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UP Mindanao/ PGC Mindanao to help establish Davao de Oro COVID-19 testing facility

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao will help set up another COVID-19 testing facility, this time in Davao de Oro province, through a memorandum of agreement with the Davao de Oro Provincial Government and the Department of Science and Technology Region XI that was signed on 22 June 2020 at the Provincial Capitol in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro.

UP Mindanao Chancellor Larry Digal, Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, and DOST XI Assistant Regional Director Kenneth Barroga signed on behalf of their government institutions. Philippine Genome Center Mindanao Director Dr. Lyre Anni Murao and Davao de Oro Chief of Hospitals Dr. Ferdinand Anthony Soberano were witnesses to the agreement.

The facility, to be set up in the Provincial Hospital in Montevista town, will be used to test patients, frontline workers, and other individuals who need testing for COVID-19, upon being accredited by the Department of Health (DOH). The services can also be extended to nearby provinces, even outside Davao de Oro province. The facility can also serve as a surveillance and research center for other infectious diseases.

Chancellor Digal said, "Thank you, Governor Uy, and your team for giving UP Mindanao the opportunity to help you against COVID-19. It is a good opportunity to share the commitment of UP Mindanao and the expertise of Dr. Lyre Murao and her team of the Philippine Genome Center Mindanao, and to partner with the DOST, the funding agency of PGC."

ARD Barroga described the Davao de Oro leadership as “agile and innovative” in responding to the needs of its people and offered the DOST regional health council, which can fund projects “not just for COVID-19 but other infectious diseases, as well,” he said.

Governor Uy said it was timely that UP and DOST came in when President Duterte gave the Bayanihan funds for the province. “It’s one less worry, and hopefully, the COVID-19 facility will be up and running by August,” he said.

UP Mindanao, through the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) Mindanao, also lent its expertise for a COVID-19 testing facility in Tagum City on 19 May 2020 and provided training for the personnel. UP Mindanao also entered into a strategic partnership with the Southern Philippines Medical Center on 26 May 2020 to train personnel who will operate other COVID-19 testing facilities in Mindanao. The PGC Mindanao is the training arm of the UP-DOH collaboration for COVID-19.

Similarly, UP Mindanao will provide training in molecular diagnostics and biosafety for personnel who will operate the Davao de Oro facility. Also, UP Mindanao will help design the facility following DOH guidelines, develop a manual of operations, and give technical assistance in the DOH accreditation process. It will provide consultancy services for technical issues that may arise during regular operations of the facility, and formulate programs for the expanded use of the facility in infectious disease surveillance and research.

The DOST XI, for its part, will provide financial support for the training of personnel for the facility.

The Provincial Government will design and construct the facility, select and procure the laboratory supply and equipment to be used in the facility, apply and ensure DOH approval of the facility, and serve as the fund manager. It will spearhead the sample collection and storage, and take charge of the facility’s maintenance and operation.

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UPCAT qualifiers urged to confirm

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) strongly encourages UPCAT qualifiers to confirm their acceptance of the offer of free tertiary education by 30 June 2020. The official results were released online last 30 May 2020, while the confirmation period began on June 3.

In a radio interview, UP Mindanao Registrar Prof. John B. Bengan said, “We wish that everyone who received an offer will proceed to study in UP, and to avail of free tuition.”

The applicants may confirm through the online web sites https://upcat.up.edu.ph or https://upcatonline.up.edu.ph by logging in using the same email address and password that they used during their application process. Applicants who encounter problems with their login credentials may send an e-mail to .

Confirmation for enrollment in the first semester is from 6 – 31 July 2020. To secure their admission to UP Mindanao, the qualifiers must send an email to . For those who intend to study in UP Mindanao but may decide to do so by next year, the qualifier can opt for deferment of enrollment. They will be assured of the slot the next academic year (or next semester).

The appeals for admission to UP Mindanao, however, will be accommodated from July 6 to August 15, 2020. Appeals for admission requires that the UP Predicted Grade (UPG) is 2.800 or better.

Freshmen Registration is on the 2nd week of August 2020 to give time for students coming from outside Davao region. Online registration is being prepared. In addition, the UP System is also exploring the possibility of remote learning alternatives due to the COVID 19 concerns.

“While we hope to return to some semblance of normality in the coming semester, we are preparing for the new learning environment, with consideration for those with little or no access to the internet or devices,” Bengan said.

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UPCAT qualifiers enrolling in UP can expect the “new normal” of remote learning

By Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta, UP Media and Public Relations Office (UP MPRO)

For this year’s batch of successful UPCAT qualifiers who will be entering the University of the Philippines (UP) as freshmen enrollees, their first taste of university life will be that of the “new normal”: remote teaching and learning, with the possibility of blending remote and face-to-face meetings.

A memorandum issued by the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs dated June 4, 2020 lays down what incoming UP freshmen can expect.

Remote teaching and learning

The memorandum states that UP, like other universities in the country, ASEAN and the world, is “putting the safety of our students and faculty first.” This will be done by adopting remote teaching and learning for academic year 2020-2021. A combination of remote teaching/learning and face-to-face meetings will be done in laboratory, studio and practicum courses, if the COVID-19 situation permits it, and following public health and social distancing requirements.

Remote teaching and learning cover both asynchronous or non-real-time communication between teachers and learners, and synchronous or real-time communication between teachers and learners. Asynchronous communication includes text-based communication such as email, Facebook Messenger, Viber groups, etc., and online discussion boards in different learning platforms such as UP’s Learning Management Systems, Canvas, Google Classroom, etc. Synchronous communication includes lectures, webinars and teleconferences using such platforms as Zoom, Google Hangouts Meet, etc.

“Given the uncertain trajectory of the pandemic at this time, the University is preparing for the scenario where courses are delivered remotely throughout the first term without sacrificing quality,” the memorandum states, adding that remote learning is not necessarily inferior and in certain cases may even be superior to face-to-face learning. Starting July 1, UP faculty will be redesigning course offerings for remote learning.

Laying the infrastructure

In addition, UP is laying the physical infrastructure for remote learning, such as gadgets for online learning, Internet or cell phone data connectivity. The academic infrastructure is also being strengthened through upgrading the University’s Library Management System, subscribing to a cloud-based service that provides remote access to library resource, subscribing to relevant databases of peer-reviewed literature and e-publications, retooling faculty and staff, and redesigning courses for remote delivery to different types of students depending on their internet connectivity in their homes.

To ensure UP’s readiness for remote learning, the UP System administration has obtained the Board of Regents’ approval in principle to move the opening of classes to September 10, subject to ongoing consultations with faculty and students. UPCAT qualifiers will be informed of the academic calendar, including the opening of classes, and details of UP’s remote learning delivery within July.

Important deadlines

Generally, UPCAT qualifiers are categorized into four types: Type 1 would be those accepted in their first choice of degree program; Type 2 would be those accepted in their second choice of degree program but waitlisted in their first choice; Type 3 would be those who are waitlisted in their choices of degree programs; and Type 4 would be those who will be assigned to a degree program with available slots.

UPCAT qualifiers were reminded of the following deadlines: June 30, 2020 to confirm their acceptance of the University’s offer of an admission slot in UP for 2020; July 6 to 31, 2020 to confirm acceptance at the level of the constituent unit (CU) they applied for, for those who are waitlisted and those who are assigned to a degree program with available slots; and July 5 to August 15, 2020 to appeal for reconsideration, to be submitted to their CU of interest.

More than 100,000 high school students took the UPCAT in October 2019. Results were released on May 30, 2020, with 12,000 qualifiers offered slots to enter the national university.

Download a copy of the memorandum: https://bit.ly/3frXZHX

UP Mindanao Bulletin, 1 - 15 June 2020

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

UP MINDANAO BULLETIN

1 - 15 June 2020

CHANCELLOR’S MESSAGE

To the UP Mindanao community:

I observed that our first two weeks of operations were infused with good cheer by “reunions” among office personnel. I noted as well the diligence by which our office personnel complied with the additional work procedures.

With the UPCAT results out, all of UP are exerting efforts to secure the confirmation of all the successful applicants to accept our offer. Let us communicate the value of education despite the disruption in our public life.

For this, we need to prepare for the upcoming academic year. We have issued our initial policy for internet connectivity, and we will roll out additional policies, where necessary, as soon as possible.

Our faculty and students need massive support in the move to more intensive use of blended learning for both the continuing and the incoming students. Our academic units, the Interactive Learning Center-Learning Resource Center (ILC-LRC) and Information Technology Office (ITO), supported by the UP System, are key units in this move.

There are also many urgent personnel and administrative concerns that we are addressing in consultation with our units and committees.

In our COVID-19 responses, the Davao de Oro provincial government has approached us for assistance for the COVID-19 lab that they will establish. We shall sign an agreement with them this month. We are also involved in restoring the food supply chain in partnership with other sectors. Our network is expanding with the trust and confidence in our collective efforts have earned. I also wish to thank the donors to the various donation drives that, likewise, are a measure of trust.

I am glad to learn from our OSA and HRDO that our constituents have not reported any COVID-19 cases. I sincerely hope and pray that our students and staff remain free of this disease.

A key lesson from this experience is the value and importance of physical and psycho-social well-being for each and everyone. I read that HRDO will offer a mental health webinar on 15 June. Let us all attend that. Let us also review the UP Manila webinar on holistic health and the new normal.

I urge everyone to be mindful of their health and safety always!

—Prof. Larry N. Digal, PhD, Chancellor

UP MINDANAO COVID-19 CASE SURVEY

According to the OSA and HRDO, none of our constituents are currently categorized as suspect, probable, or confirmed cases based on responses to the Student Tracking Survey (for students) and Personnel Tracking Survey (for employees) and to follow-ups.

GUIDELINES FOR WORK

Offices and units shall be open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. However, personnel may physically report for work for a maximum of seven hours (without lunch break) considering the travel time, limited available transportation, and to minimize contact time in the office. This shall be supplemented with work-from-home arrangement to ensure compliance with the 40-hour work week as per CSC MC 10, s. 2020.

For monitoring purposes, all administrative personnel shall accomplish the daily time record (DTR) when physically reporting to the office and submit work accomplishments every 15th day of the month for the days they have worked from home in accordance with the approved work arrangement.

UPDATE ON STRANDED STUDENTS

The students from Zamboanga, Palawan, and Iloilo, though ready, are still awaiting the re-opening of airports in their localities. The student from Cebu is awaiting a government-assisted flight home. The OSA is closely monitoring the developments in these areas and giving support to these students throughout this period.

UP MINDANAO COVID-19 INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIPS

Mindanao Food Highway

The Development Academy of the Philippines sa Mindanao invited UP Mindanao to be part of the Mindanao Food Highway (MFH) consortium, through an online discussion on 4 June 2020. The consortium will consolidate efforts in developing and scaling up innovative solutions to ensure food security in Mindanao amidst the COVID-19 disruption, which can be replicated in other parts of the country. It will cover the emergency response phase (3-6 months) and the crisis recovery phase (6-24 months).

The participants in the discussion/briefing from the academe included the University of Southern Mindanao, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, UP Mindanao, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, and Central Luzon State University.

The MFH asked UPMin to help disseminate its surveys to the UP Mindanao network of rice farmers, millers, consolidators, wholesalers/retailers, NFA administrators, local government units, and rice consumers. Students and research fellows are invited to study and produce research in the observatories set up by MFH for food supply and demand, food logistics, and COVID-19 response policies.

Davao de Oro COVID-19 Facility

The Davao de Oro Province will put up its own COVID-19 Mobile Testing Facility very soon and has requested UP Mindanao and DOST-XI for help, for which a memorandum of agreement will be signed this month.

The facility will be considered an Extension Laboratory of the UP Philippine Genome Center in collaboration with the Davao de Oro provincial government. The local government will construct and operate the facility. UP Mindanao, through PGC Mindanao, will do the following: build the capabilities of the facility personnel through training, participate in the design of the facility in accordance with Department of Health guidelines, produce a manual of operation, provide technical assistance in the DOH accreditation, provide consultancy services for technical issues, and formulate collaborative programs for expanded use of the facility such as infectious diseases surveillance. DOST-XI will provide financial support for the personnel training.

NICER Project: Interdisciplinary Applied Modelling, Data Analytics, and Biology of Infectious Diseases (IAMDABID)

Chancellor Digal wrote a letter on 5 June 2020 to Dr. Gernelyn Logrosa, head of the Office of Research, Development, and Innovation of Malayan Colleges Mindanao, to state the full support of UP Mindanao to the initiative of the UP Mindanao Interdisciplinary Applied Modeling group to partner with MCM in the Interdisciplinary Applied Modeling, Data Analytics, and Biological Infectious Diseases (IAMDABID) project proposal. UP Mindanao will fully endorse the project to the DOST Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) program for funding.

Chancellor Digal and Dr. Logrosa are also exploring other areas of research collaboration, teaching, and extension.

Mental Health Helpline

UP Mindanao Mental Health Helpline reported that 39 persons have availed of its services as of 11 June 2020. The program is ongoing and open to students and employees of the university.

STUDENTS: http://tiny.cc/UPMinMentalHealthHelpline

EMPLOYEES: http://tiny.cc/MentalHealthHelpline

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Classes in the coming first semester are projected to be done by remote learning. Courses will be delivered online or through blended learning (lab, PE, and the like).

