The ����̽̽ (����̽̽) has officially cemented a Cooperation Agreement with ACEN Corporation, an energy and renewable power generation firm under the Ayala Group, regarding the construction of infrastructure needed for the development of ACEN’s 335 MW Isla Wind project in the Province of Laguna, a portion of which lies within ����̽̽’s Land Grant. The signing of the Cooperation Agreement was held on May 10, 2024, at the Henry Sy Building, ����̽̽ Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

With the theme “Partners Renewable,” the signing ceremony was attended by ACEN CEO and President Eric Francia, Senior Vice President for Development Rod San Pedro Jr., and Managing Director and Group General Counsel Dodjie Lagazo. Officials from ����̽̽ are President Angelo A. Jimenez, Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo D.P Cubillan, Vice President for Planning and Finance Iryn Y. Balmores, Vice President for Development Daniel C. Peckley, and former Vice President for Development Ferdinand Pecson.

Under the agreement, ����̽̽ allows ACEN to construct access roads and transmission lines over a stretch of ����̽̽-owned property spanning three municipalities in Laguna. This property is registered and beneficially owned by ����̽̽ under Republic Act No. 2990 or “An Act to Establish a Central Experiment Station in the ����̽̽.” The energy company needs the access roads and transmission lines over said portion of ����̽̽’s property to be able to proceed with the first phase of the Isla Wind project.

According to the agreement, the wind power project aligns with original intent of the ����̽̽ Land Grant as a “Central Experiment Station” as the project enables ����̽̽ to conduct various experiments on the potential of wind power. The project also underscores both ����̽̽’s and ACEN’s dedication to propelling the Philippines towards a sustainable energy future.

“This agreement is a valuable and sustainable relationship,” ����̽̽ President Jimenez said during the signing ceremony. “We [in ����̽̽] are looking for long transactions. We will share our next year’s goals and our commitment to SDG for clean and affordable energy.

“We both know that energy is a very critical element for our people to achieve aspirations, growth, and development… and this is going to be a total relationship and a multidimensional and multidisciplinary event to match our commitment to partner with you [ACEN],” Jimenez added.

“We are delighted to collaborate with ����̽̽ to deliver much-needed large-scale renewable infrastructure for the country,” ACEN president and CEO Francia said. “Isla Wind is one of the largest and most complex projects in ACEN’s rapidly growing renewables portfolio. We are grateful for ����̽̽’s support, and we look forward to further expanding our collaboration on sustainability-oriented initiatives.”

Menstrual justice advocates and public health experts underscored the urgent need to address period poverty in the country, in a May 8 forum hosted by the ����̽̽ Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (����̽̽-CIFAL).

“Bridging the Gender Health Gap: A Forum on Addressing Period Poverty in the Philippines,” held at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in ����̽̽ Diliman, brought together stakeholders from different sectors, such as policymakers, health practitioners, educators, youth leaders, and development workers, in a comprehensive discussion on the issue of period poverty and ways on how to alleviate it.

“This forum signifies how far we have [come] at least in terms of recognizing that there is a problem, but much needs to be done,” said Jon Michael Villasenor, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist.

The forum speakers also discussed the key and decisive actions needed to address period poverty and its intersections with various issues on public health, labor and employment, education, and environmental sustainability.

An often-overlooked problem

Period poverty involves more than the lack of access to menstrual products and hygiene facilities, said Gianinna Czareena Chavez, founder of the We Bleed Red Movement, a campaign that aims to fight disinformation and stigma surrounding menstruation.

While period poverty is a health and economic issue that can hinder “participat[ion] in the workforce or in school,” Chavez stressed that it is equally crucial to understand the cultural dimensions of the issue.

Period poverty is also “the lack of discourse, information and education on the importance of menstrual health and hygiene. It is the lack of or the misrepresentation of menstruation in all forms of media, and it is the continuous cultural shaming and silencing of menstruation in both public and private spaces,” she stated.

Cleo Loque, founder of innerwear and menstrual care brand Hiraya Pilipina, raised the additional stigma around the experience of menstruating for transgender or non-binary persons.

“Kapag pinag-uusapan natin ‘yung regla, we feel like this is a women-only experience—but it’s not. Not all women menstruate, and not all menstruating people are women,” Loque explained.

Ensuring the accessibility and affordability of menstrual products, as well as their sustainability in the context of human consumption and environmental impact, often poses a challenge for brands due to long-term health risks and concerns about waste management and disposal, Loque added.

“I hope there’s a way in the future, maybe a collaboration with other green-positive menstrual brands, to produce something that is widely available, widely affordable, and also sustainable because Filipinos deserve that. Filipinos deserve better menstrual products,” she said.

