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https://up.edu.ph/creating-a-nurturing-and-healthy-diliman-through-psycserv/
Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ – University of the Philippines
Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ Creating a Nurturing and Healthy Diliman through PsycServ November 13, 2018 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion For many freshmen, the privilege of being a UP student is an incomparable experience. Every year, thousands of hopefuls make a pilgrimage to their campuses of choice in the hope of eventually donning the iconic maroon-and-green. And for those who manage to get through, the promise of a new life is cause enough for optimism and celebration. As with all great things, however, there is a another side to this charge. Just ask Dr. Violeta Bautista, head of UP Diliman’s (UPD) Clinical Psychology program. More than most, she has gotten to know first-hand the hidden fears and doubts that beset even the best UP applicants.   Dr. Violeta Bautista of the UP Department of Psychology. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   Years ago, while working as a consultant for the UP Health Service, Bautista and her colleagues noticed that a number of their interviewees hinted at looming psychological problems. When the institution revised its interview schedule and questionnaire to include items measuring the risk of students’ vulnerability to psychosocial issues, their fears were substantiated. A good number of the applicants were evaluated as being at an elevated risk. For these individuals, getting medically cleared for enrollment required seeing a qualified mental health professional. With the help of her interns, Bautista worked hard to meet this need, while also acting as the head of UP Diliman’s Office of Counseling and Guidance (OCG). It was during this stint that she was approached by UPD Chancellor Michael Tan with the mission to create an office completely devoted to giving psychosocial support and psychotherapy. He asked, “Bolet, is it OK with you to help in establishing a new office?” The Chancellor himself had been hearing accounts of complicated mental health problems sometimes even manifesting as psychiatric conditions. “And of course that is beyond the realm of guidance and counseling,” Bautista said. With that mandate, the UPD Psychosocial Services (PsycServ) was born, beginning small-scale operations in September 2017.   Firm foundations While PsycServ is a project formed to address contemporary needs, the seeds of expertise that power it were put into place years ago. When Typhoons Ondoy and Yolanda struck the country in 2009 and 2013, members of the Department of Psychology trained field workers to provide psychological first aid, while counseling and giving therapy to the traumatized. They were also part of moves to establish a CSSP Wellness Center, which would allow the team members to exercise a more direct community service role. Soon after, however, the team, which also include Dr. Anna Cristina Tuazon and Dr. Divine Love Salvador as clinical advisers, were receiving requests of a different sort. Students were being referred to them who had nowhere else to go. Many were suffering from anxiety and depression. Something needed to be done.   Dr. Bautista and Psycserv work hard to make Diliman a safe and nurturing campus. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   To address this, PsycServ currently offers an impressive roster of services to all members of the UP community. The most central of these is a free set of eight therapy sessions for clients with psychiatric conditions or so-called ‘complex problems of living’—cases that are not necessarily psychiatric in nature yet, but might require professional assistance. These problems might include anything from work and relationship stress to more serious, chronic conditions. PsycServ personnel are also trained in crisis management, which could be required in cases, for instance, of community members threatening to harm others or themselves. Finally, in the unfortunate event of a suicide, PsycServ personnel also deliver postvention to support the bereaved. “There are those cases that never reach us,” Bautista said. “So we provide postvention services so they don’t suffer the consequences of knowing what happened.” “Some feel guilty about not being able to do anything about what happened,” she said. “Or feeling that if that could happen to someone and he or she was so accomplished, what more me?” Even those who witnessed a failed suicide or who are bearing the stress of supporting a friend with problems might need professional help to process these events. All of these services are offered to members of the UP Diliman community, be they student, faculty or staff member.   A growing demand While waiting for their official launch as an office, the committed personnel behind PsycServ operate on a shoestring budget. Everyday operations are conducted by what Bautista dubbed their ‘Psychological Support Specialists’ (PSS), a team of eight part-time personnel with Clinical training. Of these, four have earned their licenses, while the others practice under supervision. Even with this dedicated eight-person core, the demand can be overwhelming. “So far we have taken care of around 450 students,” Bautista said. “And around 35% of them have suicidal ideations.” She noted with relief how lucky she was that her PSS people are as hardworking as they are, especially since some cases have them going far beyond their part-time hours. “Because when you have clients who threaten harm, they call you even on weekends. And the PSS goes to them, talks to them, papakalmahin. Because that is a high-risk situation. We take them to the UP Health Service, because that’s a safe place to be in. You have nurses and security guards to watch over you 24/7.” Despite psychological and psychiatric problems lately being more visible, especially with the passage of the Mental Health Act, Bautista believes that the other side of the equation is just as important. As much as those with problems might need help, efforts must also be made to keep the healthy ones healthy.   A sneak peek into PsycServ’s counselling room at Lagmay Hall. (Photo by Jun Madrid UP MPRO)   “We only have statistics of those who come here, but based on data by the DOH, we have maybe 15-20% of our population with psychiatric conditions. Malaki iyon! The low estimate is 7-10% but that’s still considerable.” Translating that into the Diliman population, a tentative assumption leaves us with around 80-85% of students who are relatively OK. “The challenge is to keep them well, so we need evidence-based, psychologically informed wellness programs.” Recently, PsycServ launched a group mindfulness workshop, which could help those with and without psychological problems to face life’s challenges with a better toolkit. They have also been quietly holding workshops with faculty and officials from UPD’s different colleges on how to become a ‘lifeline’. These session teach those who are most in contact with students how to provide psychological first aid, respond to crisis situations, identify those who might need help, and make the proper referrals. All of these efforts converge with what Bautista sees as a welcome growth in national awareness about mental health. In addition to the Mental Health Act, she cites the recently held Summit on Transforming UP into a Nurturing and Healthy University last April 2018 as a sign that the mental health conversation in universities is taking a needed step forward. “That’s why your puso at isip theme is so consistent with what UP wants and what PsycServ wants. And that is to not only nurture the intellect and competencies of our students, but to support the processes that turn them into whole persons”. PsycServ is located at Room 209B in UP Diliman’s Lagmay Hall. You may also reach them via telephone number 981-8500, loc. 2496, or mobile number 0916-757-3157.
https://up.edu.ph/seven-up-researchers-named-among-2020-outstanding-young-scientists/
Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists – University of the Philippines
Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists Seven UP researchers named among 2020 Outstanding Young Scientists June 18, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   Of the 12 scientists and researchers who were given the 2020 Outstanding Young Scientist Awards (OYS) by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), seven are from the University of the Philippines. The OYS Awards are given annually by NAST to young Filipino scientists under 41 years old who have made significant contributions to science and technology. According to the NAST website, a total of 12 OYS Awards are available annually, split among the following divisions: Biological Sciences; Chemical, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Engineering Sciences and Technology; Health Sciences; and Social Sciences. NAST is the country’s highest recognition and scientific advisory body for science and technology. The seven new Outstanding Young Scientists from UP are: Dr. Jaime Alfonso M. Aherrera (UP Manila); Dr. Aries A. Arugay (UP Diliman); Dr. Marlon T. Conato (UP Diliman); Dr. Remil L. Galay (UP Los Baños); Dr. Francis Norman C. Paraan (UP Diliman); Dr. Betchaida D. Payot (UP Diliman); and, Dr. Rodney H. Perez (UP Los Baños). They were chosen based on: the quality and number of scientific works and publications; contributions to the advancement of science in general and in the Philippines; and, contributions to the well-being of the Philippine economy and culture. Dr. Jaime Alfonso M. Aherrera (UP Manila) Aherrera is a researcher and a physician who specializes in interventional cardiology, adult cardiology and internal medicine. He completed his training at the UP Philippine General Hospital. Dr. Aries A. Arugay (UP Diliman) Arugay’s research interests focus on political polarization, regional civil society, performative populism and regime instability in democratic regimes. He is a professor at the UP Diliman Department of Political Science and a fellow of the Strategic Studies Program of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies. Dr. Marlon T. Conato (UP Diliman) Conato is an associate professor at the UP Diliman Institute of Chemistry. He specializes in solid state chemistry, inorganic chemistry and material science. His publications center on metal-organic frameworks, zeolites, microporous crystals, polymer nanocomposites and inorganic catalysts. Dr. Remil L. Galay (UP Los Baños) Galay, an associate professor at the UP Los Baños College of Veterinary Medicine, currently works on ticks and tick-borne diseases. His work has led to discoveries on animal parasitic diseases, a significant contribution to his area of research. Dr. Francis Norman C. Paraan (UP Diliman) Paraan, an associate professor at the UP Diliman National Institute of Physics, carries out research in areas such as entanglement, parallel computing and stochastic processes. He has made valuable editorial contributions to the fields of computational and theoretical physics. Dr. Betchaida D. Payot (UP Diliman) Payot is an associate professor at UP Diliman National Institute of Geological Sciences. She is known for her research in igneous petrology and geochemistry. Dr. Rodney H. Perez (UP Los Baños) Perez studies peptides, antimicrobials, protein purification and food biotechnology. He is a university researcher at the UP Los Baños National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the chief editor of the Journal of Science and Technology. Galay, Paraan, and Payot are recipients of the Balik PhD grant implemented by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Original article from the website of the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
https://up.edu.ph/from-genotype-shift-to-hiv-epidemic/
From genotype shift to HIV epidemic – University of the Philippines
From genotype shift to HIV epidemic From genotype shift to HIV epidemic April 6, 2018 | Written by Fred Dabu Reports indicate that HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infections in the Philippines have reached epidemic proportions. Source: Department of Health (2018). HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines: January 2018. Department of Health, Epidemiology Bureau, Manila, Philippines. Available at: http://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/publication/Philippines_HIV_January_AIDSreg2018.pdf [Accessed April 6, 2018].   The HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) revealed that 1,021 new HIV-infected individuals were reported in January 2018, of which 17% of the newly diagnosed already showed signs of advanced HIV infection. With patients’ ages ranging from 3 to 61 years old, more than half of the newly tested were 25 to 34 years old, and 29 percent were 15 to 24 years old.   Source: Department of Health (2018). HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines: January 2018. Department of Health, Epidemiology Bureau, Manila, Philippines. Available at: http://www.aidsdatahub.org/sites/default/files/publication/Philippines_HIV_January_AIDSreg2018.pdf [Accessed April 6, 2018].   According to the same report, “About one-third (327 individuals) was from the National Capital Region. 87% (885 individuals) of newly diagnosed infections was among males who have sex with males. Other modes of transmission were needle sharing among injecting drug users (18 individuals) and mother-to-child transmission (two individuals).”   Dealing with the HIV epidemic Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvaña, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), University of the Philippines Manila, said that although the prevalence of HIV infections has gone down by 25 percent in most parts of the world, HIV in the Philippines has gone up by more than 25 percent in the last ten years.   TED Fellow Dr. Edsel Salvaña describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that’s currently plaguing his home of the Philippines—and warns us about what might become a global epidemic.   “It is now the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the world,” Salvaña said during the scientific conference hosted by the NIH at the Bayanihan Center, Pasig City on March 14. He explained that the majority of infections from 2006 to present was locally transmitted, and that the epidemic is attributed to a shift in HIV genotype, “from subtype B to what looks like a more aggressive subtype CRFo1_AE (AE, for short), which is not a new subtype, but is more common in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.” This genotype shift was discovered through research at the NIH. “It’s now a local epidemic, and the trajectory is quite alarming. In 2000, we only had one new case every three days. In 2007, only one case a day. In 2009, we had two new cases a day. Now, we have 31 cases a day,” Salvaña said. There have been 10,111 reported cases from January to November 2017, or more than 50,000 since 1984 when the first case of HIV in the Philippines was reported. According to Salvaña, there has been “a 30-fold increase in the past decade. Nearly 85 percent of those cases were newly diagnosed in the last five years. If we compare the new cases from 2001-2015, the number of cases worldwide has gone down by 32 percent, but in the Philippines, it has gone up by 4,800 percent, to the point that we now have the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the world, in terms of percentage.” The subtype AE is more aggressive and more transmissible, as illustrated by Salvaña. “This is partially responsible for the explosion of cases in the Philippines. Before the year 2000, about 71 percent were subtype B (the subtype that is more common in the US and Europe), and now it’s 75 percent subtype AE and about 22 percent subtype B. The most common subtype in the world is C, which represents about 50 percent of cases in the world, and most of that is in Africa. Whereas subtype B, the most studied subtype, only represents about 12 percent of the world’s HIV population,” he said. Salvaña further said that an explosive epidemic in the Philippines because of a genotype shift could have global implications. He added that subtype AE infections were also emerging in other countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia, and that the problem might become more complicated due to drug resistance.   NIH’s role vs. HIV Dr. Salvaña said the NIH provides important scientific evidence for policy and helps us understand, “and potentially defeat the HIV epidemic.” He added that “NIH is currently doing research on the molecular epidemiology and emergence of drug-resistant HIV. We have collaborated with the Department of Health (DOH) in determining rates of drug resistance to antiretrovirals.” “Research geared towards supporting policy has always been the guiding principle for our HIV work in NIH. We looked at prevalence of HIV in special populations and described the changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines, leading us to discover that the shift in HIV genotype is a major factor in the current epidemic. In addition, we were the first to do a systematic study on the emergence of drug resistance on treatment, and we are currently doing work on transmission of HIV drug resistance which is essential to long-term planning for HIV control and elimination efforts,” Salvaña reiterated. The research efforts of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology focus on the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of the top causes of sickness and death in the country. The NIH offers a variety of cutting-edge services, among them HIV drug resistance testing, genotyping, and research on other disease-causing bacteria and viruses.   Get tested, get proper treatment “This is no longer something to be scared of,” Salvaña said, as he encouraged people to get tested for HIV. He said earlier diagnosis means better response to medication, and longer life. Antiretroviral Therapy increases the survival rate in HIV patients. “With treatment, you can live a long and full life. After an unprecedented global effort in research and aid, effective medication was discovered. Turning point came with the discovery of protease inhibitors, and the use of HAART, or High Active Antiretroviral Therapy). Our HAART is a combination of three drugs. The people who use it don’t die of HIV. Most of the data generated on the effect of Antiretroviral Therapy is abroad, but we do have local data here at the NIH. If you are diagnosed with full-blown AIDS, you are six times more likely to die. So you really want to get diagnosed early,” Salvaña said. “Being on treatment reduces risk of transmission by 96 %. New data suggests that if your viral load is suppressed, which we expect after six months of taking your treatment, your risk of transmitting HIV is zero. Undetectable equals untransmissible. Treatment restores your health for you to be able to do the things you used to do. You do not put your loved ones at further risk,” concluded Dr. Salvaña.   Learn more about HIV here:   HIV (NIH Forum December 2013) http://nih.upm.edu.ph/health/hiv-nih-forum-december-2013   TVUP | University of the Philippines’ Internet TV Network – KALUSUGAN AY KARAPATAN Episode 4: HIV/AIDS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9hLURKXfkw   The changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines http://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(17)30154-6/fulltext   IDWeek presenter highlights global implications of HIV treatment resistance in Philippines http://sciencespeaksblog.org/2017/10/10/idweek-presenter-highlights-global-implications-of-hiv-treatment-resistance-in-philippines/   HIV Transmitted Drug Resistance in the Philippines: The Case for Baseline Genotyping and Drug Resistance Testing (poster) https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2017/webprogram/Paper65222.html   High Tenofovir Failure Rates in an Emerging, Non-B Subtype HIV Epidemic (poster) https://idsa.confex.com/idsa/2017/webprogram/Paper64286.html   TED Fellow Edsel Salvana describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that’s currently plaguing his home country, the Philippines — and warns us about what might become a global epidemic. https://www.ted.com/talks/edsel_salvana_the_dangerous_evolution_of_hiv   Facebook page maintained by the National HIV/AIDS & STI Surveillance and Strategic Information Unit of the Philippines https://www.facebook.com/hivepicenter   World Health Organization – HIV/AIDS Department http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/en/   WHO: “Treat all” to end AIDS http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/news/arv-2016-launch/en/    
https://up.edu.ph/upso-celebrates-independence-day-upmbts-championship-with-1st-live-concert-in-2-years/
UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years – University of the Philippines
UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years UPSO celebrates Independence Day, UPMBT’s championship with 1st live concert in 2 years June 3, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office On June 12, 6:30 pm, at the Amphitheater in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), together with the Office of the UP President, will hold its first face-to-face concert in over two years. Titled “BAGONG MUNDO: MGA BAYANI AT KAMPEON,” the live concert will acknowledge the “new world” we see as we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and look back at the heroes that we lost along the way. The concert will also commemorate the Philippine Independence Day and celebrate the UP Men’s Basketball historic championship win in Season 84 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) tournaments. The UPSO concert will feature the Philippines’ premier soprano, Lara Maigue, and tenor, Ervin Lumauag—both graduates of the UP College of Music—and special appearances by the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the UP Singing Ambassadors. Photos from the UPSO. The UPSO concert will feature soprano Lara Maigue, and tenor Ervin Lumauag, both UP College of Music graduates. It will include special appearances of the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers, known affectionately as The Madz, and the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA). Works to be performed include the finale of Antonin Dvorak’s “New World” Symphony, Lucio San Pedro’s Lahing Kayumanggi, Leopoldo Silos’s Lagi Kitang Naaalala, Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, and much more. The concert is free and open to the public, with limited seating. Audience members are required to wear their face masks and observe social distancing. Vaccine cards may be checked. After two years of the pandemic, we are all emerging from our isolated quarantines to a new world with new rules and standards of etiquette, but always with the same utak, puso, at diwa that has always defined the University of the Philippines. Join us in celebrating the promise and possibilities of the “next normal” with the music of the UPSO.
https://up.edu.ph/araw-ng-mga-puso-kasama-ang-upsa-at-upso-%e2%99%a5/
Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ – University of the Philippines
Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ Araw ng mga PUSO, kasama ang UPSA at UPSO ♥ February 3, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The month of love has arrived, and what better way to celebrate it than with music? This February 14, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) and the UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA) collaborate in “Puso,” a Valentine’s Day concert that reminds us that not only is love tender, but it is also strong and brave. The concert will open with the boisterous drinking song Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici (Brindisi) from “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi before quickly relaxing into the lyrical, more solemn Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” of Pietro Mascagni. A happy, playful folk song Katakataka will pick up the mood before once again quieting down into a series of tender, well-loved love songs: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s If I Loved You from “Carousel,” Hymne à l’amour by Marguerite Monnot, and I Believe (Quodlibet with Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Stillman, with orchestration by Josefino Chino Toledo. Sergei Prokofiev will come next to give a jolt of surprise and energy with scenes from his ballet Romeo and Juliet. The final number, Balikbayan da Box, will be a medley of iconic 90’s Filipino pop songs that considers a backward scenario: what if we are the ones sending boxes to our loved ones abroad? What could we put inside to remind them of the sounds and feelings of home? Joining the UPSO in concert is the world-renowned choral group, the UP Singing Ambassadors. The UPSA has gone a long way from its humble beginnings in 1980. It earned eight Grand Prizes, 36 First Prizes, and other awards for the country and the University in 20 international choral competitions in Italy, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Wales, and Switzerland. They have showcased Filipino culture through songs, customs, indigenous weaves, and dances in several goodwill performances in Europe, Asia, Australia, UAE, Africa, and the USA. The UP Symphony Orchestra. Photo from UPSO. UPSA accepts students and new graduates from different colleges in the University. It is also engaged in socio-civic activities for the less privileged, the elderly, the sick, and disaster victims, who constantly receive its musical generosity. Dr. Ed Lumbera Manguiat is UPSA’s award-winning founder and musical director. The UP Singing Ambassadors. Photo from UPSA. Catch the premiere of “Puso” on February 14, 7 pm on the UP Symphony Orchestra’s Facebook Page and YouTube channel. The concert will be available for viewing until February 23, 2022.
https://up.edu.ph/singkaban-at-balanghai-pasasalamat-at-pagsalubong-an-upso-concert-in-honor-of-two-up-presidents/
Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents – University of the Philippines
Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong – an UPSO concert in honor of two UP Presidents February 7, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office   In gratitude to outgoing University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion and to welcome incoming UP President Angelo “Jijil” A. Jimenez, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents “Singkaban at Balanghai: Pasasalamat at Pagsalubong, Musikang Alay ng Orkestra ng Bayan.” The concert title is inspired by the design of UP College of Fine Arts Professor Toym Imao. The singkaban and balanghai are visual metaphors for a portal that welcomes and sends off our UP community leaders. Singkaban is a bamboo arch installation folk-art tradition from President Concepcion’s home province. At the same time, the balanghai is an ancient sea vessel associated with Butuan, the hometown of incoming President Jimenez. The UPSO at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), Kaohsiung, Tawan. Photo from the UPSO.   The concert program features a repertoire similarly crafted in part by both presidents. It will include Vincenzo Bellini’s Casta Diva, Giacomo Puccini’s O Mio Babbino Caro, Pietro Mascagni’s Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, and The Swan from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. The orchestra will also perform Bernard Green’s Overture on Philippine Folk Songs, Chino Toledo’s arrangements of Mga Kantang Bisaya, Rosas Pandan, and Cebuano Love Songs, as well as Johannes Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture and Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate. For the occasion, the orchestra will be joined by soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano Anya Evangelista, and tenor Malvin Macasaet. Guest performers, from left to right: Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, soprano; Anya Evangelista, soprano; and Malvin Macasaet, tenor. Photos from the UPSO.   Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra for the university. They maintain a roster of 65 members exclusively from the alumni, students, faculty, and staff of all UP campuses. They have been under the direction of Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo since their inception in August 2018. UPSO recently completed a small campus tour with performances in UP Baguio, Diliman, and Mindanao in December of 2022. They are also fresh from their successful first international performance held at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at the beginning of this year.  
https://up.edu.ph/reconnection-an-online-blended-performance/
(Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance – University of the Philippines
(Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance (Re)Connection: An Online Blended Performance October 13, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Watch “(Re)Connection”, an online blended performance featuring the works of Brahms, Beethoven, Barber, Chaminade, and more, on October 16 at 7:00 PM (Manila time). The online concert will be streamed on the Abelardo Hall Concert Series Facebook page and YouTube channel. Admission is free, but donations will be greatly appreciated. Funds raised will be for the benefit of the UP College of Music students in their remote learning requirements. Donations can be made via: PayPal: upmusicalumni@gmail.com Bank of the Philippine Islands: Acct. Name: (BPI) C/A 3081-1197- 07 Gcash: UPCMAA Inc +63966-762-0832 For inquiries, please email upmusicalumni@gmail.com. Register at bit.ly/upsoreconnection.
https://up.edu.ph/concert-and-installation-commemorate-fqs/
Concert and installation commemorate FQS – University of the Philippines
Concert and installation commemorate FQS Concert and installation commemorate FQS February 12, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc A symbolic theatrical performance. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Performances of the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), University choral groups, and several militant artists on a set-up dominated by an art installation brought the spirit of the First Quarter Storm (FQS) to life on February 7, 2020 on the historic AS Steps of UP Diliman’s Palma Hall. The event, “FQS: Konsyertong Bayan sa Ika-50 Taon”, was written by Bonifacio Ilagan and directed by Chris Millado, with musical direction by UPSO Conductor Josefino Chino Toledo. It featured an art installation of Toym Imao, called “Nagbabadyang Unos”, inspired by the barricades of the UP Diliman Commune of 1971, and upon which flowers were offered for dead activists by University officials and National Artists from UP.   The UP Symphony Orchestra and University choral groups, during a rainy evening performance. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Toym Imao’s “Nagbabadyang Unos” at the lobby of Palma Hall, UP Diliman. Photo by Jun Madrid   A crowd composed of FQS and Diliman Commune veterans, University constituents, and the general public converged for the evening concert, shielding themselves from the rain with jackets and umbrellas, but staying glued to their seats and places for the entirety of the show. The numbers were linked together by spiels by Bonifacio Ilagan and atmospheric soundscape from the FQS recreated by Teresa Barrozo, beginning and ending with orchestral variations and community singing of “UP Naming Mahal”.   Musikang Bayan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   UPSO Conductor Josefino Chino Toledo, with performer Rody Vera and student actors waving banners to the audience. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   A section of the choir. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   The featured songs were “Baligtad na ang Mundo”, “Di Pangkaraniwan”, and  “Anak ng Bayan”, all performed  by the band, Musikang Bayan. These were followed by “Awit ni Bobby”, “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa”, “Jocelynang Baliuag”, “Tagpi-tagping Kundimang Hibik ng Bayan”, “Sulong Gerilyero”, “The Internationale”, “Kalatas ng Manggagawa” (excerpt), an FQS medley, “Alamat ng Lahi”, “Bella Ciao”, and a “Bayan Kong Hirang” medley. These were performed by the vocal groups AUIT Vocal Chamber Ensemble, the UP Singing Ambassadors, the UP Staff Chorale, and the UP Cherubim and Seraphim; and vocal soloists Greg de Leon, Becky Demetillo, Stefanie Quintin-Avila, Malvin Macasaet, Upeng Fernandez, Rody Vera, and Michelle Mariposa.   In the “eye” of “Nagbabadyang Unos”. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Sculpture below the eye of “Nagbabadyang Unos”. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Dance and theatrical performances were rendered by selected students from the UP Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts; Sarah Samaniego, Leong Sil Rose Panuelos, and Louise Grace Nightingale Meneses of the UP Dance Co.; Panday Sining, Alay Sining, and the UP Repertory Company. Lester Demetilo and Dodgie Fernandez provided guitar accompaniment, and Janine Samaniego of the UPSO played “The Internationale” on the violin. Joel Lamangan and Monique Wilson recited the names of the FQS heroes and martyrs, while the UPSO played Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”.   Bonifacio Ilagan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Rody Vera, accompanied by the UP Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Upeng Fernandez and Dodgie Fernandez, leading the crowd in a marching song. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Messages were delivered by UP President Danilo Concepcion, outgoing UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan and incoming Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo near the end of the program. “Gaya nang naganap limang dekada na ang nakaraan, hinaharap din ng ating administrasyon ang mga hamon ng panahon sa pamamagitan ng pagtatatag ng mga institusyon at polisiyang sisigurong walang makalilimot sa ating kasaysayan bilang isang pamantasan, isang pamayanan, at isang bayan [Like what happened five decades ago, our administration faces challenges of the times, by establishing institutions and policies that will ensure no one forgets our history as a university, a community, and a nation],”Concepcion said.  He cited UP’s annual Day of Remembrance in September and the ground-breaking for a martial law memorial on campus as examples.   Actors recreating street protests of FQS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Actors recre”Kalantas ng Manggagawa” moment. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPROating street protests of FQS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   The concert was an offering of the Offices of the UP President and of the UP Diliman Chancellor, organized through the UP Diliman Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts and Surian ng Sining, in cooperation with the College of Music and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.   UP President Danilo Concepcion recites an excerpt from a poem by Jose Rizal exhorting remembrance of those fallen during the night. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Incoming UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   Student actors performing amid rains. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO
https://up.edu.ph/celebrate-the-sounds-of-the-christmas-season-with-the-up-symphony-orchestra-at-home/
Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! – University of the Philippines
Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! Celebrate the sounds of the Christmas season with the UP Symphony Orchestra at home! December 15, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On October 16, the UP Symphony Orchestra kicked off their online concert series with their first online blended performance, (Re)Connection. It was dubbed “blended” due to the concert being in a format that combined newly, remotely recorded works and existing archive videos from previous concerts.     This Friday December 18 at 7pm, catch “Ang Paghihintay: Bago MagPasko Kasama ng UPSO”, the second concert of their ongoing series. The concert will feature works of Wagner, Prokofiev, Toledo, Alcala, and Shostakovich, and will speak of the feeling of anticipation we are all experiencing—anticipation not only for Christmas, but for the return to “normalcy”. The orchestra will be joined by the 2019 National Music Competition for Young Artists winner, mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa. The concert will be streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. It will be available until December 22.     But what is Christmas without some community singing and all those traditional holiday songs? Following shortly after their first December concert for the year, UPSO’s annual traditional community Christmas concert arrives on the virtual stage. Taking advantage of the online platform, “Pasko na! Pasko na!” includes choirs from UP campuses all over the country. Sing carols and other holiday classics along with our choirs from Luzon (the UP Madrigal Singers, the UP Medicine Choir), the Visayas (UP Cebu Serenata, UP Iloilo High Harana), and Mindanao (UP Mindanao Koro Kantahanay). And like the community concerts of Christmases past, each choir will be given their time in the spotlight in a solo spot number. The concert will be available starting December 23, 7pm until January 2, 2021, again streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. For updates, you may register for the concerts’ respective Facebook events, or follow them on Instagram or Facebook. You may also subscribe to the orchestra’s email newsletter at tiny.cc/upsomail.    
https://up.edu.ph/song-and-dance-come-together-in-upsos-concert-distant-dances/
Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” – University of the Philippines
Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” Song and dance come together in UPSO’s concert, “Distant Dances” August 24, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office What originally began as a necessary adjustment has become a new medium for the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO). Ten months and six online performances later, the group is excited to launch its fourth concert season and second series of virtual concerts with bigger, more collaborative productions lined up. Beginning on August 27, 2021 with “Distant Dances,” the orchestra will perform together with mezzo-soprano Pauline Tan and the UP Dance Company.     Ms. Pauline Tan, mezzo soprano. Photo from the UPSO. Pauline Tan is a Filipino mezzo-soprano whose deep love for poetry and song has taken her across the globe to pursue a career in music. An alumna of the Bard Graduate Vocal Arts Program, Pauline hopes to keep working with artists and organizations that share her vision of bringing more diversity and compassion in the arts. In the fall, Pauline will be joining the Chicago Opera Theater as a Resident Young Artist, following her artistic compass and taking part in non-standard adaptations of familiar operas as well as premieres of new works by living BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) composers.   Meanwhile, founded by Mr. Basilio Villacruz in 1987, the UP Dance Company was set up for the apprenticeship and professional training of UP dance major students. They take pride in having mounted many original performances over the decades, and constantly work towards both the promotion of traditional Philippine dance culture and of newer and more experimental expressions of the art form. Currently, Prof. Angela Lawenko Baguilat leads the company as Executive Director and Faculty Adviser.   The UP Dance Company. Photo from the UPSO.   The program features movement-influenced and programmatic music including Antonin Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, Felipe de Leon’s Manila Sketches, Gustav Holst’s Japanese Suite, George Bizet’s Habanera from “Carmen,” and a traditional Pandangguhan originally arranged for rondalla by Leopoldo Silas with lyrics by Levi Celerio, and rearranged for orchestra by Josefino “Chino” Toledo, conductor and music director of UPSO. The concert will stay true to the group’s established “online blended” format of mixing archive videos from past performances, and new, remotely recorded works. Catch the premiere of “Distant Dances” along with all previous and upcoming UPSO concerts on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The premiere is set for Friday August 27, 7:00 pm, and will be available for viewing until September 3.        
https://up.edu.ph/across-the-big-ocean-the-up-symphony-orchestra-marks-magellans-journey-around-the-world-through-music/
“Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music – University of the Philippines
“Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music “Across the Big Ocean”: The UP Symphony Orchestra marks Magellan’s journey around the world through music March 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   On March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived on Philippines shores. This year, the world commemorates the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world and the role that the Philippines played in this historic event. In solidarity with the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines and the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman’s Arts and Culture Month celebrations on the same theme, the UP Symphony Orchestra presents “Across the Big Ocean: A Quincentennial Celebration of March Sixteen Fifteen Hundred Twenty-One”. Through music, the official orchestra of the University will trace Magellan’s journey around the world and give their audience the opportunity to lose themselves in another era. Adding to the excitement of the performance are UPSO’s featured guest artists, including renowned performer soprano, Bianca Lopez-Aguila, UP College of Music pianist, Prof. Pia Diño Balasico, and comedian-musician tenor, Itchie Boy Montilla. This is the fourth installment of the orchestra’s ongoing online blended concerts series, which began last October. Their virtual hour-long performances include a mix of archived videos from past performances, and new, remotely recorded works. The series will include two more performances scheduled for release in late May and late July. “Across the Big Ocean” will be streamed on the orchestra’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The premiere is set for Friday March 26, 7pm, and will be available for viewing until March 31st. Be part of this once-in-500-years celebration! See you there!
