For the University of the Philippines (UP), volunteerism is crucial in nurturing civic engagement and strengthening community spirit among UP students and their partners. With COVID-19, students may now organize meaningful volunteering projects with safety and program concerns in place.
The UP Padayon Public Service Office held this year’s CUPSCon on October 21, 2021, via online platforms. The purpose of this conference was to share information with the attendees on the best practices and challenges that come with public service and the direction where future public service is heading.
“Ang sina-suggest nga namin, baka puwedeng i-consider ito after na ng holidays, January. I-ready muna natin ‘yong society,” ani Jomar Rabanjante ng University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team.
Sa ilalim kasi ng Alert Level 1, puwede na ang 100 porsiyentong kapasidad sa mga establisimyento basta mapapanatili ang pagsunod sa health protocols, bagay na ngayon pa lang sa Alert Level 2 ay hirap nang sundin ng ilan.
“NCR is not an island. May kalapit siyang Region 4-A, Region 3. Actually ‘yong mga kalapit-bayan niya, hindi pa kasingtulad ng NCR ang vaccine coverage,” ani Rabanjante.
The Swerve tool is developed by DoST-Pagasa under the program Severe Wind Hazard and Risk Assessment for Cebu City in collaboration with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and the University of the Philippines Diliman-Institute of Civil Engineering. This innovation is used for the impact assessment of severe wind hazard due to tropical cyclones for the target local government unit, Cebu City.
Timbal explained that with the Swerve tool, users can access data on the impact of severe wind hazards, caused by typhoons from the provincial level down to the barangay (village) level. In doing so, this can be a big help to LGU officials, disaster managers and planners to improve their mitigation strategies and develop more effective action plans to be implemented in their respective areas and lessen the impact of this natural hazard.
The Child Protection Network (CPN) Foundation and UNICEF swiftly responded by developing a new system to ensure that child protection services are continued despite the restrictions of the pandemic— the TeleCPUs in the Barangay. Through telemedicine and 39 barangay-based teleCPU satellites, abused children can go to the nearest barangay and have access to teleconsultation and specialty services available only in tertiary care centers.
In relation to its continued webinars and upskilling programs for faculty members on the use of the Learning Management System, last August 19, 2021, TLRC conducted “sana oL May high Score” training that delved into the utilization of the LMS gradebook in order for teachers to provide an efficient and systematic feedback system for assignments and other requirements of students.
During the most recent webinar organized by the University of the Philippines titled “Hospital Design: Nakakatulong ba sa Pandemya,” under its “Stop: Covid Deaths” series, Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi, PGH Director, said they now intend to use their experience with Covid-19 as preparation for future pandemics.
Sandigan, Sandalan has four components: the Directory of Mental Health Service Providers, including referral systems for focal persons and faculty members; the Training on Mental Health Promotion in the Teaching-Learning Environment; the Training Program for Peer Mental Health Advocates; and, the Student Mental Health Advocacy Program.
The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) funded program “Tourism Studies on Island-Based Opportunities for Growth in Western Visayas – (TSIBOG)” commenced last July 2021 with seven research projects under its wing. One of these is the project “Bridging the Past, Sailing toward the Future: History to the (and by the People).” The project partnered with the Local Government Unit of Ibajay, Aklan and the Department of Education – Division of Aklan to train elementary and secondary teachers, tourism and planning officers, and people’s organizations in doing historical research and promoting cultural heritage tourism in the Municipality of Ibajay.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said ACTICon, which was developed by the University of the Philippines Los Banos-National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (UPLB-BIOTECH) through the agency’s funding support, was piloted in Davao del Norte to determine its effect as biocontrol agent against Fusarium wilt (FocTR4) in Cavendish banana.
