We would like to congratulate Dr. Imelda Peña, the recipient of the 9th Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA) Distinction Award for the Pharmacist profession under the Academe/Research Development Category. She was awarded last February 26 at the UP Bahay ng Alumni.
Congratulations and we are so proud of you, Ma’am Melds!
#honoRXcellence
Source: UP College of Pharmacy Facebook post
Alumni Milestones
Prof. Nieves Toledo receives Best in Asynchronous Activities Award from Development Academy of the Philippines and the Freedom of Information-Project Management Office
Congratulations to our University Registrar, Prof. Nieves Toledo, for receiving the Best in Asynchronous Activities award during the graduation ceremony for the first batch of Certificate Course Learners, organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines and the Freedom of Information-Project Management Office.
The Certificate Course for Information Officers aims to expand the capacity of FOI or Information Officers in the Executive Branch of the government and ensure that they are equipped with the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to operationalize the FOI program in their respective agencies.
Source: University of the Philippines Visayas Facebook post
UP Diliman grad tops February 2022 social worker licensure exam
A total of 533 out of 1,211 passed the February 2022 social worker licensure examination, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced on Thursday.
In a statement, the PRC revealed that Alain Matteo Ferrer Meneses, a graduate of University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, topped the examination with a rating of 85.60%.
Jennifer Macalma Mones of Asian Social Institute grabbed the second spot with a rating of 84.80%, while John Ronel Lagan Salvador of Palawan State University-Puerto Princesa ranked third with a rating of 84.60.
Note that the letter Ñ is ordered after Z, so a person with the surname Veñegas, for example, is listed after a person with the surname Verdan.
The best-performing school was Caraga State University-Butuan City, with all 27 of its examinees passing. In second spot is Palawan State University-Puerto Princesa, with 12 of its 13 takers passing for a 92.31% success rate.
The exam was given by the Board for Social Workers in Manila, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Pagadian, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga in February 2022. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News
Source: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/823799/up-diliman-grad-tops-february-2022-social-worker-licensure-exam/story/
PetroChoice Names Roy Rosas as Chief Executive Officer
Rosas succeeds Celeste Mastin, who has decided to step down from her role at the company to pursue a new opportunity.
PetroChoice Lubrication Solutions
, a leading distributor of lubricants in America and a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital, has announced the appointment of Roy Rosas as CEO and member of PetroChoice’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Rosas succeeds Celeste Mastin, who has decided to step down from her role at the company to pursue a new opportunity. She will remain a member of PetroChoice’s Board of Directors.
Rosas is a highly accomplished professional with more than 25 years of strategic leadership experience. He has served as an operating executive at Golden Gate Capital since 2012 and has been actively involved with PetroChoice since it was acquired by Golden Gate Capital in 2015. He previously served as operating director with Berkshire Partners, and held the position of chief marketing and administrative officer at Vi-Jon (formerly a Berkshire portfolio company).
Prior to Berkshire Partners, Rosas led Procter & Gamble’s Oral B Developing Markets Global Business Group. Earlier in his career, he co-founded Reputation Technologies, a supply chain analytics company that was acquired by Security Source, led strategy consulting engagements at the Boston Consulting Group and held marketing leadership roles with Procter & Gamble. He holds an MBA from Harvard, an M.S. from the National University of Singapore and a B.S. in Business & Accountancy from the University of the Philippines.
“With a comprehensive suite of advanced lubrication solutions, a diverse and growing customer base and one of the greatest contiguous footprints in the U.S., we are proud to have built PetroChoice into the largest lubricant distributor with a major proprietary brand gaining in influence in the United States,” said Felix Lo, managing director at Golden Gate Capital and a PetroChoice Board Member. “Roy is a seasoned strategic leader who blends broad industrials experience with proven operational results. Importantly, he knows the Company very well having worked closely with the PetroChoice team from the beginning of Golden Gate’s investment. We are confident he is the right person to accelerate the strategies set in place under Celeste with complete continuity.”
Lo added, “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Celeste for her many contributions to PetroChoice since joining the company in 2018 and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Mastin said, “It has been an honor to lead PetroChoice over the past four years and I am proud of the tremendous progress we achieved during this period, including making investments in our unique, first-in-industry technology platforms, as well as strengthening our salesforce effectiveness and integrated operating model. I look forward to continuing to support the Company as a member of the Board. Roy and I have collaborated closely over the years, facilitating a smooth hand-off and assuring continuity of momentum for PetroChoice. Importantly, the leadership at PetroChoice is composed of talented professionals that will contribute to making the transition flawless.”