https://up.edu.ph/lantern-parade-at-up-diliman-goes-for-sea-and-sky/
Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky – University of the Philippines
Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky Lantern Parade at UP Diliman goes for sea and sky December 17, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The winning lantern of the College of Arts and Letters. Photo by Jun Madrid   For six hours and through intermittent rains later in the night, the UP Diliman Lantern Parade, the biggest in the UP System, once again brought the community together for Christmas 2019. It went around the two-kilometer Academic Oval starting at the Oblation Plaza, winding up at the Quezon Hall Amphitheater, and culminating in a grand fire-dancing and fireworks display.   Participants from the UP System Administration. Photo by Jun Madrid   Participants from the UP System Administration. Photo by Jun Madrid   The traditional UP Lantern Parade was held in campus on December 13, 2019 with the theme of inspiring everyone to soar high, “Pumailanlang”, or “to surpass the suffering and difficulties faced by the country”. Lantern contest hall-of-famer College of Fine Arts mounted a show highlighting issues of Philippine seas.   Participants from the UP Diliman administration. Photo by Jun Madrid   Participants from the UP Diliman administration. Photo by Jun Madrid   The College of Arts and Letters emerged as the winner, among 26 “Pumailanlang” entries, with its “flying creative”. Second and third places went to the composite bird and tableau lantern of the College of Social Work and Community Development, and the Philippine Eagle lantern of the College of Science, respectively. The lanterns of the College of Music depicting a hatching egg, and the College of Home Economics depicting a bird of indigenous weaves won honorable mentions.   The lantern of the College of Social Work and Community Development. Photo by Jun Madrid   The lantern of the College of Science. Photo by Jun Madrid   The lantern of the College of Home Economics. Photo by Jun Madrid   The lantern of the College of Music. Photo by Jun Madrid   For the hall-of-famers group, the tentacled lantern depicting corporate greed won from among the College of Fine Arts creations. The “esprit de corps” lantern and coral baby lantern won second and third places, respectively.   Paymayas don UP headbands. Photo by Jun Madrid   Lumad youth follow the union’s float. Photo by Jun Madrid   DZUP station manager and Tropang RadYo host Prof. Jane Vinculado and Trending Na! host Prof. Junel Labor were the masters of ceremony. The UP Concert Chorus, the UP Singing Ambassadors, and the UP Choncords led community singing of carols; and the Legato Performing Arts Group provided a fire-dancing spectacle.   The winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid   A winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid   A winning College of Fine Arts lantern. Photo by Jun Madrid   In his message, Chancellor Michael Tan said the College of Fine Arts choice of presenting Philippine marine issues was appropriate as a tribute to National Scientist and University Professor Emeritus Edgardo Gomez, who passed away recently. Tan reiterated a sub-theme of the celebrations, “liwanag lalo sa panahon ng kadiliman”, and wished the University a 20/20 vision for the future.   Legato performers. Photo by Jun Madrid   Legato performers. Photo by Jun Madrid   UP President Danilo Concepcion enumerated benefits due to qualified UP employees and contractuals for the holidays, which include the 2018 performance-based bonus, service recognition incentive, performance enhancement incentive, and collective negotiation agreement incentive. He also announced the promotion of non-UP contractuals who have served for not less than five years to UP contractuals in the beginning of 2020.   Lantern parades are held in all UP constituent universities, with administrative offices, academic units, organizations, and community groups getting creative on their lanterns and presentations. It began in 1922, inspired by the tradition of folk trekking together in early morning darkness to attend the misa de gallo. Institutionalized by UP President Jorge Bocobo in 1934 “so that students can have a frolicsome activity before the year ends”, it has evolved in different campuses to reflect their people and milieu.
https://up.edu.ph/iconography-homage-to-the-shapers-of-philippine-music/
ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music – University of the Philippines
ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music September 5, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office To commemorate the UP College of Music’s 103rd Founding Anniversary, the UP College of Music and the UP College of Music Alumni Association, Inc. proudly present two shows for its founding month. It will aptly greet the month with ICONOGRAPHY: Homage to the Shapers of Philippine Music on Saturday, September 7, 2019 and close it with KÁROLY, JENÖ AND FRANZ on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. While KÁROLY, JENÖ AND FRANZ feature the enduring chamber music of Takácks, Goldmark and Liszt, ICONOGRAPHY, on the other hand, will promote the musical legacy of National Artists for Music Jose Maceda, Francisco Feliciano, Lucio San Pedro, Andrea Veneracion, Ramon Santos and Ryan Cayabyab. Both shows will promptly start at 7pm and will be held at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium. Since its completion in 1963, the Abelardo Hall Auditorium has become the premier training ground for countless Filipino musicians. A convenient venue for recitals, concerts, theater and dance performances flawlessly executed by students, faculty and alumni, the Abelardo Hall Auditorium has also provided a perfect setting for numerous symposia, workshops, masterclasses, and seminars handily facilitated by acknowledged experts in the field of music and dance. Now on its second year, the Abelardo Hall Concert Series envisions the Abelardo Hall Auditorium as a center of culture not just for the university, but for the larger community. Season 2 comprises of six (6) monthly concerts that showcase the diversity of talents in various areas of music specialization. The lineup is a mix of genres and styles that is truly the mark of UP. See poster for ticket prices and details.     Follow the Abelardo Hall Concert Series on Facebook for updates.
https://up.edu.ph/upso-celebrates-the-start-of-a-new-academic-year-with-simula-handog-sa-mag-aaral/
UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” – University of the Philippines
UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” UPSO celebrates the start of a new academic year with “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” September 23, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Mixed emotions mark the beginning of each academic year—excitement, anxiety, hope, and joy. A new year of remote and blended learning is no different. The UP Manila Classical Ensemble. The University of the Philippines’ (UP) official system-wide orchestra, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO), will take all of these emotions and transform them into a musical journey for audiences in their next online concert “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral.” In this celebration dedicated to UP students, UPSO performs with students from three different UP campuses. Hailing from UP Los Baños, Harmonya is a string ensemble composed of students from all the different colleges of UPLB. They are dedicated to the ardent pursuit of excellence in music and explore all classical and contemporary genres. UPSO will also be joined by the UP Manila Classical Ensemble. Throughout its seven-year existence, the organization has mounted numerous concerts, charity events, and learning workshops that aim to harness the musical talents of UP Manila students. The Ensemble takes pride in its members’ diverse backgrounds, welcoming musicians and non-performers from various majors of the UP Manila, the country’s Health Sciences Center. Also performing in the concert are two incoming sophomore students from the UP College of Music. Soprano Christy Lagapa is pursuing a degree in Voice Performance under the tutelage of Prof. Katherine Molina and last 2017, was a semi-finalist of The Voice Teens Philippines competition. Baritone Nathan Mangune is currently a trainee of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and is completing his own Voice Performance degree under Prof. Ma. Cecilia Valena.     The concert program includes Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite, Lucio San Pedro’s Jubilate March, Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 4, Christine Muyco’s Passage to Kublo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Non Piu Andrai from the Marriage of Figaro, and Cesar Franck’s Panis Angelicus. Read and learn more about the program and guest artists on the souvenir program. “Simula: Handog sa Mag-aaral” will premiere on September 24, 2021 at 7:00 pm on the UPSO’s Facebook Page and YouTube channel, free of charge. Invite your family and friends to the performance as we kick off the school year together! Mga Iskolar ng Bayan, mula sa UPSO, welcome to UP!    
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-ay-2021-2022-hopes-for-blended-learning-in-2nd-sem/
UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem – University of the Philippines
UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem UP opens AY 2021-2022, hopes for blended learning in 2nd sem September 22, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Clockwise from top left: UP President Danilo Concepcion, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, UP Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Office of Student Affairs Director Richard Gonzalo, and Student Regent Renee Louise Co Screenshots from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO The University of the Philippines (UP) hopes for a blended learning environment for its students in the second semester of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022. This, as it formally opened the school year on September 16 with an online welcome assembly. The norm for the first semester and trimester is still remote teaching and learning. Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista clarified that does not mean purely online. Instead, it is a mix of online and other remote means of delivering education, such as course packs in flash drives or printed form. The uncertainties of the pandemic—health protocols, changing restrictions, and vaccination rollout—could tip the scales of UP education in one of two ways going into the second semester or trimester. Either the University remains in remote mode or goes into blended mode, where limited face-to-face classes complement digital, not necessarily online, teaching and learning. The Student Affairs System (SAS) continues to deliver student support services. In his presentation, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Office of Student Affairs Director Richard Gonzalo enumerated the three primary considerations in the remote delivery of services: the home as the immediate learning environment, the digital divide, and mental health concerns.   Current UP students talk about their experiences in remote learning. Screenshots from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO   These realities guide the implementation of SAS’ four umbrella initiatives: Student Financial Assistance, Student Learning Assistance, Mental Health Promotion, and Student Activities and Organizations. In his message to new and returning UP students, President Danilo Concepcion reiterated the University’s continued commitment to do all possible to help its students. He also enjoined everyone to unite as one community in navigating UP’s journey into the next normal—not a return to pre-pandemic UP life, but not just an extension of current UP life. Student Regent Renee Louise Co closed the program by urging her fellow Iskolar ng Bayan to fight for medical solutions, the safe reopening of classes, employment and livelihood, and human rights and national sovereignty. She also asked them to register and vote in the upcoming national elections.   Professor Janet Aracama (middle) conducts the UP Concert Chorus performance in the online program. Screenshot from event livestream taken by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO   View the recorded UP Systemwide opening of AY 2021-2022 here. Read the academic policies for the first semester/trimester of AY 2021-2022 here. To avail of Student Learning Assistance, visit https://slasonline.up.edu.ph/. You may click on the “SFA Helpdesk” link on the SLAS website for contact information of specific constituent universities or campuses.  
https://up.edu.ph/aurea-carmina-the-up-cherubim-and-seraphim-at-50/
Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 – University of the Philippines
Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 Aurea Carmina: The UP Cherubim and Seraphim at 50 September 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Four decades of UPCS sing together at the group’s 45th anniversary concert in Abelardo Hall. Photo from the UPCS.   The UP Cherubim and Seraphim (UPCS), official children’s choir of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, is celebrating 50 years of joyful singing with a virtual concert, “Aurea Carmina” (Golden Songs), to be premiered on its official Facebook page @UP Cherubim & Seraphim on September 25, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. Founded in 1971 by Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera of the UP College of Music, the group has championed the development of a unique Filipino repertoire for children by regularly commissioning new works, drawing on this archive, and sharing this repertoire with children all over the country. The golden anniversary concert will feature songs by Lucio San Pedro (“Sa Mahal Kong Bayan”), Felipe Padilla de Leon (“Maligayang Bati”), Eudenice Palaruan (“Sa Dakong Sikatan”), Joey Ayala (“Manong Pawikan”), and Ryan Cayabyab (“Nais Ko” and “Bata ang Bukas”) in fresh new choral arrangements by Krina Cayabyab, Nhick Pacis, Phoebe Roa Pacleb and UPCS alumna, Annie Roque-Nepomuceno. The choir consists of 28 talented young artists ranging in age from 7-16 and drawn from the UP Integrated School and other institutions from the communities surrounding UP, the national University. It is currently led by Elena Rivera Mirano (Director Emeritus) and Alyssa Liyana Dioquino (Associate Conductor), with Celinda Guevarra and Michelle Nicolasora as pianists. They will be joined by five decades of singers coming from the ranks of the group’s alumni. Special guest performers include Joey Ayala, Ryan Cayabyab, Lynn Sherman (also an alumna of the group), Solinda Bautista, Vikoy Bautista, Felicitas Cabildo, Luisa Dioquino, Phoebe Roa Pacleb, and Robin Rivera, instrumentalists. The concert is brought to you through the generous sponsorship of the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA). Visit the UP Cherubim and Seraphim’s official website for more information. The pioneer batch of the UP Cherubim & Seraphim with founder, Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera, at Rizal Park (1974). Photo from the UPCS.   The first batch of the UP Cherubim and Seraphim, with founder Prof. Flora Zarco Rivera, returning from the group’s first Southeast Asian tour in 1978. Photo from the UPCS.   The group poses in front of the Oblation in the 1980s, a tradition for official groups of UP Diliman. Photo from the UPCS.  
https://up.edu.ph/up-celebrates-the-holidays-as-one-community-with-a-concert-featuring-the-upso-up-choruses/
UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses – University of the Philippines
UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses UP celebrates the holidays as one community with a concert featuring the UPSO, UP choruses December 21, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office ‘Tis the season to be jolly—as one community together! In a concert that unites all eight constituent units (CUs) in the University of the Philippines (UP) System, the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) presents “Tanging Araw Nating Pinakamimithi,” premiering on Wednesday, 12.22.21 at 7 pm. Since its official launch in 2018, the UPSO has hosted free annual Christmas concerts for the UP community. These concerts have always been a time to feature and celebrate performing groups in various UP campuses but were typically only accessible to those who could travel to the Diliman campus in Quezon City. In 2020, however, after shifting to online, blended performances, the orchestra expanded its reach and included the UP community throughout the entire country in their celebrations. The UP Manila Chorale is only one of the many choruses across the UP System to perform in the UPSO’s 2021 Christmas concert. Photo from the UPSO.   This year, the orchestra will perform with the UP Madrigal Singers, the UP Concert Chorus, the UP Dance Company, and the UP Engineering Choir from the Diliman campus; the UP Los Baños Choral Ensemble from the Los Baños campus; the UP Manila Chorale and UP MedChoir from the Manila campus; the UP Serenata from UP Cebu; the UP High School in Iloilo Harana Choir of the UP Visayas campus; and the UP Mindanao Koro Kantahanay. The campus participants are UP Baguio Chancellor Corazon L. Abansi; UP Open University Chancellor Melinda dP. Bandalaria; UP Los Baños Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr.; UP Visayas Chancellor Clement C. Camposano; and UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. If you are curious about what these leaders of our campuses and the UP System will be doing, you will have to watch the concert to find out. For the first time in its history, the orchestra is proud to feature every UP constituent unit together in one concert—arguably the first show featuring performances from all campuses across the UP System. The Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla. Photo from the UPSO.   But wait, there’s more! This holiday concert will feature not one but two symphony groups! Joining the UPSO on the virtual stage is the Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla. A result of more than 15 years of international rondalla festivals in the country, the Kuwerdas Filipinas Symphonic Rondalla was set to launch in 2020 when all plans were put on a halt by the pandemic. Times have been challenging and may continue to be so, but if we stand together and have some fun while doing it, this “new” normal will soon transition into a “better” normal. “Tanging Araw Nating Pinakamimithi” premieres on the palindromic 12.22.21 at 7 pm on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.    
https://up.edu.ph/co-begins-term-as-38th-up-student-regent/
Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent – University of the Philippines
Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent January 21, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu New UP Student Regent Renee Louise Co. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UPMPRO.   Renee Louise Co, a University of the Philippines College of Law student, took her oath of office as the 38th Student Regent (SR) on 20 January 2021 in the Board of Regents (BOR) room at Quezon Hall in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The ceremony was officiated by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and was witnessed by Co’s father and sisters, outgoing SR Isaac Punzalan, the staff of the office of the Secretary of the University, and student journalists. As a member of the BOR, the SR aims to uphold and defend students’ rights, represent the students’ collective stand in governance and policy-making in the University, and maintain linkages with students in every UP campus. Earlier this month, Co was selected by the 50th General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC), a body composed of all student councils of the UP System, from a roster of nominees that included Siegfred Severino and Francesca Adrienne Kapunan. The selection process went through deliberations in college-wide, university-wide, and system-wide stages. Co earned a BA Political Science degree from the UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, served as the editor of the CSSP student publication, is the chairperson of Kabataan Partylist – UP Diliman and the co-convenor of UP Rises Against Tyranny and Dictatorship (UPRISE).  
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-confer-honorary-degree-on-former-justice-antonio-carpio/
UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio – University of the Philippines
UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio UP to confer honorary degree on former Justice Antonio Carpio December 3, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The University of the Philippines (UP) will hold a ceremony to confer a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, degree upon UP College of Law alumnus and retired Justice of the Supreme Court Hon. Antonio T. Carpio on 10 December 2020, Thursday, at 4:00 p.m. The ceremony will be held at Malcolm Hall, College of Law, UP Diliman, with a limited number of seats for invited guests in compliance with IATF policies. The ceremony will also be live streamed on TVUP’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/TVUPph. A special video presentation will follow. Justice Carpio was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 26, 2001, and served honorably until his retirement in 2019. The degree of Doctor of Laws, which the University will be conferring upon Justice Carpio, is the highest academic recognition of an individual’s contributions to the advancement of a field in a particular discipline through one’s extraordinary accomplishments.
https://up.edu.ph/up-alum-ca-justice-jhosep-lopez-moves-to-highest-ph-court/
UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court – University of the Philippines
UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court UP alum CA Justice Jhosep Lopez moves to highest PH court January 28, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Photo from SC Public Information Office   Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Jhosep Ylarde Lopez was appointed to the Supreme Court (SC) by President Rodrigo Duterte on January 25, following the early retirement of SC Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla in November last year. He was sworn in as the 190th SC Associate Justice by SC Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta on January 26 at the En Banc Session Hall. CA Presiding Justice Remedios A. Salazar-Fernando was also at the oath-taking ceremony. Lopez graduated cum laude in 1983 with an AB Political Science degree from the then UP College of Arts and Sciences. He worked as a research assistant at the then newly-established UP Law Center Institute of Judicial Administration (now Institute for the Administration of Justice) while he pursued his Law degree at the UP College of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Laws in 1988. He took his Masters degree in Public Governance at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), graduating in 2006. He was appointed as CA Associate Justice in May 2012 and would have marked nine years as such this year. Prior to his stint in the CA, Lopez was Manila City Prosecutor from 2006 to 2012. He was elected councilor of Manila’s 3rd District for four terms, from 1992 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2006. In his first two terms, he was the chief legal consultant of then Mayor Lito Atienza. From 1993 to 2006, he was a partner at the Lopez Rasul Maliwanag Baybay Palaran Law Offices. He was chief legal counsel of the Philippine Senate for a year before he ran for public office. And prior to the Senate, Lopez was chief legal officer of UP-Philippine General Hospital. This, after serving as UP Diliman legal counsel at the Office of Legal Affairs, where he began his career in public service and the legal profession after passing the Bar Examinations in 1989. Lopez is also an educator. He is a senior lecturer at the UP College of Law. He also teaches at PLM College of Law and New Era University College of Law. He is expected to serve as SC Associate Justice until his mandatory retirement on 08 February 2033, his 70th birthday.
https://up.edu.ph/former-up-law-dean-and-international-law-luminary-merlin-magallona-passes-on/
Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on – University of the Philippines
Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on Former UP Law dean and international law luminary Merlin Magallona passes on January 2, 2022 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Former UP College of Law Dean Merlin M. Magallona. UP Media and Public Relations Office file photo. A “Filipino luminary in the field of international law,” “a pillar of the Philippines’ international legal academy,” and “one of the best Supreme Court justices we, unfortunately, did not have,” not to mention “one of the staunchest legal defenders of our country’s territorial sovereignty.” These are only some of the accolades from colleagues, former students, and friends to Prof. Merlin M. Magallona, University of the Philippines (UP) Professor of International Law and former Dean of the UP College of Law. Dean Magallona passed away on the evening of January 1. He was 87. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from the UP College of Law. He spent decades teaching international law to generations of UP Law students, who have since become renowned scholars and leading practitioners of international law themselves. He served as Dean of the UP College of Law from 1995 to 1999, as Associate Dean from 1991 to 1995, and as Director of the UP Law Center’s Institute of International Legal Studies from 2000 to 2001. He was a participant in the Tokyo External Session of The Hague Academy in 1968 and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University in 1969. In 1994, he was Visiting Research Fellow at the Graduate School of International Development of Nagoya University in 1994. In 1999, the Judicial and Bar Council nominated Dean Magallona for the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He was chair of the Department of International and Human Rights Law of the Academic Council of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) of the Supreme Court. He is also a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the Permanent Court of Arbitrators. In 2001, he was appointed an Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, which he served until his resignation in July 2002. He served as a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Legal Education from 1999 to 2003. Twice, he served as counsel for the Republic of the Philippines in the oral arguments before the International Court of Justice. First, he handled the case of Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons (Advisory Opinion, 1995), and second, the case Concerning Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan (Indonesia v. Malaysia), in which the Philippines intervened in 2001. Dean Magallona was a member of the Expert Group on the Legal Aspects of the New International Economic Order established by the UN Institute on Training and Research in 1992, and also listed as an Expert in Human Rights of the UN Human Rights Commission. From 1999 to 2000, he served as a member of the arbitral tribunal of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France. In 2002, he represented the Philippines in the Working Group of the UN Diplomatic Conference on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in Rome in 1998. He headed the Philippine Delegation to the meeting of the ICC Preparatory Committee in 2002. In 2004, the Supreme Court appointed him as an amicus curie in the controversial Fernando Poe citizenship case. He was part of the organizing committee and the Executive Council of the Asian Society of International Law (AsianSIL) in 2004 and is a member of the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and the International Honor Society for the Social Sciences, Pi Gamma Mu. Dean Magallona was a prolific author of books, papers, and publications on international law. His published book-length works include Globalization and Sovereignty: The Republic in Crisis (2017); Legal Education: The Search for its Strategic Center in Filipino Cultural Development (2016); The Philippines in the International Law of the Sea (2015); Philippine Constitution and International Law (2013); Dictionary of Contemporary International Law (2011); Supreme Court and International Law: Problems and Approaches in International Law (UP Law Center, 2010); Fundamentals of Public International Law (2005); A Primer on the Relation of Philippine Law and International Law (2000); International Issues in Philippine Perspective (1998); A Primer on the Law of the Sea (1997); A Primer on the Law of Treaties (1997); Japan in the New State of World Capitalism: Problems in Law and Development in Philippine-Japanese Relations (1995); and The Dismantling of the Philippine State (1994). He often served as a resource person for issues such as constitutionality of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. He was renowned for his advocacy in upholding the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty against the incursions of foreign powers such as China. In the landmark case, Magallona vs. the Executive Secretary 2011, Dean Magallona, Akybayan Party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, Prof. Harry C. Roque Jr., and UP College of Law students as petitioners, took on then Executive Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, and other executive officials of the national government questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 9522, or “An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines.” Then Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio penned the unanimous decision in Magallona v. Executive Secretary upholding the amendment to the country’s archipelagic baselines to conform to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He shared in an opinion article published in Rappler on December 12, 2020. “This case opened my eyes—that we could defend and preserve our sovereign rights in the WPS through the Rule of Law by questioning before an UNCLOS tribunal the validity of China’s historic claim under its nine-dash line. We had, however, to first put our house in order by bringing our archipelagic baselines into conformity with UNCLOS so that we could go to an UNCLOS tribunal with clean hands.” Dean Merlin Magallona’s legacy lives on in his former students, colleagues, and fellow advocates for nationalistic international law, who continue the fight to protect and preserve Philippine sovereignty in the global arena.
https://up.edu.ph/philsa-upd-dost-asti-aim-to-launch-biggest-ph-satellite-in-2023/
PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 – University of the Philippines
PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 PhilSA, UPD, DOST-ASTI aim to launch biggest PH satellite in 2023 June 21, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu 3D render of the MULA satellite. Image courtesy of SSTL, from the STAMINA4Space Program website   The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) aims to complete and launch into space the country’s biggest, 130-kilograms, commercial-grade satellite by 2023. Dubbed as the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment, or MULA, this Earth Observation satellite will be used in capturing operational-quality-images of approximately 100,000 km2 of land area daily as part of government’s information gathering on the country’s natural resources. According to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, the MULA project is being developed by the DOST-funded Advanced Satellite and Know-how Transfer for the Philippines (ASP) Project, and is being implemented by the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI), in coordination with the PhilSA. The satellite is being designed and manufactured together with British company Surrey Space Technology Ltd (SSTL). MULA’s TrueColour camera can capture high resolution images needed for disaster management, land use and land cover change mapping, crop monitoring, and forestry management. The satellite will also be equipped with the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for ship and aircraft detection and tracking. “Equipped with the acquired technical know-how and capabilities through our experiences in building DIWATA and MAYA satellites, we are now moving forward with our first operational and industrial quality satellite aimed towards providing a wide range of socio-economic benefits for the country,” said PhilSA Deputy Director-General and ASP Project Leader, Dr. Gay Jane Perez, who is also Associate Professor of and Deputy Director for Research and Extension of the UP Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology. “With its capability to capture higher resolution images, we will be able to better monitor terrestrial ecosystems, as well as our land and marine resources to ensure both agricultural productivity and environmental integrity. We will also be able to assess environmental conditions to be more proactive in disaster management and mitigation,” she added. Dr. Perez said further that while MULA will be the first of the country’s next generation satellites, the project helps Filipinos develop expertise in space science and technologies that cater to the needs of our nation. Since December 2020, more than 30 Filipino engineers have remotely attended a small satellite system design course conducted by SSTL, while nine of them are undergoing full immersion for the design and manufacture process in the UK. Engr. John Leur Labrador, MULA Project Manager and Electronics and Communications Engineering cum laude graduate from UP, added that the spacecraft can be imagined as “a Filipino astronaut tasked to take images of our natural resources while monitoring aircraft and ship activity in our country.” “We use the satellites to generate images and other data to support evidence-based policies for better governance, leading to productive communities and inclusive development. This is in line with PhilSA’s mission of value addition and creation from space that supports societal benefit and economic development,” concluded Dr. Joel Marciano, Jr., PhilSA Director-General, who is also a faculty member of the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute. The Philippine Space Agency was established on August 8, 2019, when Republic Act 11363 or the “Philippine Space Act” was signed into law. PhilSA builds on the foundation created by the development, launch, and operation of Earth Observation microsatellites Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, and CubeSats Maya-1, Maya-2 and the upcoming Maya satellites under STAMINA4Space (formerly “The Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite” or “PHL-Microsat” Program), together with Japanese university partners.
https://up.edu.ph/up-cicc-to-launch-professional-course-on-digital-governance-and-cybersecurity-for-govt-officials/
UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials – University of the Philippines
UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials UP, CICC to launch professional course on digital governance and cybersecurity for gov’t officials March 5, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta   With people’s lives, communications and business and personal transactions moving increasingly online, cybersecurity has become a necessity, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns keeping most people indoors and dependent on the Internet and technology. The University of the Philippines, through the UP Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (UP-CIFAL), the UP College of Law and the UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga, has partnered with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) under the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), to offer a Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity. The virtual launch of the new professional course will be held on Tuesday, 9 March 2021, at 9:30 a.m. The Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity was created through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between UP and the CICC on 13 October 2020. Under the MOA, the three UP institutions and the CICC collaborated on creating a professional course to strengthen the capacity of key leaders and personnel of the CICC. The course offers a universal framework to address the emerging concerns of 21st century governance and cybersecurity, which are manifested at global, national and local levels. The course aims to provide learners with: an appreciation and understanding of modern information and system technology; the complex domains of cybersecurity; and, the methods and approaches of various sectors, namely, government, private sector, and civil society in addressing cyber risks and challenges. It is designed to equip learners with knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges of cybercrime, which is imperative to guarantee and protect the rule of law, the right of the individual, sectors, and states, and to promote justice and robust institutions anchored on responsible freedom and sustainability. The Professional Course on Digital Governance and Cybersecurity will be initially offered to select government officials, and cascaded later on to other agencies, including local government units. It will be delivered through modules, and under each module are topics on various themes and issues, with: Module 1 focusing on “Philippine Governance in the Cyber Age”; Module 2, on “Digitization, Digitalization, and Digital Transformation: Whole Ecosystem Approach”; Module 3, on “Key Issues in Cybersecurity: The Philippine Context”; Module 4, on “Cybersecurity as Transnational Concern”; Module 5, on “Promoting the Rule of Law, Justice and Strong Institutions”; and, Module 6, on “Case Analysis and Solution-Seeking Measures or Policies”. Register for the virtual launch of the new professional course here: https://tinyurl.com/CybersecurityCourseLaunching
https://up.edu.ph/making-it-in-the-marketplace/
Making it in the marketplace – University of the Philippines
Making it in the marketplace Making it in the marketplace May 3, 2018 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta In that most technical of colleges in UP Diliman, the College of Engineering, is an advanced course with a different flavor. The course is a fusion—part technology and innovation class, part crash course in marketing and business, and part personality and motivational workshop. However, unlike a traditional thesis course in Engineering that would result in a technology prototype, or a traditional entrepreneurship course in Business Administration that would produce a business plan, students here have to hurdle a real-life challenge in the world of industry: to successfully pitch a tech-business venture to a panel of Filipino and foreign industry leaders, technopreneurs, and potential capital investors. In short, students would have to prove that they and their venture have what it takes to make it in the marketplace. The course was designed, improved and facilitated by a UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering professor and the director of the UP Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, Dr. Luis G. Sison based on his MS-level course IE 298. With the course title, “Higher Education Institutional Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship” (HIRIT), it aims to help students accelerate technology translation and startup formation by teaching the basic tools and skills for identifying and pursuing market opportunities, and by giving students the chance to network with technopreneurs, investors, and industry partners. In December 2015, HIRIT won for Sison the UP Gawad Pangulo for Progressive Teaching and Learning. A year later, it won two silver medals for the Asia category and for the Teaching Delivery category in the third Reimagine Education Awards, a global competition for transformative initiatives across the educational sector.   Dr. Luis Sison at his technopreneurship class at the UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute. (Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO)   R&D with economic impact The course had its start in the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT), a consortium of eight universities that offers masters and doctoral degrees in various engineering fields. “When the consortium was formed, there were concerns about the government making a lot of investments in R&D, and those investments not being translated into economic impact,” Sison recalls. “So they required all ERDT scholars to take a technopreneurship class.” In 2009-2010, Visiting Professor Matthew Bristow handled the new course, which first-year ERDT scholars took during the summer term. The next year, Prof. Bristow was joined by Sison and fellow UP Engineering professor, Nestor Rañeses. The year after that, Sison and another UP faculty member took over the course.   Growth mindset and deliberate practice The drive behind the evolution of the course can be seen in its introduction, which you can watch on the UP OVPAA YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HS68IRj3TM&t=261s). In it, Sison lays down the basic principles of the course, which feature some distinctly non-engineering concepts. Dr. Sison lays down one of the ground rules in the technopreneurship introductory lecture video : “Everyone here in the class has to participate. There is no such thing as an observer in this class. You’re here, you join a team, you pitch a venture, you work on your venture.” Yes, even sit-in students who are not technically enrolled.   The first principle is that of the “growth mindset” as opposed to the “fixed mindset.” These terms were coined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. With a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are fixed traits. They believe that talent alone, without effort, creates success. On the other hand, with a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. According to Dweck, the most successful and motivated people are those who have a growth mindset. The other principle is that of deliberate practice, referring to a special type of practice that is purposeful and systematic. In his video, Sison breaks down the components of deliberate practice into: 1) setting increasingly harder goals for yourself; 2) recognizing that it takes hard work; and, 3) learning from a coach or mentor and seeking and responding to continuous feedback. Product-market fit Students’ performance in the technopreneurship class is measured by how well they perform on the last and most critical day: demo day. That is, how well their pitches are received by the panelists, and how well they are able to respond to the panelists’ questions. The panelists then rate the ventures with a “yes”, “no” or “maybe”, and the teams are awarded points based on that. The end-goal is for students to get market validation, or what is called product-market fit, for their venture. “Does your product address a solution that the end-users, the customers, are willing to pay for? That is the goal, and students are allowed to iterate both the technology, the business model, and even the target market until they’ve achieved that goal,” explains Sison. The class is divided into teams, and throughout the semester, the teams go through at least four cycles of this iteration. “One rule is that you’re allowed to pivot as many times as necessary until you find product-market fit,” Sison points out. Students are allowed to change their products and ventures in response to market feedback, as long as they make it to demo day. In fact, the only thing not allowed is not trying. After all, the world of innovation is one of risk-taking, of testing idea after idea, and of recognizing that every failure is a chance to learn.   Practicing what we preach This same mindset, according to Sison, has powered the evolution of the technopreneurship course over the years. “We have to practice what we preach. That means being open to feedback, reacting on that feedback, and taking it seriously instead of personally.” This feedback came from the panelists’ responses and how many venture teams scored a “yes” or a “maybe” from the panelists after demo day. “At the beginning, it really sucked,” Sison admits. “We got a lot of nos and just a few maybes. It was a real-world test. It’s hard validation for the course, not just academic evaluation.” The work the students do pays off not just in a passing grade, but in the form of actual startups and business ventures. As of 2016, notable class ventures have earned a total of over P170 million in public and private funding. These include those funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), namely,Tanglaw, SmartSurface, HeartSmart and Jolt, the latter two co-funded through the UK Newton Fund Leaders in Innovation fellowship. One, HeLe, is funded by the Philippine California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) and has the Philippine National Ear Institute as clinical collaborator. Others are in various stages of pilot testing and pilot requests.   Dr. Luis G. Sison has compiled his lessons and processes from the technopreneurship course in a workbook, “Tech to Go: A Student’s Guide to Bringing Technology to the Market,” which will soon hit the shelves.   Continuous evolution After its Reimagine Education Awards win, the course has since been adopted by the DOST as a program to support the development of other incubators, with UP supplying the DOST with the training content and processes. The course is also set to expand as part of a project by the Commission on Higher Education involving a core of 10 universities. “We’re training other faculty in the process, not just in UP but also in other universities,” says Sison. “We were chosen as one of the five of the first batch of innovation hubs around the country, and we’re the lead for the NCR. So our engagement is nationwide.” Dr. Luis G. Sison has compiled his lessons and processes from the technopreneurship course in a workbook, Tech to Go: A Student’s Guide to Bringing Technology to the Market, which will soon hit the shelves.  
