(NOV. 6)—Books published in 2017 by UP Diliman (UPD) professors Jose S. Buenconsejo, PhD, Luna Sicat-Cleto, PhD, Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, PhD and Ma. Mercedes G. Planta, PhD won in three categories of the 37th National Book Awards (NBA). The award is given yearly by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and Manila Critics Circle (MCC) to the best books written, designed and published in the country. According to NBDB, the winners, except for Publisher of the Year, received a cash prize of P15,000. “Philippine Modernities: Music, Performing Arts, and Language, 1880 to 1941” edited by Buenconsejo and published…

Ugnayan Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman(Ugnayan) is a publication of the UP Diliman Information Office under the Office of the Chancellor, UP Diliman. Its editorial office is located at 2/F University Theater (Villamor Hall), Osmeña Avenue, UP Diliman, Quezon City, with telephone numbers 981-8500 loc. 3982/3983, email address upd.ugnayan@gmail.com. Ugnayan accepts announcements of activities and call for papers of UPD academic and administrative units and student organizations. Text should not exceed 400 words and must contain the title of the event, venue, date and time of the activity, contact information of the organizing…

Professor Gay Jane P. Perez, PhD wins the top award of the 2018 ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women. She is the first Filipino to receive the prestigious award, besting 45 other scientists in the region.  An associate professor at the UP Institute of Environmental Sciences and Meteorology (IESM), Perez won for her research on improving yield using satellite observations, together…

    (OCTOBER 24)—Five of the seven National Artists declared by the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines on Oct. 23 are UP alumni: Lauro “Larry” Zarate Alcala Sr. (Visual Arts), Amelia Lapeña Bonifacio (Theater), Raymundo “Ryan” Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab (Music), Kidlat Tahimik (Cinema) and Resil B. Mojares (Literature). Completing the list of the seven newly declared National Artists are: Francisco Mañosa (Architecture) and Ramon Muzones (Literature).   According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Order of National Artists is “the highest national recognition given…

(OCT. 19) — A facsimile of the famous 1734 Murillo Velarde map was turned over to UP Diliman (UPD) on Oct. 4 as part of the opening of the 16th Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day Conference at the NISMED (National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development) Auditorium. The 1734 Murillo Velarde map was key in the Philippines’ win against China’s claim of ownership over the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague in 2016. The donor of the official replica was…

(OCT. 17) — Dr. Dinah Palmera P. Nadera, mid-August this year, became the University Health Service’s (UHS’s) first resident psychiatrist. The first resident psychiatrist Prior to Nadera, the UHS has had psychiatric consultants. However, it is only recently that a resident psychiatrist has been hired. She said of hiring a resident psychiatrist, “We could safely say that providing a part-time plantilla position for a psychiatrist is an initiative to integrate mental health as a basic service provided by the UHS.” Taking such role, Nadera will be rendering…

(OCT. 17)—Matagal bago binigyang pansin  ang Mental Health (MH) sa Pilipinas, ayon sa porum na First Things First: Unpacking the Mental Health Law na ginanap sa Malcolm Hall Theater noong Oktubre 9. Sinabi ni Dr. Violeta Bautista, isang clinical psychologist at direktor ng UP Psychosocial Service o PsycServ, na ang Pilipinas ang pinakahuli sa Timog Silangang Asya na nagkaroon ng Mental Health Law. Ayon kay Bautista, hindi binibigyang-pansin ng mga Pilipino…

(OCT. 11) – The shifts in Chinese foreign policy (FP) has significantly altered the dynamics of the North East Asia (NEA), according to the public lecture titled “Change and Continuity in China’s Foreign Policy” organized by Strategic Programs of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS) and UP Diliman Department of Political Science on October 10. Prof. Meiting Li, PhD discussed change and continuity from Hu Jintao to Xi Jinping’s administration. She said Xi’s leadership and working style changed China’s perspective on governance. Compared…

Graduates of the UPD Library and Information Science program got a 100 percent passing rate in the September 2018 Librarian Licensure Examination. All 26 UPD examinees passed the examination, with four ranking among the top 10. Mikee Jay Camille Moral Chan placed fifth with a rating of 88.05 percent, while Daniel Paolo Francisco Dela Cruz (87.75%), Aris Andrada Gragasin (87.45%) and Fzaira Libbot Cerrero (87.30%) came in sixth, eighth and 10th place, respectively. According to Professional Regulations Commission, 466 out of 951 examinees made the cut or a…

The UP Men’s Basketball Team escaped another close game as they fend off a wild rally by the gritty National University (NU)Bulldogs, 89-88, at the Season 81 of the UAAP at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, on October 7. The game started on a frenetic pace with both teams going back and forth. But the Bulldogs’ turnovers would put them in a hole, allowing UP to erect a 15-point lead at the 6:42 mark of the second quarter. NU would then counter with a 14-3 burst in the next three minutes to…