) and Ms. Eisa Jocson (Philippines). Dr. Paul Alexander Rae (University of Melbourne) and Dr. Kathy Foley (University of California Santa Cruz) will facilitate the new scholars sessions. Founded in 1957, IFTR is the oldest and one of the most prestigious federations of performance practitioners and scholars. Its members are from different disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences interested on the study of theatre and performance vis-à-vis culture and society. As a federation, it boasts a membership coming from more than 60 countries including the United States, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Morocco, Israel, Iceland, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa, Chile, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Serbia, Finland, Russia, Egypt, Portugal, China, the Philippines to name a few. For other information on the IFTR, please visit https://www.iftr.org. IFTR-Asia 2018 is now accepting abstract submissions. Before submitting your abstract, please note the following: Please make sure your abstract is related to the major theme Bodies in/and Asian Theatres or one of the sub-themes (http://iftr-asia2018.upd.edu.ph/call-for-papers.html) of IFTR-Asia 2018. Please limit your abstract to not more than 300 words. Otherwise, the system will not accept your submission. Please submit a short bionote of not more than 150 words. You will receive a confirmation email from the conference conveners as soon as your submission is received. Submission of abstract will end on 15 September 2017. Announcement of successful submissions shall start on 2 October 2017. To submit your abstract, please visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyCdzDSdpPugz6wKcC8tE4GdeCU0Kl08W3g3mdzlx7XJ_FEA/viewform For inquiries, please email iftr-asia2018.upd@up.edu.ph or the conveners Sir Anril P. Tiatco at sptiatco@up.edu.ph and Bryan L. Viray at blviray@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/for-the-nation-for-the-people/ | ‘For the nation, for the people’ – University of the Philippines | ‘For the nation, for the people’ ‘For the nation, for the people’ October 18, 2017 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion National Artist Guillermo Tolentino’s original Oblation in the UP Diliman Main Library. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) In barricades embattled, fighting in delirium, Others give you their lives without doubts, without gloom. The site nought matters: cypress, laurel or lily: Gibbet or open field: combat or cruel martyrdom Are equal if demanded by country and home. The second stanza of Jose Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios translated above by National Artist Nick Joaquin has inspired many Filipinos to deeds both great and noble for the nation’s sake. Of all its fruits, however, perhaps none has been more firmly molded into the Filipino psyche than the Oblation. UP Baguio Oblation by Anastacio Caedo. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Oblation statue at UP Bonifacio Global City. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Since its cornerstone was laid down in 1931, National Artist Guillermo Tolentino’s masterpiece has served as a rallying point for selfless action for the public interest, as well as the most recognizable and enduring symbol of the University of the Philippines (UP). Commissioned by then-UP President Rafael Palma, the Oblation is a tangible representation of Tolentino’s interpretation of two of Jose Rizal’s writing’s—Mi Ultimo Adios and A La Juventud Filipina. The statue is an elevation of sacrifice on a pedestal, indicating a “clarion call for the youth to engage in the rigors of change and progress.” UP Cebu Oblation statue. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Oblation statue at the newly-built UP Cebu Professional Schools. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) The Oblation’s unveiling during National Heroes Day introduced a figure into Philippine society rich in nationalist symbolism. The statue’s height of 3.5-meters symbolizes three and a half centuries of Spanish colonial rule, while its pose of self-offering represents Tolentino’s interpretation of Rizal’s second stanza above—in particular the “unknown heroes who fell during the night.” Furthermore, its base is a stylized representation of the Philippine archipelago, with rocks from Montalban Gorge to highlight its cultural and historical significance. UP Diliman Oblation as the sun sets. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) UP Los Baños’ Oblation by National Artist Napoleon Abueva. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) The katakataka or “wonder plant” (Brophyllum pinnatum) symbolizes the heroism of the Filipino people. Seeing that segments of the plant thrown anywhere would “sprout into a young plant,” Tolentino viewed the plant as a symbol of a patriotism that continually grows in different places throughout the country. UP Mindanao’s Oblation in the Oblation Plaza. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) UP Manila Oblation in front of the PGH. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Since the Oblation’s move from Padre Faura to Diliman on February 11, 1949 as part of UP’s transfer to a larger campus, the campuses that would compose what we now know as the University of the Philippines System would see the rise of their own versions of the beloved figure. The UP Open University Oblation (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Oblation at the UP Visayas Iloilo Campus. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Oblation at the UP Visayas Miagao Campus. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Renowned sculptors and artists, among them National Artist Napoleon Abueva, Anastacio Caedo who was also one of the models of the original statue, Fidel Araneta, and former UP Open University Chancellor Grace Javier Alfonso, would eventually make their own interpretations of the legendary figure in different constituent universities. Wherever it is to be found, the Oblation remains a symbol of strength, resilience and freedom of thought for UP and its graduates. According to UP’s Visual Identity Guide, the Oblation is a figure that demands respect in terms of use and visibility. It is always to be represented in its entirety, with the statue on its pedestal at all times to keep its historical and cultural significance intact. Splitting the figure or overlaying it with text is considered inappropriate; making the Oblation a mere decorative element violates the integrity of the University’s visual identity. ——————– Email the author at upforum@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/nominations-for-next-up-president-now-open/ | Nominations for next UP President now open – University of the Philippines | Nominations for next UP President now open Nominations for next UP President now open September 11, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Board of Regents (BOR) of the University of the Philippines (UP) has opened nominations for the next UP President to succeed President Danilo L. Concepcion, whose term will end on February 09, 2023. This is according to a memorandum released by the UP Office of the Secretary of the University and the BOR on September 08, 2022. The UP BOR has constituted itself as the Search Committee for the next UP President. UP Presidents serve as the Chief Academic Officer, Head of the University Faculty, and Chief Executive Officer of the University for a fixed term of six years and are expected to pursue goals stated in Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter. Concepcion’s successor as UP President will be the 22nd President of the country’s national university. Nominees must have the following minimum requirements: Holds a Master’s degree; doctorate preferred; Has substantial academic experience at the tertiary level; Should be able to serve the full term of six (6) years before reaching the age of 70; With no conviction for administrative or criminal offenses; Must possess administrative and managerial experience at the senior level. The UP BOR Search Committee will be accepting nominations from September 12, 2022 (Monday) until October 14, 2022 (Friday), at 5:00 PM. Each nomination should include the nominee’s curriculum vitae; their mission-vision statement and a statement of their willingness to serve; a brief justification for the nomination, two pages at most; and clearances from Sandiganbayan, Ombudsman, and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The nominees’ mission-vision statements should respond to the following questions: * If elected, what value would you add/bring to the University, and how will you achieve it? * Why should you be elected president of the University of the Philippines? * How will you operationalize and implement the mandates of the University under RA 9500? All nominations must be placed in a sealed envelope (two copies) addressed to Atty. Roberto M.J. Lara, Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents, and submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the University (OSU) located at the Ground Floor (North Wing) Quezon Hall, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines. Please contact Ms. Jovita P. Fucio at 8981-8500 local 2535 or via borsecretariat@up.edu.ph. Download the official UP OSU Memorandum on the Call for Nominations here. |
https://up.edu.ph/the-search-for-the-next-up-president-heats-up/ | The Search for the next UP President heats up – University of the Philippines | The Search for the next UP President heats up The Search for the next UP President heats up December 2, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The six UP Presidential hopefuls with event moderator, UP VP for Public Affairs Elena Pernia (center). From left to right: UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo; Atty. Salvador B. Belaro, Jr.; former UP Regent, Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez; former UPD VC for Academic Affairs, Dr. Benito M. Pacheco; former UPLB Chancellor, Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez; and Catanduanes State University president, Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) The Search for the next University of the Philippines (UP) President heated up last November 11, 2022, as the nominees for the position gathered at UP Diliman’s Cine Adarna, UPFI Film Center, to present their respective visions for UP. All six (6) presidential hopefuls attended the event, ‘The Search: Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President”. The successful nominee will succeed current President Danilo L. Concepcion as the 22nd President of the University and will assume office when Concepcion steps down in February 2023. During the event, which was also broadcast live over TVUP, each candidate had 10 minutes to present their plans and programs. After this, the event host, UP Vice President for Public Affairs (VPPA) Elena Pernia, moderated a question-and-answer session, where each candidate responded to questions from different sectors of the UP community, including real-time online queries. Members of the UP community crowd into Cine Adarna to participate in ‘The Search: Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President”. The search was open to all UP community members across the System as the event was live-streamed to all UP constituent units. Outside the venue, UP organizations state their challenge to the next UP President. Photo by Bong Arboleda (UP MPRO) To listen to the presidential hopefuls were members of the search committee, composed of the University’s Board of Regents (BOR) led by Concepcion and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman J. Prospero de Vera. The UP President, de Vera, noted in his message that he is different from most other leaders of SUCs in that they serve six years with no reappointment. De Vera described them as products of a choice that “cannot be rectified by a second term.” Moreover, the next UP President would be considered a true leader in higher education because of UP’s geographic reach and the comprehensive nature of the programs it offers. CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera opens the UP presidential candidates’ forum. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) First to the podium was Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez. Atty. Jimenez summarized his vision in six words: research power, digital transformation, and democratic access. Amidst the massive global changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, he stressed the need to leverage the advantages of a digital transformation within UP instead of being “nostalgic about the pre-COVID age.” Jimenez noted how the transformative powers of digital technology not only provide educational opportunities “at any time and place” but also help provide democratic access by closing the quality gap between each UP unit, as well as between UP and the SUCs of each region. Such accessibility, he said, is “true democratization.” Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) Next to speak was Atty. Salvador B. Belaro, Jr. At the heart of his vision was to secure a higher budget for the University to achieve its goal of becoming a truly global university. To compare, Belaro narrated his experiences at Cornell University, which he said enjoyed a budget more than 14 times that of UP. He noted that Cornell’s higher budget contributed greatly to its global status and other advantages, such as a good working environment for faculty and staff and a healthy student-to-teacher ratio. Belaro stated that in addition to integrating the good points presented by his peers, it would take fighting for a much larger share of the annual budgetary pie for UP to become truly global, “not just in talk, but in action.” Atty. Salvador B. Belaro, Jr. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) The third man up was UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, who presented his vision statement for the chancellorship in the same venue just three years ago. Nemenzo’s vision, informed by his leadership experience in the Diliman community, was centered on three points: making an agile UP, a smart UP, and a high-impact UP. For him, being elegant meant utilizing UP’s academic research programs, such as new ones in bioinformatics, data science, and artificial intelligence, among others, to cope with disruptions. He agreed with Jimenez on the need for digital transformation, which is a key component of his idea of a smart UP. Nemenzo said that digitalization would lead to better collaboration and mobilization of resources and more efficient administrative processes. Lastly, being a high-impact university meant leveraging the diversity of critical knowledge produced across the UP system for UP to take a leadership role in issues of national importance, such as food security, health, culture, and the arts. Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) The fourth nominee to present his vision for the University was Prof. Benito M. Pacheco. He served as UPD Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from 2014 to 2017. His presentation focused on 15 possibilities that he envisions for UP, all aiming to improve: democratic access and diversity at admission; enrichment courses; regional public service programs; full-time equivalent student; full-time equivalent teacher; the limited practice of a profession; grading system; student ethics code; mobility across CUs; administration; and others. “If elected as President, I would serve as a Futures Thinker-Leader for the strategic reimagining of and advocacy for our University mandate for the long term: public service and outreach; teaching; research and creative work; faculty and staff development; and democratic governance,” concluded Pacheco. Dr. Benito M. Pacheco. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza, President of the Catanduanes State University, envisions the University as “Unibersidad ng Panghinaharap.” He explained that he aims to transform the present university system into a “multiversity” or “meta-versity” similar to what is being implemented by the University of California. He further said that the transformation would put UP at par with “universities of the future” while promoting diversity, a clearer sense of purpose, happiness, and human greatness. He said he would draw upon his experiences and the policies he had already implemented during his term as university president and having held various senior executive posts at the AMA Group of Companies (1997-2008), UPD, and other institutions. According to Azanza, the crisis faced by UP and society can only be resolved if the processes, policies, programs, and decisions are based on data science. Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) Lastly, Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. presented his vision for UP. He served as a two-term Chancellor of UP Los Baños (UPLB) from 2014 to 2020. According to Sanchez, if elected, he will prioritize benefits, facilities, opportunities, and inclusion to nurture and protect UP constituents. His presentation highlighted “synergy in diversity” in making UP a catalyst for inclusive national development. He aims to: strengthen UP’s alumni network; promote inter-UP collaboration for more inclusive programs that will create System-wide studies centers; secure UP’s academic leadership through System-wide mentorship; provide an enabling and inspiring environment; ensure the health and safety of UP students; improve internet access and connectivity; develop more creative and community-oriented spaces; enhance System-wide capacity building and lifelong learning programs; establish relevant and responsive graduate programs; and, a promote the internationalization of UP, among others. Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) Q and A During the Q&A session, the nominees were asked about their responses to the most important concerns faced by UP constituents. The nominees were given two minutes to explain their opinions on UP’s commercial transactions or joint ventures with the private sector; each candidate’s plans to support or encourage growth in the Humanities and Social Sciences; their plans for the institutionalization of psychosocial services; their plans to resolve the lack of plantilla items in administrative offices and faculty positions; their plans to provide additional benefits for optional retirees; their plans to ensure the protection of constituents from red-tagging; their plans to offer health insurance coverage for faculty and staff and their immediate family members, in addition to Philhealth and eHOPE; their plans for utilizing UP’s land assets; and, other issues. The six candidates answer questions fielded by members of the UP community. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UP MPRO) The full CVs and vision papers of the six nominees are available and can be accessed at the Office of the Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents (OSU) website. The forum was live-streamed by TVUP and can be viewed via TVUP’s YouTube channel. Article written by Andre Encarnacion and Fred Dabu. |
https://up.edu.ph/mechanics-released-for-the-public-forum-for-the-selection-of-the-new-up-president/ | Mechanics released for the public forum for the selection of the new UP President – University of the Philippines | Mechanics released for the public forum for the selection of the new UP President Mechanics released for the public forum for the selection of the new UP President November 4, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Last month, the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University of the Philippines (UP) approved the nominations of six official candidates for the next UP President who will succeed UP President Danilo Concepcion. On Friday, November 11, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., the UP community will be able to hear from the six nominees for the UP Presidency. A public forum will be held where all six will present their plans and programs and respond to questions from the UP constituency. The public forum will be held at Cine Adarna, UP Diliman, and live-streamed to all UP constituent units. he UP Office of the Secretary of the University and the BOR have released the mechanics of the public forum, including the guidelines for the nominees’ presentations and guidelines for the audience and forum participants. Read the mechanics for the Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President here: |
https://up.edu.ph/former-up-regent-angelo-jimenez-to-succeed-concepcion-as-the-next-up-president/ | Former UP Regent Angelo Jimenez to succeed Concepcion as the next UP President – University of the Philippines | Former UP Regent Angelo Jimenez to succeed Concepcion as the next UP President Former UP Regent Angelo Jimenez to succeed Concepcion as the next UP President December 9, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Atty. Angelo Azura Jimenez. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Following intensive deliberations, including interviews with the six nominees for the next President of the University of the Philippines (UP), the UP Board of Regents (BOR) announced today their unanimous selection of the next leader of the country’s national university: Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez, former UP Regent. Atty. Jimenez will serve as the University’s 22nd President, succeeding the current UP President, Professor Danilo L. Concepcion, whose term will end in February 2023. Jimenez will serve a six-year term from February 2023 to February 2029. Atty. Angelo Jimenez is an Of counsel with the Jaromay Laurente and Associates and a consultant of the Office of Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia. He served on the Board of Regents twice, first as a Student Regent in 1992, and again as a Regent from 2016 to 2021. He was a lecturer at the UP Law Center Institute of the Administration of Justice from 2016 to 2021; and a consultant of the UP Centre International de Formation des Autorites et Leaders or International Training Center for Authorities and Leaders Philippines (UP-CIFAL Philippines). He was also a trustee of the UP Foundation from 2017 to 2021. Atty. Jimenez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology in 1987, and his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1994, both in UP Diliman. He passed the Bar in 1994. He was a Lee Kuan Yew Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He earned his Masters in Public Management from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. Among the many awards he has received is the Outstanding Butuanon Award for Professional Excellence. In his vision paper, Jimenez stated that UP “must strive to become a global university”. Specifically, UP must lead as a research university by focusing on graduate and post-graduate programs and academic linkages; and as a public service university through extension service to the government and industry. UP must also advocate for an Open Data Policy. UP must likewise help raise the quality of undergraduate education in other SUCs, embrace digital transformation in learning and management, defend and enhance academic freedom in UP. As UP President, Jimenez will serve as the Chief Academic Officer, Head of the University Faculty, and Chief Executive Officer. He will be tasked with pursuing goals stated in Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter. |
https://up.edu.ph/online-pre-registration-for-the-public-forum-for-the-selection-of-the-next-up-president-is-now-open/ | Online pre-registration for the Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President is now open – University of the Philippines | Online pre-registration for the Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President is now open Online pre-registration for the Public Forum for the Selection of the Next UP President is now open November 9, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Online pre-registration for onsite and off-site participants attending the Public Forum for the Selection of the Next University of the Philippines (UP) President is now open. Members of the UP community across the UP system are invited to send in their questions and pre-register for the event. For Zoom participants: bit.ly/UPPresZoom For Cine Adarna (F2F) participants: bit.ly/UPPresCineAdarna For the Questions: bit.ly/UPPresQuestion Open on 10 November (Thu),1:00 PM – 5:00 PM and 11 November (Fri), 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM During the public forum, the six nominees for the UP Presidency will present their platforms and answer questions from UP’s internal and external publics. The forum will be held this Friday, November 11, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., at Cine Adarna, UP Diliman, and live-streamed to all UP constituent units. Read the mechanics of the public forum here: Mechanics released for the public forum for the selection of the new UP President |
https://up.edu.ph/up-launches-learning-hub-the-2nd-of-its-kind-in-butuan/ | UP launches learning hub, the 2nd of its kind, in Butuan – University of the Philippines | UP launches learning hub, the 2nd of its kind, in Butuan UP launches learning hub, the 2nd of its kind, in Butuan April 25, 2022 | Written by Fred Dabu The newly launched UP Pook Aralan Student Learning Hub in Butuan City. Photo from the UP OSDS. The University of the Philippines (UP) launched its “Pook Aralan” learning hub in Butuan City last April 20 via Zoom. The learning hub is the second “Pook Aralan” under the Tabang sa Iskolar ng Bayan program, which offers free use of computers, internet, and printing services for all nearby UP students for a limited period. The hub is strategically situated in front of the Agusan National High School and the Social Security System office in Butuan City, Agusan Del Norte, on AD Curato Street. At least 12 UP students can avail themselves of online learning-related services and facilities for the second semester. A view of the cubicles of the learning hub. Photo from OSDS. The first “Pook Aralan,” located in Bato, Leyte, was launched on March 14 and will serve UP students until July. According to UP Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Office of Student Development Services (OSDS) Director Richard Philip Gonzalo, the “Pook Aralan” project hopes to assist students in continuing their studies after Typhoon Odette hit. The “Pook Aralan” also provides the University a template for helping its students in remote areas, especially after typhoons and other calamities hinder them from continuing studies under the blended learning mode. Speaking during the launch of UP’s Pook Aralan: UP AVP for Academic Affairs and Office of Student Development Services Director Richard Philip Gonzalo [above]; UPLB Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Janette Silva [below]. Screenshot by UP MPRO. UP Los Baños Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) Janette Silva said the students affected by recent typhoons and challenges due to the pandemic were glad to avail UP’s assistance through these projects. The OVCSA helped in conducting the feasibility study for this project. UP Padayon Public Service Office Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval said the Pook Aralan would ease the students’ burdens amid the pandemic and calamities. UP will also launch more learning hubs to respond to students’ needs. UP Padayon Public Service Office Director Jeanette Yasol-Naval [above]; establishment owner and Pook Aralan manager Michael Urgel [below]. Screenshot by UP MPRO. Establishment owner and Pook Aralan manager Michael Urgel expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be of service to the University. He assured us that the learning hub will always be a safe space for students. The OSDS administers the project in partnership with the UP Padayon Public Service Office, the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, the UP Foundation, the concerned units of UP constituent universities, and owners of the chosen sites. For inquiries about the Pook Aralan, please email studentwelfare.osds@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-mindanao-swimmers-triumph-in-araw-ng-dabaw/ | UP Mindanao swimmers triumph in Araw ng Dabaw – University of the Philippines | UP Mindanao swimmers triumph in Araw ng Dabaw UP Mindanao swimmers triumph in Araw ng Dabaw April 4, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP Mindanao’s Swimming Team won 14 gold medals, 6 silver medals and 5 bronze medals during the 80th Araw ng Dabaw Inter-School Swimming Competition at Ateneo de Davao University Matina Sports Complex on 1-2 April 2017. Agribusiness Economics sophomore Juan Antonio A. Mendoza was declared “Most Outstanding Swimmer”. Most Outstanding Swimmer Juan Antonio Mendoza. Photo from Rene Estremera, UP Mindanao. Aside from Mendoza, the Maroon contingent was composed of Bhazel Acac (BS Food Technology), Angelica Jem Verga (BS Architecture), Paula Yap (BS Computer Science), Joemer Aliman (BS Applied Mathematics), and Tobias Suico (BS Applied Mathematics). Coach Albert Ramos reported that his team’s proudest accomplishment was in the 4×50-meter relay, where UP won over Davao Merchant Marine Academy, this year’s defending champions. A total of 220 swimmers competed in the two-day event, representing 55 schools from Davao, Metro Manila and other regions in Mindanao. This year’s tournament also attracted delegates from overseas Filipino communities. The Annual Araw ng Dabaw Inter-School Swimming Competition serves as a qualifier for Batang Pinoy and the Philippine National Games. |
https://up.edu.ph/groundbreaking-ceremony-held-for-new-land-bank-up-diliman-building/ | Groundbreaking ceremony held for new Land Bank UP Diliman building – University of the Philippines | Groundbreaking ceremony held for new Land Bank UP Diliman building Groundbreaking ceremony held for new Land Bank UP Diliman building December 12, 2022 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II UP President Danilo Concepcion (2nd from right), LBP EVP Liduvino Geron (3rd from right), and officials from the UP System, UP Diliman, and the LBP, bury the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building of the Landbank of the Philippines to be constructed in the Diliman campus. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) On November 21, 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of the new Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) branch located on the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines. Notable attendees for this event included UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and LBP Executive Vice President and Head of the Branch Banking Sector Liduvino S. Geron, representing LBP President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo. The Landbank UP Diliman Branch Department Manager, Malaine P. Baui, hosted the event. During his short speech, Concepcion emphasized the importance of LBP as one of the only few banks that provide for people working under government agencies, as well as the importance of the banking agency to the University’s community. The new branch construction in the Diliman campus, he said, will not only be more accessible to people, but it will also be the biggest LBP branch, complete with its parking lot. LBP Executive Vice President Liduvino Geron. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) As “UP is an agency of the government as well,” Concepcion said that UP would be used as a template and an example for other government agencies to help one another. “The long journey begins with a step, and this is a step towards this long journey,” he finished. Geron thanked UP for hosting the new LBP location and expressed his hope that this new strategic place would contribute to improving the economic activities within the area. He emphasized that the collaboration between Land Bank and UP aims to better serve the public, including students, faculties, and even those who reside outside the university. Geron mentioned LBP’s new services, such as installing QR codes and contactless cards to help the community make payments and even transfer funds to their accounts through their cards or phones. The services would remove the need for LBP’s clients to bring cash and reduce the long lines for transactions. He concluded by thanking UP for their longtime partnership, adding that the new branch will be open for business in less than a year. All attendees took part in the time capsule burial, which concluded the groundbreaking event. The new LBP UP Diliman branch across the UP College of Fine Arts. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-diliman-food-hub-opens/ | UP Diliman Food Hub opens – University of the Philippines | UP Diliman Food Hub opens UP Diliman Food Hub opens January 4, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc “Gyud Food,” the UP Diliman Food Hub, opens its doors to the UP community. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). A new food center in Diliman, Quezon City, is open to the public. The UP Diliman Food Hub, with a landmark two-story multipurpose hall located along E. Jacinto St. near University Avenue and across the College of Fine Arts, was inaugurated on December 21, 2022, already with several concessionaires offering a wide enough array of food choices. University officials announced that food would be discounted for UP students, faculty members, administration staff, and researchers, ranging from 5% to 15%, with payment transactions facilitated by their Paymaya-enabled IDs. Two stories of delicious, healthy, and affordable food options. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). The UP Food Hub was also designed to become a congregation and activity area, with food courts located indoors and al fresco under the shade of trees. According to the project brief: “The Site Development of the UPD Food Park is meant to aptly handle vehicular parking needs that otherwise will be overflowing towards E. Jacinto St.” Leading the inauguration and unveiling of the marker were UP President Danilo Concepcion, Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil Sonido, Benedict Diamat, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Quezon City Second District Construction Chief, representing District Engineer Ramon Devanadera, and master lessee Jose Vizco. UP President Danilo Concepcion (3rd from right) and UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo (3rd from left), together with (from left to right) UPD Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Raquel Florendo, Potato Corner CEO and UPD Food Hub lessee Mr. Joe Magsaysay, UP Vice President for Development Elvira Zamora, and UPD Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil Sonido, cut the ribbon to open the UP Food Hub formally. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Concepcion especially thanked the DPWH, then headed by Secretary Mark Villar, for allocating the budget for and constructing the complex. He emphasized that the core idea behind the project was “ginhawa” or convenience, wider choices, and discounts for UP students. “This food hub will offer our growing community a wider range of food choices,” affirmed Nemenzo. “This is a signal that UP Diliman is again opening up [to the public],” he added, referring to the restrictions imposed in the wake of the pandemic. Sonido expressed the hope that the venue would also be a model for environmental sustainability in line with a campus-wide goal. Al fresco dining at the UP Food Hub. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). |
