UP Newsletter July 2011

U.P. Newsletter 1

Wired UP

Fresh Lit Portal Panitikan.com.ph’s celebration of its fifth anniversary coincided with its 6 millionth hit. This June, a new and more contemporary design for the record-breaking literary portal was unveiled.

University of the Philippines Community Newspaper V O L U M E X X XII

NUMBER 7

DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY

JULY 2 0 11

Read UP Newsletter online at http://www.up.edu.ph/upnewsletter.php

No STFAP re-bracketing, no tuition increase – UP officials

Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta

Less than seven out of 10 high school graduates who qualified for enrollment at UP Diliman (UPD) actually enrolled last school year.

For those who confir med their enrollment but opted to study in other Metro Manila schools instead, almost half enrolled at the Ateneo de Manila University.

I n a s u r ve y o f “ n o - s h ow ” UPCAT qualifiers conducted by the UP Diliman (UPD) Offi ce of the University Registrar (OUR) before the first semester of the previous academic year (2010-2011), 32 percent of respondents said that they did not enroll at UPD because it was their “personal choice.”

Freshmen data in July 2010 showed that 3,826 qualified for entry into UPD. There were 2,482 students (64.9 percent) who enrolled, 30 (0.8 percent) deferred their enrollment, 303 (7.9 percent) confirmed but did not enroll and 1,011 (26.4 percent) did not confirm at all.

There will be no “re-bracketing” of the Socialized Tuition and Financing Assistance Program (STFAP) and there will be no tuition increase for this academic year.

The UP administration stressed that contrary to some news reports, it is not true that the STFAP’s Bracket A (classification of students whose family income is more than P1 million annually) is the “default bracket” for students who fail to apply for the STFAP. Under Bracket A, students are required to pay tuition of as much as P1,500 per unit.

In a June 6 memorandum, UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs Gisela Concepcion clarifi ed that the STFAP Bracket Schedule approved by the Board of Regents (BOR) is still in effect.

This means that students assigned to Bracket A (declared annual family income of more than P1 million) still pay P1,500 per unit in the constituent universities (CUs) of Diliman, Los

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(Continued on page 6)

Photo by Bong Arboleda

Nanumpa bilang mga rehente si Ebesate at Conti sa harap ni Prop. Patricia Licuanan, tagapangulo ng Lupon ng mga Rehente.

Photo by Bong Arboleda

Less than 70% of UPD qualifiers enroll at UPD

UPD Institute of Biology Director Perry Ong presents some of the findings of the expedition.

New species discovered

by UP, CAS KIM Quilinguing

“The challenge is greater for you who live in this wonderful place where you can observe and study the miracles of life.”

California Academy of Sciences (CAS) Executive Director Gregory Farrington posed this challenge during the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition symposium last June 8 at the UP National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED) auditorium.

UP and CAS organized the expedition which, according to CAS curator Dr. Terry Gosliner, was able to find at least 30 new species of barnacles, 50 new nudibranch mollusks, 45 species of echinoderms, a couple of new echinoid species and one new species of eel. All these were found

Panunumpa ng mga bagong rehente Sinalubong ng ilang kawani, guro at estudyante ng UP ang panunumpa sa katungkulan ng dalawang bagong miyembro ng Lupon ng Rehente (Board of Regents o BOR) noong Hunyo 3.

Nanumpa at opisyal na umupo sa pagpupulong ng BOR sina Jossel Ibit Ebesate, bagong rehente ng mga kawani, at si Maria Kristina C. Conti, bagong rehente ng mga mag-aaral, na ginanap

sa Quezon Hall, UP Diliman noong ika-3 Hunyo.

Sinabi ng mga bagong rehente na ipaglalaban nila ang kapakanan ng mga kawani at estudyante ng UP. Ayon kay Ebesate, ang isyu ng patuloy na kontraktwalisasyon ay nangyayari hindi lamang sa UP kundi sa iba pang mga sangay ng pamahalaan.

Ang usapin naman ng napabalitang

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UP, Ayala Land ink partnership for new UPIS campus, University Town

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5 UP has three new deans

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pagbabago sa Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Porgram (STFAP) ang pinagtuunan ng pansin ni Conti.

Ayon sa kanya, sa ilang mga kampus ng UP ay nabago diumano ang default bracket ng mga bagong mag-aaral at transferees mula sa Bracket B (kung saan ang tuition ay P1,000 bawat unit) papunta sa Bracket A (kung saan ang

during an expedition in and around the Verde Island Passage near Mabini, Batangas.

UP President Alfredo Pascual said that the findings of the expedition are essential to enhancing the university’s k n o w l e d g e a b o u t t h e c o u n t r y ’s natural environment. He said that the studies made by the expedition, more particularly those by scientists from UP, will become cornerstones in the promotion of greater interest in the natural wonders and treasures held by the country’s forest and seas. These will also form part of the university’s plan to create a biodiversity center in UP Los Baños.

Several species of marine biodiversity were collected by the expedition from Taal Lake.

According to Dr. David Catania of CAS, they were able to find new species of sea scorpions, sea moths and pipe fish. They have also yet to analyze some samples of goby fish which they collected from the lake.

Dr. Richard Mooi, also of CAS, said that the expedition also collected around 200 species of worms from the different marine areas covered by the expedition. Forty of the collected species may be new.

The expedition also collected and (Continued on page 11)

(Itutuloy sa pahina 2)

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Search for Filipino-made election technology

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UP experts highlight people’s guilt in fish kills

2 U.P. Newsletter Less than 70% of UPCAT passers enroll at UPD

UP and Ayala Land ink partnership for new UPIS campus, University Town Photo by Bong Arboleda

(Continued from page 1)

Its relocation near other units of the UPIS and its parent unit, the UP College of Education, will enable the creation of an Education Complex which aims to improve the coordination among the units involved. The new UPIS campus will be designed to be both technologicallyadvanced and energyefficient, while at the same time adhering to Chancellor Caesar Saloma, President Alfredo Pascual, ALI President Antonino Aquino, ALI Vice-President acceptable environmental Maria Corazon Dizon and ALI lawyer Ma. Carmela Ignacio present signed contract. guidelines.

The vacated property will be developed Officials from UP and Ayala Land Atty. Ma. Carmela Ignacio of AyalaLand into a mixed-use establishment. The Inc. (ALI) signed a contract last June 22 were official witnesses to the signing. at the Board of Regents (BOR) room “This will be an added project to a proposed University Town shall be in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman (UPD) to partnership that began a few years back,” consistent with the UPD Land Use develop UPD’s East Campus Property Pascual said. “I hope this partnership will Plan and academic development goals, where the UP Integrated School (UPIS) flourish to the mutual benefit of both converting the area into a significant resource generator for the university high school campus is currently located. organizations.”

UP President Alfredo Pascual, ALI Aquino, for his part, called the to support its academic research and President Antonino Aquino and ALI partnership “truly another milestone.” extension functions while providing Vice-President Maria Corazon Dizon He said that ALI hopes to “learn from students, staff and faculty convenient the insights that we managed to attain access to a variety of products and were the signatories to the contract.

Attending the contract signing were with the previous development [of the services.

UP Vice-President for Legal Affairs UP-Ayala Technohub] and truly come Zamora said that the University Town Danilo Concepcion, Vice-President up with another world-class facility that “shall include an incubator area for for Public Affairs J. Prospero de Vera, will complement the great minds that the start-up business ventures; a university bookstore for publications and UP Vice-President for Development Elvira university has.”

The ag reement allows for the merchandise; a venue for school activities Zamora, UPD College of Education Dean Dina Ocampo, UPIS Principal reintegration of the UPIS high school such as job fairs, galleries, exhibits Ronaldo M. San Jose, Dr. Carol Sarthou within the UPD campus core. The new and other community events or other of the UPIS Alumni Association, UPIS high school campus, to be created academic support facilities; retail stores, Pristine Cammayo of the UPIS Student at minimal cost to the university and restaurants, offices, parking spaces Council and Architect Christopher designed by UP architects, will be located and terminals; and other uses allowed at the site of the decommissioned Narra under the classification or zoning of the Espina. property.”

UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma and Dormitory.

Pascual advises freshies: Honor comes first, excellence second Andre Encarnacion

“Honor comes first, excellence second.”

UP President Alfredo Pascual so advised freshman students as he led university officials in welcoming them to UP Diliman (UPD) last June 14 at the University Theater.

Official records show that there are 3,821 freshmen expected to enroll after gaining admission into UPD. Pascual joined UPD Chancellor Caesar Saloma, Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs Ma. Corazon J. Tan and University Student Council Chair

Jemimah Garcia in welcoming the 2011 batch. The freshmen were also introduced to their respective college deans and UP System officials.

Pascual reminded the incoming freshmen of their duty to serve the public good.

“You must not forget however what being a student in the national university truly means,” Pascual said.

He stressed UP’s historic commitment of service to the nation, adding that his vision was to see UP support creative endeavors that “ultimately benefit the

Photo by Bong Arboleda

The 303 students who confirmed but did not enroll were the respondents in the survey. However, no data were generated for 55 of them because the OUR was unable to reach them at the contact numbers they provided.

Of the 248 who responded, 25 percent said they were offered scholarships by other schools, while 16 percent said that they did not study at UPD because they were not accepted in their first choice of degree program.

Eight percent cited “parents’ decision” and another eight percent said UPD is “far from home.” On a related note, three percent said that the school they enrolled in is “near [their] residence.”

Security was a concern for one percent of the respondents, while another one percent opted to enroll in the seven-year Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine (INTARMED program) of UP Manila. Two percent of the respondents did not give reasons for non-enrollment.

The rest of the respondents cited a variety of reasons: “(D)ormitory reason, fi nancial reason, migrated, health conditions, no place to stay, brother in same school, did not receive letter, went to a Medicine school, fear of pressure, 50 percent discount in tuition, and buildings are far.”

Aside from the question of why the respondents did not enroll in UPD, they were also asked where they enrolled instead. Two hundred thirty-two respondents enrolled in other Metro Manila schools, 10 went abroad, four enrolled in other UP constituent universities and two enrolled in a school outside Metro Manila.

Of the 232 respondents who enrolled in other Metro Manila schools, 105 (or 45.2 percent) went to Ateneo de Manila University, 29 to De La Salle University, 12 to University of Santo Tomas, four to University of the East, one to East Asia College, one to Mapua Institute of Technology and one to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Seventy-nine respondents did not specify which Metro Manila school they enrolled in.