https://up.edu.ph/nih-anniversary-highlights-innovative-research-products-and-solutions/
NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions – University of the Philippines
NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions NIH anniversary highlights innovative research, products and solutions March 1, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Participants from various educational and research institutions, government agencies, corporations and organizations attend the 21st anniversary scientific conference of the National Institutes of Health-UP Manila on February 28, 2019. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   The 21st anniversary conference of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila), held in partnership with the UP Manila Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO), focused on the objective of turning health research into innovative products, policies and solutions for the benefit of society. It was held on February 28 at the Bayanihan Center, UNILAB Inc. complex, Pasig City. Keynote and plenary speakers during the day-long scientific conference discussed the many processes, factors, lessons and examples concerning the theme, “Lab to Life: Translating Health Research for Filipinos”. Their presentations encouraged meaningful collaboration among research institutions and study groups from various disciplines, government agencies and corporations in order to impact national policies, protect intellectual properties of researchers and institutions, improve existing products and services, and promote advancements or new solutions that are commercially viable through innovations in research and technology transfer. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla urged the participants to keep translating research into life-saving policies, devices, or products, given the many challenges faced, especially in the field of health. Noticing that the top diseases in the country have been the same for more than six decades, she said that closer partnerships with corporations and entrepreneurs, as well as related government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), are needed.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion congratulates the NIH and encourages its researchers to aim for a nomination to the Nobel Prize. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   (L-R) Dr. Catherine Lynn T. Silao, the overall chairperson of the NIH 21st Anniversary Organizing Committee; NIH Executive Director Eva Maria Cutiongco-de La Paz; UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; and, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion assured the NIH of his administration’s full support, adding that a more vibrant and interdisciplinary collaboration between industry, academe, government and UP alumni around the world would yield more and better research output that can immediately be utilized to solve the woes of Filipinos. He said UP alumni, especially those who had become research chiefs abroad, could provide the country with the needed assistance and expertise. He also encouraged the NIH, with the help of partner government agencies, to aim for a Nobel Prize nomination.   Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, Undersecretary for Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara delivered the keynote message at the event. She discussed the current state of Filipino health science research and innovation, the National Unified Health Research Agenda 2017-2022, and the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda 2017-2022 as pathways leading to the realization of a decent and comfortable life for every Filipino in the future. One of the main points she raised was the focusing of the efforts of Research and Development to have social and economic impact to improve the people’s quality of life. These include managing research initiatives and logistics for: diagnostics, drug discovery and development, functional foods, nutrition and food safety, hospital equipment and biomedical devices, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, information and communication technology, and molecular technologies for health.   Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   The officials then proceeded to the Bayanihan lobby for the ceremonial opening of the poster exhibits. Plenary discussions on translational research and technology transfer by Dr. David Simmons, a counsellor from the World Intellectual Property Organization, and Carmen G. Peralta, a consultant from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, followed. The panel discussions held in the afternoon featured thematic lectures to further educate and inspire the participants of the  day-long conference. The first panel discussion was by: Dr. Nilo T. Bugtai, head of the Biomedical Devices Innovation and e-Health Research Group of the De La Salle University (DLSU); Michael Jorge N. Peralta of the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of the University of Santo Tomas (UST); and, Ace C. Acosta, commercialisation manager of Slipstream Commercialisation and Innovation Liberation Front. Their presentations explained key factors and processes in the creation of socially beneficial ideas and inventions. The second set of panelists talked about the importance of partnerships with industry experts in developing, optimizing and marketing products. Sharing the lessons they learned from working together with representatives from the health industry and the academe were: Jose Maria Ochave, senior vice president for the Business Development Group of United Laboratories and president of Ritemed Philippines; Prof. Bienvenido S. Balotro of the Department of Industrial Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, UP Manila; and, Dr. Lorraine Hermosura-Faeldon, chief medical officer and co-founder of Valea Health. Patricia San Jose, technology transfer officer of TTBDO UP Manila, and Jerry G. Ligaya, director of the Technology Licensing Office of the Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), emphasized protecting patents and intellectual property rights first before publishing research output. The next set of panelists, made up of: Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, executive director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD)-DOST; Jasper P. Araña, technology transfer officer of the Innovation and Technology Support Office of Adamson University; Gia Santos, CEO and co-founder of Valea Health; and, Dr. Erna C. Arollado, director of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of NIH, presented some of the biomedical technologies, products and innovations their institutions were developing for the public. Among these are: researches on surgical robotics, advanced medical tools, Internet of Medical Things (IOMT), behavioral change technology, drug delivery, and herbal and non-invasive treatments for diseases. Many of these were also exhibited as the subjects of research abstracts and teaser posters at the lobby. The fifth and last panel discussion provided participants with inspiration and examples for creating or developing enabling environments for innovative works. Maria Christina L. Ibañez, Innovation Resource manager of the Miriam Innovation Center, presented how her college prepares their students, from basic to higher education levels, to excel in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Dr. Ricardo DT Quintos II, a professor at the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, UP Manila, encouraged the public to create a culture of innovation, to look for better ways of doing tasks or helping people, and for the University to become capable of managing the intellectual capital being generated through continuous research and development.  Dr. Gonzalo Serafica, a DOST balik-scientist, Science and Technology Ecosystem Builder, and a consultant of UP, DLSU, and USAID STRIDE (United States Agency for International Development-Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development program), shared lessons gained from his experiences as a scientist and entrepreneur. He also discussed how research is successfully translated and commercialized for the benefit of society.
https://up.edu.ph/infographic-tips-for-upcat-2020-examinees/
[INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees – University of the Philippines
[INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees [INFOGRAPHIC] Tips for UPCAT 2020 examinees October 3, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office What is UPCAT? UPCAT stands for University of the Philippines College Admission Test, a way of gaining admission into the baccalaureate programs of UP. This year it will be administered on October 5 and 6 in testing centers across the country. This year’s exam is called UPCAT 2020 because it is for admission into Academic Year 2020-2021. Last year, there were a total of 140,593 applicants for UPCAT 2019, though only 101,134 were eligible. Out of the eligible applicants, 90,408 took the exams. Thirteen percent or 11,821 were qualified for admission.   Taking the UPCAT Text by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo and inforgraphic design by Peter Drapeza, UP Media and Public Relations Office. Source: UP Office of Admissions website   1. Check your test permit. Make sure you have filled in all data required. Read and follow the instructions given by the Office of Admissions. 2. Visit your testing hall in advance so you get there easier when UPCAT day comes. Avoid the frantic search. You don’t want to waste time and end up being late for the test even if you arrived early. For those who will take the test in UP Diliman, you were given maps and you can check out https://upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/UPD-Map-2018.pdf to get more info. 3. Prepare the things that you should bring for the exam. a. Bring your test permit with UP dry seal, complete information, and signature. b. Bring and submit documents required of you. The UP Office of Admissions marks these as deficiencies on your test permit. Keep these documents ready and when asked, submit them. c. Bring good quality pencils—not too light but not too dark. No part of the test will ever require you to use any other kind of writing instrument. No pens of any kind. Just good quality pencils. d. Bring a snack and drink. You can eat at any time during the test because there are no breaks. But please don’t bring something that might soil the test materials and food so odorous or noisy to unwrap that it distracts your fellow examinees. e. Be ready with a jacket or sweater in case it gets cold. f. Don’t bring scratch paper. We’ll provide this for you. The scratch paper we issue is the only paper you must use. You can always ask for additional sheets, so there’s really no need for you to bring scratch paper. 4. Condition yourself to be calm and focused. Make sure you get a good night’s rest and a proper, but not heavy, meal before the exam. Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight or may cause discomfort. If you feel anxious, take slow, deep breaths to relax. 5. Be early. Arrive at your testing hall before 6:30 AM for the morning session and before 12:00 NN for the afternoon session. 6. You are not allowed to use mobile phones, cameras, nor calculating devices during the test. Put your mobile phones on silent mode, with the vibration function turned off. These are self-explanatory. 7. Understand and follow instructions. Read carefully before answering. You can ask examiners or proctors only to clarify instructions and not about any test item you don’t understand. You can also inform them of irregularities like missing or duplicate items or pages in the test booklet. Make sure you’re filling out the answer sheet correctly and completely. Check to see if you’ve written all needed data and shaded the right ovals properly. Take note of skipped items and go back to them when you still have time. 8. Finally, don’t cheat. Don’t even try. Don’t even think about it. Unless you want to say goodbye to the UPCAT and the chance to be admitted to UP.   UPCAT Results Check the UPCAT website for announcements on the availability of UPCAT results by April 2020. You will need the same email account that you used for application to view your application results. If you qualify for admission to UP, register according to the instructions provided by the college or unit to which you have been accepted.
https://up.edu.ph/in-memoriam-august-2017/
IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 – University of the Philippines
IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 IN MEMORIAM: August 2017 August 22, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Our In Memoriam page carries details of faculty, staff and others affiliated with the university for whom we have received obituaries. Please contact us via web.mpro@up.edu.ph if you have information you would like to be featured.   The University regrets to announce the deaths of the following members of the UP community: ANANIAS B. AURELIO Retired UP Assistant Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents Ananias B. Aurelio has passed away. Long before computers and search engines, Mr. Aurelio remembered significant dates, policies, personalities and landmarks in the university. He is the father of UP Journalism alumna Julie M. Aurelio of The Philippine Daily Inquirer.   ROGER D. POSADAS Former UP Diliman Chancellor Roger D. Posadas earned his BS Physics degree from UP Diliman in 1964, and his PhD in Relativity Physics from the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) in 1970. Dr. Posadas was UP Diliman Chancellor from 1993 to 1996. Previously, he was UPD College of Science Dean from 1983 to 1993, and Physics Department Chair from 1980 to 1992. He conceptualized and initiated the development of the UP Science Complex, spearheaded the establishment of the College of Science in UP Diliman, and instituted the Philippines’ first PhD Program in Physics. He also formulated a 5-year development plan for the Department of Physics that paved the way for its designation by the national government as a national center of excellence called the National Institute of Physics. He taught in UP Diliman for more than 50 years. BALTAZAR D. AGUDA Dr. Baltazar Aguda was also a Research Professor in the University of the Philippines. He earned his BS Agricultural Chemistry degree from UP Los Baños and his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Alberta (Canada). Dr. Aguda was a multidisciplinary scientist who started his scientific career as a theoretical-physical chemist investigating the nonlinear dynamics of complex biochemical reaction systems, developing methods for predicting interaction network instabilities and the construction of predictive computational models. He and his co-workers published mechanistic models of other cellular processes associated with hallmarks of cancer, and in 2008, his book Models of Cellular Regulation was published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Aguda held faculty positions in Canada (Laurentian University) and the USA (Boston University School of Medicine. He delivered lectures at Harvard University (USA), Caltech (USA), Weizmann Institute (Israel), University of Cambridge (UK), and Humboldt University (Germany). MARIA LILIA F. REALUBIT Dr. Maria Lilia Fuentebella Realubit is a retired professor of the University of the Philippines College of Arts and Letters (Department of English and Comparative Literature), and a recipient of Masirang na Bituon kan Kabikolan (Lifetime Achievement Award) in the first Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon (Tomas Arejola Prize for Bikolano Literature) in 2004. She is the founder of Kabulig Bikol and Bikol Heritage Society, Inc. As a prominent Bikolano writer, her writings include an English translation of Mariano Goyena del Prado’s cultural work “Ibalon: Ethnohistory of the Bikol Region” (Ibalon: Monografia historica de la region bicolana) (1983); “Bikols of the Philippines” (1984); “Bikol Dramatic Tradition” (1989); “Haliya Anthology of Bikol Poets and Poems” (2004); “Bikol Literary History” (2004); and “Jose T. Fuentebella: Nationalist and Statesman” (2004). In February 2011, she published “Bikol Poetry Galore At Last A Report,” a critique of modern rawitdawit (Bikol poetic narrative). PIO P. FRAGO Former Director of the Human Resource Development Office and Professorial Lecturer of the National College of Public Administration, Pio Perez Frago (AB, 1958, LLB, 1963, CGM, MPA, 1978) died of cancer last August 14, 2017 at the age of 78.  Pio Frago was considered as an institution by the community for having served in UP under several presidents, from Dr. Vicente Sinco  (late 1950s) to Dr. Jose V. Abueva (early 1990s). Known for his cheerful disposition, Atty. Frago, as fondly called by many, had a solution to every concern. Many sought his legal, as well, as personal advice due to his encyclopedic memory, vast experience and compassionate heart. He was survived by his wife, Erlinda and two daughters, Perlita and Maria Carina.
https://up.edu.ph/upcat-advisory/
UPCAT Advisory – University of the Philippines
UPCAT Advisory UPCAT Advisory June 1, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines is advising UPCAT applicants who shared their UPCAT Online credentials—usernames and passwords—to unauthorized third parties to immediately change the usernames and/or passwords to their other accounts in order to safeguard their data privacy rights. When practicable, users should activate a two-step verification or other modes of multifactor authentication in order to protect their accounts. Please DO NOT SHARE your username and password to anyone. Your personal information must be protected at all times. Please visit the UPCAT main website upcat.up.edu.ph and click the Application Status button to view your results. For UPCAT-related inquiries, you may send an email to upcatresults@up.edu.ph.
https://up.edu.ph/a-pioneer-at-heart-up-professor-emeritus-virginia-betty-flor-agbayani-96/
A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 – University of the Philippines
A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 A pioneer at heart: UP Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, 96 November 7, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office     Prof. Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani at the UP Alumni Association in America 2011 Homecoming   One chapter in UP Diliman: Home and Campus (UP Press, 2010) describes how Professor Emeritus Virginia “Betty” Flor-Agbayani, then an instructor at the UP School of Fine Arts, looked upon the site of the new UP Diliman campus, which in 1949 was a vast frontier land overgrown with cogon grass, with only two concrete buildings and the Sierra Madre mountains as backdrop, and declared it beautiful, “like a cathedral without walls”. Prof. Flor-Agbayani was one of the UP pioneers who made the exodus from the 10-hectare campus on Padre Faura St. to the new UP campus in Diliman. Following a fire that razed one of the houses in Area 2—houses on campus were made of sawali at the time—UP President Bienvenido Gonzalez asked Prof. Agbayani how UP could help the residents. She replied, “Sir, permanent housing.” The UP budget, however, had no provision for faculty or staff housing at the time. Later, “sensing that Agbayani was really a pioneer at heart” according to the book, UP President Vidal Tan approached Agbayani and her husband, Mariano Leano, and asked whether she was willing to “volunteer” to build her own home, using their own money. They agreed, and the Agbayanis built their first home, the first permanent house in the Diliman campus in the site known as Area 1.   Artist, educator, pioneer “Pioneering” is a word that was associated with Prof. Flor-Agbayani throughout her life and career until her passing on October 22, 2018 in Sherman Oaks, California, at the age of 96. Born on May 20, 1922 and hailing from Batac, Ilocos Norte, Prof. Flor-Agbayani graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the UP School of Fine Arts in 1947. During her college years, she became Junior Council and Student Council representative, was president of Pallete and the Brush Association, chairperson of the Fine Art’s Woman’s Club, and a member of Phi Alpha. She was a staff artist of the Philippine Collegian from 1946-1947, and an associate editor and a staff artist of the 1947 Philippinensian.  After graduating in 1947, Prof. Flor-Agbayani worked as an instructor at the UP School of Fine Arts, and was instrumental in the transition of the School of Fine Arts to the College of Fine Arts in 1970. In 1975, she became the country’s first woman to be given the Fine Arts full professor rank.   Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani’s “Baguio Cathedral” (1970).   She served as the chairman of the Studio Arts Department, and was College Secretary, Graduate Program Coordinator, Officer-in-Charge, and then Associate Dean of the UP College of Fine Arts, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses and mentored many of the country’s master artists and National Artists. After retirement, she was conferred the title of Professor Emeritus, and continued to lecture and conduct graduate program activities.   Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani (1st from left) with National Artists Larry Alcala (4th from left) and Napoleon Abueva (4th from right). Source: Artists and Models Ball Souvenir Program 1980.   Her passion for art education in the country also led her to teach at and nurture budding artists from the Philippine High School for the Arts, where she served as Director by appointment of the Philippine President.   The Grand Dame of Philippine Art Education She was known, nationally and internationally, as “The Grand Dame of Philippine Art Education” for her pioneering efforts and innovative approaches in the inclusion of art education at the primary and secondary levels, and in the development and nurturing of numerous world-class artists from the Philippine High School for the Arts and the UP College of Fine Arts. She was also an Arts and Archeology consultant to several international government and professional organizations. She was a British Council Fellow and Scholar, served as Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Projects in Archeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA), and as World Councilor for Southeast Asia and the Pacific region of the International Society for Education through Art (INSEA). An award-winning scholar, Prof. Flor-Agbayani also spoke frequently at national and international venues, and even after her retirement, continued to present papers and lectures on Philippine history, art and culture in universities and civic organizations in the United States. Prof. Flor-Agbayani’s influences upon the history and development of Philippine and international art and Philippine art education are immeasurable, and a source of pride for UP and the country. But for the UP Community, her pioneering spirit will live on in the campus she helped shape. According to the UP Diliman: Home and Campus, Prof. Flor-Agbayani was proud “to say that she was glad that she was able to show her loyalty to the University when UP needed everybody’s help in order for it to be able to stand on its own feet. And proud that she was around to contribute and be a witness to all the changes that the University has gone through. But most of all, she was very grateful that while faces and personalities had come and gone, she was there to celebrate and welcome the dawn of another UP century.” Prof. Flor-Agbayani is survived by five children: Anna Victoria Agbayani Resurreccion; and Marianne, John Patrick, Cana-Mari, and Franz John Agbayani; son-in-law Rey Resurreccion; grandson Carl Francis Agbayani and his wife, Marie. Her daughter, Ida Agbayani, died in 1999. (Celeste Ann Castillo, UP MPRO)   Prof. Betty Flor-Agbayani’s “Red Barn” (1980).
https://up.edu.ph/farewell-to-virginia-moreno-the-high-priestess-of-philippine-poetry/
Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry – University of the Philippines
Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry Farewell to Virginia Moreno, The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry August 15, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Filipino poet, playwright and cultural icon Virginia R. Moreno at her tribute to National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin, which included an exhibit dedicated to Joaquin, and the video screening of Joaquin’s Portrait of an Artist as Filipino (film adaptation, 1965), directed by National Artist for Film and Theater Lamberto Avellana, UP Film Center, 19 May 2018. Photo from JW Capili. She became known among her fellow poets, writers, and literary icons as “The High Priestess” and “The Empress Dowager of Philippine Poetry.” Lofty titles, true, but in the case of Filipino writer, poet, playwright, educator, and founding Director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Film Center, Professor Virginia Reyes Moreno, the monikers are well-deserved. Professor Moreno, sister to Asia’s Fashion Czar Jose “Pitoy” Moreno, also a UP alumnus, passed away on August 14, 2021, with news about her death at the age of 98 reported on social media. Born in Tondo, Manila, on April 24, 1923, Moreno lived a storied life, with her work spanning literary genres, from poetry to theater to cinema. She earned her degrees at UP Diliman, where she was literary editor of the Philippine Collegian, and the Kansas Institute of International Education, as a Rockefeller fellow in creative writing. In 1969, Moreno studied at the British Film Institute in London under a British Council grant. In 1973, she was a Writer-in-Residence at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. She also co-directed the documentary The Imaginative Community: 7 Poets in Iowa. Throughout Moreno’s career, she mentored generations of Filipino writers, visual artists, academic scholars, teachers, curators and filmmakers, who remember her as a feisty and lovable professor of English and Humanities. She was the leading proponent for establishing the Humanities Center in UP Diliman, which evolved into Bulwagang Rizal or the UP Faculty Center (destroyed by a fire in 2016). In 1959, she co-founded the UP Department of Humanities, now the UP Department of Art Studies. She became the first executive director of the UP Film Institute’s Film Center in 1976, a post she held until 1991. Her play, Straw Patriot (1956), was translated into Filipino by Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez in 1967 as Bayaning Huwad. In 1969, The Onyx Wolf, also known as La Lobra Negra and Itim Asu, won the National Historical Playwriting Contest. The Cultural Center of the Philippines turned the play into a ballet performance a year later, with National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes performing as the lead. Moreno’s first poetry collection, Batik Maker and Other Poems, garnered the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Poetry (First Prize) in 1972. The book is also notable because of the care and craftwork that went into it. As described in the website of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Library of Women’s Writings “Of the 13 handcrafted copies made for its 1975 CCP-launching, 5 vanished altogether, spirited away by those possessed by its lush dreamwork and haunting strains. Bookmaker Hilario S. Francia meticulously crafted and stitched each copy of the book. In the famous broken-sword motif of Javanese royalty, Moreno herself chose the batik-cloth cover and flew it in from Jakarta. Her brother, Jose Moreno, supplied the Kyoto rice paper for its pages, bought from one of his Osaka sojourns. (National Artist for Music) Lucrecia Kasilag deployed her gamelan orchestra for the occasion. Seasoned actors Vic Silayan and Lolita Rodriguez, along with Moreno’s diplomat friends, recited the poems in three languages—in the lyrical English master text, in the elegant French translation, and in Larry Francia’s masterful Filipino.” In 1984, Moreno won the Southeast Asia (SEA) Write Award, recognizing the impact of her literary excellence and cultural leadership in the ASEAN region. In 1991, she was conferred the Chroslais dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the French Government. She also served as chair of the UNESCO Culture Committee of the Philippines. Until she passed away, she was President of J. Moreno Foundation, Inc. Moreno’s literary legacy will live on among the writers, artists, playwrights, and filmmakers—Filipino and foreign alike—who have been touched by the bold and creative spirit of “The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry.”
https://up.edu.ph/dating-propesor-at-csc-chairperson-karina-david-pumanaw-sa-edad-na-73/
Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 – University of the Philippines
Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 Dating propesor at CSC Chairperson Karina David, pumanaw sa edad na 73 May 8, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Larawan ni Karina David. Mula kay Kara David.   Pumanaw na ang dating Chairperson ng Civil Service Commission na si Karina Constantino-David. Si David ay isang propesor sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at dating tagapangulo ng Department of Community Development. Siya ay nagsilbi sa gobyerno sa loob ng mahigit isang dekada sa ilalim ng iba’t ibang administrasyon. Naging undersecretary siya ng DSWD mula 1986 hanggang 1988; naging pinuno ng Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) mula 1998 hanggang 2000; naging pinuno ng Civil Service Commission mula 2001 hanggang 2008; at, nagsilbi bilang miyembro ng Board of Trustees ng GSIS mula 2010 hanggang 2016. Bukod sa pagiging isang tapat na public servant, si David ay naging aktibo rin sa pag-oorganisa ng mga komunidad at maralitang taga-lungsod sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang non-government organization na HASIK. Kilala rin siya bilang isa sa mga unang nagsulong ng karapatan ng mga kababaihan sa Pilipinas. Isa siya sa mga nagtatag ng grupong Every Woman na lumalaban para sa pantay na pagtrato at pagtingin sa mga kababaihan. Tagapagtaguyod rin siya ng Child Protection Network na tumutulong naman sa mga batang biktima ng karahasan at pang-aabuso. Hindi lang sa larangan ng akademiya at serbisyo-publiko nakilala si David. Siya rin ay aktibo sa larangan ng sining at musika. Isa siyang batikang kompositor at gitarista at naging bahagi ng musical duo na Inang Laya. Si Karina ay asawa ng mamamahayag na si Propesor Randy David; ina nina CP, Kara, Nadya, at Jika; at lola nina Julia, Jacinta, Xavi, Alonso, at Lila. Si Karina ay nagmula sa pamilya ng mga makabayang historyador na sina Renato Constantino at Letizia Roxas-Constantino. Si David ay pumanaw sa edad na 73, noong Martes ng gabi sa Philippine Heart Center. Sa ngayon, wala pang detalye ng kaniyang burol at libing.
https://up.edu.ph/up-to-start-accepting-applications-for-first-year-students-on-jan-7/
UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 – University of the Philippines
UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 UP to start accepting applications for first-year students on Jan. 7 December 18, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines will begin accepting applications for first-year students for Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 on 7 January 2021, via an online portal especially for admissions applications. First-year applicants to UP for AY 2021-2022 will not undergo the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT). This decision follows the unanimous vote by the University Councils (UCs) of all the UP constituent universities not to administer the UPCAT for AY 2021-2022 in light of health and logistical issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. [Related: No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification] Instead of the UPCAT, the University Councils, the highest academic policymaking body of the constituent universities in the UP System, approved a modified freshmen admissions system specific to AY 2021-2022. This includes an additional assessment of incoming first-year students by academic units to qualify for a degree program, if deemed necessary. Applicants will be notified of such assessment or other additional requirements after the evaluation of their high school records. The online submission of all application forms is likewise meant to minimize exposure to the novel coronavirus. The steps to applying as a first-year student to UP for AY 2021-2022 are as follows: •   Applicants shall accomplish Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) electronically and upload their photo and electronic signature. •   High schools shall be requested to log on to the Grades Submission link to accomplish Form 2 (High School Records) on behalf of the applicants. An online survey was sent earlier to high schools using their registered email addresses in the records of the UP Office of Admissions (OAdms). •   If a high school has not received the email of the UP OAdms, applicants from that school must inform the Office of the school’s current official email address via dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph to facilitate communications between the UP OAdms and the high school. Admission to UP is highly competitive, and admission for AY 2021-2022 will be no different, even without the UPCAT. Degree programs in UP have limited slots for incoming first-year students. Therefore, to select incoming first-year students who qualify for a degree program, UP must strictly assess the applicants’ high school grades. There is no minimum grade requirement to be able to apply as a first-year student of UP. However, submission of application DOES NOT MEAN automatic admission. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to use secure email accounts preferably with two-step verification to better protect their right to data privacy. While UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will continue to coordinate with concerned high schools for alternative modes of submission. Details on how to accomplish the forms shall be posted in the online portal. The deadline for submission of applications is Monday, 15 February 2021. For those interested in applying for admission to the University of the Philippines for AY 2021-2022, the link to the online portal will be available on or before 7 January 2021. For concerns regarding the online submission of application, and to prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would like to remind the general public to get their information only from the UP Office of Admissions at: Landline: (02) 8981-8500 local 3827 / 3828 / 3830 / 3831 Cellphone: +63 918 904 9195 E-mail: upcatapplications@up.edu.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions  
https://up.edu.ph/no-upcat-2021-up-admissions-system-undergoing-modification/
No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification – University of the Philippines
No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification No UPCAT 2021, UP admissions system undergoing modification November 10, 2020 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo File photo / Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   The University Councils (UCs) of the eight constituent universities (CUs) of the University of the Philippines System, as the highest academic bodies of the CUs, unanimously decided that there will be no UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for the intake of first year students in Academic Year 2021-2022. The results of the Special UC Meetings of UP Diliman and UP Manila and of the referendums of the other CUs were submitted to the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) on October 28, in time for an update on UPCAT in the 1355th meeting of the UP Board of Regents (BOR) on October 29. As stated in a memorandum issued by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on 30 October 2020, the University Councils of the CUs “unanimously voted NOT to administer UPCAT in light of logistical issues in the paper-and-pencil testing of about 100,000 17-year old applicants.” Taking into account the uncertain trajectory and uneven spread of COVID-19 in different parts of the Philippines, majority of the UC members did not deem it feasible to administer the usual UPCAT involving around 1,600 testing personnel deployed to 94 testing centers throughout the archipelago. According to the same memorandum, majority of the UC members did not consider an online UPCAT examination feasible either. This is primarily due to the length of the exam and variety of items that would require a consistently strong Internet connection to download within the time allotted for examinees to answer. The University Councils are vested with the power to “fix the requirements for admission to any college or unit, graduation and grant of honors subject to minimum system-wide requirements”, according to Sections 16 and 17 of Republic Act No. 9500 or the UP Charter of 2008. For this reason, proposed changes in the University’s admission policy must be approved by the University Council of each UP constituent university, which consists of the chancellor as chairperson and all faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor and higher as members. The BOR, for its part, noted during its October 29 meeting the report presented by the Office of Admissions (OAdms) and the OVPAA, as well as the choice of all University Councils in the UP System to forego administering the UPCAT for AY 2021-2022. The BOR also instructed the OAdms to come up with a modified freshmen admissions system specific to AY 2021-2022 by February 2021 in light of the pandemic. This includes the use of big data analytics to arrive at a UP admission score model, which the OAdms, together with other concerned offices, is currently developing, as well as the determination by academic units of an additional layer of screening for particular programs, if deemed necessary. The OAdms had presented five options for UP admissions to the eight University Councils, the System Academic Affairs Committee, University Executive Committee, and the President’s Advisory Council even while it was simultaneously taking stock of the availability of the  UPCAT testing centers and the volunteer testing personnel in the event the UC decided to administer UPCAT 2021. Had there been no pandemic, UPCAT 2021 would have been administered on 10-11 October 2020. The submission of UPCAT application Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) and Form 2 (High School Records) is still required, although these forms have been modified to account for stricter data privacy, efficiency, and the health and safety risks in this pandemic. While UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will accept manually accomplished forms. Following the decision of the University Councils, OAdms has set the start of the application period in December 2020. The exact date will be announced. For those interested in applying for admission to the University of the Philippines for AY 2021-2022, please watch for further announcements from the OAdms. To prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would also like to remind the general public to get their information regarding the UPCAT and admissions into UP only from the Office of Admissions’ website and Facebook page, and the UP System website, Facebook page, and Twitter account.
https://up.edu.ph/upri-convenes-drr-and-climate-change-experts-from-all-cus/
UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs – University of the Philippines
UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs UPRI convenes DRR and climate change experts from all CUs March 19, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Participants exchange ideas on the role of UP in policymaking for disaster risk reduction and climate action. From left to right: Dr. Lagmay (UP Diliman), Dean Jonnifer Sinogaya (UP Cebu) and Dr. Genaro Cuaresma (UP Los Baños).   Selected faculty members from all eight constituent universities (CUs) of the University of the Philippines gathered together on February 27, 2019 to exchange notes and take stock of their experiences in providing policy advice to the government in the areas of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change. The “Scoping Workshop on the Role of Academia in Policymaking for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Action” was organized by the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), with support from the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA). Held at Microtel Technohub in Quezon City, the event marked the first-ever system-wide convention of fellows under the UPRI umbrella. A total of 37 faculty members from UP’s major campuses, including the UP Open University, attended the workshop, representing various disciplines in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and management. Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay, UPRI Executive Director and Professor at the UP-National Institute of Geological Sciences, formally opened the workshop with an update on the current status of UPRI as a distinct unit under the Office of the President. He explained that the Institute itself is a product of three independent initiatives that eventually converged under one roof in 2017, namely: the Resilience Institute conceived by then UPD Vice Chancellor Dr. Benito Pacheco; the RESILIENCE website project spearheaded by then UP Vice President for Public Affairs and now Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” de Vera; and, Project NOAH under Dr. Lagmay. UP Vice President for Public Affairs Dr. Elena E. Pernia, also a former dean of the UP College of Mass Communications, welcomed the participants on behalf of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Dr. Rajib Shaw, highly regarded DRR and climate change adaptation scholar who concurrently chairs the UNISDR Science and Technology Advisor Group, delivered the keynote speech through a video message, where he underscored the critical role of the academe in global climate action and resilience. Professor Pacheco of the UP Institute of Civil Engineering and former executive director of UPRI, also gave an inspirational talk, highlighting transdisciplinary collaboration as the backbone of a “network-emergent serendipity” made possible through UPRI.   Dr. Rajib Shaw shares his insights with the participants   The workshop proper kicked off with a network mapping exercise in the morning, followed by small parallel group discussions in the afternoon. The network map provided a snapshot of past and ongoing linkages between and among faculty members of the various UP campuses. Meanwhile, the group discussions delved on the issues and challenges that the participants have encountered in providing DRR and climate change advice to the government. Ways forward to strengthen academe-government engagement in policymaking for DRR and climate action were also discussed.   Small group discussion on academe-government policy engagement   Participants of the scoping workshop identify their involvement in selected government agencies   The one-day activity concluded with a closing message from Dean Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza of the UP-National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG). It formally ended with a ceremonial pledging of commitment from participating UPRI fellows to remain steadfast in advancing the University’s advocacy and efforts towards strengthening the capacity of UP, the nation and the region to withstand adversities and build sustainable and resilient communities. Professor Kristoffer Berse of UP-NCPAG served as overall facilitator and lead convenor of the workshop. The activity was undertaken as part of Dr. Berse’s INGSA project under UPRI, in association with the UP-NCPAG and the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk. Plans are in the pipeline to hold separate strategic planning sessions with the rest of UPRI fellows in UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Mindanao, UP Visayas, and UP Open University.
https://up.edu.ph/up-launches-online-portal-for-first-year-applicants-for-ay-2021-2022/
UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines
UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 UP launches online portal for first-year applicants for AY 2021-2022 January 7, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Applicants for first-year admission at the University of the Philippines (UP) for Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 can now access the online portal upadmissionsonline.up.edu.ph to submit their applications. Before accessing the UP online admissions portal, applicants are enjoined to visit upcollegeadmissions.up.edu.ph for preparatory information and instructions as well as the latest announcements. After the applicants have read the pertinent information on this website, they will be directed to the online application portal. Online submission of applications For safety reasons and in compliance with the IATF’s community quarantine guidelines, the UP Office of Admissions (OAdms) is implementing a No Walk-In Policy. Instead, all applicants are strongly encouraged to apply via the online portal. However, while UP encourages online accomplishment and submission, it is cognizant of technological limitations and will continue to coordinate with concerned high schools for alternative modes of submission. To minimize exposure to the coronavirus, however, all forms shall be submitted online. Applicants shall accomplish Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) electronically and upload their photo and electronic signature. The names of the applicants will be sent to their high schools for batch processing of grade submission starting January 18, 2021. High schools shall be notified and then be requested to log on to the Grades Submission link to accomplish Form 2 (High School Records) on behalf of the applicants. The online admissions applications for UP are being done in light of the unanimous decision by the UP System’s University Councils (UCs) that there will be no UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for AY 2021-2022 applicants due to health and logistical issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UCs further approved an additional assessment by academic units to qualify for a degree program, if deemed necessary. Applicants will be notified of such assessment or other additional requirements after the evaluation of their High School Records. General information on admissions The UP OAdms has made a General Information Bulletin on Freshman Admissions (AY 2021-2022) available on both the website and the online portal. Admission into UP is very selective due to high demand. While they come from very diverse backgrounds, applicants to UP are all ranked according to indicators of academic preparedness for university life. In the absence of the UPCAT, a composite of the final grades in Grade 8, 9, 10 and first semester of Grade 11 shall be the basis to determine the UP admission grade (UPG). Specific degree programs may request for additional requirements to qualify for admission, if deemed necessary. To implement the policy of democratic access, UP also considers socio-economic and geographic factors in its admission process. Selection for admission to a campus is based on the applicant’s UPG, campus quota, and/or cut-off grade. A successful applicant can receive an offer of admission to only one of his/her UP campus of choice. The successful applicants for a given campus are ranked according to grade predictors and quotas of their chosen degree programs. Some degree programs are more competitive due to their high demand. Applicants should choose only degree programs they are interested in. If an applicant is not successful in his/her first choice of campus, the process continues in order of priority of his/her remaining choices. Filipino public high school graduates who are in the top ten of their graduating class may apply for freshman automatic admission for AY 2021-2022, as provided by Republic Act No. 10648 or the Iskolar ng Bayan Law of 2014. The law also requires that applicants comply with other admission requirements of the University and enroll in a UP campus that is in the same region as their high school. For more details and instructions, please visit upcollegeadmissions.up.edu.ph. For assistance and concerns regarding the online submission of application, and to prevent the spread of misinformation, the University would like to remind the general public to get their information only from the UP Office of Admissions at:      Landline: (02) 8981-8500 local 3827 / 3828 / 3830 / 3831      Cellphone: +63 918 904 9195      Facebook Messenger Helpdesk (8:00 am – 11:00 pm): facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions      E-mail: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph  
https://up.edu.ph/up-ncpag-prof-bags-vam-award/
UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award – University of the Philippines
UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award UP NCPAG prof bags VAM Award March 8, 2019 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Dr. Berse receives the award with his wife and daughter. Joining them were former and current PPSC and PSPA officers, (from left to right) Dr. Lourdes Portus, Dr. Amaryllis Torres, Dr. Perante-Calina, Dr. Cynthia Zayas, Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr., and Dr. Danilo Reyes. Photo from PSSC Facebook page.   Dr. Kristoffer B. Berse of the University of the Philippines (UP) National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) was conferred the prestigious 2019 Virginia A. Miralao (VAM) Excellence in Research Award by the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) for his publication entitled “Cities as aid agencies: preliminary prospects and cautionary signposts from post-disaster interurban cooperation in Asia.” The VAM Award was established in 2010 to recognize the best article, book chapter or book written by a promising young scholar from among the member professions of the PPSC, a long-standing umbrella organization of professional social science associations in the Philippines. Dr. Berse’s winning entry was a book chapter in “Crossing Borders: Governing Environmental Disasters in a Global Urban Age in Asia and the Pacific” co-edited by Michelle Miller, Michael Douglass and Matthias Garschagen (Springer, 2018). The PSSC selected his work for “bringing to light a new dimension in the ongoing discussion of disaster risk reduction and management concerns…. [as it] gave an excellent analysis of the effectiveness of local government ‘aid’ in post-disaster situations as opposed to national, cross-country or multilateral aid.” The awarding ceremony took place on February 23, 2019 at the Philippine Social Science Center in Quezon City. Dr. Berse received a modest cash prize and commemorative trophy designed by Toym Imao.   Dr. Berse (3rd from left) receiving the VAM trophy from Dr. Amaryllis Torres, PSSC Executive Director, and Dr. Dr. Perante-Calina, PSPA President. Photo from PSSC Facebook page.   It was the first time that the VAM Award was given to a public administration scholar. The Philippine Society for Public Administration (PSPA) under the leadership of Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr. and Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina formally nominated Dr. Berse and his work. Previous VAM winners from UP include Marco Stefan Lagman and Dr. Kristian Saguin from the Department of Geography and Dr. Arnisson Andre C. Ortega of the UP Population Institute. In 2018, Dr. Berse was selected as one of six inaugural Research Associates of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and as Young Scientist of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR). Dr. Berse is currently Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator at UP-NCPAG, where he also holds the Rafael M. Salas Professorial Chair in Public Administration.
https://up.edu.ph/attention-high-schools-with-students-applying-to-up-for-ay-2021-2022/
Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines
Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 Attention High Schools with Students Applying to UP for AY 2021-2022 March 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The deadline for the online submission of Form 2 is extended to 31 March 2021. The UP Office of Admissions has initiated contact with high schools since 16 February 2021. Schools that have not received any notification or have changed their registered email address are advised to contact dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph. For inquiries, concerns and assistance, please proceed to our Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB page (https://www.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions/). The Helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
https://up.edu.ph/ncpag-forum-assesses-performance-of-duterte-administration/
NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration – University of the Philippines
NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration NCPAG forum assesses performance of Duterte Administration September 11, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda.   As part of the academe’s role of conscientization, monitoring, and assessing the policies and performance of government, the Center for Policy and Executive Development (CPED) of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) of the University of the Philippines (UP) held a forum at the NCPAG Audio-Visual Room in the afternoon of September 3, 2019. UP NCPAG faculty members, Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Dr. Enrico L. Basilio, and CPED Director Ebinezer R. Florano presented their reflections on the priority agenda stated by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, and discussed their assessments on the country’s social, economic and political dimensions, respectively.   (L-R) Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan, Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano, and Dr. Enrico L. Basilio. Photo by Bong Arboleda.   Social Sector Raquiza presented data showing the state of poverty, inequality, health, and education in the country, as she discussed the expected role of government in ensuring “that all members of society are able to attain a certain standard of living and have access to opportunities to improve their lives.” She emphasized that government should improve the people’s well-being, promote equality, and contribute to social cohesion. Raquiza reported that Filipinos in the agriculture sector, farmers, fisherfolk, low-income earners, and those in urban poor communities benefit the least, even from the growth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). “They languish in the low-value, low-productive, even precarious, labor market marked by poverty-level wages. They have little access to social protection, and they are exposed to hazardous working conditions,” she said. “Agriculture is in dire straits, . . . historically declining, and this decline continued under this administration,” she added.   Dr. Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza. Photo by Bong Arboleda.   Raquiza concluded that poverty incidence generally stayed the same, with the gains of observed economic growth not being equitably shared with the majority of the population.  She noted there is still high inequality, and that there has been no major breakthrough in the past 30 years. She recommended “more redistributive measures, especially in fiscal policy and measures.” She added that “access to quality education and quality healthcare remain a challenge for the majority,” and that these require “significant improvements”. “Given significant levels of poverty and inequality across various dimensions, there is need to increase focus on social equity,” she said. Economic Sector Basilio’s discussion focused on economic indicators and trends. He noted an above six percent GDP growth rate for the Philippines in the past 3 years, with construction, finance, real estate, manufacturing, trade, and services among the industries and sectors having the highest average growth rate from 2012 to the present.  However, he added that the country’s trade gap is widening, wherein there are more imports than exports, leading to a ballooning trade deficit and a declining import cover. He also reviewed the present drivers of economic growth, key legislations, and sources of revenues, such as the series of tax reform measures.   Dr. Enrico L. Basilio. Photo by Bong Arboleda.   Basilio said that the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” plan is still Luzon-centric, with 79% of the projects to be done in Luzon, 7% in the Visayas and 14% in Mindanao. He added that self-rated poverty went down, with more people thinking things improved, and that the growth rate should be pegged at ten to 12% for a period of ten years for most people to gain from the trickle-down effect.  In conclusion, he said, “progress in achieving the 10-point socioeconomic agenda is advancing strongly.” Political Sector Florano examined the public policy aspect in his reflections on public policymaking in the Duterte Administration. He identified key points in the social, economic, political, and public administration sectors mentioned by President Duterte during the 4th SONA. Cited for enacting 133 laws, including priority measures, he also credited this administration for being “more productive than the first two years” of the previous administration, adding that 39 of these were national laws, comprising 29%, while 94 were local laws, comprising 71%. Florano explained that policies and intentions should be communicated clearly for the benefit of the citizens. However, he noted that there was “so much confusion on government policy” in the last three years since there are lingering questions regarding public pronouncements and implementation of policies and laws. Issues concerning the West Philippine Sea, respect for women, anti-crime and the drug war, corruption, and new cabinet-level agencies, among others, became highly controversial or were marked with inconsistencies or vagueness due to actions and statements coming from the president and members of the administration.   Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano. Photo by Bong Arboleda.   Florano posed questions on the “true public policy” vis-à-vis the intentions and actions of the administration on such critical national issues. He proposed further “academic studies to answer and understand research questions related to public policymaking”, to reveal the “true public policy”, and to help increase effectiveness and efficiency in governance. “Ideally, public policies should be authoritative, based on law, and actions and intentions should be in sync,” Florano said. “There should be clear communication of public policies for better delivery of public services. There should be no room for misinterpretations,” he concluded.   Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan. Photo by Bong Arboleda.   Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan gave a recap of the presentations. Prof. Simeon A. Ilago, officer-in- charge of NCPAG, delivered the closing remarks. Ms. Danica Joy C. Navidad served as emcee for the forum.
https://up.edu.ph/call-for-papers-the-first-philippine-public-policy-conference/
CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference – University of the Philippines
CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference CALL FOR PAPERS: The First Philippine Public Policy Conference April 30, 2019 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Center of Policy and Executive Development (CPED) of the University of the Philippines-Diliman National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), together with the Philippine Public Policy Network (PPPN), will organize the two-day Inaugural Conference and Organizational Meeting on 21-22 November 2019 to be held at the International Center for Public Administration, UP NCPAG. Likewise, CPED will receive and review abstracts of conference papers until May 15, 2019. The scope of discussions captures the theme of the conference, “Towards Adaptive Public Policy-Making in Anxious Times”. The same call for papers is being sent out by PPPN Interim President and UP NCPAG Dean Ma. Fe Villamejor-Mendoza, Ph.D., to practitioners, policymakers, academics, and students. Dean Mendoza envisions the conference as a platform for multi-disciplinary discussion, collaboration, and learning to discuss public policy challenges in a rapidly changing global environment brought about by the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution and the shift of geo-political forces.  For which reason, conference papers should delve on current issues, such as programs on poverty, inflation, Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, federalism, war on drugs, among others, that influence policy as a discipline, an evaluative measure, and an innovation.  Abstracts of the conference papers will be accepted until May 15, 2019. The PPPN will also hold its first organizational meeting during the two-day event. The PPPN commits to become the country-based network of public policy scholars under the umbrella of the Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN). At the core of the initiative is CPED’s direct coordination with institutions and organizations to participate in the conference and constitute a dynamic “marketplace of ideas” where public policy converges stakeholders to embody policymaking that responds to issues, processes, and implementation.  CPED welcomes interested participants to contact Ms. JJ Somera at 920-1353 or pppncon2019@gmail.com, particularly on the format of abstracts of conference papers and registration details.  Updates on the Philippine Public Policy Network (PPPN) Inaugural Conference and First Organizational Meeting will be posted on the CPED and NCPAG Facebook pages. For more details, please download the aide-memoire.
https://up.edu.ph/eropa-2019-conference-explores-the-future-of-public-administration/
EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration – University of the Philippines
EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration EROPA 2019 conference explores the future of Public Administration October 2, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Professor Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza, Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, and Professor Pan Suk Kim in the first plenary session of the conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Delegates of the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) coming from Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam, India, China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines gathered for the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference to discuss vital issues affecting the Asia and the Pacific region, elect officers of the organization, and adopt resolutions and plans for upcoming activities. This was held at the International Center for Public Administration (ICPA) of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, Quezon City on September 22 to 27. With the main theme, “The Future of Public Administration: Rethinking Resilience, Equity, and Sustainability in the Region”, the conference featured plenary discussions, paper presentations, and parallel sessions on four sub-themes, namely: Social Equity and Well-Being; Environmental Sustainability; Public Finance and the Good Life; and, The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Development.  Participants were engaged in scholarly and timely discussions on a very broad range of topics which covered: food and water security, agrarian reform, labor, education, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, bureaucracy, civil society, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change, and many others connected with meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations’ agenda for international development.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion welcomes the delegates of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, EROPA Secretary-General Orlando S. Mercado, and NCPAG Officer-in-Charge Simeon A. Ilago welcomed the delegates in the opening ceremony on September 23. Ilago encouraged the delegates to “rethink, learn and unlearn, discover and rediscover, frame and reframe ideas and actions that will help shape the future of the study and practice of Public Administration.” Concepcion affirmed that the conference “complements and fulfills the mandate of both the academe and of EROPA.” He added that addressing the problem of climate change “would require serious transformation in how we manage our affairs and our resources, in addition to the already challenging complexities brought about by globalization, changes in technologies, and human activities.”  Mercado shared insights from his experiences as a former Philippine senator and reminded the participants to look closer at the details in trying to find solutions to the issues, or in seeing the “gorillas” likely being overlooked.   EROPA Secretary-General Orlando S. Mercado addresses the participants in the opening ceremony of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   The first plenary session featured presentations by Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, senior adviser of the Khazanah Research Institute, Malaysia, and Professor Pan Suk Kim of the College of Business and Governance, Yonsei University, Korea, on “the future of Public Administration”. An open forum followed, moderated by UP NCPAG Professor Ma. Victoria R. Raquiza. Sundaram urged the audience “to address the problems that we have inherited” in his discussion on good governance. He said that: “we should think about developmental governance”; face global warming with idea of a “global green new deal”; “reduce climate change while raising living standards for all people”; and, “strengthen stakeholders” in implementing a school feeding program to solve hunger and malnutrition. “As public administrators you have the potential to make sure that our governments’ collective commitment to the SDGs enable us to improve the conditions of living for the vast majority of our people,” concluded Sundaram.  Kim highlighted the shifting of discourse from Western to Asian, the need for connectivity, and the use of technology. “We have to improve Asian public administration. . .  We have to have our own theory,” he said. This is through “Asianization” or localization, so that “we can interpret our own problems in our own ways”, he added. “We can learn a lot from each other so we can transform Asian public administration to more creative innovation. We need to develop our own indigenous or localized or Asian way. We need to promote innovative culture. Innovative culture is having innovation in every workplace,” concluded Kim.   Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) President Cecilia Garrucho talks about theater and leadership in the 2nd plenary session. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   In the 2nd plenary session, Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) President Cecilia Garrucho gave a presentation on the history and experiences of PETA where she highlighted how theater helps to transform people and communities for the better, through their vision of having a “theater for the people”, cultivating commitment and leadership, and immersion to learn the needs of those whom they work with. The plenary session on “Social Equity and Well-Being” featured as resource speakers: Sungkyunkwan University (Korea) Professor Rosa Minhyo Cho; UNICEF (Philippines) Chief of Social Policy Anjanette Saguisag; and, Department of Education (Philippines) Secretary Leonor M. Briones. Director Bruno Carrasco of the Public Management, Financial Sector, and Trade Division of the Asian Development Bank, and Professor Michael Mah-Hui Lim (Malaysia) served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Public Finance and the Good Life”. For the plenary session on the “Fourth Industrial Revolution and Development”, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, STRIDE Program Chief of Party Richard Abendan, and Professor Yuan He of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China) served as resource speakers. UP Resilience Institute Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Lagmay and Professor Agus Pramusinto of the Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Resilience and Environmental Sustainability”.   Philippines Civil Service Commission Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala is elected president of the EROPA 27th General Assembly. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Professor Heungsuk Choi of Korea University, Deputy Director General Ernesto Perez of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Philippines), and Civil Service Commission (Philippines) Chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala served as resource speakers for the plenary session on “Special Panel on Competition, Regulation, and Public Sector Reform”. Heads of state member delegations and new EROPA officers also delivered their messages at the conference.   Officers and delegates of the EROPA 2019 General Assembly and Conference. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   EROPA, an international organization of states, groups and individuals in Asia and the Pacific, was formally constituted at the first meeting of its General Assembly held in the Philippines in December 1960: to “advance the economic and social development of the region through the promotion of the study, practice and status of public administration and management”; and, to “provide a forum to exchange information and ideas on innovative approaches to efficient, effective and ethical public service”.
https://up.edu.ph/ups-stop-covid-deaths-webinar-celebrates-2nd-anniversary/
UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary – University of the Philippines
UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary UP’s “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar celebrates 2nd anniversary April 20, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor When COVID-19 hit, it left nations scrambling in the dark. No one knew what the new viral disease was, how fast it spread, and how deadly it could be. As an immediate response, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), launched the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series. The series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series, which pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. This Friday, April 22, from 12 pm to 2 pm, the university celebrates the pioneering series’ second anniversary. The special episode, titled “Giting at Tapang sa Panahon ng Pandemya: Reflecting on COVID-19 Lessons,” will reflect on these two long years full of ups and downs. What has the pandemic highlighted, and what did we learn from it? Did our health services become better organized? Did we find ways of financing the tremendous demands on goods and services? Did we train our doctors and nurses well during the pandemic? Were we able to turn this crisis into an opportunity to create reforms in health care systems? The special episode will feature a roundtable discussion among four leaders who exemplified restraint and commitment at the height of the pandemic. They are front-liners, patients, and researchers who will share their learnings, innovations, and stories that inspired them to persevere and inspire others. Dr. Albert Francis E. Domingo, recently appointed as Concurrent Director III of the Department of Health (DOH) Communication Office and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, comes with the perspective of the generation on deck—the next cohort of leaders who took to the field and worked with local governments to organize the country’s COVID-19 response on the ground. National Scientist Dr. Ernesto Domingo, who first organized the Universal Health Care (UHC) study group in 2008, will reflect on the past 12 years after conceptualizing this policy shift. Dr. Gerardo ‘Gap’ Legaspi, UP-PGH Director, led the transformation of the UP-PGH into a COVID-19 referral center. At the height of the pandemic, he contracted COVID more than once, rescued people and equipment during a fire, and organized and reorganized the UP-PGH wards during three surges—he will talk about an elegant and simple way to organize healthcare delivery services beyond the pandemic. Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the UP College of Medicine who brought vision and outside-the-box administrative interventions, will also share her insights on the mental health of doctors-in-training during the pandemic. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, National Adviser of the COVID-19 Response Task Force, will deliver the opening remarks. He will reflect on the national response, its challenges, pitfalls, and the approaches that worked as we move forward. Finally, UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla will deliver the synthesis, and closing remarks, whose invaluable support and unwavering commitment to the webinar cemented its success. The webinar also aims to commemorate all our front-liner heroes who have fallen during this pandemic, whose sacrifices have enabled the country to persevere during the darkest times. To join us in this celebration and reflection on lessons learned and recommendations for moving forward, register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar96. Audiences may also catch our weekly live tweets and streams through the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.
https://up.edu.ph/nus-officials-visit-up-to-strengthen-academic-partnership/
NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership – University of the Philippines
NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership NUS officials visit UP to strengthen academic partnership February 21, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   National University of Singapore (NUS) and University of the Philippines (UP) officials discussed prospects for stronger academic collaboration between the two universities during the meeting held in the UP Board of Regents Room, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, on February 19, 2019. The NUS delegation aimed to “learn about UP’s plans on research, innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization, which could be building blocks that will facilitate the flow of ideas, talent and access to markets, and funding opportunities between Singapore and the Philippines.” The NUS officials also visited the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman, and listened to presentations on some of the research initiatives being developed at the Hub.   University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion welcomes the officials of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion provided the NUS officials with an overview of UP’s constituent universities, academic programs, and faculty, staff and student constituencies in UP campuses across the nation.  He also mentioned that since there is still no formal memorandum of understanding to effectively start academic collaboration between NUS and UP, the officials should immediately consider this. NUS President Tan Eng Chye introduced his university to the UP officials, citing a large constituency of about 38,000 students (28,000 undergraduate students and 10,000 graduate students), 1,600 faculty in research, 5,000 administrative staff, 4,000 research personnel and close to 300,000 alumni. He added that they hope the number of Filipino alumni from the NUS would increase.   National University of Singapore (NUS) President Tan Eng Chye. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Chye talked about the more than 20 years of focus of NUS on innovation and enterprise and its enhanced collaboration with industries. He said the NUS aims to establish an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network, a network of innovator hubs via universities located in the big cities in Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and East Timor, to harness the tremendous potentials seen in Southeast Asia. Universities develop entrepreneurs, incubate start-ups, translate research, and facilitate the flow of ideas, talent and access to markets and funding opportunities, he explained further. The NUS officials also discussed how they conduct their student exchange program or mutual exchange internships in Singapore, establish the platforms for start-ups, and connect with companies and investors that help start-ups to succeed. UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla noted that UP’s partnership with the NUS can serve as a platform for UP products and innovations to reach ASEAN countries.   UP and NUS officials listen to presentations on UP’s innovative products during the NUS delegation’s visit to the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Technopreneurs from UP talk of their innovative products during the NUS delegation’s visit to the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   The NUS delegation consisted of: President Tan Eng Chye; Vice President (University and Global Relations) Andrew Wee; Dr. Lily Chan, CEO of NUS Enterprise; Prof. Wong Poh Kam, director of the NUS Entrepreneurship Centre and director of NUS Overseas College; Mr. Jonathan Chang, NUS Enterprise; Prof. Eduardo Araral, co-director of the Institute of Water Policy and an associate professor in  Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Mr. Banderlipe Mc Ronald I. Simbajon, manager of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; Director Bernard Toh of the  Office of Alumni Relations; Mr. Ng Shan Jun, senior executive  of the Office of Alumni Relations; Director Edi Fung of the  NUS Development Office; and, Mr. Andy Loo, senior associate director of the NUS Development Office.   NUS and UP officials visit the UPSCALE Innovation Hub at the National Engineering Center, College of Engineering, UP Diliman. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   The UP delegation consisted of: President Danilo L. Concepcion; Regent Angelo A. Jimenez; Executive Vice President Teodoro J. Herbosa; Vice President for Academic Affairs Cynthia Rose B. Bautista; Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia; Prof. Gil S. Jacinto, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs (International Linkages); Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell P. Capili;  Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Rica D. Abad, and also the director of the Office of Alumni Relations; Prof. Aura C. Matias, chairperson of the UP System TWG on Technology Entrepreneurship; Chancellor Michael L. Tan of UP Diliman; Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla of UP Manila; Vice Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, UP Diliman; Executive Director Eva Cutiongco-de la Paz of the National Institutes of Health; Executive Director Cynthia P. Saloma of the Philippine Genome Center; Director Adeline A. Pacia of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Diliman; Director Lourdes Marie S. Tejero  of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Manila; Prof. Jose Marie Abilay, Business Development manager of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Los Baños; Director Concepcion P. Ponce  of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, UP Visayas; Dean Jose V. Camacho Jr.  of the Graduate School, UP Los Baños; and, UPSCALE Manager Jhaze Asuncion.
https://up.edu.ph/up-mbb-alumna-wins-2nd-prize-in-swedish-forskar-grand-prix/
UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix – University of the Philippines
UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix UP MBB alumna wins 2nd prize in Swedish Forskar Grand Prix November 26, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta A University of the Philippines molecular biology and biotechnology graduate is making waves in the research world in Sweden. Ms. Sophia Raine C. Hernandez, currently a Ph.D. student at the Umeå University in Sweden and working with the Bushell Lab at the Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, won second prize in the final heat of the Forskar Grand Prix (Researchers’ Grand Prix) held on November 25 in Stockholm. The title of her winning presentation? “Tackling Malaria by Looking at the Biology of Parasites.”   According to its English website, the Forskar Grand Prix is “a competition in which researchers in Sweden compete to find out who is best at presenting their research in just four minutes.” Participants qualify to compete in the final heat by winning in regional heats and two online heats. During the Grand Prix, seven finalists emerged. Among them, Hernandez qualified in the regional heat of Umeå, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and Umeå University/Curiosum Science Centre that took place in November 2020. At last, in Stockholm, the finalists compete to determine who receives the honor of taking home the title. Communication and media researcher Michael Bossetta of Lund University won the championship, while Louise Karlsson of Halmstad University took third place as a researcher in stress-related diseases. The scientist-superhero vs. malaria Hernandez opened her presentation by admitting that she dreamed of becoming a superhero as a child. But when she grew up, she chose to become a scientist instead, since scientists, much like superheroes, work to protect humans from an array of villains. Only the villains, in this case, are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. For Hernandez, her arch-nemesis would be the parasite Plasmodium, which causes malaria, one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. Malaria causes around half a million deaths each year and disproportionally affects developing countries. Knowing this, Hernandez made it her quest to defeat this super-villain of disease using science—by developing tools to study the essential genes of the parasites to try to get a better understanding of the parasite’s biology and provide valuable information to the development of ways to target the parasite such as therapeutics and vaccine design. Watch Ms. Hernandez give her winning presentation here: https://youtu.be/aC7lwq4Wb2E?t=1604   Hernandez earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BS MBB), cum laude, from the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman. In 2018, she and fellow UP MBB graduate Andrea Ong received the Sanger Prize, an outreach competition for undergraduate students who live in and study in low or middle-income countries. They joined the Wellcome Sanger Institute while they were both in their final year of undergraduate studies at UP. UP NIMBB associate professor Dr. Denise Noelle Mirano-Bascos, Hernandez’s thesis adviser in UP, describes Hernandez in an email interview as “a student who was passionate about being a researcher.” Hernandez joined Dr. Bascos’ laboratory in her third year, then went on a student internship to the laboratory of Dr. Joseph DeRisi of the University of California-San Francisco for one summer. “She finished her thesis in my lab on the sex-specific immune response of mice to immunization with malaria proteins and did a lot of good work,” Dr. Bascos recalled. Hernandez then became an instructor at the UP NIMBB for one year before going abroad for her graduate studies. “Her supervisors at her internships enjoyed having her in their lab because she is very hardworking, reliable, and skilled in the laboratory. She is also very resourceful and independent. It doesn’t hurt either that she has such a wonderful personality and is so easy to get along with,” Dr. Bascos went on, sharing that Hernandez may have gotten her passion for scientific research from her mother, Dr. Christine Hernandez, associate professor of the UP Institute of Chemistry. Dr. Richelle Duque Björvang, winner of the online heat Ms. Hernandez was not the only UP alumna who impressed online audiences and an expert jury on how they presented their research in as engaging, educational, and easy-to-understand away as possible in just four minutes. Ms. Richelle G. Duque Björvang also a BS MBB graduate of UP Diliman, magna cum laude, a graduate of the UP College of Medicine, and currently a Ph.D. student in the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, was one of the two finalists who emerged from this year’s online heat, Researchers’ Grand Prix Digital. Held in September, the online heat had several thousand people rating the presentations of different contestants. When the online votes were combined with an expert jury, Louise Karlsson and Richelle Duque Björvang emerged as the winners. Karlsson would later go on to place third in the Forskar Grand Prix. Björvang’s research delved into the relationship between exposure to chemicals and women’s fertility. According to the Forskar Grand Prix website, she is also looking forward to the experts’ feedback to help her become better at communicating her research, and considered the competition a “good platform for me to raise awareness on how chemicals affect women’s health.” With reports from the UP OAR
https://up.edu.ph/ricardo-p-babaran-installed-as-10th-chancellor-of-upv/
Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV – University of the Philippines
Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV Ricardo P. Babaran installed as 10th chancellor of UPV August 30, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Dr. Ricardo P. Babaran was formally installed as the 10th chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on August 29 at the UPV Little Theater, Iloilo City Campus. He has assumed office on November 1, 2017 and is serving a three-year term.   Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran receives the mace from President Danilo L. Concepcion.   President Danilo L. Concepcion affixes the medallion on Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran along with CHED-OIC and UP BOR Chair Prospero De Vera.   Babaran is a faculty member of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences where he also earned his BS Fisheries degree. He graduated with the MS Engineering degree from the University of Washington and earned his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science at Kagoshima University in Japan. Among others, the Chancellor has started steering the University towards the following agenda: • strengthening academic programs; • strengthening institutional synergy with similar institutions for agriculture, and fisheries research and sustainability; • strengthening international institutional linkages; • integrating health and wellness agenda into the university’s operational policies to address apparently high incidence of cancer cases and other diseases among faculty and staff ; • laying the groundwork for supporting the emerging bid of UPV Tacloban College to become the 9th constituent university of UP; and • facilitating the construction and renovation of structures in UPV’s three campuses.   Chancellor Ricardo P. Babaran (7th from right) with the UP Board of Regents and UP officials   CHED-OIC Prospero De Vera and UP President Danilo Concepcion led the investiture rites which was attended by the members of the UP Board of Regents, UP officials, SUC Presidents, government officials, faculty, staff, students, alumni, fishers; and various stakeholders. (With reports from Lyncen M. Fernandez, UPV Information and Publications Office)
https://up.edu.ph/up-mbb-summa-cum-laude-wins-2017-sanger-institute-prize-in-cambridge-uk/
UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK – University of the Philippines
UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK UP MBB summa cum laude wins 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge UK July 19, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Ryan Timothy Yu, who recently graduated summa cum laude (BS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) from the University of the Philippines Diliman, was chosen winner of the 2017 Sanger Institute Prize in Cambridge, United Kingdom.  The Sanger Prize is an annual international competition open to undergraduates from low- to upper-middle-income countries. Mr. Yu was declared winner by the Sanger Prize trustees after a two-step screening process, the last one of which entailed submission of a lengthy essay on single molecule sequencing that is formatted following the style of the high-impact scientific journal Nature Reviews.  As part of his prize, Ryan gets to choose a laboratory at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Genome Campus) in Cambridge, UK, in which to do a 3-month internship. All his expenses, including visa costs, flights, accommodation and reasonable living expenses will be paid for by the Sanger Institute. The 2015 winner of the prize was also from the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman –  Liezel Tamon, herself a summa cum laude graduate and is now doing her MSc/PhD at the Max Planck Research School for Molecular Biology in Goettingen, Germany. Both Ryan and Liezel come from the Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory (DMBEL). Ryan Timothy Yu wins the 2017 Cambridge Sanger Institute Prize (Photo by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and UP Diliman Information Office) Mr. Yu has presented his 2-year research on NRAS mutations in colorectal cancer in three international conferences, namely: the 13th International Congress of Human Genetics (ICHG) in Kyoto, the 2016 International Conference of the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology (ICKSMCB) in Seoul, and the 25th International Conference of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. Table (clockwise from front): Mia Baquirin-Reisland, Aileen Uy, Isabelle Viola, Dr. Rey Garcia, Krizelle Mae Alcantara, Dr. Dennis Sacdalan, Charles John Uy, Jana Quismundo, Andrea Ong, Kim Quililan, Aeiou Martija, Lech Havel Tizon. Back Table (clockwise from left): Sarah Coralde, Jonathan Chan, Ryan Timothy Yu, Daniel Paul Uy, Tiffany Ong, Joshua Malapit, JM Sytangco, Carmela Cruz, Kent Canlas, Kenneth Roquid, Sidney Chua, Carlo Cristobal, Charles Christopher Bataclan, Arman Ghodsinia, J-Ann Marie Lego.(Photo by Dr. Rey Garcia) The prize caps a successful academic year for DMBEL which has won a total of ten awards for the university in one year: Sanger Institute Prize (Ryan Timothy Yu), 25th FAOBMB Youth Science Forum (first place, Arman Ghodsinia), four Sigma-Aldrich Excellent Poster Awards in different categories at the 2016 ICKSMCB (Krizelle Mae Alcantara, Kenneth Anthony Roquid, Carmela Rieline Cruz and Daniel Paul Uy), two Best Poster Awards at the 25th FAOBMB (jointly for co-authors Marian Abigaile Manongdo, Charles Christopher Bataclan, Kenneth Anthony Roquid and Jose Lorenzo Ferrer), Philippine representative to the 2016 Novartis International Biocamp in Switzerland (Joshua Reginald Malapit), and Philippine representative to Global Biotech Revolution’s  2017 GapSummit in Washington, D.C. (Fidel Emmanuel Serrano). (Frances Fatima M. Cabana, MPRO)
https://up.edu.ph/kalinangang-up-kalinangang-bayan-115th-foundation-day-of-the-university-of-the-philippines/
Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines – University of the Philippines
Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines Kalinangang UP, Kalinangang Bayan: 115th Foundation Day of the University of the Philippines June 18, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines celebrates its 115th Foundation Day Anniversary today, June 18, 2023. With over a century of service to the nation, the University has among its alumni the leaders of the country and servants of the people in education, research, politics, business, sports, culture, and the arts. This music video pays tribute to the immeasurable contribution of the University’s artists to the shaping of the soul of the country as well as the nourishment of its mind and spirit. Mabuhay ang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas! Patuloy na naglilingkod sa Sambayanan!