https://up.edu.ph/up-secures-top-rankings-in-the-environmental-planners-licensure-exam/ | UP secures top rankings in the Environmental Planners Licensure Exam – University of the Philippines | UP secures top rankings in the Environmental Planners Licensure Exam UP secures top rankings in the Environmental Planners Licensure Exam August 4, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II Examinees from two different University of the Philippines campuses garnered the three highest places in the July 2023 Environmental Planners Licensure Examination, as announced recently by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The top three examinees out of the 115 passers are, in order: Janine Montalban Tabares from UP Visayas Iloilo, with a rating of 82.45%; and, Frann Christian Regino Serrano and Alexisse Diarra Gucilatar Pablico, both from UP Los Baños (UPLB); with a rating of 81.55% and 80.10%, respectively. UP Diliman, on the other hand, is the top-ranked school in the July 2023 Environmental Planners Licensure Examination, with 31 out of 36 examinees passing, leveling it up to 86.11% passing rate. The Environmental Planners Licensure Examination was administered by the members of the Board of Environmental Planning. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-tops-cpa-licensure-exam-performance/ | UP tops CPA licensure exam performance – University of the Philippines | UP tops CPA licensure exam performance UP tops CPA licensure exam performance June 2, 2023 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The UP Cesar EA Virata School of Business in UP Diliman, Quezon City. Photo from the Virata School of Business on Facebook. The University of the Philippines (UP) emerged as the top performing school in the Board of Accountancy’s May 2023 Licensure Examination for Certified Public Accountants (CPA). This was announced by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on May 30, when it released the official results. Out of the 59 exam takers from UP, 55 passed—a passing percentage of 93.22. The top performing school, as determined by the PRC, must have a minimum passing percentage of 80 with at least 50 examinees. In the previous CPA licensure exam held in October 2022, UP had a passing percentage of 88.24. It did not, however, meet the required number of examinees as it only had a total of 34 exam takers, 30 of whom passed. UP Diliman’s Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business offers the five-year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accountancy program, which accepts anywhere from 60 to 90 students each academic year. |
https://up.edu.ph/food-tech-board-exam-topnotchers-hail-from-up/ | Food Tech Board Exam topnotchers hail from UP – University of the Philippines | Food Tech Board Exam topnotchers hail from UP Food Tech Board Exam topnotchers hail from UP August 18, 2023 | Written by Fred Dabu Examinees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Visayas, and UP Mindanao occupy the top 10 ranks of passers in the latest Food Technologists Licensure Examination (FTLE) conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in the National Capital Region, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Koronadal, Legazpi, Lucena, Rosales, and Zamboanga this August 2023. Of the total 1,133 first-time examinees coming from 42 schools, only 453 of them, or 39.98%, passed. UP Diliman (100% of 75 examinees passed), UP Los Baños (92.86% of 98 examinees passed), and UP Mindanao (83.33% of six examinees passed) were also announced as the top-performing schools based on the criteria set by PRC Resolution No. 2017-1058(C) series of 2017. Dominic Castro Panaligan from UP Diliman secured the FTLE’s top spot, with a rating of 87.25%. Ranking in second were Ma. Christina Romabiles Ilano, from UP Los Baños, and Jose Gabriel Lugue Luna, also from UP Diliman, whose ratings are tied at 86.75%. Portia Aliwanag Crisostomo (UPLB) and Ingrid Panaligan Puentespina (UPD) occupy 3rd place with a rating of 86.5% each. Other FTLE board topnotchers from UP are: at 4th place, Theresa Marie Tuason Rigor and Darwin Ray Librado Tuazon (UPD) with a rating of 86% each; at 5th place, Gerieka Ramos Anapi (UPLB) and Caleb Joshua Tychico Chingcuanco (UPD) with a rating of 85.75% each; at 6th place, June Vincent Ramos Blas (UPLB), Jenica Tagel Javier, Elden Pamiloza Muncal, Riann Martin Oliquino Sarza, Albei Keith Capito Tolete, and Mary Michelle Malabanan Velasquez (UPD), with a rating of 85.5% each; and, at 7th place, Patricia Victoria Acosta Abella, Jocelle Ramilo Del Rosario (UPD), Hannah Joy Agravante Segura, and Maria Sandra Renee Caraos Tapia (UPLB), with a rating of 85.25% each. Occupying 8th place, with a rating of 85% each, are: Abbie Glenn Montecalvo Estribillo (UPMin), Toni Abegail Enriquez Almosara, Sharmaine Therese Homeres Daya (UPLB), Joanne Kathrine Marcellana Escoreal, Donnel Paulo Gulifardo Signey, and Vanessa Gayle Tiu Tangcueco (UPD). At 9th place, with a rating of 84.75% each, are: Mary Denize Celine Villagomez Portal (UP Visayas-Iloilo City), Dave Antonio Agcaoili, Argel Arizala Largado, Justin Godfred Bantilan Peralta (UP Los Baños), Joshua German Palma and Ryan Nikkole Bondoc Pineda (UP Diliman). Lastly, at 10th place, with a rating of 84.5% each, are: Jan Carlo Cristobal Aningat, Judea Mae Cortez Estrada, Nikkie Del Agua Francisco, Gyle Doringo Tampil, Alyana Marie Chua Tanlimco (UPD), Cielo Therese Lait Manalo, and Angela Cantillo Viloria (UPLB). The PRC posted the results within three working days after the last day of examination given by the Board of Food Technology. |
https://up.edu.ph/president-danilo-l-concepcion-on-up-education-public-service-at-up-manilas-commencement-exercises/ | President Danilo L. Concepcion on UP education, public service at UP Manila’s Commencement Exercises – University of the Philippines | President Danilo L. Concepcion on UP education, public service at UP Manila’s Commencement Exercises President Danilo L. Concepcion on UP education, public service at UP Manila’s Commencement Exercises June 22, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Below is the full text of the speech delivered by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion during UP Manila’s Commencement Exercises on June 21, 2017. MORE THAN A SCHOOL, MORE THAN A HOSPITAL Speech by President Danilo L. Concepcion Commencement Exercises, UP Manila 21 June 2017 Esteemed members of our Board of Regents, the members of my executive team, Chancellor Menchit Padilla and the members of her administration, the faculty and staff of UP Manila, Director Gap Legaspi and the staff of the Philippine General Hospital, and the faculty and staff of our health science units in Palo, Baler, and Koronadal. But most of all let me greet and salute the graduates, their parents, and their families. Mabuhay po kayong lahat! I know that it has taken you much time, effort, and some expense to get to this high point of your lives, on the verge of your future careers. I guess that is true for any college graduate. But for a UP graduate, expectations run even higher. And they should, because from the very start, we have been held to a higher standard of honor, excellence, and public service. In the words of President Rafael Palma at his investiture in 1925, it was UP’s mission not just to produce graduates, but to encourage “original thinking and (assert) our individuality in the realm of mind (for) the positive benefit of the Filipino people.” A UP graduate has to be a willing, creative, and audacious agent of social transformation, going above and beyond the normal call of duty to find ways of uplifting the lives of our countrymen. Thankfully, in UP Manila, you have had more than a century of exemplary experience in conjoining higher education with public service. That’s largely because of the unique relationship between UP Manila’s role and offerings as a traditional university and its health sciences component bannered by the Philippine General Hospital. Up until today, especially during budget season, some lawmakers still have a problem understanding that relationship, insisting that PGH should be taken out of UP Manila. What we must make clear to them is that practically from the beginning, UP Manila—or indeed just UP as it was then—was always more than a school, and PGH was always more than a hospital. Few will recall that UP partly owes its existence to the Philippine Medical School, which was incorporated into UP in 1909. Within a year, it was considered at par with some of the better American medical schools. President William Howard Taft had wanted to put the School under the Department of Sanitation, but Dean Worcester—whatever else we may think about him—believed so strongly in the school’s educational mission that he pushed for the creation of a hospital to serve the training needs of the school. And thus was PGH born. PGH, of course, became the biggest and most modern Asian hospital of its time, and even a century later, it occupies pride of place as the hospital most Filipinos still think of when they require medical attention. In other words, it is the hospital closest to the Filipino heart. But even as it serves about 600,000 patients every year, many of them our poorest citizens, it has never forgotten its educational mission. This is why UP Manila has produced world-class doctors, world-class dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and so on. UP Manila exemplifies what a 21st century university should be: an institution with a special strength in a highly competitive and absolutely vital field, anchored on solid humanistic values and principles, and open to a diverse array of talents and interests. This brings me to a personal confession I have to make: When I was a school boy, I wanted to become a doctor. A surgeon, actually. Sadly, my dream was frustrated by life’s circumstances. My father was a bus driver, and my mother struggled to raise seven of us on our father’s income. I myself was a working student, and half of what I earned went to helping put my three younger siblings through school. So when I applied for a college scholarship with the National Science Development Board, I had to pick from a list of approved science courses. This list did not include medicine, and I needed to work to support myself and my siblings. So I chose agricultural engineering in a school I could easily commute to, and only later did I take up law at UP. I tell you this story not only because being with you today in a sense fulfills a childhood dream, but also to show that as significant as your graduation today is, you may never know for sure what your future will be until you get there. I recently came across a quote by the American author Nancy Levin: “Honor the space between ‘no longer’ and ‘not yet.’” This seems like a good description of where you are right now. Right here, right now, you are at a crossroads. This ceremony officially marks the end of your lives as college students of UP Manila, and you stand on the verge of becoming something and someone else: doctors, teachers, NGO workers, call-center agents, entrepreneurs, managers, performers, even politicians. That transition will be quicker and easier for some but not for others. But I can tell you now that this transition will never be complete, and rightly so, because you will always be UP students for the rest of your lives. You will forever be inquisitive, independent, assertive, ever ready to turn challenge into opportunity. These hallmarks of a UP education you will bear with you whatever career path you may choose, and wherever those paths may lead you. That education will be the anchor from which you can pivot into anything you want to be. In my case, it was UP and the College of Law that allowed me to realize my life’s mission, that is to learn and to use the law for public service, and later to produce more outstanding lawyers in the grand manner, as we like to say in the college. More recently, that mission has become even more complex, as I now have to deal not only with a college, not even just a university, but an entire university system. I have to admit that it’s a daunting responsibility, especially in an environment increasingly characterized by vicious political polarization. But precisely because many people—even respectable academics—no longer seem able to speak to one another in the language of civility. I find it even more vital to recreate the University as a special space, a common ground, within which we can all work together. My executive staff and I have been preparing the Strategic Plan that will guide my administration over the next six years. Because it requires extensive deliberation and consultation, it remains a work in progress, the details of which we will be sharing with you before too long. But I can tell you now that we will seek to create an enabling environment within which we can perform as a University at our full potential. If there is anything I firmly believe in, it is in the value of productive labor—whether that labor takes place in the classroom, the laboratory, the boardroom, the community, or the global arena. We have to find ways in which to work, and work together, despite and away from the growing toxicity of both national and campus politics. I do not mean to suggest that we will stop having or expressing opinions. Debate and dissent are as much a part of UP tradition as the Oblation and the Lantern Parade. But I surmise that at the end of the day, nothing achieves more than concrete action. Why, talk and analyze our problems to death, when our time might be spent seeking workable and consensual solutions. I have many plans for UP that I believe will occupy us in very productive ways. Again, the details will still have to be worked out, but we are studying the possibility of opening a new medical complex in Diliman. This medical complex shall be an extension of PGH, will serve not only the needs of our northern metropolitan population but also push the frontiers of medical practice and research. There will be resistance, for sure, UP being UP. You might be interested to know that in 1937, when President Quezon pushed for the transfer of UP from Padre Faura to Diliman, UP students led by a young editor named Armando Malay held a straw vote, that rejected the move by 84%. Then President Bienvenido Gonzalez was roundly vilified. Twelve years later, when the move had happened, Malay spoke again in UP Diliman, and acknowledged that it was time “for a closing of the ranks.” No one will argue now that moving the main campus to Diliman was a mistake. But it would also be grossly mistaken to say that Manila was abandoned and left behind. It’s true that it became a smaller campus by comparison, but it soon developed its own appeal and its own ethos as a university geared for the urban student. And of course there was always the PGH and the health sciences cluster, whose academic requirements made sure that UP Manila would grow well into another century. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion before UP Manila’s Iskolar ng Bayan graduating batch of 2017. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. Much has been said about UP graduates being iskolar ng bayan. Tunay kayong mga iskolar ng bayan sapagkat gumugol ang ating pamahalaan ng salapi mula sa kaban ng bayan upang kayo ay makapagtapos sa inyong pag-aaral. Kayo ay mga paaral ng taong bayan. Subalit huwag ninyong ituring na ang inyong edukasyon ay isang utang na dapat niyong bayaran sa taongbayan. Ito ay inihandog nila sa inyo ng buong puso sa pag-asang sa pagkakamit niyo ng husay at galing. Hindi lamang buhay ninyo ang bubuti at gaganda. Umaasa silang gaganda at iinam din ang buhay nila. Ang taong bayan ay hindi humihingi ng kabayaran mula sa inyo. Subalit sila ay umaasa na sa inyong paglipad paitaas, maalala naman ninyo na sila ay lingapin at bigyan ng pagpapahalaga. Ang bulok na bungang isasama sa kaing ng mga mahusay at maganda ay siyang tunay na sisira sa kanilang lahat na. Huwag sanang kayo ang magsilbing bulok na bunga na sa halip na magpabuti sa bayan ay siya pang magdudulot ng mas masamang kapalaran. Pahalagahan ninyo ang edukasyong ibinahagi namin sa inyo dito sa UP. Huwag nawa ninyong makalimutan na kayo ay higit na mas mapalad sa karamihan. Hindi lahat ng kabataan ay biniyayaan ng katulad ng inyong kapalaran. Noong kayo ay nagpasiya na pumasok at mag-aral sa UP, huwag ninyog kalilimutan na may Pilipino, katumbas ng bawat sa inyo, na nawalan ng pagkakataong makapasok at makapag-aral dito. Lubos na nakapanghihinayang kung ang edukasyong maari sana naging kanila, ay hindi ninyo pahahalagahan at hindi ninyo gagamitin para sa kaunlaran ng bayan. Huwag sana ninyong sayangin ang inyong natutunan; sana ay gamitin ninyo ito nang tama at wasto tungo sa kapakinabangan, hindi lamang ng inyong sarili at pamilya, kundi tungo sa kapakinabangan ng buong sambayanan. Tunay, hindi naghihintay ng kabayaran mula sa inyo ang ating mga kababayan. Subalit sila ay labis na malulugod, at hindi naman tatanggi, kung kayo ay magsusukli nang taos-puso sa kanila. Bago ako lumisan, hayaan ninyong bigkasin ko ang mga salitang namutawi sa mga labi ng ating bayaning si Gat Andres Bonifacio: Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya, Sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila Gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa? Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala. Salamat po at mabuhay kayong lahat! |
https://up.edu.ph/up-diliman-class-of-2020-told-to-lead-through-accompaniment-in-virtual-graduation-ceremony/ | UP Diliman Class of 2020 told to “lead through accompaniment” in virtual graduation ceremony – University of the Philippines | UP Diliman Class of 2020 told to “lead through accompaniment” in virtual graduation ceremony UP Diliman Class of 2020 told to “lead through accompaniment” in virtual graduation ceremony August 5, 2020 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. The University of the Philippines Diliman community was up early on Sunday, July 26, 2020, to witness the very first virtual commencement exercises in the constituent university’s (CU) history. The event, formally titled “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, was live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website at 7:00 AM in the morning, reaching the homes of its 3,789 graduates and their families. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. Screenshots of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. The UP Diliman Class of 2020 was led by 28 summa cum laudes, who graduated with a weighted average grade (WAG) of 1.20 or higher. Alongside them were 302 who earned magna cum laudes (WAG 1.40 or higher), and 683 cum laudes (WAG 1.75 or higher). Those who attended virtually got to know UP Diliman’s summa cum laude graduates better, as the program included their observations and reflections on their achievements amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Maglingkod, Magmalasakit, Maningidgan” was the theme of Diliman’s 109th commencement exercises. With this theme the graduating class was called upon to “serve the country with empathy and conviction so that excellence, rights, and justice might prevail”. Of the students who were conferred their degrees, 2,892 received baccalaureate degrees, while 897 received either diploma, master’s, or doctoral degrees. Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. This year’s commencement speaker was none other than former UP Diliman Chancellor and UP Professor Emeritus for Anthropology. Michael Lim Tan. The focus of his graduation speech concerned what he called the “art of accompaniment”, which he said he imbibed from Pope Francis’s 2013 apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. It was described, Tan said, as the respect that involves “removing our sandals before the sacred ground of the Other”. “We are a culture of accompaniment,” Tan explained, citing the prevalence of the prefix ‘ka-‘ in Filipino languages, which is used to create nouns of inclusion and accompanied action. Drawing evidence from UP’s recent initiatives during the COVID-19 period, Tan praised both UP Diliman and the UP System for displaying “accompaniment” via its efforts to assist front liners, stranded students and staff, and other members of the UP community, citing efforts like the recent #KaagapayUP project. “Andito kami is becoming andito tayo,” said Tan. Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. The last few months, according to Tan, revealed the difference that a leadership based on accompaniment made when struggling against the pandemic, mentioning New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern as one example. “Rushing to the scenes of disaster to comfort people, to share their grief. To explain—that is so lacking in the Philippines. To give options when needed and then to speak out when needed with a firm resolve to bring justice.” Tan said he believed that the Philippines, too, has such leaders-in-the-making, and soon it would hopefully be their time to be recognized. “Don’t let your diplomas, don’t let your new positions get into your heads,” he advised the graduating class. “Leadership by accompaniment means you do not go off on your own for people to follow you. Accompaniment is being at one’s side and sometimes being behind them, watching their backs.” Photo above: UP President Danilo L. Concepcion (left) and UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo (right) underneath recognizing the graduates of 2020. Photo below: Members of Class 2020 shift their sablay to signify the change in their status from ‘student’ to ‘alumnus and alumna’. Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. Deans and heads of the 27 degree granting units of UP Diliman presented their respective graduates to the current Chancellor, Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, who in turn presented them to UP President Danilo L. Concepcion for the official conferment of their degrees. The ceremonial shifting of the sablay was also done virtually, signaling the graduating class’ official status as alumni of the University of the Philippines. UP Alumni Regent and President of the UP Alumni Association Reynaldo Laserna swears in the new crop of UP graduates. Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. The backdrop of the commencement exercises is the Dalunduyan, a triptych of arches depicting portals created by artist and UPD faculty Toym Imao. The title of the work is said to be a portmanteau of three words: ‘daluyan’ (channel or portal), ‘lunduyan’ (center) and ‘duyan’ (cradle). It will remain in Quezon Hall until December, marking the duration of the University’s lockdown due to the pandemic. Finally, the “UP Naming Mahal” was performed by the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) to close the ceremonies. Photo above: The UP Symphony Orchestra performing ‘UP Naming Mahal’, a version of which can be found on the UPSO YouTube channel. Photo below: The arches of Dalunduyan. Screenshot of UP Diliman’s “109th Pangkalahatang Pagtatapos”, live streamed via UP Diliman’s official website. Replay can be viewed at the UP Diliman YouTube channel. |
https://up.edu.ph/427-graduate-from-upou/ | 427 graduate from UPOU – University of the Philippines | 427 graduate from UPOU 427 graduate from UPOU October 29, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The UPOU Class of 2019 takes the Oath of Loyalty to the University. (Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) UP Open University (UPOU) conferred degrees and titles upon the 427 members of the Class of 2019 on October 12 in the UPOU Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna. Of the graduating class, 81 earned their undergraduate degrees while the rest received their graduate degrees. In the left photo, UP Executive Vice President Teodoro Herbosa (left) confers the degrees and titles upon the graduation class after they were endorsed by UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria (right). In the right photo, the graduates have just shifted their Sablay from the right shoulder to the left as a symbol of their graduation from the University. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Ret. B.Gen. Eliseo Rio Jr., Undersecretary for Operations of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, delivers the commencement address. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) In his commencement address, Retired Brigadier General Eliseo Rio Jr., Undersecretary for Operations of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), said “ICT is now deeply embedded in human activities.” Access to information, he added, “is no longer a privilege, but a human right similar to food, shelter, and clothing.” He revealed that the DICT is spearheading the National Broadband Program, which will address the issues of the country having slow yet expensive Internet access. Rio said Filipinos will start feeling the improvement in telecommunication services next year. The graduates receive their diplomas and the new PhD degree holders go on stage for their hooding ceremony. (Photos by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Delivering the message on behalf of the graduating class was Joey Ramirez (Bachelor of Education Studies, magna cum laude), who captured the UPOU brand of education in his speech. “The UPOU experience is not for everyone. It’s anything but a walk in the park.” Joey Ramirez (Bachelor of Education Studies, magna cum laude) delivers a message on behalf of the UPOU Class of 2019. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) He explained that of the UP values of honor and excellence, “honor is even more emphasized [in UPOU] precisely because learners are largely left on their own.” There is that “implicit trust,” he said, that learners act honorably in their academic duties. UPOU students, he further stated, have the motivation to be excellent and their desire to learn, internal. “We [don’t have] somebody constantly following us around, making sure we follow the rules or do this or do that.” The UPOU graduates raise their fists in the singing of “UP Naming Mahal.” (Top photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO and bottom photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) In the end, Ramirez enjoined his fellow graduates to “give back to those who gave so much for us to be where we are today.” He asked them to embody the phrase in “UP Naming Mahal,” “pag-asa ng bayan” or nation’s hope; “to be the solution and not to add to the country’s woes.” Fireworks end the 2019 UPOU Commencement Exercises. (Photo by Arlyn VCD P. Romualdo, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/i-dont-see-myself-at-the-pinnacle-cristeta-comerford/ | ‘I don’t see myself at the pinnacle.’—Cristeta Comerford – University of the Philippines | ‘I don’t see myself at the pinnacle.’—Cristeta Comerford ‘I don’t see myself at the pinnacle.’—Cristeta Comerford November 13, 2019 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo White House Executive Chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford delivers a speech after she was conferred a degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by the University of the Philippines. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Even as she occupies one of the top culinary posts in the United States, White House Executive Chef Cristeta Pasia Comerford does not consider herself as being at the highest point of her life. “I am still at a stepping stone to where life will lead me next,” she said in her speech after she was conferred a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by the University of the Philippines on November 11 at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman. Comerford receives the hood as another of the three vestments given to a recipient of an honorary degree. She was given the academic gown beforehand to wear to the ceremony. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion is seen here adjusting Comerford’s hood as her husband, John (in blue), and her sister, Opel Pasia Aguila (in black), look on. Also on stage are, from left, Regent Francis C. Laurel, Staff Regent Mylah R. Pedrano, Commission on Higher Education and UP Board of Regents Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III, Faculty Regent Ramon G. Guillermo (behind Chairman de Vera), Regent Frederick Mikhail I. Farolan (behind Comerford), Student Regent John Isaac B. Punzalan, and UP Diliman University Registrar Ma. Theresa Payongayong (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Her appointment to the position on 05 August 2005, announced by then First Lady Laura Bush, broke “multiple glass ceilings: first minority, first Asian, first female, first Filipino”. Comerford revealed, however, that she did not immediately realize the impact of her ascendency to the post, a vacancy that took six months to fill, with 450 candidates vying for the position. She was promoted from her previous position as sous chef, which she had occupied since 1997. Comerford marked her 14th year in the post, making her one of the longest serving White House executive chefs to date. She has acknowledged her leadership role, telling UP students, “Being a leader doesn’t mean you have made it or you are exempt from hard work. Rather, [you] should set the pace for others. As a leader, you are given much. That is when you give more back. As students, we learn much. In turn, we teach others.” The last of the three vestments, the cap, is placed upon Comerford’s head by Commission on Higher Education and UP Board of Regents Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III (left) and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion (right). Also in this photo are, from left, Regent Francis C. Laurel, Student Regent John Isaac B. Punzalan, John Comerford, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan (behind John Comerford), and Opel Pasia Aguila. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Looking at the successes of people around her, she said she sees both greatness and humility at the way they have used their gifts wisely. And so Comerford ended her address with the Filipino saying, “Ang palay ay parisan, habang nagkakalaman ay lalong nagpupugay” (translated in Damiana Eugenio’s Philippine Folk Literature: An Anthology as “Imitate the rice stalk; the more grains it bears, the lower it bows”). Comerford was a BS Food Technology major in UP Diliman before migrating to the US with her family in 1983. In 2013, the centennial year of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), she received the UPAA Presidential Award. In September of this year, she was named by UPAA in America as one of the University’s distinguished alumni. Comerford receives her citation and diploma which are included in the items of distinction given to the honoree, apart from the vestments. With her in the photo are, from left, Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Roberto M.J. Lara, Staff Regent Mylah R. Pedrano, Regent Francis C. Laurel, Commission on Higher Education and UP Board of Regents Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III, Regent Frederick Mikhail I. Farolan (behind Comerford), John Comerford, Opel Pasia Aguila, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, and UP Diliman University Registrar Ma. Theresa Payongayong. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) Her appointment as White House executive chef made Comerford a member of Le Club des Chefs des Chefs, an exclusive organization of 26 chefs of heads of state around the world. It promotes culinary diplomacy, the safeguarding of culinary traditions, and healthy, well-balanced gastronomy. Comerford has served as a consultant and a resource person to US government agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of State, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Her position, as well as her advocacy for healthy eating has led her to become the subject of press interviews, a guest in many talk shows, a keynote speaker at conferences, and a lecturer-presenter in workshops and panels across the US. Sorsogon First District Representative Evelina G. Escudero introduces the honoree. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO) She received the Gawad ng Pangulo Pamana ng Pilipino Award in 2014, one of the three Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. It is awarded to individuals who “in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession.” Throughout her career, she has been honored by various organizations for her achievements as a chef and a Filipino-American. UP’s conferment of the honorary degree upon Comerford was led by Commission on Higher Education and UP Board of Regents Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III, and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Video by KIM Quilinguing, UP Media and Public Relations Office |