The OUR also provided a count per region of the 303 who confirmed but did not enroll at UPD. One hundred sixty-eight were from the National Capital Region (NCR); 43 from Cavite-Laguna-BatangasRizal-Quezon (CALABARZON); 29 from Central Luzon; 12 from Bicol; nine each from Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao; seven each from Davao and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR); four from Ilocos; three each from Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN; two from abroad; and one from Caraga.

Data also showed that out of the 303, 53.1 percent came from private schools, 26.7 percent from public science schools, 15.8 percent from public schools, two percent from state universities and colleges, one percent from UP and 0.7 percent each from vocational and foreign schools.

JULY 2011

people.”

Pascual noted that independence of mind is a cornerstone of UP education.

“Only a mind that is free from the biases and errors of the past can truly look into the future.”

For her part, Garcia identified issues facing UP at present, including the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). Other member of the USC joined her in encouraging students to be informed and involved in current issues like the UP budget cuts.

Panunumpa ng mga bagong rehente (Continued from page 1)

UPD freshmen celebrate at the University Theater.

tuition ay P1,500 bawat yunit).

Patuloy ding idiniin ng mga kasapi ng All UP Workers’ Union (AUPWU) ang pagpapatalsik sa ngayo’y suspendidong dekano ng UP Cebu College na si Enrique Avila at dalawa pa nitong kasamahan, ang pagbabasura ng Office Performance Evaluation System (OPES) at ang pagpapatupad ng karagdagang 10 araw na leave credits para sa mga kawani ng UP.

JULY 2011

U.P. Newsletter 3

Regent’s Corner Maria Kristina C. Conti,Student Regent Learning ‘beyond irrelevance’ There are many ways to define the University of the Philippines (UP), but it is most compelling to call it the “University of the People.” After all, we have staked a claim on “socially responsible and relevant education” for the better part of a century.

The university is in a prime position today to realize, if not reconstruct, the notion of service to the people. By sheer overuse over time, it may have become trite and confusing.

In the generic sense, the word “people” pertains to the public. It is more familiar to say that UP serves public interest through its alumni serving in government, people’s organizations and, yes, even private institutions which have social responsibility programs.

Any outward form of public activity not tooled for private interest thus becomes public ser vice. Here, the common values are altruism and selflessness.

Without proper grounding, this

could become a dangerous declaration.

Public service becomes an instrument of charity rather than responsibility; an undertaking after graduation, rather than during matriculation.

The people we seek to serve have been identified by our own studies, surveys and reports. The majority of the Filipino people are rural-based workers who do not enjoy economic equality.

UP knows that ser ving them is urgent and already offers tailored coand extra-curricular programs, such as barrio-based community work, legal aid to indigents and return service obligations for medical students. These immersion activities and direct services show that public service entails physical closeness and self-effacing productivity to be most effective.

This is why the greatest challenge for a UP student is to learn, not simply study. As the national university, it

leads in education on all fronts. But the training in UP is precisely designed to equip every student with the values of integrity and excellence, with good intentions of a solid character. We are being taught how to translate our formal knowledge into practical gains in our communities.

To be well-meaning in pursuing people’s interests, we must dissolve the individualism of both the student and the student sector. We have teenage angst and personal turmoil; we have so many individual issues in life. Yet it is so easy for us to see what we have in common. We can effortlessly develop relations; we can quickly build rapport with fellow human beings.

T hrough decades of a f lawed education and budget policy, we have found ourselves together many times.

Our shared commitment to quality, democratic and accessible education has (Continued on page 7)

Photo by Bong Arboleda

Buhay UP Makulay ang imahinasyon ng mga estudyante na pinagmumulan ng mga makasining na gayak na siya namang umaaliw sa pamayanan ng UP, gaya ng larawang ito mula sa Parada ng mga Parol noong Disyembre 2010.

Re-imagining, re-building UP CHE University Professor Emeritus Cecilia A. Florencio

As fast as time flies, so, too, do the changes it brings—changes so profound and diverse as to be unsettling. In “Did You Know” or “Shift HappensGlobalization,” a video created by Karl Fisch and modified by Scott McLeod, we are told that the amount of new technical information is doubling every two years. This means that half of what college students learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study. This is but one of many mindboggling developments with life-changing implications.

We c a n n o t s t e m t h e t i d e o f modernization and globalization. But neither should we see ourselves utterly helpless in the face of what may be perceived as harsh and unsparing prospects. Preparing for our future, as it is with ambiguities and uncertainties, will demand, among others, imagination, commitment and courage.

Future proofing, in the sense of “anticipating future developments so that action can be taken to minimize possible negative consequences and to seize opportunities,” will require mental sensing. Imagination is more than

forming mental images. It is “liberation from conventional thinking… the spark that provokes the will into action,” according to JoAnn Franklin Klinker, an American educator. For Albert Einstein, imagination is more important than knowledge because knowledge is limited while imagination encircles the world.

It will not come as a surprise to me if you have started to imagine yourself in the years to come—who, what and where you want to be, and be with.

May I ask, is your world of imagination limited to you and yourself, or , to you and those you love? If it is, would you be so kind as to provide some space for our country? Look at our Philippine flag, imagine our Pilipinas of tomorrow. And then imagine yourself striving mightily to make our country truly a “bayang bayang magiliw magiliw” and a “lupang hinirang.”

Again, may I ask, is your world of imagination limited to you and yourself, or , to you and those you love? If it is, would you be so kind as to provide some space for our university? Look at the UP flag, imagine our Unibersidad ng Pilipinas of tomorrow. And imagine yourself, its loyal son or daughter, unselfishly and diligently

using your ““galling at talino sa paglilingkod nang may dangal sa kapwa at bayan.”

Courage is a word both found in our national anthem and university hymn. We have courage when— • We walk into corruption but do not yield to it and luxuriate. We fight against it.

• We walk into mediocrity but do not allow ourselves to descend to it. We inspire others to ascend to higher levels.

• We walk into injustice but do not ignore it. We work earnestly to correct it and to restore human dignity.

• We walk into false claims of heroism but do not leave these unchallenged. We stand up and remain unbowed until truth prevails and persists.

What would you say is the strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues? For Michel de Montaigne, a French writer, it is true courage. For Shakespeare, “(c)owards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once.”

(Continued on page 7)

UP Newsletter, Forum `relevant and readable,’ preliminary survey results show Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo

The flagship publications of the UP System Information Office (SIO) are “relevant and readable,” say their readers.

The SIO, which publishes the bimonthly Forum and the monthly UP Newsletter (UPN), conducted a survey to get feedback from readers. Inserted in the issues of the two publications and uploaded to the UP website (up.edu. ph), the survey forms were distributed beginning last March.

As of June 9, 10 had responded to the Forum survey, while 36 had responded to the UPN survey.

The respondents in the Forum sur vey were composed of three students; two alumni; one UP official; one administrative staff member; one Commission on Higher Education official; one member of the research, extension, and professional staff (REPS); and an unidentified reader.

The UPN respondents, meanwhile, were composed of 11 administrative staff members, eight students, eight faculty members, four REPS, two alumni, one UP official, one from the Development Center for Asia Africa Pacific (DCAAP) and one unidentified reader.

The survey had five questions and space for comments and suggestions.

On readability, five out of ten respondents said the Forum was easy to read, while 20 out of 36 said the same for the UPN. On the relevance of articles in giving information about UP, seven out of 10 Forum respondents said they were very relevant, while 19 out of 36 UPN respondents said they were relevant.

Data on where the respondents usually get their copies of Forum showed that 50 percent get the publication from their respective colleges or units.

UPN feedback indicated that 94.4 percent of the respondents get their copies the same way. On how often they get copies, eight out of 10 Forum respondents said “always.” Twentynine of the UPN respondents said the same.

When asked if they read the online versions of both publications, 70 percent said they did not read Forum online, while 68.6 percent said the same for UPN. Of the 10 Forum respondents, three had positive comments, one had no comment, and one wrote a comment that was unreadable on a faxed form.

The other five Forum respondents had the following suggestions: more relevant topics, promote online versions more, ask student opinions, make it full color, and send at least 20 copies to UP Mindanao.

For UPN, 11 had no comments, three like it as it is and another three wanted more news from the constituent universities. Two wanted space for opinions, two asked for schedules of events and free seminars, two looked for interactivity such as puzzles or surveys, and two wanted updated issues and on-time publication. Individual comments included: more alumni (Continued on page 7)

4 U.P. Newsletter

JULY 2011

UP President Alfredo Pascual has issued an administrative order instituting a search process for the next chancellors of UP Los Baños (UPLB), UP Manila (UPM) and UP Visayas (UPV). The terms of office of the incumbent chancellors of the three constituent universities (CUs) will end on October 31.

The call for nominations to the search committees is from June 15 to July 1. The search committees, in turn, are expected to be constituted within July 4 to 8.

The actual search process is from July 11 to August 31. The search committee will submit its report to the president on September 8 and the Board of Regents (BOR) will choose the new chancellors at its meeting on September 29.

To be nominated, a person running for chancellor must have the following qualifications: (1) commitment to academic freedom and the values and ideals of the university; (2) distinction in chosen field of expertise coupled with a generalist view and an appreciation of other disciplines; (3) Filipino citizen with strong nationalist commitment; (4) demonstrated observance of the principles of collegiality and democratic process; (5) unquestionable moral integrity; (6) academic leadership and administrative skill; and (7) willingness to serve on a full-time basis for three years. The nominee does not need to be currently connected with the university but must have previous ties with it (e.g., as a graduate or former faculty member).

Any person or group in the university may nominate a chancellor. T he nomination paper must include a letter justifying the nomination, two clear copies of the nominee’s curriculum vitae and a one- or two-page summary.

All documents must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the University at Quezon Hall or to any member of the concerned search committee not later than August 12.

The search committees for the chancellors of UPLB, UPM and UPV will have their own schedule of activities. It is tasked to confirm the willingness of the nominees and ask them for their vision papers (not more than five pages) and summary of their most significant qualifications (not more than two pages). It is also the committee’s responsibility to interview as many people as possible who may have pertinent information on the qualifi cation and competence of the nominees. The nominees must be given a chance to give their side.

The search committee is not authorized to conduct a straw poll. If it wants to gauge public support, it has to draw up a short list of not more than five nominees and invite them to a public forum.