Initiatives and challenges

Various government agencies have engaged in efforts and initiatives to address aspects of period poverty, although significant gaps remain.

Dr. Maria Corazon Dumlao, chief health program officer of the Department of Education’s School Health Division, outlined some of the department’s flagship school health programs, such as the WASH in Schools Program and the Adolescent Reproductive Health Program, as well as the integration menstrual health management in the education system to facilitate its popularization.

Education and public health are deeply intertwined issues, said Dumlao. “Learners need to be healthy so that they can be educated, and learners need to be educated so that they can be healthy.”

In terms of policies, Athena Charanne Presto, a senior lecturer at the ����̽̽ Diliman Department of Sociology, noted that the country does not have any laws or policies that directly address period poverty.

Even though certain laws and policies are in place, such as the Reproductive Health Act, initiatives by local government units (LGUs), and laws combating discrimination against women, there are also lingering challenges in harnessing them. Among them are: questions on the appropriation and spending of public funds and resources, the lack of effective enforcement mechanisms, as well as religious and societal influence in the policy cycle.

“Policymakers [often] don’t see [period poverty] as an urgent issue. In this regard, we need to have a strong force from civil society—like civil society organizations, NGOs, the private sector, and the media, very importantly—to help us put it on the agenda and make it very public para ma-pressure ang policymakers to really look into it,” Presto said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sarah Marie Huyong, municipal health officer of Tangalan, Aklan, joined the forum via Zoom, as she showed how LGUs can lead initiatives and forge partnerships with their constituencies to alleviate period poverty from the grassroots.

Dr. Huyong cited as examples the Tangalan municipal government’s efforts for their employees, such as an ordinance allowing a two-day work-from-home setup for their menstruating workers, as well as a monthly provision of menstrual products.

“These are our small steps in alleviating period poverty in our community. Hopefully, after this forum, we can all take our own small steps, and to really take our small steps to collaborative efforts,” Dr. Huyong said.

For the panel discussion moderated by Assoc. Prof. Maria Dulce Natividad of the ����̽̽ Asian Center, the forum’s speakers were joined by Aiai Garcia, founder of the menstrual care brand, Nala Woman, as they exchanged insights regarding the use of social media in destigmatizing menstruation, as well as the legislative proposals for menstrual leaves.

Dr. Estesa Xaris Que-Legaspi, Director of the De La Salle University’s (DLSU) LaSallian Center for Inclusion, Diversity, and Well-being, concluded the forum by discussing how the difficulties produced by period poverty is a multi-dimensional problem that concerns every Filipino.

“These difficulties for persons who menstruate pose a hindrance to progress and development from a personal and individual level, which ultimately will negatively impact the community and the larger society. This makes this concern not only for those of us who menstruate but a concern for everyone,” Dr. Legaspi emphasized.

����̽̽-CIFAL’s partners in hosting the forum include: DLSU’s Lasallian Center for Inclusion, Diversity and Well-being, the Quezon City Gender and Development Council, the ����̽̽ Asian Center, the UN Development Programme, the ����̽̽ Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, the ����̽̽ Los Baños College of Development Communication Department of Science Communication, ����̽̽ Los Baños Gender Center, ����̽̽ Los Baños Department of Human and Family Development Studies, ����̽̽ Los Baños Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment, the ����̽̽ Manila Center for Gender and Women Studies, and the We Bleed Red Movement Philippines.

The forum was sponsored by Cojo Philippines, Hiraya Pilipina, Nala Woman, and Sinaya Cup.

The ����̽̽ College Admission Test (����̽̽CAT) will be administered by ����̽̽ at testing centers in all regions across the nation, in line with the University’s aim of making ����̽̽ education accessible to the most geographically disadvantaged and financially challenged Filipino youth today.

This year, marking an increase from 102 testing sites in 2023, there will be 113 designated test centers covering the country’s 13 regions, the National Capital Region (NCR), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The sites, mostly public high schools and colleges, were chosen by ����̽̽ to provide the examinees with the prospective iskolar ng bayan’s first encounters with university life, giving them a taste or glimpse of the future, and boosting their hopes of qualifying for a slot in ����̽̽.

Applicants residing in the Middle East, which is a long-time host to big Filipino communities, may also take their ����̽̽CAT without flying home to the Philippines since a test site will be designated in Oman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Jeddah, Riyadh, and Al Khobar, according to Francisco N. De Los Reyes, Office of Admissions Director.

