July 2012
U.P. Newsletter 7
The program’s highlight was the awarding of the Gawad Chancellor to faculty and staff members who have greatly contributed to the university through their exemplary performance. T he Gawad Chancellor for Outstanding Faculty was awarded to Dr. Melinda Bandalaria, dean of the Faculty of Infor mation and Communication Studies. The Outstanding REPS Award went to Alvie Simonette Alip, University Researcher. Pura Amoloza, Supply and Property Management Office chief, was named outstanding administrative staff (supervisory). Celestino Quiña Jr., driver, was chosen as outstanding staff (non-supervisory). The one-day celebration ended with a Fun Run organized by the UPOU Gender Committee.
UP Visayas Chancellor Rommel Espinosa cites the country’s accomplishments despite its young age and asked Iloilo populace headed by its government officials and employees to be heroes themselves. He spoke as guest of honor during the Iloilo City Hall’s celebration of Philippine Independence last June 12. Becoming heroes includes respecting people and the environment. “Part of our independence as a country is the gift of our land and water territories,” he says. (Anna Razel L. Ramirez)
UPV joins Panay Bukidnon Arts Festival Anna Razel L. Ramirez
UP Visayas (UPV) experts contributed to the success of a festival honoring the art of Panay Bukidnon last May 18 at the Mary Immaculate Academy in Calinog, Iloilo. The Panay Bukidnon Arts Festival showcased traditional arts including music, dance, costuming, weaponry, food, and medicinal herbs of the Bukidnon peoples of Central Iloilo. The event also brought together scholars, researchers, government officials, artists, and various arts and culture enthusiasts with the aim of reliving traditions. Students and mentors of the School for Living Tradition (SLT), who were the main participants during the event, showed various presentations and performances. Dr. Alicia Magos, UP professor emeritus and anthropologist who spearheaded the study of the Panay Bukidnons, participated in a roundtable discussion on synchronizing Panay Bukidnon culture with education, the government, NGOs and the public. The other panelists were National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) Chairman Felipe De Leon Jr.; UPV Center for West Visayan Studies (CWVS) Director Melanie Padilla; National Commission on Indigenous People’s (NCIP) Legal Counsel Romulo Caballero; Paquito Cataluña of the Department of Education (DepEd); and Mines and Geosciences BureauRegion VI’s Dr. Leilanie Suerte. Workshops on the various art forms such as embroidery, music and dance,
Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO
“UP has seen it all. It has been a witness to the unfolding of much of the country’s modern history. From the nation’s highest high to its lowest low, UP has been an active participant either as an institution or through the active engagement of its students, graduates, and academics.” This was how UPOU Chancellor Grace Alfonso described UP during UPOU’s celebration of the National University’s 104th founding anniversary at the UPOU headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna. UPOU’s celebration of UP’s anniversary started with a flag ceremony led by Alfonso and participated in by faculty and staff members. A colloquium on synchronous pedagogies for distance education was also held at the UP Oblation Hall. The diversity of tools in using synchronous modes of communication in e-learning were discussed like the Prezi as discussed by Roberto Figueroa; the BigBlueBotton by Dr. Jean Saludadez; Skype, Yahoo Messenger and Chikka by Dr. Ricardo Bagarinao and Dr. Melinda Bandalaria; and the WizIQ by Asst. Prof. Al Librero. The discussion was synthesized by Prof. Patricia Arinto. Simultaneous to the colloquium was the film showing of the video “Pamantasang Hirang” at the UPOU Audiovisual Room. In the afternoon, the Faculty of Management Development Studies organized a Green Recyclables Fair, as part of its Green UPOU Campaign. A short anniversary program was held afterwards. In her welcome message, Alfonso extolled the achievements of the university. “In a country oppressed by a feudalistic mind set, UP has espoused and guarded its core values – humanism, democracy, honor, excellence, and academic freedom,” she said. “UP has valued diversity of ideas and has provided space for healthy debates and other discourses. UP has produced the most number of national leaders, national artists, and national scientists. It is considered to be the leading producer of scientific research in the country,” she added. UP Service Awards were given to Alvie Simonette Alip, Felix Bautista, Arturo Corpuz, Luisa Gelisan, Juvy Lizette Gervacio, Elvy Pamulaklakin and Tessie Tamayao, for having rendered 5, 10 and 15 years of service. The winners of the 1st UPOU Digital video competition were also announced at the program. (See related article.)
Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO
UPOU celebrates UP’s 104th anniversary
Artists of living traditions from Panay and Bukidnon
metal weaponry, and epic chanting were conducted. A forum on “Managing the Schools of Living Tradition” generated suggestions and experiences from Magos, Datu Vic Saway (Tala-andig), Mary Ann Bungaoen (Kalinga), Maria Todi (T’Boli), Delfin Salidao (Ibawilon), Cenia Lastrilla (Agcalaga), Federico Caballero and Rocel Casipe (Masaroy), and Dr. Maria Christine Muyco. Magos authenticated the existence of the Panay Bukidnon in her anthropological studies that started in 1993 and has since built SLTs in different communities in Central Panay that propagated the endangered Bukidnon culture. Muyco is currently working with her to nurture the
schools in coordination with the NCCA, NCIP, The Balay Patawili, Inc., LGUs and CWVS. An opening ritual that gave a glimpse of a rich cultural tradition was done by the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Awardee Federico Caballero; the Council of elders from Barangays Masaroy, Agcalaga, and Garangan; SLT leaders Lastrilla and Casipe; and 2004 Outstanding Indigenous Leader Romulo Caballero. Mayor Alex Centina of the Municipality of Calinog and Sr. Arlene Nacionales, Principal of the Mary Immaculate Academy, Calinog, Iloilo welcomed the participants in the festival.
UPV and Miagao celebrate 2nd Friendship Day As in May last year, UP Visayas (UPV) and the Municipality of Miagao marked Friendship Day last May 31. Officials from Miagao led by Mayor Julieta Flores and from UPV led by Chancellor Rommel Espinosa joined their constituents in the one-day affair which started with a Mass at the Sto. Tomas de Villanova Parish Church. A soft launch of the Miagao Museum located in the right wing of the church followed. An opening program at the town plaza also marked the friendship day which also featured friendly games (larong pinoy and ball games) between the two institutions. A Mini Food Conference organized by the UPV School of Technology and the
Institute of Fish Processing Technology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences capped the day. It featured four speakers: one from the local food industry, and three who offered technical advice on product support, development, and improvement. Anita Datuon of Brgy. Kirayan Tacas, Miagao, shared her experience as a bayibayi maker. Bayi-bayi is one of Miagao’s foremost native food delicacies. Johanna Jamero, a business development service provider, talked about her work experience as a food technolog y graduate and discussed the challenges and gaps in the food business industry. She also emphasized the need for a town to feature only one, stand-out product it would be
known for. Gemma Tabiano, Food and Drug Senior Regulation Officer II of the Food and Drug Administration, talked about food safety requirements and the advantage of a licensed food business as it has implications on product safety and is preferred by consumers or the buying public. Rachel Nufable, Senior Trade and Development Specialist from the Department of Trade and Industry–Iloilo, discussed the policies and procedures that entrepreneurs have to go through in order to operate a food business enterprise. Organizers of the food conference hope that the event gave the Miagao food industry entrepreneurs invaluable tips on how to run and improve their business.
Photo courtesy of UPV-IPO
Lyncen M. Fernandez
One of the traditional games played by university and Miagao residents.