UP Diliman has two new deans in professors Fernando dlC. Paragas, PhD of the College of Mass Communication (CMC) and Dina C. Magnaye, PhD, EnP of the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP), and one director in Prof. Pia D. Bagamasbad, PhD of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB). Meanwhile, Prof. Francis Carlos B. Diaz will be serving his second term as College of Human Kinetics (CHK) dean. Their appointments were approved by the UP Board of Regents at its 1368th meeting on Feb. 24.
New appointments. Prior to his appointment as CMC’s 10th dean, Paragas served as Department of Communication Research (Comm Res) chair from 2006 to 2007. He also led the college’s Graduate Studies Department from 2015 to 2019.
Paragas started teaching at Comm Res in 1997 as an instructor. He was an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from December 2009 to December 2014.
The president of the Philippine Association for Communication and Media Research, Inc., Paragas is also convenor of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies Higher Education Research and Policy Reform Program, and editor-in-chief of “Plaridel,” a refereed Philippine journal of communication, media, and society.
In 2021, Paragas led a study on community quarantine wellness index (CQWI) for PhilCare CQWI. This earned PhilCare the top award in communication research at the 18th Philippine Quill Awards.
He has been awarded the Gold and Silver Anvils of the 57th Anvil Awards as part of the Comm Res faculty (2022), the Asia-Pacific Gold Stevie Award for best communications or PR campaign of the year (COVID-19-related information, 2021), and the Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Guro (2019).
He earned his PhD (communication and media studies) from Ohio University in 2006 as a Fulbright scholar, his master’s degree (urban and regional planning) and bachelor’s degree (communication research) from UPD in 2002 and 1996, respectively.
SURP’s Magnaye is an economic, financial,and social development specialist. She was SURP director for office of research and publication (January 2020-February 2022) and is a green building professional.
In November 2020, Magnaye received her certification from the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) as a building for ecologically responsive design excellence (BERDE) or green building professional.
According to the PhilGBC website, BERDE is a “tool to assess, measure, monitor, and certify the performance of green building projects, above and beyond existing national and local building environmental laws, regulations, and mandatory standards.”
A UP faculty for 11 years, Magnaye teaches theory and practice of planning, research methods in planning, and land economics.
She continues to provide technical assistance in the comprehensive land use plan, comprehensive development plan, and preparation and master development plan to various national government agencies and local government units.
Magnaye is a recipient of the UPD Centennial Professorial Chair Award (2021 and 2016) and One UP Faculty Grant for Outstanding Teaching and Research (estate planning, land economics; 2019-2021).
She earned her diploma and PhD (urban and regional planning) from UPD in 2001 and 2011, respectively, and her master’s degree (agricultural economics) and bachelor’s degree (agricultural business) from UP Los Baños in 1995 and 1989, respectively. She placed second in the board examination for environmental planners in 2007.
Meanwhile, Bagamasbad was the principal investigator of the institute’s Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, a position she will hold concurrently as NIMBB director.
A Balik PhD grantee, Bagamasbad was part of the project NIMBB and the Philippine Genome Center implemented in 2020 that provided training for medical technicians on the qRT-PCR assay that is used for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Bagamasbad earned her PhD (molecular, cellular, and developmental biology) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA in 2012, and her bachelor’s degree (molecular biology and biotechnology) from UPD in 2001.
For her valuable research in the molecular mechanisms of hormone action including those related to cancer, Bagamasbad received the National Academy of Science and Technology Outstanding Young Scientist Award (molecular endocrinology) in 2019.
Second term. This will be the second term of Diaz as CHK dean. He was first appointed on Feb. 4, 2019 and served until Feb. 3, 2022.
Diaz joined the CHK faculty in 1991 and was the UP Varsity Softball Team (UPVST) head coach in 1993. He also served as CHK Varsity Sports Program director (2000 – 2004), and in 2012, he served as CHK Physical Education (PE) Program chair. Diaz was UAAP Season 78 tournament manager when UP was host in 2015.
Diaz has presented his papers in sports pedagogy, health, and wellness locally and internationally. For his 23 years as UPVST coach, Diaz received the Distinguished Service Award in May 2016 at the UP Varsity Recognition Night (AY 2015-2016).
Diaz earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees (both PE) from UPD in 1997 and 1989, respectively.
All four unit heads will serve from Feb. 24, 2022 to Feb. 23, 2025.