(APR. 17) – News of the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until Apr. 30 has drawn mixed emotions from most people in the country.  For UP Diliman (UPD) and its stakeholders, this meant intensely keeping its drive to assist the community, frontliners and the general public.

Assistance. The UP Law Center Institute of Human Rights posted on its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/upinstituteofhumanrights/) the “Q&A Bayanihan To Heal as One Act” to better inform the public about RA11469 and on the COVID-19 Emergency Powers on Mar. 24.  The Q&A was in English and Filipino and in the succeeding days, in other Philippine languages like Bisaya, Waray and Hiligaynon.

In a related development, a group of UP lawyers launched on Facebook on Apr. 4 “Isumbong mo sa UP Law,” a call for volunteer lawyers to assist victims of discrimination because of COVID-19. To promote inclusivity and unity and to reach more volunteer lawyers, a day after, the group and its Facebook page was changed to “Volunteer Lawyers Against Discrimination (VLAD).”   (https://www.facebook.com/VLADCOVID19/)

To reach VLAD, contact +639177052333..

The tourism industry was among those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  To formulate possible recovery solutions for the industry, the UP Asian Institute of Tourism launched the outreach program Tourism LEAP (Tourism, Lives and the Economy for Collective Action Program). The program seeks to gather and document information on the ground from tourism small and medium enterprises and tourism officers and co-develop strategies for recovery and rehabilitation of the industry.  These approaches will be done via online platforms (e.g. Zoom and Facebook).

Tourism officers and enterprises, and experts from the government, the private sector and non-government organizations will be tapped for online fora where situations, problems and challenges experienced by affected sectors will be discussed and used to formulate solutions to help the tourism industry recover after the ECQ is lifted and the health crisis is over.

Dormers who opted to stay in UP Diliman residence halls during the ECQ volunteered to assemble face shields for frontliners.

The dormers will assemble face shields from frames produced by the College of Fine Arts FabLab, Orange Segment, and the College of Engineering COVID-19 Emergency Response Team. Metals Industry Research and Development Center of the Department of Science and Technology (MIRDC-DOST) in partnership with Omnifab will also donate 1,000 frames. Other materials were also provided by Blessings Copy Center through UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UP System Procurement Office, World Vision, Inc. and private individuals.

Acacia dormitory manager Maricel Rodriguez said Acacia Residence Hall was transformed into a face shield hub, where materials were received, assembled and disinfected before these were released to partners and identified institutions.

Other dormers from Centennial and Sanggumay Residence Halls cut shields from donated 50-meter acetate rolls while Ilang-Ilang Residence Hall became a second assembly venue. Kalayaan and Ipil Residence Halls were on-stand-by for frames from MIRDC/Omnifab.

The face shields were given to 1,700 frontliners from various medical institutions and groups in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Batangas, Laguna, Baguio, Mindoro and Palawan.

Creative Works and Innovations. Teachers through and through, and in spite of the ECQ, the College of Education faculty created a children’s dictionary (https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/04/03/up-creates-covid-19-dictionary-for-children/?fbclid=IwAR2M6GLkSSMyR4OmnIel7tngAGZd83bfrLqS92gXqx57HIkAxqVTmcftYFw) containing words related to COVID-19 for the young to further understand the virus and the ongoing pandemic.

The College of Engineering (COE) came up with tracking systems that are useful to many frontliners.

TrAMS, the movement tracker for suspect and probable cases and for medical supplies in Metro Manila was completed and evolved into the PurGE COVID-19 Geospatial Knowledge Hub (https://purgecovid19-updge.hub.arcgis.com/), a one-stop site for information on the country’s COVID-19 response, launched Apr. 3.

The Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research created for the Philippine General Hospital ieHEALS, an integrated management system that includes a software application used to “manage inventory levels of medical supplies and recommendations on workplace layouts and process flows.” The ieHeals enables the “low-risk and systematic flow of patients, healthcare personnel and supplies within hospitals, with focus on designated COVID-19 Referral Centers.”

Deployed on Mar. 30, ieHEALS proved effective and was also implemented at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center on Apr. 8.

The College proposed more COVID-19 related projects. (https://www.facebook.com/updengg/posts/1509973035828801?__tn__=K-R) and (https://www.facebook.com/updengg/posts/1509548175871287?__tn__=K-R)

ChlorGen, an on-site hypochlorite disinfectant generation via brine water electrolysis, aims to create a system that can make sodium hypochlorite¾the liquid commonly known as bleach¾from brine water which can be installed in hospitals. This would eliminate the need to buy the chemical from outside sources.

The Design and Prototyping of a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) project aims to produce two PAPR designs and associate prototypes. A PAPR is a personal protective equipment that functions much like a water purifier: a battery-powered blower pulls outside air through replaceable filtration material/cartridge so that the person (or frontliner) inside the PAPR can work without worrying about the air he or she is breathing. The project is a collaboration of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute and Argonix Medical Corporation.