The search committees will submit to Pascual a report of the search process including the final list of the nominees, assessing their strengths and weaknesses.

Pascual will then submit the report with his endorsement to the BOR.

Revisiting two high school students who are now at UP Bernice P. Varona

Two promising high school students got the media’s attention for their difficulties in being admitted into UP despite their qualifications.

A f e w m o n t h s b a ck , C h e r r y Holg ado’s future looked unclear.

She wasn’t sure she could enroll at UP because of her family’s fi nancial difficulties. “I want to teach in UP, a prestigious university that would help me find the right path to my future,” said Holgado, now a Sociology major at UP Diliman.

Holgado was among the less than 4,000 students at UP Diliman who passed the UPCAT. Over 60,000 students nationwide take the test annually. For her program, a student would normally need more than P20,000 for the first semester’s tuition.

Because of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program ( S T FA P ) , H o l g a d o o n l y n e e d e d P7,628.50. However, her parents could still not afford to pay the amount.

When Holgado’s story came out on GMA News TV’s program “State of the Nation,” an anonymous person contacted the broadcast station and offered a full four-year scholarship.

Now a UP student, Holgado is g rateful and excited. Despite the difficulties she faced while enrolling, she said it was all worth it. She has applied for STFAP bracket reconsderation.

Holgado’s is one case with a happy resolution but this is not always true for all students. There are UPCAT passers who end up not enrolling at UP because, like Holgado, they cannot

afford the tuition.

Records from the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) show that at UP Diliman, 1,011 of the 3,826 UPCAT passers did not confirm their slots in the university. A total of 303 who confirmed did not enroll. Some of the 1,011 passers who chose not to enroll at UP received scholarships from other universities.

An option for those who cannot afford the tuition is to apply for the STFAP. This is UP’s system of classifying students into brackets based on family income to determine what support they may get from the university. The benefits range from waiving of the full tuition, discounted tuition and stipends. Brackets are assigned based on the information provided by the applicants on the declared family income and other family characteristics and socioeconomic indicators.

But the STFAP does not always ensure a happy ending for students. Take the case of high school valedictorian Nikki Estrada who, as of this writing, is still waiting for the resolution of her appeal to the STFAP. Estrada thinks that patience is a virtue. While waiting for the results of her appeal to be moved to another bracket so that she could afford the tuition, Estrada has started to attend classes and do school work as a Math major. She also has high hopes for her future plans. “After graduation, I plan to serve my country by pursuing higher studies while teaching in UP.”

Photo by Misael Bacani

Search for next UPLB, UPM, UPV chancellors

Si Dr. Judy Taguiwalo, isa sa mga tagapamuno ng unyon, habang nagsasalita sa isang rali sa harap ng Quezon Hall

Balitang Unyon

Pagpapakilala sa dalawang unyon Dahil unang pagkakataon itong magkaroon ng espasyo ang accredited unions ng unibersidad sa UP Newsletter Newsletter, mag-uumpisa tayo sa paglilinaw sa pagiging accredited unions sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas ng All-UP Workers Union at All-UP Academic Employees Union. Mayroon ding paglalahad sa mga natamo ng mga kawani, faculty at REPS. Makikita naman sa bandang huli ang mahahalagang isyung kinakaharap ng unyon sa ngayon.

Ang accredited unions sa ating pamantasan

Iba ang rehistradong unyon sa accredited union. Maaaring rehistrado ang isang public sector union sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) at sa Civil Service Commission pero hindi ito accredited accredited. Ang accredited union ay may karapatang kumatawan sa karaniwang empleyado sa negosasyon sa administrasyon ng isang ahensiya ng gobyerno bunga ng pagkakuha nito ng suporta ng mayorya ng mga empleyado sa naturang ahensya.

Ang All-UP Workers Union ay ang accredited union ng administrative staff at kumakatawan sa rank-and-file na mga kawani sa buong UP System bunga ng pagkapanalo nito sa certification election (CE) noong 2007 at pagsara ng Collective Negotiations Agreement (CNA) sa pagitan ng unyon at ng administrasyon ng UP noong 2009. Samantala, ang All-UP Academic Employees Union ay ang accredited union ng rank-and-file faculty at REPS sa buong UP System bunga ng pagkakuha nito ng mayorya ng suporta ng karaniwang academic personnel sa pamamagitan ng petisyon noong 2007 at pagsara ng CNA sa pagitan nito at ng administrasyon ng UP noong 2009. May bisa ang dalawang CNA sa loob ng limang taon o hanggang 2014.

Dating magkakasama sa ilalim ng All-UP Workers Union ang tatlong sektor ng mga empleyado ng UP. Sa panahon ni Pangulong Emil Javier, tumutol ang administrasyon ng UP sa pagsasama ng tatlong sektor sa isang unyon at pagiging kasapi ng unyon ng kaguruan maliban sa mga instruktor. Umabot ang isyung ito sa Supreme Court na noong Hulyo 14, 1992 (G.R. No. 96189) ay nagdesisyong hiwalay dapat ang kumakatawan sa mga kawaning administratibo at sa academic personnel (faculty ( at REPS). Dahil dito, ang full professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors at REPS ay maaaring magbuo ng sarili nilang collective bargaining unit unit.

Mga panalo sa CNA at Sama-Samang Pagkilos ng Dalawang Unyon

Maraming natamong benepisyo ang mga kawani, faculty at REPS ng UP bunga ng CNA at sama-samang pagkilos ng dalawang unyon. Kabilang sa mga ito ay ang pagkaroon ng year-end incentives, subsidyo sa bigas na nag-umpisa sa isang sakong nagkakahalaga ng P1,000 at ngayon ay tatlong sakong nagkakahalaga ng P1,500 bawat sako, P1,000 Christmas grocery allowance at iba pa. Nagkaroon din ng mga dagdag na three-day special leave privileges, three-day job-related sickness leave at two-day nursing leave privileges para sa breastfeeding mothers.

Mayroon ding mga kinatawan ang mga unyon sa mga komite ng UP System at sa antas ng constituent universities na nagtatalakay sa mga usaping pang-empleyo at kapakanan ng mga empleyado tulad ng Administrative Personnel and Fellowship Committee at Housing Committee. Tinitiyak nitong ang mga karaniwang empleyado ay may boses sa pagsagawa ng mga rekomendasyon at pagrepaso ng mga polisiyang may kaugnayan sa kanilang kalagayan.

Mahalagang tungkulin din ng dalawang unyon ang pagpapalaganap ng mga desisyon at patakarang may kaugnayan sa kagalingan ng mga kawani, faculty at REPS sa UP magmula man ito sa administrasyon ng UP o sa pambansang pamahalaan. Tinitiyak din nito na may transparency at due process sa mga desisyon kaugnay ng hiring, renewal, tenure, promotion o aksyong pandisiplina sa mga nagtatrabaho sa UP. Mga Kasalukuyang Hinaharap na mga Isyu ng Mga Unyon

• Sinusubaybayan ngayon ng dalawang unyon ang pagpapatupad sa dagdag na 10-day leave para sa mga kawani at REPS na inaprubahan in principle ng Board of Regents noong Abril 3.

• Sumulat nitong Hunyo 14 ang dalawang unyon sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) para hilinging i-release release na ang pondo para sa salary differential kaugnay ng pagpapatupad simula Hunyo 1 sa ikatlong tranche ng Salary Standardization Law 3.

• Nagpetisyon ang All-UP Workers Union sa administrasyon ng UP para hilinging gamitin ang dating Personnel Evaluation System (PES) sa halip na ang OPES na puno ng problema habang lumilikha ng bagong instrumento para sa ebalwasyon

(Continued on page 5)

JULY 2011

UPOU to offer new programs Anna Cañas

The UP Board of Regents during its 1269th Meeting last June 3 approved the appointments of three new deans.

Prof. Danilo Concepcion, Prof. Jose Maria Balmaceda and Prof. Patricia Arinto are the newly appointed deans of the UP Diliman (UPD) College of Law, UPD College of Science and the UP Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Education, respectively.

Replacing Prof.

Marvic MVF Leonen, Concepcion’s term of office is from June 3, 2011 to June 2, 2014.

Taking over from UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma and Prof. Theresa de Villa, respectively, the terms of office of Balmaceda and Arinto is from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2014.

Concepcion finished Agricultural Engineering at the De La Salle-Araneta University, summa cum laude, in 1979 and law at the UP College of Law, cum laude, in 1983. He later earned his Masters of Laws degree at Queen Mar y College of the University of London as a Chevening scholar.

Concepcion has also served as associate commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission and president of De La Salle-Araneta University. From 2002 to 2006, he was associate dean, head of the UP Law Center, and director of the Institute for Judicial Administration of the UP College of Law. Concepcion hosts a regular radio-TV program, Usapang de Campanilla (DZMM).

Balmaceda earned his BS Mathematics

degree, magna cum laude, in 1981 and MS Mathematics degree in 1983 at UPD. He finished his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign in 1991 and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Kyushu University Graduate School of Mathematics in Japan

Commission on Higher Education and the Special Technical Committee on Natural Sciences of the Scientific Career Council.

Arinto star ted with UP Open University as an affiliate faculty in 1996, and was appointed director of the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS) in 2000. She served as chair for the Associate in Arts and the Master of Distance Education programs and as director of the UP System Information Office from 1997 to 1999.

She is cur rently finishing her Doctor of Education at the Institute of Education in the University of London.

Photo from the UP Open University

(Continued from page 4)

ng mga kawani ng pamantasan.

• Kabahagi rin ang dalawang unyon sa pagsuporta sa dalawang panukalang batas kaugnay ng dagdag na P6,000 sa minimum na suweldo ng mga kawani sa pampublikong sektor (House Bill No. 3746 ) at sa pagtaas ng entry leve level ng mga faculty sa state universities and colleges (SUCs) mula Salary Grade (SG) 14 (sa UP) o SG 12 (sa iba pang SUCs) tungo sa SG 16 (HB 4523).

Arlyn VCD P. Romulado, KIM Quilinguing & Anna Canas

Photo from the UP Diliman Information Office

Balitang Unyon

UP has three new deans

Photo by Bong Arboleda

The UP Open University (UPOU) will offer new programs in education, land valuation and health at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The UP Board of Regents (BOR) approved UPOU’s proposal to offer programs in Bachelor of Education Studies; Diploma and Master in Land Valuation Management; and Diploma and Master of International Health.

The second undergraduate program to be offered by the Faculty of Education, the Bachelor of Education Studies program, aims to develop education professionals for various types of education work— teaching, instructional design materials development and education research—in diverse contexts. It has specializations in Alternative Education Systems (AES) and Instructional Design Technology (IDT).

AES intends to help fill the gap in undergraduate programs for development of workers for alternative education sectors.

This includes non-formal, communitybased education and school- or institutionbased alternative modes of education. IDT, on the other hand, addresses the country’s needs for education professionals with expertise in the systematic use of technology to address educational challenges in both learning environments.

The Diploma and Master of Land Valuation Management (DLVM-MLVM) programs under the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) address the need for high-quality valuation education that is accessible to private and government valuers and property managers in the Philippines and abroad. The DLVM program also targets those wishing to enter the valuation and property management profession. The MLVM program hopes to develop a perspective of land valuation and management for sustainable development.

The DLVM and MLVM programs are ladderized so that DLVM graduates may continue to the MLVM program.

The Diploma in International Health (DIH) and the Master of International Health (MIH) programs are envisioned to give equal emphasis to health promotion and health systems development. To be offered also by FDMS, both programs are intended for entering and mid-career health professionals who are looking for graduate-level education and training that will prepare them for supervisory work in government health departments, as well as local and international non-government organizations engaged in health and development work. The MIH program is particularly relevant to those who would like to pursue an academic career in international health.

Complete details and offering updates on the five programs will soon be posted on www.upou.edu.ph. For inquiries, please contact the UPOU Information Office at info@upou.edu.ph.

U.P. Newsletter 5

Other appointments

At the BOR meeting, Prof. Sylvia Concepcion was appointed dean of the UP Mindanao School of Management and her term of office is from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014.

Prof. Teofino Macabiog was appointed director of the Office of Student Affairs Top photo: Balmaceda (right) taking of UP Baguio from June 1, his oath of office before Chancellor 2011 to May 31, 2012.

Saloma. Photo on left: Concepcion; At the UP System level, photo on right: File photo of Arinto Prof. Noreen Escultura was appointed director of the Budget Offi ce; Dr. Sylvia Claudio, director from 1992 to 1993.

He had been director of the UPD of University Center for Women’s Studies; Institute of Mathematics since 2007. He Prof. Christopher Espina, director of Office also served as assistant vice-president for of Design and Planning Initiatives; Prof. academic affairs and director of the Office Reynaldo Garica, director of Technology of Institutional Linkages from 2000 to Licensing Office; and Atty. Magdalene Tan, 2005. Balmaceda is an Academician of director of System Accounting Office. the National Academy of Science and Except for Tan whose term began last May Technology (NAST) and a member of the 3, all of them have a term of office from Technical Panel for Mathematics of the June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2014.

For 5th consecutive year

UP Mindanao gets 100% passing rate in architecture board exam Rizza V. Estadola

UPMin achieved once more a 100% passing rate in the LEA for the fifth consecutive year, according to Architecture Program Coordinator Jean Marie Juanga.

All 12 BS Architecture graduates of UP Mindanao (UPMin) passed the June 2011 Licensure Exam for Architects (LEA).

The BS Architecture graduates are Evan Gleece M. Casas, Leah C. Damalerio, Kristianne S. dela Rosa, Mary Catherine A. Diaz, Regina Shari N. Layasan, Emily S. Menorias, Nel A. Paronda, Ayris Quelly G. Pecdaen, Jasmin L. Rubillar, Joseph Raymund A. Sumabal, Roxanne Z. Urbiztondo

and Suntara C. Venteres. In the January 2011 LEA, UPMin’s BS Architecture graduate Albino A. Paña likewise passed the LEA. Last year, UPMin BS Architecture graduate Jeremy Roy A. Sanchez ranked fifth nationwide in the LEA.

UPLB-CVM recognized again as center of excellence The UP Los Baños (UPLB) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has once again been designated as the Center of Excellence in Veterinary Education in the Philippines.

Conferred by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the COE

title is effective from 27 February 2009 to 27 February 2012.

CVM is recognized for its leading role in the education of veterinary students through its academic, research and extension activities. Two of its faculty members are members of

the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), the highest advisory body to the President of the Philippines on science and technology matters.

The CHED first bestowed the title to the CVM in 2000.

• Bukod sa dalawang panukalang batas sa itaas, sumusuporta rin ang dalawang unyon sa dagdag na P125 (HB 375 ) sa arawang suweldo ng mga manggagawa sa pribadong sektor at sa pagpapataas ng suweldo ng mga pampublikong guro tungo sa SG 15 (HB 2142)

• Patuloy din ang pakikiisa ng mga unyon sa UP sa iba pang mga unyon at organisasyon sa pampublikong sektor para sa mga pagbabago sa mga patakaran ng GSIS. • Pinaghahandaan na rin ng dalawang unyon ang pagsuporta para sa mas mataas na budget sa UP, sa PGH at sa

iba pang SUCs at mga pampublikong ospital sa deliberasyon ng 2012 National Budget sa Kongreso sa Hulyo.

• Patuloy na nakikilahok ang dalawang unyon sa pagtitiyak ng demokratikong pamamahala sa unibersidad sa pamamagitan ng pagiging kasapi ng koalisyong UP Kilos Na.

6 U.P. Newsletter

JULY 2011

PAASE meet focuses on promoting science, engineering, technology Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta Photo by Bong Arboleda

The cooperation among the academe, government and industry to promote science, engineering and technology innovation in the country was the focal point of the 31st Annual PhilippineAmerican Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) Meeting and Symposium held from June 15 to 17 at the National Institute of Physics (NIP), College of Science, National Science Complex in UP Diliman.

Dr. Giselle Concepcion, president of PAASE and UP vice-president for academic affairs, said that the event aims to “gain more support for science and engineering in our country—from academe, the government and the private sector. We believe that science and engineering hold the key to the socioeconomic development and the regional global competitiveness of our country.”

For his part, UP President Alfredo Pascual discussed his administration’s thrust to strengthen the research and development capability of UP. “I see it as a challenge…to reverse the outward flow of talents from the Philippines, while contributing to the development of the country through research and development. My dream is to make UP a haven for science and technology.”

In order to further increase the productivity of UP researchers and the

UP President Alfredo Pascual addresses PAASE members and UPD Colleges of Science and Engineering students and faculty members, as well as other guests.

production of MS and PhD graduates in UP, Pascual said, “We need to improve administrative efficiency; increase collaboration among researchers; undertake more intensive training and preparation of young faculty, undergraduate and graduate students for research; conduct regular public dissemination of research outputs in a language people can understand; and increase incentives for all researchers.

These are just some of the actions we intend to pursue.”

Dr. Amelia Guevara, chief of the

Department of Science and TechnologyPhilippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), said that due to the country’s limited resources, the government must prioritize and strategize. “We must be clear about the goals…we cannot behave like a global technological giant.”

She said that DOST plans to invest more in science and technology education from high school to post-graduate levels, specifically by expanding scholarships

programs at the college level through the addition of 500 scholarship slots by the next school year.

The DOST, she said, also completed its master plan for the next five years, adopting an outcome-oriented program management approach and implementing various research and development (R&D) projects with various universities.

According to Guevara, other programs of the DOST are the exploration of an appropriate support system for the electronics and mining industry; the development of a mass transport system or monorail in partnership with UP; developing logistic equipment such as a ship-to-shore crane in partnership with domestic port operators; implementing inter ventions in infant and adult malnutrition and rice self-sufficiency; and a rural industrialization program through massive technology transfer in partnership with Gawad Kalinga Center for Social Innovation.

University of Delaware Professor Emeritus and 2010 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Prof. Richard Heck, who was honored in a special ceremony, expressed hope that the science and technology programs will “encourage more people to do chemistry, make important discoveries and help the country at the same time.”

Search for Filipino-made election technology Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said

that the Comelec will meet to decide in what form it will sponsor “the search for the real Filipino election technology.”

The conference also had video Photo by Bong Arboleda

The first Filipino IT for Automated Elections (FIT4E) Conference opened with an optimistic challenge. UP President Alfredo Pascual said that “(t)hough it is true that the world may be shrinking due to advances in technology, the responsibilities that come with it continue to grow.”

The conference was held at the GTToyota Asian Cultural Center, UP Diliman last June 13. It gathered local and foreign IT experts, IT practitioners, academicians, election watchdogs, policy study groups and other concerned individuals to discuss issues of transparency and security that arose from the county’s first automated elections on May 10, 2010.

The Fourth National Search for Product Excellence in IT (Automated Election Systems) was launched during the event. The search aims to look for an automated election system model and design that can be developed for future automated elections.

The search is open to all Filipino individuals and organizations. It is being conducted in cooperation with the

IT practitioners during the conference with UP Computer Science Professor Rommel Feria

No STFAP re-bracketing, no tuition increase – UP officials Baños and Manila; and P1,000 in the other CUs. Those assigned to Bracket B still pay P1,000 per unit in Diliman, Los Baños and Manila, and P600 in the other CUs. In a memorandum last April 8, Concepcion announced the additional requirements for incoming freshmen to be classified under Bracket B, which are notarized income tax return or employment contract of parents and vicinity map of family residence.

I n t h e Ju n e 6 m e m o r a n d u m , Concepcion stressed that the additional requirements apply only to incoming freshmen students and transferees from other schools, who have applied to be assigned to Bracket B by submitting a Bracket B Certification, which is no

longer required to be notarized.

For all students who have applied for Bracket B assignment, Concepcion said that they should submit not later September 16 the documents to support the bracket assignment.

“The UP administration intends to improve the implementation of the STFAP and implement it the way it was designed,” UP Vice-President for Public Affairs J. Prospero E. De Vera III said. “The intention of STFAP is to socialize tuition rates so that government subsidy is targeted to give more to those who need it and less to those who don’t need it.”

De Vera said that the tuition of all UP students including those paying P1,500 per unit is subsidized by the

conferencing with US-based experts David Wagner, PhD, of the University of California-Berkeley and Douglas Jones, PhD, of the University of Iowa. Wagner led a UC IT team that found serious errors in California’s electronic election, prompting the state to enact a law requiring providers to reveal their source codes for independent review during the bidding. Jones was the technical advisor of the acclaimed film Hacking Democracy that exposed electronic fraud in the US presidential elections of 2000 and 2004.