According to the ����̽̽ Office of Admissions, every ����̽̽CAT taker, as early as now, should acquaint or familiarize themselves with his/her designated test center so that they will arrive safely on time, primed, and ready for their once-in-a-lifetime test.

To further enable marginalized youth to take the ����̽̽CAT, manually accomplished application forms will be accepted in areas with limited Internet access.

There is also no application fee to be paid by those who want to take the ����̽̽CAT. After the results are announced, ����̽̽CAT qualifiers can enroll tuition-free in their chosen academic program.

����̽̽ aims to have at least one ����̽̽CAT test center for every province, to include Davao de Oro, Zamboanga Sibugay, Saranggani, Maguindanao del Sur, and Lanao del Sur.

Please visit this web page for the updated list of ����̽̽CAT test centers:

Muling bumalik sa ikalawa at huling pagkakataon sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (����̽̽) sa Diliman ang awtor at peryodistang si Patricia C. Evangelista para sa huling paglalayag ng kaniyang librong “Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country.”

Inorganisa ito ng Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), sa pangunguna ni Girlie Linao, pangulo, katuwang ang ����̽̽ College of Mass Communication (����̽̽ CMC) at ang mga mag-aaral mula sa Tinig Plaridel. Tugon ito sa obheto ng Malayang Mamamahayag, Responsableng Pamamahayag at maging ang pagdiriwang sa Pandaigdigang Kalayaan sa Pamamahayag ngayong taon.

Sa pagbukas ng programa ni Dekano Fernando Paragas ng ����̽̽ CMC, pinagtibay niya na ang libro ni Evangelista ay isang mahalagang hakbang sa pagtalakay sa mga naranasan ng mamamayang Pilipino sa ilalim ng administrasyon ni dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Ayon kay Paragas, “The real remedy to this wound in our national psyche is to acknowledge it. To diagnose it. To discuss it. To find what causes it and how it can be healed.”

Tinalakay ni Evangelista ang nilalaman ng kaniyang libro bilang pananalamin sa iilang mukha ng malawakan at tahasang pagpatay sa “War on Drugs” ni dating pangulong Duterte. Nailahad ni Evangelista na bilang isang trauma journalist, lagi’t lagi, “ The future is always bright for us Filipinos because we don’t remember the past” – linyang sinipi niya mula kay Joan Didion, isang sikat na awtor at manunulat sa America. “The journalist’s role is to tell that story, to keep a record in the hope that at some point record matters,” dagdag ni Evangelista. “But even if it doesn’t, as long as there is a record, we don’t deny it happened at all.”

Binanggit din ni Evangelista, bilang dating estudyante ng Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura ng ����̽̽ Diliman, na “sa ����̽̽ ako nagsimulang maging reporter, at ang naitulong ng ����̽̽ sa akin ay nalaman ko na hindi ka pwede pumikit kapag namulat ka na. Nalaman ko rin na may malaking pagkakaiba—kahit iskolar ka ng bayan, malaki ang pagkakaiba—sa utang natin sa bayan kaysa sa utang natin sa pamahalaan. So I think for the last 15 years, I’ve been trying to figure out what I owe, and what I owe is not even to the University, but it’s to the people like all of us.”

Kinilala noong Oktubre 2023 ang “Some People Need Killing” bilang isa sa New York Times’ 10 Best Books of 2023, the New Yorker’s Best Books of 2023, TIME Magazine’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2023, at kamakailan lang ay nanalo sa 2024 Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Kaugnay na kwento: Pamamahayag bilang pagmamalasakit: Ilang tala hinggil sa ‘Some People Need Killing’

Three Diploma in Midwifery (DM) graduates from the ����̽̽ Manila School of Health Sciences (����̽̽M-SHS) were among the top ten passers of the April 2024 Licensure Examination for Midwives, as announced by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on May 6.

Samantha May Aglit Torcuan, who belongs to DM Batch 11 of ����̽̽M-SHS Baler, Aurora, got the second highest exam score at 91.60%. Decemya Wawey Amayag, also from the same batch, was in fourth place with a passing mark of 90.60%. Suhaila Abdulbayan Akmad, member of ����̽̽M-SHS Koronadal, South Cotabato’s DM Batch 8, ranked eighth with a score of 89.8%.

The PRC results show the school for Torcuan, Amayag, and Akmad as “University of the Phil. School of Health & Sciences-Leyte”—the eighth top performing school in the April exam given by the Board of Midwifery. Forty-eight of its 57 listed examinees passed, which translated to a passing percentage of 84.21%. The results also indicate that two examinees from “����̽̽-Manila” and one from “����̽̽-Visayas-Tacloban City” passed the exam.

