A Filipina scholar in Japan who recently completed her PhD studies will soon be mapping seagrasses in the Philippines using remote sensing technology.
Ayin Tamondong, an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, earned her doctorate degree in Global Engineering for Development, Environment, and Society at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
According to a press release, seagrass refers to “unique marine flowering plants that grow in shallow coastal waters.” These serve as shelter areas for marine fauna such as sea cows (dugong) and turtles.
“Seagrass beds in the Philippines and in the world are among natural resources under thread by multiple human-induced stress and there is lack of effective conservation and management solutions for them,” Tamondong said.
“Using quantitative predictions from remote sensing technology can help us update information on our seagrass coverage, density, and species composition, and consequently, manage our natural resources and develop long-term conservation plans,” she added.
Under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) scholarship program, Tamondong’s research is part of the Comprehensive Assessment and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems and their Services in the Coral Triangle or BlueCARES.
“Seagrasses are part of the blue carbon ecosystem that has been identified as a possible solution to mitigate climate change risks because they sequester and store carbon better than terrestrial plants,” she said.
Tamondong will lead the nationwide efforts to map seagrasses in the country once she returns from Japan.
—MGP, GMA News
Source: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/science/839846/pinay-scholar-in-japan-to-map-seagrass-in-the-philippines-to-aid-conservation-climate-change-resilience/story/
News & Announcements
UP-Mindanao produces second summa cum laude
by Manuel Cayon
DAVAO CITY—In its 27th year, the University of the Philippines-Mindanao was able to produce another summa cum laude graduate.
Klarisse Cruzado from the Bachelor of Science in Food Technology program became the university’s second Latin honors graduate, just three years since the university first had one.
A Cotabato City resident, Cruzado also generated the highest cumulative weighted-average grade of 1.0612, which set a record. It topped previous summa cum laude Pete Maverick Nicole Estudillo’s 1.1971, who was also from the program.
Cruzado led the 2022 graduating class during the constituent unit’s 24th Commencement Exercises on July 19, at its campus in Mintal. The biggest challenge for her during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 was “the loss of boundaries, routines, and privacy” as she was studying. She said it was about her struggles with online classes, including deadlines, unstable Internet connectivity, as well as the blurring of boundaries between school work and domestic situations.
In her valedictory address, the honoree shared that she fortunately overcame these struggles with the support of her friends and family by remembering her motivations, and by staying disciplined. She mentioned the importance of being surrounded by people who support and encourage her.
“Through our hearts, we can also extend that same benevolence to others, especially those in need,” she said.
Despite conflicting feelings about graduating and worrying about the next step in her life, Cruzado cherished her major lessons.
“You are not alone,” she stated, saying that people who went through the same struggles and experiences were present to encourage and motivate her.
According to the top graduate, character-building was another lesson: “The exhilarating joy of achievements is only temporary, while a person’s character will remain the same. The people we encounter will remember our kindness, compassion, and generosity.”
Cruzado was a member of the Philippine Association of Food Technologists-Lambda Chapter, UP Dance Ensemble, and a group called “The Smuggled Ones.”
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/07/30/up-mindanao-produces-second-summa-cum-laude/
UP Alumni Association visits Iloilo and Antique Chapters
UP Alumni Association visits Iloilo and Antique Chapters
The University of the Philippines Alumni Association Board of Directors (UPAA BOD) went to the Visayas last July 14 to 17, 2022 for its July Board Meeting and Chapters visit.
The board meeting was held on July 15, 2022 at the UP Visayas College of Management Building and was streamed via Zoom.
Present at UP Visayas (UPV) during the meeting were a number of UPAA Directors headed by UPAA President Reynaldo C. Laserna, UP Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and UP System Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) Director Maria Angelica D. Abad, UPV Chancellor Clement C. Camposano, UPV OAR Director Rey Carlo T. Gonzales, UPV Office of Student Affairs Director Agustin G. Huyong, UPAA Iloilo Chapter Director Junel Anne Divinagracia and Immediate Past President Dennis Guevara, on behalf of UPAAIC President John Evaristo Cañonero, UPAA and UPV OAR staff. Attending online were officers from UPAA Capiz Chapter, among others.
Agenda included Kaagapay sa Pag-aaral, a support drive for UP students, as presented by UPAA Director Roel Castro. Director Huyong and a Kaagapay student-recipient gave their response.