The conference was organized by Automated Election Systems Watch (AES Watch), UP Information Technology Training Center (UP-ITTC), Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP), Philippine Computer Society (PCS), National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), PhilNITS, Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM), De La Salle University College of Computer Studies (DLSU CCS) and Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG).

(Continued from page 1)

government.

“What we want to do, as intended by STFAP, is to maximize the government subsidy to those who are most in need.

This has not been achieved in the past because of poor enforcement—what UP President Alfredo Pascual has referred to as the ‘weak rule.’”

In the past, students who wish to apply for Brackets C, D and E are required to submit, along with an accomplished application form, several documents including the Income Tax Returns or employment certification, and Personal Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the applicants parents/ guardians; latest Tax Declarations of all real properties; assessment forms regarding the school fees paid by the

applicant prior to entering UP; and the family’s electric and water bills for the last three months, among others.

According to the STFAP website (http://stfap.up.edu.ph), students who do not apply for STFAP benefits are assigned to Bracket A or B, depending on the declared gross family income when they confi rmed their intention to enroll in UP. Late-fi lers will also be temporarily assigned to Bracket B, pending assignment and release of their proper brackets.

According to De Vera, this system has given rise to the concept of a default bracket in STFAP. “If you look at the BOR decision [establishing STFAP], there was no (Continued on page 8)

JULY 2011

U.P. Newsletter 7

UP Manila, DOST sign agreement for new `MolMed’ scholars Photo from the UP Manila Information, Publication and Public Affairs Office

There are 10 new scholars in UP Manila’s (UPM) MD-PhD Molecular Medicine program.

The program is a joint offering of the UP College of Medicine (CM) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The second batch of scholars was formally welcomed last June 22 at UPM’s Alvior Hall.

DOST Secretary Mario Montejo and UPM Chancellor Ramon Arcadio signed the memorandum of understanding for the second batch of scholars.

Also present during the signing were Science Education Institute Director Filma Brawner, UPCM Dean Alberto Roxas, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya and Dr. Paulo Pagkatipunan.

Arcadio stressed the need for doctorscientists capable of conducting biomedical researches, especially on persistent and emerging illnesses.

“Within a few more years, we hope to have a growing stable of ‘MolMed’ scientists and researchers to speed up the needed cures for our people and offer new insights in the pathogenesis of several

Emely M. Amoloza, FICS

DOST Secretary Montejo and Chancellor Arcadio (seated, 2nd and 3rd from left) sign the MoU. Also in photo are SEI Director Brawner, Dean Roxas, PCHRD Executive Director Montoya (standing, left), and Dr. Pagkatipunan (standing, right).

diseases common to developing countries like ours,” Arcadio said.

The MD-PhD Molecular Medicine is a pioneering, eight-year degree program that combines the MD and PhD courses.

T he prog ram aims to develop physicians with a strong background in basic and applied research as part of a biomedical career and provide advanced

education through the PhD component while completing the MD phase.

Before it was offered in June 2010, health professionals interested in pursuing this discipline were only able to do so abroad.

At its launch last year, the first batch of 10 selected scholars from different regions in the Philippines was admitted.

UPLB goes wireless Josephine M. Bo

If you see people in yellow shirts working on what seems to be another infrastructure project on the UP Los Baños (UPLB) campus, be thankful. The workers are putting up the infrastructure that will provide campus-wide wireless fidelity (WiFi) connection for mobile Internet access.

According to the Infor mation Technology Center (ITC) that is now facilitating the completion of the UPLB

WiFi-Mesh Network Project, the project will enhance campus network and Internet communication, connectivity, and availability, as well as generate income for the university.

NERA Philippines, Inc. has been contracted by the UPLB for the project, which started last April 1 and is due for completion in 120 calendar days. The work is divided into four zones and includes

not only the buildings in the UPLB core zone but also the forestry area, the UPCO housing area, the Institute of Plant Breeding and the Science and Technology Park area.

Work will be done in 51 sites across the campus.

According to the ITC, the project will employ the latest technology called Wireless N which is also compatible with earlier WiFi technologies.

Re-imagining, re-building UP CHE (Continued from page 3) I will now move my point of reference from our country and university to the UP College of Home Economics. The story of Home Economics in this country is no different from many other countries.

From its original holistic and integrative approach to address the needs of families and households, the discipline soon broke up into several specialized areas, for compelling reasons. Unfortunately, not enough safeguards were put into place to deliberately interconnect the sub-disciplines. The consequences of the weak links became marked as Home Economics extended its context to include institutional households and communities for the sake of relevance to the larger society, as it was perceived at the time.

After many years of marginal living, our discipline is in the cusp of regeneration—and woe to us if we do not reawaken. “Fate is made up of our choices, our acceptances and our refusals,” says Marjorie East, a leader in home economics.

There is renewed interest in the discipline and there are calls for a return to Home Economics in many countries. There are several reasons for this welcome development. One of them is the increasing realization of the importance of greater attention to the family and to everyday life, and the value of integrative and interdisciplinary approaches to the multidimensional

Trillanes scholarship program, professorial chair launched

problems and opportunities of living in “exponential times.”

The challenges we face are unmistakable.

We should pursue advances in knowledge and practice in each sub-discipline in ways that clearly bear the distinctive elements of the mother discipline and its historical roots, and are animated by a communal sense of the future. We should cultivate a deeper sense of scholarship. We should prepare ourselves and our students for humane and transformative leadership.

Let us not forget that Home Economics evolved from concerns about the use of scientific knowledge and the need for social reform.

The UP College of Home Economics (UP CHE) is the only unit in this university that can lay claim to the study of the elements that sustain life (food, clothing and shelter) and the elements that give meaning to life (relationships within the family, among families, between families and the

larger community), for the enhancement of the quality of life and living.

In a few months, the UP CHE will reach its 50th year, and 2021 will mark the centennial of the discipline of Home Economics in the university.

A s we c o n t e m p l a t e b u i l d i n g communities for Filipino families out there, let us re-build our CHE community, with the use of bricks and not straws. At whatever point we are at present in terms of our affection for our mother discipline, it is high time for all of us to come home and re-bond with her and her siblings. She will be just too happy to welcome us back and to give each one a robe of wholeness, a ring of distinctiveness and a pair of sturdy sandals to use for our journey together toward a viable future.

Editor’s Note: This is a condensed version of University Professor Emeritus Cecilia Florencio’s speech at the recognition rites of the UPD College of Home Economics last April 15, 2011.

UP Newsletter, Forum `relevant and readable,’ preliminary survey results show (Continued from page 3) news, feature issues and statements from the University Council, more items of importance to constituents (e.g., directorship issue of the Philippine General Hospital), more features on research output, color photos, more interesting articles in terms of style, more student contributions, should

not be a venue for grievances, difficult to read/make more relevant, more international and not just local news, and make it smaller because it is “too big [to read] in a bus or jeep.”

The survey is ongoing and readers of UPN and Forum are strongly encouraged to participate.

The Senator Trillanes Scholarship Program and the Professorial Chair Award on ICT for Development and Good Governance for the UP Open University (UPOU) were officially launched last June 4 at the CICT Bldg, Diliman, Quezon City.

T he two new prog rams were sponsored by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV through the initiative of Dr. Melinda dP. Bandalaria, dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS).

“Filipinos fund your scholarships, not me. This is our way of giving back to UPOU and saying thank you,” Trillanes said.

For her part, UPOU Chancellor Grace Alfonso said, “Many of the recipients of the scholarship program are teachers who are guiding the next generations intellectually, morally and spiritually.”

“Dati Dati po, hindi ako makapag makapag-enrol kasi wala po akong pera. Ngayon po, hindi na ako magbabayad ng tuition fee, makakapagbayad pa po ako ng utang utang,” Jesusa AllenAdena, an Associate in Arts student who is a recipient of the scholarship, said.

The first batch of scholars consists of 17 students enrolled in different degree programs at UPOU and are based in different parts of the country.

The professorial chair, on the other hand, will be awarded to a deserving UPOU faculty member.

Regent’s Corner (Continued from page 3)

compelled generations of students to take proper action against all things contrar y. And to be sure, we’ve shown the same tenacity in proposing alternatives and solutions as we have in dissent.

Farther along, we will find mutual interests with the people we seek to serve. We will harbor beliefs on governance, economics, land reform, health agenda, foreign policy, crime and punishment. Of course, this merely reiterates the fact that we are organic members of society, that we are mga iskolar ng bayan, but more so, that we are stronger students when we identify ourselves with other sectors.

As our field of consciousness expands and accommodates more p eo p l e, m o r e co n cer n s, we f i n d strength and purpose in each other.

As they say it, sorrows are halved and joys are doubled when shared.

Collective action will always be our most potent defense against grown-up world-weariness.

Even as many paths will lead us out of this university, we will find ourselves older and wiser, yet together again when our petty personal problems merge and fuse with larger political crises. If there is anything we should keep to heart forever, it is that, in the words of one of our own, “only those who choose to fight on the battlefield live beyond irrelevance.”

(The quote is from retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s message to the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers at its founding Congress in September 2007)

8 U.P. Newsletter

JULY 2011

Construction of new Chemical Engineering buildings underway Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc Photo by Bong Arboleda

of the department.

UP President Alfredo Pascual said that the new buildings are expected to provide engineers, scientists, researchers and students a more nurturing environment for research and development of technologies.

In his message as guest of honor during the ground-breaking ceremonies, Pascual said that there are efforts to publicize UP’s achievements so that ranking organizations like Quacquarelli Symonds will better appreciate UP. UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma said that the complex is consistent with UP’s mandate and goal to be the country’s research university.

Time capsule is lowered by (from left to right) Dean Matias, President Pascual, Chancellor UPD College of Engineering Saloma and Department of Chemical Engineering Chair Rizalinda de Leon.

Dean Aura Matias said that the move The construction of new buildings of The Chemical Engineering buildings to the National Science and Engineering the Department of Chemical Engineering will house eight faculty rooms, six Complex will facilitate closer ties between started last June 7 at the National Science classrooms, and a host of research, engineers and their counterparts in the and Engineering Complex in UP Diliman. instructional and extension laboratories College of Science.