A team from the Department of Chemical Engineering is applying computational methods, big data processing and machine learning to identify 10 synthetic possible drug candidates for SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

A group at the Department of Computer Science is proposing the creation of a website that will act as a tool kit using data from local government units to estimate the demand for testing in their areas.

These projects have been funded and are now in various stages of development or completion.

Donation drives. The College of Social Sciences and Philosophy launched the donation drive Alay KAPPwa in the time of COVID-19 (Alay KAPPwa) for the benefit of the security guards, custodial and construction workers stranded at the Palma Hall due to the ECQ. Donations in cash or in kind are accepted.  Cash may be deposited to Deciniv M. Dela Cruz (BDO 006520152527; LandBank 3077052550) or Aldrin Lee (BPI 4239058405).  For accounting purposes, donors are requested to photograph or scan the receipt or transaction details and send a copy to pahinungod@kssp.upd.edu.ph or send a message to Ugnayan ng Pahinungod CSSP-UP Diliman on Facebook (@OSLO.Pahinungod or facebook.com/OSLO.Pahinungod).

Meanwhile, donations in kind can be dropped off at the Palma Hall Lobby. These should be labeled “To: Alay KAPPwa CSSP” and “From: Donor’s Name.” Donors must also email Alay KAPPwa the kinds of goods donated.

The College of Arts and Letters (CAL) initiated the campaign “KALingain Ang Kapwa Fund” on Apr. 6 to financially assist CAL janitors, security guard and the photocopy machine operator, and to buy supplies for quarantined UP student dormers.

As of Apr. 11, CAL raised Php 169, 899.09 in cash.

Donors may donate through deposits or online bank transfers to CAL dean Ma. Amihan Ramolete (BDO 006520231060 and GCASH 0917 677 5141), Joshua Chan (BPI 3189-2877-75), or Ticket2Me (bit.ly/KALingain).

Donors are requested to email the scanned or photographed deposit slip/screenshot of payment to cal_dean.updiliman@up.edu.ph for proper accounting and documentation.

For more information and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/UPD.CAL/.

The student organization UP Diliman Le Club Français (UPDLCF) organized the fundraising campaign “Solidarité” (Solidarity) to provide relief packs to UPD jeepney drivers affected by the ECQ.

For a minimum cash donation of Php 350.00, donors will be given free one-month access to French language learning materials made and collated by UPDLCF members and alumni.

On Apr. 7, UPDLCF distributed 150 relief packs to UPD jeepney drivers consisting of rice, biscuits, milk, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, canned goods, coffee, sugar, detergent, sanitary napkins, dishwashing liquid and instant noodles.

As of Apr. 12, UPDLCF raised Php 513,785.52.  According to the UPDLCF’s Facebook post, they have reached 454 percent of their initial target amount and had ended their call for donations for the first Solidarité beneficiaries.

Donors may still donate for UPDLCF’s next beneficiaries through deposits or online bank transfers to Anne Beatrice Cinco (BDO 003560375708; BPI 2029-1275-17; Paypal paypal.me/BeaCinco) or Geraldine Refareal (GCash 0917 886 1109; PayMaya 0998 865 5501).

A copy/screenshot of the proof of deposit should be sent to UPDLCF’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/updlcf/).

The Office of Student Housing’s (OSH) Mar. 23 drive is still accepting cash or in kind donations for the 353 residents and dorm frontliners at the UPD residence halls and 185 student boarders on campus.

Goods such as chocolate drinks (Milo), coffee, fruit juice, bread spread, Yakult and chocolates; toiletries (razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and shampoo); medicines (paracetamol, mefenamic acid, antacid and Gaviscon), and cleaning materials (bleach, disinfectant, and laundry detergent) may be directly given to Acacia Residence Hall at Apacible St. corner Laurel Avenue, UPD campus (near the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice).

Perishable items such as vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, pork and beef for the preparation of meals may be brought to the University Food Service (UFS) at the Kalayaan Residence Hall, Laurel Avenue, UPD Campus.

Cash donations will be used to provide free meals for dormers, dorm frontliners and students boarders on campus until the ECQ ends.

Cash donations may be deposited at Landbank UPD Trust Fund 3072-1007-18 (Swift Code: TLBPPHMMXXX).  Donors are requested to send a copy of their deposit slip with their name to osh.updiliman@up.edu.ph with subject line: Donation to Dormers. For inquiries, email OSH with subject line: Update on Donation.

Cash donations may also be directed to Mate Gabrillo at the UFS Main Office at the Kalayaan Residence Hall. The UFS will issue an official receipt for cash donations.

For other inquiries, please contact Josephine Esteban of Sanggumay Residence Hall (09175103351) or Maricel Rodriguez of Acacia Residence Hall (09175380325).

As of Apr. 1, OSH raised Php 890,210.oo cash donations deposited directly to the UFS and the UPD Trust Fund.

For more information and updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/updOSH/.

Even with the extended ECQ, the campus is moving forward — KapitDiliman!

This material has been sourced from posts and information from UPD stakeholders.  To be included in the next feature, email us at updio@up.edu.ph