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-staging-marawit-awit-para-sa-marawi/
UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” – University of the Philippines
UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” UPAA staging “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” February 23, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The UP Alumni Association, in cooperation with the Sigma Rho Fraternity Alumni Council, is staging a concert entitled “MarAwit… Awit para sa Marawi” on February 27, 2018 (Tuesday), 6:00 p.m., at Cine Adarna of the UP Film Institute in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The project is intended to raise funds towards the education of the afflicted children of Marawi City in the wake of its recently ended occupation by Maute Group-ISIS rebels. The MarAwit concert will highlight the three most awarded and internationally acclaimed choral groups of the University and the country, namely: –          The U.P. Concert Chorus –          The U.P. Madrigal Singers –          The U.P. Singing Ambassadors Ticket prices are P3,000, P2,000, and P1,000 – available at the UPAA Secretariat at Rm. 211, 2nd Floor, Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City; Tels. 920-6868 and 920-6871; email: upalumn@yahoo.com.
https://up.edu.ph/three-up-alumni-named-among-the-2021-metrobank-foundation-outstanding-filipinos/
Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos – University of the Philippines
Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Three UP alumni named among the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos August 11, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta   Three University of the Philippines alumni, two educators and one soldier, are among the ten 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos. The ten awardees were introduced at a virtual press conference held on August 6. The two UP alumni who received the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Teachers are: Dr. Iris Thiele Isip-Tan, who graduated from the UP Diliman College of Science and the UP Manila College of Medicine, where she teaches now; and, Dr. Maria Minerva V. Patawaran-Calimag, who earned her Master of Science in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) from the UP College of Medicine and is currently a professor at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Colonel Augusto N. Padua, on the other hand, is one of the recipients of the 2021 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award for Soldiers. He earned his Master of Management degree from the UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga and is currently Executive Officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, A-3, of the Philippine Air Force. According to the Metrobank Foundation website, the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos is “a career-service award for Filipino exemplars in the academe, military, and police sectors”. The four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers chosen will each be awarded a cash prize of PhP 1 million, a golden medallion, and “The Flame” trophy during the conferment ceremonies on September 2 as part of Metrobank’s 59th anniversary celebration. “As a community held together by hope especially during these turbulent times, may we derive inspiration from the awardees’ example,” Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña is quoted as saying. “The entire nation continues to be at a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the situation is still evolving. During this extended period of unease, we are fortunate to be inspired by the dedication of public servants and front liners who are steadfast in their mission.”
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-ipo-celebrate-national-intellectual-property-month/
UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month – University of the Philippines
UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month UPAA, IPO celebrate National Intellectual Property Month April 6, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office   Since 2017, April has been celebrated as the National Intellectual Property Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 190 signed last April 4, 2017 in view of international celebrations on intellectual property such as the World Book and Copyright Day and the World Intellectual Property Day. In this light, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association is inviting everyone to attend a series of events organized in partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines. The three-day celebration from April 17-19 with the theme Itaguyod ang Yamang Isip Tungo sa Kaunlaran will feature an exhibition of Philippine indigenous works, contemporary visual arts, publications and live performances in music and dance. The event will be held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman. Full lineup of events for the week-long celebration of the Intellectual Property Rights Month organized by the UP Alumni Association with the Intellectual Property Office   For more information, contact the UP Alumni Association Secretariat at 920 6868 and 920 6871 or email them at upalumn@yahoo.com.  
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-honors-up-health-frontliners/
UPAA honors UP health frontliners – University of the Philippines
UPAA honors UP health frontliners UPAA honors UP health frontliners December 21, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc UP-PGH health frontliners. A screenshot from the Livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube channel. The University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) chose to give only one distinction during its 2020 Distinguished Alumni Awards. UPAA honored all health frontliners from UP for “their heroic service to the Filipino nation in its hour of direst need, the coronavirus pandemic that ravaged the world in 2020 and which continues to this day.” In a virtual program on December 11, 2021, Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi represented the 4,600 employees of the hospital. The Philippine Nurses Association President Melbert Reyes responded, representing UP’s allied medical practitioners. UPLB Artist-in-Residence Luis Enano “Junyee” Yee Jr. designed this year’s UPAA Distinguished Alumni Award trophy, with UP Professor Emeritus Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. writing the citation. Legaspi said PGH had treated more than 7,300 moderate to severe cases as a COVID-19 referral center. UP PGH Director Gap Legaspi accepted the award on behalf of the UP health frontliners. A screenshot from the Livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube. “Having only this award for 2020 is intended to highlight the immeasurable value of their achievement during this severe national crisis and their commitment to the UP tradition of excellence and service even at great personal risk,” UPAA Board Secretary Pacita Gavino said. The citation recognized the awardees “for giving freely of their expertise in whatever capacity and to their utmost ability to alleviate the suffering of their fellow human beings at great personal risk and cost above and beyond the call of duty.” It added that “No finer example of honor and excellence can be found than the patriotic dedication and professional competence that these thousands of UP health frontliners all over the world exhibited during the crisis.” UPAA President Reynaldo Laserna and UP President Danilo Concepcion. Screenshots from the livestream of the UPAA 2020 Awards Ceremony on the TVUP YouTube channel The awards ceremony featured tributes to the awardees by UPAA President and UP Regent Reynaldo Laserna, UPAA 2nd Vice President Romy Nones, UP President Danilo Concepcion; and the UP Symphony Orchestra performing with the UP Madrigal Singers, UP Concert Chorus, UP Staff Chorale, Auit Vocal Ensemble, and other artists from UP. The Department of Science and Technology Bamboo Rondalla performed the national anthem, and UPAA Treasurer Director Amroussi Rasul recited doxologies. UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili was the master of ceremonies. TVUP produced the program under the direction of Prof. Grace Javier Alfonso. The UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awards used to be the highlight of the annual UPAA Grand Alumni Homecoming and Reunion, which has been postponed in the wake of the pandemic.
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-celebrates-literature-month/
UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month – University of the Philippines
UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month UP Tacloban Celebrates Literature Month April 7, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The UP Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC) celebrates Literature Month 2021 with the theme “Quinientos Katuig nga Pagsurat han Filipino nga Kalibutan.” The month-long celebration coincides with the quincentenary of the first circumnavigation of the world. Included in the schedule of events are literary discourses, a dramatic performance, and a storytelling session.     Tsika-LIT, the first feature, is a continuation of the literary conversations started as part of UP Tacloban’s celebration of National Arts Month (February). The Tsika-LIT episode for Literature Month will feature students from the BA Communication Arts (BACA) program discussing selected poems. It will be broadcasted via Bátì UP Tacloban, the college’s community internet radio. Next is a conversation about the idea of “history as literature” with insights drawn from the MA thesis of Assistant Professor Efmer E. Agustin. This third “Mana-bana” episode of Bátì UP Tacloban, entitled “The Marvelous: History and Literature”, is part of the conversation series Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura, one of Bátì’s essential programs. On the third week of April, the celebration will spotlight an experimental mediatized verbatim theatre performance. “XXX-sakto nga mga Pulong,” directed by Assistant Professor Popo T. Amascual engages with the elements of a theatrical form to expose stories of online harassment. This show will involve students’ talents taking the Theatre Arts strand of the BACA program. Rounding out the Literature Month celebration is “Susumaton,” a pre-recorded storytelling by the students of the Literature 170 (Waray Literature) class of Assistant Professor Jessa A. Amarille. The presentation illuminates the importance of oral narratives, including local myths, legends, and folk tales, which the students retrieved and documented themselves. The official social media account of the Division of Humanities will serve as the primary platform for this series of events. As we continue to navigate these trying times, celebrating the arts is certainly one way to keep us afloat. Article by PT Amascual.
https://up.edu.ph/up-tacloban-launches-kaagi-kabilin-kultura-history-heritage-culture-conversation-series/
UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series – University of the Philippines
UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series UP Tacloban launches Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series April 13, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office On 16 March 2021, UP Visayas Tacloban College launched the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series through its community internet radio Bátì UP Tacloban with “Reflections on Eastern Visayas in the Quincentennial Commemorations,” a conversation between Dr. Rolando Borrinaga, a prominent historian of Eastern Visayas, and UP Tacloban faculty member Mars Edwenson Briones. The series is part of UP Tacloban’s participation in the Quincentennial Commemorations of the Philippine leg in the first circumnavigation of the world, the victory at Mactan, and the birth of Christianity in the Philippines.   Watch the replay of this episode on Bátì UP Tacloban’s Facebook page.   Dr. Borrinaga ruminated on the first encounter between Filipino natives and Spaniards in Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and the events following this encounter. The conversation was streamed exactly 500 years after Ferdinand Magellan’s first sighting of Samar island. The following day, on 17 March 1521, Magellan’s expedition disembarked at Homonhon, setting foot on Philippine soil for the first time. Dr. Borrinaga has contributed to the Quincentennial Commemorations through his research and “revisionist papers” on the encounter in Homonhon, which he said has been obfuscated by errors and a hoax. Dr. Borrinaga’s studies show that that the first Easter Sunday mass in the Philippines happened in western and not in southeastern Limasawa. The Mojares panel has upheld this finding and endorsed his recommendation to adopt western Limasawa as the site of the first Easter Sunday mass in the country. Dr. Borrinaga also explained the theme of the Quincentennial Commemorations, which is “Victory and Humanity.” The word “victory” refers to Lapulapu’s triumph in the Battle of Mactan while the word “humanity” refers to the Filipino natives’ compassion and magnanimity towards the ailing and famished crew of Magellan in Homonhon. Dr. Borrinaga fleshed out Spanish historian Antonio Pigafetta’s account of this encounter with the explanation that the natives generously offered coconuts and honey, which were abundant in the island, to Magellan and his crew to restore their health. The conversation with Dr. Borrinaga also explored early Spanish cartography of Eastern Visayas, toponyms, and some of their phonetic and spelling changes through time.     The second episode of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura Conversation Series airs on 15 April 2021 with UP Tacloban faculty member Asst. Professor Efmer E. Agustin as the featured scholar. The title of the episode is “The Marvelous: History and Literature.” It is one the activities in UP Tacloban’s 2021 National Literature Month celebration, which is led by the Division of Humanities and which bears the theme “Quinientos Katuig nga Pagsurat han Filipino nga Kalibutan” (500 Years of Writing the Filipino World). Drawing on the writings of the 17th century Jesuit missionary and historian Father Francisco Ignacio Alcina, the conversation with Prof. Agustin will explore the literary aspects of writing history, which could encourage a more critical and contemplative approach to history and historiography. The first and second episodes of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura Conversation Series are in the form of mana-bánà or speculations about themes or ideas in and about Philippine history, heritage, and culture. In June 2021, Bátì UP Tacloban will add another episode to the series this time in the form of a roundtable discussion among local scholars, religious leaders, and cultural workers about the Santo Niño de Tacloban, whose feast is annually celebrated on June 30. The episode will also serve as the launching of the online exhibition “Santo Niño, Bendísyuni: Images and Narratives of the Holy Child in Eastern Visayas.” Featuring photos and oral narratives about Santo Niño sculptures from different parts of the region, the exhibition is also part of UP Tacloban’s contribution to the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines. The launching episode of the Kaagi, Kabilin, Kultura (History, Heritage, Culture) Conversation Series is available online at https://www.facebook.com/BatiUPTacloban/videos/491725412212462  
https://up.edu.ph/are-the-covid-19-vaccines-safe/
“Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” – University of the Philippines
“Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?” January 26, 2021 | Written by Fred Dabu   While the development and deployment of new vaccines for the management of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, offer protection primarily for health frontliners and high-risk populations, concerns over the safety and efficacy of these vaccines should be addressed by all stakeholders, especially since clinical trials are still on-going. Correct information on the different vaccines, processes for ensuring safety, how immunity is attained by people in different environments, what side effects and adverse reactions may be expected, and other related issues, should be discussed by health experts to foster public confidence on the science at work. The upcoming webinar, “Are the COVID-19 Vaccines Safe?”, to be held on Friday, 29 January 2021, 12 noon, will tackle the benefits of vaccination for health workers as well as their families and patients. Since they are among the first ones who will receive the vaccine, they must be assured of their safety, efficacy and protection, as well as that of their families, patients, and co-workers. Dr. Antonio Dans of the UP College of Medicine and the Philippine General Hospital will discuss processes for ensuring safety; while Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health will explain the benefits of inoculation. Dr. Anna Ong Lim, infectious disease expert from UP PGH, will present her reactions on the topics under deliberation. Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, UP Executive Vice President and Special Adviser for the National Task Force on COVID-19, and Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila, will also join this special online event. The webinar series, “Stop Covid Deaths”, is organized by UP in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Heatlth-National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP PGH. To participate in this webinar, sign up at: bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar38.
https://up.edu.ph/where-are-we-in-covid-19-vaccination/
Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? – University of the Philippines
Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? Where are we in COVID-19 vaccination? January 20, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo   Less than a year after COVID-19 spread across the globe, vaccines for emergency use against the disease have been rolled out in some countries. The urgency to inoculate drove the development of these vaccines at an unusual speed. But where is the Philippines in the global race for COVID-19 vaccination? Unauthorized inoculations have been reported and divulged. COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination have elicited numerous opinions from experts and the public, from pricing to supply, from delivery to deployment, from storage to local use. Social platforms continue to be peppered with strongly worded, heated discussions on issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and their use. Ultimately, there is one government agency we should all be looking to for answers. And that is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency tasked to authorize and regulate vaccine use in the Philippines. At this time of pandemic, the FDA is also in the unenviable position of having to allay fears and apprehensions, and deal with the pressure of speeding up its approval processes, while still upholding scientific standards for safety and effectiveness. Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo, FDA Director General and Department of Health Undersecretary, will be on the hot seat to talk about the official status of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Listen to him in the 37th Stop COVID Deaths webinar, “Are We Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccines?” as he walks us through vaccine approval and the varying scenarios for use in different sectors. The online event happens on January 22 at noon via Zoom. Register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar37 to get updates from the FDA chief himself on the different COVID-19 vaccines that have been applied for emergency use in the Philippines. Reactors to Domingo’s presentation will be: Dr. Franco Felizarta, a UP alumnus and an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist in California, USA who has received the COVID-19 vaccine; Ayala Healthcare President and CEO Paolo Maximo Borromeo; and, veteran journalist Roby Alampay, also a co-anchor on One News’ The Chiefs and founder and CEO of PumaPodcast.
https://up.edu.ph/up-opens-college-applications-for-ay-2022-2023/
UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 – University of the Philippines
UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 UP opens college applications for AY 2022-2023 October 26, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The University of the Philippines College Application 2022 (UPCA2022) is now open. Please visit the UP Office of Admissions’ website to access the Application Portal. Applicants are required to read the General Information Bulletin before filing their application. Deadline for submission of all application documents is November 30, 2021.
https://up.edu.ph/university-councils-deliberate-on-suspending-upcat-for-the-2023-intake/
University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake – University of the Philippines
University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake University Councils deliberate on suspending UPCAT for the 2023 intake August 12, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Quezon Hall. UP Diliman. UP Media and Public Relations Office file photo. UP’s University Councils are now deliberating on the possible suspension of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for AY 2023-2024. In a special meeting held on August 3, 2022, the members of the President’s Advisory Council (PAC) of the University of the Philippines (UP), which includes the Chancellors of UP’s eight constituent universities, agreed to discuss in their respective University Council meetings the proposal of the Office of Admissions to suspend the administration of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for first-year admission in Academic Year 2023-2024. According to Office of Admissions Director Francisco De Los Reyes, the proposal to suspend UPCAT for this year is in light of concerns about the public health situation. In addition, the University is facing the logistical challenges of ensuring the safety and well-being of the more than 100,000 applicants and around 1,600 personnel who will administer the test nationwide. To date, deliberations on the suspension of the UPCAT for this year are ongoing in the eight UP constituent units—Baguio, Cebu, Diliman, Los Baños, Manila, Mindanao, Open University, and the Visayas. The University will make further UPCAT-related announcements after the UC discussions. Aside from the Chancellors, the UP President’s Advisory Council members include the UP President and Vice Presidents of the UP System, the Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City Campus. The University Council, on the other hand, is the highest policy-making body of each UP constituent university within the UP System. It comprises the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each UP constituent unit.
https://up.edu.ph/up-announces-no-upcat-yet-for-ay-2022-2023/
UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 – University of the Philippines
UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 UP announces no UPCAT yet for AY 2022-2023 December 7, 2021 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Oblation at the UP Cebu South Road Properties. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO. For the second year in a row, the University of the Philippines (UP) will not be administering its UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) for AY 2022-2023. This is according to Memorandum No. OVPAA 2021-158 released by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on November 18, 2021. The memo states that due to the “immense logistical challenge of administering UPCAT in the UP campuses and 95 testing centers throughout the archipelago while the trajectory of the pandemic remains uncertain,” the UP Office of Admissions made a motion to once again suspend the UPCAT for first-year student intake for the next academic year. The University Councils across the UP System voted overwhelmingly in favor of the motion. According to the UP Faculty Manual, the University Councils are the highest policy-making body of each UP constituent university (CU) composed of the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each CU. For AY 2022-2023, the admissions model used by the UP Office of Admissions’ for the first-year student intake of AY 2021-2022 will be used. According to the memo: “In light of this decision, the Admissions Scoring Model, which the Office of Admissions’ data scientists developed” and refined by “a working group of experts designated by their respective CUs” and that “the University Councils overwhelmingly approved in 2020, will continue to be used with some fine-tuning in the preprocessing and transmutation of grades that enter the model.” Download and read the memo here.
https://up.edu.ph/up-explains-the-current-admissions-system/
UP explains the current admissions system – University of the Philippines
UP explains the current admissions system UP explains the current admissions system August 31, 2022 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc The Office of Admissions in the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman. UP MPRO File Photo.   While forgoing its college admissions test in light of the public health situation, the University of the Philippines (UP) assured the public its ad hoc admissions system is more closely analyzing the applicants’ high school performance so that “excellence and equity” are not compromised in accepting new students. Excellence refers to choosing the best students for UP education. In contrast, equity refers to democratic access or “leveling the playing field” so that students’ profile reflects the socio-economic and geographic profile of the country. Recently, several sectors have expressed apprehension over UP forgoing the test component of the UP college admissions system in favor of high school grades. Various sources, including a proposed Senate resolution, have asserted that the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) is standardized among all aspirants and serves to level the playing field. High school grades, however, are affected by several factors, including different grading systems in different types of high school, teachers’ and schools’ standards, among others. As an August 26, 2022 Senate press release said: “It is not the student-applicant’s fault that the high schools they attended do not have the habit of giving relatively higher grades. Without UPCAT, we are killing the dreams of these highly qualified students without giving them a chance.” Prof. Franciso de los Reyes, data scientist and UP Office of Admissions director, said that both the old and the ad hoc system of UP admissions have always utilized high school grades as a basis for determining an applicant’s qualification for acceptance to the University. In the old system used in pre-pandemic times, the UPCAT was a component alongside the applicants’ high school general weighted average (GWA). Both are considered when generating the applicant’s UPG. UPG refers to the University Predicted Grade, or the measure by which UP sets the cutoff between qualifiers and non-qualifiers. It is a prediction of how they would perform in UP. As de los Reyes pointed out, in both the old admissions system with the UPCAT and the ad hoc admission system utilized during the COVID era, the applicants’ grades submitted by their high schools are transmuted and standardized into a figure that, based on previous records from the schools, cancels out factors such as grade inflation. “Even during normal times, UP cancels out the difference in grading systems among high schools and regions,” he said. “It corrects the difference of grades between more austere schools and those that may have inflated grades. It deals with biases in grading through a system of transmutation and standardization,” he explained. “These are biases UP can detect and rectify aided by its long experience of dealing with different kinds of high schools as it administered the admissions process through the years,” de los Reyes pointed out. He emphasized that the shift to the ad hoc system in response to the pandemic was not a simple matter of removing the test part of the admissions system. While the UPCAT could not be administered for Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023, applicants’ high school performance would be considered through an admission score model that goes beyond obtaining the usual GWA for the computation of the UPG—an admission score model that was approved by the University Councils of the various UP constituent units. “This is a model that went back to the high school records of 90,000 of UP’s past applicants down to each subject, and studied how these related to how they eventually performed in college,” de los Reyes said. “Using lessons from this study, we now utilize patterns and combinations of specific high school grades and other data instead of the UPCAT to come up with the UPG.” Data science and intensive analysis conducted by UP data scientists inform each step of UP’s admission system. According to de los Reyes, a closer study of high school grades is enough to measure what the UPCAT is meant to—aptitude per subject—by scrutinizing the student-applicant’s performance in the different subjects and issues from year to year. “As always, the UPG is then considered and weighed alongside the applicant’s kind of high school, their socio-economic status, and geographic location,” de los Reyes added. He reported that the UP admissions system is constantly undergoing refinement. “The effect of the pandemic will have to be factored into UP’s admission system. Remote learning, suddenly imposed upon teachers and students, would have an impact on teaching, learning, and student performance that would vary immensely across different strata of society and affect the student’s chances at UP admission,” he pointed out. According to UP, the shift to the ad hoc admissions system was studied by a multidisciplinary committee in 2020, which has a core group of 40 data scientists. It took the committee six months, beginning in November, to formulate and run the chosen model. The University Councils of each UP constituent unit finally approved the model in May 2021 on the strength of the scientific rigor and vetting that went into its development.
https://up.edu.ph/return-of-the-upcat-in-2023/
Return of the UPCAT in 2023 – University of the Philippines
Return of the UPCAT in 2023 Return of the UPCAT in 2023 September 22, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Oblation at the Oblation Plaza, UP Diliman. UP MPRO File Photo.   UP to hold UPCAT for first-year student intake in AY 2024-2025 The University of the Philippines (UP) will hold the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) in 2023 for first-year admission in Academic Year 2024-2025. This will be the first time the UPCAT will be held since 2020. This was decided during a meeting on September 14, 2022, of UP’s President’s Advisory Council (PAC), which includes the President and the Vice Presidents of the UP System, the Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents, the Chancellors of UP’s eight constituent universities, the Director of the UP Philippine General Hospital, and the Executive Director of the UP Bonifacio Global City Campus. UPCAT 2024 will be held face-to-face on June 3 and 4, 2023, in almost a hundred testing centers nationwide. Those qualified to apply are current grade 11 students who are expected to graduate from senior high school at the end of AY 2023-2024. Successful applicants will be admitted in the First Semester of AY 2024-2025. The application for UPCAT 2024 will open in March 2023. The early opening of applications for UPCAT 2024 and the holding of the UPCAT in June will ensure the timely release of results in light of the anticipated large increase in applications. The University Councils (UCs), comprised of the Chancellor, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of each UP constituent university, will meet to refine the details of the administration of UPCAT 2024. In the meantime, the application period for the UP College Admission (UPCA) for AY 2023-2024 is ongoing.
https://up.edu.ph/the-up-college-admission-test-upcat-is-back/
The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! – University of the Philippines
The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is back! February 15, 2023 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The Office of Admissions of the University of the Philippines has released an announcement on the conduct of the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) 2024. Please read the announcement below. For questions and clarifications, you may send a message to the Office of Admissions via this email address: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph. You may also get in touch with them via their official Facebook page.
https://up.edu.ph/attention-up-first-year-applicants-for-ay-2021-2022/
Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 – University of the Philippines
Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 Attention UP First-Year Applicants for AY 2021-2022 February 15, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The online application portal for Form 1 will close at 11:59 p.m. tonight, 15 February 2021. The online portal for Form 2 submission will be live from 16 February to 5 March 2021. The UP Office of Admissions is now initiating contact with the high schools, which is being done in batches. Applicants are advised to occasionally visit the portal to see if their school has already submitted their grades. After the deadline of Form 2 submission on 5 March, the applicant will receive their Forms 1 and 2 as well as the acknowledgment receipt in PDF format. For questions and concerns as well as additional information about application process, please message the UPCAT-U.P. System Facebook page.  
https://up.edu.ph/deadline-for-high-schools-to-submit-form-2-for-admission-to-up-extended-to-15-april/
Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April – University of the Philippines
Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April Deadline for high schools to submit Form 2 for admission to UP extended to 15 April March 29, 2021 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta   The University of the Philippines Office of Admissions (UP OAdms) has extended the deadline for the online submission of Form 2 by high schools with students applying to UP from 31 March to 15 April 2021. This will be the ultimate deadline in order for the University to proceed with the processing of applications in time for the opening of Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022. Slower rate of online submissions The extension of the deadline for the online submission of Form 2 was made in light of the notices and requests from many high schools to further extend the period for the submission of the grades of their students applying to UP. On top of the already considerable job of collating and submitting the grades of their student-applicants, high schools are also dealing with the impact of COVID-19. This has resulted in a slower rate of submissions due to modified work arrangements. The declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over the National Capital Region (NCR) and four other provinces due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, and the localized lockdowns elsewhere in the country, are further contributing to the delays in data integration and quality check. Among the 108,350 who applied for first-year admission to UP for the coming academic year, an estimated 32,200 Form 2 submissions are yet to come in. This is in spite of intensified efforts on the part of UP to assist the high schools by providing more Helpdesk volunteers and more Data Control personnel proactively reaching out to high schools to offer assistance, as well as the additional help given by the UP Ugnayan ng Pahinugod’s systemwide network. Modified timeline The UP OAdms’ newly modified timeline sets the final deadline of all UP first-year application requirements (both Form 1 and Form 2) on 15 April. Given the adjustments in the admissions process, the UP OAdms sets the most realistic time of release of qualified UP applicants on or before 15 July 2021. As before, high schools that have not received any notification, have changed their registered email address, or are having difficulty with online submission are advised to contact dataproc.oadms@up.edu.ph as soon as possible. Any inquiries, concerns and requests for assistance may also be coursed through the Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB page. The Helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-application-results-for-ay-2021-2022-to-be-released-on-15-july/
UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July – University of the Philippines
UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July UP college application results for AY 2021-2022 to be released on 15 July June 3, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   For those applying as first-year students at the University of the Philippines for Academic Year 2021-2022, the results of the UP college application will be released on 15 July 2021. Applicants must log on to the application portal to view the results of their applications. Qualified applicants must confirm their slot through the portal on or before 30 July 2021. Inquiries, concerns and requests for assistance may also be coursed through the Online Helpdesk found in the UP Office of Admissions FB Page. The Helpdesk is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.  
https://up.edu.ph/up-in-final-stage-of-assessing-applications-for-ay-2021-22-some-shortlisted-applicants-to-be-notified-for-additional-requirements/
UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements – University of the Philippines
UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements UP in final stage of assessing applications for AY 2021-22; some shortlisted applicants to be notified for additional requirements June 25, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of Admissions is now in the final stage of assessing applications after evaluating more than 100,000 high school records. Shortlisted applicants in certain degree programs requiring additional assessment will be notified by the concerned academic unit for the additional requirements. As stated in the General Information Bulletin, the University Councils of the UP System unanimously approved an additional assessment by academic units to qualify for admission in some degree programs, if deemed necessary. This is NOT yet the announcement of results for UP College Application 2021. Shortlisted applicants shall be contacted by phone or email regarding the additional screening if needed in their application. Note that not all applicants will be contacted, only those in the shortlist of specific degree programs. For applicants who do not receive a notification, please wait for July 15, 2021 to know the final result of your application.
https://up.edu.ph/time-slots-set-for-accessing-up-admission-results-on-july-15/
Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 – University of the Philippines
Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 Time slots set for accessing UP admission results on July 15 July 12, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The results of applications for admission to the University of the Philippines (UP) for AY 2021-2022 will be released on July 15, 2021. To manage online traffic, the UP Office of Admissions is encouraging applicants to visit the application portal according to the time slot corresponding to the first letter of their surname. Time First letter of surname 8:00am – 10:59am A to F 11:00am – 1:59pm G to M 2:00pm – 4:59pm N to S 5:00pm – 7:59pm T to Z 8:00pm – 7:59am A to Z (free for all) Applicants will need the username and password they used during the application period. For applicants who changed their registered email, please notify the UP Office of Admissions of the changes through upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph or through the FB Online Helpdesk.
