UPAA Alumni Honoured during August 21 Homecoming Dinner
The UPAA Iloilo Chapter conferred upon seven UPV alumni commendations for being outstanding in their respective fields during the August 21 Homecoming Dinner at the Iloilo Convention Centre.
The 2022 awardees are:
Dermatologist and community welfare volunteer Dr. Marovi S. Ascalon-Celis (UPHSI 1978, BS Biological Sciences 1982) for her work in the field of Health and Medical Profession;
Medical Director Dr. Erwin G. Benedicto (UPHSI 1987, MA in Public Health 2012) for his work in the field of Health and Medical Profession;
WVSU President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz (BS Biology 1987, MA in Public Management 2004) for his work in the field of Governance, Public Administration, and Public Service;
Current chair of the International Law and International Affairs Committee of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Atty. Andre C. Palacios (UPHSI 1987, UPC BS Secondary Education 1992, UPD Bachelor of Laws 1998) for his work in the field of Law;
Veteran journalist and former National Chair of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Nestor P. Burgos Jr. (UPHSI 1987) for his work in the field of Arts & Letters;
Former UPHSI Principal and beloved mentor to generations of UP students, Prof. Llena P. Buenvenida (UPIC 1958, BS Education 1962, MA in Environmental Planning 1975), was bestowed the award posthumously for her work in the field of Education; and
Faculty of WVSU College of Medicine and Mental Health advocate Dr. Ma. Pilar Servigon-Malata (UPHSI 1982), awardee in the field of Education, who delivered the response on behalf of the awardees to the gathering.
Source: UPV Office of Alumni Relations Facebook
Alumni Milestones
UPAA-Iloilo Chapter fetes Drilon with Lifetime Achievement Award
Ms. AL Ramirez
The UP Alumni Association Iloilo Chapter named former Sen. Franklin Drilon as Lifetime Achievement Awardee during the 2022 Alumni and Faculty Homecoming Dinner and Awards night held at the Iloilo Convention Center on August 21, 2022.
Conferring the award to him was UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano and UPAA-Iloilo Chapter President Evaristo John Cañonero.
In his message, he thanked UPAA-Iloilo and UP Visayas for the recognition. “This Lifetime Achievement Award makes my career in public service memorable. It has been an honor to have served the nation, Iloilo and my beloved alma mater.”
This accolade, according to him, belonged to his topmost recognition in his career as a public servant, along with awards given to him, which include the Philippine Legion of Honor, Order of the Rising Sun conferred by the Emperor of Japan, and Honoris Causa by the UP College of Law.
The award also coincided with UPV’s milestone anniversary. “Iloilo will always be home to me. Your recognition is more significant because we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of UP’s Presence in Iloilo,” Drilon added.
He went back to memory lane, recalling his days in UP Visayas, saying, “I was a UP freshman in 1957 to what was known as the UP Iloilo College Lower Division. I was once a carefree teenager who enjoyed time with my classmates.”
He also evoked the grandeur of Iloilo in his time and how he wanted to bring it back. “Back then, Iloilo was an established commercial center and political center. It was painful to see its urban decay,” he shared. Hence, he pursued massive infrastructure development for Iloilo.
“I see the value of preserving our heritage and vestiges of the past. With the National Historical Council of the Philippines (NHCP), we restored the Old Commission on Audit (COA) Ynchausti Building, the Molo Church and Plaza, the Jaro Plaza and Belfry, and the Sunburst Park. The Iloilo Customs House is also currently renovated to adaptive reuse to host the Museum of the Maritime History of the Philippines,” he cited.
Iloilo is being developed to suit the backdrop of the city’s magnificent past. “JM Basa and Calle Real are being restored and the old buildings therein through Mayor Treñas.”
“We continue to strive to make them better, cleaned Iloilo River, and made the Esplanade. We built the Iloilo Convention Center. By December, we will have Sunset Boulevard. There are also the 11 billion pesos Jalaur Dam and Iloilo-Guimaras Bridge.” These grand projects translate to Iloilo as a symbol of progress, “the most livable and urbanized city in the country.”
He never failed to remember UP Visayas in all these, saying, “In the 2022 Budget, among my last acts as a Senator, is the allocation of the 25M for the Handumanan Project’s Women’s Club.”
“We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to be educated in the best university with the highest-ranking educational institution in the country. I am a proud son of UP. I have seen our nation evolve. I know the greatest of its history and the promise it holds. Let us move forward but with a will to remember,” Drilon reminded.