Rosas added, “It is an incredible time to be at PetroChoice. With very strong demand signals across multiple sectors, reflecting resurgent macroeconomic activity, PetroChoice is poised to capitalize on this moment due to the hard work and transformation efforts completed over the last few years. I look forward to continuing to work with the PetroChoice team as we drive forward our strategic areas of focus, including footprint expansion, full deployment of our leading-edge technologies, growing our premium and proprietary brand offerings, strengthening our strategic partnerships and progressing on our M&A pipeline. I am confident that we will continue setting the gold standard for the distribution model of the future as we firmly execute on these areas, while continuing to prioritize employee safety and the company’s rich internal culture.”
Source: https://www.aftermarketnews.com/petrochoice-names-roy-rosas-as-chief-executive-officer/
Piamonte is first FAMAS Awardee from Iloilo
GC T. Castro, UPV OAR
Kevin Peter Amado P. Piamonte (HS’83, BA BroadComm’87, UPV) received the FAMAS Award for Best Short Film for SOLO in UPV Cinematheque, Iloilo City last February 23, 2022. Piamonte was given the award in the 69th FAMAS Virtual Awards Night held last December 12, 2021.
FAMAS representative Nelson Mendoza bestowed the award to Piamonte – the first-ever filmaker from Iloilo to receive one of the Philippines’ most prestigious awards for film.
In his acceptance speech, Piamonte said “This is for all the Ilonggos! This is for all of us.” Referring to a regional film bagging a mainstream award he added, “This can happen after all. This really can happen after all. No dream is impossible.”
The film was screened for free at the UPV Cinematheque from February 21 to 23 to give the Ilonggos a chance to see this award-winning film in the big screen. For some viewers, this is their first big screen experience since the pandemic started.
Present during the awarding were Piamonte’s family and friends, media correspondents, members the production, UPV alumni and personnel, and UPV officials headed by Chancellor Clement Castigador Camposano.
Piamonte is a faculty member of the UPV College of Arts and Sciences Division of Humanities.
SOLO is produced by ERK Film Production and University of the Philippines Visayas.
(Photos by Gian Genoveza/UPV IPO, and GC Castro/UPV OAR)
Filipino scientists make it to Brittanica’s Shapers of the Future 2022 list
Marane A. Plaza
MANILA, Philippines — Two Filipinos have been included in the Shapers of the Future 2022 list by Britanica, the longest running in-print encyclopedia in English.
The list includes young people who work in many fields, such as scholars, builders, designers, architects, artists, teachers, writers, musicians, social and political leaders, and much more.
The Filipino entries included 18-year-old Maria Isabel Layson, who returned to her native Iloilo City in the Philippines after attending an elementary school for gifted children and and the Singapore American School. She enrolled in an advanced science curriculum at the National High School in her hometown.
While studying an abundant berry locally called aratiles or sarisa in a Food and Nutrition Research Institute laboratory in Manila, Layson discovered that the fruit contains antioxidant compounds that combat diabetes.
In 2019, when she was 16, she presented her findings at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona, as one of a dozen Filipino delegates. That year, she won Best Individual Research in Life Science at the National Science and Technology Fair hosted by the Philippines Department of Education. Layson is now a student at the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City, where she also operates a bakery that makes keto-friendly pastries.
Layson is joined by Rodney Perez, 32 years old, who studied food science at Visayas State University, on the island of Leyte. He then won a scholarship to Kyushu University, in Japan, where he earned an M.S. in Bioscience and Biotechnology and a Ph.D. in Microbial Technology.
“It never ceases to amaze me how microorganisms, despite their size, can affect every aspect of our lives, both in good and bad ways,” said Dr. Perez as posted in University of the Philippines Los Banos website.
His specialty as a researcher at the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños is the study of bacteriocins, naturally occurring toxins that can kill related strains of bacteria implicated in food poisoning and spoilage. Perez is now working on technologies to introduce these bacteriocins as part of food packaging processes — for instance, replacing artificial and potentially harmful steroids in dairy products with helpful bacteria from lactic acid that combat mastitis in cattle. Perez has received several honors for his work, including the Young Asian Biotechnologist award from Japan’s Society for Biotechnology. He is the first Filipino to have earned that vaunted international prize. Perez has expressed his intent to bring microorganisms to bear on other health-related problems in his country.
“With microbial technologies we are able to make these tiny microorganisms work for us,” he said.
In a statement, the National Library of the Philippines said, “The Britannica All-New Kids’ Encyclopedia will pique Filipino children’s interest and instil a love of reading at a young age. Thank you for supplying us with this beautiful 1-volume encyclopedia that will encourage our children to become keen readers and consumers of information.”
