As part of its mandate of keeping UPLB hazard-free, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs (OVCCA) initiated a campus-wide collection of chemical wastes on Dec. 3, 7, and 16, 2020.

This is also in accordance with the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) that OVCCA is maintaining with the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) since 2016.

The UP Diliman Emotional Support Animals (ESA) Program which was launched in 2019 by then UPD Chancellor Michael Tan, provides psychosocial support for students and university staff that may experience stress, depression, or anxiety. The program manages, trains, and utilizes campus animals to render emotional and therapeutic support to those who need them.

Recently, new SARS-CoV-2 variants were detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa with multiple spike protein mutations that may cause substantial changes in certain properties of the virus. These observations spurred biosurveillance efforts in different countries, with some countries outside of the UK and South Africa already reporting the presence of these new variants within their territories. The data presented in this report is part of our own continuing biosurveillance efforts to track the entry of these new variants in the country, as well as other viral mutations that may be of concern locally.

The members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) Los Baños Chapter participated in the Tree Planting and Growing Activity of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Region IV-A CALABARZON and the A. Nocon Realty and Development Corporation (ANRDC) at the 571-hectare National Greening Program (NGP) plantation area in Barangay Cansuso, Cavinti, Laguna on December 4, 2020.

The pandemic that is COVID-19 has infected the world in many ways, both physically and mentally. For Cebuanos, the University of the Philippines Cebu and Ateneo de Cebu counselors have assembled to form Cebu COPES – Counselors Online Psychological and Emotional Support. Four of UP Cebu guidance counselors have volunteered for the program namely, Annabelle G. Maglasang, Cipriano V. Olita, Jaseluh R. Saturinas, and Jeffrey D. Pelonio.

Cebu COPES aims to provide a platform for Cebuanos to avail of free, confidential online and tele-counseling services and psycho-social support by registered guidance counselors. Their primary goal is to assist Cebuanos in their mental and emotional health needs amidst COVID-19.

The Iloilo Provincial Government is gearing to open its COVID-19 Testing Laboratory to be located at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan, Iloilo. 

It is currently complying with requirements specified by the inspecting team from the Department of Health and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. The laboratory will be under the management of the Iloilo Provincial Hospital.