“We feel very proud of this. This is a milestone for UP Mindanao,” UPMin Chancellor Gilda C. Rivero told media in a press conference.

She recounted how the project had been proposed almost two years ago. When the DOST approved a grant of P23 million for the UPMin Biotechnology Research Program and the establishment of the facility, UPMin was able to do more in-depth and advanced research work in biotechnology and has, at present, become a center of biotechnology in Mindanao. “We are now on our first year, and I think we’ve met [our] goals,” the chancellor reported.

The grant currently supports the research program on indigenous bio-resources in Mindanao, consisting of several component projects. The program is currently focused on the sago palm because of its abundance and high starch yield. Dr. Dulce M. Flores, leader of the “Extraction Studies, Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Sago Starch” project and program pioneer, aims to shorten the process and reduce the cost of producing “value-added” products such as industrial lactic acid, ethanol, and biodegradable plastics from starch.

“Sago is just the first, but other abundant indigenous resources like nipa, kaong, and some forest species ornamentals will be included in future programs,” Flores added.

The potential of sago is recognized by program sponsors DOST and the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD). PCASTRD Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora described sago to the press as a viable food source that can serve as an alternative to corn and other local crops.

DOST Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro praised UPMin’s efforts in biotechnology and called it an example of how the academe can help lessen the dependence on non-renewable materials.

Alabastro added that, with the facility, UPMin now becomes part of the network of older UP campuses involved in biotechnology research: UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Los Baños, and UP Visayas—all of which have their own institutes of biotechnology. UPLB is focused on agricultural biotechnology, UPM on medical applications of biotechnology, and UPV on marine biotechnology.

In extracting “value-added” products from sago, the UPMin biotechnology program has embarked on an inventory of sago palms growing in the forests of Mindanao and other places in the country; the study of its pests, natural friends, and microbial growth regulators; the micro-propagation of sago palms; the molecular varietal verification of sago species; and the study of starch-digesting organisms.

President Emerlinda R. Roman said that projects like these prove that UPMin can do more than offer degree programs to help the country. At a time when UPMin is still grappling with its identity as a constituent university, it has embarked on research works tailored to fit the needs of its clientele. The strengthening of its science and technology capabilities is also in line with its mandate to apply UP expertise to the concerns of Mindanao. According to Roman, studies on indigenous food and bio-resources found in Mindanao fall under Mindanao studies, a broad field UPMin can excel in.

Chancellor Rivero said that the biotechnology project has enhanced the collegiality of UPMin experts from various disciplines as they are working toward a common goal. “The students never had it so good… work[ing] in state-of-the-art laboratories,” Rivero added.

Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Alabastro, Ebora, Roman, and UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Amelia P. Guevara. They were welcomed by UPMin officials, led by Chancellor Gilda C. Rivero, who thanked them profusely for helping the CU realize the biotechnology program. (With reporting by Yas D. Ocampo and Rene Estremera)

From the UP Newsletter

UP placed third in the over-all standings in the 71st Season of the UAAP after an impressive one-to-nil victory of the UP Fighting Maroon Booters over the FEU Tamaraws at the Erenchum Field of the Ateneo de Manila University.

Jose Andoni Santos of UP sealed the fate of the Tamaraws by scoring the deciding goal. The Maroon Booters bested the defending champions after beating them twice in a twice-to-beat series. Fighting Maroon John Edward Rances was later named as the season’s Most Valuable Player in Football.

In Men’s Volleyball, the Fighting Maroons settled for second place after the UST Growling Tigers won the best-of-three series at the Arena in San Juan City. The Maroons had earlier defeated the DLSU Green Archers, despite the Archers’ twice-to-beat advantage, placing the boys from Recto in the third spot. UP’s Gerald Magtoto was hailed as the Best Setter for this season.

Along with their colleagues in volleyball and football, the Fighting Maroon Fencers also took this season’s second place in the Women’s category, and third place in the Men’s category. The Maroon Sluggers placed second in baseball. The Fighting Maroons also grabbed third place in the Men’s category in Tennis. UP’s Robert Miguel France Nasis was named MVP for Track and Field in the Juniors Division.