His early education was received at the Molo, Iloilo public school system, where Senator Franklin M. Drilon graduated from the Baluarte Elementary School in 1957 and the High School at UP Iloilo College in 1961. He completed his undergraduate studies in 1965 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman before continuing on to earn his Bachelor in Law in 1969. He passed the bar exam that year with flying colors, placing third.
Between 1986 and 1987, he served as the former Ministry of Labor’s Deputy Minister for Industrial Relations. Thereafter, he assumed the office of Secretary of Labor through January 1990. He was Labor Secretary when he was appointed Secretary of Justice in 1990 and subsequently, Executive Secretary of the Cabinet of President Corazon C. Aquino in 1991.
Drilon was elected three times to the third highest position in the land, the Senate Presidency, from 2000 to 2016.
He also served as Secretary of Justice. Senator Franklin M. Drilon has the distinction of having held multiple Cabinet positions that marked his stellar career in politics. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he has held leadership roles in 19 government institutions and agencies. (With sources from the web)
Source: https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/upaa-iloilo-chapter-fetes-drilon-with-lifetime-achievement-award
PH Army reservist bags ASEAN award for defense, security efforts
by Martin Sadongdong
In a male-dominated field such as the military, women are slowly setting their own path and etching their names in the history books.
One of them is Lt. Col. Jannette Chavez Arceo, a Philippine Army (PA) reservist who was recently hailed as one of the exemplary women “prime movers” in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense and security sector.
Chavez-Arceo received the award during the annual Top 30 Women in Security ASEAN Region 2022 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last Wednesday, August 17.
The initiative was established to “recognize women who have advanced the security technology industry,” in the 10-nation regional bloc, according to ASEAN.
A peace educator and a staunch advocate of children and women’s rights, Chavez-Arceo currently serves as the first female battalion commander of the Laguna-based 403rd Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion, 4th Regional Community Defense Group.
According to Col. Xerxes Trinidad, PA spokesperson, Chavez-Arceo’s professional expertise spans the areas of reserve force development, gender and development mainstreaming, military leadership development, cyber peace education, and prevention of violent extremism.
“Her anti-human trafficking work contributed to the country’s Tier 1 rating in the United States (US) Department of State Global Report on Trafficking In Person,” Trinidad said.
A Tier 1 rating indicates that a government “has made efforts to address the problem that meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards.”
Chavez-Arceo also initiated the membership of the Philippine government in the Global Alliance to End Sexual Exploitation Online, a coalition of 54 countries committed to pursue concrete actions against child pornography that is spearheaded by the European Commission; and the Asia Pacific Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography (FCACP), a group of credit card issuers and internet services companies which seek to eliminate child pornography by taking actions on payment systems being used to fund such illegal activities.
Chavez-Arceo holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of the Philippines (UP) and two Master’s degree from the National Security Administration and Public Management specializing in Development and Security.
Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., PA commanding general, lauded Chavez-Arceo for “embodying the Army’s core values of honor, duty, patriotism in fulfilling her sworn oath as a reserve officer.”
Chavez-Arceo’s achievements only proved that gender is not a hindrance in pursuing a career or passion that contributes to the development of a community, or even a whole country.
Source: https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/19/ph-army-reservist-bags-asean-award-for-defense-security-efforts/
UP alumni win National Children’s Book Awards
Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo
Twenty-two alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) won in all three categories of the recently announced 7th National Children’s Book Awards.
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) honors are given by the National Book Development Board every other year. According to the PBBY, the awards recognize “the best books published for children and young adults in the previous two years” and “encourage parents and caregivers to spend more time reading with their children while recommending the best-published works.” The 7th National Children’s Book Award winners were announced on July 19.
In the Best Reads Category, 2020-2021, the following eleven UP alumni were awarded:
- Beth Parrocha (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1984), illustrator of Bulul and Ako ay may Kiki;
- Gigo Alampay (BS Economics, 1985 and Bachelor of Laws, 1991), author of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
- Liza Flores (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, 1996), illustrator of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
- Abi Goy (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, cum laude, 1996), illustrator of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
- Mon Sy (BA Comparative Literature, summa cum laude, 2016), author of Kakatok-katok sa Bahay ni Benok;
- Gabriela Dans Lee (BA English Studies, cum laude, 2005), author of Cely’s Crocodile: The Art and Story of Araceli Limcaco Dans;
- Adrian Panadero (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, magna cum laude, 2014), illustrator of Cely’s Crocodile: The Art and Story of Araceli Limcaco Dans;
- Philip Ignacio (BA Development Studies, 1995), author of Alandal;
- Maloi Malibiran-Salumbides (BA Communication, Broadcast Communication, 1993), author of Tinola ni Nanay; and,
- Felix Mago Miguel (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1992), illustrator of Tinola ni Nanay.