“Britannica is thrilled to support the Philippines National Library to promote the reading habits of our younger learners and establish the foundation for lifelong learning,” said Theodore Pappas, executive editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Our children’s encyclopedia is a wonderful book for early learners – for sparking their curiosity about the wonders of the world, both big and small–and for readers in areas without easy access to the Internet or to new educational resources.”
Source: https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/on-the-radar/2022/02/23/2162617/filipino-scientists-make-it-brittanicas-shapers-future-2022-list
UPAA NAMES 2021 ALUMNI AWARDEES
For its 108th year, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) is proud to announce its 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awardees. Heading the elite group of University of the Philippines graduates is National Artist Prof. Raymundo “Ryan” Cayabyab, BM’83, who has been named as the year’s UPAA Most Distinguished Alumnus.
The 2021 UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awardees, judiciously chosen for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields of specialization, are the following:
UPAA MOST DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS
Prof. Raymundo Cipriano P. Cayabyab, BM’83
UPAA LIFETIME DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Ms. Phoebe Cabotaje-Andes, BSN’56
Justice Francis H. Jardeleza, AB’69; LLB’74 cl
Arch. Antonio A. Turalba, BSArch’67
Dr. Reynaldo L. Villareal, BSA’67; MS’75
UPAA DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS:
Banking Innovation
Mr. Henry Rhoel R. Aguda, BS’88; DJuris’08 cl
Community Development
Dr. Julie P. Caguiat, BS’90 mcl; MD’95
Community Planning for Social Transformation
Dr. Leonora C. Angeles, AB’84 cl; MA’89
Corporate Governance (Banking and Finance)
Ms. Cecilia Cayosa-Borromeo, BSAB’79
Corporate Governance (Pharmaceutical Industry)
Engr. Jose Maria A. Ochave, BSChE’86; LLB’92
Culture and the Arts (Music)
Dr. Edgardo L. Manguiat, BSHRA’83
Culture and the Arts (Theater)
Mr. Florencio Louis Antonio C. Quintos, ABC’85
Educational Innovation
Dr. Eligia D. Clemente, BSMetE’76; MS’99; PhD’17
Engineering and Construction Management (Infrastructure Development)
Engr. Ramon F. Allado, BSCE’77
Entrepreneurship and Employment Creation
Engr. Raymund Arnold S. Alberto, BSGE’93
Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development (Mining)
Prof. Herman D. Mendoza, BSMetE’81; ME Env Eng’86
Foreign Service
Atty. Generoso D.G. Calonge, AB’76; LLB’85; ROTC’87
Atty. Jaime Victor B. Ledda, AB’84; LLB’88
Good Governance (Water Governance)
Mr. Ramon Eleuterio B. Alikpala, BSBE’84
Good Governance
Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas, BSBio’93
Ms. Andrea D. Domingo, AB’69
Humanitarian Services
Dr. Rodrigo Angelo C. Ong, BSChem’95
Ms. Evelyn Calica-Mayuga, BSOT’73
Medical Health Research
Dr. Herbert Y. Gaisano, BS’77 mcl; MD’81
Overseas Health Professional Empowerment
Dr. Abraham T. Rasul, Jr., BS’79; MD’83
Public Health Promotion
Dr. Manuel V. Vallesteros, DDM’89
Public Service
Senator Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano, AB’85 cl; LLB’91
Regional Empowerment, Legal Development, and Public Service (Legal Empowerment and Development)
Atty. Roberto Rafael V. Lucila, AB’76; LLB’80
Public Service for Welfare of Filipino Migrant and Contributions to Urban Planning and Innovation
Ms. Eleanor Guerrero-Campbell, AB’73 cl; MURP’78
Legal Development and Empowerment in the Protection of Women and Children
Ms. Mia Joy Oallares-Cawed, BSFS’78
Science and Technology (Molecular Biology)
Prof. Reynaldo L. Garcia, BS’85
Science and Technology (Archaeology)
Dr. Armand Salvador B. Mijares, AB’88; MA’95; DipArchae’97
Water Conservation and Sustainable Development
Engr. Francisco A. Arellano, BSChE’75
UPAA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR AN ALUMNUS OR ALUMNA
Ms. Ethel G. Rubio, CAD’86
UPAA DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR AN ALUMNI CHAPTER
UPAA in America, Inc.
UPAA MULTI-GENERATION UP ALUMNI FAMILY AWARDS
Three Generations:
Cariño Family
Papasin-Tapang Family
Pineda-Romero Family
Tumangan
Family
Turalba Family
Four Generation:
Uson Noel Family
The UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awards
Each year, the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) honors UP alumni who have pre-eminently distinguished themselves. The awards are based on the concept that “when the prestige of the alumni increases, the prestige of the institution is thereby increased.”
