The University of the Philippines Tacloban College proudly congratulates the 15 remarkable individuals who have excelled in the Licensure Examination for Certified Public Accountants (LECPA) Sept-Oct 2023.
Heartfelt congratulations to our Topnotchers:
No. 1: Allaine B. Collamar, CPA
No. 7: Aira Nicole A. Sabornido, CPA
A resounding applause also goes to our accomplished passers:
Roxelle Joy O. Abaloyan, CPA
Cruxzelle V. Bajo, CPA
Angela Milvie N. Bucu, CPA
Alfonso B. Busa Jr., CPA
Princess Nicole M. Chua, CPA
John Paulo N. Gabica, CPA
Kobe S. Maestre, CPA
Ma. Jessa Mae A. Nuevas, CPA
Nicole Kyla Marie S. Ricaplaza, CPA
Deniel Jeffrey I. Tajo, CPA
April Rose A. Tisado, CPA
Maebyl U. Turija, CPA
Elizabeth L. Zamora, CPA
With an overall passing rate of 75%, these graduates exemplify the unwavering commitment to academic excellence that defines UP Tacloban College.
Your dedication has brought honor not only to yourselves but to the entire UP community. The university community takes immense pride in your accomplishments, and we look forward to witnessing your continued success! Padayon, CPAs para sa Bayan!
Source: UP Tacloban College – Division of Management Facebook
Alumni Milestones
UPV alumna appointed as Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals
Ms. GT Mabilog
UP Visayas (UPV) alumna Justice Ma. Consejo Mapa Gengos-Ignalaga was appointed Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals (CA) last 27 September 2023 after taking her oath before Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo at the Supreme Court En Banc Session Hall. The newly appointed Associate Justice is filling the post previously occupied by Associate Justice Manuel M. Barrios, who retired last 29 November 2022.
During her oath taking, Associate Justice Gengos-Ignalaga was joined by her husband Atty. Francisco ‘Boots’ Ignalaga Jr., who also started his college education at UPV. Also present were their children Franz and Frankie.
Associate Justice Gengos-Ignalaga belongs to UP High School in Iloilo Class 1985. She studied BA Political Science in UPV from 1985 to 1987 until she shifted to BA History in UP Diliman in 1987. She completed her Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Iloilo – College of Law in 1994. A year later, she was admitted to the Philippine Bar.
From 2022 to 2011, Associate Justice Gengos-Ignalaga served as the Presiding Judge of the Municipal Trial Court of Cities of Antipolo City. In 2011, she became the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court in Antipolo City until her recent appointment to the CA. (With sources from the Supreme Court)
Source: https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/upv-alumna-appointed-as-associate-justice-of-the-court-of-appeals
UP Diliman grad tops October 2023 Metallurgical Engineering board exam
MANILA — The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Monday that 39 out of 64 passed the Metallurgical Engineering Licensure Examination given this month.
Aaron Dave Tabuzo Tomas from the University of the Philippines Diliman topped the metallurgical engineer boards with an 87.95 percent score rating.
Andre Victor Puyo Suarez and Sarah Marcelin Madrasto Evasco, also from UP Diliman, ranked second and third, respectively, with a rating of 86.65 percent and 85.15 percent.
Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/09/23/up-diliman-grad-tops-oct-2023-metallurgical-engineering-board-exam
UP scientists make composite flowers to fight cancer-causing dyes
Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) have simplified the process of making microscopic composite flowers that can neutralize the highly carcinogenic azo dyes widely used in food, clothes, and medicines.
Azo dyes are synthetic colorants that come in a variety of vivid colors, including red, orange, and yellow. They were commonly used in everything from denim and leather to soft drinks and jams. However, it was discovered that some azo dyes are closely linked to bladder cancer. Moreover, the regulated use and safe disposal of these carcinogenic azo dyes remain a global concern.
A new material that may help to safely degrade azo dyes was recently investigated by Enrico Daniel R. Legaspi, Prof. Michelle D. Regulacio, and Leila Andrea E. Pineda from the Institute of Chemistry (UPD-CS IC); Luce Vida A. Sayson of the Material Science and Engineering Program (UPD-CS MSEP); and colleagues from Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR).
The nanocomposite material exhibits a flower-like structure, each just around 50 nanometers in diameter or less than half the width of a human hair, with a gold (Au) center surrounded by petal-like copper oxide (Cu2O) crystals. It was found that this configuration greatly enhances Cu2O’s ability to catalyze the breakdown of azo dyes into harmless chemicals.
The researchers said that this is the first time that this flower-like configuration has been synthesized in a single manufacturing setup, thereby paving the way for easier and more affordable production.
