Prof. Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz of UP Mindanao's Department of Humanities was appointed UP Artist 1 by the UP Board of Regents on 9 June 2022. The appointment under the UP Arts Productivity System serves as recognition and a reward for artistic productivity among UP faculty and staff and to encourage further artistic productivity. Prof. Cruz's appointment as UP Artist 1 (Batch 2019-2021) was awarded for her accomplishments in 2014-2018, in which she exhibited steady productivity in creative work and scholarly publications. During that period she represented the Philippines in international writers' festivals, such as the Melbourne Writers Festival, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, and the Tokyo International Literary Festival, to name a few. She also served as president of the Davao Writers Guild and as regional coordinator of the National Committee on Literary Arts for six years. Her column “Lugar Lang” ran for two years in Mindanao Times, a Davao City-based newspaper. 

In more recent years, Prof. Cruz has realized higher levels of productivity. She published "Abi Náko, Or So I Thought" (UP Press, 2020) a memoir chronicling her experiences as a woman rebuilding her life in Mindanao, and edited "Tingle Anthology of Pinay Lesbian Writing" (Anvil, 2021). Her works have been published in various local and international anthologies and journals. Notably, her Palanca award-winning essay "Sapay Koma" has become part of the literary canon in secondary and tertiary education. She continues to serve the Mindanawon literary community through the Davao Writers Guild.

VPAA Bautista	Chancellor Murao
Dr. Poblador	Prof. Digal & Asst. Prof. Acopiado, emcee
The emcee & Prof. Alviola	School of Management team

The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao’s former dean Dr. Niceto S. Poblador published a new book "Strategy in the New Age of Capitalism: Collaborative and Inclusive Approaches to Value Creation," which UP Mindanao welcomed with a book launch and book-signing ceremony on 05 May 2022.

"I welcome you to read the book and unpack its insights,” said Prof. Ma. Cynthia Bautista, UP vice president for academic affairs, in her welcome remarks at the UP Mindanao event. "Defend his insights or critique it in the philosophical sense, depending on your domain assumptions and theoretical perspectives," she said.

Former SOM dean and former UP Mindanao chancellor Prof. Larry Digal, in his book review, said “the concepts, ideas, and theories from various disciplines …support these core concepts of Dr. Poblador that it makes business sense for firms to share the value created with their stakeholders.”

Former SOM dean Prof. Pedro Alviola said, “the social responsibility of the firms is achieved by pursuing inclusive business practices and strategies that we need to be a contributor to economic wealth but in a manner that is consistent with the firm’s goal of earning profit.” 

Dr. Poblador, in his talk, said “wealth is the incentive to create economic value but profit maximization is best achieved by consolidating and giving economic value to all contributors to the value-creation process. These contributors are consumers, workers, business partners or suppliers, and the community. Firms can co-align the economic interest of owners with other stakeholders. It can create value for customers through product development and improvement, generous pricing, and adequate customer care.”

Chancellor Lyre Murao said, "Dr. Poblador, please continue to share with us your wisdom and intellect, and assist our School of Management as one of its founders."

SOM Dean, Prof. Aurelia Luz Gomez, in her introduction to the former dean, said, "The legacy that he left behind is still with us."

The Social Weather Station, a non-government organization, likewise held its book launch on 20 May 2022. Prof. Mahar Mangahas, Social Weather Station director, in his "Social Climate" column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on 28 May 2022 titled "Poblador's New Capitalism," wrote, "In this modern age, there are capitalists doing very well for themselves by being very good to others."

"Strategy in the New Age of Capitalism: Collaborative and Inclusive Approaches to Value Creation" is available from the University of the Philippines Press through .

Message of UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao

06 June 2022

Good morning to everyone. Today is my 98th day in office and in two days I will reach 100 days. First of all, I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for welcoming me into the administration and helping me facilitate the mission and the vision of this new administration.

For the past 98 days, I have found new treasures. I have seen resilient, passionate, and kind people. I have seen the genuineness in their hearts. Thank you for these people. I hope we can continue. You are jewels of the university.

To be honest, this is a very challenging task for me. This is a new challenge for me but, you know, as I journey through this new phase in the past few days I have also met people, some of them in high positions, in the same boat as well, who have taken on the same challenges and I found inspiration in them. Because despite these new challenges I saw in them the determination to move forward and to bring these challenges really to heart and accomplish something that is worthwhile in the society’s institutions that we serve. I would take on the challenge as well and we bring up something worthwhile for our institution within the next years. Now we have started crafting our strategic directions for the next years. I’m really glad that we have started that. We are working on the skeleton and in the past days, we have now placed the meat. Because I am a biologist and my examples are biological in nature. So the skeleton is there so now we have to put the organs, the muscles, into the plan so that it will take shape. And it’s now taking shape and I’d like to thank everyone who has participated in shaping our strategic plan. In the next days we will continue to work on the plan. Making a strategic plan is not easy. It is going to take a while. It's going to be a long process. It will take some iteration but I will ask for your patience as we get through this arduous but successful experience for us. Because once we have this plan before us and we know where we are going, we are now guided on what to do in the next few years.