No STFAP re-bracketing, no tuition increase – UP officials such thing as a default bracket. This emerged during the implementation of the STFAP. If you don’t want to submit the documentation needed so you can be assigned to Brackets C, D and E, then you just indicate that you are Bracket B and that is accepted. This is what happened, but this is not the design of the STFAP.” The system has led to a disproportionate percentage of students—over 80 percent according to last year’s data—classified under Bracket B, while around 6 to

7 percent are classified at Brackets C and D, and only around 4 percent in the lowest Brackets E1 and E2. On the other end of the spectrum, only 0.47 percent of students fall under Bracket A (those whose family incomes are above P1 million).

The complicated and faulty system of implementation of the STFAP, along with the outdated and inaccurate economic indicators being used, have served as disincentives for students to apply for Brackets C, D and E. Students

The case of a Deaf rape victim

T he case of R, a Deaf rape

victim, is said to be an example of the failure of the state to defend the rights and dignity of women, particularly women with disabilities, against discrimination.

After five years of prosecution and trial marked by a lack of sign language interpreting, insensitivity to the needs of R as a woman with disability, and several other discriminatory aspects in the legal proceedings, the court acquitted her rapist.

The decision was largely based on gender myths and stereotypes. With no other local legal remedies available, R brought her case before the UN Committee as a violation of her human rights under the CEDAW as well as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

As the first Deaf woman to bring her case before the CEDAW Optional Protocol she is said to speak for the many Deaf women and girls who suffer in silence and are unable to seek justice for themselves.

The case of three transsexuals

Accessing one of two Optional Protocols of the ICCPR, complainants Naomi Fontanos, Rio Moreno and Julianna Giessel, Filipina women of transsexual experience, brought their cases of discrimination to the United Nations.

In October 2007, when Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona penned a decision denying the petition of Mely

Rene Estremera

For mer UP Los Baños (UPLB) Dean Celso Lantican met with UP Mindanao (UPMin) Chancellor Gilda C. Rivero last May 24 to discuss possible agricultural projects such as cacao and other high value crops in the UPMin land reservations.

T h e r e a r e t wo U P M i n L a n d Reservations. These are the MarilogArakan Land Reser vation and the Laak-Veruela Land Reservation.

Located at the border of Davao C i t y a n d A r a k a n , C o t a b a t o, t h e Marilog-Arakan Land Reser vation is composed of 4,100 hectares and was reser ved through Presidential Proclamation No. 1253.

On the other hand, the LaakVe r u e l a L a n d R e s e r v a t i o n i n Compostela Valley Province has a total area of 2,800 hectares. The land was reser ved through Presidential Proclamation No. 1252.

(Continued from page 6)

who rightfully belong to Bracket A are similarly inclined to declare themselves Bracket B. “There is no incentive for you to declare correctly that your family income is more than P1 million because you can go to Bracket B and pay less,” De Vera said. “We are now requiring those in Bracket B to submit notarized Income Tax Returns or certificates of employment, and a vicinity map of their house. But this is only for incoming freshmen [and transferees]; this is not

Women claim rights with the United Nations From the classroom to the United Nations (UN).

What started out as a classroom discussion on feminist legal theory last May 23 at the UP College of Social Work and Community Development culminated in a decision to uphold the rights of four women at the level of the UN. Supervised by Atty. Evalyn Ursua, professor of Women and Law at the Department of Women and Development and legal counsel for the complainants, her 10 students in partnership with the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) and the Philippine Deaf Resource Centre (PDRC) drafted two communications accessing the Optional Protocols of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW [1981]) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR [1976]).

The communications claim that the Philippine government is failing to meet its positive obligations to protect the rights of women and girl children of various backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity. Even with advances in medical science and international human rights law the Philippine justice system continues to use archaic gender myths and stereotypes as standards for its decisions.

Former UPLB dean visits UPMin on lands

Silverio to change her name and sex on her birth records following personal efforts to harmonize her body and gender identity, the court reportedly did not just decide on the fate of Silverio but also on that of many Filipinos with transsexual experience. The Corona decision is said to show the failure of the Philippine government to recognize gender identity and is reportedly a violation of Articles 2 and 26 of the ICCPR. The three called on the judiciary to develop an education and training program for trial judges and public prosecutors on gender recognition t h a t i s d e s i g n e d t o m a ke t h e m understand sexual orientation and gender identity issues and the condition of transsexualism. They also demanded that Congress pass the pending Anti-Discrimination Bill that will protect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community against discrimination in employment, education, as well as medical and public facilities, as well as enact a gender recognition law that will provide transgendered persons with legal recognition in their acquired gender.

According to them, the proposed law should recognize a person’s g ender identity and should not require a person to undergo gender reassignment treatment to qualify.

a unilateral requirement for all UP students. The UP administration is observing a cardinal principle that you don’t change the rules in the middle of the game.”

Students applying for Bracket B are given enough time—until September—to submit the required documents. In case the documents do not match the income initially stated, the adjustments in the bracketing will be implemented during registration for the next semester.

The notarized documents will be checked against the indicated income of parents/guardians in the applicant’s UPCAT application form, which serves as the original basis of the applicant’s bracketing. As a result of this new requirement, De Vera said that out of the roughly 1,700 incoming freshmen for AY 2011-2012, more than 900 (or more than 50 percent) have already declared themselves Bracket A. This is in contrast to the less than one percent of students who declared themselves Bracket A in the previous periods.

“So we are compelling the students to tell the truth because we don’t want it said that even for new students in UP, there is no more incentive to tell the truth,” De Vera said. “Honor and excellence are the values UP stand for.

Part of that honor is correctly declaring the income of your household. So this is an improvement.”

De Vera said that much work must be done to improve the implementation of STFAP in order to enable it to live up to its mandated objectives of socialized tuition. Improving the bracketing of C, D and E and revising the economic indicators being used are top priorities of the UP administration, as is seeking ways to enable more poor but deserving Filipino students from far-fl ung and urban poor areas—those who rightfully belong to Brackets C, D and E who will benefit fully from the STFAP—to pass the UPCAT and enter UP. For this, the UP administration is reaching out to the UP students and student organizations for help by networking with their home provinces and communities, spreading the right (Continued on page 9)

JULY 2011

U.P. Newsletter 9

UP experts highlight people’s guilt in fish kills Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc

No STFAP rebracketing, no tuition increase – UP officials (Continued from page 8)

information, and reporting anomalies and cases of UP students having diffi culties with their bracketing and enrollment to the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs or the Office of the Chancellor of their respective CUs. “We are working to implement S T FA P t h e w a y i t s h o u l d b e implemented,” De Vera said. “There is no default bracket because STFAP does not provide for one. There is no tuition increase, and no intention to increase tuition in the coming years.

The President has made it clear that tuition increase will not be used as a default option; we will generate income by other means. And when we submit the budget to the national government, we will still demand that UP be funded as the national university based on our charter.”

from land, which also cause extreme phytoplankton or algal growth. He said that waste and other pollutants promote the production of toxic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from decomposition, which exacerbates the situation.

Jacinto said that extreme phytoplankton growth causes poor visibility, resulting in lower photosynthesis, thus lower oxygen production.

Phytoplanktons, which have very short lives, sink to the bottom when they die, the decomposition of which further depletes oxygen. Some phytoplanktons may even be toxic to fish in cages and can clog their gills.

A worker removes dead fish from a fish cage at Taal Lake.

Jacinto cited BFAR estimates that Taal Lake can support only 6,000 implemented to manage marine resources of aquaculture toward best practices. regular fish cages. Documented fish sustainably, saying that there are already Quoting public policy expert Kenneth cages in the lake numbered at least 9,000 models for it. For example, UP has Davidson, Lacanilao said, “Human values in 2006. This figure does not take into developed a Marine Emergency Response and behavior must change to solve the crisis account reported overcrowding and System (MERSYS) for local government mankind faces with regard to availability enlargement of fish cages to triple their units (LGUs) to anticipate and respond to of ‘commons’ or natural resources like legal size. News reports confirm the fish kills and red tide. Local government land, water and fuel. The unchecked existence of cages reaching 15 meters units must be held responsible for population growth must be curtailed so below the surface. human-made disasters, while line agencies that ‘commons’ can be consumed less and Jacinto suggested that a system be like BFAR must realign their promotion thereby preserved and nurtured.”

Photo by Gerry Albert Corpuz of bulatlat.com

In addition to earlier claims that the recent fish kills were due to rains and climate change, two UP scientists said that indiscriminate aquaculture is also a major contributing factor.

Former UP Visayas Chancellor and UP Diliman (UPD) Zoology Department Chair Flor Lacanilao and UPD Marine Science Institute Deputy Director for Research Gil Jacinto said that aquaculture’s overstretching the carrying capacity of bodies of water is the major cause of fish kills in the country.

Lacanilao used previous records of fish kills at Laguna Lake while Jacinto referred to findings by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and MSI’s own studies based on previous Bolinao, Pangasinan fish kills.

In his essay, “Fish kills—Once more with filling,” Lacanilao said that “information we are getting on the present fish kills are largely not educating the public.”

His main observation is that “most fish kills in our lakes and coastal waters occur where fish farming activities are excessive” and where the ecosystem is already strained by “industrial and domestic wastes, agricultural fertilizers and pesticides.”

Appearing before a joint hearing by the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Food and on Environment and Natural Resources, Jacinto said that oxygen availability is more critical in lakes and other enclosed bodies of water and is further strained by indiscriminate aquaculture and the lake’s limited ability to flush out wastes from fish cages.

Jacinto said that temperature change and the amount of rain that Taal Lake absorbed prior to the fish kill were not enough to cause an “overturn,” or the movement of denser and less oxygenated waters from the bottom to the surface where the fish cages were.

Studies show that at 10 meters, oxygen levels in the lake were already not enough for fish to live. At 20 meters, it was almost zero. Jacinto said that the naturally-low oxygen availability in the lake was simply over-strained by the kind of aquaculture being practiced in the lake and by pollutants from runoff

10 U.P. Newsletter

JULY 2011

‘Lola Sela’ receives 2011 UP Gawad UPDS wins in 2 int’l debate Plaridel A radio personality from DZRH officials on July 20 at the Cine is this year’s recipient of UP’s highest Adarna of the UP Film Institute. award for outstanding work in the She will also deliver a lecture mass media. on important issues in the radio Broadcaster Eloisa Cruz Canlas broadcasting industry during the has been chosen by the UP College ceremonies. of Mass Communication (CMC) to Established by the UP CMC, receive the 2011 UP Gawad Plaridel the annual UP Gawad Plaridel for her outstanding contributions in recognizes Filipino media the field of radio. practitioners who have excelled Popularly known as “Lola Sela in any of the media (print, radio, Bungangera,” Canlas is a self-taught film, television, and new media) and radio talent. In the 1960s, she started performed with the highest level of as a production assistant for the professional integrity in the interest radio drama programs of DZRH of public service.