Reports and updates were delivered by different association and chapter officers including UP Geology Alumni Association, Dir Gonzales for UPAA Iloilo Chapter & UPV OAR, and AVP Abad for UP OAR.
UPAA met with the UPAA Antique Chapter on July 16, 2022. The meeting was held at the Advance Central College in San Jose, Antique. Present were the UPAA BOD, AVP Abad, UPAA Antique Chapter President Nicolasito Calawag, Directors Saredith Sola, Lumen Marie Rose Quanico, Primrose Zamora, Femie Embanecido, and Rani Rodriguez, and UPAA and UPV OAR staff.
These activities are part of UPAA’s provincial visit to Panay which included meetings with the various UPAA regional chapters, local government units, and UPV.
Please visit the UPV OAR Facebook page for more pictures
Source: UPV Office of Alumni Relations Facebook
Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Baguio is calling for donations for those affected by the earthquake in northern Luzon
📣📣📣 CALL FOR DONATIONS 📣📣📣
The Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Baguio asks for financial donations for affected families and communities of the earthquake today, 27 July 2022.
Bank: BPI
Bank Branch: Baguio Burnham Branch
Bank Account Name: UPCB Educational Foundation Inc
Bank Account Number: 0560 0126 24
Paypal Account: [email protected]
Please send proof of donation (screenshot of bank transfer/picture of deposit slip, etc.) to [email protected] for liquidation and accountability purposes. Please also include name/s of donor/s in the body of the email.
For other kinds of assistance, please message our page to coordinate.
Maraming salamat po! Ingat lagi!
University of the Philippines Baguio
📸 BFP La Trinidad, Cong. Menchie Bernos
Source: Ugnayan ng Pahinungód Baguio Facebook
Davao alumni presents certificate of appreciation to UP President for promoting a strong and resilient alumni collaboration with UP Mindanao as it fulfills its vital role in the growth and development of Mindanao
Davao alumni present a certificate of appreciation to UP President Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion (third from left) on July 18, 2022, in Davao City, “for promoting a strong and resilient alumni collaboration with UP Mindanao as it fulfills its vital role in the growth and development of Mindanao.”
Presenting the certificate are (left-right) Pedro “Bogs” Quitain III and Nap Concepcion, president and chairperson, respectively, of UP Alumni Association Davao, and Sebastian “Angie” Angliongto and Atty. Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes, chairperson and president, respectively, of the UP Mindanao Foundation.
Source: University of the Philippines Mindanao Facebook
1 summa, 80 others graduate with Latin honors in UP Min’s face-to-face graduation rites
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 July) – Class 2022 of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao (UPMin) produced a summa cum laude and 80 other graduates with Latin honors as announced during its first face-to-face commencement ceremony since the pandemic on Tuesday morning.
The graduation ceremony at UPMin’s Mintal campus here was attended by three batches, including those from 2020 (88 graduates) and 2021 (38) when no gatherings were allowed. Class of 2022 has 143 graduates.
Class valedictorian is Klarisse A. Cruzado, summa cum laude, from the BS Food Technology program. She scored a cumulative weighted average of 1.0612, the highest ever in UPMin.
Class 2022 has 18 magna cum laudes and 62 cum laudes.
Cruzado said in her speech that her biggest challenge during the pandemic was the loss of boundaries, routines, and privacy as she was studying her courses. She added that she struggled with online classes, including deadlines, unstable internet connectivity, and the blurring of boundaries between school work and domestic situations.
Henri Robert Bungabong, cum laude and graduate of BA Communication and Media Arts, shares the same views.
“Everything academic related became exponentially more difficult not just because of the transition to an online setup, but because of the absence of a support system that helped keep all of us going. All the things we had to go through, we’ve gone through alone and I think that’s what’s most difficult of all,” he told MindaNews in an interview.
But Maya Miclat, magna cum laude from the same program, had a different experience, with friends helping out, albeit virtually. “Buti na lang my blockmates were there. Super solid support system kasi they won’t think twice to help you in any way they can,” she said.
But Bungabong said the face-to-face graduation ceremony changed everything. “To see all our struggles be validated and be concluded by a face-to-face graduation literally took all the weight of the struggles of online class away. We were comforted, and we finally saw the friends and classmates we were longing to be with in college, especially for those who come from faraway areas like me,” said the Manilenyo.