Conceived in 1933, the Awards began with the UPAA Gold Medal of Merit and the Diploma of Honor. Until 1938, only two UP alumni were chosen annually to receive the awards. The awards were suspended in 1939, and again in 1941 to 1946, due to World War II. However, in 1947, four alumni were posthumously awarded as war heroes.
As the University grew older, more and more UP alumni attained distinction. Thus, in 1957, the UPAA began giving awards in the different service categories. These are what we call today the UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awards. In addition, as the UPAA’s activities multiplied and it began calling on the assistance of some of its members, the UPAA Service Award was created in 1968.
For 2020, the first year of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the UPAA decided to give just one unprecedented collective award – the UPAA Most Distinguished Alumni Award – to all UP Health Frontliners all over the world, living and deceased, who heroically continued to serve in their various lines of work in the face of the hazards of contagion to their lives.
Giving awards to the alumni for outstanding achievements amounts to honoring the Alma Mater itself. May the annual UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awards continue to serve as an inspiration for all UP alumni, in the process heaping ever greater honors on the University.
UP Alumni receive the Teresa Awards for 2022
Written by Ylenette Reforzado
True to the ideals of Honor and Excellence, 11 of the 17 awardees of the prestigious Teresa Awards were also alumni of the University of the Philippines.
Recognized for their professionalism and contributions to the nation and society, the Theresians-turned-Iskolar ng Bayan received the Teresa Awards during the Saint Theresa’s College Quezon City (STCQC) Alumni Homecoming on January 29, 2022. The celebration titled, “Illumnate, 75 years of Theresian Brilliance” was held online, via Vimeo.
There is no doubt that most of the Teresa Awardees were also UP Alumni. During an interview with STC Alumni Association Director Annielu Dandan, she mentioned that, before a Theresian entered UP, she is already socially aware and well-grounded to be able to understand what life is, especially for those who are less fortunate. When they entered the university and eventually became UP alumnae, volunteerism has become part of their lives and helping others motivates them to be more active and fully engaged- not just in STC and UP- but in the society as well.
Director Dandan is also a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman. She finished Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) in 1985. When she was asked about her proudest moment as a Theresian-turned-Iska, Director Dandan proudly answered that, “…when I was able to finish my BSIE course in five years.” She also shared a fun memory during their college graduation at the College of Engineering lobby when their College Dean interacted with the graduates and guests, which made it a more intimate and touching event.
The Teresa Awards is the recognition given by STCQC Alumnae Association to Theresians who have made extraordinary contributions to society and who have been a constant blessing to their fellowmen while living a life of humility, integrity, and compassion as exemplified by the patron saint, Saint Teresa of Avila.
Let us celebrate these UP Alumni who were conferred the 2022 Teresa Awards for their remarkable accomplishments in their respective fields, as well as their selfless actions in touching many lives. Their selfless sacrifice like the quintessential symbol of the University, the Oblation, marks them as true Iskolars Para sa Bayan.
The following are the UP alumni who recipients of the Teresa’s Achievement Awards:
Elena Enriquez Pernia
Education and Communication
Elena E. Pernia obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the UP Institute of Mass Communication, which honored her with an Outstanding Alumnus Award in Communications Research in 1991. She has earned her Ph.D. in Communications from UP in 1993. Pernia has been a full-time faculty member of the College of Mass Communication since 1982. In line of her belief that, “Research worth doing is research worth showing,” Pernia is a teacher not only to students but also to communication and media professionals who want to improve themselves. She conducts trainings and workshops, publishes books, and even hosts programs in TVUP. In 2015, when the Annual National Communication Research Conference was held, she received the Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators and was the recipient of the Communication Excellence in Organizations (CEO) Awards. In 2018, while serving her second term as the Dean of College of Mass Communication, CHED recognized the College of Mass Communication as a Center of Excellence.
Pernia has been serving as the UP System Vice President for Public Affairs since January 2019. This position has allowed her to harness the knowledge, resources, and expertise of the UP community for the greater good of the country so that UP would be a Public Service University. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched the webinar series, Stop COVID Deaths in April 2020 to facilitate dissemination of emerging knowledge on the treatment and management of COVID-19 to the frontliners of our community.