During the first semester, the Fighting Maroons were batting for third place in the over-all standings in the UAAP after its hard-earned championship win in Women’s Judo, where Ada Theres Estanislao was named as the Most Valuable Player; second place in Women’s Basketball; third place in Men’s Swimming; second place in Women’s Swimming, with Luica Gaudes Dacanay named Most Valuable Player; third places for Men’s and Women’s Table Tennis. UP also successfully defended its championship title at the Cheerdance Competition.

The over-all standing of a university in the UAAP is determined by adding all the points earned by its participating teams. The teams are scored based on how they placed in their respective events. According to the system adopted by the UAAP, 15 points goes to the champion, 12 points goes to the first runner-up, and 10 points to the second runner-up. Points ranging from eight to one are also given to winners of the fourth place to the eighth place in events that have more than three places for finishers. This season, the University of Santo Tomas headed the pack with 333 points; followed by De La Salle University with 241 points. UP came in third with 235 points.

The UAAP events include basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, and cheerdance during the first semester; and baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and tield, volleyball, badminton, and fencing during the second semester. UP participated in all events.

This season’s host, the University of the Philippines, had hoped to bag the championship as an athletic tribute to the centennial celebrations of the country’s premier university. UP was Overall Champion in the UAAP in the 40th and 41st Seasons (1977-1978 and 1978-1979), in the 43rd Season (1980-1981), the 45th Season (1982-1983) sharing the title with the University of Santo Tomas, and in the 60th Season (1997-1998).

The Closing Ceremonies were held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni on March 12, 2009 where the season’s winners were handed their awards. Aside from the recognition of the team and individual winners and the MVPs, UP’s Javier Luis Gomez of the Men’s Track and Field Division was recognized in the Academic Achievement Awards for athlete scholars. The ceremony also marked the end of the 71st Season with UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio Cao turning over the hosting duties of the UAAP games for the 72nd Season to Far Eastern University President Anton Montinola. (With reports from the UP Diliman Information Office)

From the UP Newsletter

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap challenged the UP Los Baños (UPLB) community to support government efforts in boosting food production at the opening ceremonies of the UPLB Centennial celebration held on March 2 at the Seniors’ Social Garden.

Yap, the program’s guest speaker, said that the country has to produce twice the food that it is producing now in order to feed the entire population by 2015. He challenged UPLB constituents to be truly “iskolar para sa bayan” and help in food production. He regretted the fact that the Philippines still imports staples from neighboring countries.

“UPLB must be more militant and more aggressive in its research on agriculture and agricultural technology in its next 100 years,” he added. Yap, however, recognized the research contributions of the University as substantial contributions, pointing out alternative technologies made by UPLB in the fields of agriculture, forestry, agro-industry, veterinary medicine, and biotechnology. For farmers, UPLB has a storehouse of knowledge and skills that can increase crop yield and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in favor of organic fertilizers. It has also created crop and horticultural varieties that are more resistant to pests and inclement environmental conditions.

But these have to be disseminated and applied more widely. Yap thus stressed the importance of training and extension work. During an earlier program, Dr. Domingo Angeles, College of Agriculture (CA) dean, said that the technologies and the plant varieties generated by the College will be “reinvested” in the farmers by way of technology transfer.

With an assurance that the constituent university will work toward these goals, Yap committed himself to lobbying for the allocation of more funds to UPLB. He then reported that the Gloria Arroyo administration has increased the budget for agriculture by 67 percent—the highest increase in history, Yap said. For his part, Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco vowed continued support of agriculture by the University.

President Emerlinda Roman praised UPLB for its tradition of excellence and service to the country and stressed its role in rural development and expertise in emerging fields like biotechnology, microbiology, and alternative fuels. She then urged the University to build character among students and nurture in them a sense of country and service.