Ten UP alumni won honors in the Kids’ Choice Awards: Chapter Books Category. They were:
- Denise Nicole P. Tolentino (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, 2003), author and illustrator of The Quick and Careful Adventures of Muni;
- Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay, Ph.D. (BS Geology, 1985 and MS Geology, 1990), author of I am the Change in Climate Change;
- Jacqueline Franquelli (BA Broadcast Communication, 1999), author of Anak ng Tinapay;
- Daniel Tingcungco (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, cum laude, 2009), illustrator of Anak ng Tinapay;
- Danielle Florendo (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2018), illustrator of Maselan ang Tanong ng Batang si Usman;
- Bambi Eloriaga-Amago (BA Journalism, cum laude, 1997), author of Doobiedoo Asks;
- Cat S. (Certificate of Fine Arts in Visual Communication, 2001), creator of Little Wolf;
- Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo (Ph.D. Comparative Literature, 1993), author of Catch a Falling Star (Filipino Edition);
- Chuckberry J. Pascual (BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino, cum laude, 2003; MA Philippine Studies, 2008; and PhD Filipino, 2015), translator of Catch a Falling Star (Filipino Edition); and,
- Ana Digi (BA Comparative Literature, cum laude, 2000), author of Sinta.
Finally, the two UP alumni who were recognized in the Kids’ Choice Awards: Picture Books Category were:
- Meanne Mabesa Mijares (BS Education, English, 1994), author of Cassy’s Chair; and,
- Jacqueline Tiu (BA English, 1993), author of Nang Matutong Magbasa si Mariano.
With reports from the Office of Alumni Relations, UP System.
Source: https://up.edu.ph/23-up-alumni-win-national-childrens-book-awards/
New AMLC executive director named
Lawrence Agcaoili – The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has named Matthew David as the new executive director of the AMLC Secretariat, replacing Mel Georgie Racela, whose term ended last Wednesday.
Under Section 8 of Republic Act 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended, the AMLC is authorized to establish a secretariat to be headed by an executive director, who shall be appointed by the Council for a term of five years.
The executive director must be a member of the Philippine Bar, at least 35 years of age, and of good moral character, unquestionable integrity, and known probity.
Previously, David served as director of the Investigation and Enforcement Department of the AMLC Secretariat and as deputy director of the Office of the General Counsel and Legal Services at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
David also taught law at Arellano University and Our Lady of Perpetual Help University.
David holds a Master of Laws degree in Finance from the Institute for Law and Finance at the Goethe-Frankfurt University in Germany. He obtained his degrees in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.
David will have his hands full as the Philippines has been retained in gray list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Since its re-inclusion in the gray list in June last year, the Philippines made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG).
Last June, the FATF retained the Philippines in its ‘gray list’ as it stressed the need for the country to further strengthen its action plan to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.
The AMLC is confident the Philippines would be removed from the gray list of the global dirty money watchdog on or before January 2023 as the country has committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes.
Source: https://www.philstar.com/business/2022/08/21/2203978/new-amlc-executive-director-named
GMA Network names Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes as Senior Vice-President
GMA Network, Inc.’s Executive Committee has elected Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes on August 17, 2022 as its new Senior Vice President effective September 1 this year. In this role she will oversee the Talent Management and Development Dept., Program Management Dept., Human Resources Dept., Legal Dept. and some subsidiaries in the Kapuso Network.
She has been a director of GMA since 2000 and was part of the team that led GMA’s phenomenal rise to the top.
She serves in numerous leadership roles across the Network. Among these was setting up GMA New Media, the Network’s digital media and technology arm and future-proofing agent. As President of GMA Worldwide, she led the team that distributed GMA’s shows to territories in Asia, North America, Middle East, and Africa. Atty. Gozon-Valdes was also instrumental in pushing for new partnerships with new global platforms and in bringing some of the best foreign shows to the Filipinos such as Full House, Stairway to Heaven and Jewel in the Palace.
Currently, she is the Programming Consultant to the Chairman/CEO of GMA Network, where she works with the Drama group and drives synergy across departments. She was one of the brains behind the iconic series Encantadia and Mulawin. She was one of the first to push for local adaptations of iconic foreign materials such as Marimar, Stairway to Heaven, Endless Love and other Korean dramas, as well as the upcoming live action drama Voltes V Legacy.