Dr. Eufrosina Marina Angeles-Melendres
Science and Medicine
Dr. Eufrosina M. Angeles-Melendres graduated cum laude in Bachelor of Science in 1970 in UP Diliman and finished her Doctor of Medicine in 1974 in UP Manila. She is considered as the country’s first and foremost expert in Pediatric Hematology. She engaged herself in extracurricular activities with the objective of serving the less privileged. Dr. Angeles-Melendres has received several awards and citations in the UP College of Medicine for her outstanding achievement in teaching, research and publications, and service. She has devoted much of her medical career to government service. As a consultant of the UP PGH Pediatrics Hematology-Oncology, she has inspired other consultants and fellows of the Department to solicit donations from generous donors including Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Child Foundation, Shrine of Jesus, the Way the Truth and the Life, Miss World Philippines, and Santa Elena Construction. Their contributions were able to pool cancer patients to avail chemotherapy and radio therapy sessions. Cognizant to the increasing prevalence of hospital-acquired infections among cancer patients admitted in wards, she lobbied for the creation of a separate Hematology and Oncology unit of PGH. The creation of the unit resulted in the decrease of infections among the cancer patients in wards.
Engr. Rosario Soliman Calderon
National Development
Engineer Rosario S. Calderon is the only female graduate in BS Civil Engineering at UP Diliman in 1972. She then took her Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Public Administration in USA. While working in large companies in the US, she handled several projects in the Philippines including the Casecnan Irrigation and Hydroelectric Powerplant. As Senior Technical Energy Adviser for the US Agency for International Development, she led the development and implementation of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (AMORE), through which about five remote villages in the Southern Philippines were provided with electricity and portable water through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Calderon believes in giving back to the schools that have molded her. Aside from STCQC and the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, she also supports the program of the UP College of Engineering for Scholarships, Student well-being, Professorial Chairs and classroom upgrades. After meeting Gracia Burnham in a conference, Calderon started supporting the New Tribes Mission of the Philippines, Inc. which helps to provide education, spiritual formation, and livelihood opportunities for over 10,000 indigenous people all over the country.
Maria Sagrario Lim Floro
Gender and Development Economics
Maria Sagrario L. Floro graduated magna cum laude in UP Diliman with a BS in Business Economics in 1976. After four years, she went on a Stanford University fellowship, which led to a Ph.D. in Food Research. In 1988, she became Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics in the American University, Washington DC. In addition to teaching, Floro did research on topics close to her heart including Gender Equality, Unpaid and Care Work; and Equitable Development. Since these concepts have not been accepted on mainstream economics in the 1990s, her application for promotion tenure was not supported by the Department Chair and initially denied. Her students and colleagues rallied behind her, including her Harvard Professor who wrote letters of support. In 1996, the University President granted her tenure. By 2018, American University gave Floro the University Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Research.
She has done trailblazing work on the measurement of unpaid household and care work, which is mostly done by women, an invisible sector in economic statistics. During this time of pandemic, the economic evaluation of care work re-emerges as essential to fostering human well-being, social and environmental justice, and greater economic growth. She had worked closely to principal names in feminist economics, served as Board Member and Vice President for Development of International Association for Feminist Economics; and Associate Editor of its Flagship Journal Feminist Economics. Beyond all these advocacies, Floro’s most important role is being a mother to her daughter Maria, who wrote that, “despite hurtling challenges, my mother believed in my potential, even when I did not believe in myself”.
Prof. Janet “Jai” Sabas-Aracama
Arts
Prof. Janet Sabas-Aracama earned her Bachelor of Music in Choral Conducting in 1984 and Master of Music in Choral Conducting in 1992 in UP Diliman. Professor Sabas-Aracama, also called as “Teacher Jai” by many is a luminary in the field of music. She had her first piano lessons at the age of four and pursued the passion for the keyboard until high school, while also taking ballet lessons under the dance icon, Felicitas “Tita” Layag Radaic.
When she was currently a Professor in the College of Music, Department of the Conducting and Chorale Ensemble, she was a Soloist and Assistant Conductor at the UP Concert Chorus, until she was appointed as the Artistic Director and Conductor in 1999. Since 2000, Teacher Jai has led the Chorus in nine major international concerts in Europe, USA, and Asia, and has won several international choral competitions including the Grand Prix Award of the Cracovia Cantans in Krakow, Poland in 2015. Jai was recognized by the 2020 Aliw Award for Best Major Concert as a Musical Director of GILIW KOrus. She is also recognized twice by the University as UP Artist Rank II in 2011 and in 2020. Aside from these awards, teacher Jai is also a voice coach and mentor to many aspiring artists. She is a vocal coach and participant in shows such as GMA7’s Starstruck and The Clash. Jai has always believed that the talents are gifts from God meant to be used to serve her family, others, and in the process, glorify God.