https://up.edu.ph/up-confers-honorary-degree-on-defender-of-philippine-sovereignty-in-the-west-philippine-sea-justice-antonio-carpio/ | UP confers honorary degree on defender of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Justice Antonio Carpio – University of the Philippines | UP confers honorary degree on defender of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Justice Antonio Carpio UP confers honorary degree on defender of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, Justice Antonio Carpio December 10, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Retired SC Justice Antonio Carpio (center) receiving his honorary degree from UP President Danilo Concepcion (left). Photo by Raden Agustin, UPMPRO. In a ceremony held at the Malcolm Hall, College of Law in Diliman on December 10 and livestreamed via YouTube, the University of the Philippines (UP) conferred a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, degree upon UP College of Law alumnus and retired Justice of the Supreme Court Antonio T. Carpio. The honorary degree is conferred by the University upon individuals for outstanding achievements in their fields and exemplary service to their fellowmen. In the citation for the conferment of the honorary degree, Justice Carpio was lauded for his “distinguished service to the nation” as Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, “exhibiting impartiality, accountability and dedication to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law”; for ardently defending human rights and championing freedom of expression; for advocating “the protection and preservation of the country’s territorial rights and maritime sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea amid great adversity”; and for being “a true icon of the Filipino people, embodying a courageous life led in service to the country”, among others. After receiving his honorary degree, Justice Carpio delivered a lecture on defending the Philippines’ sovereign territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) against China’s incursions into the territory in violation of international laws. He exhorted “the best and the brightest legal warriors in our country” to stand up and fight to free the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from foreign encroachment using the rule of law. Justice Carpio obtained his law degree from UP in 1975, graduating valedictorian and cum laude, then placed sixth in the Bar exams that same year. He went into private practice after graduating and was a professorial lecturer at the UP College of Law from 1983 to 1992 until his appointment as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel. He served as a member of the UP Board of Regents from 1993 to 1998. He was sworn in as member of the Supreme Court on October 26, 2001, becoming one of the youngest appointees as Supreme Court Associate Justice. Since then, his exemplary service to the highest court in the land has earned him numerous recognitions including the Presidential Medal of Merit, and the UP Alumni Association’s Outstanding UP Alumnus in Public International Law award and, later, the Most Outstanding Alumnus award. He has been most recognized in his role in shedding light upon the issue of territory and sovereignty in the WPS. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2019. The ceremony was attended by members of the UP Board of Regents, officials of the UP System and UP Diliman, members of the academic community of the UP College of Law represented by its dean, Atty. Fides C. Cordero-Tan, and former UP Law dean and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Marvic MVF Leonen. A special musical tribute was offered to the honoree by the UP Singing Ambassadors, while a special video tribute to Justice Carpio followed the formal conferment ceremony and lecture. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-regent-nelia-t-gonzalez-her-life-her-legacy/ | UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez: Her Life, Her Legacy – University of the Philippines | UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez: Her Life, Her Legacy UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez: Her Life, Her Legacy June 22, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez was conferred Doctor of Laws (Honoris causa) during the 44th Commencement of the University of the Philippines Los Baños on June 25, 2016, at the DL Umali Freedom Park. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. Many people received awards and adulations for their outstanding achievements. Still, very few have had the honor of having a flower named after them. University of the Philippines (UP) Regent Nelia Teodoro Gonzalez, who passed on last June 19 at 97, is one of these individuals. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Nelia T. Gonzalez’. Image from “Development of hibiscus hybrids’ Women in Public Service Series II’ and propagation studies on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Cynthia A. Villar’” by Pablito M. Magdalita and Reynold B. Pimentel. The gumamela or hibiscus flower that bears her name, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Nelia T. Gonzalez’, was the first of the “Oblation Series” of hibiscus launched by the Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture (now the College of Agriculture and Food Science), UP Los Baños, bred by Dr. Pablito M. Magdalita and Mr. Reynold B. Pimentel, as part of UP Los Baños’ contribution to the UP Centennial celebration. In the early summer of 2006, Regent Gonzalez accepted this honor during an occasion that also marked the launching of the Nelia T. Gonzalez Alumni Service Award and the Nelia Teodoro-Gonzalez Professorial Chair Grants. In a column published in the Philippine Star on April 4, 2006, columnist Domini M. Torrevillas recalled the event: “Dr. Desiree M. Hautea, who presented the Hibiscus tribute…said the Hibiscus was named after the honoree because ‘Hibiscus is the Queen of Flowers and therefore, a fitting title to a lady who holds court wherever she goes inside and outside her house.’ The gumamela is bright orange, with prominent red-eye and yellow edges. Orange is flamboyant, energetic, and vibrant, reflecting the honoree’s strength, enthusiasm, fascination, success, and encouraging quality. Dr. Hautea said, ‘Truly, it is not the flower that honors the woman. It is the woman that lends honor to the flower and the University that developed it, with her name.'” UP Regent Gonzalez (sitting, first from left) poses with National Scientist and UP President Emil Q. Javier during UPAA’s General Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion on June 22, 2013. With them are UP AVP Jose Wendell P. Capili, UPLB College of Development Communication Dean Maria Theresa H. Velasco, and UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. Regent Nelia T. Gonzales (standing 3rd from right) during the 81st Birthday of UP President Francisco Nemenzo on February 6, 2016. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. What’s in a name? The life of UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez, or Tita Nelia, as she was fondly called by friends and colleagues, gives weight behind the name of the flower bred to honor her. Almost eighty years after she graduated from UP, Nelia Teodoro Gonzalez has come to be known by her many titles: agriculturist, agro-industrialist, social entrepreneur, resource developer, public administrator, civil servant, UP Regent, president of the UPLB Alumni Association, vice-president of the UP Alumni Association, a host of leadership titles in numerous agribusiness corporations, organizations, and foundations, holder of a UP Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, one of the UPAA Lifetime Distinguished Achievements awardees named during its centennial in 2013, an icon for the Philippine agribusiness industry, and one of the University’s most outstanding alumni, a veritable pillar of the UP community. Following the footsteps of her agriculturist father, Gonzalez earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Pathology from the College of Agriculture (CA), UPLB, in 1944, marching as the only female graduate in her batch. Later, she earned her Certificate of Government Management from the UP College of Public Administration in UP Diliman in 1977. UP Regent Gonzalez (third from left) cuts the ribbon at the inauguration of “Ani,” a modern and robust interpretation of UP’s first 100 years by artist Sandra Torrijos in UPLB, alongside UP President Emerlinda Roman (fifth from left), UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco (seventh from left) and other UPLB officials, on January 17, 2010. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. Agriculturist, agro-industrialist, entrepreneur After graduating from the UPCA, she served briefly as an agronomist at the Bureau of Plant Industry. She later helped the late industrialist Salvador Araneta manage the Araneta Institute of Agriculture (now the De Salle Araneta University) and the Republic Flour Mills (RFM). Finally, she served as General Manager and Vice President of RFM. She worked with a capable team to accomplish many things. National Scientist and former UP President Dr. Emil Q. Javier, in his essay first published in the Manila Bulletin on February 24, 2018, cited the lasting impacts of these achievements on the animal industry. He writes: “Easily the most notable contribution of Tita Nelia and her team was the introduction of broiler poultry contract growing. RFM was the first integrator, providing day-old chicks, feeds, veterinary supplies, and growing technology to contract growers and buying back the birds at competitive prices. The scheme proved to be very successful, and the rest of the industry followed suit. As a result, to date, the broiler industry is one of our most productive and regionally competitive sectors in agriculture.” Later, through the Punla sa Tao Foundation (PSFTI), which she headed, Gonzalez helped organized backyard poultry raisers into a cooperative, mobilized support from local government units, linked them with a microfinance entity (Sikap Bidani), and enrolled them with an integrator, Bounty Corporation–all done in a model small farmers contract growing scheme called Manok Mabuhay Program. Gonzalez was also a pioneer in the local production of corn and soybean hybrid seeds with the establishment of Phil Hi-Bred, Inc. in the early 1970s. “Sourcing the original seed parent materials from Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed Company in Iowa and mobilizing local expertise,” Dr. Javier writes, “she established hybrid seed production operations in South Cotabato, in a 40-hectare farm in Naujan Oriental Mindoro and a 1,000-hectare farm in Bansud, also in Oriental Mindoro.” After working for the RFM group, Gonzalez established ventures into real estate development, commercial fishing, and corn hybrid seed production. In 1980, she was named Assistant Minister of Agriculture by President Ferdinand Marcos. She played a vital role in the banner agriculture programs of the time—Masagana 99, Masaganang Maisan, Pagkain Bayan at Gulayan sa Kalusugan, and Bakahang Barangay. In addition, she supported area marketing cooperatives and credit and farm insurance. Throughout her illustrious career as an agro-industrialist, she established a pest control management business, a livestock and poultry magazine, and an agribusiness company. In addition, she served in the Manila Overseas Press Club board and introduced contract growing in the Philippines to enhance the partnership between the feed miller and the poultry raiser to assure an equitable sharing of profit in the animal industry. She also served at the helm of various real estate and agro-industrial businesses and rural communities. UP Regent Gonzalez received her Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award during UPAA’s Centennial General Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion on June 22, 2013. Beside her are (from left) UP President Alfredo Pascual, UPAA President Ponciano Rivera, UPAA Vice President Rene Valdecantos and UPAA Board Member Alfredo Gonzalez. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. UP Pahinungod volunteer, UP Regent, Loyal Daughter of UP Dr. Javier describes Gonzalez’s commitment to UP as “legendary.” And in an interview with ABS-CBN News on July 6, 2015, Gonzalez herself mentions having served the University in various capacities graduating from UPCA. In fact, during the 44th UPLB commencement ceremonies held on June 25, 2016, when Gonzalez was conferred the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, she noted in her acceptance speech that she has been serving UP for more than 70 years, shaping the future of the University both personally and professionally. Her involvement with the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungod inspired the spirit of volunteerism in others, especially among UP students and alumni. Later, Gonzalez would consider her position as a UP Regent the most fulfilling assignment she has ever assumed. Her leadership in various UP alumni associations has left an indelible impact upon these UP alumni chapters and the university. For instance, as President of the UP College of Agriculture Alumni Association, she helped organize the presidents of different college alumni associations in UPLB to form a federation, the UPLB Alumni Association. Aside from her business network, Gonzalez built extensive linkages with influential political figures, national women’s organizations, national and local government agencies, and media people. She made full use of these linkages to become an effective fund-raiser, spearheading the fund-raising for the construction of the UPLB Alumni Center. As UPLBAA president, she successfully raised funds to support scholarships and professorial chairs for UPLB. In addition, she was instrumental in constructing the UPLB Rizal Centenary Carillon, which was inaugurated by President Fidel V. Ramos and the Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman during her term as UPAA Vice President. The University recognizes her numerous achievements. The same day she was honored with the gumamela that bears her name, the Nelia T. Gonzalez Alumni Service Award was launched. During the annual UPLB Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming, the award is given to UPLB graduates who exemplify indefatigable service to the University. It is named after her in recognition of her services to UP and the country. As if having an award named after her didn’t honor her enough, Dr. Javier also launched the Nelia T. Gonzalez Professorial Chair Grants during the same event. Years after, Gonzalez was awarded the UPAA Lifetime Distinguished Achievements Award on June 22, 2013—during UPAA’s centennial year—to recognize her accomplishments as one of the country’s first top female executives and for inspiring generations of women across Southeast Asia with her business acumen. UP Regent Gonzalez (sitting) during her 95th Birthday on February 17, 2019, with UP President Danilo Concepcion and Atty. Ma. Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. Civic organizer, advocate, private citizen with a mission During the conferment of her honorary degree, Gonzalez discussed her engagements with communities as Trustee of the Philippine Constitution Association and member of the Consultative Commission for Charter Change. In addition, she underscored her mission “to serve the public as a private individual.” For example, she served on the board of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society and foundations such as ERDA Tech, which provided quality education to children from low-income households. As an advocate for gender equality, she chaired the UP Center for Women’s Studies Foundation, Inc. She championed the cause of entrepreneurs as chair of the Small Enterprises Research and Development Foundation (SERDEF), a resource hub for SMEs in continuing partnership with UP Institute for Small-Scale Industries. As an expression of her spirituality, she also chaired the Order of the Carmelite Scholastics at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Carmel. She performed her public service duties well into her 90s. The story of her life will live on in Nelia T. Gonzalez: An Entrepreneur’s Journey (UPLBAA, 2015), a book of essays by UPLB faculty members and researchers. Scholars in agriculture, development, and women’s studies may also read about her in Nelia T. Gonzalez: The Woman, Her Life, Her Legacy (SEAMEO-SEARCA, 2002). UP Regent Nelia T. Gonzalez is survived by her family of six children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-message-of-condolence-on-the-passing-of-former-president-benigno-simeon-c-aquino-iii/ | UP Message of Condolence on the Passing of Former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III – University of the Philippines | UP Message of Condolence on the Passing of Former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III UP Message of Condolence on the Passing of Former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III June 24, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III congratulating UP BS Mathematics summa cum laude graduate John Gabriel Pelias during UP Diliman’s 100th General Commencement Exercises held at the University Ampitheater on April 17, 2011, during which the president was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Photo by Gil Nartea / Malacanang Photo Bureau University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion and the UP community condole with the country on the loss of former Senator and the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines (2010-2016), Hon. Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III. During his term, President Aquino was a strong supporter of the higher education sector, including the University of the Philippines. He also understood the importance of high-value scientific research and innovation in the country and supported the various research initiatives within UP and collaborations between UP and the government sector. President Aquino was honored with a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, during the University of the Philippines Diliman’s General Commencement Exercises on April 17, 2011. He was cited “for providing leadership in rallying the people to stamp out corruption, campaigning for institutional reforms, and creating an environment for agencies, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to act with dispatch on malfeasance in government, promote the rule of law, and respect people’s constitutional rights.” |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-confer-honorary-degree-to-malaysian-pm-anwar-ibrahim/ | UP to confer honorary degree to Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim – University of the Philippines | UP to confer honorary degree to Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim UP to confer honorary degree to Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim March 1, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Photo from the Prime Minister’s Office Malaysia (PMO Malaysia) Facebook page. The University of the Philippines (UP) will confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on March 2, 8:45 a.m., Thursday, at the UP Theater in UP Diliman, Quezon City, during his official visit to the Philippines. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, Chairperson of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) and Chairperson of the UP Board of Regents, and Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez, UP President and Co-Chair of the UP Board of Regents, will officiate the conferment of the honorary degree to the Malaysian Prime Minister. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, will afterwards deliver his lecture entitled “30 Years from ‘Asian Renaissance’: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN” for the audience consisting of members of the academic community, diplomatic corps, government officials, and the media. Anwar Ibrahim is an internationally renowned expert on Jose Rizal and economics, democracy, freedom, governance, Islam and democracy, and the need for accountability. He is respected for his principled stance against corruption and his management of the Malaysian economy during the Asian financial crisis. Anwar Ibrahim served as Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998 and Minister of Finance from 1991 to 1998. He served as Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports in 1983; Minister of Agriculture in 1984; and Minister of Education in 1986. Malaysia enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and economic growth during his tenure as Finance Minister. His prescriptions saved the Malaysian economy during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and earned Anwar accolades, including the Asian of the Year from Newsweek International. Anwar held lecturing positions at St. Anthony’s College at Oxford, the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University since the early 2000’s. He was sworn in as Prime Minister by King Al-Sultan Abdullah on November 23, 2022. On March 1, the Prime Minister was welcomed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting and exchanged views about areas of mutual concern for Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as regional and international issues. |
https://up.edu.ph/30-years-after-the-asian-renaissance-strategic-takeaways-for-asean/ | 30 Years After The Asian Renaissance: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN – University of the Philippines | 30 Years After The Asian Renaissance: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN 30 Years After The Asian Renaissance: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN March 2, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Speech by Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, on March 2, 2023, in conjunction with the conferment of Honorary Doctorate by the University of the Philippines Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim delivering his lecture at the UP Theater, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UP MPRO. Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you this morning, greatly honoured by the presence of such an august gathering of intellectual luminaries, dignitaries, and eminent leaders. I feel doubly privileged and, at the same time, deeply humbled by the conferment of this honorary doctorate by the University of the Philippines, undoubtedly an institution of higher learning of great glory and magnificence. Words escape me to express my profound and infinite gratitude. So, let me just say: Maraming salamat mula sa kaibuturan ng aking puso (Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart.) Ladies and gentlemen, In 1993, ASEAN was on the cusp of major expansion, which would eventually bring in all the then independent nations in Southeast Asia. Vietnam joined in 1995, followed by Laos and Myanmar two years later. Cambodia followed suit in 1999. ASEAN has changed dramatically in 30 years, which has led to greater achievements and opportunities even as we faced headlong our trials and tribulations. We have gone from a monolithic global order to a bipolar world to now a multipolar world. Yet, certain things remain, or as some would venture to say: “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”– the more things change, the more they stay the same. That might be putting it rather cynically but let’s do a quick reality check. Global cooperation remains essential, ancient as well as conventional trade routes must be maintained for the stability and peace of the world, and that rests on ASEAN just as much as it does China, the US, or Europe or anyone else. The COVID-19 pandemic spared none of us. Geopolitical tensions and conflicts unleash consequences well beyond borders. For Asia in general, and particularly for ASEAN, our identities remain the same, that is, diverse and multicultural, yet united in the dignity of the nations we have carved out for ourselves in our colonial struggles and our adjustments to a globalised world. Conceptually, this was well articulated by the greatest of Malayans, Dr. José Rizal, in The Philippines a Century Hence, that this nation had gone from a scattered collection of islands, languages, cultures, and people but now is united as a Philippine Nation.[1] Nonetheless, Dr Rizal warned against the sliding into the comfort zone of routine which “is a declivity down which many governments slide.” Indeed, as we extrapolate this in the context of ASEAN, we could make a case that routine has led, to a certain extent, to the erosion of our bonds as individual states which must be united in the common cause of peace and stability. Even worse, routine has allowed the world to fall behind our future potential. Routine tells us to be divided in opinion and to hate one another, fuelled by the convenience and routine of social media, fake news, misplaced nationalism, and certainly, Islamophobia. The question is, what have we learned? We should not simply fear words – Communism, left, right, Muslim, Christian, Jew, capitalist, socialist, etc. No words can be cast aside if they have not been thought through. Today, ASEAN is a larger and more integrated association. We are now a community, with three distinct pillars – political security, economic, and socio-political. The ASEAN Community, its focus and scope, is in itself, a significant achievement. Yet while being more integrated, it is an organisation that has retained its plurality and sovereignty. The doctrine of ASEAN centrality is supposedly cast in stone. Yet, some, both inside and outside ASEAN, have questioned the effectiveness and efficiency of the regional organisation and this mantra of centrality. Criticisms particularly focus on two of its principles – decision-making by consensus, and non-interference. These critics often miss the central point – ASEAN would not have grown or evolved without these key boundaries being in place. And lest we forget, we are now heading into a larger grouping, with the impending admission of Timor Leste as the eleventh member. When I wrote The Asian Renaissance[2] in 1996, the East Asian region had undergone a period of transformative economic growth. The region’s average annual GDP growth for the three decades to 1996 was approximately 6.5 per cent. These were heady days indeed. It gave Asians a spring in their step, a renewed sense of confidence in ourselves, no doubt grounded in the gritty and harsh reality of decades of hard work, frugal spending, self-reliance and a strong focus on educating our youth. Today, decision-making by consensus continues to be a central tenet of ASEAN. This, however, does not mean that ASEAN should remain silent over developments in member states that affect the wider region, or particularly egregious violations of the ASEAN Charter by its own members. In all honesty, I believe that non-interference is not a license for indifference. Indeed, Wittgenstein, regarded by many as the greatest philosopher of the 20th century – as far as the West is concerned – reminds us that “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent”.[3] But that’s because words have power, greater than the destructive and hateful actions of a few. Yet, if left unwritten and unread, then we are all in a lot of trouble. Hence, when I mentioned in Bangkok recently about the need to temporarily carve out Myanmar, on account of the blatant human rights violations, it was said in the larger context of the imperative to stay true to one of the key ideals of ASEAN, which is nothing less than to stand for the cause of justice and the rule of law. In this regard, it bears repeating these immortal lines from Dr. Rizal, who I must reiterate, remains truly an Asian Renaissance Man, that “Justice is the foremost virtue of the civilising races. It subdues the barbarous nations, while injustice arouses the weakest.” In the pursuit of justice, let us therefore celebrate our differences and praise our national unities. Let us look beyond our divergences and amplify our commonalities so that we can stand as cooperative partners working towards the betterment of all our people in a just and peaceful world. Hence, cooperation and collaboration across the board in all the crucial matters that bind us as a solid multilateral, multicultural, and diverse regional grouping must be the way forward for ASEAN. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar’s speech inspires applause from Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zambry bin Abdul Kadir (in suit) and the members of the UP Board of Regents. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UPMPRO). Ladies and gentlemen, Back in 1996, here in the Philippines, I spoke of the Christian poet Dante Alighieri and how in his Divine Comedy, he skilfully wove the political convulsions of the Italy of his time into a universal, and timeless drama of the human predicament. Now, even after seven centuries, the question is, are we still entrapped in selva obscura, our own hard and savage dark wood of prejudice, confusion and uncertainty, or have we freed ourselves from the stranglehold of captive geopolitics, media-influenced mindsets, and zero-sum approaches on questions of national sovereignty? Till today, I still ask myself: in the continuum of Machiavellian machinations to Metternichian manoeuvres, where do we stand? In focussing on the minutiae are we not at risk of missing the forest for the trees? And what exactly is this forest – this big picture that continues to elude our vision? I humbly submit that what was articulated nearly 30 years ago in The Asian Renaissance, remains valid in that we are still groping in the dark in search of the guiding ideas of civilization. Indeed, while it has been said that the articulation of moral and political ideas, socio-cultural values, the institution of the family, and faith, is no longer the exclusive domain of the modern West, the fact is that this is not borne out by reality. The stranglehold of the international media, dominated by the rich and the powerful, in setting the narrative remains as tenacious as the proverbial lobster. Hence, in this exalted university and its rarefied air of academic and intellectual excellence, I urge for the resurgence of a robust and spirited cultural, social and political discourse of our time, without the need to be blindsided by the irrational exuberance of anti-Enlightenment or indeed unwarranted jingoistic rhetoric. To my mind, before us, remains a challenge so formidable that it transcends even the quest for a new world order. I say ‘remains’ because it isn’t one that has sprung up overnight but one that has latched on to us like a leech which simply refuses to let go. And this challenge is nothing short of the reconstruction of civilization itself. In facing this, we need to go beyond economic prosperity and political vitality to deep dive into the very foundations of humanitarian and civilizational ideals such as justice, compassion and moral uprightness. Without these firm foundations, no political order in the global context can remain for long. It is true that the Asian economy, as led by the phenomenal leapfrogging of China on to the top in terms of growth ranking, continues to gain attention. And ASEAN, not merely being within the region in geographical terms, is also strategically linked within the framework of a rules based multilateral trading system that is now bolstered by the world’s largest FTA, namely, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Nonetheless, economic growth, no matter how robust and the accumulation of wealth, no matter how vigorous, should never be attained on the sacrificial altar of justice, compassion and moral uprightness. I believe that it is only when faith and religious practice as underscored with justice and compassion, finds its convergence with economic prosperity, will society stay on the path of real and meaningful progress. Bereft of this, all the “voyage of our life will be bound in shallows and in miseries.”[4] This is not an academic issue. We’ve seen this before and we are seeing it still. For instance, today we continue to see men being exploited by their fellow men, l’exploitation de l’homme par l’homme, in the political and economic spheres, an exploitation which has spread to the rape of the environment, impacting the physical world we live in. In light of this, talk of strategic pathways for ASEAN, going forward, will ring hollow if the agenda for social justice remains only on the back burner, or if concerns on climate change and green-house gas emissions are only given lip service. These matters cannot wait. Housing, education, health must be of paramount concern. Hence, in the last three months of my taking office as Prime Minister, I have placed poverty eradication, reduction of cost of living, food security as well as health and education as overriding concerns. Certainly, within the larger context of ASEAN, I believe these concerns are no less important, and if we pool our efforts in dealing with these recurrent challenges, that will take us to economic sustainability and greater ASEAN cohesiveness. Ladies and gentlemen, In closing, let me congratulate the Philippines and the Filipino people for the courage of their convictions in the cause of democracy. You have demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are able to confront arrogant powers and show to us, in ASEAN and beyond, that defeat in times of trouble is not an option. You have shown that democracy is not a mere slogan to be bandied about only in times of elections and that rightfully used, democracy does empower the people to determine their future for the better. In this regard, we too, in Malaysia, have recently undergone that same process where democracy has enabled me to take on the responsibility and trust of leading my people. Like the Philippines, I share with you that we will have no truck with religious intolerance, injustice, greed, and exploitation. On the contrary, like you too, good governance and democratic accountability will form the pillars of my administration that is underscored by the principles formulated as a philosophy of nationhood known as Madani Malaysia. In ASEAN, while we have arisen from the shackles of the colonial masters, we must remain ever vigilant against our own home-grown masters and this warrants a revisiting and review of our ethics and values. But let us not be fettered by the fear of failure. Instead, let us continue to build upon our communities on the firm foundations of a humane economy, compassion, justice, inclusiveness and shared prosperity. Thank you. [1] José Rizal, The Philippines – A Century Hence, Editor: Austin Craig; Translator: Charles Derbyshire, 2011 [2] Anwar Ibrahim, The Asian Renaissance, 1996 [3] Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. [4] Shakespeare, Julius Caesar Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (center) presents his diploma for Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, as he is flanked by (from left) Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry bin Abdul Kadir, Baguio City Lone District Representative and UP Regent Mark Go, UP President Angelo Jimenez and Regent Raul Pagdanganan. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque, UP MPRO. For more photos of the Conferment of the Honorary Degree on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, please click here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-become-a-transformative-learner-centered-digital-university-as-new-up-president-takes-the-helm/ | UP to become a “transformative, learner-centered digital university” as new UP President takes the helm – University of the Philippines | UP to become a “transformative, learner-centered digital university” as new UP President takes the helm UP to become a “transformative, learner-centered digital university” as new UP President takes the helm February 23, 2023 | Written by Fred Dabu Watch highlights of President Angelo A. Jimenez’s speech via the video above. Video shot and edited by Al Nikko M. Nagutom, UP MPRO. UP President Angelo A. Jimenez accepts the University President’s mace from outgoing UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Photo by Misael Bacani (UPMPRO). Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez started his term of office as the University of the Philippines (UP) President on February 10, 2023, in UP Diliman, Quezon City, vowing to transform UP into a “learner-centered digital university” engaged in transdisciplinary scientific, cultural, and artistic pedagogy, research, and public service. In the turnover ceremony titled “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong” held at the Quezon Hall Lobby, outgoing UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, who was assisted by Atty. Roberto M.J. Lara, Secretary of the University, handed over the ceremonial mace of the University President to Jimenez, symbolizing the transferring of authority over the national university. Jimenez will serve as the Chief Academic Officer, Head of the University Faculty, and Chief Executive Officer of UP for the next six years. Concepcion and Jimenez delivered their respective valedictory and acceptance speeches in front of: family members and friends; officials of the UP System, the Board of Regents, and constituent universities; faculty, students, staff and alumni of UP; government officials and representatives of the private sector; and, international guests of UP, including a delegation of academics from Southern Taiwan and members of the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Jimenez accepts the presidency In his acceptance speech, Jimenez praised Concepcion’s infrastructure accomplishments by referring to him as “Danny, the Builder” and “UP’s first Waterbender”. He also shared some of his visions for UP. “We need to acquire a global consciousness in carrying out our mandates. . . . UP is envisioned to be at the forefront of transformative scientific, cultural and artistic pedagogy, research and public service in local and global communities. Our mission is to foster efficacy, effectivity and efficiency to transdisciplinary engagement in teaching, research and public service,” Jimenez said. “Ang UP ay mananatiling Bulwagan ng Dangal at ipagpapatuloy natin ang simulain nito tungo sa husay at dangal,” he added. He also posed the question, “Aanhin ang husay at dangal kung walang malasakit at kung walang pakikipagkapwa-tao?” as he proceeded to explain some of his ideas for the next six years. He calls for more transformative and collaborative research within and among UP constituent universities that will uplift the lives of the Filipino people. Next, he aims to strengthen linkages with UP alumni who serve as the University’s partners and ambassadors to the world. Jimenez affirmed that UP must move forward attuned to 21st century education, with digital technology and digital learning, and to critically participate in the Industrial Revolution 4.0. “We will journey towards the transformation to a learner-centered digital university,” he said. “UP must replicate itself democratically,” Jimenez said, to be of better service to other state universities and colleges. He said UP must reach out to them and share its resources to “extend Honor and Excellence” to the towns and provinces. He also promised to respond to the lingering issues and concerns of UP faculty and staff, to look into improving benefits, incentives, and to dialogue with the University’s unions to promote the wellbeing of UP’s faculty and employees. Jimenez mentioned “pride of place” and “pride in people” for UP, making the campuses green spaces, safe spaces, and arts hubs. “The hallmark of UP in the next six years will be Service to the Nation,” Jimenez said. “Service to the Nation is constitutive to who we are and what we do,” he added. “UP will remain a bastion of academic freedom. We cannot achieve excellence without it,” he affirmed. “UP will be strong, courageous, critical and nurturing,” concluded Jimenez. Read the full speech of UP President Jimenez here. New UP President Jimenez delivers his acceptance speech before an audience consisting of UP officials, past and present, from the UP System and all the UP constituent universities; representatives from the private sector who supported UP; the families of the two UP presidents; guests from partner-universities from Southern Taiwan; members of the diplomatic corps; and members of the UP community. Photo by Misael Bacani (UPMPRO). Jimenez, the 22nd president of UP, is a renowned law practitioner specializing in labor and employment. From 1993 to 2007, he handled national interest cases at the Office of the Secretary of Labor. He served with distinction in major global hotspots where OFWs have been endangered. As Labor Attaché from 1997 to 2005, Jimenez developed overseas labor markets and delivered a broad array of critical government services. He served as Deputy Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration from 2005 to 2007. He garnered two Presidential citations for his performance during crises in Iraq and Lebanon. Jimenez is a published writer and an internationally recognized resource person on labor and migration. He also served in the UP Board of Regents, UP’s highest governing body, twice, first as Student Regent in 1992 and as Regent from 2016 to 2021. In his vision paper, Jimenez spoke of a UP that is a “global university,” and a research university focused on graduate and post-graduate programs and academic linkages. He sees UP continuing as a public service university helping government and industry while being a bastion of academic freedom. Jimenez advocates an Open Data Policy and digital transformation in learning and management. He also envisions UP helping raise the quality of undergraduate education in state universities and colleges. Concepcion looks back with “deep pride and gratitude” Now former UP President Concepcion reports on the achievements of his administration in his valedictory speech. Photo by Misael Bacani (UPMPRO). The previous UP President, Concepcion, is also a lawyer, and served as the 14th Dean of the UP College of Law before he assumed the UP Presidency in 2017. As President, he led efforts to transform UP into the University of the Future. He steered UP through the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the University to contribute directly to the country’s success in overcoming the public health crisis. “Much of what we achieved happened before, throughout, and despite the pandemic, and will benefit the University long after we put that period behind us,” Concepcion said during his valedictory address. Under Concepcion’s administration, the University instituted innovations in all its academic offerings and developed cutting-edge frontier programs. His administration succeeded in raising UP’s budget for research, securing additional faculty and staff items, increasing economic and non-economic benefits for all UP employees, and providing support and learning assistance to faculty, students, and staff. Concepcion said, “Under my leadership, UP began crafting its academic roadmap to harness technologies that would improve the quality of UP instruction and enhance the learning journey of our students. We planned our transition toward blended learning, strategizing how online delivery systems and a broadcast television network could complement our traditional residential learning.” From 2017 to 2022, 60 new degree programs were instituted in UP constituent universities. Academic and research programs were developed in three frontier areas: Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and the Omics sciences, leading to the creation of the Center for Intelligent Systems and the Masters and PhD programs in Data Science Analytics, Informatics, Bioinformatics, and Artificial Intelligence. He also mentioned important initiatives pursued by UP, such as “the establishment of the UP Noah Center in 2017 as the core component of the UP Resilience Institute, a proactive hub of benchmark innovative and research-based information vital to climate change mitigation and adaptation. . . and the completion of the cycle of drug discovery and trials at the newly-established Center for Early-Stage Drug Development in UP Diliman, which complements the Institute of Herbal Medicine at UP Manila’s National Institute of Health.” Facilities and infrastructure were completed, transforming the campuses. Concepcion said, “I strove to create an enabling environment for UP’s constituents, with safe, attractive, and sustainable infrastructure conducive to teaching, learning, and working.” Concepcion added, “We forged new academic partnerships with universities worldwide. Currently, we are in partnership with 350 higher education and research institutions in 43 countries: 49 in North America, 55 in Europe, 3 in Africa, 7 in the Middle East, 22 in Australia and Oceania, and 214 in Asia.” Also during his term, UP rose in world university rankings and is now among the top 500 universities in the world and the top 100 in Asia. To conclude Concepcion’s valedictory speech, he said “One thing I was never in doubt of was our capability to respond to crisis. The pandemic showed UP at its best, from the medical frontlines to the research laboratory and the communities and the media we serve. I will forever remain proud of our performance under this kind of unprecedented pressure.” “I will retire from my post with deep pride and gratitude for this opportunity of a lifetime, and welcome my successor with high hopes and expectations, trusting that he will sustain our progressive initiatives, defend our academic freedom as a prerequisite to excellence, and bring our beloved University of the Philippines to new heights of glory and service to our people,” Concepcion said. Watch the streaming video of the Turnover Ceremony here. Among the audience in the turnover ceremony for the UP Presidency are the officials who served in now former UP President Concepcion’s administration. Photo by Misael Bacani (UPMPRO). Singkaban and balanghai According to renowned multimedia visual artist and UP College of Fine Arts Professor Toym Imao, who conceptualized the program design: “Both singkaban and balanghai are fitting visual metaphors for a portal that welcomes and sends off our leaders in the UP community—our barangay.” Eight singkaban arches in the shape of the prow of the balanghai will represent the UP constituent universities. Singkaban refers to the folk bamboo welcome arch, and balanghai, to the Philippine ancient sea vessel. Singkaban art flourished in Bulacan, the home province of Concepcion. The best archaeological finds of the balanghai were discovered in Butuan, the home province of Jimenez. The UP Symphony Orchestra bids farewell to the outgoing UP President and welcomes the incoming UP President through an outstanding concert performance that earned them a standing ovation and three encores. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UPMPRO). From left to right: Tenor Malvin Macasaet, and sopranos Anya Evangelista and Kay Balajadia-Liggayu lend their voices to the UPSO’s stirring rendition of the “UP Naming Mahal”. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UPMPRO). The UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) Quartet and the UP ROTC Band provided music during the turnover ceremony. The UPSO also gave a concert the night before, February 9, at the UP Theater, to show their gratitude to outgoing UP President Concepcion and to welcome incoming UP President Jimenez. The concert, also titled “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong, Musikang Alay ng Orkestra ng Bayan”, featured a repertoire consisting of favorite pieces of the two UP presidents, including Vincenzo Bellini’s Casta Diva, Giacomo Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, Pietro Mascagni’s “Intermezzo” from Cavalleria Rusticana, “The Swan” from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, Bernard Green’s Overture on Philippine Folk Songs, Chino Toledo’s arrangements of Mga Kantang Bisaya, Rosas Pandan, and Cebuano Love Songs, as well as Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate. The UPSO was joined by soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano Anya Evangelista, and tenor Malvin Macasaet. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-launches-100-years-of-philippine-broadcasting-celeb-with-documentary-and-webinar/ | UP launches 100 years of Philippine broadcasting celeb with documentary and webinar – University of the Philippines | UP launches 100 years of Philippine broadcasting celeb with documentary and webinar UP launches 100 years of Philippine broadcasting celeb with documentary and webinar July 1, 2022 | Written by Fred Dabu Click through the image to watch the streaming video of the documentary hosted by DZUP on Facebook. The University of the Philippines (UP) officially launched the celebration of 100 Years of Broadcasting in the Philippines (100 YBP) with a documentary presentation and webinar hosted by the Department of Broadcast Communication (DBC) of the College of Mass Communication (CMC) in UP Diliman, on June 29, 2022, via Zoom and the DZUP 1602 kHz Facebook page. The documentary “Wika, Awit, Radyo, at Pananakop” tackles the origins and development of radio broadcasting in the Philippines, from the American Colonial period to the post-World War 2 era, as radios became more accessible and part of everyday life. This documentary, produced and written by Professor Elizabeth Enriquez and directed by Maps Arciga, utilized animation, archival videos, and printed sources. The joint SALIKHA Grants for Creative Projects of the K-12 Transition Program of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) supported the production of the documentary. Screenshots from the “Wika, Awit, Radyo, at Pananakop” documentary. From the livestream of the 100YB official launch on DZUP’s Facebook page. UP President Danilo Concepcion, UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano, and UPD CMC Dean Fernando Paragas delivered their messages of support for the webinar and centenary celebrations. Concepcion acknowledged the role of UP educators and alumni in shaping mass communication in the country, especially in spreading accurate and valuable information through radio and television and keeping the broadcasting industry alive. “Wika, Awit, Radyo, at Pananakop” Enriquez explained that the Americans used broadcasting as an effective tool for colonization until it became helpful to local businesses and integrated into Filipino culture. “It was part of the American strategy to reshape the consciousness of Filipinos in the American cultural mold. The English language and popular music from the West were first heard on the radio and used as the standard by Filipino broadcasters. While Filipino listeners enthusiastically adopted the foreign sound, it did not take long for Tagalog and kundiman to enter the soundwaves.” The Japanese were the new colonizers during World War II. According to the documentary, they “attempted to purge America from Filipino consciousness. Tagalog and other local languages and local musical compositions and folk songs enjoyed airtime. Still, English and American music were not wiped out while Filipinos hardly learned Nihongo and did not become accustomed to Japanese music.” Clockwise from top left: Prof. Melba S. Estonilo, UP Department of Broadcast Communication; Dr. LJ Sanchez, UP Department of Broadcast Communication; Dr. Elizabeth Enriquez, UP Department of Broadcast Communication; Dr. Daphne Tatiana T. Canlas, Chair of the UP Department of Broadcast Communication; Dr. Alwin Aguirre, Academic Conference Chair for the 100YB. From the live stream of the 100YB official launch on DZUP’s Facebook page. “After the war, broadcasting spread throughout the country. The English language and popular music from the United States were back on the air. But so were Tagalog and other Filipino languages as new radio stations began operating in the provinces. Filipino singers and musicians performing on the air attained fame, especially when the local music recording industry took off,” Enriquez added. Activities for the 100 YBP celebrations include a virtual conference to be held on 18-21 October 2022 with the theme, “100 Years of Broadcasting in the Philippines, 1922-2022”. DZUP will air and stream various programs online to further the “Archives of Broadcasting in the Philippines, UP hosted the event in collaboration with the Philippine Studies Association (PSA), UP Diliman, UP Visayas, and UP System. |
https://up.edu.ph/rizal-and-the-aseans-way-forward-malaysian-pm-anwar-speaks-in-up-on-strategic-takeaways-for-asean-30-years-after-the-asian-renaissance/ | Rizal and the ASEAN’s way forward: Malaysian PM Anwar speaks in UP on strategic takeaways for ASEAN 30 years after The Asian Renaissance – University of the Philippines | Rizal and the ASEAN’s way forward: Malaysian PM Anwar speaks in UP on strategic takeaways for ASEAN 30 years after The Asian Renaissance Rizal and the ASEAN’s way forward: Malaysian PM Anwar speaks in UP on strategic takeaways for ASEAN 30 years after The Asian Renaissance March 7, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office A true scholar of the Great Malayan, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar quotes Rizal’s “The Indolence of the Filipino” in his special lecture. He cites the relevance of Rizal’s teachings as the ASEAN faces new challenges, and pushes for the building of a new consensus in ASEAN by amplifying commonalities and strengthening cooperation and collaboration across the board to create a truly multilateral, multicultural and diverse ASEAN. Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UPMPRO). Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, called for an ASEAN that is built “on the firm foundations of a humane economy, compassion, justice, inclusiveness and shared prosperity”, in a special lecture he delivered at the University of the Philippines (UP) Theater in its Diliman campus on March 2, 2023, as part of his recent two-day visit to the Philippines. Addressing an audience consisting of local and national government officials, representatives of the Philippine public higher education sector, members of the diplomatic corps, and UP officials, faculty, students and staff, PM Anwar delivered a lecture, “30 Years After The Asian Renaissance: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN”. In his talk, he emphasized that “cooperation and collaboration . . . in all the crucial matters that bind us as a solid multilateral, multicultural, and diverse regional grouping must be the way forward for ASEAN.” The prime minister elaborated on ideas of Asian Renaissance Man and the Philippines’ national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, with references from Rizal’s “The Philippines–A Century Hence” and “On the Indolence of the Filipinos”, stating that Rizal’s words were still relevant and should provide guidance for scholars and leaders. Anwar quoted Rizal: “Justice is the foremost virtue of the civilizing races. It subdues the barbarous nations, while injustice arouses the weakest.” In his speech, PM Anwar also called on the ASEAN to address human rights violations in junta-led Myanmar. He explained that while “decision-making by consensus continues to be a central tenet of ASEAN . . . [this] does not mean that ASEAN should remain silent over developments in member states that affect the wider region, or particularly egregious violations of the ASEAN Charter by its own members.” He said, “non-interference is not a license for indifference.” “When I mentioned in Bangkok recently about the need to temporarily carve out Myanmar, on account of the blatant human rights violations, it was said in the larger context of the imperative to stay true to one of the key ideals of ASEAN, which is nothing less than to stand for the cause of justice and the rule of law,” he said. Read Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar’s speech in full here. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim receives the diploma for the Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, from UP Regent Mark Go (left) and UP Pres. Angelo Jimenez (right). Photo by Kevin Christian Roque (UPMPRO). Doctor of Laws, honoris causa PM Anwar’s special lecture was made in conjunction with the rites held by the University of the Philippines to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, to PM Anwar on March 2, 2023. PM Anwar was cited for: his efforts in “nurturing the life of the mind and fostering intellectual discourse” in Malaysia and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region; his advocacy of the concept of an Asian Renaissance; his devoted study of the life, works and teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal; and, his unstinting commitment to the pursuit of justice and democratic ideals and the attainment of a more inclusive, pluralistic Malaysia, among others. The ceremony was facilitated by Hon. Angelo A. Jimenez, UP President and Co-Chair of the UP Board of Regents; and Hon. Mark O. Go, Chair of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education and a member of the UP Board of Regents. Joining them on stage were: Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zambry bin Abdul Kadir; UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo; Hon. Roberto MJ Lara, Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents (BOR); and members of the UP Board of Regents. Homecoming to UP The ceremony was also a “homecoming” for PM Anwar who had frequently visited UP in his youth and who was a student of the late UP professor and historian, Cesar Adib Majul. The Prime Minister is an internationally renowned expert on economics, governance and accountability, and on Islam and democracy. He served as: Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports in 1983; Minister of Agriculture in 1984; and, Minister of Education in 1986. PM Anwar served as Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister from 1993 to 1998 and Minister of Finance from 1991 to 1998, during which Malaysia enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and economic growth. His prescriptions saved the Malaysian economy during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and earned him accolades, including recognition as the Asian of the Year from Newsweek International. Since the early 2000’s PM Anwar has held lecturing positions at: St. Anthony’s College in Oxford University; the School of Advanced International Studies in Johns Hopkins University; and, the School of Foreign Service in Georgetown University. View more photos of the Conferment Ceremony here. Written by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO and Celeste Llaneta, UP MPRO. Watch highlights from the speech of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the video below. Video by Al Nikko M. Nagutom, UP MPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/celebrating-the-life-of-national-artist-f-sionil-jose-97/ | Celebrating the life of National Artist F. Sionil Jose, 97 – University of the Philippines | Celebrating the life of National Artist F. Sionil Jose, 97 Celebrating the life of National Artist F. Sionil Jose, 97 January 7, 2022 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II Writer. Publisher. National Artist for Literature. Photo from the Solidaridad Publishing House With his passing on January 6, 2022, the nation remembers and celebrates F. (Francisco) Sionil José and his legacy. His creative productions reflect the various social struggles the Filipino people have faced and continue to face—works that are proof of his tremendous impact on our country today and for years to come. Sionil José was born on December 3, 1924, in Rosales, Pangasinan. At the renowned Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas, he studied Philosophy under Professor Ariston Estrada and Literature under pioneering fictionist Paz Latorena. Sionil José was UST Varsitarian editor in chief from 1948 to 1949. While studying, he was a staff member of The Commonweal from 1947 to 1948 and Assistant Editor for the United States Information Service from 1948 to 1949. He was Managing Editor of The Manila Times Sunday Magazine from 1949 to 1960. Eventually, he became the Editor of Progress, an annual publication of The Manila Times and Comment, a quarterly journal. Sionil José founded the Philippine Center of PEN International in 1957. In 1965, Sionil José and his wife, Teresita, founded the Solidaridad Bookshop and Publishing House in Ermita, Manila. In 1967, he established Solidarity, a journal that enabled writers, artists, politicians, scholars, and political and social activists from Asia and the Pacific region to share their works before a wider audience. In 1968, he founded Solidaridad Galleries, which provided young Filipino artists with opportunities to showcase their works. José received Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for “The God Stealer” (short fiction, 1959), “Waywaya” (short fiction, 1979), “Arbol de Fuego” (short fiction, 1980), “Tree” (novel, 1978), and “A Scenario for Philippine Resistance,” (essay,1979). He also received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in 1980 and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Centennial Honors for the Arts in 1999. During its 1048th Meeting on March 26, 1992, the UP Board of Regents approved the conferment of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, on Sionil José. He was named Philippine National Artist for Literature in 2001. In addition, he received the Order of Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan (2001), the Pablo Neruda Centennial Award from The Pablo Neruda Foundation, Chile (2004), and Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and the Letters) from the Government of France (2014). He is best known for his Rosales Saga. This five-novel epic narrates the lives of different generations of the Samsons that deal with the social struggles of the country. This epic consists of The Pretenders, Tree, My Brother, My Executioner, Mass, and Po-on. In an interview with Charlson Ong for the Likhaan Journal of the UP Institute of Creative Writing, Sionil José shares his advice for any young and aspiring writer: “One of the greatest tasks of Filipino writers really is how to make Filipinos remember. Not only to remember but to love this country… We must really look within ourselves for the kind of love that will transcend us as individuals… I remember the words of my favorite American jurist, Judge Learned Hand. He added: ‘Freedom is in the heart. When it dies there, no constitution, no court of law, can ever revive it.’ It’s the same thing with writing.” |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-of-the-up-presidents-advisory-council-on-threats-against-judge-marlo-magdoza-malagar-and-up-cebu-chancellor-leo-malagar/ | Statement of the UP President’s Advisory Council on Threats Against Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar and UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar – University of the Philippines | Statement of the UP President’s Advisory Council on Threats Against Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar and UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar Statement of the UP President’s Advisory Council on Threats Against Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar and UP Cebu Chancellor Leo Malagar September 28, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office We deplore and denounce in the strongest terms the thinly veiled threats made against our distinguished alumna, Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar, and her husband, University of the Philippines-Cebu Chancellor Atty. Leo B. Malagar. The threats emanated from a since-deleted Facebook post by former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, who launched a vicious verbal attack against the judge for her decision dismissing the Department of Justice’s motion to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) as terrorist organizations. In a subsequent post, without offering any proof, she also tagged Chancellor Malagar as a CPP-NPA-NDF member. This is not the first time—nor, we believe, will it be the last—that Ms. Badoy has overstepped the bounds of human decency with her rabid and reckless assaults on free speech, human rights, and now, the judicial process itself, one of our last democratic recourses. While she may seek to evade legal action by resorting to seemingly hypothetical questions in her posts, the malice and moral depravity in her intent is evident, particularly her chilling statement about killing “this judge,” knowing full well that she is associated with the country’s military and intelligence establishment. Her feeble disavowal of her posts as “fake news,” despite ample evidence that she made them, only reinforces her lack of truthfulness. The University of the Philippines stands by its commitment to our people’s democratic rights and the rule of law. Personal threats and attacks against our judges and academic leaders are unacceptable in a free society, and their perpetrators should be held accountable, legally and morally, for any consequences of their actions. The University of the Philippines President’s Advisory Council (UP PAC) is composed of the President, the Vice Presidents and the Secretary of the University, the Chancellors of the eight UP constituent units, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City campus. |
https://up.edu.ph/aupaeu-celebrates-its-academic-union-month/ | AUPAEU celebrates its Academic Union Month – University of the Philippines | AUPAEU celebrates its Academic Union Month AUPAEU celebrates its Academic Union Month November 2, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Forum on eHOPE held at the Main Library lobby, UP Diliman, AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter, Oct. 24, 2017 (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) In celebration of its Academic Union Month last October, the All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU) conducted a series of activities promoting the rights and welfare of employees and faculty of the University of the Philippines campuses across the nation. During the first week of October, the AUPAEU Baguio and Open University Chapters held their respective sessions for assessment and strategic planning. The All UP Workers Alliance-Manila (All UP Workers Union-Manila and AUPAEU-Manila), in partnership with Samahang Operasyong Sagip (SOS) and Medico International, conducted a public forum on “Preparing the Health Sector and Communities for the BIG ONE” on October 4 at the UP-PGH Science Hall, with Director Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) as resource person. Leaders of the union attended the first National Leadership Training Seminar sponsored by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-State Universities and Colleges (ACT-SUC) at the PUP main campus in Manila. Participants of the seminar also joined the World Teachers Day mobilization on October 5. AUPAEU-Diliman’s Lakbay Aral for bakwit Lumad students, with UP NISMED and Save Our Schools Network, 20 October 2017 (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) Week 2 was highlighted by the setting up of AUPAEU information materials at the UP Diliman Academic Oval and other key locations of UP campuses across the nation. The AUPAEU Iloilo Chapter held its general assembly and election of officers, while the AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter organized a Zumba session on October 11. Other activities during the week were: radio guesting at DZUP, film showing, office-to- office information campaign, and photo exhibits. The Academic Union Month’s week 3 featured the “Konsiyerto sa Kagutom” of the AUPAEU-Cebu Chapter and a psycho-social activity with “bakwit Lumad” students that was sponsored by the AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter on October 18. The AUPAEU-Tacloban Chapter held its strategic planning activity; the AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter, together with the UP National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (NISMED) and Save Our Schools Network, conducted a Lakbay Aral for “bakwit Lumad” students; and, the AUPAEU officers attended the Union-Management Monitoring Committee (UMMC) meeting held on October 20. The UMMC is the oversight body for the implementation of the Collective Negotiation Agreement between the AUPAEU and the UP. On October 23, the AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter held a forum on “Disaster Preparedness in the Workplace” at the UP Institute for Small-Scale Industries (UP ISSI). The forum covered topics on disaster preparedness, personal readiness, and related initiatives and programs. Resource persons included officers of the AUPAEU, the UP Resilience Institute, and Prepper Plus. AUPAEU-Diliman Chapter’s forum on Disaster Preparedness in the Workplace, 23 October 2017 at ISSI, UP Diliman (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) The AUPAEU Open University and Los Banos Chapters sponsored the first livestreamed discussion on unionism in UP, “Unyonismo 101: Tungo sa Militante, Progresibo at Makabayang Unyonismo sa Pampublikong Sektor”. Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, AUPAEU first national president, and Dr. Melania Flores, AUPAEU founding secretary general and currently, director-at-large served as forum speakers. They discussed the history of unionism in the country and in UP, the impact of neoliberalism on Filipinos, and the need for militant, progressive and patriotic unionism. Issues and updates concerning UP employees’ benefits and welfare were also discussed with UPLB and UPOU officials and union leaders. (The video of the forum can be viewed on Youtube [https://youtu.be/spj6s0mAgmM]). A forum on UP’s Enhanced Hospitalization Program (eHOPE) was held at the lobby of the UP Diliman Main Library on October 24. Resource speakers were Dr. Hector Edrosa (UP Diliman) and Dr. Gene Nisperos (UP Manila). Members of the AUPAEU and eHOPE committee also responded to the concerns raised by forum participants. Prof. Carl Marc Ramota, All UP Academic Employees Union National President at the solidarity lunch and closing program of the Academic Union Month at the Quezon Hall lobby in UP Diliman, 27 October 2017 (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) Solidarity lunch and closing program of the Academic Union Month at the Quezon Hall lobby in UP Diliman, 27 October 2017 (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) To cap the month-long celebrations, a solidarity lunch was held simultaneously by Chapters of the AUPAEU, from the north’s UP Baguio to the south’s UP Mindanao, on October 27. At the Quezon Hall in UP Diliman, the closing program was held, together with members of the Alliance of Contractual Employees in UP (ACE-UP), All UP Workers Alliance, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and Lumad teachers of the Association of Community Educators. The AUPAEU is the sole, recognized representative of research, extension and professional staff (REPS) and faculty in UP. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/all-up-cares-unions-are-for-wellness/ | All-UP Cares: Unions Are for Wellness – University of the Philippines | All-UP Cares: Unions Are for Wellness All-UP Cares: Unions Are for Wellness November 15, 2018 | Written by Fred Dabu (Photo courtesy of the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter) Faculty and employees of the University of the Philippines (UP) are duly unionized and represented by the All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU) and the All UP Workers Union (AUPWU), respectively, in collective negotiations with the UP administration, and in a multitude of activities inside and outside the UP constituent university (CU) chapters and the whole UP System. Although distinct and separate organizations on both the university and system-wide levels, the two unions share common principles and roots, are identical in their advocacies for the UP constituency and the Filipino people’s rights and welfare, and have been in close coordination since their inception. According to Dr. Gene Nisperos, president of the AUPAEU-UP Manila Chapter, the union adheres to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” He explains that the overall health and wellness of all UP constituents are important aspects of union work. Jossel Ebesate, National PRO of the AUPWU and former Staff Regent of UP, said the union “views its advocacy of employees’ welfare from a holistic perspective, not only for UP employees, but for the Filipino people in general.” This view is explicit in the constitution and bylaws and the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA), in provisions such as “We fully realize that our effort to enhance the quality of our life forms part of the general movement to achieve a just and democratic social order, and a better standard of living. We affirm our responsibility to contribute to the unity and well-being of all Filipino workers and other disadvantaged members of Philippine society.” To ensure the promotion of employees’ rights, welfare and privileges, further specified in the CNA are the union’s committees on Organization and Credentials; Public Affairs; Research and Education; Finance; Grievance and Negotiations; Gender; and, Health and Safety. Professor Emmanuel Dumlao, president of the AUPAEU-UP Los Baños Chapter, emphasizes that “The AUPAEU’s reason for being rests primarily on its mandate to protect and promote the overall wellness of all faculty and REPS in UP by securing ‘the most just and reasonable terms of employment’ in the University, as stated in Art. II, Sec. 1 of its constitution and by-laws.” Union members participate in a broad range of activities such as forums, conventions, and protest actions. (Photos courtesy of the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter) Dumlao adds, “Being an MPMU or militante, progresibo, at makabayang unyon, AUPAEU believes that this ‘effort to enhance the quality of our life’ in the University can’t be detached from the Filipino peoples’ struggles towards building a ‘just and democratic social order.’ In short, AUPAEU means paglilingkod sa sarili at sa sambayanan.” Union members and students of UP Manila welcome the arrival of the delegates of the 2017 Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya along Taft Avenue, Manila. (Photo courtesy of the AUPAEU-UP Manila Chapter) The University’s health sciences center Nisperos highlighted the role of UP Manila’s Union in efforts to obtain more benefits as a way of improving the well-being of Union members nationwide, since UP Manila is UP’s Health Sciences Center and is home to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the largest government hospital in the country that is administered by UP. He said it is important to keep people healthy, not just by making health services available and accessible, but also by encouraging the maintenance of “good health.” Dr. Gene Nisperos, president of the AUPAEU-UP Manila Chapter, talks about the AUPAEU’s campaigns and the eHOPE during a forum held in UP Diliman. (Photo by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO) Ebesate recalls that in 1999, “The union’s Manila Chapter successfully lobbied for all UP Manila employees (except PGH that has already implemented it since 1997) being entitled to all the benefits under the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers (RA 7305). In 2001, the union was again successful in lobbying for the full implementation of almost all monetary benefits under the said law, such as hazard pay and subsistence allowance. It was later adopted in all Health Service Units of the University.” “In 2007, during the negotiation of the CNA of both sectors, the AUPWU, in coordination with the AUPAEU, launched a campaign for the University to provide health care assistance to employees especially those admitted in hospitals. The UP Administration responded with the Financial Assistance Program for Hospitalization Expenses (FAPHE),” he adds. The Union is also working for the institutionalization of Health and Safety Committees at the CU and System levels. The AUPAEU-UP Manila Chapter’s Union Cup 2017 featured bowling and darts games for their members. (Photos courtesy of the AUPAEU-UP Manila Chapter) “We promote wellness for our members. There are different groups in UP that conduct activities we support, such as zumba and yoga sessions, and sports. Last year, we held the Union Cup, a one-day event to foster camaraderie among AUPAEU members,” says Nisperos. He said UP Manila faculty and REPS, of all ages, participated in the friendly competitions in bowling and darts held at a nearby mall’s bowling complex. “This year we intend to have our Laro ng Lahing Pilipino,” he added, referring to the sports festival featuring Filipino games for union members and their families. Nisperos also revealed their efforts to increase the kind of laboratory tests included in the annual physical exams as the employee gets older, as well as having the elderly members’ yearly executive check-up and their needed medical treatment to be covered by UP as part of the implementation of the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers. He also hopes that the PGH can be the central hospital for all the constituent units of UP, so that UP faculty and employees from any UP campus can avail themselves of PGH services. Usapang eHOPE forum conducted by the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter. (Photo courtesy of the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter) In 2016, the UP Board of Regents (BOR) approved the Enhanced Hospitalization Programme (eHOPE) for the Faculty, REPS and Administrative Staff https://www.up.edu.ph/index.php/up-enhances-hospitalization-benefits-for-employees/. Nisperos says the union aims to conduct more information campaigns about eHOPE, to expand its coverage, and to have UP’s contractuals included as well. Noting the high rate of mental health conditions in the country, Nisperos adds that the PGH and other units connected with the University can help more people reach out to psychiatrists, psychologists, and other specialists who can provide the necessary health interventions. “The union wants the University to be a healing or enabling environment for people who are recovering from mental health conditions,” he says. UPLB’s Tsikiting Korner and Diwang Makiling Dumlao takes pride in the initiatives of the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter. “We’ve initiated two major projects: Tsikiting Korner and Diwang Makiling. Part of the union’s advocacy for a gender-responsive UPLB, Tsikiting Korner envisions every department of each college in the university to have a space where mothers can breastfeed and their children can play. Initiated by a group of mothers who are active union members, Tsikiting Korner is now a collaborative project between the Union and the UPLB College of Human Ecology administration,” he reports. “After a series of talks between the Union and concerned UPLB officials, the Office of the Chancellor has instructed the College of Human Ecology to find a place in one of its buildings for Tsikiting Korner and take charge of its implementation and administration. The Union considers this as a big step towards making UPLB a more conducive workplace for employees with young children,” explains Dumlao. Yoga sessions were among the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter’s activities to promote psychosocial health among UPLB faculty, employees, and students. (Photo courtesy of the AUPAEU-UPLB Chapter) “Diwang Makiling aims to promote psychosocial health in UPLB. The team in charge of the project is composed of psychologists from the Department of Social Sciences and Union Representatives from Engineering, Mass Comm and other CAS departments. Aside from holding forums on mental health and work-life balance, Diwang Makiling also initiated ‘de-stressing’ activities like Ashtanga yoga and Asian dances, which were participated in by both students and faculty members,” continues Dumlao. The campus also has its Panday-Malay Makiling education program and cultural group. “Under this, we do the traditional Ikot-Unyon or office-hopping to conduct MPMU orientations and discuss significant issues and union concerns. In our efforts to be more creative in popularizing the union and raising awareness on its advocacies, we formed Himig Makiling, a singing group composed of Union members and student volunteers,” he says. Carrying on with caring “Union members help ensure that employees and faculty will get the needed health services. We in UP Manila, as the Health Sciences Center of the UP System, reiterate that being healthy is one of the primary aims of the Union. We are calling on all our members to know what is in the CNA and what programs are available to them, such as eHOPE. Thus, the Union will continue to conduct more activities and information dissemination campaigns,” Nisperos said. Ebesate declared that “There are many avenues and strategies in accomplishing the change that we need, from petition signing and ribbon-wearing to radical mass actions including rallies and strikes. The constant challenge however is the same: the widest participation of the rank-and-file employees of the university. If we want for our fellow employees to be with the union always, union leaders must know by heart, the needs and wants of our people, advocate for them, especially their needs, but never dictate or underestimate them.” Officers and members of the AUPWU chapters across the archipelago during the union’s National Assembly last July 2017, College of Home Economics, UP Diliman, Quezon City. (Photos by Fred Dabu, UP MPRO |
https://up.edu.ph/official-nominees-for-the-search-for-the-next-up-diliman-chancellor/ | Official nominees for the Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor – University of the Philippines | Official nominees for the Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor Official nominees for the Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor March 6, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Search Committee for the Search for the Next UP Diliman Chancellor has announced the official nominees. They have also released a schedule of activities for the presentation of the nominees’ vision papers, as well as the sectoral consultations. Please read the committee’s announcement below. To view the the nominees’ respective Curriculum Vitae and Vision Paper, please click their names below. Prof. Fidel R. Nemenzo, DSc Prof. Victor Joaquin Paz, PhD Prof. Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan, LLB, LLM |
https://up.edu.ph/upcat-applications-are-now-open/ | UPCAT applications are now open – University of the Philippines | UPCAT applications are now open UPCAT applications are now open March 8, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Office of Admissions has opened the portal for applications for the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT). Visit https://upcat2024online.up.edu.ph/ for details. Please take note of the important dates found on their announcement below. For questions, please contact the Office of Admissions by sending them a message via this email address: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph For updates, follow the official Office of Admissions Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions |
https://up.edu.ph/up-bids-farewell-to-its-14th-president-dr-emanuel-v-soriano-87/ | UP bids farewell to its 14th President, Dr. Emanuel V. Soriano, 87 – University of the Philippines | UP bids farewell to its 14th President, Dr. Emanuel V. Soriano, 87 UP bids farewell to its 14th President, Dr. Emanuel V. Soriano, 87 April 22, 2023 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta President Emanual V. Soriano attending the graduation ceremonies of the university in 2012. Photo from his daughter Rinna Soriano’s Facebook account. The University of the Philippines (UP) community mourns the passing of pioneering Business Administration faculty member and 14th UP President, Dr. Emanuel Valdez Soriano, who passed away in the morning of April 22, 2023, according to a Facebook post by Ms. Rinna Soriano, his daughter. He was 87 years old. Dr. Emanuel V. Soriano, fondly called “Noel” or “Bob” by friends and colleagues, served as UP President from 1979 to 1981, succeeding Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz. President Edgardo J. Angara, in turn, succeeded President Soriano. Born on December 30, 1936, Soriano earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1959 and his Master’s degree in Industrial Management in 1962, both from the University of the Philippines. As a college student, he was active in student affairs, serving as vice president and acting president of the University Student Council under the UPSCA Party in 1957-1958 and 1958-1959, respectively. Soriano went on to earn his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree from Harvard Business School. He was among the first group of Filipino faculty members to be sent to the United States for advanced studies in business during the term of UP CBA Dean Cesar E.A. Virata. The group included former deans of the UP CBA Jaime C. Laya, Magdaleno B. Albarracin, Jr., and Rafael A. Rodriguez. Soriano served as director of the UP Graduate School-Cebu, and as Executive Vice President during the term of UP President Onofre Corpuz. In September 1979, he took over the UP Presidency when Corpuz was appointed Education Minister by President Ferdinand Marcos. He is one of only two UP Presidents who are engineers, with the other being the 8th UP President, Dr. Vidal Tan. During the succeeding terms of Corpuz and Soriano, the Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, the Transport Training Center, the National Institute of Biotechnology and Microbiology, and the Third World Studies Program were established at UP. Once a supporter of President Marcos, Soriano became one of the opposition leaders from 1983 to 1986. He swore in the members of the restored University Student Council in 1980 after Marcos abolished it in 1973. On September 5, 1983, he published an open letter in the Business Day newspaper, calling for Marcos’ resignation in the wake of the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr. He was an active member of the Convenors Group that helped pave the way for the selection of Cory Aquino as the opposition candidate against Marcos in the 1985–1986 Snap Elections and went on to serve as the National Security Adviser to President Corazon Aquino from 1987 to 1989. He also served as a faculty member of the Asian Institute of Management until 1996. He published numerous books and papers on business policy and management in Asia, including The Big Powers in South East Asia in the 1990s: Their Interest and Roles, published by the Kuala Lumpur Institute of Strategic and International Studies in 1989. He remained in active service to the University he loved well after his term as UP President. He was recognized by the UP College of Engineering, his Alma Mater, and the UP Alumni Engineers as one of the 100 Outstanding Alumni Engineers. Details on the wake and the University’s tribute to its 14th President to follow. |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-on-the-regional-memo-on-the-removal-of-subversive-books-from-libraries-in-the-car/ | Statement on the Regional Memo on the Removal of “Subversive” Books from Libraries in the CAR – University of the Philippines | Statement on the Regional Memo on the Removal of “Subversive” Books from Libraries in the CAR Statement on the Regional Memo on the Removal of “Subversive” Books from Libraries in the CAR November 6, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office On October 21, 2021, the Commission on Higher Education Cordillera Administrative Region issued Regional Memorandum No. 113 series of 2021, encouraging “all Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Cordillera Administrative Region… to join the region-wide removal of subversive materials both in library and online platforms.” For its purpose, the Memorandum defined “subversive materials [as] literatures, references, publications, resources and items that contain pervasive ideologies of the Communist-Terrorist groups (CTGs).” Accordingly, the Memorandum was made “in support of Executive Order No. 70 Series of 2018 “Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and in cognizance to the Third Quarter Cordillera RTF-ELCAC meeting held on September 22, 2021”. We, the System-wide University Library Council of the University of the Philippines, strongly oppose the removal and banning of such books and materials from libraries in the CAR—and anywhere else in the country. While the Memorandum does not compel librarians and heads of universities and colleges to remove books and materials perceived to contain “subversive” ideas from their libraries, the call of a regional regulatory body for HEIs within its jurisdiction to join a region-wide movement to ban such materials has a compelling effect on the institutions it regulates. As such, it threatens to undermine the very foundation of the academic freedom guaranteed by the Constitution to all institutions of higher learning, whether public or private. That freedom rests on the untrammeled flow of information and knowledge contained in, among others, books, periodicals, documents, recordings, and such other media as libraries collect and distribute. As gatekeepers of knowledge, we librarians and officials overseeing the UP System libraries are ethically bound to resist any form of political interference that would diminish the access of students and scholars to any materials they may need in pursuit of their studies. We believe—as do our peers in other schools and departments of the University—that true learning results from the application of critical thinking to a range of ideas, and that even ideas deemed dangerous or inimical to society require critical analysis. If we are the democracy that we profess to be, then nothing can be more deleterious to that democracy than the suppression of books that contain such ideas. Book purges are practiced by dictatorships, not democracies; and inevitably, book purges prove futile, as those who banned the Noli and the Fili for being subversive eventually realized. Knowledge advances not by the exclusion of ideas, but by intellectual inquiry and scientific practice. Insurgencies are contained by addressing their root causes, not by banning books that explain how and why they happen. Libraries serve society as gateways to knowledge and culture, as platforms for learning, preserving and sharing knowledge, and shaping new ideas and perspectives. Like our laboratories, they should be protected as safe spaces for intellectual inquiry and research, beyond the transitory agenda of politicians in power and their instrumentalities. This is especially important in this age of fake news, which magnifies the responsibility of universities to seek and promote the truth, regardless of political consequences. As the repositories of knowledge, our libraries and their custodians are duty-bound to ensure that access is maintained to that knowledge in all its variety, in the service of the truth. We therefore call on our fellow librarians and university officials to protect our libraries from any form of censorship, and to resist any actions that will compromise academic freedom. We need to open minds, and not to close them. Since we believe in democracy, as our critics claim to do, we must remain open to ideas not necessarily our own and respect the right of our citizens to read about them in our libraries. The UP System-wide University Library Council was created in December 1986 following the confirmation by the UP Board of Regents of Administrative Order No. 20. It is composed of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs as Chair with the Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs, the librarians of the constituent units and a student representative as members. The University Library Council and its functions are reiterated in the University Library Organic Act which the Board of Regents approved in March 1991. Administrative Order No. PDLC 2021-54, issued in September 2021, added the Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs (Curriculum and Instruction)—a position that did not exist in 1991—as Vice-Chair of the Council. To download a copy of this statement, please click here. |
https://up.edu.ph/institution-of-task-force-to-review-and-take-immediate-and-long-term-actions-on-student-accommodations-across-the-up-system/ | Institution of Task Force to Review and Take Immediate and Long-term Actions on Student Accommodations across the UP System – University of the Philippines | Institution of Task Force to Review and Take Immediate and Long-term Actions on Student Accommodations across the UP System Institution of Task Force to Review and Take Immediate and Long-term Actions on Student Accommodations across the UP System February 11, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The new UP President, Angelo A. Jimenez, is saddened by the recent tragedy caused by the fire that transpired at Barangay Krus na Ligas on 9 February 2023. This tragedy caused the death of a student Leki N. Aquilino from UPD CSWCD. Pres. Jimenez and the entire UP Community are expressing sympathies to the aggrieved Aquilino family. The President vows to work with all Chancellors to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Concerning this, he has formed a Task Force to review and take immediate and long-term actions on student accommodations across the UP System. As the University prepares to return to face-to-face classes, the importance of providing more living spaces in UP’s campuses must be underscored. Accommodations on campus provide peer-to-peer support and can direct students to support and well-being services when needed. They also help foster a strong sense of community through a range of social events and cultural activities, as well as practical support. |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-of-the-university-of-the-philippines-presidents-advisory-council/ | Statement of the University of the Philippines President’s Advisory Council – University of the Philippines | Statement of the University of the Philippines President’s Advisory Council Statement of the University of the Philippines President’s Advisory Council May 13, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office We view, with grave concern, the most recent effort of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) to red-tag members of the UP community. On May 11, 2022, the NTF ELCAC released a statement cautioning against disruptors and destabilizers of peace and order, after sectors reported irregularities during the May 9 National Elections. On UNTV, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon cautioned against school walkouts as dangerous avenues for NPA recruitment. Such statements maliciously misrepresent legitimate forms of protests as “breeding grounds for terrorist recruitment,” violate civil liberties and carelessly endanger our students in their democratic exercise of constitutionally protected freedoms. These accusations are baseless and paranoid, and by themselves sow the discord that they purport to prevent. We will not stand down when our students’ lives are at risk. We will continue to defend our academic spaces. We will protect our students vigorously against red-tagging, harassment, and intimidation. We will safeguard the University from destabilizing forces. Critical thinking and service to community and country are hallmarks of UP’s tradition as an institution of higher learning. Hands off our students. Hands off our University. Defend academic freedom! * The UP PAC is composed of the President, the Vice Presidents and the Secretary of the University, the Chancellors of the eight UP constituent units, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City campus. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-unions-score-wins-for-up-faculty-reps-staff/ | UP unions score wins for UP faculty, REPS & staff – University of the Philippines | UP unions score wins for UP faculty, REPS & staff UP unions score wins for UP faculty, REPS & staff December 23, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and AUPAEU National President Melania Flores hold up the signed copies of the CNA. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO. For the unions safeguarding the well-being of the University of the Philippines’ faculty, research, extension and professional staff (REPS), and administrative staff, the year 2021 ends with wins and milestones for the concerned sectors of the University. Grant of CNA Incentive The two unions—the All UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU) and the All UP Workers Union (AUPWU)—with the help of all the faculty, REPS, and administrative staff across the UP System, have successfully signed an agreement with the UP administration for the grant of Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) Incentive amounting to P25,000.00, which the UP Board of Regents has approved through a referendum conducted on December 17 to 21, 2021. Memorandum No. NGY 21-184, released by the UP Office of the Vice President for Administration (OVPA) on December 22, details the guidelines on the grant of the CNA Incentive for the Fiscal Year 2021. According to the memorandum, those covered by the agreement are: All regular full-time and part-time UP faculty, REPS, and administrative staff who have rendered at least a total or an aggregate of four months of service as of December 15, 2021; those whose services have been extended beyond compulsory retirement at age 65 as of December 15; and those who were separated from the University within the year and had rendered at least four months of service. For details, please read the guidelines on the AUPAEU’s Facebook page The CNA Incentive is granted to UP faculty, REPS, administrative staff, and officials as an act of goodwill and recognition of joint efforts to accomplish performance targets at lesser cost and attain more efficient and viable operations during the year. The CNA Incentive will be sourced from the allowable savings of the University’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) allotment under the General Fund, following the Department of Budget and Management’s Circular No. 2021-3 dated November 17, 2021. The savings became available due to cost-cutting and system improvement measures undertaken collectively by the University and its personnel, as the unions and the UP administration agreed to in a binding Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Other benefits won During the signing of the CNA and MOA between the AUPAEU and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion for the UP administration on December 3 at Quezon Hall, Dr. Melania L. Flores, National President of the AUPAEU representing UP’s rank-and-file faculty and REPS, announced the benefits won by the union and will be received by both AUPAEU members and non-members. Some of the non-economic benefits include sick leaves and special leave privileges; health and safety requirements; scholarship/study privileges for relatives of faculty and REPS without children; on-campus and off-campus housing facilities; medical assistance for retiring and retired employees; and constitution of grievance procedures and provisions for supporting REPS’ well-being. Economic benefits include a rice subsidy of P2,350 in four tranches; a year-end grocery allowance of P8,400 annually; a loyalty incentive award of P10,000 for the first ten years and P5,000 for every five years; and an annual incentive grant of P6,850 in two tranches. The AUPAEU after the signing of the CNA. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO. Flores also stressed the union’s support for the fight for the UP budget and reported making strides in this area, such as raising the budget for the MOOE of the UP Philippine General Hospital. The union is also offering its support for other public sector unions in the country. “Ang UP bilang national university ay modelo sa usaping akademiko. Gusto din natin ang UP na maging modelo sa public sector unionism, kaya tayo ay nangunguna din sa public sector unionism,” Dr. Flores reiterated during the signing. UP and UP Diliman officials and officials and members of the AUPWU stand before the AUPWU’s new office. Photo by Jonathan Madrid, UPMPRO. New home for AUPWU Aside from the signing of the grant of the CNA Incentive, the AUPWU, representing UP’s administrative staff, also made milestones this year, including the blessing of a new central office for the national union in what was once the UP Alumni Hostel in the Diliman campus, behind Fonacier Hall and beside the Benitez Alumni Center, on November 30—the same day the agreement for the grant of CNA Incentive and the MOA for the cost-cutting measures was signed between UP and the AUPWU. The national union, including the AUPWU chapter of UP Diliman, was forced to move as its old building was demolished in the construction of the new Shopping Center. AUPWU National President Jossel Ebesate credits the work of his predecessor, Mr. Alex Mejia of UPLB, as well as the support of the UP Diliman administration and the sponsorship of the ACT Partylist, as instrumental in securing the union’s new home. |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-on-the-disappearance-of-three-up-alumni/ | Statement on the Disappearance of Three UP Alumni – University of the Philippines | Statement on the Disappearance of Three UP Alumni Statement on the Disappearance of Three UP Alumni June 3, 2023 | Written by the Office of the President The University of the Philippines System expresses grave concern over the recent disappearance of three UP alumni, Gene Roz Jamil “Bazoo” De Jesus and Dexter Capuyan of UP Baguio, and Patricia Nicole Cierva of UP Manila. De Jesus and Capuyan are known indigenous peoples’ rights activists, while Cierva and her companion Cedric Casano, are peasant and youth organizers. The UP System urges all government agencies especially those engaged in the administration of justice and law enforcement, with the support of the public in general, to ensure that our missing alumni are located, and to guarantee their safety and to uphold their constitutional rights. The UP System reiterates its commitment to upholding human rights without which our freedoms cannot long endure. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-aupwu-officials-sign-new-cna-for-2020-2025/ | UP, AUPWU officials sign new CNA for 2020-2025 – University of the Philippines | UP, AUPWU officials sign new CNA for 2020-2025 UP, AUPWU officials sign new CNA for 2020-2025 December 18, 2020 | Written by Fred Dabu Officials of the University of the Philippines administration and the All UP Workers Union (AUPWU), represented by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and AUPWU National President Alexis M. Mejia respectively, signed the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) during a simple ceremony on 11 December 2020 at the Quezon Hall UP Diliman, Quezon City. This CNA covers five years, from 27 April 2020 to 26 April 2025. The CNA negotiation was put on hold earlier this year after government declared a national State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All UP Workers Union National President Alexis M. Mejia (sitting, left) and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion (sitting, right) during the signing of the CNA. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO. The signing ceremony marks the University and the Union’s commitment to work harmoniously together for the enhancement of UP employees’ welfare and productivity as well as for effective and efficient public service. The signed document specifies the relationship between the UP administration and employees, their duties and responsibilities, privileges, benefits, mechanisms for promoting productivity and welfare, and role as union members in society, among others. Among the officials present were UP Vice President for Administration Nestor G. Yunque, members of the AUPWU National Executive Board, National Council, UP Diliman and Los Baños Chapters, and Union Representatives. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO. |
https://up.edu.ph/keeper-of-the-greens/ | Keeper of the greens – University of the Philippines | Keeper of the greens Keeper of the greens May 10, 2017 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Picture UP Diliman and, aside from the Oblation, what comes to mind is its greenery—the lagoon park and acacia lanes. Many memories, often pleasant, have been formed under the trees, on the grass, at the tete-a-tete benches, and on the asphalted avenue, often rained over by small leaves and fruits of the raintrees or by yellow narra blooms. One would picture Zorro, the masked and caped sentinel giving joggers high-fives. Or perhaps, the SBs standing guard on the well maintained grounds. Invisible and unheard of to many is Seven Gie Acuzar, a frail-looking man better known by his colleagues in UP as “Bay” because of his Visayan accent. He has been keeping the area clean for a long time. “I started working in UP in August 2004,” he says in Filipino. “I was just 21, a high school graduate, and single. My brother, who was agency-hired to work here, convinced me to apply here.” Maintaining the UP grounds was a far cry from welding and handling cereals and nuts in factories in the Camanava area, where he had been a contractual worker. It was not difficult to move to UP despite similar contractual terms, as UP was nearer his place in Bgy. Pansol. A worker for the Campus Maintenance Office, he has covered the side of the lagoon south of the creek, AS Parking, and the one-kilometer stretch of Roxas Avenue from the main administration building to Vinzons Hall, where the tree-canopied road is most often photographed. Using tongs and a broom, and pushing a kartilya along, it takes him more than a day to pick up litter and sweep Roxas avenue clean. “You need to first pick up plastic, paper and other kinds of litter thrown by people. These are the first to be noticed by the joggers. Then you begin sweeping. There used to be trash receptacles around the Oval, which I was also tasked to empty. You do these the whole day for one kilometer, moving from Administration to Vinzons, and then back. You won’t finish on the same day,” he continues. At the lagoon, where he was assigned for more than 10 years, routine maintenance takes more than a week. “I was caretaker of the lagoon until I was assigned to only cover Roxas in 2015. My job covered the area bordered by the canal and Roces Avenue. Just picking up the puti [manmade garbage such as plastic and paper] took one day. The area required more than a week to clean.” These areas Bay has been assigned to remain the cleanest on campus, attracting a regular crowd, including bird-watchers. Asked about the beauty and significance of his workplace, he readily talks about wildlife. “Birds thrive here. They find food. Cranes, native doves, kingfishers, migratory birds coming here from October to March.” He could relate to them. “They too find a living. If you deprive them of a home, they lose their right to live and flourish,” Bay says. He is glad that UP affords wildlife a habitat. He is also happy about the trees reaching full growth, and once again, relates this to his life. “As the trees that abound in this place, we the workers too should grow and flourish. We should not be stunted, or dictated upon not to aspire to be higher.” Relying on his wages from UP, Bay began his own family. He now has three children, the eldest of whom is a young boy of 11 years and the youngest just two years old. His wife stays at home taking care of them. Bay’s greatest fear is not being able to provide for them, which is always a possibility given the insecurity of his contractual employment. His wage, barely above minimum, is just enough for their everyday needs. Without additional work-related benefits, he is not able to save money for his family’s future or to address emergencies. For several years, he operated under the “no work, no pay” principle, which kept him working through red-letter days and typhoons, exposed to wind, rain, and falling branches. “The worst typhoons for the workers happened around 2009 and 2010. They came one after the other in October and November. Many trees fell. In UP, it meant extra work. Our director decided on pooling all the workforce and assigned us all to first clean up the Areas. We had to work in houses hit by the falling trees. Drenched by the rain, we worked non-stop, and were cold and hungry,” Bay says. He does not readily recall witnessing any crime in the area. “I haven’t witnessed anything fearful.” But there were people who tested his patience. “At AS Parking, I would be sweeping the grounds and cars would be parked right where I was doing my job, like I’m invisible.” Despite the downsides, Bay has remained loyal to UP. He repeats his gratefulness for working near home. He can just walk or ride his bike between his home and UP. He can forage vegetables growing wildly among the greens and bring them home. He can eat his lunch at home. Bay has grown familiar with the UP people and could tell one from an outsider by how they handle their garbage. “I notice that those who litter are outsiders,” he says. More often, there is more garbage found at the Sunken Garden and the lagoon, UP Diliman’s “tourist spots.” UP constituents themselves are a family. Bay feels that they should be and look out for one another. “As workers of UP, we treat it as a parent, and we are its children, with different roles. UP would not be complete without us performing our role in ground maintenance. It would be a dump. We hope it realizes our worth, having worked here for very long,” Bay says. Late last year, he went through a sad state in his UP family life. He had the chance to apply for a regular item of Administrative Aide to be assigned to the same position of ground maintenance, at Salary Grade 3. Bay was confident, given his 12 years of UP work experience, seminars and training, Outstanding performance ratings for consecutive contractual terms, and having taken a short TESDA course in 2013 on automotive and small engine servicing. All papers had long been prepared, kept orderly and neat in a clear-book of credentials for such opportunities in the administration. “My mind was set on security of tenure, and the benefits that would cover my wife and children,” he recalls. It was the answer to every contractual’s prayer. Bay cried when he was informed later that another man had beaten him to the item. He hopes the decision can be explained to him more clearly, echoing the plight of many others in his situation. (UP President Danilo L. Concepcion has pledged to address the problem of contractuals during his term.) In recent years, Bay has involved himself with other contractual workers in the University for an alliance with UP’s workers and academic union in the work of collective action for the growth of UP personnel. He hopes to understand UP better. All throughout his life in UP, he has remained hopeful, looking at the day UP makes good at being one family, as it has been to him. |
https://up.edu.ph/statement-on-the-sigma-rho-fraternity-related-death-and-alleged-hazing-incident/ | Statement on the Sigma Rho Fraternity-related death and alleged hazing incident – University of the Philippines | Statement on the Sigma Rho Fraternity-related death and alleged hazing incident Statement on the Sigma Rho Fraternity-related death and alleged hazing incident September 30, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On Sunday, September 29, 2019, it was confirmed that a member of the Sigma Rho Fraternity has died. This member was one of those named in an alleged online conversation among members of this fraternity involved in alleged acts of hazing. We in the University of the Philippines extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved. We reach out in concern as well to all those who have been victimized by a persistent system of fraternity-related violence engendered by an underlying culture of toxic masculinity, patriarchal values and impunity. There is no place in the country’s national university for all forms of violence, harassment, discrimination and cruelty, whether committed through physical acts such as hazing and sexual violence, or through mental and emotional abuse committed through acts of bullying and cyberbullying. We are committed to eradicating fraternity-related violence and impunity on campus by carrying out a transformation within the culture of the University itself, where the values of compassion, empathy and equality are held as sacred as UP’s principles of honor and excellence by all members of its community. Finally, we are appealing to the public as well as to media professionals to exercise particular caution when sharing or reporting sensitive stories out of respect for the privacy of the bereaved. University of the Philippines System Administration September 30, 2019 |
https://up.edu.ph/a-statement-from-president-danilo-l-concepcion/ | A Statement from President Danilo L. Concepcion – University of the Philippines | A Statement from President Danilo L. Concepcion A Statement from President Danilo L. Concepcion August 29, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office I deeply regret the pain my appearance at the Kabataang Barangay reunion in UP Diliman last August 25 caused the UP community. I intended no offense, most especially to the UP community that I serve. My desire to be with old-time friends I had not seen for decades, no matter how briefly, made me overlook its effect on the sentiments of the UP community. Tao lang po! I would like to assure the UP community that the University under my watch will never forget the dark period of our country during the martial law years and will continuously hold in high esteem the University’s best and brightest who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for freedom and democracy. Danilo L. Concepcion President, University of the Philippines 29 August 2018 |
https://up.edu.ph/a-statement-from-president-danilo-l-concepcion-2/ | A Letter from President Danilo Concepcion to the UP Community – University of the Philippines | A Letter from President Danilo Concepcion to the UP Community A Letter from President Danilo Concepcion to the UP Community September 7, 2018 | Written by President Danilo Concepcion A Letter from President Danilo Concepcion to the UP Community 7 September 2018 |
https://up.edu.ph/virtual-roundtable-discussion-to-focus-on-the-future-of-human-mobility-in-a-post-covid-world/ | Virtual roundtable discussion to focus on the future of human mobility in a post-COVID world – University of the Philippines | Virtual roundtable discussion to focus on the future of human mobility in a post-COVID world Virtual roundtable discussion to focus on the future of human mobility in a post-COVID world April 27, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office In addition to its health-related impacts, the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally disrupted the patterns of how people move and travel to do business, go to work, seek education or meet family and friends. Human mobility at all levels, currently under the pressure of various restrictions as well as psychological barriers of fear, is undergoing a period of transformation with unknown implications for the future. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL) Philippines have joined efforts to host a special virtual roundtable on the role and future of migration and human mobility in the post-COVID era. This event aims to spark discussion among practitioners and policy makers not only to point to the evident consequences but also to look beyond the horizon of the current pandemic and try to identify key trends and implications for human mobility in the long term. The UNITAR and CIFAL Philippines’ virtual roundtable discussion on “Human Mobility in the Post-COVID-19 Recovery: Looking Beyond the Horizon of the Current Pandemic” will be held on Thursday, 29 April 2021, at 9:00 (CET). Dr. Edna Co, Director of the UP-CIFAL (International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders) Philippines, will deliver the inaugural remarks for the virtual roundtable discussion. Register for the event here: http://ow.ly/UjuW50EvWf6 |
https://up.edu.ph/upd-civil-engg-professor-appointed-up-vp-for-administration/ | UPD Civil Eng’g professor appointed UP VP for Administration – University of the Philippines | UPD Civil Eng’g professor appointed UP VP for Administration UPD Civil Eng’g professor appointed UP VP for Administration August 4, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Vice President for Administration Augustus C. Resurreccion. Photo from the UP Diliman Institute of Civil Engineering website. Dr. Augustus C. Resurreccion, a professor at the UP Diliman Institute of Civil Engineering (UPD ICE) and former Director of the UP Diliman Human Resource Development Office, has been appointed UP Vice President for Administration, succeeding Prof. Nestor Yunque. As VP for Administration, Dr. Resurreccion heads the office directly responsible for administrative operations in the UP System. The Human Resource Development Office, Supply and Property Management Office, and Cash Office of the UP System are under the direct supervision and control of the Vice President for Administration. Dr. Resurreccion served as Director of the UP Diliman HRDO from 2020 to May 2023, and is a Professor of the Environment and Energy Engineering Group at the UPD ICE. VP Resurreccion earned his Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering from UP Diliman in 1997. He finished his Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering degree, as well as his doctorate in Biological and Environmental Science from Saitama University, Japan, in 2002 and 2007, respectively. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-lends-a-hand-to-msu-marawi/ | UP lends a hand to MSU-Marawi – University of the Philippines | UP lends a hand to MSU-Marawi UP lends a hand to MSU-Marawi October 6, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office UP lends a hand to MSU-Marawi The University of the Philippines, through its UP Diliman Community and Musician Artists, sent donations and aid to fellow Filipinos who were affected by the ongoing crisis in Marawi City. Dr. Alma E. Berowa, Mindanao State University (MSU) Vice President for Academic Affairs, reported a total of PhP77,000 transmitted to their Marawi City campus to help students get back on their feet and continue with their studies. A relief distribution drive took place last September 4 for the benefit of internally-displaced students of MSU-Marawi City. “Your act of voluntary contributions… certainly gives us hope that there are many good people among Filipinos who believe that we are Muslims but we are not terrorists. That gives us the courage to go against all odds. Maraming salamat po,” wrote Berowa. The funds were raised largely through the “Tabang Para sa Katawhan” benefit concert held last June 21 at the Asian Center, initiated by Assoc. Prof. Roli Talampas with the support of President Danilo L. Concepcion. UP has also initiated a fund drive for Marawi online through its website at http://www.up.edu.ph. (J. Mikhail Solitario, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-angthong-college-celebrate-70-years-of-philippine-thai-relations/ | UP, Angthong College celebrate 70 years of Philippine-Thai relations – University of the Philippines | UP, Angthong College celebrate 70 years of Philippine-Thai relations UP, Angthong College celebrate 70 years of Philippine-Thai relations January 28, 2019 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion ‘Dancers from Angthong College of Dramatic Arts perform The Pursuit of Supanna Matcha at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO A 35-person team of performers and faculty members from Thailand’s Angthong College of Dramatic Arts showcased traditional Thai dances at the University of the Philippines Diliman’s (UPD) Abelardo Hall Auditorium on January 22, 2019. The event was made possible through the cooperation of the UP Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs, the UP Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (UPD-OICA), the UP College of Arts and Letters, The UP College of Music, the UP College of Mass Communication and the Royal Thai Embassy. This performance was held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the Philippines. It was attended by: H.E. Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng, Thai Ambassador to the Philippines; Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission Urawadee Sriphiromya; First Secretary Thassarany Noivong; and, other guests from the Royal Thai Embassy in Manila. UP’s contingent was led by Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia and UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan. The dancers from Angthong College began their performance with a rendition by two dancers of The Pursuit of Supanna Matcha, from the khon (masked dance-drama) performance of the Ramakien or the Thai Ramayana. It was followed by Natnaree Sri Ayothaya, which was a tribute to the beauty of Thai women and the delicate style of Thai dancing. Finally, the group ended by dancing the Rum Wong, a slow round dance where dancers move in a circular manner and with both male and female dancers participating. The second half of the event featured a performance by UP’s own Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipinas (Kontra GaPi). A rousing climax to that performance saw both Thai and Filipino participants, including UP officials, dancing together onstage to signify the unity and optimism of the representatives of both nations. A dancer from Angthong College offers a bouquet of flowers to Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO “Our countries are often referred to as twins,” said Vice President Pernia, referring to the Philippines and Thailand, “experiencing similar political and social issues over these many decades.” Beyond economic relations made salient by ASEAN integration, Pernia noted that it is in the realm of culture and the arts that enjoyable representations of both people’s values and aspiration were to be found. The event, therefore, Pernia added, was an important step towards understanding how, despite linguistic and cultural diversity found in the ASEAN Economic Community, both countries are committed to maximizing opportunities for mutually beneficial regional integration. Photo3: 3Q2A4887: ‘UP Vice President for Public Affairs Elena Pernia (left) and H.E. Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO’. Chancellor Tan, on the other hand, stressed the importance of more student exchanges at the undergraduate level between Thailand and Philippines. He publicly requested Ambassador Ruangprateepsaeng for assistance in finding more experts from Thailand who could teach both Thai music and language to interested students in Diliman. As his contribution to strengthening the relationship between the two countries, Tan also pledged UP Diliman funds to send Kontra GaPi to Thailand to learn from and perform in Thai universities. “I think it’s time that they went to Thailand for an exchange,” he said. “And we want them to spend time in Angthong College as well because you are the ones who came here.” Students from Angthong College performing Natnaree Sri Ayothaya. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO |
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-law-classes-in-iloilo-city/ | UP opens Law classes in Iloilo City – University of the Philippines | UP opens Law classes in Iloilo City UP opens Law classes in Iloilo City September 16, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. The first semester of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law starts on 17 September 2021. Its first-ever law extension classes in the UP Visayas Iloilo City Campus will also be officially launched. In collaboration with UP Visayas (UPV), the College of Law of UP Diliman will now be offering its Juris Doctor (JD) program to students based in the Iloilo City Campus. The pioneer batch of first-year students of the Iloilo extension classes consists of graduates of UP Visayas, UP Cebu, and UP Mindanao, and graduates of Mindanao State University and Central Mindanao University. The pioneer batch also includes students from Iloilo, Aklan, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, and Davao. Their first professors will include seasoned faculty of the College of Law who trace their roots from Iloilo and nearby provinces. The College of Law is planning to recruit more faculty based in the region. “UP has always been looking for ways to expand and democratize access to its academic programs. The launch of the law extension classes in our Iloilo City Campus in UP Visayas is a major step towards this end,” said UP President and former College of Law Dean Danilo L. Concepcion. He chose the UP Iloilo City campus as the site of the extension classes. On 5 May 2021, President Concepcion issued an administrative order creating an ad hoc committee to study the feasibility of opening College of Law extension classes in the UP Visayas Iloilo City Campus. The committee, composed of administrators and faculty of the College of Law and UP Visayas and chaired by College of Law Dean Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan, II, eventually submitted a report recommending the proposed extension classes. Proceeding from the said report, and with the endorsement of UPV Chancellor Clement C. Camposano, Dean Vistan formally requested for authority to administer extension classes of the College of Law in the UPV Iloilo City Campus. UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo and UP President Concepcion approved the request soon after that. Photo from UP AVP Jose Wendell Capili. According to UPV Chancellor Camposano: “The opening of extension classes of the UP College of Law at the UPV Iloilo campus is an affirmation of the University’s commitment to lead in the field of legal education. It is also a demonstration of our resolve to embrace the possibilities offered by digital technology and remote learning. This is an important step towards realizing the university of the future.” UPV Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Philip Ian P. Padilla also remarked: “I would like to welcome the pioneer batch of UP Law in UPV this First Semester AY 2021-2022. We wish you the best of everything in your law studies with UPV as host. This will hopefully lead to the strengthening of UPV’s mandate, as a SUC and the national university for quality higher education in the region in law, with a fisheries flavor and marine affairs as context. Mabuhay kag padayon!” To the pioneering batch, Dean Vistan said: “Let me extend a warm welcome to our first students in our UP Visayas classes. Recently, the norm has been to break the mold and break new ground as we adapt to meet the demands of our new world. Even then, our expectations of our students remain the same: honor, excellence, and service to the people. Our college’s commitment also remains the same, which is to deliver the UP brand of legal education to our students, wherever they may be.” |
https://up.edu.ph/two-webinars-on-food-security-and-human-migration-in-the-time-of-pandemic/ | Two webinars on food security and human migration in the time of pandemic – University of the Philippines | Two webinars on food security and human migration in the time of pandemic Two webinars on food security and human migration in the time of pandemic May 21, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Two social issues have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic: food security and human migration. But while the pandemic has brought about new or has worsened existing challenges, the “next normal” may also bring with it new solutions and new ways of perceiving and tackling these issues. The University of the Philippines–Centre International de Formation des Authorités et Leaders Philippines (UP-CIFAL Philippines) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will be holding two webinars: the first on communities working to help address food security; and, the second on the new challenges to human migration during and after the pandemic, on 24 May at 9:00 a.m. (Manila Time) and 27 May at 12:00 p.m. (Manila Time), respectively. Click the QR code to register. Or visit bit.ly/community4foodsecurity The first webinar is on “CommUNITY for Food Security: Partnerships Against Hunger”. After enduring stringent quarantines for over a year, with households living in dire poverty being forced to rely on food packs distributed by local governments and other concerned organizations, millions of Filipino households are now experiencing hunger due to lack of food to eat. However, new initiatives in addressing hunger are also emerging, such as the community-organized pantries that have sprung up all around the country since the first community pantry on Maginhawa Street, Diliman, Quezon City. Through this webinar, UP-CIFAL Philippines aims to show how citizens can rise up to collaborate with local government in addressing food security issues, and how the Philippine experience can contribute to global action against hunger during the pandemic. The webinar also opens a venue for government officials, citizen groups, and even international organizations to discuss more sustainable efforts to fight hunger through partnerships. Ultimately, the webinar aims to link the local government and citizen partnership to the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Mr. Emmanuel Hugh F. Velasco, Head of the Sustainable Development Affairs Unit of Quezon City, and Mr. Michael Adrian B. Non, representative for the community pantries in the Philippines, will serve as resource persons, while Ms. Brenda Barton, Representative and Country Director to the Philippines World Food Programme, will serve as reactor. Register for this webinar here. Or click on the QR code in the event poster. Click the QR code to register. Or visit bit.ly/PCGMWebinar2021S The second webinar, slated for 27 May, will focus on “Migration in the New Normal: Global Perspectives and Potential Directions Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic”. The pandemic has not only created an unprecedented health crisis and disrupted economies around the globe, it has also forced governments to implement restrictions of movement inside and outside of countries’ borders that have severely impacted people’s lives. Migrants face new and existing challenges made worse, such as separation, loss of employment, and difficulties in re-entering their country of origin. Migrant women have become even more vulnerable, and governments and organizations struggle to maintain and implement inclusion and reintegration. All of these take a major toll on migrants and migration practitioners, adding additional health issues to address, on top of the many new challenges to overcome. This webinar, which will discuss how the pandemic has affected migration, is divided into the sub-topics of: health, mental health and social protection; gender dimensions of migration; social inclusion and reintegration; and, the influence of media and communication. The webinar will target migration managers and practitioners, and members of academe and the general public who are interested in issues regarding migration. Register for this webinar here. Or click on the QR code in the event poster. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-explores-institutional-partnerships-in-vaccination-programs-vs-covid-19/ | UP webinar explores institutional partnerships in vaccination programs vs COVID-19 – University of the Philippines | UP webinar explores institutional partnerships in vaccination programs vs COVID-19 UP webinar explores institutional partnerships in vaccination programs vs COVID-19 June 16, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office As we build up our country’s defenses against COVID-19, partnerships among institutions have become more crucial than ever. One such partnership—between the academe and local government—is the focus of an upcoming webinar entitled “Community for Immunity: Partnerships for COVID-19 Vaccination Programs”, scheduled on Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 9:00 AM. Over a year through the pandemic, vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed and tested worldwide. In the Philippines, 2.13 million doses have been given, with a total of 343,000 Filipinos being fully vaccinated, or 0.3% of the total population, as recorded by Our World in Data on 5 May 2021. As there is an urgent need to efficiently distribute the vaccines to the most vulnerable populations, the local government of Quezon City, having the highest total COVID-19 cases in the country, launched several vaccination hubs across the city. In support of the vaccination drive, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman partnered with the local government to launch Bakunahan sa Diliman (Vaccination in Diliman). The academic institution offered its facility, the College of Human Kinetics Gymnasium, to serve as one of the biggest vaccination sites catering to UP Diliman personnel and select UP Campus residents. The UP Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL) (International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders) Philippines, through this webinar, will showcase how other institutions—in this case the academe—can partner up with the local government to combat COVID-19 and contribute to the ultimate goal of herd immunity. The webinar will also be an avenue for government officials, academic, medical, and other institutions to discuss how partnerships can take place to develop more efficient programs to fight COVID-19. The webinar in general associates the power of partnerships to the fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This webinar is of special interest to: international, national and local government units; officials and employees in the health sector; academics and scholars interested in COVID-19 initiatives in the Philippines. Participants can register here: https://bit.ly/community4immunity |
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-and-friends-to-receive-2nd-up-gawad-oblation/ | UP alumni and friends to receive 2nd UP Gawad Oblation – University of the Philippines | UP alumni and friends to receive 2nd UP Gawad Oblation UP alumni and friends to receive 2nd UP Gawad Oblation January 17, 2023 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo The UP Oblation Award medal nested in its box (left and center) and the plaque accompanying it, to be given to the 38 UP alumni and friends in recognition of their “extraordinary service with or in the name of UP.” Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) Thirty-eight awardees of alumni and friends of the University of the Philippines (UP) are set to receive the 2nd Gawad Oblation on the afternoon of January 17, 2023, at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman. The University President gives the award to UP’s alumni and supporters who have rendered “extraordinary service with or in the name of UP.” The award is named after UP’s enduring symbol, The Oblation, a National Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino’s sculpture inspired by the second stanza of Jose Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios. The Oblation signifies the offering of oneself in service. “Sa kagalingan mo ay akin ding handog…” Artist, production designer, and UP College of Fine Arts professor Leo A.C. Abaya designed the UP Gawad Oblation medal. According to the artist, the design of the Oblation Award Medal is essentially an articulation of the UP Oblation. In the Gawad Oblation medal, the UP Oblation is appropriated as the human figure surmounting the central image, which is a closeup of the Oblation’s hand, as it were in the gesture of offering. Transposed in this medal—golden, enlarged, and set against a mother-of-pearl disc—it has become the signifier of the eminent value of service through sharing. Surrounding this central image is a green enamel band inscribed in baybayin. The inscription is Andres Bonifacio’s translation from Spanish of the second line of the second stanza of Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios: “Sa kagalingan mo ay akin ding handog…” Close-up of the UP Gawad Oblation medal. Photo by Ylenette Reforzado (UP OAR). Each medal is set in maroon enamel. Its radiating sunrays are drawn from the early designs of the Philippine flag. Adding orgs to the rays creates a configuration of people holding hands. Abaya, who passed away on May 26, 2021, described this composite as connoting “the revolutionary spirit of our history and the importance of humanity in all our endeavors, which should serve as inspiration for us to achieve our goals as the country’s National University.” Helping UP undertake its mandates as a national university Given by the UP President, the UP Gawad Oblation or the UP President’s Oblation Medal recognizes alumni and friends, including individuals, organizations, and institutions, for their significant efforts in increasing the institutional visibility, international prestige, and recognition of UP as a National University, and for helping UP undertake its mandates under Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter. Awardees also enhanced UP’s leadership in higher education and national development as a research, teaching, and public service university and as a regional and international university. The Gawad Oblation was first conferred upon 14 recipients on February 7, 2017, by then-outgoing UP President Alfredo E. Pascual. This second iteration comes toward the end of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion’s term. |
https://up.edu.ph/pasko-na-naman-sa-up-diliman-kasama-ang-up-symphony-orchestra/ | Pasko na naman sa UP Diliman kasama ang UP Symphony Orchestra! – University of the Philippines | Pasko na naman sa UP Diliman kasama ang UP Symphony Orchestra! Pasko na naman sa UP Diliman kasama ang UP Symphony Orchestra! December 6, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the past two years, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) has continued its tradition of community concerts on the online platform. This year, for the first time since the pandemic, UPSO will be celebrating the holidays face-to-face with the Diliman community! 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. In celebration of the season and the university, UPSO will be joined by four choirs from three different campuses: the UP Concert Chorus and the UP Singing Ambassadors from UP Diliman, the UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble, and the UP Manila Chorale. The UP Concert Chorus. The UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble. Photo from the UPLB Choral Ensemble Facebook page The UP Manila Chorale. The UP Singing Ambassadors. Ms. Mel Torre of The Blue Rats. The UP Symphony Orchestra will also be joined by alto soloist Mel Torre, known for her singing with the vocal trio Baihana and Manila’s longest-running blues band, The Blue Rats. The concert will feature a selection of popular tunes and holiday music to spread the joy and cheer of the season, including Lucio San Pedro’s Simbang Gabi, Juan Silos’ Kampana ng Simbahan, Maestro Toledo’s arrangement of Krismas Na, Darling (a medley of Pasko na Sinta Ko, I’ll Be Home for Christmas and Merry Christmas Darling), Ryan Cayabyab’s Mano Po Ninong, and many, many more! Catch UPSO on Thursday, 15 December 2022, at 6 pm at the University Amphitheater, UP Diliman! Free admission, with no registration required. See you there! |
https://up.edu.ph/new-up-president-to-take-the-helm/ | New UP President to take the helm – University of the Philippines | New UP President to take the helm New UP President to take the helm February 9, 2023 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez takes the helm as the University of the Philippines President on February 10, 2023, in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The turnover ceremony, to be held at 9 AM at the iconic Quezon Hall Lobby, will have outgoing UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and Jimenez delivering their respective valedictory and acceptance speeches. The UP Symphony Orchestra Quartet and the UP ROTC Band will provide music. On the eve of the turnover, at 6 PM at the UP Theater, a free-admission concert featuring the UP Symphony Orchestra and vocalists Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, Anya Evangelista, and Malvin Macasaet will be held to thank Concepcion and welcome Jimenez. Two UP Presidents Concepcion, a lawyer, is the 21st president of UP. He will be remembered as the UP president who “steered UP through the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the University to contribute directly to the country’s success in overcoming the public health crisis” and “led efforts to transform UP into the University of the Future,” the program organizers said. Under Concepcion’s administration, the University instituted innovations in all its academic offerings and developed cutting-edge frontier programs. His administration raised UP’s budget for research, secured additional faculty and staff items, increased economic and non-economic benefits for all UP employees, and provided support and learning assistance to faculty, students, and staff. Facilities and infrastructure were completed transforming the campuses. During his term, UP rose in world university rankings, such that it is now among the top 500 universities in the world and the top 100 in Asia. Jimenez served in the UP Board of Regents, UP’s highest governing body, twice, first as Student Regent in 1992 and as Regent from 2016 to 2021. From 1993 to 2007, he served the government by handling national interest cases at the Office of the Secretary of Labor. He served with distinction in major global hotspots where OFWs have been endangered. As Labor Attaché from 1997 to 2005, Jimenez developed overseas labor markets and delivered a broad array of critical government services. Jimenez served as Deputy Administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration from 2005 to 2007. He garnered two Presidential citations for his performance in crises in Iraq and Lebanon., Jimenez is a published writer and an internationally recognized resource person on labor and migration. In his vision paper, Jimenez speaks of a UP that is a “global university,” and a research university focused on graduate and post-graduate programs and academic linkages. He sees UP continuing as a public service university helping government and industry while being a bastion of academic freedom. Jimenez advocates an Open Data Policy and digital transformation in learning and management. He also envisions UP helping raise the quality of undergraduate education in state universities and colleges. Singkaban at balanghai The programs for the turnover are titled “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong.” Singkaban, the folk bamboo welcome arch, and balanghai, the Philippine ancient sea vessel—featured in the program visuals and numbers—hark to the origins of Concepcion and Jimenez. Singkaban art flourished in Bulacan, the home province of the outgoing president. Archaeological remains of the balanghai were discovered in Butuan, the home province of the incoming. According to renowned multimedia visual artist and UP College of Fine Arts professor Toym Imao, who conceptualized the design: “Both singkaban and balanghai are fitting visual metaphors for a portal that welcomes and sends off our leaders in the UP community—our barangay.” Eight singkaban arches in the shape of the prow of the balanghai will represent the UP constituent universities. The selection of the UP president undergoes a process involving a search committee, nomination, consultations, and election by the 11-member UP Board of Regents. A UP president serves a single six-year term as the Chief Academic Officer, Head of the University Faculty, and Chief Executive Officer. They are also co-chairs of the UP BOR. |