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-applicants-reminded-of-upg-cutoff-for-appeals/
UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals – University of the Philippines
UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals UP college applicants reminded of UPG cutoff for appeals July 19, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of Admissions is reminding applicants for Academic Year 2021-2022 of the following UPG cutoffs for appeals per campus: Campus                           UPG cutoff for Appeals UP Baguio                                    2.700 UP Cebu                                       2.700 UP Pampanga                              2.549 UP Diliman                      will not accept appeals UP IloIlo                                       2.700 UP Los Banos                               2.800 UP Manila                                    2.580 UP Tacloban                                 2.749 UP Mindanao                               2.800 Open U                                        2.800 Interested applicants are encouraged to file their appeal to the Office of the University Registrar of the target campus/constituent university. The email addresses are as follows: UP Baguio – our.upbaguio@up.edu.ph UP Cebu – our.upcebu@up.edu.ph UP Diliman – our@upd.edu.ph / our.diliman@up.edu.ph UP Los Baños – our.uplb@up.edu.ph UP Manila – upm-our@up.edu.ph UP Mindanao – registrar.upmindanao@up.edu.ph UP Open University – registrar@upou.edu.ph UP Visayas – our.upvisayas@up.edu.ph  
https://up.edu.ph/tips-on-employment-relations-in-telework-working-from-home-covid-19-in-webinar-on-december-3-and-4/
Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 – University of the Philippines
Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 Tips on employment relations in telework, working from home & COVID-19 in webinar on December 3 and 4 November 27, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   Since COVID-19 has been running rampant across the world, many employees have withdrawn to their homes to work in order to help contain the virus. Teleworking enables them to fulfil work duties while avoiding personal contact with colleagues and preventing the spread of the disease. Although teleworking has long since been a common practice on a part-time or an occasional basis for some, shifting to working full-time in a home office poses a different challenge. To shed some light upon the issues and challenges of working, teleworking and labor and employment relations in “the new normal”, the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR) is organizing the 10th Asian Regional Congress of the International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), which will be held on line via Zoom on 3-4 December 2020. This virtual conference on labor and employment relations in Asia assembles a distinguished panel of esteemed scholars who could help navigate the portal of new possibilities in the future of work and employment relations. Experts will share what is known so far about the architecture of emerging employment relations, with the view that the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a portal or a gateway to a new world that includes a more humane, innovative world of work and employment relations. Interested participants may register at conference’s official website. The program can be viewed here: for Day 1 and Day 2 The 10th ILERA Asian Regional Congress is sponsored by the International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) Executive Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the UP Diliman Office of International Linkages, and the UP Diliman Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts. For more information, visit the official website of the 10th ILERA Asian Regional Congress.
https://up.edu.ph/intersections-of-infections-hiv-amid-the-covid-pandemic/
Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic – University of the Philippines
Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic Intersections of infections: HIV amid the COVID pandemic September 14, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune cells, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV is a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.1 million lives since 1981. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines had one of the highest rates of increase in HIV in the world. What happened during the pandemic? Were HIV patients able to receive treatment and care during the lockdowns? Who is most at risk for HIV? This Friday, September 16, from 12 noon to 2 pm, the University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), National Telehealth Center (NTC), and cooperation with the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID—current COVID-19 problems, other outbreaks, viruses, infections, and disasters. This week’s “Stop COVID Deaths” episode, “HIV sa Panahon ng COVID-19”, will try to find the reasons behind the alarming spike of HIV cases in the country and focus on prevention and the role of front liners in reducing stigma around the disease. These will all be discussed by a panel of experts: Dr. Sybil Lizanne R. Bravo, Division Chief of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Associate Professor with the Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UP College of Medicine; Dr. Kate Leyritana, Medical Director of the Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines; Dr. Ricardo Manalastas, Jr., Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UP Manila; and, Teresita Marie P. Bagasao, Project Director of Meeting Targets and Achieving Epidemic Control (EpiC)-HIV. Register here and catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account, TVUP’s YouTube channel, and Facebook page. The award-winning UP “Stop COVID Deaths” Webinar Series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series. It pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. Follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community.
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-features-case-of-pregnant-covid-19-patient/
UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient – University of the Philippines
UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient UP webinar features case of pregnant COVID-19 patient November 26, 2020 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc   Experts will discuss the case of “A Pregnant COVID Survivor with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Post-Caesarian Section” in the 32nd in a webinar series presented by the University of the Philippines for health professionals dealing with COVID-19. To be held on November 27, 2020, 12:00 nn to 2 PM, the “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar, and 14th of the first online medical grand rounds in the Philippines, will have as main resource persons Dr. Marvic Gabitan, a fellow of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and Dr. Judith Montero, a fellow of the UP Manila-Philippine General Hospital (UPM-PGH) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Maria Angela Bandola, a UPM-PGH Obstetrics Infectious Disease specialist, and Dr. Dennis Teo, an LCP Pulmonary Critical Care specialist, will be the discussants. They will focus on the case of a 30-year-old nurse, at her 34th week of pregnancy, who was exposed to a COVID-19 patient, delivered the baby prematurely, and then developed sepsis. “Based on what we know at this time, pregnant women are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant people,” the experts say. “Additionally, pregnant women with COVID-19 might be at increased risk for other adverse outcomes, such as preterm birth,” they add. “Understanding the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women can inform clinical practice, teaching, training, and public health communication,” according to the webinar brief. “Team approaches are needed when managing pregnant women who may have COVID exposure,” it added. UP spearheads the webinar series in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the UPM National Institutes of Health-National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with the UPM College of Medicine and the UPM-PGH. Registration slots to the webinar are limited. Interested parties must sign up at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar32.
https://up.edu.ph/how-is-the-philippines-responding-to-the-delta-variant-up-webinar-asks/
How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks – University of the Philippines
How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks How is the Philippines responding to the Delta variant? UP Webinar asks July 22, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   With recent logs of more Delta variant or B.1.617.2 cases plaguing neighboring countries, fear and anxiety have yet to be quelled surrounding this variant that is known to be 50 percent more contagious than all the others and dubbed as “more aggressive and fatal”. Considering this, the country may need to re-impose stricter guidelines and measures in order to contain its spread. As a follow-up to the previous episode, we shift gears and ask: How is the country’s health care system preparing for this? What is happening in the localities in the Philippines where this is reported? What are hospitals and health facilities doing to protect frontline workers? Are we looking at another possible surge? Ultimately, are we ready? This is what this week’s installment of the University of the Philippines’ (UP) “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series, “READY NA BA TAYO? A Conversation on the COVID-19 Delta Variant”, will tackle. Seven doctors from all over the country where new Delta variant cases have been reported will be presenting: Dr. Abdullah B. Dumama, Jr., Undersecretary of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team in Visayas and Mindanao; Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial, head of the Biomolecular Laboratories at the Philippine Red Cross; Dr. Julius M. Drilon, Medical Center Chief of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod; Dr. Regina P. Berba, head of the Hospital Infection Control Unit at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH); and Dr. Vincent M. Balanag, Jr., Executive Director of the Lung Center of the Philippines. Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, will open the webinar, while UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla will deliver her closing remarks as well as her synthesis. You may register through this link bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar62. The webinar may also be viewed on TVUP’s Youtube Channel See you at 12NN on Friday, July 23, 2021. Stay informed and together, let’s stop COVID deaths!
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-investigate-breakthrough-covid-infections/
UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections – University of the Philippines
UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections UP webinar to investigate breakthrough COVID infections August 25, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor It has been proven that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 reduces the risk of hospitalization, severe illness, and even death. But we also cannot deny the fact that it doesn’t completely stop the virus from infecting us. The Delta variant has rapidly overtaken all other variants of concern. And with the rise of COVID-19 cases these past few weeks despite lockdowns and other government efforts, it is imperative to talk about breakthrough infections and how to ultimately stop them. The University of the Philippines, in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital, would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19. This Friday, August 27, at 12:00 noon, the episode will tackle “Breakthrough Infections: Bakunado na Ako, Bakit COVID (+) Ako Ngayon?” What are the risk factors that contribute to breakthrough infections? Are breakthrough infections among the vaccinated like infections among the unvaccinated? How can frontliners who are fully vaccinated continue to protect themselves from infection? All these questions and more will be answered by the panelists: Dr. Regina P. Berba, Head of the Hospital Infection Control Unit at the Philippine General Hospital; Dr. Benilda B. Galvez, Retired Manager of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Department of the Lung Center of the Philippines; and, Atty. Maria Anthonette C. Velasco, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippine Tourism Promotion Board. Dr. Eric Tayag, Director for Knowledge Management Information Systems from Department of Health, will give the opening remarks while Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong, Dean of the College of Medicine, will give the closing remarks.     Register at bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar67   Article by Deina Blancaflor
https://up.edu.ph/up-baguio-research-journal-website-launched/
UP Baguio research journal website launched – University of the Philippines
UP Baguio research journal website launched UP Baguio research journal website launched June 1, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office Visit UP Baguio’s The Cordillera Review website at www.thecordillerareview.upb.edu.ph.   The Cordillera Studies Center (CSC) of the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) launched in a virtual program online the website of its official research journal, The Cordillera Review (TCR), 17 May 2021. Published through the Cordillera Studies Center (CSC), the TCR is a multidisciplinary refereed journal dedicated to studies on Philippine culture and society, with emphasis on research pertaining to the Cordillera region and Northern Luzon, Philippines. Dubbed as the Journal of Philippine Culture and Society, its first issue was released in March 2009 with Prof. Delfin Tolentino, Jr. as editor-in-chief. With the newly-launched TCR website, the journal becomes an open-access electronic journal. According to CSC Director Dr. Ruth Tindaan, the launching is part of the reconfiguration of the TCR from print to an online-access journal that has been in the works within the center. This shift also transformed the publication into having an international editorial board. Pointing out the relevance of the project being timely especially with the implications to access to research materials brought about by the pandemic, Tindaan also emphasized the importance of widely disseminating scholarly works published in the TCR. In the launching program, UPB Chancellor Dr. Corazon Abansi acknowledged the efforts and resources invested since the previous administration that made the TCR shift possible. The chancellor also stressed the goal of the TCR website of providing support to the academic and research community and a positive experience for all readers of the journal. “This move also comes with the not insignificant benefit of reducing our environmental footprint,” Abansi added. The website currently offers free-download access to the past issues of the TCR as well as functions for free sharing on social media to foster what Abansi pointed out as an opportunity to “transform from mere consumption to engagement”. This resonates with what Tindaan mentioned as among the aims of the TCR online to encourage opportunities of interaction among researchers and scholars through the platform. Published biannually, the TCR welcomes submissions of studies and papers that contribute to the discourses on indigenous societies and Philippine culture in general. Information including the submission guidelines are available on the website at thecordillerareview.upb.edu.ph. Print copies of the previous TCR issues are still available from the CSC and its official online spaces. Article by the UP Baguio Public Affairs/JL Lazaga & RN Gueco.
https://up.edu.ph/covidization-101-covid-19-updates-in-baguio-city-and-potential-vaccines/
COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines – University of the Philippines
COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines COVIDIZATION 101: COVID-19 Updates in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines August 10, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   Good news has been coming out of Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region, whose local government has been commended recently by a World Health Organization delegation for their local COVID-19 response and contact tracing strategy. Will there be more good news from the City of Pines about potential COVID-19 vaccines? Find out in the upcoming public webinar on “COVIDIZATION 101: A webinar on COVID-19 Update in Baguio City and Potential Vaccines,” with Dr. Donnabel Tubera-Panes, head of the Baguio HSO Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, as guest speaker. The webinar, which is organized by the UP Baguio College of Science Lecture Series Committee and the UP Biology Society, will be held via Zoom on August 12, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. Please pre-register via: https://up-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iA1rCliFQrOsk6B0AZcFog.  
https://up.edu.ph/abansi-steps-in-as-3rd-upb-chancellor/
Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor – University of the Philippines
Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor Abansi steps in as 3rd UPB chancellor April 19, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo   Dr. Corazon Abansi of the UP Baguio (UPB) Institute of Management (IM) has started her three-year term as the third UPB chancellor on April 14. She will serve until 13 April 2024. Prior to her appointment, she was Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of her predecessor, Dr. Raymundo Rovillos. While UPB has been a constituent university for a little over 18 years, Abansi is only its third chancellor, as both Rovillos and UPB’s first chancellor, Dr. Priscilla Supnet Macansantos, served three consecutive terms. The UP Board of Regents approved Abansi’s selection to the constituent university’s top post in its 1359th meeting on March 25. “Our vision of a resilient university is about adapting and thriving in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous circumstances,” Abansi stated in her vision paper, “Sëbang: Forging New and Old Pathways for a Resilient UP Baguio”. In an explanatory note, she said, “Sëbang is an Ibaloi term for the pathway a person creates towards the forest to hunt or construct farms on mountain slopes. In this vision paper for the Next Chancellor of UP Baguio (14 April 2021 to 13 April 2024), Sëbang connotes a pathway to construct a culturally rooted academic institution.” She used the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, how it has “exposed gaps in our operations and forced us to deviate from our standard policies and usual processes”, to plan UPB’s direction in the next three years, even though many things are unknown, uncertain, and unpredictable about the post-pandemic future. “Ours is a wake-up call to adapt and innovate, and frame challenges into opportunities to discover pathways to renew our pact with the faculty, students, staff, alumni, partners and the greater public,” Abansi said. Abansi enumerated four pathways she intends to pursue: effective teaching and learning; multidisciplinary research and creative works; strong extension and public service; and, competent administration. In the pathway to effective teaching and learning, she said that remote teaching and learning has moved from being an “emergency strategy” to an “organizational reality”. New ways of teaching and learning, therefore, must be inclusive and participatory. “Variants such as fully online, blended, or flexible learning will move across options throughout a student’s life and university years, and will continue on to the foreseeable future,” she said. Abansi added that: the capabilities of the University Library and the Learning Resource Center will continue to be upgraded; academic programs will be reviewed, strengthened, and instituted; and, professional development of faculty will move toward “effective pedagogical methods in a remote learning scenario”. In the pathway to multidisciplinary research and creative works, she welcomed the collective agreement among the colleges to propose the establishment of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension. She also said that apart from the Cordillera Research Center, her administration “will mobilize the Science Research Center and Innovation Hub. . . [as] a nexus that connects all the dots from thought to product, from imagination to reality, and from science to the community.” To ensure the continued conduct of ethical research, “we will sustain the momentum of the Research Ethics Committee and look forward to the crafting of our own Code for Responsible Conduct of Research and the convening of our Research Ethics Review Committee or Board,” she stated. The pathway to strong extension and public service will see the creation of the Social Innovation Laboratory and Business Inclusion or SILBI Center, one of the key components of the Innovation Hub. “This center will complete the downstream-upstream connections in the value chain and will build the capability of the community through short/certificate courses and training programs in entrepreneurship and in support of the creative industry,” Abansi explained. She listed four major components in the pathway to competent administration: (1) digital infrastructure, where technology will continue to be leveraged as a tool to address the needs in administration, teaching, and learning, including the deployment of mental health services; (2) physical infrastructure, where “existing buildings and physical structures will be revisited to align use and maintenance programs given limited or zero residential students”; (3) administrative staff, REPS, and other support staff, where continuing professional development is essential, contractual employees will be prioritized in vacancies of regular items, and benefits of outsourced personnel that provide security and utility service will be given in accordance with existing laws; and, (4) management and leadership, which entails a review of the organization since its elevation to constituent university status in 2002 to adapt to evolving needs. Abansi earned her BS in Agricultural Economics, major in Finance from UP Los Baños (UPLB) in 1980. Nine years later, she graduated with an MS in Agriculture Economics, major in Marketing, also from UPLB. In 1994, she finished another master’s degree, this time an MA in Economics, major in Environmental Economics from UP Diliman. She went back to UPLB and earned her PhD in Agricultural Economics, major in Natural Resource Economics in 1997. In UPB, she served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from 2015 to 2021, Director of Student Affairs from 2012 to 2015, and IM Director from 2011 to 2012. Before joining UPB, Abansi served as De La Salle University Lipa’s Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Research. In 2016, she was one of the recipients of CMO Asia’s Excellence Awards. She was conferred the rank and title of UP Scientist I in 2018, held the One UP Professorial Chair for two consecutive terms from 2015 to 2017 and 2018 to 2021, and received multiple International Publication Awards as a productive UPB scholar. Abansi emphasized the importance of collaboration and multidisciplinarity and it is evident in her research work, not only with UP colleagues, but also with faculty and researchers from other universities.
https://up.edu.ph/muling-pagsibol-ugnayan-ng-pahinungod-annual-report-2019-2020/
Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 – University of the Philippines
Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 Muling Pagsibol: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Annual Report 2019-2020 October 20, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office ANG MULING PAGSIBOL. The Ugnayan ng Pahinungód/ Oblation Corps (UP/OC) releases its annual report to mark its first year of revitalization under the administration of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion. Eighteen years after its systemwide devolution, Pahinungód was given a new lease on life in six UP constituent units– UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Mindanao, UP Open University, and UP Visayas. These new Pahinungód offices join the 26-year-old Ugnayan ng Pahinungód offices in UP Manila and UP Los Baños as they celebrate another year of public service to the nation. Read the annual report here. Here are some highlights from Pahinungód’s first year. #MagPahinungod  
https://up.edu.ph/music-for-the-city-of-pines-up-symphony-orchestra-in-baguio/
Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio – University of the Philippines
Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio Music for the City of Pines: UP Symphony Orchestra in Baguio November 18, 2022 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office   On December 2, 2022, the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) will make its debut performance at the summer capital of the Philippines. Tagged as the orchestra for the people or Orkestra ng Bayan, UPSO serves as the official system-wide orchestra for the University. They maintain a roster of 65 members exclusively from the alumni, students, faculty, and staff of all UP campuses. They have been under the direction of Maestro Josefino Chino Toledo since their inception in August 2018. From left: soprano Kay Balajadia, tenor Glenn Gaerlan, and flutist Raymond Sarreal. Photos from UP Symphony Orchestra.   In celebration of the city, UPSO will be joined by local Baguio talents: soprano Kay Balajadia and the “Pavarotti of Baguio,” tenor Glenn Gaerlan. The orchestra will also feature its very own principal flute player, Raymond Sarreal, as a soloist. The concert program will include Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Ramon Tapales’ Philippine Suite, Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 4, Cécile Chaminade’s Flute Concertino, plus a selection of popular tunes and holiday music to spread the joy and cheer of the season. UPSO’s performance is in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the elevation of UP Baguio as the 7th constituent unit of the UP System. It also comes at the tail end of the investiture ceremonies of UP Baguio’s chancellor, Dr. Corazon L. Abansi, scheduled on the morning of the same day. Dr. Abansi formally began her term on April 14, 2021, but had to delay her investiture due to pandemic concerns. Catch UPSO at the Baguio Convention Center on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 5 pm! The concert is free, with limited seating available. Contact Elena at 0977-809-2139 for tickets and more information.
https://up.edu.ph/up-and-philhealth-to-host-first-virtual-international-conference-on-medical-education-in-the-time-of-the-pandemic/
UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic – University of the Philippines
UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic UP and PhilHealth to host first Virtual International Conference on medical education in the time of the pandemic October 8, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The University of the Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), is intensifying its role in the fight against COVID-19 through the first Virtual International Conference on Medical Education in the Time of the Pandemic. This webinar is scheduled on October 9, 2020, Friday, and interested parties may register via bit.ly/StopCOVIDDeathsWebinar25. Part 1 of the conference-webinar aims to examine the capabilities of the country and the world in health service delivery and the training of doctors and other health professionals during the pandemic. When each one in healthcare facilities is tasked to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all necessary precautions are taken, contributing to delays and difficulties in both COVID and non-COVID related cases. Services for other medical and surgical conditions may also go unserved. The pandemic also highlights the importance of producing more medical professionals who are able to serve more patients. Presentors during the conference-webinar are: Dr. Stella Marie Jose, Deputy Director for Health Operations of the UP-Philippine General Hospital (PGH); Prof. Alfred Kow Wei Chieh, Assistant Dean of Education of the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Medicine; and, Prof. Shahrul Bahyah, Postgraduate Training for Internal Medicine, and COVID Coordinator for the University of Malaya. They will shed light on how medical training institutions are dealing with the challenges brought about by the pandemic as it disrupted the training of health professionals and services in hospitals. Conference reactors include: Dr. Vincent De Leon, Chief Resident of the Department of Radiation Oncology of The Medical City in Ortigas, and President of the Medical City Fellows and Residents Organization; Dr. Madonna L. Aujero, Resident at the Department of ENT-HNS of the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Philippines; and, Dr. Edward Christopher Dee, from the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Also joining the conference to deliver important messages to the participants are: Hon. Jose Y. Cueto, Jr., of the Philippine Regulatory Commission; Dr. Carmencita D. Padilla, Chancellor of UP Manila; and Dr. Charlotte Chiong, Dean of UP College of Medicine. This historic conference is part of the Stop COVID Deaths Webinar Series jointly produced by UP, PhilHealth, and UP Manila National Institutes of Health National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP College of Medicine and UP-PGH. Past webinars may be viewed in the YouTube channel of TVUP, UP’s Internet television (webcast) network.
https://up.edu.ph/engg-alumni-keep-on-supporting-future-engineers/
Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers – University of the Philippines
Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers Eng’g alumni keep on supporting future engineers October 24, 2019 | Written by Fred Dabu Alumni donors and officers of the UP Diliman College of Engineering (CoE) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI). Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   At the reception hosted by University of the Philippines President Danilo L. Concepcion, together with officials of the UP Diliman College of Engineering (CoE) and the UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI), alumni of the CoE who donated professorial chairs and new books to support the nation’s future engineers expressed their commitment and gratitude to the University. The donors received Sundial Plaques as tokens of appreciation from UP. The event was held at the UP Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City on October 22, 2019. UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr. acknowledged the donors for providing an additional six professorial chairs for CoE, the second batch the College received for the year: CleanTech Global Renewables, Inc. Professorial Chair in Renewable Energy; Legazpi Premium Development Corporation Professorial Chair in Engineering; Fortunato Tanseco de la Peña Professorial Chair in Productivity Engineering; Renato M. Tanseco Chair in Mechanical Engineering; Ma. Divina Cruz Casillan Professorial Chair in Chemical Engineering; and, Dr. Ruben A. Garcia Professorial Chair in Energy Engineering; as well as  funds for the production, marketing and promotion of ES 101 textbooks written by UP Institute of Civil Engineering faculty. CoE Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg said the event marks an auspicious start for his term as the new dean. He said 126 of the total CoE faculty members have been awarded professorial chairs for academic year 2017-2018, and 145 for 2019. He added that the College already has 199 professors eligible to apply for professorial chairs. “We continue to seek help for donations for thesis, research grants, and scholarships. Your gifts to the college will bear fruit. . . (para sa) teknolohiyang makakatulong sa mas maraming Pilipino, para sa mas maunlad na bansa (by making technology serve more Filipinos, towards the goal of attaining a more developed nation),” he said.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion thanks the donors and shares inspiring stories of how UP alumni associations abroad also provide support to their alma mater. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   UP Pres. Concepcion commended the alumni donors for their unwavering support, especially since UP is the nation’s leading research university.  He encouraged the alumni to reach out to fellows abroad, to form alumni associations, to continue supporting the University through donations, to teach short but intensive courses in UP, and to help in the internationalization efforts of the University.   Legazpi Premium Development Corporation President Jose Go Rañola. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Jose Go Rañola, the president of the Legazpi Premium Development Corporation and an advocate for blind people, said he wants to encourage engineering students in providing assistive technology in the Philippines.   Automated Technology Philippines, Inc. (ATECPHIL) President Vincent O. Abella. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Vincent O. Abella, the president of the Automated Technology Philippines, Inc. (ATECPHIL), honored the company’s founder and chairman, Renato “Rene” M. Tanseco  (Mechanical Engineering Class of 1959) with the donation of the class. Abella hopes “that future engineers will have a successful career and contribute to building the nation.” A donor and a chair honoree, Renato “Rene” M. Tanseco, said he named a professorial chair after his cousin, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” Tanseco de la Peña.   Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato “Boy” Tanseco de la Peña. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   De la Peña, who earned a  Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1969, an MS in Industrial Engineering in 1976, and a PhD honoris causa in 2018, warmly acknowledged his “Kuya Rene’s” gift to the College as a “unique honor”. “I assure you that we will continue to support UP,” he said.  De la Peña also serves as adviser of the UPERDFI.   Engr. Marcelo M. Casillan, Jr. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Marcelo M. Casillan, Jr., a UPERDFI adviser, Tanseco’s classmate in ME ’59, and long-time patron to the College, donated two professorial chairs: one in honor of his departed wife, Ma. Divina Cruz  (BS Chemical Engineering 1960, MS ChE 1968; and the other, in memory of Dr. Ruben A. Garcia who served as CoE dean from 1985 to 1991. “For the love of UP, we really have to give back our blessings,” Casillan said. A representative of the Garcia family added that they, too, are grateful for the opportunity to help the nation’s future engineers.   Engr. Renato “Rene” R. Bello. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Renato “Rene” R. Bello (Industrial Engineering Class of 1975) and Carmen Viola Fernando Seriña, donated funds for the production of the new ES 101 book set. Rosario “Chato” Calderon, also a previous donor for projects and of a professorial chair, provided funds for the marketing and promotion of the books. Bello affirmed that this is their way of giving back to the University, providing inspiration to the youth, and contributing to the nation.   Dr. Iris Ann Martinez of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, UP College of Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Dr. Iris Ann Martinez, a CoE faculty member and a representative of the professorial chair awardees, expressed her gratitude to the University and the alumni donors for their untiring support. She said such incentives for faculty to pursue researches in their fields of interest and expertise truly benefit their students, UP, and the nation. “I hope dumami pa kayo, kasi marami pang colleagues na ma-iinspire at makakagawa ng research nila (that more of our alumni support the University so that many more of our colleagues will be inspired and pursue their research activities),” she added. The event also provides awardees an opportunity to meet and thank those who were able to inspire them, the College, and the UPERDFI, she explained. In closing, UPERDFI President Frederick Jonathan A. Trinidad reiterated the indispensable role of UP alumni in supporting the Iskolar ng Bayan, the nation’s future engineers, the CoE, as well as the internationalization efforts of UP.   Alumni donors, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, and UP College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Alumni donors, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UP College of Engineering (CoE) Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg, and UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI) officers. Photo by Bong Arboleda.
https://up.edu.ph/up-college-of-engineering-team-inspects-north-cotabato-structures-for-safety/
UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety – University of the Philippines
UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety UP College of Engineering Team inspects North Cotabato structures for safety November 19, 2019 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga)   A team of engineers from the UP College of Engineering (UP-CoE) further assured the safety of people gravely affected by the recent Mindanao earthquakes by conducting structural assessment of vital buildings in North Cotabato Province and the hard-hit Municipality of Makilala.   Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga)   Headed by the UP College of Engineering Dean, in coordination with the provincial and municipal local government units, the UP-CoE Team inspected twenty (20) vital public and private structures from November 9 to 11, 2019 to ascertain whether they could be re-occupied, or their access restricted or declared off limits. These included government buildings, gymnasiums, evacuation centers, office buildings, hotels, commercial establishments, condominiums, and a bridge. The municipal building of Makilala was declared off limits after serious damage was detected on the columns in the basement.   Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga)   The UP-CoE Team is composed of: Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg; Civil Engineers Jaime Hernandez Jr., Eric Augustus Tingatinga, Jihan Pacer, and Julius Baniqued; and Geodetic Engineer Christian Candido, all of whom worked hand in hand with North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmy Lou T. Mendoza, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista, and three local engineers. Structural damage assessment was one of three immediate needs spelled out by Cotabato Province in a November 6, 2019 letter to UP seeking assistance following the series of earthquakes on October 29 and 31, 2019. Ascertaining safety of structures would rationalize evacuation, according to the LGUs.   Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga)   The UP College of Engineering had been organizing a team of volunteer engineers for Mindanao since October 31. The UP-CoE Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) and Building Research Service (BRS) have traditionally deployed volunteer engineers in response to disasters, the last one being the Bohol earthquake. When the Cotabato LGU request came, they were ready to be deployed to the area in coordination with the UP Resilience Institute. Currently, University efforts to assist affected LGUs are coordinated by a Mindanao Earthquake Response Team (MERT-UP).  Aside from the UP-CoE Team, UP had also sent a team of geology experts, and, as of press time, is preparing the deployment of a combined psycho-social and medical response team from UP Manila, UP Visayas, and UP Diliman.   Dean Manegdeg and UP Institute of Civil Engineering’s Dr. Jaime Hernandez Jr. leading the team assessing commercial establishments in Kidapawan City. (Photos courtesy of Eric Augustus Tingatinga)   MERT-UP has issued calls for financial donations to support the logistical and subsistence needs of the teams, and the needs of communities best addressed by the University.
https://up.edu.ph/repainting-of-up-chapels-dome-interior-completed-in-time-for-holy-week/
Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week – University of the Philippines
Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week Repainting of UP Chapel’s dome interior completed in time for Holy Week March 26, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The restoration of the UP Chapel was supposed to start early last year, but due to the pandemic the restoration plan was pushed back to the latter part of 2020. Photo from the DMCI Homes.   Repair and repainting of the Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice, more popularly known as the University of the Philippines (UP) Chapel in the Diliman campus—a recognized National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure—has been completed in time for the observance of Holy Week. Following its repair and repainting of the chapel’s exterior dome, structures and facades last year, Quadruple A developer DMCI Homes has also completed the repainting of the church’s interior ceiling. The chapel’s dome interior repainting was done with the help of JBLS Trading & Construction Aesthetics, and Boysen Philippines, which donated the paint materials.   About 138 gallons of paint were used to repaint the entirety of the chapel’s interior dome. Photo from DMCI Homes.   Prior to the actual repainting, scaffolding construction and scraping of the dome’s interior were initially done in January. DMCI Homes proceeded to repaint the dome’s interior mid-February this year after getting approval of the paint color to be used from UP officials and the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice. While the repainting was ongoing, masses were still held at the UP Chapel’s grounds for parishioners to attend. DMCI Homes, the property arm of DMCI Holdings, has been working on rehabilitating the 65-year-old chapel since July 2020. The restoration of the UP Chapel was done through a series of consultations with UP officials in an effort to bring back the 65-year-old cultural treasure’s original state of beauty. Before 2020 ended, DMCI Homes facilitated the following repairs in the chapel: repair of masonry cracks; de-clogging of downspouts and drains; installation of new electrical fixtures; and, exterior repainting on the chapel’s iconic dome and roof, as well as of its walls, columns, eaves, under slabs, ceilings, and railings. The murals depicting the Stations of the Cross, the marble altar, the floor mural, and the cross at the center of the chapel—all handiworks of national artists—were left untouched during the rehabilitation.   Work on the church’s exterior dome, structures and facades started in July 2020 and was completed last December. Photo from DMCI Homes.   The UP Chapel was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin and built by Engr. David M. Consunji, an alumnus of the UP College of Engineering. Consunji is acknowledged as the grandfather of construction in the Philippines and the founder of the DMCI Group of Companies. Due to its unique and timeless design, the UP Chapel is considered an important architectural landmark, as it is the first circular chapel in the country with the altar in its center for a more personal and engaging community worship experience. It is also the first structure in the country to feature a remarkable thin-shell concrete dome, made possible through Engr. Consunji’s innovation in the mixing and delivery of concrete. It is the only structure in the country to feature the works of five national artists. With the interior dome finally repainted, the restoration of the chapel to its original glory is finally complete and people from all walks of life can enjoy and appreciate the chapel’s one-of-a-kind beauty for many years. Take a virtual tour of the newly renovated national historical landmark via qrco.de/UPChapel. Article courtesy of Mr. JC Ruiz, DMCI Homes
https://up.edu.ph/up-receives-new-professorial-chairs-in-engineering/
UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering – University of the Philippines
UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering UP receives new Professorial Chairs in Engineering February 18, 2020 | Written by Fred Dabu PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   With the help of the University of the Philippines Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI), UP received two new professorial chairs during the signing of the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in the UP Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City on February 12, 2020. A deed of donation from the PLDT-Smart Foundation signed in 2019 was also renewed. The event was attended by UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, and top officials of PLDT, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad, One Meralco Foundation, UP College of Engineering, and UPERDFI. In his message to the donors, Concepcion explained that the professorial chairs are truly beneficial to UP faculty and students, with the University as the premier learning environment for the nation’s future engineers and leaders of vital industries. he said, “Malaking bagay po ito at nagpapasalamat kami sa inyo. Maraming salamat po sa inyo!”   PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan conveys his gratitude for being able to help the University and the nation. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Pangilinan, who is a renowned businessman and sports patron, revealed that he is no stranger to UP, since his grandfather had encouraged him to study in UP and his father was in UP Los Baños. He said that their group of companies has been supporting UP in various ways, from the time of UP Presidents Dodong Nemenzo and Emerlinda Roman up to the present. He added that businesses and industries have the obligation to help the academe, and to nurture dialogues and expand relationships that aim to clarify the roles of these sectors in the changing global and domestic landscapes.  “It’s our privilege and gratitude for allowing us to help UP in whatever way we can,” he said.   UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI) Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   According to UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr., the group of companies where Pangilinan holds leadership positions is presently sponsoring 14 professorial chairs in Engineering: five are from Maynilad; one from Meralco; one from the Meralco Millennium Foundation, in honor of Manuel Lopez; one from MIESCOR, in honor of Cesar Nuguid; one from PLDT SMART Foundation; two from Philex Mining Corporation; one from Maynilad Contractors, called Maynilad UP Centennial Chair; and, the two new donations. This is 7% of the UP College of Engineering’s 196 professorial chairs. Professorial chairs are awarded to faculty members and serve as incentives for the recipients to further excel in teaching and to pursue researches related to their fields of interest and expertise. As a symbol of appreciation and distinction, UP gives the donor a Sundial Plaque, an elegantly framed artwork depicting the meters-high concrete sundial that stands in the UP College of Engineering compound.   Top officials of UP, UPERDFI, PLDT, and PLDT-Smart Foundation affix their signatures to the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Top officials of UP, UPERDFI, PLDT, and PLDT-Smart Foundation affix their signatures to the deeds of donation for the Manuel V. Pangilinan Professorial Chair in Engineering and the PLDT-Smart Foundation Professorial Chair in Engineering. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion presents the Sundial Plaque to PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. They are flanked by PLDT, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Maynilad, One Meralco Foundation, UP College of Engineering, and UPERDFI officials. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   (L-R) PLDT Head of Public Affairs Ramon R. Isberto; PLDT-Smart Foundation President Esther O. Santos; PLDT Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Smart Communications Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; UP College of Engineering Dean Ferdinand G. Manegdeg; and UPERDFI President Rico A. Trinidad. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.