Dr. Leticia Salvador Tojos
Social Development
Dr. Leticia S. Tojos obtained her BS in Social Work in 1971, Master in Social Work in 1977, and Doctor of Philosophy in Communication in 1999 at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Dr. Tojos is a Social Development Professional. She received the Gawad Chancellor Award in 1992, 1997, and 2005. Also in 2003, the Philippine Association of Social Workers recognized Dr. Tojos for her years of dedicated service.
She possesses an uncanny ability to identify underserved sectors of the society and utilize research and training capabilities to find solutions to the problems and challenges faced by these social groups. Dr. Tojos has promoted an alternative paradigm for older persons that could see them as active and rich in experiences rather than helpless and weak. This program was supported by Coalition of Services of the Elderly of DSWD. She has also spoken in preventing elder abuse, addressing inequality in her own backyard.
Dr. Tojos also conducted research that confirm the academic nature of the work being done by the UP Research Extension and Professional Staff (REPS). This lay the basis for upgrading the status, benefits, and privileges of REPS.
Teresa’s Light Awards
The Teresa’s Light Awards is given to recognize the Theresian’s missionary spirit for social justice, solidarity and peace, and contributions to promote a transformative society. The awardee nourishes a stimulating relationship with God, other people, nature, and herself. Get to know the life-changing stories of our Theresian Iska, and why they deserve to receive the Teresa’s Light Awards:
Ma. Teresa C. Isada-Gutierrez
Business and Industry
Ma. Teresa C. Isada-Gutierrez graduated Bachelor of Science in Business Economics in 1975 in UP Diliman. Being born to a large family, she learned to be mindful of others by putting their welfare before her own. Armed with a business economics degree from UP, Isada-Gutierrez started her career with LBC Express as head of the company’s International Division. Isada-Gutierrez, also known as “Techie” by her friends and colleagues, established LBC branches in different parts of the world, where there are many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). After leaving LBC in 1990, Techie set-up her own logistics firm, the ABest Express. Today, ABest has over 100 branches and 60 acceptance counters. It is a company proudly Filipino-owned and powered by female leaders holding their own in a male dominated industry.
Because of her entrepreneurial prowess, Techie was able to establish businesses that showcase the best products of the Philippines. She launched Promdi Deli and Promdi Kainan in Metro Manila malls which sold delicious delicacies from different provinces. She also set up Filmart stores in Vietnam and Cambodia that bring Filipino goodies to OFWs. Techie did not just build a company; she has built lives and inspired her co-workers to reach their full potential. Her secretary at LBC became the President and COO of LBC many years later. Her maid, whom she brought to Cambodia, is now the manager of a Filmart store in Phnom Penh. Techie has remained humble and forgiving. She inspires others including her three children to pray as if everything depended on God, but to work as if everything depended on them.
Ma. Isabelle Mangosing Besinga
Family Life and Parish Community Service
Ma. Isabelle M. Besinga graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in UP Diliman in 1972. Besinga faced many challenges early in life. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, a chronic auto immune disorder which affects the voluntary muscles of the body especially those that control the eyes, mouth, and limbs. But her condition did not deter her from pursuing her dreams. While she excelled in the corporate world for her undeniable skills for graphic design and advertising, she also helped to build the church of God both in the physical and family senses. Her husband who works in a banking industry helped them fund and build the Jesus, Lord of Divine Mercy Church in Mapayapa Village, Quezon City where they live. Through the Couples for Christ Chapter in their village, they help married couples renew their faith and strengthen their commitment to raise their families grounded in Gospel values. Besinga facilitated the Kasalang Bayan Program in their community and helped organize the Christian Life Program in nearby communities. She used her artistic talent and designed the coffee table books for the 25th Anniversary of Couples for Christ, and for the 100th Anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word in the Philippines.
However, after her numerous falls, she could no longer go to their church. Because of that, the Parish Priest asked her to make the Parish newsletter which later evolved into a prolife paper. Many people think that the greatest achievement of Besinga is bringing up three talented and creative daughters who have imbibed their mother’s faith, missionary spirit, and generosity in using their talents to serve and praise God. They are active in Kids for Christ, Singles for Christ, and currently, in Mission Families for Christ, and participate in the choir and Youth ministry in their parish.
