The Center for Policy and Executive Development (CPED) of the UP Diliman (UPD) National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) recently launched the book Post-Pandemic Policy for Food Security. The book cover. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO The book is a two-volume compendium that focuses on policies needed for food security, especially in the context of the Philippines’ recovery from the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. NCPAG Dean Kristoffer B. Berse said the book is a testament to the college’s commitment to building a hunger-free nation. “We come together to celebrate the fruition of the collaborative effort that aims to address one of the most pressing challenges, and that is the issue of food security. This book should equip our policy makers with a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the pandemic and other disruptions on our country’s food and agricultural sector,” Berse said. Meanwhile, UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II lauded NCPAG, CPED, and their partners for their meaningful publication addressing the issues of food insecurity, undernourishment, and malnutrition affecting many Filipinos. Vistan. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO “Your contributions are not only advancing academic discourse but are also providing practical solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time. Let us continue to work together to create a future where food security is a reality for all Filipinos,” said Vistan. According to NCPAG, “the book was prepared by the UP Public Administration Research and Extension Services Foundation, Inc.-Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (UPPAF-RESPOND), with funding assistance from the United States Agency for International Development.” It is published by NCPAG and edited by CPED Director Enrico L. Basilio and UPPAF-RESPOND Team Leader Gilbert M. Llanto. The book launching was held on June 27 at the NCPAG International Center for Public Administration as part of the college’s 72nd anniversary celebration. Attendees of the book launch. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO               

Mahigit 7,000 mag-aaral at anim na samahang mag-aaral ng UP Diliman (UPD) ang kinilala sa Parangal sa Mag-aaral 2024 (PSM 2024). Bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng Linggo ng Parangal 2024 sa UPD, ang PSM 2024 ay inorganisa ng Opisina ng Bise Tsanselor para sa mga Gawaing Pangmag-aaral (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs / OVCSA). “Ipinagdiriwang natin ngayon ang inyong mga tagumpay at ambag na nagpapatibay at sumasalamin sa paglagô ng ating unibersidad. Ang inyong dedikasyon, sipag, at pagiging makatao ay patuloy na nagpapayaman sa buhay ng mga miyembro ng ating komunidad at ng ating bansa,” pahayag ni UPD Tsanselor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II sa kaniyang pambungad na pananalita. Vistan. Larawang kuha ni Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO               Ginawaran ng Ignacio B. Gimenez Award for UP Student Organizations’ Social Innovation Projects ang anim na samahang mag-aaral para sa kanilang mga proyektong layong paunlarin ang buhay ng mga komunidad na kanilang pinaglilingkuran. Para sa kategoryang kultura at mga sining, kinilala ang UP Katilingban Sang Nakatundang Kabisayaan para sa kanilang proyektong Baba-laybay: Paghatag Tingog sa Binalaybay. Para naman sa kategoryang education and literacy, pinarangalan ang UP Society of Geodetic Engineering Majors para sa kanilang Project MAPAlayag, at ang UP Portia Sorority para sa kanilang Portia Library 2023. Kinilala naman sa kategoryang health, sports, and wellness ang UP Phi Delta Alpha Sorority para sa kanilang proyektong ALPAS. Pinarangalan sa kategoryang peace building and social development ang UP Junior Music Educators’ Guild para sa proyektong Saliw Bulilit: Isang Koleksiyon ng Mga Makabagong Awiting Pambata at ang UP Katilingban sa mga Anak Mindanao para sa proyektong Panday Kalinaw 2023: A Mindanao Situationer. Kasama nina Vistan at Bise Tsanselor para sa mga Gawaing Pangmag-aaral Jerwin F. Agpaoa na nag-abot ng sertipiko at salaping gantimpala si John Catindig, kinatawan ni Ignacio B. Gimenez. Habang nagtatanghal ang UP Streetdance Club, kinilala ang mga samahang pangmag-aaral na nagkamit ng gantimpala sa labas ng Unibersidad. Kinilala sa PSM 2024 ang 7,218 university scholars (US) para sa ikalawang semestre ng Akademikong Taon (AT) 2022-2023 hanggang unang semestre ng AT 2023-2024. Ang US ay isang mag-aaral na may general weighted average na hindi bababa sa 1.25 (graduwado) o hindi bababa sa 1.45 (di-graduwado). Nagtala ng pinakamaraming US ang Kolehiyo ng Inhenyeriya (1,249), sinundan ng Kolehiyo ng Agham Panlipunan at Pilosopiya (1,003), at Kolehiyo ng Agham (456). Nagbigay ng mensahe si Maria Elizabeth Rubio, Bachelor of Secondary Education, bilang kinatawan ng mga US. Rubio. Larawang kuha ni Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO Nagtanghal si Amiel Sol, alumnus ng UPD at isang indie folk singer-songwriter, habang ipinapakita sa screen ang pangalan ng mga US. Binigyang-pugay din ang 214 na mag-aaral na nagwagi sa iba’t ibang…

The UP Diliman (UPD) Natural Sciences Research Institute (NSRI) celebrated its 60th founding anniversary on June 25 with the theme, Celebrating NSRI Legacy, Charting New Directions in Research and Extension. The event featured presentations from the four in-house laboratories, namely the Biological Research and Services Laboratory, the DNA Analysis Laboratory (DAL), the Microbiological Research and Services Laboratory (MRSL), and the Research and Analytical Services Laboratory (RASL). The presentations highlighted the laboratories’ mandates, research and extension activities, achievements, and future directions. Vistan. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II, in his message, emphasized the essential role of the NSRI in the UPD’s research and extension endeavors. “The NSRI’s work is invaluable, significantly contributing to the advancement of Philippine society through technological transfer and bridging the gap between academia and communities, school, industry, and other sectors. The institute’s unwavering commitment to its mission is evident in the legacy passed down from generation to generation of scientists who are not only skilled but also socially aware and service-oriented,” said Vistan. Maria Auxilia T. Siringan, PhD, the NSRI officer-in-charge, acknowledged the pioneering efforts and hard work of the NSRI’s first director, Bienvenido T. Miranda. In his honor, the NSRI building was named Miranda Hall in 2000.   Siringan. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO “While the institute turned 60 years old, which to us humans is equated to the senior stage of life, the NSRI will not retire but will keep on moving forward as it navigates through the advances in science and technology, during this age of genomics, data science, and artificial intelligence,” Siringan said. Meanwhile, the newly created UPD Research Ethics Board (REB) held an exhibit at the NSRI where it is housed. The exhibit featured the workflow of the research ethics review process in obtaining ethical clearance for research projects. According to its publication material, the REB “aims to safeguard the rights, dignity, and welfare of research participants by rigorously evaluating potential risks, benefits, and the informed consent process prior to research implementation.” In addition to the exhibit, the DAL, MRSL, and RASL laboratories were opened in the afternoon for guests to see what the laboratories offer. The staff members of each laboratory gamely answered queries from guests about what they do in their specific laboratory. Attendees at the anniversary celebration. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO