Highlights in September, 2019
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
02 September - Presentation of UP Mindanao Strategic Plan to UP Mindanao employees
03 - Administrative Processes Forum
03-28 - Exhibit of Prof. Perez's painting in Beijing Biennalle
04 - "PEP talk on Medical Genetics"
05 - First General Assembly of Mindanao Genomics Consortium
09 - Extension Seminar and Planning
09 - "Pagpamatbat" Paligsahan sa Talumpati at Balagtasan
17 - Launching of Technology Business Incubation UPGraDE
18 - Ribbon-cutting ceremony for UP Mindanao Technology Business Incubation-UP Growing and Developing Enterprises (TBI-UPGraDE)
21 - UP Day of Remembrance
Assistant professor of humanities and artist Teody Boylie “Bong” Perez was one of two Filipinos who were invited to exhibit a painting at the 8th Beijing International Art Biennale at the National Art Museum of China, People’s Republic of China, from 30 August to 20 September 2019. The painting entitled “Contrast of Life, 2018,” oil on canvas piece, was one of 446 paintings and sculptures by foreign artists selected from 125 countries and 194 works by Chinese artists exhibited at the Biennale with the theme “A colorful world and a shared future.”
On 2 September, Chancellor Larry Digal presented his Strategic Plan to internal stakeholders. The plan was presented to the faculty in the morning and to the non-teaching staff in the afternoon. Vice-chancellor for academic affairs Nilo Oponda presented the academic strategic plan, research and engagement director Emma Ruth Bayogan presented her plan, and vice-chancellor for administration Aurelia Luz Gomez, likewise, presented her plan.
On 4 September, the Philippine Genome Center Mindanao Satellite Facility organized the Pep Talk on Medical Genetics for students of the College of Science. Dr. Bryan Edgar K. Guevara of Southern Philippines Medical Center gave a talk titled "Hello, Love, Goodbye: Life of a Filipino dermatologist/researcher abroad" and Dr. Chao Kai Hsu of National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan spoke on "How do genetic studies help patients with genodermatoses." The team arrived with students from Cheng Kung University and were met by Officer-in-charge Nilo Oponda and VP for Development Elvira Zamora, who was in the campus for a meeting.
On 5 September, the Philippine Genome Center-Mindanao Satellite Facility convened the nascent Mindanao Genomics Consortium in UP Mindanao. Some 45 officials from 33 academic, industry, civic society, and government organizations attended, including heads of three Mindanao higher educational institutions and Davao City councilor Pilar Braga. UP Mindanao chancellor Larry Digal welcomed the representatives while Department of Science and Technology-XI assistant regional director Elsie Solidum gave the overview. PGC-MSF director Lyre Anni Murao discussed the functions of the facility. The consortium, conceived to be a special group of the Department of Science and Technology, aims to gather science and technology stakeholders in Mindanao to facilitate genomics research work and research collaborations. At the end of the day the assembly unanimously expressed their willingness to be part of the consortium.
On 9 September, the Center for the Advancement of Research, development, and engagement In Mindanao (CARIM) organized the University Extension Planning. CARIM director and professor Emma Ruth Bayogan gave the rationale to the 30-plus researchers and staff who attended. UP Diliman Office of Extension Coordination director and associate professor Lenore P. de la Cruz gave a presentation on extension implementation in UP Diliman for reference of the participants. Discussions and presentations of extension plans were produced in the breakout sessions which were reviewed by the assembly and the resource person. A synthesis and a presentation of the way forward in extension culminated the day-long session.
On 9 September, the Rotaract Club student organization in partnership with the Rotary Club of Matina Davao staged their annual Pagpamatbat debate and oratory (balagtasan at talumpati) competition with 16 participating high schools in UP Mindanao. The theme was 'Bata, bata, saan ka tatanda: Sa tahanan o sa kulungan?’/ 'Child, where will you grow old: At home or in prison?' In the debate, Holy Cross College of Calinan was champion, Calinan National High School won second prize, and Bernardo L. Carpio National High School won third prize. Department of Humanities faculty members Prof. Jay Jomar Quintos, Ms. Merle Dawn Comidoy, and Prof. Karen Joyce Cayamanda served as judges. In the oratory category Davao City National High School emerged as champion, Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School won second prize, and Holy Cross College of Calinan won third prize. Humanities faculty members Prof. Karen Joyce Cayamanda and Mr. Julius Neil Piala with former Rotaract president Ms. Iva Barbara Caballero served as the panel of judges.
On 8 September, Consul-General Li Lin of the Peoples Republic of China Consulate in Davao City and his wife Madame Aiping Chiu met with the UP delegation composed of UP Mindanao chancellor Larry Digal, vice chancellor Nilo Oponda, UP Mindanao Foundation chairman Sebastian Angliongto, president Atty. Marie Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes, trustees Atty. Marie Glenn Sorila and Ms. Zony Reyes, and Dr. Badion Reyes.
On 10-11 September the team went to Metro Manila and met Commission on Higher Education chairperson J. Prospero de Vera, Department of Budget and Management acting secretary Wendel Avisado, and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles. On 14 September, a UP Mindanao delegation of 27 staffmembers led by human resource chief and assistant professor Jackie Lou Tagubase participated in the "Zumba for a Cause" in SM City Davao in celebration of the 119th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.
On 16 September, UPMFI president Atty. Marie Dinah Tolentino-Fuentes anf UP Mindanao public relations officer Rene Estremera were guests in the Kapihan sa SM press conference in SM City Davao to promote the coming Regional Aluni Institute in 22-23 November 2019. News reports were seen in Mindanao Times and The Edge newspapers and websites of the Philippine Information Agency and the Malaysian Sun.
On 18 September, associate professor Annabelle U. Novero was awarded the 2019 Crop Science Society of the Philippines Achievement Award in Research. The award was presented by CSSP president Dr. Edna A. Anit and Dr. Marissa V. Romero, chair of the awards and recognition committee on the occasion of the 25th Federation of Crop Science Societies in the Philippines/1st Federation of Plant Science Associations of the Philippines Scientific Conference in Davao City.
On 18 September, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to open the UP Mindanao technology business incubation unit named "UP Growing And Developing Enterprises" or UPGrADE. "UPGrADE aims to promote entrepreneurship through innovation as a viable career path for Filipinos," said assistant professor and UPGrADE manager Miguel Carlo Guillermo. The Department of Science and Technology, which is funding the operations of UPGrADE under the DOST-Higher Education Institution Readiness for Innovation and Techno-preneurship (HEIRIT) program, was represented in the opening by DOST-XI regional director Anthony Sales, DOST-PCIEERD deputy director Raul Sabularse, and DOST Research Information and Technology Transfer Division chief Russell Pili. Chancellor Digal, in his remarks, thanked DOST for granting UP Mindanao the new opportunity to create enterprises from the products of research in addition to the support for the ongoing lactic acid purification project and the proposed science and technology park.
On the week of 21 September, UP Mindanao observed the UP Day of Remembrance to honor the resistance against the martial law in the Philippines in the 1970s. "Imong Papa Move On: Forum on Martial Law" was held on 19 September with speakers JV Cabajes and novelist and former political detainee Ms. Lualhati Abreu. At 6:00 PM, a candle-lighting ceremony and lightning rally was held in conjunction with the annual student Torch Night. On 20 September, a protest march was held around the campus culminating in a rally at the Atrium steps.
On 22 September, BS Computer Science teams finished in first and third place in the Startup Weekend Davao Women competition for information technology solutions to problems in the cacao industry. Team 10Kers, the first-placer, conceptualized a mobile phone application for monitoring cacao farms that uses a combination of hardware and software development with the application of Internet of Things (IoT). The third-placers, Team CacaoJuan, created an offline data monitoring system for cacao growers. The competition was a culmination of three days of idea creation and development over 20-22 September 2019 in Kadena Hub, Davao City, co-organized by University of the Philippines Mindanao UPGRADE and other technology business incubation units and industry partners Techstar Startup Weekend and Ambidextr.
On 23-24 September, the Executive Committee went on a tour of Compostela Valley province to meet partners and prospective collaborators. The Laak Multi-Purpose Cooperative was the first stop wherein Chancellor Larry Digal proposed a collaboration for a cacao project. In the afternoon, the team met Provincial Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy who received a briefing on the university's land reservation and other prospective engagements in the province. On 24 September the team visited part of the Laak land reservation and viewed the cacao and banana plants. The team made a stop-over at Sinobong public high school that was established with the help of UP Mindanao volunteers. In Barangay Talle, the team held consultations with residents who farm inside the reservation. Finally, the team visited Compostela Valley State College and held discussions with college president Dr. Christie Jean Ganiera and her key staff for possible collaborations. The team also discovered alumni who worked in the provincial capitol and in the state college.
On 25-29 September, UP Mindanao hosted the Coaching Education Certification Course of the Philippine Sports Commission 2019. Sixty-five coaches from Davao region participated. UP Mindanao vice chancellor for academic affairs Dr. Nilo Oponda, in his welcome remarks, presented the proposed UP Mindanao sports development program. The lectures were on: sports psychology by Prof. Karen Trinidad; sports ethics by Dr. Robert Paul Jurado; sports physiology by Prof. Josephine Joy Reyes; talent identification by Prof. Henry Daut.
UP Mindanao's Office of Student Affairs organized an Earthquake and Fire Stafety Orientation and Drill on 30 September 2019, in line with the Davao City local government unit's thrust to develop a disaster-resilient community. Barangay Matina DRRM Consultant Primo V. Cruz discussed earthquake safety and Senior Fire Officer Rodel Estilloso talked on fire safety in the plenary sessions. At 2:20 PM an earthquake drill was carried out that saw UP Mindanao constituents practice the duck-cover-and-hold routine and orderly evacuation to open ground.
Prof. Joel L. Cuello, a professor of agricultural bio-systems engineering at the University of Arizona, United States, will give a talk entitled “Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem of the Philippines toward Inclusive National Development” on 15 August 2019, 8AM-12noon at the CHSS AVR. The lecture is funded under the World Experts Lecture Series by the UP Office of International Linkages. Admission to the lecture is free of charge. Due to limited seats, interested persons may confirm their attendance on or before 12 August 2019 using this online form: 