Cruzado was the second summa from the BS Food Technology program. Three years earlier, Pete Maverick Nicole Estudillo became UPMin’s first summa cum laude.
Cruzado was able to balance her academics with her extracurricular activities while in college. She served as an active member of the Philippine Association of Food Technologists (PAFT)-Lambda Chapter, UP Dance Ensemble, and The Smuggled Ones (SMUGS) and even assumed leadership roles. (Veda Sachi C. Daliling / MindaNews intern)
Source: https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2022/07/1-summa-80-others-graduate-with-latin-honors-in-up-mins-face-to-face-graduation-rites/
Scenes during the Bisikleta Pa-Eskwela event of the UPAA Iloilo
Scenes during the Bisikleta Pa-Eskwela event of the UP Alumni Association Iloilo, Inc. that happened earlier today at the Iloilo City Campus.
Source: University of the Philippines Visayas Facebook
Nomination for the UPV Outstanding Professional Awards 2022
Nomination is now open for the UPV Outstanding Professional Awards 2022.
UPAA Iloilo Chapter will give recognition to this year’s outstanding alumni jubilarians in various fields.
Nomination forms are available here: https://bit.ly/UPV-Alumni-Awards-2022.
Deadline for submission of nominations is on August 1, 2022.
Awarding will be held in the Homecoming Dinner and Awards Night on August 21, 2022, at the Iloilo Convention Center.
For more information contact the Chairman of the Alumni Awards, Atty. John Nuñez (09173009121), UPAAIC ([email protected]) or UPV OAR (033 3368837).
Source: UPV Office of Alumni Relations Facebook
Call for Content Contributors and Volunteers for the 50 years of UP Tacloban
Call for Content Contributors and Volunteers for the 50 years of UP Tacloban
The University of the Philippines (UP) Tacloban is celebrating its 50th Founding Anniversary on 23 May 2023. As part of the celebration, the College is launching a series of activities starting in July 2022.
We are calling on our alumni and current students to contribute content and volunteer for UP Tacloban’s 50th Founding Anniversary celebration.
Alumni can contribute through the following projects (you can join one or both):
1. Alumni Fridays presents Throwback UP Tac – Alumni Fridays will be launched as a new program on Bátì UP Tacloban (https://www.facebook.com/BatiUPTacloban). Its pilot series is “Throwback UP Tac”, a series of online videos featuring our alumni. The series will run from July 2022 to May 2023.
2. Participative Online Photo Exhibit – This is a collaborative project of photographs featuring the campus and activities on campus at different points in our history as an institution. If you have any photographs or memorabilia that can be photographed, they will be valuable contributions to the UP Tacloban history archive.
If you would like to contribute content, please accomplish this form: https://forms.gle/pC3z7wMMsYvYyTWeA
Our current students can volunteer for the production teams. Volunteers will help put the productions together and coordinate with participants for the entire celebration.
If you would like to volunteer, please accomplish this form: https://forms.gle/Aagy5wWo4xsd41Qe7
If you have questions, send us a message or email at [email protected].
Source: UPV Tacloban College Facebook
“Tulong Mo, Kinabukasan Ko” UPAA Raffle Fundraiser Project
E-RAFFLE FOR A CAUSE
Since its founding in 1913, the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) has committed to its ideals of Honor and Excellence, Service and Leadership, and sought to promote unity, loyalty, and nation-building among its graduates through its various projects, including those that aim to help our scholars in need.
In support of the university’s scholars, the UPAA presents “Tulong Mo, Kinabukasan Ko,” a raffle fundraiser project for the benefit of the UP Kaagapay sa Pag-aaral ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan.
Join our cause and get a chance to win incredible prizes, such as a Toyota Innova, a scooter, or a laptop or tablet. Each ticket comes with a free UP Fighting Maroons T-shirt. See complete mechanics below:
1. Each ticket is sold at Php 1,500 and comes with a free UP T-shirt. 1 ticket = 1 raffle entry.
2. Avail your raffle tickets at the UPAA Office or via https://upaaraffle.com
3. There are no limits as to how many raffle tickets an individual can purchase.
4. The draw date will be in November during the alumni homecoming via integrated Tambiolo draw. There will also be live streaming of the draw on the social media sites of the UPAA.
Your support will be greatly appreciated!
Source: UPAA Secretariat Facebook