The preparations for this scenario include the retooling/training of faculty for online teaching, for which an extensive repository of online learning materials have been made available through the Interactive Learning Center.

A UP System-level Remote Learning Committee was created to give support and the UP Open University, experts in distance learning, will assist.

The immediate needs are the following: determining the number of students in need of devices; the provision of internet connectivity/devices for faculty and students for online learning; and the selection of a learning management system platform.

A generic academic calendar has been proposed, UP System-wide, for which the start of classes is suggested to be on 10 September 2020.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

SENTro from UPGRADE Technology Business Incubation

UPGRADE, UP Mindanao’s technology business incubation unit, has developed SENTro Your Food Supply, a mobile phone application that gives direct access to buyers and direct access to farmers’ supply. This is to be piloted in the Davao Food Terminal.

SENTro for farmers has the following features: a map locator; settings for volume/quantity and price; uploading of product pictures and information; coordination with bagsakan site; generate reports; and, in the future, data analytics

SENTRO for buyers has: bagsakan selection; bagsakan coordination through the app, by text, or by voice call; wish list of products; (future) online shopping and order history.

Cacao project

UP Mindanao accepted the invitation from the DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute to be a co-implementer of the project “Developing the Capability of Micro and Small Scale Processors on the Manufacture of Quality Food Products from Philippine Cocoa Beans.” Chancellor Digal committed UP Mindanao to provide the required building or laboratory dedicated to the sensory evaluation of cacao products and for processing of fine chocolate, under the Department of Food Science and Chemistry.

The project is under Phase 2 of the DOST Program on Technological Support for the Upgrading of Local Cacao and Cocoa Industry to be funded by DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD).

A memorandum of agreement will be forged between the parties, wherein ITDI will provide the know-how on the conduct of sensory evaluation of cacao products and processes for basic formulation of fine chocolate, including the transfer or roll out of two key equipment for fine chocolate.

INTERNATIONALIZATION

On 19 June 2020, 7:00-8:30 AM (Philippine time) Prof. John Bengan will participate in the international online event, “Rally Reading Series + Words Without Borders: International Queer Writing.” Organized by Words Without Borders. Register here: https://bit.ly/3f8cPmO

DONATIONS

- Philippine Genome Center Mindanao gave its report of donations to its COVID-19 training project as of 1 June 2020. https://bit.ly/2UAKM7D.

- The UP Alumni Association (UPAA) Davao donation drive for PGC Mindanao as of 8 June 2020 produced seven boxes of micropoint tips, two RNA/DNA kits for 100 preparations, and 2 L of molecular-grade alcohol, costing more than PhP 100,000. The items are for delivery.

UP climbs 30 points to 65th rank in Asia

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

The University of the Philippines climbed 30 points in the newly released 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, placing 65th this year, a significant rise from last year’s 95th ranking.

This was announced by the Times Higher Education at the Virtual THE Live Asia webinar today.

The national university has been featured in the THE Asia University Rankings since 2017. It entered the top 100 for the first time in 2019, soaring 61 places from its 156th position in 2018. In 2017, UP belonged to the 201st-250th ranking group.

The THE Asia University Rankings use the same criteria (Teaching, Research, Citations, International Outlook and Industry Income) as the World University Rankings. Based on the data analytics presented by Scopus, the citation score is seen to be the main driver for the overall score of the ranked universities. The improvement in UP’s ranking this year is due to its high scores in “Citation” (86.9 points) and “Industry Income” (39.4 points) criteria.

UP remains the highest-ranked university from the Philippines.

You can view the 2020 THE Asia University Rankings here.

UPMin, SPMC sign MOA for joint training, 2020

Written by Rene Estremera. Posted in Forums

SOMC MOA 2 rzd 17 University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao and the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), represented by chancellor Prof. Larry Digal, PhD, and medical center chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega, respectively, signed a Memorandum of Agreement for a joint intensive training program on SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostics last 26 May 2020 at SPMC.

The program aims to train more medical personnel to operate additional COVID-19 testing centers in Davao City and in other areas in Mindanao. Philippine Genome Center (PGC) Mindanao director Dr. Lyre Anni Murao and SPMC chief training officer Dr. Maria Elinore Concha witnessed the signing of the agreement.

“Public and private hospitals in Davao Region are establishing COVID-19 testing laboratories to address the increasing number of confirmed cases and the limited number of testing facilities. Through this joint program, we can address the need for more personnel to handle clinical specimens and perform the necessary molecular tests,” said Chancellor Digal.

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