The ceremonies formally opened the AgriFair and Exhibits and the Flower and Garden Show where CA units, government and R&D institutions, and private groups displayed new technologies and products. A rodeo also took place later in the week.

Before the opening ceremonies, an early morning program was held at the Foundation Site Marker at the CA. Chancellor Velasco and Dean Angeles urged the UPLB community to look back at history and find inspiration to do better in its tasks ahead. UPLB started as the College of Agriculture, which was one of the first UP units to be established when it was created by the Board of Regents on March 6, 1909.

Chancellor Velasco congratulated the CA for maintaining the standards of excellence and its relevance to society. He expressed optimism that the College will keep up the good work despite increasingly higher expectations and challenges that lie ahead. The chancellor encouraged everyone to continue living the dreams and aspirations of UPLB’s forefathers for the development of agriculture in the country.

Remembering the circumstances of the College’s founding, Velasco pointed to the ideal location of the campus, whose proximity to Mt. Makiling and Laguna Lake and the good climate made it the choice campus for agriculture and forestry. The other sites considered were Majayjay in the same province and La Granja on Negros island.

UPLB was the first unit of the University declared to be autonomous when UP was re-organized as a system in 1972. At present, UPLB has nine colleges and two schools: College of Agriculture, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Developmental Communication, College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology, College of Economics and Management, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, College of Human Ecology, College of Public Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Environmental Science and Management, and the Graduate School.

From the UP Newsletter

The komedya is a colorful theatrical tradition whose plot revolves around the social, political, and religious conflicts between the Muslims and Christian heroes. It is usually presented in festivals with the patronage of the community. This theater form has its origins in the theatrical traditions of Spain and Mexico in the 16th to 18th centuries.

Komedya performances will be the principal activity of Komedya Fiesta 2008. They will be held every Friday at 6 p.m. at the UP Amphitheater. The fiesta will also feature an international conference on February 27, 28, and 29; an exhibit opening on February 8; and a colloquium on February 27. These will provide scholars, cultural researchers, artists, and production teams a venue for sharing ideas.

The international conference and workshop will consist of a three-day presentation of academic papers on the different aspects of komedya productions in the Philippines and in some parts of the world. Scholars Nicanor G. Tiongson and Resil B. Mojares will be keynote speakers.

The colloquium will be a half-day discussion among all comediantes, production teams, and accompanists, and will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the groups and their recommendations for the future of komedya in the Philippines. The colloquium hopes to establish a network of komedya groups in the country.

According to the organizers, the existence of active komedya groups in a number of regions in the Philippines warrants an intensified effort to create awareness and increase the understanding of and appreciation for the komedya. Known by various names in Batanes, Ilocos, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Baler, Bulacan, Panay, Cebu, Leyte, Iligan, Samar, Iloilo, and in Southern Tagalog, komedya however has a limited following. It is said to be a fully developed traditional theater genre that dominated Philippine theater for more than 300 years.

Scholars note that after substantial studies conducted in the early 1980s, little has been done to promote komedya understanding and appreciation on a national level. The festival seeks to celebrate the komedya as a significant legacy in the continuing history of the Philippine theater and the effort, talent, and creativity that have been manifested by komedya groups all over the country.

The fiesta will start with a parade of all komedya players along UP’s major streets on the afternoon of February 1. They will be accompanied by marching bands; marching bands have historically played important roles in komedya performance. A special concert of marching bands from Metro Manila and nearby provinces will be held every Friday of the month at Quezon Hall. One of the attractions of the celebration is the display of “the best of Philippine fiesta booths” that will be curated as one big exhibit.

Every afternoon of each komedya day, visitors especially the youth will be educated and entertained by special shows like puppet performances, story-telling, and komedya excerpts mounted on kubols. Others may join the fun and win prizes by participating in traditional games such as palo sebo, tsakad, pabitin, and agawan ng buko. The perya will also feature jugglers, stilt walkers, higantes, magic shows, and many others.