“The one-pot synthesis protocol presented in this work is a more straightforward and less laborious approach that does not require a separate pre-synthesis step. Furthermore, the synthesis can be conveniently performed at ambient conditions using nontoxic reagents,” the researchers explained in their paper.
“The uniquely designed Au-Cu2O nanoflowers were found to effectively catalyze the borohydride-mediated degradation of synthetic azo dyes. The hybrid exhibited superior catalytic activity relative to pristine Cu2O, underscoring the significance of creating a nanocomposite,” they added.
For interview requests and other concerns, please contact [email protected].
References:
Legaspi, E. D. R., Regulacio, M. D., Pineda, L. A. E., Sayson, L. V. A., Jiang, W., Heng, J. Z. X., Wu, W., & Ye, E. (2023). Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Uniquely Designed Au−Cu2O Nanocomposites for Effective Catalytic Degradation of Azo Dyes. ChemistrySelect, 8(25), e202300904. https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202300904
UP honors its 77 UP Scientists
Written by Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta
A total of 77 UP faculty members were appointed “UP Scientist” during the 1381st meeting of the UP Board of Regents (BOR) on May 25, 2023, comprising Batch 2022-2024 of the UP Scientific Productivity System (SPS). Of the 77, 22 are from UP Diliman, 33 from UPLB, 18 from UP Manila, and two each from UP Mindanao and UP Visayas.
Watch the streaming video of the ceremony here
The UP SPS was established by the UP BOR in August 2005 to support the development of science and technology and to encourage and reward scientific productivity in UP.
According to the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the University has been supporting its scientists through the provision of research funds and by honoring with the “UP Scientist” Award those who have distinguished themselves in their specialized disciplines. The Award bestows not just esteemed recognition but also material incentives and a conducive environment that fosters advanced scientific productivity for national development.
Since the inception of the UP SPS, the University has issued 774 appointments to the UP Scientist ranks—with scientists meeting the requirements of the ranks retaining or improving their ranks.
The event was attended by officials of the UP System, including UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo Cubillan, Vice President for Public Affairs Roland Tolentino, and chancellors of the UP constituent units—UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Vistan, UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho, National Scientist and UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla, UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao, and UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano.
UP Tops Social Work Board Exams
Graduates from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) have again led the successful examinees of the Social Worker Licensure Examination administered by the Board for Social Workers this September 2023.
Patricia Marie Regalado Imperial topped the examination with an 88.60% rating. Other UP CSWCD graduates who join Imperial in the top ten are the following: Quennie Anne Cabalfin Umadhay (Top 2 with 87.20%) and Maria Theresa Dacanay Lucas (Top 4 with 86.60%).
UPD has consistently maintained its 100% passing rate in the Social Worker Licensure Examination.
Congratulations to all who passed the Social Work Licensure Exam! Your CSWCD Family is very proud of you all!
Source: https://cswcd.upd.edu.ph/up-tops-social-work-board-exams-3/
PH archaeologist, educator named finalists at Global Australian awards
By Bernadette E. Tamayo
TWO Filipinos have been chosen as finalists at the 2023 Global Australian Awards for their “significant work” in their respective fields, the Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu said.
“I am extremely proud of our Filipino Australia Global Alumni Dr. Armand Mijares and Professor Abelardo David Jr. who were recently recognized as Game Changers,” Yu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The ambassador on Monday said Mijares is “a renowned Filipino archaeologist who led the team that discovered Homo Luzonensis.”
Abelardo has “dedicated his career to create inclusive education and development opportunities for Filipino youth with disabilities,” Yu added.
According to advance.org, the Global Australian Awards recognize global Australians – including Australians living and working overseas, international alumni of Australian universities, and recent migrants to Australia “who are innovating in their field and shaping the world.”
Mijares, a professor of Archaeology at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, specializes in early human migration from Africa to Southeast Asia, advance.org said.
He took his doctorate degree in Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology at the Australian National University in 2002.
Mijares gained global recognition in 2019 after he and his team discovered the bones of two adults and a child during multiple archaeological digs in Callao Cave, from a previously unknown human-related species now called Homo Luzonensis.
Through uranium-series dating, the bones were found to be 50,000 to 67,000 years old – making them the “earliest human remains to be discovered in the Philippines,” advance.org said.
David is an occupational therapist and educator who has dedicated his career to creating inclusive education and development opportunities for “differently-abled children across the Philippines,” advance.org said.
Widely known as “Teacher Archie,” he has founded organizations aimed at driving accessible and inclusive health, education and livelihood programs for marginalised communities, it added.
He started his career studying Occupational Therapy at UP. During his internships, he discovered his passion for working with children with developmental conditions such as autism, down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
After graduating, he started teaching at UP, before travelling to Australia to undertake a Masters degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Queensland.
Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/09/19/news/ph-archaeologist-educator-named-finalists-at-global-australian-awards
UPD gets 8th straight 100% passing in licensure exam for mining engineers
Anna Regidor – Diliman Information Office
Every examinee fielded by the Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering (DMMME) of the UP Diliman (UPD) College of Engineering (COE) for the August 2023 Mining Engineers Licensure Examination passed, making it the eighth straight year that UPD has attained a 100% passing rate in said exam.
While no one landed in top 10, the University has been posting a 100% passing rate since 2016. The last to occupy first place among the passers was John Martin Cirio in 2022.
UPD also ranked first among the three top-performing schools, the only one of them to have a 100% passing rate. An institution must have fielded five or more examinees and gained at least an 80% passing rate to qualify as a top-performing school.
According to the Professional Regulation Commission, 242 of 351 examinees passed the examination that was held in the National Capital Region, Baguio, Butuan, Cebu, Davao, and Legazpi.
UP Professor first Filipino to complete international course on the Conservation of Modern Heritage at the Getty Conservation Institute
Congratulations to Prof. Gerard Lico, PhD for being the first Filipino to complete the International Course on the Conservation of Modern Heritage at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles, California, held from May to August of 2023.
The course was participated by 26 professionals and scholars, chosen from more than 80 applicants from all over the world. It covers a broad range of contemporary issues that professionals face in the conservation of modern heritage, from theoretical and methodological issues to the technical aspects of materials conservation.
Your UP CA family is proud of you!
Source: UP Diliman College of Architecture Facebook
Exchange program with University of the Philippines pays dividends
Four graduate students from the Philippines received their doctoral hoods during the Henry M. Rowan College’s Commencement ceremony in May, part of the college’s record-high number of Ph.D. graduates this spring.
Their accomplishments in biomedical, civil, mechanical and chemical engineering can be traced back to a successful student exchange program established in 2015 between the college and the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), a noted leader in engineering education.
Initiated by Isabelita “Lita” Marcelo Abele, CEO and president of U.S. Lumber in Woodbury Heights and a Rowan University trustee from 2012 through 2021, the five-year program provided students and faculty at both schools with an opportunity to study, research and work at the other.
Abele, a native of the Philippines, built connections between Rowan administrators and the Philippine Consulate in New York City. Consul General Mario Lopez DeLeon and Consul Deputy General Zaldy Patron arranged visits for Rowan leaders to the Philippines and for UPD administrators to Rowan.
“They were very interested in what we are accomplishing at Rowan, including work in biomedical engineering, water resources, disaster response and environmental engineering,” said Provost Tony Lowman, who was dean of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering at the time.
Each university agreed to send two students a year to the other. Faculty exchanges followed.
The initiative exceeded expectations and created a pipeline of graduate students even outside the original exchange program, Lowman noted.
“It’s truly gratifying to witness the flow of ideas and research between our two universities,” Lowman said. “We’re looking forward to expanding such programming in the future.”
Abele’s personal connections created a warm and welcoming community for Rowan’s Filipino students, whether or not they are part of the exchange program. This spring, Abele was there to witness the newest engineering graduates receive their doctoral hoods.
“I’m doing this as my legacy,” said Abele, a former teacher who left the Philippines to work in domestic service before marrying and becoming a successful business owner. “I am their mother here. They are like my children.”
Paolo Rommel Sanchez, a faculty member at UPD, received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. He focused his research on precision agriculture through robotics, with plans to teach agricultural and biosystems engineering in UPD’s machinery division.
“The program was very open for me to take the courses I needed for my dissertation,” Sanchez noted. “Rowan was very helpful and the policies are open enough that it allowed me to take programs from other disciplines.”
Kirstene Gultian Giddings came to the United States in 2018 to earn her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. A senior scientist at GSK (formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline), she supports a team that creates drugs to treat HIV and renal disease. At Rowan, she found opportunities to volunteer, research and become part of a community led by a woman she fondly calls “Tita Lita” (or “Aunt Lita”).
“Tita Lita helped me transition to the U.S.,” Giddings said. “(She) helped me buy my first calculator and my books … that brought me far.”
Jasmine Vasquez, who teaches classes in the Experiential Engineering Education Department, received her Ph.D. in materials science and engineering after working with Joseph Stanzione, Ph.D., director of the Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Institute.
The University of the Philippines sent Ariel Aragoncillo to Rowan for his Ph.D. in civil engineering. He focused his research on recycled concrete aggregates. Of Abele, Aragoncillo said, “she’s really our ‘Tita.’ I’m very thankful.”
Source: https://today.rowan.edu/news/2023/09/exchange-program-with-university-of-the-philippines-pays-dividends.html