NEWS
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September 2020 - January 2021 | Vol. XXVIII Issue No. 1
Flames lead R1, CAR in accounting; bags regional OASP award
CITE to be the only DSC unit recognized by Google Kristine Joy S. Nool
Roxan C. Resuello
The College of Information Technology Education (CITE) department partnered with an international organization called Developer Student Club (DSC), lead by Jeofferson Dela Peña, which aims to collaborate with students who are interested in Google developer technologies and build their mobile and web development skills. DSC is powered by Google and is a university-based community. Graduate and undergraduate, novice to advanced developers, or students with a different academic background, as long as they are enrolled to PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang), are welcome to this club. They offer hands-on workshops, tech talks,
Designed to recognize and determine students with exemplary performance in accountancy, the 22nd Search for Outstanding Accounting Student in the Philippines (SOASP) conducted on January 9, 2021 concluded with PHINMA University of Pangasinan securing a spot in the top 4. Third-year accountancy student, Keith Alison Arellano rises in the regional eliminations as she bested against her Region 1 and CAR competitors. Arellano, along with 3 other top participants will move forward to the Qualifying Exam scheduled on February 20, 2021. Their regional feat would allow them to take their chances and sweep through the Top 25 nationwide. Less than two months before the SOASP event, CHED Regional Office 1 Educational Supervisor II, Dr. Juan Primitivo P. Petrola joins a CMASC-led webinar to empower the students and give a talk regarding test-taking skills. The webinar emphasized tips and strategies before, during, and after taking an exam, among many others. Commendable points and insights from the 3-hour discussion are deemed essential to sustain knowledge needed for an endeavor such as Arellano’s triumph.
PCAP lauds Gatdula’s academic excellence Roxan C. Resuello
Professional Criminologist Association of the Philippines (PCAP) conferred PHINMA UPang’s Tactical Commander, Marc Laurence
Gatdula an Outstanding Criminology Student award during the 2020 PCAP Search on the Outstanding Criminologists and Criminology Students held via
Facebook Live, December 18, 2020. Anchored on three categories including leadership, academic excellence, and social responsibility, qualification for the award is reviewed by the board of committee upon commendation for nomination by the Criminology department head of each participating university. In an interview, Gatdula stated that it is his first time to receive such merit. “I’m happy and honored because of the trust that has been given by the Criminology instructors especially department
information sessions, study jams, and hackathons. CITE also uplifts its students to join the more than 1,250 DSC chapters worldwide to the Solution Challenge which is an annual contest presented by DSC to resolve local community problems using Google platforms. By joining the club, students grow their knowledge in a peer-to-peer learning environment and set solutions for businesses and the community. To become a part, fill up their official membership application page on this link: bit.ly/ DSCPHINMAUPangMembership DSC UPang is the only university-wide organization in Pangasinan that is officially acknowledged by Google.
head, Dr. Raymond S. Cabanban.” he said. The Outstanding Criminology Student award is limited to 3rd year to 4th year students who bear excellent academic, co-, and extra-curricular performance under the BS Criminology program. Gatdula, referring to other criminology students, said he believes “All are qualified to be nominated on this award. We should just work harder and be disciplined because nothing is impossible especially when you exert effort in something that you want to
achieve.” 33 other criminology students from different regions across the country were awarded such merit; six of which hails from Region 1 including Joshua Manipud from PHINMA-University of Pangasinan (UPang) Urdaneta campus. The event took place on an hour-long live stream at the Mindanao Daily News Facebook page. Other awards presented include Excellence Service Award, Outstanding Educator, Outstanding Dean, and Outstanding Criminologists.
No face-to-face graduation ceremony; UPang not saying NO on bonding virtual and future graduates Kristine Joy S. Nool
The PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang) was met by inquisitive graduating students hoping to have their dream graduation ceremony set up-- even in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis. Unfortunately, the management still does not see any possibility of conducting a commencement in person. Thus, virtual graduation is regulated for batches September 2020 and January 2021. Tertiary graduates of AY. 2019-2020 second semester was finally considered graduates of September 2020. They were supposed to do their rites last summer but because of the pandemic, the date was moved. Although virtual graduation is obviously the best thing to do for the batch of January 2021,
PHINMA launched “PHINMA Reaches Out: Our Community Collaboration Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic” or known as the PRO 2020 and has mobilized at least P25 million worth of resources for the medical frontline workers and to the community who are affected by the pandemic. According to the PHINMA President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon del Rosario in an inquirer.net interview, PRO
all PHINMA Education schools will still deliberate the final plan tentatively by March 2021 and see how things progress. Ms. Liberty Soriano, Registrar, indicated that hardcopy documents that are submitted before will be reprocessed. Otherwise, it should still candidly be passed by the student, by also following the safety protocols, for the office to prepare certain records for special directives. The graduation fee also disregards the venue cost. "There is no face-to-face ceremony, but the portion of the fee is as is," the Registrar pointed out. The Flames are very much excited to see their names in the final list of degree holders. She also added, "The frus-
tration about not walking on the red carpet is just a natural reaction. Sa pictorial pa nga lang, excited na magpamakeup, graduation pa kaya. I believe it's more of a ceremonial excitement and emphasis of achievements when you get physically-conducted graduation. Nevertheless, the current situation is not something that we can control." The management said that they are not saying no to join future graduates and virtual graduates in one physical ceremony when the Covid-19 is gone, but they still have to modulate the number of attendees to accommodate them in the venue. "We'll try to adjust. We'll find a way." But for now, they believe that the safety of attendees should be the priority.
PHINMA Reaches Out 2020 launched in response to Covid-19 pandemic Trixie Ann C. Bautista
2020 prioritized their extended family members who were contractual and are considered as one of the affected laborers of the pandemic, and also reaches out the frontline health professionals and workers who need assistance. “We were fanning the flames of hope. And we still are,” said del Rosario.
The P25 million donation consists of the following: -P5 million to support the joint PBSP (Philippine Business for Social Progress) -P8 million in the form of assistance to health workers at the front lines with Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE), food, lodging, and transportation, to help establish supplementary health care facilities, and/or provide food and other assistance to vulnerable groups through the Alumni Association of Xavier School, CRIBS Foundation, De La Salle Brothers, Got Heart Foundation/Katinko Group, International Association for Hu-
man Values Foundation Phils., Office of the Vice President and the Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, RockEd Philippines, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen Dagupan, Tanging Yaman Foundation and UP Medical Foundation -P3.75 million to 1,500 PHINMA group contractual staff and workers’ assistance fund -P7 million for the supported communities of PHINMA.