She was recently appointed as Consultant of Sparkle, GMA’s talent management arm and serves as President of GMA Films, Inc. where she led the production of several blockbuster movies such as Let the Love Begin, Lovestruck and Moments of Love.
Atty. Gozon-Valdes is also the Corporate Secretary of GMA Network, director of GMA Ventures, Inc. and Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. (PEP), Treasurer of Citynet Network Marketing & Productions, Inc., and a Trustee of the GMA Kapuso Foundation. She also sits on the board of RGMA Network, Inc., GMA’s radio management and broadcasting affiliate, among others.
She is a partner (on leave) in Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila and was an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines, College of Law where she taught Taxation and Legal History.
Atty. Gozon-Valdes was the valedictorian of her elementary and high school classes in Colegio de San Agustin at Makati City. She graduated cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University. Thereafter, she obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines where she graduated valedictorian and cum laude. She later obtained her Master of Laws from Harvard University.
Source: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/842088/gma-network-names-atty-annette-gozon-valdes-as-senior-vice-president/story/
Meet the UP Diliman Summa Cum Laude Who Graduated with Highest Weighted Average This 2022
By Therese Aseoche
Last July, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman produced a record-breaking number of graduates with Latin honors: a total of 634 cum laude graduates, 652 magna cum laude graduates, and—the most impressive feat—150 summa cum laude graduates.
Among all the summa cum laude graduates, it was BA Speech Communication student Neil Piolo Villanueva who achieved the highest Weighted Average Grade (WAG) of 1.032. The College of Arts and Letters valedictorian was able to excel academically while also bearing a passion for service as the Chairperson of UP Batangan, a duly-recognized socio-civic organization of Batangueño students on campus, and the Project Head of Aruga Are, one of the organization’s projects that had received the 2022 Ignacio B. Gimenez Award for UP Student Organizations’ Social Innovation Projects – Special Citation.
When In Manila was able to talk to Piolo about his college experience, what he learned and will miss most about college, and how he embodies the university’s values of honor, excellence, and compassion for others.
I believe your batch was the first to study not only in the K-12 program but also transition to an online set-up amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, how were you able to overcome the struggle of switching to this alternative learning?
“Privilege. The privilege to have access to a functioning laptop, an okay internet connection, a safe house to study in, a loving support system, and a so-so mental health made the transition bearable. Unfortunately, all these earned the name “privilege” for a reason.
If anything, the online setup magnified the gross inequalities in our country, and we saw clearly how all the aforementioned things are privileges rather than things all students must have in the first place. Maraming napwersang tumigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa anti-poor setup na ito. Maraming hindi tiyak kung epektibo ang kanilang pagtuturo o pagkatuto. May krisis tayo sa edukasyon at dapat maaksyunan ito agad; tiyak na hindi solusyon dito ang paggastos ng 58,300 na piso kada laptop na may lumang processor.”
How important was it for you to not just excel academically but also be of service to others through your extracurriculars? Was it difficult to balance this?
“It would be hypocritical for me to say that I never chased after uno’s. I am saddened to admit and think that it has been part of my social configuration under a neoliberal framework of education to anchor my worth on grades and merits. Thankfully, my stay in UP eventually equipped me with the knowledge to challenge this thinking and the system that perpetuates it.
The common saying, “grades are just numbers,” made more sense to me when I started assuming leadership positions in my organization. UP Batangan, my only organization in college, exposed me to the harsh realities in our province. Marami pa ring walang akses sa edukasyon, serbisyong pangkalusugan, pagkain, at sa gitna ng lahat ng ito’y laganap pa rin ang militarisasyon.
Since then, my views of why I study and learn have tremendously evolved. I treated every learning opportunity not anymore as a chore for which I must get high grades, but now as a means through which I could grow and become more knowledgeable in pursuit of enabling myself to genuinely and excellently be of service to others. That is why, for me, learning is in itself an act of service and more importantly, learning is a means through which I would be able to serve my country well. While managing my academics and extracurriculars was hard, it made all the hardships enjoyably purposeful. Kaya ngayon, tuloy pa rin ang pagpapahusay at pagkatuto para mas makapaglingkod lalo sa panahong ito.”
What are some important life lessons you learned during your stay at UP?
Every lesson in UP can be life-changing, no matter how small or big it may be. Halimbawa, sa dami ng pancit canton kiosks sa UP, natutunan kong original flavor ng pancit canton talaga ang pinakamasarap, at ang kalaban natin ay ‘yung mga sweet and spicy apologists.