Atty. Nonette S. Corcino-Mina
Parish and Community Service
Atty. Nonette S. Corcino-Mina graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1970 and finished Bachelor of Laws in 1975 in UP Diliman. She is a lawyer by profession, but her desire to serve God and the community was already evident when she was still a student in STCQC and UP. Her commitment to evangelization deepened when she became a leader of the Basic Ecclesio Communities in her parish in Las Piñas. The cancer prognosis of her mother in 1992 led her to her devotion to the Divine Mercy. To have a more flexible schedule, she went into private law practice in 1994 but resigned six years after to work in parish full time. In October 2001, she received the Outstanding Parishioner Award. Corcino-Mina participated in intensive training of the Divine Mercy Apostolate and joined the core group for their parish in 2009. She was later appointed as a Diocesan Lay Coordinator to oversee 24 parishes. They conduct training for The New Evangelization and Mercy (TNEM) for youth and adults. Their feeding program for the street children incorporates teaching of the values of cleanliness, discipline, studying, and keeping their dreams alive for a better future. She does not take credit for any of her accomplishments. Humility and great love for God make her a most suitable instrument in spreading God’s light and love to the world.
Dr. Cynthia S. Fernandez-Tan
Science and Medicine
Dr. Cynthia S. Fernandez Tan finished Bachelor of Science in 1976 in UP Diliman and Doctor of Medicine in 1980 in UP Manila. She has devoted both her professional and personal life in the service of the Lord. As a medical student, she volunteered for medical missions in underserved communities. Upon becoming a doctor specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, she could’ve chosen to migrate in USA or practice in high-earning private hospitals. However, Dr. Fernandez-Tan chose to stay in the Philippines and joined the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital and became its first Gynecologic Oncologist. As an active speaker of the Speaker’s Bureau of the Philippine Cancer Society, Dr. Fernandez-Tan promoted cancer prevention and early detection through community lectures and mobile clinics.
She also joined surgical missions organized by the Department of Health (DOH) to perform operations on indigent patients in remote communities. Dr. Fernandez-Tan worked in DOH’s training the trainers for the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Program to transform rural health units into competent birthing centers. In 2009, she helped the Philippines adopt WHO standards for Essential Intrapartum and Newborn Care (EINC) or Unang Yakap, which aims to make the birthing experience to have a more positive outcome for both the mother and child. Dr. Fernandez-Tan’s dedication to community service and outreach activities was recognized by the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society in 2015 and by the Philippine Society of Oncologist in 2019. Outside of her work as a doctor, Cynthia has taken the time to nurture her faith and family. She and her husband joined the Buklod ng Pag-ibig Community and led the group of couples in Bible Study and prayer. She also served in the Holy Spirit Parish Pastoral Council. Cynthia has been a loving and caring daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Ma. Angeles C. Guanzon-Lapeña
Education and Family Life
Ma. Angeles C. Guanzon-Lapeña graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1975 and Master of Arts in Psychology in 1983 in UP Diliman. She is considered as a guiding angel who helps the young people, whose lives she touched, to realize their full potential through education both inside and outside the classroom. While involved in a Psychology course in UP, she collaborated with her professors to indigenize the practice of Psychology. The later output is the Panukat ng Ugali at Pagkatao, an assessment tool which is used until today.
Guanzon-Lapeña later pursued a career in Education, teaching for more than three decades in premier Universities in the country. She promoted research geared towards improving the welfare of Filipino families. Her research led to her personal involvement with SOS Children’s Villages Philippines. She first joined as a consultant and later, as President of the Board of Trustees. SOS is a volunteer organization that provides family base parental care and for children who have offended or abandoned. During the pandemic, she has kept in touch with housemothers through zoom catchups. Guanzon-Lapeña has also been serving at the Senate of SOS international. After retiring from the academe in 2014, she joined the Phoenix Publishing House as the Chief Technical Advisor and Global Resources for Assessment Curriculum and Evaluation. Guanzon-Lapeña has since assumed the role of Director leading the Development of achievement-based assessments that are closely aligned with the learning competency set by the DepEd for the K-12 levels. She also initiated the formulation of battery assessments for entry into high school, senior high school, and college. Her activities have focused on mentorship and stewardship. She has done this unconditionally with the intention of sharing as much as she can with her colleagues as well as her three daughters. Guanzon-Lapeña is truly a living example of letting her light shine and being a blessing to others.
Photo credit: screenshots from Illuminate: 75 Years of Theresian Brilliance (St. Theresa’s College Quezon City Alumnae Homecoming 2022)
UPLB researchers recognized in 2021 Hitachi Award
Agricultural sustainability is possibly the most important global issue today. As the world population grows and the effects of climate change worsen, the struggle for global food security grows ever more difficult.
It is thus no surprise that scientists and researchers who provide solutions to this critical issue are being given due recognition for their work and accomplishments.
One of these is Dr. Virginia C. Cuevas, a recipient of the 2021 Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award. Dr. Cuevas and colleagues Dr. Charina Gracia B. Banaay and Dr. Alfredo M. Sinohin, garnered the Encouragement Award for the research “Trichoderma Technology for Sustainable Agriculture.”