https://up.edu.ph/surviving-the-big-one-with-diwata-2s-amateur-radio-unit/
Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit – University of the Philippines
Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit Surviving the ‘Big One’ with Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit May 14, 2019 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion   Last month, the Philippines experienced two strong earthquakes in Luzon and Leyte —each measuring at least 6.0 in magnitude—reviving anxieties about the “Big One,’’ an extremely powerful quake that experts predict could hit with devastating effect during our lifetime. A catastrophic event of such magnitude struck Haiti in 2010, when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake with an epicenter near the capital of Port-au-Prince quickly took the lives of hundreds of thousands. Compounding rescue efforts, the quake also devastated the country’s communication infrastructure. In that desperate time, an unexpected group of people heroically acted as bridges between emergency responders and survivors. Amateur radio operators or ‘hams’ tuned into the appropriate frequencies and, with the help of satellites, acted as the eyes and ears of the rescue teams. Once a mere backup system, the amateur radio band became a lifeline, handling most emergency communications in the immediate aftermath of the quake. It is easy to imagine how communication in the Philippines, despite a population of 60 million social media users, could be similarly crippled should the ‘Big One’ strike. Luckily, not only does the country have a close-knit community of amateur radio enthusiasts ready to assist, but we also now have a satellite that can facilitate their communication to any place in the archipelago. The innovation responsible for this is Diwata-2’s Amateur Radio Unit (ARU), which was formally unveiled on April 26. Described by its makers as something of a “walkie-talkie in space,” the ARU allows radio operators to communicate with anyone anywhere in the country. Recently, the UP MPRO had a conversation with three STAMINA4Space engineers behind Diwata-2’s ARU. Izrael Zenar Bautista, Lorenzo Sabug, Jr., and Mary Ann Zabanal-Constante had worked persistently to fit what could become the country’s last line of communication into the microsatellite’s 56-kilogram frame. Bautista, currently a PhD student at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), said the ARU is primarily responsible for Diwata-2’s functionality as a communications satellite. More than any other item in its payload, it is the ARU that allows people to converse over vast distances.   STAMINA4Space engineers communicate via Diwata-2’s amateur radio unit (ARU). Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   The unit was born out of a need to improve an already great thing. After Diwata-1 was launched in 2016, the team was already thinking of ways to make its successor better. The engineers were specifically looking to bring the technology closer to ordinary citizens. Bautista said he believes that the ARU democratizes the use of Diwata-2, because even regular citizens with inexpensive equipment can use it. “That’s because the frequency is free for all to use,” he said. “Theoretically, anyone can use it.” This is especially true for amateur radio enthusiasts, many of whom prefer to “homebrew” or self-construct rather than buy their equipment. “You just need to have the right equipment in order to participate,” Bautista added. The two primary functions of Diwata-2’s ARU are to be an FM voice repeater (FMVR) and an Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) message repeater. The voice repeater, allows people to wirelessly converse through voice, with the satellite facilitating the communication. “Actually, with the altitude of Diwata-2,” Bautista added, “you can talk to someone from anywhere in the Philippines. You don’t need to spend for load or the internet; you just need a radio and an antenna.” The APRS message repeater, on the other hand, acts more like a text message. It allows you to receive messages sent by fellow amateur radio enthusiasts via the ARU. Not only can you now send messages to first responders in the event of a major disaster; you can also transmit temperature, weather information and GPS data to others. Step-by-step Diwata-2’s ARU makes use of two radio signals familiar to amateur radio operators worldwide—ultra-high frequency (UHF, 437.500 MHz); and, very-high frequency (VHF, 145.900 MHz). According to Lorenzo Sabug Jr., this familiarity is a benefit. “This means that hams who have accessed other amateur radio satellites only have to do what they’re used to in order to access Diwata-2. And there are so many affordable handheld transmitters that we can tune to UHF and VHF frequencies that make communicating with satellites much more cost-effective.” Sabug noted that there are three steps that an amateur radio operator should follow in order to connect to Diwata-2’s ARU. The first is tracking the satellite as it passes overhead. “We have available orbit tracker apps for mobile phones or PCs. We can track when Diwata-2 is passing over and its direction in the sky,” he said. One should then tune their equipment to 145.900 MHz to receive transmissions from Diwata-2 or 437.500 MHz to transmit messages to others.   UP and STAMINA4Space research engineers Izrael Zenar Bautista (3rd from left) and Lorenzo Sabug, Jr. (rightmost) with UP EEEI Associate Professor Marc Caesar Talampas and DOST-ASTI Director Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   He noted that Diwata-2 typically passes at around noon and in the middle of the night, which makes it easier for amateur operators to anticipate it. From these we get an idea when Diwata-2 is coming and where it’s coming from so we can point our antennas in the right direction. Indeed, that pointing is the second necessary step. Taking a directional antenna, a radio operator should physically track Diwata-2’s movement with it as it moves. Lastly, an operator should always follow ham radio etiquette, ensuring that others have already finished their transmissions before making their own. Ideally every user should have an opportunity to use Diwata-2 for their emergency response needs. Aside from its coverage and accessibility, another advantage of Diwata-2 is its virtual immunity from the effects of earthbound calamities. Orbiting at an altitude of more than 600 km., Diwata-2 is higher than any raincloud and is unreachable by tremors or waves that can knock out telephone lines or cellular towers. This makes it a conduit of communication that we can reliably use despite massive devastation on the ground. Balikbayan Box Getting a radio unit with so many functions to fit within a tiny satellite was one of the challenges the team had to overcome. Few know this better than Mary Ann Zabanal-Constante who worked on the ARU’s antenna deployment. “I compare Diwata-2 to a balikbayan box,” she said, “where we try to fit all the important things in so our people can get their money’s worth when we finally send it out.” “To put it simply, a careful study of design and optimization was required from creating the circuit boards, to the enclosure, to the antennas, to Diwata-2 itself to fit all those components in,” Constante said.   Details of Diwata-2’s amateur radio unit with handwritten messages by its makers. Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Sabug, Jr., STAMINA4Space and UP EEEI.   Completing the ARU was both a national and a practical success. Not only did we now have a working unit built by Filipino experts, but the STAMINA4Space team also touched base with industry partners who can produce the components needed to build more satellites. Constante aims to eventually produce a catalogue of locally built satellite components that have “flight heritage” or have been proven to work in space. The resulting reduction in overhead costs would mean more and better satellites, not to mention better ARUs, which can be locally built by our engineers. For now, however, Constante and the rest of the STAMINA4Space engineers are inviting all interested individuals to keep using Diwata-2’s existing ARU. “We hope you keep using it, and we hope it can continue to serve even more of our people.” Our nation may never be fully ready to cope with disasters like the ‘Big One’, but with more satellites and with amateur radio units patrolling our skies, Filipinos will at least have a fighting chance. Track Diwata-2’s arrival by following its Twitter account. To learn more about amateur radio in the country, visit the Philippine Amateur Radio Association website.
https://up.edu.ph/filipino-space-scientists-and-engineers-gain-new-home-in-ulys3es/
Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES – University of the Philippines
Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES Filipino space scientists and engineers gain new home in ULyS3ES September 16, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Video by KIM Quilinguing, UP Media and Public Relations Office   Space science and technology in the Philippines gains a new home in UP Diliman with the inauguration of the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems, or ULyS3ES for short, in the UP College of Engineering’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) in Diliman last August 31.   DOST and UP officials perform the high-tech ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems, or ULyS3ES, at the UP Diliman College of Engineering’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI) last August 31. From left to right are: UP College of Science Dean Giovanni A. Tapang, UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan, DOST-ASTI Acting Director Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, and DOST-Science Education Institute Director Josette T. Biyo. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   ULyS3ES-1 and ULyS3ES-2 The ULyS3ES consists of two buildings in the UPD-EEEI complex, dubbed Building 1 and Building 2. ULyS3ES is “an interdisciplinary facility that serves as a pioneering academic hub for research and development (R&D) and instruction innovations in space technology in the Philippines.” Through this new two-building laboratory, engineers and researchers will “collaborate on the development of small satellites through relevant mission planning and the corresponding design, implementation and test of satellite bus and payload systems.” Building 1 of ULyS3ES (ULyS3ES-1) features office and research spaces that are designed to foster close interactions and open collaboration among the disciplines that contribute to space science and technology, including electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, environmental science, and space studies. Building 1 also includes administrative and faculty spaces, shared spaces for researchers, a conference and meeting area, and an exhibit area in the lobby. The research laboratory in ULyS3ES-1 includes equipment for functional testing of small satellite components and integrated systems, “clean booths” for small satellite assembly, a thermal-vacuum chamber for space environment testing of nanosatellites as well as rapid prototyping equipment. It also houses the Engineering Model of the 50kh microsatellite, Diwata-2, and a Flight Model (FM) of the 1 kg nanosatellite, Maya-1. These satellite models are functional replicas of the actual satellites that were deployed in space, and are used as test beds for further experimentation, research and instruction.   DOST and UP officials tour the facilities of ULyS3ES Building 1, speaking to Filipino students studying space science and technology abroad via teleconference. Photos by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Building 2 or ULyS3ES-2, located behind Building 1, includes a conference room, classroom and reconfigurable work space, including a “clean booth” for nanosatellite assembly. It also hosts testing facilities for small satellite components and systems, including a Full Anechoic Chamber (FAC), as well as a temperature and humidity test chamber. The FAC, located in its lobby, is a facility for measuring antenna radiation patterns over a frequency range of 600 MHz to 26.5 GHz (extendable to 40 GHz). The radiation patterns show the directional distribution of energy radiated by the antenna; they can therefore give an idea of the antenna performance in providing wireless range and coverage. The temperature and humidity test chamber, on the other hand, is used to mimic conditions that products might reasonably experience in their eventual working environment. From “University Laboratory” to ULyS3ES Present at the inauguration ceremony were officials from: the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); the DOST Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI); the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD); the DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI); the Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) Program, which is the Philippine government’s space technology program succeeding the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite (PHL-Microsat) program; and, the Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STEP-UP) Project. Also present were: officials from UP Diliman, the UP College of Engineering and the College of Science, and the UP EEEI; officials and representatives from private industry partners, the Aerospace Industry Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Navy; members of the University Space Engineering Consortium of the Philippines (UNISEC-Philippines); and, representatives from academe and the media attended.   Dr. Marciano speaks about the origins of the acronym for the University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   In his welcome message, Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., the acting director of DOST-ASTI, program leader of STAMINA4Space and a professor at the UP EEEI, explained the inspiration behind the acronym ULyS3ES, which was not, he said, Ulysses, or in the original Greek (Odysseus), the mythological warrior whose exploits are told in Homer’s the Iliad and the Odyssey. Instead, the acronym came from the name “University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems” itself. “The name came about by a rather strong notion in our heads about what we set out to do. We were really just trying to build a university laboratory,” Dr. Marciano said. “As a university laboratory, it embodies and hopes to fulfill the vital role of the academia in advancing and pushing the boundaries of knowledge in space technology and cascading its benefits to society.” After picking the letters “U”, “L” and “Y” from the words “University Laboratory”, he added that “the rest of the letters were not hard to flesh out.” Nevertheless, he said that the new laboratory might as well have been inspired by Odysseus, too, as he compared space technology to an epic adventure beset by many challenges, much as Odysseus faced throughout his journey. And similar to Odysseus and his crew, Filipino scholars who are sent abroad to study and work on space science and technology also yearn to come home and find an application for their training and hard work. That academic home is ULyS3ES, Dr. Marciano stressed. “So also the Filipinos who have received training abroad, stayed overseas and established themselves there, now have a reason to come back home to the Philippines. ULyS3ES welcomes them all.” Dr. Marciano to head the Philippine Space Agency   UP EEEI Director Michael Angelo Pedrasa. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Dr. Michael Angelo Pedrasa, Director of the UP EEEI, cited the ULyS3ES as a significant contribution to the UP EEEI’s vision to become the National Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineering. “As the national institute, we should be internationally recognized for achieving national impact and global significance. This has become one of our ways of getting international recognition.“ Through the STAMINA4Space program, he said, the UP EEEI is now a member of the University Space Engineering Consortium or UNISEC-Global, an international nonprofit body whose primary objective is to help create a world where space science and technology is used in every country for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of humankind.   UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO   UP Diliman Chancellor Michael L. Tan cited the Greek mythology roots of the acronym ULyS3ES as a reflection of the well-rounded education that UP offers through its general education system. The establishment of ULyS3ES also brings to the fore the breadth of UP’s research work, which he says extends to all spheres: lupa or terrestrial research; laot or research in marine science; and now, langit as well, with ULyS3ES and the STAMINA4Space program. He expressed a wish that “the College of Engineering and ULyS3ES will fire up the imaginations not just of engineers but also the College of Science and all the other colleges as well,” including those from the arts and humanities and from the social sciences.   DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   For his part, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña stated that the DOST is “proud of this laboratory,“ and of the country’s space technology development program, which was given a total budget of around P10 billion of which P7.5 billion has been spent since the space technology development program was started in 2013. The signing of Republic Act No. 11363 or the Philippine Space Act into law last August 8 established the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), as well as a Philippine Space Council under the Office of the Philippine President. Secretary de la Peña suggested that the DOST and UP should have a joint strategy to steer the future of the PhilSA in accordance with national goals. In relation to that, the DOST Secretary announced that Dr. Marciano would head the PhilSA as its first director-general, an announcement DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara later reiterated. The inauguration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a guided tour of ULyS3ES Buildings 1 and 2 and their facilities, work spaces and equipment. In the last part of the program, former UP College of Engineering Dean Rizalinda L. De Leon, PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico C. Paringit, UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development Fidel R. Nemenzo, DOST Usec. Guevara, and STeP-UP Project Leader Paul Jason Co delivered messages congratulating the STAMINA4Space team of engineers and scientists, and the DOST on the successful inauguration of ULyS3ES.
https://up.edu.ph/up-eeei-hosts-1st-technology-fair/
UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair – University of the Philippines
UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair UP EEEI Hosts 1st Technology Fair April 24, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP EEEI) and Nokia Manila Technology Center, in cooperation with Analog Devices, Inc., Artesyn Embedded Technologies, First Philec, Inc., PHINMA Energy, and Samsung R&D Philippines, will be hosting the 1st EEE Technology Fair, on Wednesday, 24 May 2017, 8:00AM-5:00 PM, at the University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City. With “Enhanced Industry-Academe Collaboration to Support a Culture of Innovation” as theme, the fair aims to engage state universities and colleges, government agencies, and industry partners in advancing the Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering fields in the Philippines by setting the platform for collaboration. UP EEEI will showcase its research projects and recognize the groundbreaking efforts of its faculty members, researchers, and students. Industry partners and government agencies will also lay down the mechanisms for research collaboration and other forms of partnership. For more information, visit the fair website: http://www.eee.upd.edu.ph/eee-tech-fair-2017-0 or contact Ms. Kristine Cruz through email: kristine.cruz@eee.upd.edu.ph or by phone: 981-9500 loc. 3300 / 925-2957.
https://up.edu.ph/former-doh-sec-cabral-tackles-heart-matters-in-pauw-up-lecture-forum/
Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum – University of the Philippines
Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum Former DOH Sec Cabral tackles “Heart Matters” in PAUW-UP lecture-forum March 7, 2019 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Former DOH Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral answering questions about heart and health matters during PAUW-UP’s lecture series while PAUW-UP president Atty. Gaby Concepcion (in black, extreme left) and other PAUW-UP board members look on. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   The proper care for the heart was the subject of a lecture-forum organized by the Philippine Association of University Women-UP chapter (PAUW-UP), with Dr. Esperanza I. Cabral, former Secretary of the Department of Health, former director of the Philippine Heart Center and UP College of Medicine alumna, as guest speaker. The lecture-forum on “Heart Matters” was held on February 27, 2019 in the Tea Room of the UP College of Home Economics. In lieu of a formal speech, Dr. Cabral fielded questions from an audience consisting of UP faculty and retired faculty members as well as administrative staff on medical concerns regarding the heart and health in general. Most of the questions significantly affect women and senior citizens.   Dr. Esperanza Cabral answering questions from her audience during PAUW-UP’s lecture series. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Some of the questions she answered during the discussion were the following: Q. How often should people, particularly women, have a heart check-up with a doctor? Cabral: It varies. For people like us, early detection is important; so we should get regular check-ups with our doctors. Even if you are feeling well, you should go for a checkup with your doctor, maybe every six months. If you do not feel well, that is certainly time for you to see your doctor. Q. For women who are undergoing menopause, doctors sometimes prescribe estrogen pills. Are these safe? Cabral: All drugs have side effects. If they tell you that something is a drug but has no side effect, don’t believe it. For people who go into menopause, estrogen pills can be prescribed to relieve the symptoms associated with menopause. Now as I said, all medicines have side effects, including estrogen. There is a very slight increase in the incidence of breast cancer associated with estrogen, but it is very slight. Let’s say 10 out of every 100 women will develop breast cancer. If you take estrogen, then it becomes 11 out of 100 women who will develop breast cancer. But it still means that even if you are taking estrogen, 89 of 100 women will not develop breast cancer, compared to 90 out of 100 of women not taking estrogen who will develop breast cancer. It’s a decision that you and your doctor will have to make for you. Q. What kind of exercise should we do and what kind of food are we supposed to eat to help make our heart healthy? Cabral: When it comes to both physical activity and diet, you need to use your common sense. We should move as much as our body allows us to move at our age. Just move. Dance, or play the piano, or walk. Gentle exercises that you can tolerate. When it comes to diet, there is nothing better than a well-balanced diet. Don’t believe these things like high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrates or high-carb diets. Don’t listen to the fads; they change from one day to the next. Just eat a balanced diet, and if you want to lose weight, eat less.   PAUW-UP’s lecture series on “Heart Matters” at the Tea Room of the UP College of Home Economics, with Dr. Esperanza Cabral (standing) as guest speaker. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.   Q. Is it okay to take herbal and food supplements? Do these have side effects? Cabral: They have plenty of side effects. And they are not going to cure anything. One of the things that I did when I was DOH Secretary was to translate into Filipino the term “no approved therapeutic claims”: “Ito ay hindi gamot, at hindi dapat gawing gamot para sa anumang sakit.” These supplements did not go through the process of investigation, so the Bureau of Food and Drug Administration cannot guarantee that they can cure anything. Now if it is just garlic or ginger pills or things we eat on a regular basis, you can go ahead and take them if you want to. But there are many herbal and food supplements that have harmful effects, including cancer and kidney failure. Regular medicines can do that, too, but at least we know and can be warned about them. There has been plenty of research done on the harmful effects of herbal and food supplements. Your doctor can tell you these things; so you need to rely on your doctor. Q. What are the warning signs of an impending stroke or heart attack? Cabral: These warning signs are late in coming. When you see a warning sign, it’s too late already. You should instead prevent these warning signs by keeping the blood pressure under control, not smoking, eating a balanced diet, and exercising as much as you can tolerate. Just live a healthy life; that is the best way of preventing strokes and heart attacks. In her remarks after Dr. Cabral’s talk, PAUW-UP Chapter president, Atty. Ma. Gabriela R. Concepcion, stated that the PAUW-UP aims to “make our presence more felt on campus, and this is one way: to be of service to the community by having discussions and intimate conversations on matters that are important to us.” The lecture-forum featuring Dr. Cabral is the first in a series to be organized by PAUW-UP this year.   PAUW-UP Board Members with guest speaker Dr. Esperanza Cabral (in red, sitting) in the middle. Sitting, from left to right: Dr. Sylvia H. Guerrero, board member; Dr. Elizabeth Diaz, vice-president; Atty. Gaby Concepcion, president; Prof. Carmelita Ramirez, PRO; Dr. Belen Medina, board member. Standing, from left to right: Prof. Ma. Vanessa L. Oyson, assistant secretary; Prof. Rosella Jean Puno, treasurer; Dr. Aurora Zuñiga, board member; Dr. Elvira Verano, auditor. Photo by Bong Arboleda, UP MPRO.
https://up.edu.ph/amb-edgardo-espiritu-receives-honorary-up-doctorate-advocates-against-judicial-corruption/
Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption – University of the Philippines
Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption Amb. Edgardo Espiritu receives honorary UP doctorate, advocates against judicial corruption December 3, 2020 | Written by Andre dP. Encarnacion Slide showcasing Amb. Espiritu’s legacy through the years. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here.   A graduate of the UP College of Law in 1958, Amb. Espiritu was honored for his achievements and unimpeachable character in the areas of banking and finance, economics, public service, and entrepreneurship. The degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa is the highest academic recognition of an individual’s contributions to the advancement of a field in a particular discipline through one’s extraordinary accomplishments. As a public official, Amb. Espiritu’s most high profile role was as Secretary of the Department of Finance in 1998, when he pushed for anti-corruption measures and crafted policies that helped the country get through the Asian Financial Crisis. As an industry captain, he previously headed banking giants Metrobank, the Philippine National Bank and Westmont Bank, among others. He also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Iceland. Finally, he was a member of the UP Board of Regents and the longest serving president of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA); his tenure saw the beginning and completion of iconic University structures such as the Ang Bahay ng Alumni.   UP President Danilo L. Concepcion quotes Amb. Espiritu by calling UP “the anvil upon which we are molded to become instruments for attaining the common good and the betterment of the nation.” Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here.   In his opening remarks, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion quoted Amb. Espiritu’s own message to the UP Alumni Council in 2019, where he called the University “the anvil upon which we are molded to become instruments for attaining the common good and the betterment of the nation.” “Truly,” Concepcion added, “it is difficult to think of an individual who has been shaped both by the classroom and by life into an embodiment of honor, excellence, and compassion more than Amb. Edgardo B. Espiritu.”   Amb. Espiritu delivers his address. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here.   In his own message, Espiritu called for a renewed fight against corruption, which he called a “national problem” that requires all sectors to combat. And while most corruption initiatives in the country are aimed at the Executive and the Legislative branches of government, he believes that a proper reform of the Judiciary will also be key to curbing uneven dispensations of justice between those with power and those without. “A judiciary that dispenses, and is perceived to dispense fair and impartial justice, for instance in adjudicating contracts, is a requirement for attracting investors, both local and foreign, and is therefore a key ingredient for economic growth,” Espiritu said.   Amb. Espiritu. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here.   To accomplish this, he proposed measures such as promoting greater fiscal and administrative independence for the Judiciary to prevent judges and others from falling prey to both unscrupulous politicians and powerful influences in the private sector. A key intervention here, Espiritu said, would be to improve the compensation and incentives for judges, prosecutors, and court personnel. Moreover, he prescribed a merit-based rather than a politically influenced process of nomination, appointment, and promotion for the aforementioned. Despite already having a considerable infrastructure to combat corruption, Espiritu said he still believed that the most important alliance that any coalition against corruption should have is with the youth. “We must enlist the support of all sectors in society in this fight, particularly the young,” he noted, “through our schools; through progressive academic curriculums, particularly those that seek to hone future lawyers in the virtues of fairness, honesty, and love of the law; through civil society initiatives; through media and the virtual world.”   Amb. Espiritu and his family. Watch the replay of the virtual conferment ceremony here.    
https://up.edu.ph/upaas-e-kapihan-ng-bayan-to-tackle-covid-19s-impact-on-education/
UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education – University of the Philippines
UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education UPAA’s e-Kapihan ng Bayan to tackle COVID-19’s impact on education October 12, 2020 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office   The UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting another “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom on 27 October 2020, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. (Manila time). The discussion will focus on a topic that is gravely affecting the youth of our country and how we are coping—“COVID-19: Its Impact on Education”. Undersecretary Annalyn M. Sevilla, spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd), will be the resource speaker. She will share the DepEd’s plans and actions on how to keep the standard of Philippine education at an estimable level despite the prevailing “new normal” conditions. The usual lively discussion is expected in the open forum. Those interested are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at tels. 920-6868; 920-6871; mobile 0917-8372098; or email upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and their personal participant’s passwords. Or contact Mr. Romeo S.A. Carlos, UPAA Executive Director, at mobile no. (0921) 285-5332. Open to all UP alumni, faculty, and students, as well as the general public, the “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is a public service project of the UPAA that aims to serve as a regular forum for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to the nation’s development. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding the national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern.
https://up.edu.ph/upaas-ekapihan-on-the-impact-prevention-and-treatment-of-covid-19/
UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 – University of the Philippines
UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 UPAA’s eKapihan on the impact, prevention and treatment of COVID-19 August 20, 2020 | Written by Andre DP Encarnacion Photo from the UP Alumni page maintained by the UP Office of Alumni Relations.   The COVID-19 pandemic is truly the global crisis of our times. The virus has taken an especially harsh toll on the Philippines, with more than 100,000 recorded infections and thousands of deaths to date. Its effects not only have gravity in medical or public health circles but have taken a distinctly socio-economic and psychological character as well; with ways of relating and doing business with one another being profoundly changed in our country for the foreseeable future. Being better equipped to deal with these dangers means understanding what they are, how to avoid them, and what you can do when faced with them. This is why the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting an “eKapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom video conferencing on August 25, 2020. The resource speaker will be Dr. Gerardo B. Abenes, DVM, MVSc, PhD. His presentation, “Understanding COVID-19: Its Prevention and Treatment”, is on the global pandemic and its economic impact on the Philippines. Dr. Abenes will share his thoughts on the issue profoundly affecting the lives of all Filipinos at present. The usual lively discussion is expected in the open forum. Interested parties are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at Tel. #s 920-6868, 920-6871; Mobile 0917-8372098; or email upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and your personal participant’s password. The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is a public service project of the UPAA that aims to serve as a vehicle for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to the Filipino people’s advancement as a nation. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern.
https://up.edu.ph/covid-19-vaccines-to-be-tackled-in-upaa-ekapihan-via-zoom/
COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom – University of the Philippines
COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom COVID-19 vaccines to be tackled in UPAA eKapihan via Zoom February 8, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The UP Alumni Association (UPAA) is hosting another “e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” via Zoom on 23 February 2021, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. (Manila time). The discussion will focus on a topic that is gravely affecting our country and how we can better cope with it: “COVID-19 Vaccines in the Philippines”—their availability, comparative efficacies, and affordability. A lively discussion is expected in the open forum. The resource speaker will be Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvana, Director, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, National Institute of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, and Adjunct Professor for Global Health, University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Salvana is also a member of the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) technical working group on new coronavirus variants. Those interested are invited to register with the UPAA Secretariat at Tels. 920-6868; 920-6871; Mobile 0917-8372098; or e-mail upalumniasso@gmail.com to get the Zoom meeting ID and their personal participant’s passwords. You may also contact UPAA Executive Director Romeo S.A. Carlos at mobile number (0921) 285-5332. Open to all UP alumni, faculty, and students, as well as the general public, the e-Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP is a public service project of the UPAA, which aims to serve as a regular forum for intelligent and constructive discussion of issues relevant to our development as a nation. In a democracy like the Philippines, such public discourse is a valuable tool for guiding the national leaders and all concerned citizens to collectively confront and attempt to resolve the challenges posed by current issues of general concern.
https://up.edu.ph/up-alumni-association-in-america-inc-supports-ups-fight-for-academic-freedom/
UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom – University of the Philippines
UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. supports UP’s fight for academic freedom February 17, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office January 26, 2021 U.P. Alumni Association in America, Inc. Letter of Support Dear President Danilo Concepcion, faculty and students: On behalf of the UP Alumni Association in America, Inc. (UPAAA, Inc.), we express our strong support for your stand in preserving the integrity and independence of the University as the bastion of academic freedom in the country. Our vision clearly articulates the values of  UPAAA, Inc. as “ a strong broad-based organization of alumni of the University of the Philippines in the service and support of the Alma mater, the UP alumni, the UP system and the community in pursuit of common goals.” Recent developments have prompted us to highlight once more what the University stands for and its role as the nation’s premier educational institution of learning. UP is a microcosm of the larger community but has a significant role in nation-building. It is, and has been, the breeding ground for progressive and creative ideas and free expression represented by the iconic statue of the Oblation. The university has produced leaders in the community and country who have contributed in a large part to the progress of our native land. Stifling academic freedom denigrates the immense promise of the youth to contribute to the future of the country. As a foreign-based nation-wide organization of UP alumni striving to unify UP alumni in the United States and other countries, we provide the anchor upon which alumni living in foreign lands from the diaspora of the past, can look for unity and collaboration. It is therefore with alarm that we see the insidious threat to the independence and leadership of the University in promoting academic freedom in other institutions of learning all over the country. We need the UP youth to go boldly into the future to shape our nation as leaders that the country needs them to be. We need the faculty to continue molding these young minds in the tradition of our heroes of the past and become leaders of tomorrow. We recognize that unlawful behavior is never tolerated by the university and has adhered to the observance of the laws. But it also has the obligation to protect the rights of the students, faculty and everyone within the jurisdiction of the university. When these rights are violated without due process, democracy in the country is gradually eroded. Holding the threat of punishment or fear over the heads of students and the university as a whole becomes a cloud that suppresses growth of academic vibrancy. In pursuit of honor and excellence, UPAAA, Inc. remains truly yours,   Daisy M. Rodriguez, RN,BSN,MN,MPA National President, UPAAA,Inc. Dr. Jovenia Celo, MD Executive Vice President
https://up.edu.ph/celia-diaz-laurel-draws-final-curtain-at-93/
Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 – University of the Philippines
Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 Celia Diaz Laurel draws final curtain at 93 July 15, 2021 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts,” — William Shakespeare, As You Like It A celebrated thespian indeed, Celia Diaz Laurel, played many parts on stage, acting in 74 plays from 1947 to 1992. But she was also more than an actress. She was a production, set, and costume designer, with 83 productions in her belt. Outside the world of theater, but still in the realm of the arts, she had multiple roles as well: painter, author, philanthropist, and advocate. It was the same in her personal life. She was “mommy”, “lola”, “tita”, “Nenita” and “Nitay” to her family, relatives and friends. To many, she was the Celia Diaz Laurel. And she bade farewell to her many roles on 12 July 2021 when she succumbed to complications from a stroke. She was 93. Born on 29 May 1928 in Talisay, Negros Occidental to Anselmo Sison Diaz and Concepcion Gonzalez Franco, Maria Luz Celia Teresita was the youngest of six children. Her family moved to Manila when she was five. She studied at the Assumption Convent, where she was first exposed to stage performance. But it was in UP, where she would further harness her talent.   Celia Diaz Laurel as primary school student at the Assumption Convent (left) and as a member of the UP Swimming Team (right). Photos courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives.   In 1947, she entered the Fine Arts (FA) program of the University, where she learned from future National Artists Maestros Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino. In the same year, she became a member of the UP Dramatic Club. It was then under the helm of its newly appointed director, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, who was himself also later named National Artist. Throughout her college life, Celia was able to successfully balance her roles as: FA student; theater actress in the UP Dramatic Club, Manila Community Players, and Dramatic Philippines; and, UP Swimming Team member. She was even able to nurture a blossoming relationship with a law student named Salvador Roman “Doy” Hidalgo Laurel, whom she married in 1950, and who would later become a senator and then a vice president of the Philippines. Doy and Celia, already parents of two, graduated from UP in 1952.   Celia Diaz Laurel as Kinume in Repertory Philippines’ staging of Rashomon in 1970 (left) and as a recipient of the UP Alumni Association Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award in 2015 (right). Left photo courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives; right photo from UPMPRO.   They left for the US that same year, placing daughters Susana and Celine in the care of Celia’s mother. With Doy taking his Master of Laws at Yale University, Celia decided to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in the same university as well. But her love of the stage pushed her in a different direction and she transferred to Yale’s post-graduate Drama program, acting in six productions there. When Celia had gotten pregnant, they decided she would deliver the baby in the Philippines. She gave birth to their third child and first son, Victor, just a few days after she had arrived. Doy remained in the US to finish his master’s but it was not long before he, too, was back home. It had only taken him 10 months to finish the program.   Celia Diaz Laurel (middle) takes over her husband’s senatorial campaign in 1967 after he figured in a vehicular accident. Photos courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives.   As their family grew, blessed with five more children, David, Lorenzo, Stella, Kristipi, and Marissa, and as Doy’s political career soared, Celia proved herself to be a superwoman. She continued to be an accomplished actress with the UP Dramatic Club, Dramatic Philippines, and Repertory Philippines, where she was in 53 productions. Even as she moved on to theater production design, she also painted, wrote poetry, authored books, did advocacy and philanthropic work. On the home front, she was a supportive wife, a doting mother, and a loving grandmother. Celia, the matriarch of the Diaz Laurel family, was strength amid grief with the loss of Doy, Kristipi, and Stella.   Senator Salvador “Doy” H. Laurel and his family in 1968. Photo courtesy of the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives.   For her life’s outstanding work, Celia received the 2015 UP Alumni Association Lifetime Distinguished Achievement Award, the 2016 Natatanging Gawad Buhay for Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group, and the 2016 Max Soliven Lifetime Achievement Award from PeopleAsia. Such an achiever Celia was that she even launched a book, My Lives Behind the Proscenium, on her 93rd birthday, less than two months before she passed.   Celia Diaz Laurel’s book, My Lives Behind the Proscenium, was launched on 29 May 2021, her 93rd birthday. Photo courtesy of the Celia Diaz Laurel Official Facebook page and the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library Archives.   Yes, all the world is a stage and Celia was but a player. But what an amazing player! She had her entrance and exit. In her lifetime, she played many parts. And she was successful and meaningful in each one. She is survived by her six remaining children, Susana, Celine, Victor, David, Lorenzo, and Marissa, and 19 grandchildren. Her family says her 93 years on this earth was “a life so beautifully lived [it] deserves to be etched into our memory forever.”