Kasabay niyan, natutunan ko rin na hindi totoo ‘yung “kung may tiyaga, may nilaga.” Walang ganun, mars. Some of the brightest and most responsible people I know got delayed or were forced to stop studying because of poverty, gender discrimination, and other systemic inequalities.”
The one thing you’ll miss the most about UP.
“‘Yung kalayaan in many forms. Una, kalayaan para isuot mo kahit anong gusto mong isuot. Mamimiss ko magtsinelas at magsuot ng pantulog araw-araw nung face-to-face pag papasok sa klase. Pangalawa, kalayaang mahalin kung sinong gusto mong mahalin. Kaya talaga pagsabayin ‘yung laude at landi. Pangatlo, kalayaang makipagdiskurso at makapagpahayag ng kritisismo. I was so lucky to be surrounded with the brightest professors, classmates, and orgmates. Higit sa lahat, siyempre, kalayaan mula sa tuition fee na utang ko hindi sa gobyerno, kundi sa mamamayang Pilipino na matapat na nagbabayad ng kanilang buwis.”
Any message you’d like to share with fellow graduates who are now about to face a new world beyond the walls of their campus?
“Grades don’t define you… unless mataas. Eme.”
Congratulations to all 2022 graduates! Padayon, mga Iskolar ng Bayan!
Source: https://www.wheninmanila.com/up-diliman-summa-cum-laude-neil-piolo-villanueva/
PH-born scientist named fellow of the American Chemical Society
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Philippine-born scientist at New York’s University at Buffalo has been named a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies and publisher of some of the most prominent journals in chemistry.
Diana Aga, PhD, director of the University at Buffalo RENEW Institute and Henry M. Woodburn Professor of Chemistry in the UB College of Arts and Sciences, is among 45 scientists named as 2022 ACS fellows who are being honored for outstanding achievements and contributions to science, the profession and society.
A two-time Fulbright award winner and a recipient of Germany’s Humboldt Research Fellowship, Aga is globally recognized for her work in environmental and analytical chemistry.
Aga is being recognized “for encouraging women and underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in environmental and agricultural Chemistry, and for innovative contributions in agrochemical analysis to better understand their ecological and health impacts.”
She is also being cited for her contributions to the ACS’ AGRO division, where she has organized student research, learning and networking activities. AGRO brings together scientists and other partners worldwide to promote innovative solutions for the protection of agricultural productivity, public health and the environment.
Aga’s career was inspired by changes she witnessed in her childhood village in the Philippines. She remembers swimming, playing and fishing frequently in a river near her home, but as the years went on, the river gradually became darkened with pollution.
Aga joined the UB faculty in 2002 after earning a PhD in analytical and environmental chemistry from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural chemistry from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
She has led the UB RENEW Institute since 2021. This university-wide multidisciplinary research institute focuses on complex energy, environmental issues and related t social and economic issues.
A prolific scholar with over 180 refereed papers, Aga also continues to lead a lab in UB’s chemistry department that analyzes pollutants in the environment; develops ways to break them down and clean them up; and investigates the chemicals’ impact on humans and wildlife.
Her team’s discoveries have had a far-reaching impact on understanding emerging contaminants such as antimicrobials and other pharmaceuticals; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Aga is now helping to train the next generation of researchers. She has mentored dozens of undergraduate and graduate students who have gone on to careers in industry, government and academia.
She hopes to expand this work through programming and partnerships at the RENEW Institute that support pathways to STEM for K-12 and university students from underrepresented groups.
Source: https://usa.inquirer.net/108161/ph-born-scientist-named-fellow-of-the-american-chemical-society
UP dominates Environmental Planner Licensure Exam
By Kaithreen Cruz
THE Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced that 108 examinees passed the July 2022 Environmental Planner Licensure Examination out of the 178 who took the test.
PRC noted that “results of examination with respect to two examinees were withheld as per Board Resolution No. 5.”
All those in the top 10 were from the University of the Philippines — from constituent universities of Diliman and Los Baños.
The roster of new environmental planners was led by Aleya Carmela Arca from UP Diliman, scoring 84.40 percent in the licensure examination.
Similarly, UP Diliman was the sole top-performing school in the examination with 40 or more examinees with at least an 80 percent passing rate after 36 of its 43 examinees passed (83.72 percent passing rate).
Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/08/11/latest-stories/up-dominates-environmental-planner-licensure-exam/1854224
UP Manila’s appointed UP Scientists for 2021-2023
Congratulations to UP Manila’s appointed UP Scientists for 2021-2023!
Padayon at mabuhay, mga Siyentipiko ng Bayan!
Source: UP MANILA (Official) Twitter