Dr. Cuevas is a professor emeritus of UPLB. She was a faculty member at the Institute of Biological Sciences of the College of Arts and Sciences (IBS-CAS). Dr. Banaay teaches at IBS-CAS while Dr. Sinohin teaches at the College of Agriculture and Food Science.
Trichoderma Technology or TT has two components, both based on different species of the fungus Trichoderma. One component activates the rapid decomposition of agricultural waste, converting crop residue into compost. The other component is a “3-in-1” inoculant which serves as a biofertilizer, biocontrol for crop diseases, and promoter of crop growth.
Used properly, TT increases crop yield, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, protects crops from disease and pests, and improves soil resiliency and soil health.
“As a plant ecologist, I strongly believe in this tenet – natural systems like the forests are productive, self-regulating, and self-sustaining.” said Dr. Cuevas. “Therefore, the basic question that I posed when I embarked on the research that led to the development of this technology is this: what attributes can man copy from natural ecosystems and transfer or mimic in the agroecosystem to make the latter sustainable? My answers are two: efficient nutrient cycling and population regulation through biotic interactions.”
Through her research, Dr. Cuevas found that different species of Trichoderma are capable of these two key attributes. She laid the foundation for the basic research on Trichoderma and its properties in 1980, working on isolating, identifying, and screening Trichoderma species and strains.
Field trials for the rapid composting activator were conducted by 1986, and the technology matured by 1989. Basic research for the 3-in-1 inoculant began in 1993, followed by field trials and the technology’s maturation by 2005. UPLB patented it in 2008 and it was commercialized the same year.
However, Dr. Cuevas and her colleagues continued to engage in research and development to further refine various applications of Trichoderma until the present time – evidenced by the more than 10 ISI-publication articles on TT.
At present, TT can be found commercially under the name BioSpark Trichoderma Microbial Inoculant Organic Fertilizer. It is in the process of being further disseminated and introduced to farmers all around the Philippines. Dr. Cuevas is hopeful that with the involvement of SUCs and LGUs, TT can eventually be extended to every Filipino farmer.
The Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award is an award program that recognizes individuals and groups from the ASEAN whose outstanding achievements in science and technology research and development significantly contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
For 2021, research achievements from 21 universities and research institutes from 6 ASEAN Countries were solicited, specifically those contributing to the targets of Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and Goal 15 (Life on Land). (Albert Geoffred B. Peralta)
Source: https://uplb.edu.ph/all-news/uplb-researchers-recognized-in-2021-hitachi-award/
NRCP honors former UPDIO director, 3 others from UPD
Benito V. Sanvictores Jr. – Diliman Information Office
Former UP Diliman Information Office (UPDIO) director Prof. Sir Anril P. Tiatco, PhD and Prof. Allan Gil S. Fernando, PhD of the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) are among the eight recipients of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) 2021 Achievement Award.
Tiatco will be honored for his contributions to the field of humanities, while Fernando will be honored for his contributions to the field of earth and space sciences.
The NRCP Achievement Award is given annually in recognition of the members’ outstanding contribution to the fields of natural sciences, health sciences, engineering, industry, social sciences, humanities, or other human endeavors.
Tiatco is the chair of the College of Arts and Letters Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts (CAL-DSCTA), and is the lead proponent of DSCTA’s PhD in performance studies, the first of its kind in the country. Tiatco was UPDIO director from April 2014 to July 2021 and was among those given the 2021 UPD Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Guro.
Meanwhile, Fernando is the co-head of the NIGS Nannoworks Laboratory and was the former NIGS deputy director of academic affairs. Fernando is editor-in-chief of the “Journal of the Geological Society of the Philippines,” and a member of the Paleontological Society of the Philippines, which he once served as its officer.
Member Emeritus. Also to be honored are Professor Emeritus Apolonio B. Chua of the CAL Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature and Sec. Fortunato T. De La Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Both are set to be conferred the title, member emeritus — Chua for Division IX – Humanities, and De La Peña for Division VII – engineering and industrial research.
Chua is the 2015 UPD Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Mananaliksik sa Filipino, while De La Peña, who was a faculty member of the College of Engineering was among UP’s 100 Outstanding Alumni Engineers.
The four, along with the other awardees, will be formally awarded at the NRCP virtual Annual Scientific Conference and 89th General Membership Assembly (GMA), which bears the theme, “Digital Transformation in Research: Powers and Perils,” on March 15, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A book launch and technical poster exhibit and competition will also be held during the 89th GMA.
Source: https://upd.edu.ph/nrcp-honors-former-updio-director-3-others-from-upd/