https://up.edu.ph/article-up-mobilizes-experts-to-address-abra-earthquake/
UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake – University of the Philippines
UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake UP mobilizes experts to address Abra earthquake August 1, 2022 | Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo Monitoring aftershocks following the M7.0 Abra earthquake is done using instruments deployed by citizen scientists from all over the Philippines under a program of the UP Diliman College of Science and UPRI for earthquake research and education. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Luzon on July 27 and had devastating effects, especially in the province of Abra, where the quake’s epicenter was located. The University of the Philippines (UP) immediately sprang into action. It has deployed its experts and has begun securing the immediate release of its quick response funds, mobilizing University organizations to help provide aid and relief to affected communities. The July 28 status report of UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay stated that Dr. Mauro A. Aurelio of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences was “en route to Abra as the advance party of the University to locate the faults where the M7.0 earthquake occurred and document its impacts.” The UPRI-Institution Building Office has been tasked to conduct “initial reconnaissance” and prepare a preliminary assessment of the affected areas. The Institute has also been coordinating with the UP Foundation for the release of available funds to support quick response activities. On top of these, UPRI experts have been tapped as media resource persons on the Abra earthquake and general issues on disasters, disaster risks, and disaster management. The UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, also headed by Dr. Lagmay, has taken the lead in the processing and analyzing satellite imagery of all affected localities. A team from UP Manila (UPM), including the UP Philippine General Hospital and UPM Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, has been organizing a medical mission sent to Abra communities. The initiative is led by Dr. Eric S.M. Talens, UPM Pahinungod director, and former UPM Disaster Response Team chief. The UPRI, along with the UP System Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and UP Vanguard, is Nowhere to go. Still, UP Foundation and Sama-Sama Tulong-Tulong are working together for relief operations. One hundred family dome tents donated as humanitarian aid to UPRI by SOS Attitude France and Rotary Philippines will be given to priority localities upon arrival from Europe. Former Regent Spocky Farolan has been coordinating with the Abra provincial government to harmonize actions for communities in immediate need of aid and relief. Shelter tents were donated to families affected by the strong winds of Typhoon Odette. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. UP’s Abra earthquake mobilization follows its Tropical Storm Agaton activities in Leyte. The storm-induced landslides and a “landslide-tsunami” overwhelmed multiple barangays in April this year. Two of those barangays, Pilar and Malaguicay in Abuyog, Leyte, were visited last week by the UP team. The group, composed of faculty and researchers from UPRI and UP Visayas Tacloban College, conducted field surveys in the said localities. While there, the team also advised barangay leaders on how to monitor potential landslides that may affect their community. A field of debris in a coastal community was overwhelmed by a landslide tsunami. Photo from the UPRI’s “UP System Quick Response Status Report on the Recent M7.0 Earthquake that Hit Luzon”, July 28, 2022. Before Tropical Storm Agaton, UP assisted those affected by Typhoon Odette in December last year. In January 2022, shelter tents were given to those who lost their homes in Limasawa, Cebu, and Pitogo, Bohol.
https://up.edu.ph/chief-presidential-legal-counsel-discusses-martial-law-2017-in-upaa-forum/
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum – University of the Philippines
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum Chief Presidential Legal Counsel discusses Martial Law 2017 in UPAA forum July 31, 2017 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo, guest speaker at the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”, explained the reasons for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. Panelo said Duterte’s martial law aimed to crush terrorist and drug groups and networks. He also shared his thoughts on establishing a “constitutional dictatorship”, wherein, to address the problems of the state, dictatorial powers were to be exercised by the president, yet these powers would be limited by the constitution. The Kapihan was held on July 18 at the UPAA Board Room of Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman, Quezon City. In the open forum, Panelo answered questions from the audience. Several issues were raised, such as: the scope and duration of martial law in Mindanao; apprehension about a possible extension of military rule; rights violations committed by government troops; relief and rehabilitation efforts; and, the overall welfare of the evacuees who were most affected by the Marawi crisis. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo explains the need for declaring Martial Law in Mindanao. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO) Panelo, an alumnus of UP Diliman and the UP College of Law, served as legal counsel of several high profile and controversial personalities, such as: Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., Senator Bong Revilla, former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and the family of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Facilitators of the forum were: Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, UPAA president; Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., UPAA Legal Counsel; Atty. Domingo C. Palarca, UPAA director; Atty. Oscar P. Palabyab, UPAA 1st vice president; Atty. Reynaldo C. Laserna, UPAA 2nd vice president; Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, UPAA 3rd vice president; and Atty. Pastor Marcelo M. Reyes, Jr., UPAA Public Issues Committee chair. The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” is the UPAA’s regular public forum for nationally relevant issues. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO)  
https://up.edu.ph/pids-to-build-a-new-home-in-up/
PIDS to build a new home in UP – University of the Philippines
PIDS to build a new home in UP PIDS to build a new home in UP January 29, 2020 | Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Foreground, from left to right: PIDS President Celia Reyes, PIDS Chairman of the Board and Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and UP President Danilo Concepcion lower the time capsule into the ground on the site of the future PIDS building in UP Diliman. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   A groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 27 to mark the site of a new office building for the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) along Commonwealth Avenue in the University of the Philippines. Diliman campus. The construction of the seven-story building that will serve as the permanent home for the PIDS signifies a new milestone in the partnership between the Philippine government’s primary socioeconomic policy think-tank and the national university.   The time capsule is buried in the site of the future PIDS building. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Attending the groundbreaking were officials from the PIDS, including: NEDA Director-General, Chairman of the Board of PIDS, and Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto del Mar Pernia; PIDS President Celia M. Reyes; former PIDS Presidents Josef Yap and Filologo L. Pante Jr.; the founding director of NEDA and UP Economics Professor Emeritus Gerardo Sicat; former Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla and former UP President Alfredo E. Pascual, both PIDS Board Members; and, research fellows and staff members of the PIDS. Also present were representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Budget and Management, and the Commission on Audit. UP officials who attended included: UP President Danilo L. Concepcion; Vice-President for Development Elvira A. Zamora; Vice-President for Academic Affairs Ma. Cynthia Rose B. Bautista; Vice-President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia; and Assistant Vice-President for Public Affairs Maria Angelica D. Abad, among others.   Sec. Pernia, PIDS President Reyes and UP President Concepcion sign the building plans that were later inserted into the time capsule. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   In her welcome remarks, Dr. Reyes thanked President Concepcion for welcoming the PIDS into UP.  “We are looking forward to long years of harmonious relationship and more productive interaction with the University in terms of collaborative research,” she said. Secretary Pernia highlighted the reputation of the PIDS as a government-related research institute that has been included among the the world’s top think-tanks. “By the end of next year and early 2022 at the latest, the PIDS will be moving here into their new home,” he announced.   Dr. Celia Reyes, current president and first female president of the PIDS. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Socioeconomic Secretary and Chairman of the Board of the PIDS Ernesto Pernia. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Dr. Gerardo Sicat, considered the founding father of the PIDS, recalled the history of the institute, which he had originally envisioned as a research institute under the UP School of Economics (UPSE). After the idea was set aside by then UPSE Dean Jose Encarnacion, Sicat reconceptualized the PIDS as an institution for national economic development research, which had to harness economists and social scientists, contribute to the flowering of good debate on national economic issues, and be supported by the national government.   NEDA founding director, PIDS “founding father” and UP Professor Emeritus Dr. Gerardo Sicat. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   For his part, UP President Concepcion reaffirmed the partnership between UP and the PIDS, especially in terms of research. He added that the construction of the new PIDS building would benefit not only the PIDS, but UP as well. “We have so many plans in order to implement this partnership,” he said, noting that one of these plans was the creation of a degree program through a collaboration between PIDS and UP, similar to the Masters in Economic Regulations program being offered by some universities abroad. “Titignan natin how we can structure it, pero baka pwede tayong gumawa ng degree program using the expertise, talents and facilities of the PIDS.” (We will see how we can structure it, but perhaps we can create a degree program using the expertise, talents and facilities of the PIDS.)   UP President Concepcion gives his remarks while PIDS Research Information Department Manager Dr. Sheila Siar, who emceed the event, and former PIDS president Dr. Filologo L. Pante, Jr. look on. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   He added that in light of the rapidly shrinking green and open spaces in the Diliman campus, the UP administration has instituted a policy that buildings must maximize vertical space. Noting that the soon-to-rise PIDS building is seven stories high, he added: “Titignan natin sa ating partnership na baka naman mapataas pa natin yung gusali. Sana ay magawan natin ng paraan na madagdagan pa ng at least two floors itong building nang sa ganon ay magamit naman ng UP.” (We will look into our partnership and see if we can make the building higher and add at least two more floors to the building for UP to use.)   UP President Concepcion, PIDS President Reyes, and Sec. Pernia hold up copies of the blueprint and design of the future PIDS building. Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO.   Construction of the PIDS new building in UP Diliman will be funded from the General Appropriations Act for FY 2020, and will be implemented by the DPWH.
https://up.edu.ph/molecular-epidemiologist-explains-vaccine-effect-for-the-philippines/
Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines – University of the Philippines
Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines Molecular epidemiologist explains vaccine effect for the Philippines March 1, 2021 | Written by Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Molecular epidemiologist Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana was positive on the safety and benefit of the vaccines with emergency use authorizations (EUAs) in the Philippines’ fight against COVID-19, and on the manageability of COVID-19 cases in the country as the vaccines were being rolled out. Speaking on February 23, 2021 as the resource person for the online forum, eKapihan, organized by the UP Alumni Association, Salvana warned, however, that the figures on both COVID-19 cases and those from clinical trials of the vaccines, on which he based his talk, were subject to change, as both were on-going events. Vaccine effect Salvana also said that based on clinical trials thus far, none of the vaccines available for emergency use can totally prevent viral transmission; but although they may not be able to “kill the lion”, they can “turn it into a kitten”, that is, prevent hospitalization from severe cases, thus easing the burden on the health care system, and prevent death. Salvana compared Pfizer, Astra, and Sinovac, the three vaccines with EUAs in the country, and Moderna with each other. He noted that Sinovac, based on its Brazil “stress-test” on health workers, understandably lagged in terms of protecting recipients from developing symptoms; but it was still at par with Astra and Moderna in preventing by 100 percent deaths or cases that would necessitate hospitalization.   A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Jo. Lontoc, UPMPRO.   “What is urgently needed? The vaccines to prevent deaths and severe disease among the vulnerable is the most important right now, until we can get to the point when we can block transmission and get herd immunity,” Salvana said. He referred to the frontliners, the elderly, and the chronically ill as the vulnerable populations. “The data for children are not given for now. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to work [on them], but there are still clinical trials ongoing that can better define how we can use these vaccines,” Salvana pointed out. “Do not give for now,” he said, referring to children. Salvana stressed that vaccine development for COVID-19 started 17 years ago from the original SARS outbreak. He added that 208 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been given, “and not a single person [had] been proven to have died from it.” But caution must be taken on pregnant, immunocompromised, those with severe allergies, and the “frail elderly”. They should consult their doctors first. Pandemic manageability Salvana expressed optimism regarding the pandemic outlook in the Philippines. “If we stick to minimum health standards, our cases number will actually remain manageable.”   A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO.   To illustrate, he said there should have been a major surge at the end of January and the first couple of weeks of February following the last holidays, when a lot of people came out. “Thankfully [the surge] didn’t happen which tells me people are starting to learn to live with the virus,” Salvana said. “All we really did see was a little bump up and it was outside Metro Manila.” “Looking at what’s going on right now, the curve remains relatively flat, which makes me hopeful that we’re gonna be able to keep this trend until we get everyone vaccinated,” he concluded. “The case fatality rate is better than worldwide—2 percent versus 3 percent. Our deaths are relatively low. We’re the 110th in the world in terms of deaths per million—109 per million compared to the US which has 15 times our death rate per million or 1,446 [per million], 1,294 [per million] in France,” Salvana said. According to him, “The positivity rate [from tests] has been going down. It’s consistently about 5-6 percent.” Case management is also improving leading to higher survival rates, he said. “Our number of cases is actually pretty good compared to other countries,” Salvana pointed out. Because of these, he said the economy can remain open as the vaccines are being rolled out. If there are localized surges, he recommended proactive contact tracing and localized lockdowns.   A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO.   State of variants He also stressed the importance of genetic surveillance being conducted by the UP Philippine Genome Center to track any new variant, contain it immediately, and make sure they are not spreading further. Talking about the variants, feared for increased transmissibility: “We’re not sure of sustained community transmission yet. It seems like we caught them early. “If you look at Israel, they went from 40 percent UK variant to 80 percent UK variant in one month. Now we have about 2 percent of our samples that we are looking at is UK variant. That hasn’t changed much. So it means like we’re doing a good job of keeping the UK variant under control.” He noted that Pfizer and Moderna still had “enough antibody diversity to overcome the sustained mutation.” Even so, he added, “There is no evidence right now that these mutations in isolation in these viruses that we see in the Philippines are actually increasing their virulence or if there’s gonna be any effect on vaccines.” In his synthesis, Salvana said: “Now, with the vaccines that we have and more in the pipeline, and a faster roll-out, maybe in a year, we will have a semblance of normalcy.” However, since there was not enough vaccine from just one producer, he recommended the use of all scientifically proven vaccines as soon as possible to save lives. Salvana is Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the UP Manila-National Institutes of Health and Adjunct Professor for Global Health of the University of Pittsburgh.   A screenshot of a slide from Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana’s presentation at the UPAA’s eKapihan on February 23, 2021. Screenshot by Rad Agustin, UPMPRO.  
https://up.edu.ph/deadline-of-submission-of-entries-to-search-for-up-mental-health-advocacy-project-extended/
Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended – University of the Philippines
Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended Deadline of submission of entries to search for UP mental health advocacy project extended September 2, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office The deadline of submission of entries to the search for UP Students Mental Health Advocacy Projects has been extended from September 1, 2021 to September 5, 2021. This was announced by the University of the Philippines’ Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (UP OVPAA) and the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA). Mental health (MH) advocates play critical roles in responding to the mental health concerns and coping needs of UP students. To help create a network of advocates for a healthy and nurturing UP, the UP OVPAA and the OSFA launched the Sandigan, Sandalan: Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health, with the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects as one of its component projects. The Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects is a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups. The project is a way of involving students in the promotion of mental health. For inquiries, please contact wellness.osfa@up.edu.ph.    
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-to-tackle-covid-19-mental-health-as-suicide-cases-spike/
UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike – University of the Philippines
UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike UP webinar to tackle COVID-19, mental health as suicide cases spike October 6, 2021 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Trigger Warning: mention of suicide The University of the Philippines (UP), in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), invites you to join the fight against COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only taken a toll on the economy, tourism, and everyone’s physical health but also, and more importantly, each person’s mental well-being. Global studies have shown the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression, especially among vulnerable youth. As the country nears its two-year mark in the battle against COVID and cases still refuse to cease, the Philippines is no exception. This Friday, October 8, from 12pm-2pm, join us for a timely “Stop COVID Deaths” webinar series episode. Titled “COVID-19 and Mental Health of Youth,” speakers will discuss this alarming spike in anxiety, depression, and suicide among the youth.  They will also talk about how frontliners and everyone else can respond when faced with such cases, even possibly in a loved one. How are the Filipino youth coping? What can healthcare workers do when faced with young people manifesting signs of psychosocial stress? What are the common factors of distress, and how can we address them? All this and more will be answered throughout the webinar. Dr. Michelle Ong, Ph.D., from the UP Diliman Department of Psychology will open the event. She will be followed by Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at UP PGH, Dr. Cornelio G. Banaag Jr., who is also known as the Father of Child Psychiatry in the Philippines. Dr. Lourdes Medina, a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma therapy, and Ms. Dina Paterno, President and Co-Founder of Beacon International School, will share their own perspectives on the topic. UP Manila Chancellor Dr. Carmencita Padilla will deliver a closing synthesis. You definitely don’t want to miss this episode. Register here and follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community.  
https://up.edu.ph/upaa-kapihan-features-lecture-on-judicial-independence/
UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence – University of the Philippines
UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence UPAA Kapihan features lecture on judicial independence July 23, 2018 | Written by UP Media and Public Relations Office Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, UP alumni regent and president of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), delivers the welcome remarks for the “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” on July 17, 2018. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   The “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”, a public event hosted by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) and held at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City on July 17, 2018, featured a lively discussion on “Reviewing Judicial Independence” with Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines, as resource speaker.   Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., legal counsel of the UPAA, introduces Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen as the guest speaker of the “Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP”. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   Despite the suspension of work and classes due to heavy rains that afternoon, the event was attended by students and faculty of UP Diliman, UP College of Law, Malabon University, members of the UPAA Board of Directors, and UP alumni. The event started with an ecumenical invocation led by Dr. Pacita C. Gavino, secretary of the UPAA, which was followed by welcome remarks given by Atty. Ramon M. Maronilla, president of the UPAA. Atty. Bienvenido I. Somera, Jr., legal counsel of the UPAA, then introduced Leonen as guest speaker.   Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, gives a lecture on judicial independence. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   Leonen, who also served as dean of the UP College of Law before being appointed to the SC, delivered a lecture on the historical development of the study of law and the role of the judiciary in the country. He explained the importance of the judiciary, the rule of law, and also of the participation of public institutions, such as the academe, media, and the courts, among others, in ferreting out truth and justice.   Hon. Mario Victor “Marvic” F. Leonen, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, gives a lecture on judicial independence. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   According to Leonen, law was transmitted within a social context and was studied with social sensitivity. It should be progressive, and should always be about doing justice. He discussed how judges arrived at decisions while maintaining the independence and integrity of the courts. He also invited the public to be involved in the deliberation of candidates for the SC, to write letters to the members of the SC about issues of national significance, and to become critical and responsible citizens.   Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP” open forum. (Photo by Jun Madrid, UP MPRO)   Atty. Reynaldo C. Laserna, UPAA 2nd vice president, delivered the closing remarks. Atty. Domingo C. Palarca, UPAA Director, served as moderator. (Fred Dabu, UP MPRO)
https://up.edu.ph/the-chosen-projects-up-student-mental-health-advocacy-projects-organized-by-student-organizations/
The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations – University of the Philippines
The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations The Chosen Projects: UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects organized by Student Organizations October 14, 2021 | Posted by UP Media and Public Relations Office For the University of the Philippines (UP), mental health (MH) and psychosocial wellbeing is a top priority, now more so than ever. Since last year, Since last year, UP students and faculty have had to adjust to the abrupt shift to remote and online teaching and learning. At the same time, they have to confront the stress and anxiety of coping with a global health crisis, the pain of loss, and financial and economic worries, on top of the usual pressures of academic life in UP and other family and personal issues. Many UP students find themselves struggling alone, and sometimes the burden can be too much. Fully aware of the critical need for mental health awareness and promotion, the UP System Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) and Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) initiated several mental health promotion programs in 2021. One such program is the “Sandigan, Sandalan Training and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health.” A component project under the “Sandigan, Sandalan” initiative is the Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects, a UP System-wide search for innovative mental health promotion ideas from eligible student organizations and groups. The project allows for the involvement of UP students in mental health promotion by featuring student-led programs that other groups can replicate. As of October, 10 entries for these programs have been submitted to the OSFA: UP Behavioral Science Society October 2020 Mental Health Month Celebration, BehSci x Mental Health: Information Campaign Series on Mental Health, Mars, Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health Amidst the Pandemic The October 2020 Mental Health Celebration by the UP Behavioral Science Society is a month-long project focusing on mental health awareness and promotion. As part of its year-long promotion of behavioral science concepts and their relevance and ubiquity in society, the organization launched a four-part information campaign series on mental health for MH month. It discussed body image issues and how Filipino values affect mental health, ultimately providing a more holistic view of mental health through the integration of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. The release included films that did not feed into the common misconceptions and social stigmas related to mental health. The series was launched with a Facebook post, “Debunking Mental Health Myths,” which aimed to present a more accurate picture of mental health and issues. The post reached 9,700 Facebook users, and 1,000 users liked, commented on, and shared the post.   UPLB DALUYONG: Bridging the Gaps of Isolation in these Trying Times The objectives of the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Teknolohiyang Panlipunan-UP Los Baños (UPLB) has always included the promotion of camaraderie and the holistic development of its residents. However, with the ongoing pandemic, the organization has had to adjust its activities to maintain and strengthen the members’ relationships despite the geographical distance present at these times. Thankfully, online platforms have helped connect and create an environment that is easily accessible for the organization members. To replicate the feeling of physical classes, the organization has created a Discord server that mimics the org tambayan, the lobby of UPLB College of Human Ecology (CHE). The members of the organization have focused on being present in each other’s lives by incorporating games and activities that promote camaraderie and cooperation among the members through web-based platforms. Through these activities, the residents are provided with opportunities to bond and communicate. With the current setup faced by students, several adjustments have been made to ensure that the members feel secure and comfortable in the organization they belong to. Despite the lack of physical interaction, STP-UPLB has created a safe space for the members of its organization.   AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop The UP Medical Students for Social Responsibility (UPMSSR) and the Asian Medical Students’ Association – Philippines (AMSA-Phil) are continuing and expanding the annual psychological first-aid (PFA) workshop, dubbed “AKAP: Psychological First Aid Workshop,” to transition into training trainers with PFA knowledge and skills, with a vision to eventually train enough participants to be able to establish a mental health helpline operated by AMSA-Phil members. Currently, AMSA-Phil is meeting with other stakeholders such as the Alliance of Philippine Medical Colleges to host an event tackling Disaster Medicine and MH. The two-day event hosted discussions on mental health, PFA, its role in MH care, and its applications last June 24 and 26. The event aimed to equip medical students with PFA skills to build resilience, support, and hope during the pandemic. The UPMSSR will also host a capacity-building workshop on improving safe spaces and organizational culture alongside this.   Halcyon Headlines The UP Halcyon, a UP Visayas-org, relaunched “Halcyon Headlines.” It is a social media initiative supporting the PagAtiman donation drive, which aimed to provide food packs to pedicab drivers in Tacloban City. The relaunch of the initiative was done through social media platforms and with the help of partner organizations, namely, Positive Youth Development Network (PYDN) through the Young House Heroes Initiative (YHHI) Hingyap PH. “Halcyon Headlines” will primarily benefit people who are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. One specific mental health topic or issue each month serves as the sole focus of the online publication. “Halcyon Headlines” will explain the common symptoms of academic burnout among students and feature personal testimonies on such experiences. “Halcyon Headlines” will also incorporate suggestions on how to help others deal with these issues and provide tips on how to counter psychological distress during and upon patient recovery.   Isip Mo Sagip Ko; Bookmark This: You Matter–Bookmark Donation Drive The idea behind “Isip Mo, Sagip Ko” was pioneered by several members of Partido sang Mainuswagon nga Bumultho (PMB) of UP Visayas. The first phase of “Isip Mo, Sagip Ko” was organized in September 2018. “Isip Mo Sagip Ko” aims to eradicate the stigma and stereotyping of mental health in provinces; provide psychosocial support and an entertainment platform while promoting mental health awareness through games and interactive activities; and organize a series of webinars featuring mental health experts. It also encourages participants to share their experiences. The project continued until January 2019 for the second phase of its implementation. In line with the PMB’s celebration of its 39th anniversary, a face-to-face version of “Bookmark This: You Matter Bookmark Donation Drive” was launched in partnership with the local government of Due and the Due Municipal Health Office. Resident PMB members showcased their creativity by designing bookmarks following the theme #MentalHealthMatters. These bookmarks were then published online for public consumption. “Bookmark This: You Matter” aims to inform communities about the importance of mental health in our daily lives, especially in a learning setup that can make us feel disconnected from one another. At the same time, it raises the call for accessible and functional mental health facilities for immediate communities.   Student Chapter Inc. ACcoMpany The Association for Computing Machinery, UP Diliman Student Chapter, upholds as a core value the wellbeing of its constituents, which includes ensuring support for the members’ mental health. The organization’s initiative, “ACcoMpany,” aims to promote and support its members’ mental health journey with a holistic approach. “ACcoMpany” is so named as to make the members feel that the organization is standing by them and is here to support them throughout their journey. Activities range from teaching other members about their interests (e.g., teaching about financial literacy, photography, designing with Notion) to venting sessions where members have heartfelt talks about their troubles. “AClaiM” has an awarding ceremony at the end of each semester that recognizes members for their exceptional performance, both academic and extracurricular, and aims to give them a sense of self-fulfillment.   Tahanan: Tayo-tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino The UP Diliman Family Life and Child Development Circle (FLCD Circle) Playdates started some time ago to promote the role of play in children’s development and wellbeing. The FLCD Circle shared activity and recipe guides, songs, and movies that the family can do and engage in as recreational activities to cope with the home quarantine. The organization takes on the effects of quarantine on the children’s mental health. It shows how to listen, communicate, and support them better as family members. Similar to the previous “Tahanan: Tayo-Tayo para sa Pamilyang Pilipino” discussions, the FLCD Circle, will launch a webinar for parents, teachers, social workers, and others working with and taking care of children. Through the webinar, the FLCD Circle strives to open the discussion on the complex topic of mental health, especially for children and families, and allow participants to be heard and raise questions to mental health professionals.   Mental Health Mondays–UP Diliman In a global health crisis, mental health issues have drastically increased due to the lack of physical, emotional, and even spiritual connection among our peers. With this, the UP Diliman Philippine Association of Nutrition – Alpha Chapter (PAN-Alpha) was able to release at least nine infographic materials on different types of food that individuals can consume to help alleviate mental health issues. Hence, PAN-Alpha proudly presents “Mental Health Matters” with a “Mental Health Mondays” theme. This project promotes mental health issues specifically in connection with nutrition through nutritional psychiatry, a field that aims to develop comprehensive, cohesive, and scientifically rigorous evidence-based to support a shift in thinking around the role of diet and nutrition in mental health.   UP Mental Health Month  The UP Mental Health Month of the UP Diliman University Student Council, UP Buklod-Isip, UP PUGAD Sayk, BUKLOD CSSP, and COPE UP or UP Mental Health Month Team champions a series of projects and initiatives on mental health’s different aspects or facets. The past campaigns focused on bringing awareness to mental health, promoting ways to take care of students’ mental health, and encouraging discussions on mental health. Last year’s “UP Mental Health Month” put forward an MH campaign relevant to the times through social media postings and interactive events. Six initiatives and projects were lined up during last year’s campaign: ‘Bigay-Gabay,’ a guide on the accessible and available mental health resources and services; ‘Kaya ‘To, Kaya Mo,’ motivational posts that encouraged interactions from the audience; ‘Mars, Alam Mo Ba?’, a “pause and play project” that tackled issues and debunked myths on mental health concerning the online setting; ‘Usap Tayo?’, a webinar discussion on socio-political issues surrounding mental health; ‘Chillax,’ a series of mindfulness workshops; and ‘Gig N’ Take,’ the culminating event filled with performances from local bands and artists who advocate for mental health. This year’s campaign aims to respond to the more systematic aspects of mental health in the country, focusing on the individual and the political, cultural, and social structures concerning mental health. As the campaign expands its scope, it also aims to grow its target audience by catering to other UP campuses and other communities within the country.   Kaakbay: Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19 Focusing its efforts on alleviating the suffering of the UP community and considering that an individual’s wellbeing must include both physical and psychological health, the Diliman-based UP Red Cross Youth (UP RCY) launched “Kaakbay: a webinar on Psychological First Aid and the Importance of Mental Health Care during COVID-19” on October 24, 2020. “Kaakbay” was conceptualized when UP RCY offered a virtual learning opportunity open to all since the first-aid training it specializes in is traditionally done in a physical setting. A segment of the webinar, “Psychological First Aid Methods,” emphasizes the presence of innate coping mechanisms in each individual and how PFA is a mode of support for severe distress. The webinar’s themes of self-care and resilience are very much in line with the UP RCY’s mission and vision as an organization. Their experience in Kaakbay has inspired the organization to grow as a psychosocial support system more eligible to serve others. With the three phases of training, integration, and implementation, the organization can actively contribute to the demand for mental health support. To supplement the training from Pahinungod, RCY will reach out to other experts for consultation on mental health information and methods for psychological first aid. Sandigan at Sandalan para sa UP UP students and student organizations are helping promote mental health awareness and de-stigmatize mental health needs through empathy, understanding, creativity, and resourcefulness. This is the core of the UP System’s “Sandigan, Sandalan Training, and Advocacy Programs for Mental Health” Search for UP Student Mental Health Advocacy Projects. To view the series of video presentation of Mental Health Projects kindly click on this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/WvqlhWAQZgU   #UPCares # UPMentalHealthMonth #SandiganSandalan #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthPromotion #Selflove #UPFight #StaySafeandHealthy
https://up.edu.ph/up-webinar-spotlights-covid-19-impacts-on-mental-health/
UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health – University of the Philippines
UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health UP webinar spotlights COVID-19 impacts on mental health March 9, 2022 | Written by Deina Blancaflor Trigger warning: mentions of suicide On top of COVID-19 variants, surges, and lockdowns, a “silent pandemic” has yet to be addressed and mitigated. Depression, anxiety, and even suicide cases increased worldwide. Fear of infection, loss of jobs and income, stress due to lockdowns, worry over things beyond one’s control, and other triggers have affected children, parents, seniors, and health care workers alike. What do we know about the rising tide of mental health problems brought by the pandemic? What are the common symptoms of depression and anxiety? How can we live a mentally healthier life despite everything going on around us? How can we help individuals at risk for mental health problems? In partnership with UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the University of the Philippines would like to invite you to join the fight against COVID-19 and its effects on individuals and communities. In this special Stop COVID Deaths episode, experts will share their perspectives on the big picture of COVID 19 and psychological well-being. Titled “THE RISING TIDE: Mental Health Outcomes of the Pandemic, the discussions will cover the increasing mental health problems around the world, as well as specific university programs and initiatives which may overwhelm rising mental health cases. Dr. Evangeline dela Fuente, Chair of the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at UP College of Medicine; and Dr. Blesile Suzette S. Mantaring, Director of the Office of Student Affairs at UP Manila, will be the main discussants of the event. Dr. Violeta V. Bautista, Director of PsycServ and Chair of the Clinical Psychology Program at UP Diliman, will open the discussions for the episode. While Dr. Stella Marie L. Jose, Deputy Director for Hospital Operations of UP PGH, will sum up the essential points covered during the program. Join us this Friday, March 11, 2022, from 12 to 2 pm, by registering here. You may also catch our weekly live tweets and streams via the UP System Twitter Account and TVUP’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Let’s all learn how we can be positive agents of change to respond to mental health needs and reduce the stigma of mental health conditions. The Stop COVID Deaths Webinar Series is the Philippines’ first and only frontline-focused medical webinar series. It pioneered the discussion, dissemination, and adoption of knowledge on COVID-19 treatment and management. Follow our accounts to stay connected with your credible online community. Together, let’s stop COVID deaths!