Participating komedya groups include Komedya ng San Dionisio and Komedya ng Don Galo of Parañaque; Comedia de Baler of Baler, Aurora; the Hiraya Theater Company of Antique; Komedya of San Miguel, Iligan; and Dulaang UP.

From the UP Newsletter website

The restoration of the Carillon was the main UP Centennial project of the UPAA. Past and present UPAA officials and other influential alumni and donors gathered at the Carillon site to witness the turnover of the bells to UP, and the lowering of a time capsule for the next phase of the UPAA Carillon project, the establishment of the Carillon Plaza.

Former UPAA President Lt. Gen. Jaime S. Delos Santos and current Alumni Regent and UPAA President Ponciano E. Rivera Jr. formally turned over the bells to UPD Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, and earlier in the day to President Emerlinda R. Roman.

Gen. Delos Santos recounted the story of the restoration of the UP Carillon. It was during his term as UPAA president, during the 92nd Annual Homecoming in June 2005, when the restoration of the Carillon was named the UPAA centerpiece Centennial project. He said that the UPAA will raise more funds to complete the project this year, which means having the Carillon Plaza landscaped and transformed into a venue for the arts. Regent Rivera then presented plaques of appreciation to the main donors of the project. Among them were Engineer Manuel Yu Agustinez, Atty. Loida Nicolas-Lewis, the CASAA Foundation, Dr. Mario and Eva Labadan, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Evangelista, and the late Betty Go Belmonte. Other major donors were Atty. Estelito Mendoza, Mayor Jejomar Binay, and the San Miguel Corp.; plus, Atty. Ed Hernandez, Bimbo Salazar, Victor Ramos, Susana Guerrero, Loretta Cadavillo-Galang, Mayor Marides Fernando, Vicente Quimbo, Francis Laurel, Francis Chua, the Capitol Medical Center, BSBA ’67, UPCM (Medicine) ’67, UP Law ’67, UPCA (Agriculture) ’67, UP Inter-college Class ’58, and UPCA (Architecture) ‘67.

Arranged and played with much vigor by Prof. Antonio Regalario, a UP carilloneur in the 1960s, the musical pieces were met with resounding applause. On the ground, performances were rendered by the UP Singing Ambassadors and the Andres Bonifacio Group conducted by Prof. Jerry Dadap, another UP carilloneur. Another phase of the UPAA project is the establishment of a scholarship to train new carilloneurs.

The occasion was also attended by Senator Richard Gordon, who promised to start the groundwork for the Oblation Plaza with a donation of half of the cost, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, who highlighted UP’s physical role as locus for the city’s development. (Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc)

From the UP Newsletter website

On November 29, 2007, Dr. Jaime C. Laya, former dean of the UP College of Business Administration (CBA) and former Minister of Education, turned over to the University an amount to establish the Alice Sandoval Laya Centennial Professorial chair at the CBA. UP President Emerlinda R. Roman and UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao were on hand to receive the grant on behalf of UP.

Alice Sandoval Laya, wife of Dr. Laya, was an alumna of the CBA (Accounting 1959) and a successful banker and entrepreneur. A dedicated wife and mother, she spent the latter part of her life supporting impoverished people in Boac, Marinduque. She would be remembered as “the generous friend who would support organizations for the handicapped,” according to the CBA.

She died in the 1990 earthquake in Baguio where she was attending a seminar for NGOs sponsored by USAID.

On December 13, United Laboratories Inc. (UNILAB) gave a grant to the University to establish the Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit Centennial Professorial Chair in Medicine and Basic Sciences. The late Dr. Dayrit was honored for his significant contributions in the fields of medicine, pharmacology, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, botany, and zoology.

The signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the professorial chair was led by UNILAB’s top management and members of the Dayrit family, headed by Milagros M. Dayrit, widow of Dr. Dayrit. Receiving the donors were President Roman and Chancellors Ramon Arcadio of UP Manila (UPM) and Luis Rey Velasco of UP Los Baños.