(666 khz AM station). Throughout Already in its seventh year, the UP the 1970s and 1980s, she was the Gawad Plaridel’s previous recipients voice of various characters in radio are Eugenia Duran-Apostol (2004), drama programs like “Zimatar” Vilma Santos (2005), Fidela Magpayo and “Eng-Eng” in the Adventures (2006), Cecilia Lazaro (2007), Pachico of Zimatar Zimatar.

Seares (2008) and Kidlat Tahimik Aside from this, she also worked (2009) who were recognized for their as a talent for numerous shows like outstanding contributions in print, Gabi ng Lagim, Mr. Romantiko, and film, radio, television, community Ms. Eloisa Cruz Canlas, popularly known as “Lola Sela Hukumang Pantahan. At present, she Bungangera” print media, and independent still does board work in the DZRH filmmaking, respectively. There was radio program Lola Sela Bungangera with the romances, tear-jerkers, adventures and no recipient in 2010.

Senior Citizen & Livelihood Project Project. values-oriented storylines.

The award is named after Marcelo H. Canlas continues to be active as a As owner and director, Canlas is also del Pilar who is also known by his nom de freelance voice talent for numerous at the helm of Tanghalang Parisukat plume Plaridel. According to UP CMC, Del commercials, anime shows, and other Training Center, a creative voice acting Pilar was a “selfless propagandist whose radio and television programs. Aside center established in December 2003. stewardship of the reformist newspaper from her current voice talent work, she Tanghalang Parisukat seeks to educate the La Solidaridad helped crystallize nationalist hosts the “Pondahan” segment of Good youth on the importance of theatre, radio, sentiments and ignite libertarian ideas in Morning Kuya, an early-morning show of television and print media as a means of the 1890s.” The College emphasizes that broadcast station UNTV. fostering a peaceful community, and aims “Like Plaridel, the recipient of the award Canlas is currently executive producer to cultivate the hidden creative skills of must believe in the vision of a Philippine of the newly-established Drama Sa Nuebe the youth and to promote values through society that is egalitarian, participative Nubenta (DNN) of dzIQ Radyo Inquirer free seminars and training. and progressive, and in media that is 990, the broadcast arm of the Inquirer The UP Gawad Plaridel comes with socially responsible, critical and vigilant, group of companies. This collection a trophy by National Artist Napoleon liberative and transformative, and free of radio drama features six different Abueva which will be handed by UP and independent.”

Angara, UP leaders feted at UPV Pasidungog Lyncen M. Fernandez

Photo from the UP Visayas Information and Publications Office

Tigbauan and Guimbal’s loss is Juliano. enough and that something should be Miagao’s gain.

Nemenzo, third chancellor of UPV done to nurture the environment for In a speech read by his son Rep. Juan (August 29, 1989-August 31, 1992), was the birds.

Edgardo Angara last May 31, Senator credited with the complete transfer of UP President Alfredo Pascual, ViceEdgardo J. Angara said that Tigbauan the UPV administration and academic President for Development Elvira and Guimbal were initially considered as units especially the College of Arts and Zamora, Vice-President for Public Affairs possible sites for the UP Visayas campus Sciences from the UPV Iloilo City campus J. Prospero De Vera III and Alumni which was eventually built in Miagao. to the main campus in Miagao.

Regent Gladys Tiongco were among Angara was guest of honor at the He said that the campus in Miagao the UP system officials who graced the Pasidungog, a recognition program to honor used to be bare and he campaigned for ceremony.

Pasidungog those from Miagao and UPV communities more trees to be planted. He said that Pascual said that the Pasidungog for their active role in assisting and declaring UPV as a bird sanctuary is not appropriately recognized the commitment and accomplishments facilitating the of visionary men and acquisition of land women who saw the in Miagao for the need for establishing main campus of UP a u n ive r s i t y f o r Visayas. Angara was fisheries and aquatic represented by his sciences. son Juan Edgardo “After 30 years, who is chairperson it is time to revel of the House [and] also a time to Committee on sit and plan for the Higher and Technical challenges of the Education. future,” he said. He Those honored emphasized UP’s role during the program to provide leadership were Senator and service.

Angara, Gov. Arthur The Pasidungog D. Defensor Sr., capped the oneDr. Ida M. Siason, day celebration of Dr. Francisco the 1st UPV and Nemenzo, former Miagao Day at Assemblyman Atty. the Justice Ramon Salvador Brittanico, Dr. Dionisia A. Rola Chancellor Formacion (middle) releases doves during the opening ceremony, with B r i t a n i c o H a l l , Miagao, Iloilo. and Dr. Rogelio O. Miagao Mayor Julieta Flores and Governor Defensor.

tournaments Anna Carmela S. Que

The UP Debate Society (UPDS) has won back-to-back victories in two recent international tournaments.

UP Diliman (UPD) 1 was grand f i n a l i s t a n d f i r s t r u n n e r- u p a t the 2nd United Asians Debating C h a m p i o n s h i p ( UA D C ) i n t h e University of Macau, China held from May 16 to 23. The team is composed of Carlo Raphael Borromeo (III-BS Business Economics), Angelique Pearl Simbulan (IV-BA Political Science), and Alistair Jan Zosa (VBS Business Administration and Accountancy), M e a n w h i l e, N i c o l o C a b r e r a (Batch 2007, BS Psychology) was awarded Best Speaker of the Grand Finals and won the championship title as part of a composite team at the La Salle International Intervarsity (LSIV) 2011 in De La Salle University-Manila.

UPD 1 went against National University of Singapore’s Team 1 in the grand finals. UPD 1 which won the national championship bested more than 120 teams and 400 debaters from all over Asia.

The last time UP Diliman reached the grand finals of this Asia-wide tournament was in 2001.

UPD teams 2 and 3 also had a strong performance at UADC. Both teams debated in the finals series.

UPD 2, composed of Candice Kimberley Chung (III-BS Business Administration), Genica Therese Endaluz (IV-BA Political Science) and Jesus Nicardo Falcis III (II-Juris Doctor), lost to UPD 1 and finished as semifinalists.

UPD 3, composed of N o r m a n C u a l t e r o s ( I V- B A Public Administration), Weston Coleman Lee (II-BS Industrial Engineering) and Garie Ouano (III-BS Economics), finished as octofinalists.

UPDS adjudicators also reaped honors for the university. Anna Elvira Arcellana (Batch 2010 BS Biology) and Angelo Paolo Kalaw (Batch 2011 BS Economics) judged up to the semifinals of the main break and Raymund Victor Vitorio (Batch 2009 BA English Studies) and Joanne Elizabeth Atienza (Batch 2010 BS Community Nutrition) were chosen to adjudicate the English for Foreign Languag e categ or y semifinals. Justine Anne Conanan (IV-Non major) also broke as judge for EFL and Anna Carmela Que (III-BA Political Science) broke as a reserve adjudicator.

Before UADC, UPDS garnered awards at the LSIV 2011. Cabrera’s composite team went ag ainst Arcellana’s composite team in the grand finals. Borromeo, Simbulan and Zosa finished as quarterfinalists.

Chung, Endaluz, Falcis, Cualteros, Lee and Ouano finished as prequarter finalists.

UPDS members and alumni also received individual LSIV awards.

Arcellana was named Best Speaker of the tournament. Endaluz was the (Continued on page 12)

JULY 2011

U.P. Newsletter 11 Photo by Rene Estremera, UP Mindanao

A confined testing site for Bt eggplants documented at UP Mindanao. The specimens were later uprooted by city officials.

Industrial UPLB sues Greenpeace activists relations confab Bernice P. Varona UP Los Baños (UPLB) has recently fact is that there were persons who groups, environmental and food fi led a case against environmental group forcibly entered the experimental farm safety organizations and civil society,” in August Greenpeace with the Regional Trial of the University of the Philippines said Ocampo who is Greenpeace The Philippine Industrial Relations, Inc. (PIRS), in cooperation with the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR), is hosting the National Industrial Relations Conference on August 24 and 25 at the Isabelo de los Reyes Auditorium, Bonifacio Hall, E. Jacinto St. in UP Diliman, Quezon City.

The theme of the conference is “The Philippine Employment Relations Initiatives: Car ving a Niche in the Philippine and Asian Setting.”

The objectives of the conference are to share achievements, challeng es, oppor tunities from actual Employment Relations (ER) experiences at the level of policy, practice, research and education, applicable in the Philippines and Asia; document the different successful experiences, concepts and models and deter mine the indicators of success and their applicability in the Philippines and global work places; and recommend viable initiatives for practical, academic, legislative and legal institutionalization of employment relations experiences and cases.

The conference website is at http://www.pirs08.webs.com .

P I R S, I n c . i s t h e n a t i o n a l organization of the International Labour and Employment Relations A s s o c i a t i o n b a s e d i n G e n e va , Switzerland.

Former education dean named outstanding professional D r. L i l y Ro s q u e t a Ro s a l e s, for mer dean of the UP Diliman College of Education, is recipient of the 2011 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award in the field of guidance and counseling.

The Outstanding Professional of the Year Award is the highest award given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to a professional recommended by his or her peers.

The awarding ceremonies were held during the PRC Awards Night on June 22 at the Fiesta Pavilion, Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila.

Court of Calamba.

Greenpeace allegedly raided last February 17 the Laguna Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis talong experimental farm thuringiensis) of UPLB in Paciano Rizal, Bay, Laguna and uprooted crops being tested by scientists.

The Laguna Provincial Prosecution Office has decided in favor of UPLB filing malicious miscief charges against Greenpeace Soutehast Asia members Daniel Ocampo, Aileen Camille Dimatatac, Adrian Dagondon, Benjean May Tolosa, Raymond Berongay, Don Florentino, Shivani Shah, Ali Abbas, Ricky Morales, Eyesha Endar and Rhoda Armoda.