https://up.edu.ph/all-up-composers-featured-in-upsos-likhang-peyups/ | All-UP Composers Featured in UPSO’s Likhang Peyups! – University of the Philippines | All-UP Composers Featured in UPSO’s Likhang Peyups! All-UP Composers Featured in UPSO’s Likhang Peyups! March 3, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Catch the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) in LIKHANG PEYUPS on Friday, March 10, 2023, 6 pm, at the UP Theater! In alignment with the 2023 Arts Month theme “Kaloob”, the UPSO looks inward to salute the music of the UP Diliman community in its latest concert offering. The orchestra will perform the works of UP composers including those of National Artist for Music Ramon P. Santos, Josefino Chino Toledo, Christine Muyco, Marie Jocelyn Marfil, Mary Katherine Trangco, and Alexander John Villanueva. The homegrown composers of UP: (Clockwise from left) National Artist for Music Ramon P. Santos, UPSO’s Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo, Dr. Maria Christine Muyco of the UP College of Music’s Department of Composition and Theory, Alexander John Villanueva, Mary Katherine Trangco , and Dr. Marie Jocelyn Unajan Marfil of the UP College of Music’s Department of Composition and Theory. It is extremely rare for a full concert program to feature all living, Filipino composers of new music. However, it is precisely the kind of concert UPSO is proud to put together, especially as the Orkestra ng Bayan. Established by the Board of Regents during its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018, UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra of the University of the Philippines, supported by the UP System Fund and hosted by the UP College of Music. Its main functions are as a repertory orchestra for musicians, a laboratory orchestra for Filipino composers, and a training orchestra for young conductors. Under the direction of Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo, the orchestra maintains a roster of 65 members exclusively from within the UP community including alumni, students, faculty, and staff, from all UP Campuses. They are the only orchestra in the country that regularly performs Filipino, Asian, contemporary, and new works in addition to the standard orchestra repertoire. Audience members will have the chance to meet the composers and ask questions about their works in Tanong at Kwentuhan on the same day at 5 pm, UP Theater Lobby. They can also win AUTOGRAPHED copies of FULL ORCHESTRA SCORES, with winners to be announced at the end of the concert! Likhang Peyups and the preceding Tanong at Kwentuhan are FREE and open to the public. The concert is produced in cooperation with the Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA). Learn more about the concert, the composers, and the works to be performed on UPSO’s Facebook page and Instagram account. |
https://up.edu.ph/mga-tugtugin-ng-paglaya-sa-araw-ng-kalayaan/ | Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya sa Araw ng Kalayaan – University of the Philippines | Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya sa Araw ng Kalayaan Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya sa Araw ng Kalayaan May 29, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Symphony Orchestra during rehearsals at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) in Taiwan. Photo by the UPSO. This June 12, the Philippines marks the 125th anniversary of its independence. It is an occasion that calls for jubilation as we celebrate not only freedom but what it means to be a Filipino. The University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) and the UP College of Music will mount “Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya” on June 10, 2023, 6:00 PM, at the UP Theater as an early Independence Day concert. The works to be featured include Lucio San Pedro’s Alamat ng Lahi and Kayumangging Malaya, Nicanor Abelardo’s piano concerto, Ryan Cayabyab’s Mi Ultimo Adios, and more. The UPSO will be joined by two faculty members of the UP College of Music: pianist Clement Acevedo, and baritone Raymond Leslie Diaz. This one-of-a-kind concert also marks the launch of the 60-piece UPSO Chorus made up of choristers from various colleges, institutions, and campuses of UP. The chorus will be led by chorus director Noemi Binag. From left: Prof. Clement Acevedo, pianist; Dr. Raymond Leslie Diaz, baritone; and Ms. Noemi Binag, chorus director of the soon-to-be-launched UPSO Chorus. Established by the UP Board of Regents during its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018, the UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra of the University of the Philippines, supported by the UP System Fund and hosted by the UP College of Music. Known fondly as “Ang Orkestra ng Bayan”, the UPSO serves as a repertory orchestra for musicians, a laboratory orchestra for Filipino composers, and a training orchestra for young conductors. Under the direction of Maestro Josefino “Chino” Toledo, the orchestra maintains a roster of 65 members exclusively from within the UP community, including alumni, students, faculty, and staff, from all UP campuses. It is the only orchestra in the country that regularly performs Filipino, Asian, contemporary, and new works in addition to the standard orchestra repertoire. Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya” is FREE and open to the public. For crowd control purposes, please register in advance at https://forms.gle/NuhiNgHeaepaeG3W8. Learn more about the concert and the works to be performed on UPSO’s Facebook page and Instagram account. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-cifal-philippines-offers-the-online-professional-course-on-global-migration-pcgm/ | UP-CIFAL Philippines offers the online Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM) – University of the Philippines | UP-CIFAL Philippines offers the online Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM) UP-CIFAL Philippines offers the online Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM) April 6, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines Centre International de Formation des Authorités et Leaders Philippines (UP-CIFAL Philippines) offers the third Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM) starting 6 April 2021. The PCGM is offered in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines. The PCGM offers a comprehensive and pragmatic approach to addressing the challenges of migration governance and strengthening its relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). The course aims to provide learners with a critical understanding of human mobility as linked to international laws, human rights, and gender equality and the diverse impacts of migration on social, cultural, and economic dimensions. The course offers an overview of the complex environment and processes of global migration and how these are addressed by states, civil society, private sector, and migrants and their societies. The pilot batch of the PCGM was launched in August 2019 with learners in mid- to senior-level positions from various government agencies. The second batch rolled out in December 2019 with learners from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Philippines. In 2021, due to a reasonable demand for such course, the UP-CIFAL Philippines, UNITAR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Philippines offers the PCGM via remote learning platform to international learners. Applicants for the first online PCGM come from 22 countries. For the first international batch, UP-CIFAL Philippines takes in at least 19 learners for the Spring Term (April to May) and another batch for the Fall Term (August to September). Some participants are on scholarship under the IOM Philippines and the Azure Scholarship. Learners from 15 countries are enlisted under the third run of the course for the Spring Term. PCGM professors and experts come from international organizations, local government, academe, civil society organizations, and the private sector, all with full experience and grounding on global migration. The course is conducted strictly online with both synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Queries related to the course may be sent to cifalphilippines@up.edu.ph. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-symphony-orchestra-to-celebrate-new-year-with-taiwan-partners/ | UP Symphony Orchestra to celebrate New Year with Taiwan partners – University of the Philippines | UP Symphony Orchestra to celebrate New Year with Taiwan partners UP Symphony Orchestra to celebrate New Year with Taiwan partners January 6, 2023 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta One of the most prominent performing groups from the University of the Philippines (UP) is headed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for its first international concert. The UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), representing the Philippines’ national university, will hold “Concerts of Good Will” on January 8 and 9. The UPSO, under the baton of Professor Emeritus Josefino “Chino” Toledo, will be performing Western, Taiwanese, and Philippine folk and classical works, including Dvorak’s Symphony 9 or the ‘New World Symphony,’ in celebration of a new era of friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines. The UPSO’s musical lineup is a celebration of the sounds of both cultures, featuring ‘Chinese Festival’ by Hsu Tsang-Houei and Professor Emeritus Chino Toledo’s ‘Kantus: Tagabawa,’ which is inspired by the chanting tradition of the Bagobo-Tagabawa people of southern Philippines. The UPSO’s “Concert of Good Will” on January 8 will be held at the prestigious National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) at 3:00 p.m. Ticket prices are 500, 800, 1000, and 1,500 NT$. Tickets are available at http://opentix.life or via email hanchien@stu.edu.tw. On January 9, the UPSO will hold a concert at the Conference Hall, Nanzih Campus, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). For this concert, the UPSO will perform ‘Festive Overture’ and ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ to celebrate the hope and joy of the New Year. As a tribute to the overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan, the UPSO will also play ‘Overture to Philippine Folksongs’ and ‘Lahing Kayumanggi,’ written by National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro to honor the Filipino race. Admission to the concert is free. To reserve tickets, please get in touch with Tzu-Yu Wu at (07)361-7141#22351 or email xcoffice01@nkust.edu.tw. The UPSO’s guest performer, mezzo-soprano Ms. Michelle Mariel Mariposa. Guest performer Ms. Michelle Mariel Mariposa will join the UPSO. Mariposa is a Filipino-Chinese mezzo-soprano. She is passionate about communicating truth and beauty through music, poetry, and rhetoric. She is pursuing her Master’s degree in Voice and Opera Performance at the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA, under W. Stephen Smith. At Northwestern, Michelle is a recipient of the Eckstein Merit Scholarship. She has performed as a soloist for the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble and the Bienen Contemporary Music Ensemble. The UPSO serves as the official university orchestra of UP, supported by the UP System Fund and hosted by the UP College of Music. A relatively young orchestra, the UPSO was established by the UP Board of Regents at its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018. Its roster of 65 members comprises alumni, students, faculty, and administrative staff from all UP campuses. As such, UPSO functions as a training ground for composers and musicians and is the only orchestra in the country that regularly performs Filipino, Asian, contemporary, and new works in addition to the standard orchestra repertoire. The UPSO’s conductor and musical director, Professor Emeritus Josefino “Chino” Toledo. UPSO’s founding musical director Josefino “Chino” Toledo, is an international composer-conductor, a Professor Emeritus of composition, and a University Artist III at UP. Aside from directing the UPSO, he also serves as the chairperson of the Department of Composition and Theory of the UP College of Music. With its combination of musical virtuosity, commitment to the arts, creative spirit, and love for diverse musical traditions, the audience enjoys UPSO’s music programming. It always contains something new and exciting for them to experience. The orchestra ably represents UP and the Philippines worldwide with this performance in Taiwan. The UPSO’s two-day “Concert of Good Will” was made possible through the partnership and cooperation of its organizers: the UP System, the National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Shu-Te University, and Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was co-organized by the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan Association Incorporated, Association of Filipino Scholars in Taiwan (AFST) Century Voice Choir, and Association of Filipino New Immigrants in Taiwan (AFNIT). Follow the UPSO on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. In the spirit of academic partnership and cultural exchange, the UP Symphony Orchestra will hold its first international concert in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-auditions-for-the-up-symphony-orchestra/ | Call for auditions for the UP Symphony Orchestra – University of the Philippines | Call for auditions for the UP Symphony Orchestra Call for auditions for the UP Symphony Orchestra September 24, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Formally approved by the Board of Regents during its 1337th meeting on August 30, 2018, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) will serve as the official system-wide orchestra of the University of the Philippines, supported by the UP System Fund and hosted by the UP College of Music. Under the musical direction of Prof. Josefino “Chino” Toledo, the orchestra shall consist of 65 members coming exclusively from within the UP community: including its alumni, students, faculty and staff from all UP campuses. It will function as a training ground for both composers and musicians, and as a representative of not only the University, but also of the country on the worldwide stage. The UPSO aims to mount at least six major concerts throughout every season. AUDITIONS FOR THE PIONEERING ROSTER OF INSTRUMENTALISTS ARE NOW OPEN! Please see the poster below for complete audition details. For inquiries, contact UPSO at: Email: info.upsymphonyorchestra@gmail.com Mobile: +63 920 9055175 Follow UPSO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/up.symphonyorch/ |
https://up.edu.ph/christmas-greetings-from-the-up-president/ | Christmas Greetings from the UP President – University of the Philippines | Christmas Greetings from the UP President Christmas Greetings from the UP President December 18, 2020 | Written by Office of the President Sa pagtatapos ng mapanghamong taon na ito, nawa’y ang ating pagmumuni-muni’y magpaalala sa atin sa mga bagay na tunay na mahalaga—ang biyaya ng pamilya at kaibigan, panahong binigyang-kabuluhan ng paglilingkod, at paniniwalang may magandang bukas na darating. Isang makahulugang pagdiriwang ng Pasko sa ating lahat! — Danilo L. Concepcion Pangulo ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas |
https://up.edu.ph/upd-caps-2021-with-2nd-virtual-lantern-parade/ | UPD caps 2021 with 2nd virtual Lantern Parade – University of the Philippines | UPD caps 2021 with 2nd virtual Lantern Parade UPD caps 2021 with 2nd virtual Lantern Parade December 23, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu The winning virtual lantern of the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters. Screenshot from the Livestream of the UPD virtual lantern parade. The much-awaited Lantern Parade 2021 of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) campus was held online for the second year and on-ground at the College of Fine Arts (CFA) studio on December 21. This year’s parade hopes to inspire UP constituencies across the nation and every Filipino affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent calamities, such as typhoon Odette. The livestreamed year-ender featured messages of hope from top University officials, uplifting music and dance performances, and the presentation of creatively crafted Christmas lanterns made of hybrid multimedia materials and then finalized in video format. Honoring the frontliners of UP Diliman. Screenshot from the Livestream of the UPD virtual lantern parade. With the theme “Ugnayan at Pagpupugay: Tulay ng Buhay at Pag-asa Ngayong Pandemya” (roughly translated as “connecting and giving praise: bridge for life and hope in this time of pandemic”), this year’s lantern parade, held virtually since 2020 in observance of safety protocols during the pandemic, aims to rekindle hope and the spirit of unity in everyone, and to give due recognition to the University’s personnel, its pandemic frontliners, and various units, and their efforts in addressing the challenges currently faced by the nation. Watch the replay of the UPD virtual lantern parade here. UPD Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo explained that the annual celebration is vital to the UP community, although the Lantern Parade now is much simpler and more solemn. “Mahirap ang pinagdaanan nating lahat sa taong ito. Nariyan ang pandemya at sunud-sunod na trahedya. Pero huwag nating kalilimutang may liwanag sa gitna ng dilim. Tulad ng mga parol na inyong nilikha, sana lahat tayo ay maging instrumento ng pagkakaisa. Sana lahat tayo ay maging tanglaw ng pag-asa. Maligayang Pasko sa lahat,” Nemenzo said. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, in the message read by Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia, praised the entire UP community for all its efforts to save lives, promote health, and guide policymakers during the pandemic. He added that the lanterns symbolize the individual and collective initiatives that give hope to our lives. “Ang paglingap natin sa isa’t isa ay di magmamaliw, bagkus pinatatatag tayo bawat araw na tayo’y di nagpapagupo. Salamat sa isa na namang taong nasa inyong piling at pagsasama. Mabuhay ang UP nating mahal. Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon, mga ka-UP!” Concepcion said. UPD Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (VCCA) Aleli B. Bawagan presented the participants and winners of the 2021 Lantern Parade. Of the almost 30 academic and administrative units and student groups that submitted their video lanterns for the virtual parade, the “Walang Hanggang Pag-alab” of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) won first prize. The lanterns from the College of Home Economics (CHE), the Asian Center (AC), and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) received second, third, and honorable mention prizes, respectively. Also, livestreamed were the video lanterns from the following units: College of Architecture, College of Education (with UP Integrated School and National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development), College of Law, College of Science, Institute of Mathematics, College of Social Work and Community Development, Asian Institute of Tourism, College of Music and CFA, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration (OVCA), Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA), National College of Public Administration and Governance Student Council, and UP Business Administration Council. One of the video lanterns from Hall-of-Famer UP College of Fine Arts. Screenshot from the Livestream of the UPD virtual lantern parade. Video lanterns from the students of the CFA comprised a distinct category for the event. The winners were: for first prize, “Ang Ilaw ng Pag-asa” by Visual Communication (VC) 26 Block X under Prof. Melvin Calingo; for 2nd prize, “Ipagpatuloy ang Liwanag ng Pag-asa: Ang Kuwento ng Community Pantry” by VC FA 14 Block W under Prof. Jose Manuel Sicat; and for 3rd prize, “A Year in Automata” by FA 14 Materials Class Sections UID1 and UID2 under Profs. Michael Shivers and Fortunato dela Peña Jr. “Frontliners Araw-araw” by VC 26 Block Y under Prof. Joy Ilagan was awarded honorable mention. UPD Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) Louise Jashil R. Sonido conveyed the University’s recognition and gratitude to the officials and personnel who comprise the UPD COVID-19 Task Force, UP Health Service, Silungang Molave, UP CHK Bakunahan sa Diliman, HOPE 7 (Kamia Temporary Isolation Facility), and the Philippine Genome Center. She also thanked the offices and staff that keep the University in operation: the OVCCA, with the Campus Maintenance Office, Public Safety and Security Office, Diliman Environmental Management Office; the OVCSA, with the Office of Student Housing and University Food Service; the OVCA; the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development; Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and the committees that they formed. Screenshot from the Livestream of the UPD virtual lantern parade. Members of the UP Dance Company, UP Dancesport Society, UP Filipiniana Dance Group, UP Streetdance Club, UP Symphony Orchestra, UP Madrigal Singers, UP Concert Chorus, UP Staff Chorale, and many more personnel and students participated with their heartfelt performances during the virtual lantern parade and year-end program. College of Mass Communication alumna Rain Matienzo and CAL Prof. Marvin Olaes served as emcees. |
https://up.edu.ph/upsos-konsyerto-kamerata-to-present-chamber-music-and-the-philippine-premiere-of-pyagsawitan/ | UPSO’s “Konsyerto Kamerata” to present chamber music and the Philippine premiere of “Pyagsawitan” – University of the Philippines | UPSO’s “Konsyerto Kamerata” to present chamber music and the Philippine premiere of “Pyagsawitan” UPSO’s “Konsyerto Kamerata” to present chamber music and the Philippine premiere of “Pyagsawitan” March 22, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office In the late 1700s and early 1800s, a trend began of writing music for smaller groups of three, four, or slightly more. Friends and family members would gather around and play these pieces for entertainment at home or in smaller rooms—or “chambers”—resulting in what we know today as “chamber” music. UP College of Music’s Dr. Marie Jocelyn Marfil, composer of “Pyagsawitan”, which will premiere in this concert. Photo from the UPSO. Contributed photo. This coming March 25, 2022, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents its second chamber music concert, “Konsyerto Kamerata”, featuring its members playing in smaller ensembles. Get the chance to hear all sections of the orchestra, starting with the strings playing movements from String Trio in G Minor by Alexander Borodin and 2 Morceaux de Salon, Op. 53 by Georg Goltermann. The woodwinds follow with an arrangement of Gustav Holst’s Jupiter for woodwind quintet and Ole Guapa by Malando, while the brasses perform two movements from Oskar Böhme’s Sextet for Brass in E-flat minor, Op.30, and a horn quartet arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s Adios Nonino. The percussion section then takes center stage with their rendition of The Infantryman by Shaun Tilburg. UPSO takes pride in its diverse membership, featuring members from various campuses, colleges, and offices of the University. The concert will include Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in B Minor for four violins, featuring a UP Diliman Chemical Engineering faculty member, a UP Los Baños BS Applied Physics graduate, a UP Manila Occupational Therapy student, and a UP Manila College of Pharmacy graduate. They will be accompanied on keyboard by a UP College of Music student. Lastly, the concert will include the Philippine premiere of “Pyagsawitan” by Dr. Marie Jocelyn Marfil. Dr. Marfil is an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines College of Music, Composition and Theory Department, and also the Coordinator of the Associate in Arts, Music Program. Her compositions have been performed worldwide, including in the Philippines, Belgium, China, Japan, Malaysia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the USA. She is a multi-awarded film music composer, researcher, and passionate bandurria player. Catch the premiere of “Konsyerto Kamerata” along with all previous and upcoming UPSO concerts on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The premiere is set for Friday March 25, 7pm, and will be available for viewing until April 3. |
https://up.edu.ph/international-tenor-conducts-a-master-class-for-up-students/ | International tenor conducts a master class for UP students – University of the Philippines | International tenor conducts a master class for UP students International tenor conducts a master class for UP students October 19, 2022 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta University Professor Mario Antonio Diaz-Varas of the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg coaches a UP voice student in advanced techniques in solo singing at the UP College of Music. Photo from the UP System Office of International Linkages Facebook page. From October 3 to 7, 11 students from the Voice Department of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music were given a master class in voice and solo singing by Univ. Prof. Mario Antonio Diaz-Varas, professor for solo voice at Universität Mozarteum Salzburg and international relations coordinator for the ASEAN European Academic University Network (ASEA-UNINET), of which UP is a member. The master class culminated in a concert performance by Prof. Diaz’s students on the evening of October 7 at the UP Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM) auditorium, with leading international pianist Ms. Tomoko Aikawa as accompanying artist. Officials from the UP System, the UP College of Music, the UP College of Science, and the IESM, as well as the friends and families of the student participants, attended the concert. Prof. Diaz and Ms. Aikawa onstage just before the concert that would conclude the five-day voice masterclass. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) In her opening remarks during the concert performance, UP Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and UP System Office of International Linkages Director Imee Su Martinez thanked Prof. Diaz and Ms. Aikawa for visiting the Philippines and sharing their expertise with UP’s voice students. According to Martinez, Prof. Diaz was intrigued by Filipino singers’ skill and vocal knowledge and came to UP to find out the secret of Filipino singing at the very source. ” “As Prof. Diaz repeatedly said in his master class, the secret of Filipino singing perhaps is in the food. While our food may have made a difference in our vocal talents, in my opinion, the skills and talents of our students are honed and shaped by our wonderful and very dedicated faculty of the College of Music,” Martinez said. UP AVP for Academic Affairs and OIL Director Imee Su Martinez opens the concert by thanking the internationally renowned tenor for sharing his knowledge with UP students. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) Diaz, a world-renowned tenor, echoed Martinez during his remarks, stating that throughout all his travels and exchanges in the ASEAN continent, “the most beautiful color of voices I hear is in UP.” He praised the student participants as “very, very intelligent” and expressed how “very, very happy” he was to work with them. He also thanked the UP College of Music for hosting his voice master class and described the College and UP as “a healthy university.” “I like when professors have different opinions. So long it’s like that, the University is alive because of the discussion, disputation, and argumentation to defend your thesis,” he said. Prof. Diaz praises UP students as “very, very intelligent,” noting that the “most beautiful color of voices” can be heard in UP. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) Finally, he counseled the student participants that “sometimes an artist should take critique and do the critique because my philosophy about critique on the stage is that protection is good, but overprotection is destructive.” The 11 student-participants who performed songs by classical composers, arias from operas, and a Filipino kundiman during the concert were: Ms. Maria Isabel Zavala; Mr. Jedidiah Petuta; Ms. Daniella Silab; Ms. Lis Fortun; Mr. Ben Girard Valdez; Mr. Aadric Jan Cayanan; Ms. Ma. Francesca Louise Mata; Mr. Mart Nicholson Jaluag; Ms. Margarita Lugue; Ms. Lhareen Lazo; and, Mr. Archibald Dalupang. Prof. Diaz’s eleven students were waiting to show off what they had learned. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) In his closing remarks, UP College of Music Dean La Verne C. Dela Peña thanked Prof. Diaz and Ms. Aikawa and especially thanked the student participants for giving the audience “a wonderful way to end a very special way for us at the College of Music.” He said that the voice master class is the “first time our students came back to celebrate our college fair to mark our 106th anniversary”—and the first time for many music students to set foot inside the University, let alone the College. “Two years of the pandemic has devasted our music community, especially our singers, who have been denied performance venues because of the nature of their art, so Maestro Diaz’s coming this week has allowed them to find their voice again,” he finished. UP College of Music Dean Laverne Dela Peña on welcoming Music students to UP—many for the first time. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) Diaz began his musical career at an early age, studying concert guitar as a young student at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, followed by singing studies at the Stockholm University College of Opera with Maestro Nicolai Gedda. After completing his opera studies at Stockholm University College of Opera, he had his first engagement at the Royal Dramatical Theatre, where he demonstrated his acting talent under the direction of Ingmar Bergman. He worked with well-known conductors such as Carlo Franci, Bruno Rigacci, Sixten Ehrling, and Siegfried Koehler. He has been a professor at the Mozarteum University since October 2009 and accompanies young talents on their way into the opera world. Diaz has worked as a singing professor in the summer academy several times and is in great demand internationally for master classes. In 2018, he received the “Honorary Professor of the Kemerovo State University of Culture” of the Russian Federation. Until 2019 he worked in the senate of the Mozarteum University in Salzburg as curia spokesman for the professors. |
https://up.edu.ph/renovation-of-the-up-college-of-music-complex-is-now-underway/ | Renovation of the UP College of Music complex is now underway – University of the Philippines | Renovation of the UP College of Music complex is now underway Renovation of the UP College of Music complex is now underway December 12, 2022 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta The soon-to-be new façade of the historic Abelardo Hall Auditorium of the UP College of Music. Image from the UP ODPI. The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music held the first concrete-pouring ceremony for its new building to be constructed and for the renovation of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium on December 1, 2022. The UP Diliman College of Music complex is composed of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium (AHA), the Music Resource Hall (MRC), and the College of Music Main building and Annex building. A newly added structure, the Chamber Music Hall (CMH), is situated at the rear portion of the complex but has already ceased construction, leaving the building incomplete. The AHA, meanwhile, is in dire need of renovation, while the MRC, although recently completed, did not include proper cable management for its data and LAN systems. The existing annex building also needs renovations. UP President Danilo Concepcion. Photo by Jonathan Madrid (UP MPRO) According to a project brief prepared by the UP Office of Design and Planning Initiatives (UP ODPI), the project will include the completion of construction and finishing of the CMH; construction of the path walk and installation of data and LAN for the MRC; renovation of the ceiling and roofing of the Annex Building; renovation of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium; and, construction of the Abelardo Hall Auditorium Extension. The estimated project cost is a little over P90M. The brief program was attended by: UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, who gave the welcoming remarks; UP College of Music Dean Laverne David C. Dela Pena; Department of Public Works and Highways-Quezon City Second District Engineer Ramon P. Devanadera; and, other UP System and UP Diliman officials as well as officials, faculty and staff of the College of Music. UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell P. Capili served as master of ceremonies. During the ceremony, Concepcion congratulated the UP College of Music on its continued growth and commitment to nurturing the country’s best talents in music and dance, conducting outstanding research in music and the performing arts, and documenting and promoting the country’s indigenous music and instruments. Likewise, he said, the historic Abelardo Hall, which has seen the performances of many of the country’s premier musicians, including several National Artists, also deserves to be given importance and to prepare it to serve many more generations of UP music students. An aerial view of the proposed UP College of Music complex. The entrance to the UP College of Music complex. The courtyard. The Chamber Music Hall façade. The cafeteria at night. The dance studio. Above and below: perspectives of the renovated Abelardo Hall Auditorium. |