On January 11, the Teresa Ancheta Aquino Centennial Professorial Chair in Nursing was formally established at the Executive House in UP Diliman. Present at the signing of the MOA were donor Prof. Belinda A. Aquino. President Roman and UPM College of Nursing Dean Dr. Josefina A. Tuazon received the donation.

Prof. Aquino talked about her mother’s painful childhood and her struggle to attain an education, which enabled her to be among the first batch of nursing students in UP’s Nursing School. She proudly added that her mother had been a part of the Nurses’ Strike of 1916 which led to reforms and the Filipinization of nursing as a modern profession.

Prof. Belinda A. Aquino, a Ford Foundation Fellow, served as UP Vice President for Public Affairs from 1989 to 1991, and taught at the Department of Political Science and the College of Public Administration. At present, she is the director of the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaii Manoa.

An amount of at least US$ 30,000 is needed to establish a Centennial Professorial Chair. Chairs are deemed vital in augmenting the incomes of deserving UP faculty members.

From the UP Newsletter website

The Department of English and Comparative Literature (DECL), in cooperation with the Office of the UP President, Office of the Chancellor, and the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, successfully held the 12th Biennial Symposium on the Literatures and Cultures of the Asia-Pacific Region titled “Rewor(l)dings: Contestations and Reconfigurations in the Literatures and Cultures of the Asia-Pacific Region” at the College of Business Administration Auditorium from November 22 to 24, 2007.

According to the organizers, the symposium of Asia-Pacific literary artists, scholars, and publishers sought to question the paradigms that have relegated the Asia-Pacific region to the margins. It explored possibilities of re-mapping culture “so that no center has single dominance, and every center retains a fidelity to its people’s history and culture without negating a colonial past or current global imperatives.”

Read the full article at the UP Newsletter website

The University of the Philippines is set to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Prof. David J. Gross, recipient of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics, on 9 January 2008, 10:00 a.m., at the UP Film Institute.

Following the conferment, Gross will deliver a lecture on the future of fundamental physics. The lecture is part of the ASEAN-wide “Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace” program of the International Peace Foundation. UP is co-hosting the event as part of its Centennial Lecture Series.

Along with Dr. Hugh David Politzer and Dr. Frank Wilczek, Gross received the Nobel Prize for discovering asymptotic freedom in the theory of strong interaction—one of the four fundamental forces of nature. Their discovery led to the establishment of quantum chromodynamics as the accurate theory of strong nuclear force.

Gross is the current director of the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara and also holds the Frederic W. Gluck Chair in Theoretical Physics at the same university. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the Hebrew University, where he majored in physics and mathematics. He then took his graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Gross is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has been the recipient of awards such as the Grande Medaille D’Or from the Academie des Sciences; the European Physical Society Prize in Elementary Particle Physics; the Harvey Prize from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; and the Oskar Klein Medal from Stockholm University, among others.

Read the full article at the UP Newsletter website

Hawaii representatives, led by Speaker of the House Calvin K.Y. Say, signed the certificate which states that the UP has served as the premier institution of higher learning for the Philippines, producing outstanding graduates in a wide range of fields, and “has dedicated itself to nurturing and developing the next generation of leaders and visionaries, many of whom have proven to be invaluable not only in their own country, but around the world as well.” The House extends to UP its “warmest aloha and best wishes for success in all future endeavors.”

Read the full article at the UP Newsletter website

Centennial kick-off Concert in Diliman

On January 8 at UP Diliman (UPD), the UP Centennial celebrations will officially start.

The day will begin with a fun run sponsored by Engineering fraternity Tau Alpha.

At 2 p.m., a motorcade cum parade will start from the University Avenue and wind around the Quezon Memorial Circle, where contingents from the constituent universities will converge. Expected to participate are decorated Ikot jeeps, the UP Marching Band, the Pep Squad, varsity teams in uniform, UPD dance troupes, and contingents from the colleges and student organizations.

Read the full article at the UP Newsletter website