According to the complaint of Dr. Lourdes Taylo of the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), Greenpeace members destroyed the research site’s steel gate with a bolt cutter to gain entry. They proceeded to uproot more than 100 non-transgenic eggplants which served as pollen traps and check varieties. Only two Bt eggplants were uprooted before the University Police Force apprehended the activists. The experiment in the research site is said to have cost UPLB around P25 million.

In a two-page resolution dated May 13, 2011, Provincial Prosecutor George Dee said that there is probable cause to charge the Greenpeace members and put them on trial. “The undisputed

and the experimental Bt talong were pulled up.”

UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco welcomed the decision of the Laguna Provincial Prosecution Office. He said in a news report by Business Mirror that “Bt talong plantation is a legitimate experiment of UPLB designed to evaluate the merits and demerits and of the technology. We followed national policies and rules and regulations. We have permission from the authorities and the National Biosafety Committee.”

Velasco plans to monitor the case to ensure that the violators will be held liable for their actions. “Being a University, we promote and are committed to academic freedom. We expect people who adhere to academic freedom and to science to also have equal respect to people who oppose their ideas. We respect opposing views and the views of Greenpeace. And while we do that, we are still bound by the rules and laws of the land.”

For its part, Greenpeace stressed that experimental GE crops such as the Bt talong pose serious environmental and health risks. “[We have] sounded the alarm regarding the dangers of open field trials of Bt eggplant ongoing in some provinces in the country. Unfortunately, these field trials commenced despite the lack of proper public consultation, and despite major objections from farmers’

New species discovered by UP, CAS examined several species from Mt. Makiling, Mt. Isarog, Mt. Banahaw and Mt. Malarayat. Dr. Charles Griswold of CAS said that they were able to collect several species of spiders, 20 of which are probably new. Dr. Edwino Fernando of UP Los Baños (UPLB) said that aside from climbing mountains to collect samples, the expedition also examined the conditions of the environment and compared these with the conditions noted in earlier studies.

In studying the biodiversity on the mountains, Dr. Ireneo Lit of UPLB’s Museum of Natural History (MNH) said that insects, though often ignored and left unstudied, play an important role in the terrestrial biodiversity.

Lit said that there are approximately 21,000 species of insects in the Philippines.

Among those collected by his team was a cicada which made sounds similar to that of a laughing little child.

He said that this insect may have been

Southeast Asia Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner.

This reportedly prompted Greenpeace to mobilize a “decontamination unit” to remove genetically-engineered Bt eggplant from the research site in Laguna. It was done to prevent any further environmental “contamination” from the GE crops.

“Greenpeace is calling on the Department of Agriculture to show [its] commitment to food, farmer and consumer safety by immediately cancelling all remaining field trials. The public has the right to safe food and a safe environment. If the authorities, in this case the government, fail to uphold those rights, it is legitimate for others to do so,” Ocampo said in a statement.

Meanwhile, former UP President Emil Javier who also heads the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) condemned the act. “It is a sad day for Philippine science. Misinformed, misguided people are denying our poor farmers and consumers the benefits of good science.”

Dr. Candida Adalla, chair of the Department of AgricultureBiotechnology Program Office, also said in UPLB’s statement: “The DA remains steadfast in its position that the Bt eggplant trial is compliant to all government guidelines and therefore should not be destroyed.”

(Continued from page 1)

the cause of all the rumors of tiyanaks or dwarves in the communities near the mountains.

Aside from spiders and cicadas, the expedition also documented 26 different mammals in the mountains, 14 of which were found to be endemic to the Philippines. Among these were species of civets, macaques, the Philippine brown deer and the warty pig. MNH researcher Philip Alviola said that the team also documented the Luzon shrew which is considered to belong to the species of forest mice and are rarely seen. Aside from mammals, Alviola and his team collected 43 species of reptiles and frogs.

The expedition will conduct further studies on the species collected from both the marine and terrestrial environments to decide the exact number of new species found and enumerate their characteristics. They will also determine the degree of their endangerment and whether or they should be categorized under protected

species. “You cannot protect what you do not know,” UPD Institute of Biology Director Perry Ong said.

Considering their role in the conceptualization and early plans for the expedition, the late Dr. Daniel Lagunzad and Dr. Leonard Co of the UP Diliman Institute of Biology were made honorary members of the expedition. Their inclusion in the list of the expedition’s members is also a tribute to their contributions to the study of the environment and the struggle for its protection.

The 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition is a partnership between UP and CAS through the assistance of CAS trustee Will Hearts and wife Margaret. The expedition star ted last April. According to Gosliner, the Philippines was chosen since the country is considered to be the center of the world’s Coral Triangle and its tropical rainforests are said to be among the richest in terms of biodiversity.

12

U.P. Newsletter

JUNE 2011

High blood pressure also afflicts young people—PGH Bernice P. Varona

Contrary to popular belief, it is not only the elderly who suffer from hypertension.

This was revealed by a newly released UP-PGH booklet titled Hypertension Among the Young. Nineteen percent of 20 to 39-year old people have pre-hypertension, while 13 percent of the same age group already have hypertension.

The booklet authored by Dr. Adrian Paul Rabe, Dr. Celito Tamban and Dr. Agnes Mejia was written to inform the public about diagnosis, causes, types, treatments and preventive measures of this disease.

Milflores Publishing, Inc. released the

booklet recently.

The booklet is the fifth in a series of health booklets, with Mejia of the UP Philippine General Hospital’s (UP-PGH) Department of Medicine as series editor.

The five booklets provide expert medical information in layperson’s language on common diseases and health hazards.

The first is a guide to chronic kidney disease; the second, a primer on anemia; the third, on snoring; and the fourth, on allergies, specifically dermatitis, rhinitis, and asthma.

The recently-published fifth booklet offers simple, easy-to-follow

infor mation about hypertension or high blood pressure from UP-PGH medical experts.

Hypertension Among the Young is available at the UP Press Bookstore in UP Diliman, all National Book Store and PowerBooks b r a n c h e s, Solidaridad, Popular, and other major book stores at P120 per copy.

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/santos/68253396/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Yacon both sweet and healthy, study shows Florante A. Cruz, UPLB and Philippine Agricultural Journalist, Inc. - CALABARZON

Yacon tubers on sale at the market

UP SLIS offers review program for librarians The UP School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) announces the offering of review classes for librarians who will take the licensure examination to be given on November 23 and 24.

A review program will be held for 12 Sundays from August 14 to October 30 at SLIS in UP Diliman.

An intensive review course will also be offered from October 17 to 28 at the same venue.

The reviewers are teachers of library and information studies and practicing librarians from academic, public, special and school libraries,

who are experts in their respective fields.

Interested parties are requested to make their reser vations early because the number of reviewees to be accepted is limited to 90. They will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration fee is P3,700 excluding food.

For more infor mation, please call 981-8500 local 2869 to 2871 or e-mail sorinafranco@ymail. com, josefina.cer vas@up.edu.ph, ssbayang1996@yahoo.com.ph and iyra_buenrostro@yahoo.com.

UPDS wins in 2 int’l debate tournaments (Continued from page 10)

6th Best Speaker. Cabrera and Falcis were tied as 8th Best Speakers.

Chung was the 10th Best Speaker.

UPDS adjudicators were also recognized in LSIV. Nicole Gabrielle Kalingking (III-BA Philosophy) and Anna Que were quarter finals judges while Benedict Bismark (III-BS Business Economics) was a pre-quarter finals adjudicator.

Have you ever tasted yacon, a crunchy tuber with a sweet apple and watermelonlike taste? Despite its sweetness, yacon is known for its low-calorie content.

Yacon, however, is not j u s t f o r we i g h t - wa t ch e r s.

Research by the group of Dr. Evely n Ro d r i g u ez o f UP Los Baños Institute of Chemistry shows that the tuber from yacon, a perennial crop closely related to the sunflower and g rown in several areas in Northern Luzon and Mindanao, has more benefits than most people may know.

Through a grant given by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the De par tment o f S c i e n c e a n d Te c h n o l o g y (DOST), various phytochemicals in yacon were isolated, identified, characterized and quantified by Rodriguez’s research group.

Phytochemicals are compounds naturally occurring in plants and are considered as health p r o m o t e r s. A c c o r d i n g t o t h e study’s results, yacon being grown in the Philippines is ver y rich in phytosterols, phenolics and fructo-oligosaccharides.

Fructo-oligosaccharides are a type of carbohydrates produced in plants. T hey are sweet but not metabolized by the human body. This makes yacon a good alternative snack or dessert even

for diabetics.

Several bioassays were also conducted to deter mine the potential contribution of these phytochemicals to health and wellness.

According to the study, the phytosterols of yacon tuber and leaf oils reduced blood ser um cholesterol levels, indicating a potential for helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

T h e s t u d y a l s o s h ow s t h a t the phenolic compounds found in yacon leaves and tubers exhibit potent antioxidant, antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory activities.

T hese results sug g est that, like quercetin, the phenolic compounds from yacon can help prevent carcinogenesis and other chronic diseases.

Rodriguez’s study solidifies y a c o n’s p l a c e i n t h e m a p o f “functional foods” which are highly considered for health and wellness not only because of their nutritive value but for their physiological benefits to the human body as well.

Yacon, according to the findings of Rodriguez’s research group, could for m part of a person’s diet. In combination with other healthy and functional foods such as fruits and vegetables, it may also help reduce the risk, delay, or even prevent the occurrence o f, ch r o n i c a n d d e g e n e r a t ive diseases.

U.P. NEWSLETTER PROF. DANILO ARAÑA ARAO Editor-in-Chief JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC Managing Editor PROF. LUIS TEODORO Editorial Consultant ANDRE ENCARNACION, CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA, JO. FLORENDO B. LONTOC, KIM QUILINGUING, ARLYN VCD P. ROMUALDO, BERNICE P. VARONA Writers BONG ARBOLEDA, MISAEL BACANI, JONATHAN MADRID Photographers CELESTE ANN CASTILLO LLANETA Layout OBET EUGENIO Editorial Assistant TOM MAGLAYA Circulation The U.P. NEWSLETTER is a monthly publication of the UP System Information Office, Office of the Vice-President for Public Affairs. We welcome contributions from the faculty, non-academic staff, REPS and students. Please send your contributions to: THE EDITOR U.P. Newsletter ewsletter Mezzanine Floor, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Quezon City 926-1572, 436-7537 e-mail: upnewsletter@up.edu.ph upsio@up.edu.ph