https://up.edu.ph/baletes-mouse-new-genus-of-shrew-mice-named-in-honor-of-filipino-biologist/ | “Balete’s mouse”: New genus of “shrew mice” named in honor of Filipino biologist – University of the Philippines | “Balete’s mouse”: New genus of “shrew mice” named in honor of Filipino biologist “Balete’s mouse”: New genus of “shrew mice” named in honor of Filipino biologist August 19, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office One of the members of the newly discovered genus, “Balete’s mouse, “was caught on camera. Photo by Danilo Balete. They might not get as much attention as the Amazon Rainforest or the Great Barrier Reef, but the mountains of the Philippines are some of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Inch for inch, these misty cloud forests are home to more unique species of mammals per square mile than anywhere else on Earth. Finding these mammals, most of which are tiny and hard to spot, is challenging work for even the most seasoned scientists. But the late biologist Danilo “Danny” Balete, University of the Philippines (UP) Los Baños alumnus, lecturer at the UP Diliman Institute of Biology, and former research associate in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, had a special knack for fieldwork. One of the mice he discovered turned out to be not just a new species but a new genus entirely. “In the past several decades, we’ve learned just how incredibly important the Philippines are in terms of being home to mammals that are found nowhere else, and a lot of that knowledge can be traced back to fieldwork led by Danny Balete,” says Larry Heaney, the curator of mammals at Chicago’s Field Museum and senior author of the paper describing the new mouse in the Journal of Mammalogy. “Naming a new species after anyone is a big deal, a major honor given to people who make long-term, high-impact contributions to biodiversity science,” says Dakota Rowsey, the study’s first author and the vertebrate collections manager at Arizona State University and research associate at the Field Museum. “Naming a new genus after someone is one of the highest honors biologists can bestow.” “Sky islands” in the Philippines The mountainous geography of the Philippines contributes to its biodiversity. Its high mountains are cooler and much wetter than the surrounding lowlands, making it difficult for small mammals to get from one mountain peak to the next. As a result, they tend to stay isolated on their own “sky islands,” evolving separately from each other and forming new species. “The taller and the bigger the mountain range, the more species of mammals will be living there that don’t live anywhere else in the world,” says Heaney. Filipino biodiversity scientist Filipino biologist Danny Balete posing with children. Photo by Larry Heaney, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Heaney has been studying the mammals of the Philippines for 40 years, and he first met Danny Balete in the late 1980s. At the time, Balete had completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from UPLB. He was already making a name for himself with his love of nature and skill at fieldwork. “I was establishing a research program and asked, ‘Who would be a good, enthusiastic young person to take into the field?’ And several people immediately said, ‘Danny Balete.’ So I invited him to do field work with me, and he did fantastically well,” remembers Heaney. “He was just a superb field biologist. Danny could identify every plant, every frog, every bug, everything that you encountered. It was just astounding.” Balete and Heaney went on to work together for the next 25 years until Balete’s sudden death in 2017. “Danny contributed hugely to scientific knowledge about biological diversity in the Philippines. His enjoyment of biodiversity was infectious, making him a mentor and inspiration to a generation of researchers and conservationists,” says Mariano Roy Duya, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Biology, UP Diliman, and co-author of the new publication. “By the time of his death at far too young, he was already one of the most prominent biodiversity scientists working in the Philippines.” Even after his death, Balete continues to shape what scientists know about Philippine mammals. When scientists discover something in the field, it often takes years for their work to be analyzed, written up, and published. That is the case with the newly described shrew mouse. A new kind of mouse Danny Balete in the midst of conducting fieldwork deep in the Philippine forests and mountains. Photo by Larry Heaney, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. In 2007 and 2010, Balete went on expeditions to Mount Kampalili on the island of Mindanao as part of a Field Museum collaboration with the Philippine Eagle Foundation. The museum wanted to know what mammals lived alongside one of the largest and most critically endangered birds, the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi). While on Mount Kampalili, Balete and the team made a startling discovery: a dark brown mouse with small eyes and a long, tapering nose like a shrew, different from anything he had seen on that island. It looked more like mice he had seen hundreds of miles away on the island of Luzon. “High up in the mountains, Danny was able to get cell phone service, so he sent me a text message, saying, We just caught this animal that looks a lot like the ones from Luzon, and it should not be here,'” recalls Heaney. “So he immediately recognized that this was something cool.” Three specimens of the new mouse were shipped to the Field Museum for further analysis to confirm Balete’s hunch. And despite Balete’s death, his colleagues continued to study the specimens from his fieldwork. Rowsey, then a postdoctoral researcher with Heaney, led a DNA analysis of the shrew mouse and found that Balete was right. The rodent was different from any species known to science. “That DNA study demonstrated that the new mouse was not related to the species up in the northern Philippines but to species from Mindanao. It appears as though this is a remarkable case of what biologists call convergence—distantly related species that have independently evolved to resemble each other in ways that allow them to use habitats and resources in similar ways,” says Rowsey. “Balete’s mouse” Animals, plants, fungi, and other organisms, are named scientifically based on what their closest relatives are. Humans, for instance, are Homo sapiens. Sapiens is our species, and we are part of the larger genus Homo, which includes our now extinct closest relatives, such as Neanderthals, Homo neanderthalensis. And since a genus is a higher level group than a species, describing a whole new genus, like this mouse, is a bigger deal than finding a new species. “New species of mammals are being discovered globally at a considerable clip, maybe 50 to 100 new species per year,” says Heaney. “Finding a brand new genus, a previously unknown-to-science genus like this, only happens a couple of times per year. In our 40 years of intensive study of Philippine mammals, this is one of nearly 50 new species, but just the fourth new genus we discovered.” The new genus’ scientific name Baletemys means “Balete’s mouse,” in “honor of Balete’s work in discovering it and so many other creatures. “As we began picking up the pieces after his death, it became obvious to us that we had to name this new mouse after him. He deserves this,” says Duya. Of mice and eagles In addition to honoring Balete, the researchers say the new genus is essential because it is another puzzle piece in understanding the diversity of life in the Philippines. Demonstrating that Mount Kampalili is home to a mouse found nowhere else on Earth may bolster conservation efforts by indigenous communities, which would help the mouse’s neighbors, including the critically endangered Philippine eagles. “It’s really important to show that when we protect one species, like the magnificent Philippine eagle, we protect our unique biological wealth and cultural heritage,” says Jayson Ibanez, co-author. Ibanez is a senior lecturer at UP Mindanao, an adjunct professor at the UPLB School of Environmental Science and Management, and Director of Research and Conservation of the Philippine Eagle Foundation. The Philippine eagle and the new “Balete’s mouse” are neighbors to the indigenous Mandaya Ethnic Tribe of Mt. Kampalili. “Indigenous peoples get very excited whenever they learn that they share their homeland with a unique lifeform. And in this case, when we help protect Mt. Kampalili, we also protect the primary watershed, airsheds, and biocultural sanctuaries for much of southeastern Mindanao, giving huge benefits to all the people who live here. With all the threats from watershed destruction and climate change, we need all the help we can get,” says Ibanez. A snapshot of the mossy forest in Mt. Kampalili. Photo by Danilo Balete. Press Release by the Field Museum Public Relations, press@fieldmuseum.org. Sharon A. Jansa of the University of Minnesota and Eric A. Rickart of the Natural History Museum of Utah also contributed to the study. Download the Journal of Mammalogy paper here. |
https://up.edu.ph/up-mindanao-unveils-newest-food-security-research-to-the-press/ | UP Mindanao Unveils Newest Food Security Research to the Press – University of the Philippines | UP Mindanao Unveils Newest Food Security Research to the Press UP Mindanao Unveils Newest Food Security Research to the Press July 17, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office “Food security is one of our most basic concerns . Without it we endanger everything else that is vital to us – from political stability to social justice”. This urgent reminder from UP Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Dalisay, Jr. kicked off the Media Luncheon on Food Security for Sustainable Development held at UP Mindanao on the afternoon of July 6, 2017 by the Communicating Science and Technology in UP (CoST UP) Program. The event provided an opportunity for three scientists from UP Mindanao’s Food and Agribusiness research niche to have a conversation about their research with members of the Mindanao media. Taking a ‘ridge to reef’ approach, the featured scientists gave presentations and took questions on topics that contribute to food security and sustainability in both agricultural and marine settings. Joining guests from the media were faculty, students and officials from UP Mindanao, including Chancellor Sylvia B. Concepcion and the deans of all three of its colleges. Dr. Juma Novie Alviola took to the stage first, with a presentation on the use of sago flour to improve the nutritional profile of selected food products. Alviola’s team studied the effects of substituting various amounts of sago flour in products such as bread and puto. The team found that its use increased the crude ash and fiber content in these products, while decreasing their fat and protein content. However, for bread, no greater than a 10% substitution of sago for wheat flour resulted in preference by consumers that equalled that of regular bread – a problem that puto did not encounter up to the project’s substitution limit of 50%. This and other results are prompting additional research by Alviola’s team to find wheat alternatives that offer value-added products for the growing gluten-free market. Dr. Emma Ruth Bayogan presented research that hoped to combat the considerable postharvest losses in pummelo – the world’s largest citrus fruit. Knowing that prolonging the shelf life of the fruit via low temperatures was expensive, Bayogan’s team evaluated the use of the less expensive chemicals, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and chitosan on Magallanes pummelo for that purpose, instead. They found that using 500 parts per billion of 1-MCP and 1.5% chitosan both had great potential as postharvest treatments to maintain Magallanes pummelo quality under ambient conditions. Dr. Emma Ruth Bayogan of UP Mindanao answers a question about her research on the Magallanes pummelo. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) Finally, Dr. Cleto Nañola presented his team’s research on the connectedness of reef fish populations along a 300-km. span that included Pujada Bay, Sarangani Bay and the Davao Gulf. Noting differences in body shape, mouths, fins and gills among three species of fish, Nañola’s team determined that even at shorter distances of around 100 km., populations of the reef fish were “completely different from each other” – highlighting the importance of helping preserve both the fish themselves and the environment they inhabit. These presentations were followed by an extensive question and answer segment, where members of the press got to exchange views with the scientists on issues ranging from better dissemination of these findings to reaching out to other government office with similar mandates. Members of the press in attendance included Boom Castillo (Sun Star Davao), Yas Ocampo (Mindanao Times), Joe Palabao (Business Week Mindanao/ Mindanao Daily), Nitz Escarpe (DXRP/Radyo Pilipinas Dabaw), Dhelle Alo (MSU-Gen San), Arnold Colama and Cy Bermudez (Radyo ni Juan), Bien Abanos (DXGN), Angelita “Alma” Mahinay (DXOW/DXKT), Roan Abasolo (City Info. Office), Rhodamae Hernandez and Bong Alis (Peoples Television), and Paulo Rizal (Davao Today) Joe Palabao of Mindanao News Daily kicks of the question and answer segment with a query to the presenting scientists. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO) In his opening remarks, Vice President Dalisay highlighted the importance of strengthening the bridge between science and journalism through similar events to address the country’s food security problem and other issues. Despite its less-than-glamorous nature, Dalisay noted that the science beat in journalism was “one of the most important” due to the explicit need to develop a scientific culture in the country. “Artists and scientists have this in common – nobody listens to us. Far too often we leave our most important policy decisions to politicians, priests, generals, and businessmen. Far too often we rely on emotion and opinion to carry the day,” Dalisay said. The CoST UP project is one of the University’s primary initiatives to help bring science closer to both the media and the public. Also included in the project’s plans for 2017 in addition to this media luncheon, are holding the 21st Lopez Jaena Community Journalism Workshop for science communication in the Visayas and hosting the first-ever UP Science Journalism Awards. (Andre Encarnacion, UP MPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/agham-sining-features-ups-best-technologies-and-creative-works-for-2022/ | “Agham + Sining” features UP’s best technologies and creative works for 2022 – University of the Philippines | “Agham + Sining” features UP’s best technologies and creative works for 2022 “Agham + Sining” features UP’s best technologies and creative works for 2022 December 15, 2022 | Written by Fred Dabu Some of UP’s most brilliant and productive faculty and researchers were recognized during the festival. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) The University of the Philippines (UP) System, through the initiatives of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, presented some of the best technologies and creative works from across all the Constituent Universities in a two-day event held at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall, UP Bonifacio Global City campus from November 28 to 29. Dubbed “Agham + Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022”, hundreds of participants from UP units across the nation and the University’s government and industry partners attended the event on-site at the said venue and online via Zoom and TVUP’s live streaming platforms using YouTube and Facebook. Day 1 of “Agham + Sining” also featured the ceremonial signing of the memoranda of agreement with UP’s various partners from industry and government. Further research and creative works that promote quality education, health and wellbeing, innovation, culture, and the arts and address some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals were presented on Day 2. The University’s most brilliant and productive faculty and researchers were also given recognition during the festival. The names of the recipients of the Invention Disclosure Incentive and awardees of the UP Scientific & Arts Productivity System, UP’s Scientists and Artists for the years 2020-2022 onwards, were announced during the Conferment Ceremony. UP’s best technology partners were recognized during the “Agham + Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022”. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO). Gawang-Pinoy, Tatak UP Among the best technologies (product and partnership indicated) presented were: Bio-N (UP Los Baños and Agri Specialist Inc.); SARAI (UP Los Baños and Philippine Maize Federation Inc.); Dengue Kit and Covid PCR Kit (UP System and MTEK); Yerbabuena (UP Manila and Trevenodd); Mussel Glycogen (UP Visayas and BG Fruits and Nuts Manufacturing Corp.); VISSER (UP Diliman and Making Technology); Cordillera Weaving (UP Baguio Corditex and LGU Creative Baguio City Council); PteraBooster (UP Cebu and Chesed Farm); and TVUP Cignal TV Channel 101 (UP System and Cignal TV). For the ceremonial signing with industry partners, the following products were featured: Plasma Cleaning for Food Equipment (UP Diliman and Filipinas Oro de Cacao); Tuna Jerky (UP Visayas and Roselient Food Manufacturing); Lagundi for Covid (UP Manila and Trevenodd); sambong for Hyperurecemia (UP Manila and Pascual Pharma Corp.); Cordillera Weaving (UP Baguio / PTRI); and, DiWa–Disease Watch Web Application (UP Mindanao and DOH Regional and LGU). UP officials pose with some of UP’s various partners from government and industry. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) Highly Informative Plenary Sessions The festival’s second day featured six plenary discussions addressing issues in education, health, culture, and some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Discussants were: Dr. Grace Alfonso (UP Open University), Dr. Luis Sison (UP Diliman), Dr. May Lim (UP Diliman), Prof. Rita Ramos (UP Open University), Dr. Corazon de Ungria (UP Diliman), Prof. Nicolas Deocampo (UP Diliman), Dr. Joey Ocon (UP Diliman), Dr. Dante Canlas (UP Diliman), Dr. Raul Fabella (UP Diliman), Dr. Rizalina De Leon (UP Diliman), Dr. Rex Demafelis (UP Los Baños), Dr. Leo Armada (UP Diliman), Dr. Charlotte Chiong (UP Manila), Dr. Carissa Paz Dioquino (UP Manila), Dr. Roel Ocampo (UP Diliman), Dr. Cedric Angelo Festin (UP Diliman), Dr. Nathaniel Orillaza (UP Manila), Dr. Joel Hassan Tolentino (UP Mindanao), Dr. Annalyn Salvador-Amores (cultural heritage), Monica Gayle Alcudia (UP Cebu Fab Labs), Dr. Fortunato Dela Peña Jr. (UP Diliman Fab Labs), Ms. Rose Mueda (tuna jerky), Dr. Lilia Fernando (nanobiosensors), Dr. Melvin Pasaporte (direct lactic acid technology), and Dr. Joyce Ibana (Phil. Carabao Center). Some of the plenary speakers spoke during the festival’s second day. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Banzon Bautista, and Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) Director Luis G. Sison delivered inspiring messages at the start of the festival. Dr. Gonzalo Serafica, TTBDO consultant, shared tips on succeeding in the biotechnology enterprise. He said UP’s inventors and innovators should always inform University administrators of the kinds of support that they need for them to be able to scale up their research capacity and production capability and to make projects sustainable. He emphasized the importance of sustainability for projects to impact the health and development of the country. Some Tatak-UP products and creative works were displayed during the “Agham + Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022”. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) Presenting the UP products to the audience. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) Audience members listen closely during the festival. Photo by Misael Bacani (UP MPRO) The “Agham + Sining” festival was live-streamed by TVUP and can be viewed via TVUP’s YouTube channel. Watch the replays: Agham+Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022 | Day 1 [ Agham+Sining: UP Innovation and Knowledge Festival 2022 | Day 2 |
https://up.edu.ph/msi-expedition-kalayaan-island-group/ | UP sends off MSI’s expedition to the Kalayaan Island Group – University of the Philippines | UP sends off MSI’s expedition to the Kalayaan Island Group UP sends off MSI’s expedition to the Kalayaan Island Group October 20, 2023 | Written by Franco Gargantiel II An expedition for the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) is about to commence in October 2023. To celebrate this launch of this expedition, a send-off party was held at the BOR Room of Quezon Hall in UP Diliman, with UP-MSI and UP System officials in attendance. The expeditionary team, which is comprised of 13 researchers from UP-MSI, two from the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), and 11 ship crew of M/V PANATA, will sail to the Pagasa Island in the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan. This expedition, which will take place from October 19 to 30, is part of the UP-MSI’s twice yearly cruise to Pagasa and is partly funded by the national government funded-project entitled “Philippine Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System” (POMPS). The project specifically aims to conduct field and oceanographic surveys as part of the periodic monitoring of the immediate environments around Pagasa island; to conduct maintenance activities on the Pagasa Island Research Station systems; and to survey the island for a possible location of an Earthquake Monitoring station on the island. This is the fifth such expedition the UP-MSI has undertaken this year. Representatives from the UP-MSI gave a brief overview of their upcoming expedition. These representatives include UP-MSI’s director Dr. Laura T. David, Chief Scientist of the expedition Dr. Cesar L. Villanoy, Dr. Caroline Marie B. Jaraula, Leilani A. Solera, Dolly C. Manic, Jimiah Villanueva, Mariel Jean Carreon, Natasha Charmaine Tamayo, and Yam Tolentino. UP-MSI Director Laura T. David (3rd from right) explains the details of the expedition. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) When asked about the importance of this expedition, David shared that only 40% of the coral reefs in the Philippines are in the West Philippine Sea. “And yet, we cannot monitor these regularly. So how do you manage it? How do you make adjustments to how you take care of it? How do you extract the resources from it?” she pointed out. She explained that it is important to make regular expeditions such as this to ensure the safety and protection of these natural resources. “The more ships we can have there, and the more institutes that can join us, the better,” she said. Among the UP System officials in attendance were Executive Vice President Jose Fernando T. Alcantara and Vice President for Public Affairs Rolando B. Tolentino, as well as Adviser for Collaboration and Alliance Building-State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Colleges and Universities (LCUs) Mr. Felizardo Colambo, and UP Political Science Assistant Professor Ranjit Singh Rye. UP System officials send off the UP-MSI’s expedition team. From left to right: Mr. Felizardo Colambo; UP Executive Vice President Jose Fernando Alcantara; UP Political Science Assistant Professor Ranjit Singh Rye; and UP Vice President for Public Affairs Roland Tolentino. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) Both the MSI and the UP System look forward to the success of this expedition and the benefits it will bring for both UP and the country. UP System and UP Marine Science Institute officials at the send-off. (Photo by Misael Bacani, UPMPRO) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-still-one-of-top-400-universities-in-the-world/ | UP still one of top 400 universities in the world – University of the Philippines | UP still one of top 400 universities in the world UP still one of top 400 universities in the world June 9, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office MANILA – The University of the Philippines (UP) jumped seven notches in the annual rankings of UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds, leaping to No. 367 from No. 374 last year. UP is the lone Philippine institution in the list of top 400 universities in the world, which was released on Thursday. Aside from UP, three other universities from the country made it to this year’s list. From its 501-550 ranking last year, Ateneo de Manila University fell to the 551-600 bracket. The De La Salle University, on the other hand, remained in the 701-750 bracket, while the University of Santo Tomas ranked 801-1000, lower than its 701+ ranking last year. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained its top spot for the sixth consecutive year, closely followed by Stanford University and Harvard University at second and third, respectively. Meanwhile, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University at 11th place has overtaken National University of Singapore (15th), making it the highest-ranked Asian institution this year. For this year, QS has ranked over 950 universities from 84 different countries. (ABS-CBN) (Source: http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/06/08/17/up-still-one-of-top-400-universities-in-the-world) |
https://up.edu.ph/up-enters-top-100-for-development-studies/ | UP enters top 100 for development studies – University of the Philippines | UP enters top 100 for development studies UP enters top 100 for development studies March 7, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines has been named one of the world’s top 100 universities for development studies by British company Quacquarelli Symmonds (QS). It appeared in the 51-100 bracket in the 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject Area published on 27 February. This is the first time since 2017 that UP has been ranked in the subject. The 2019 rankings cover 48 subjects in five broad areas. Although UP scored in 34 subjects, it was included in the rankings for only 14. The national university advanced several places in politics and international studies and was able to maintain its position in English language and literature, agriculture and forestry, medicine, environmental sciences, and sociology. This year likewise saw UP’s initial entry in geography, business and management studies, economics and econometrics, and law. However, UP slipped in the rankings for archaeology as well as in modern languages, and lost a place in the table for linguistics. QS says that it is “very unusual for an institution to qualify for consideration in all 48 subjects.” UP’s rank evolution by subject. Source: 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject University Fact File The University has been ranked in four out of five broad subject areas: social sciences and management, arts and humanities, life sciences and medicine, and engineering and technology. UP fell in the rankings in all areas, except in life sciences and medicine where it managed to hold last year’s spot. It did not place in the natural sciences. Source: 2019 QS World University Rankings by Subject University Fact File There are four assessment indicators — academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper and h-index — which, depending on the discipline, are used in different combinations. For example, in development studies, all four measures are considered but for English language and literature, the h-index is excluded from the ranking system. In art and design, the ranking is based exclusively on academic and employer reputation. The variable approach recognizes that research cultures and publication rates differ significantly across academic disciplines. How the indicators are weighted also varies according to subject. In general, academic reputation has the highest value in the arts and humanities while academic reputation and employer reputation are given almost equal weight in engineering and technology. In life sciences and medicine, and the natural sciences, there is greater emphasis given to citation and h-index. The weightings tend to be mixed in social sciences and management. Academic reputation and employer reputation are determined by votes from global surveys while citations and h-index, a metric that attempts to measure both productivity and impact of papers, rely on Scopus publications. QS explains that an institution may not have results in a subject because “the program may not have published a sufficient number of papers or it may not have attracted a minimum level of recognition through the surveys.” UP maintained the top spot in country rankings for the 14 subjects and four broad areas. Earlier, QS released the 2019 World University Rankings in which UP placed 384th among more than 1,000 institutions from 85 countries. (Article originally posted at http://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/up-enters-top-100-for-development-studies/) |
https://up.edu.ph/the-researcher-as-storyteller/ | The researcher as storyteller – University of the Philippines | The researcher as storyteller The researcher as storyteller October 4, 2017 | Written by J. Mikhail Solitario “I talked to this jeepney driver who told me he had changed his mind about this administration. He was listening to this daily radio drama where one of the characters was a drug addict who got killed in a police operation. For him, it was a turning point.” This is how Assistant Professor Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles retells a story of one of his interviewees for his research on populist publics which earned him the distinction of best thesis in his master’s program abroad. First love: research Like most Political Science majors, Cleve chose his undergraduate program as a stepping stone to Law. After several Political Science courses, he began to develop an interest in politics and its relatively “non-legal” aspects, such as political dynamics and political behavior. In his senior year, he became a research assistant to Professor Dr. Clarita Carlos of the UP Diliman Department of Political Science. Dr. Carlos mentored Arguelles in a wide array of research projects which he found fascinating. It was the demand to multitask that captured his interest: working with a different agency every day, from the Metro Manila Development Authority to the International Labor Organization. Prof. Arguelles in an interview at ANC’s Talkback The decision to teach came a little later, before graduation, when he realized that teaching was something he had been doing both as an activist and a former Regent, by going around UP’s constituent units and discussing UP issues with a big audience. His first applications for teaching went to other state universities in Manila because he wasn’t very confident that he would get accepted in UP. His primary motivation was still anchored on his first love: research. “We produce knowledge, but before we do that, you have to acquire knowledge first,” Cleve adds. His first years of teaching in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila exposed him to realities outside UP—big classes, inadequate facilities, and different teaching styles. Looking back, he was thankful for the experience of teaching in other universities and handling students who were not political science majors. When he finally taught Political Science majors in UP Manila, the transition was not that difficult. Arguelles is currently the Chair of the Political Science Program which entails not just an academic but an administrative workload as well. He believes UP can excel further by blending research into teaching, which develops not just critical thinking skills but sparks the interest of students for research even in non-method courses. With a research mindset, UP students may be able to transition from being mere consumers of knowledge to producers as well. Prof. Arguelles poses with a marker in Central European University A different kind of training Arguelles finished finished an MA degree in Political Science (US diploma) and a Master’s Further Level Specialization Degree in Comparative Political Science (Hungarian diploma) in the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary, with highest honors (summa cum laude). “I was already doing graduate studies here in Diliman in Philippine Studies first, before transferring to Political Science. However, I wanted to be acquainted with a different kind of training. UP is already the top institution in the country, but in the region and in the world, we still need to catch up,” says Arguelles. Prof. Arguelles with his graduating class in Central European University in Hungary He then looked into schools and programs, with two primary considerations: one, a leading institution in his field of interest; and, two, a program which he could manage to take given financial realities and considerations. He ended up getting a yearlong scholarship in Budapest, an Eastern European city which has a standard of living comparable to that of Manila. Armed with his intent to specialize in populism, Hungary proved to be the perfect fit, for it also has incumbent populist political leaders, with CEU’s Department of Political Science boasting of a strong roster of faculty members specializing in the that research area. CEU is an American university with 98% of its student body coming from outside Hungary and whose home countries may be experiencing challenges in democracy. Classroom exchanges on populism were expectedly vibrant and the exchanges were always unique with fresh perspectives from Russian, Venezuelan, Hungarian, and American classmates. Cleve says that he has been asked for tips on preparing for studying abroad. He advises prospective students to conduct their own research, ask those who already studied abroad, and check scholarship openings. “It doesn’t always have to be London or Paris or the US”, he says. According to him, there are many good university cities which offer not just academic training but professional development as well. Have your mentors check your application materials, as well, he advises. A research workshop on methodological innovations in the study of political participation at the University of Vienna Looking into populist publics During his thesis year in CEU, he was given a grant by the university to do research on populist supporters of the current administration. The research grant required a mobility factor which meant he had to work with a Philippine university other than his home institution, UP Manila. This led him to establish connections with the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), where he served as a visiting scholar. His award-winning research was hosted in the Development Studies Program of ADMU, where Dr. Jayeel Cornelio serves as one of his most trusted mentors. Cleve did research on populist publics or supporters. In media and even in academic literature, this segment of the population, according to him, was always negatively represented as unthinking and monolithic. During his research he discovered that these voters were actually thinking, but were motivated by factors different from those of traditional voters. His research established that the current president’s positions reflected those of his populist supporters in urban poor communities. Upon submission, Arguelles’ supervisor nominated his research for the award. His qualitative work eventually won the prize which had always been dominated by quantitative research. He is now developing the thesis project into a book. Eventually, he aims to publish other books on Asian populism. A political science class with Prof. Arguelles in UP Manila He advises concerned citizens who wish to tackle populism to use emotions, not just facts. He notes that a lot of well-meaning news organizations and civic groups resort to fact-checking and statistics; but unfortunately, populist supporters do not respond to these. Instead, they respond to how these facts and statistics affect their life experiences. Just like the jeepney driver’s story, an emotional connection was established which developed empathy through creative storytelling techniques. “We need to keep telling stories to humanize these facts and statistics,” Cleve Arguelles argues. |
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