Constituents and alumni of the ����̽̽ Mindanao (����̽̽Min) engaged with ����̽̽ President Angelo Jimenez in a townhall meeting held at the atrium of ����̽̽ Mindanao Administration Building, Mintal, Davao City on May 7, 2024.

Jimenez flew to the campus to launch the ����̽̽ System Strategic Plan 2023-2029 and establish a strong partnership between his administration and ����̽̽ Mindanao for the growth and development of ����̽̽ Mindanao.

“We have crafted a strategic vision for ����̽̽. There are so many words here, they could fill one book. But if I have to choose only two words, it would be ‘public service.’ Our reason for being is to serve our people,” he said.

Representatives of ����̽̽ Mindanao students, faculty, administrative staff, REPS (research, extension and professional staff), and alumni delivered messages on behalf of their sectors, while an open forum drew several participants from the same sectors.

The sectoral representatives—University Student Council Chair Cobbie Jan Canda, Associate Professor Rommel Rea, ����̽̽Min Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Director Mike Gatela, ����̽̽Min Land Management Officer and A����̽̽WU ����̽̽Min Chapter vice president Joel Sagadal, and ����̽̽Min Foundation, Inc. trustee John Gaisano, Jr.—brought up issues of regularization of employment, expansion of leaves and other benefits, review of merit promotions to account for public service rendered, and the need for additional personnel and other resources to pursue activities aimed at democratizing access to ����̽̽ education.

Other concerns raised by the ����̽̽ Mindanao community were: securing campus land; ensuring students’ mental health; processing salary fund requests; research load credits; presence of armed uniformed personnel on campus; and addressing the lack of academic spaces, dormitories, funding for athletes, and a campus doctor.

Prior to the Q&A session, ����̽̽ Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao told the constituents, “We have already harmonized our strategic plan for 2022 to 2025 with the current direction of the ����̽̽ System, and we have already identified five strategic pillars and 20 high-impact programs for that purpose.

“����̽̽ Mindanao commits to be a partner for sustainable development in the region through transformative education, and we hope that the ����̽̽ System will continue to support the development in Mindanao,” she added.

The town hall meeting was also attended by former ����̽̽ Mindanao Chancellors Sylvia Concepcion and Larry Digal, which President Jimenez said was a boost in morale.

����̽̽ (����̽̽) President Angelo Jimenez announced in a conference on May 7 that several new degree programs would be hosted and offered by ����̽̽ Mindanao, in line with the University’s strategic thrust to contribute more actively to the growth and development in the region. Jimenez also unveiled concrete plans to make ����̽̽ admissions more inclusive for applicants from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, including several provinces of Mindanao.

“����̽̽ has a mandate of public service, so here in Mindanao, we hope to build local capacities and expertise in order to have the greatest impact on long-term development,” Jimenez told the local media at Lemito Hall at the ����̽̽ Mindanao campus in Mintal, Davao City.

����̽̽ Mindanao will introduce programs in Doctor of Medicine beginning Academic Year 2025-2026, in cooperation with the College of Medicine of ����̽̽ Manila. ����̽̽ Mindanao will become the first state university in Davao City to offer the MD program.

At the same time, the ����̽̽ constituent university (CU) will also launch a program in Civil Engineering in cooperation with the ����̽̽ Diliman Institute of Civil Engineering, an Associate in Entrepreneurship, and two new Master of Science offerings.

The Associate in Entrepreneurship will be under the CU’s School of Management and aimed at promoting a culture of innovation and support the local start-up ecosystem.

An MS in Quantitative Methods in Modeling will be instituted to help upskill graduates of BS Applied Mathematics and BS Computer Science to meet advanced industry requirements. ����̽̽ Mindanao will also offer a new MS Biology program, with four specialty tracks adopted from the Institute of Biology in ����̽̽ Diliman.

According to Rene Estremera, ����̽̽ Mindanao Public Relations Officer, the launch of the programs was part of the ����̽̽ Mindanao R2 – 5K agenda or “The Road to 5,000 Students”, which aims to improve the academic profile of the campus while increasing enrollment from the current 1,400 students to 5,000 by 2029.

Democratizing student admissions

This is also in line with a current ����̽̽ System thrust to democratize student admissions. Jimenez spoke of encouraging more ����̽̽ enrollment from public schools and the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas of Mindanao. Part of the strategies is to increase ����̽̽ College Admissions Testing (����̽̽CAT) centers to at least one per province by 2025. ����̽̽ is also setting aside funds for a program to subsidize living and study expenses of ����̽̽CAT passers who could not afford them.

Jimenez emphasized his Manobo roots as ����̽̽ President and his intention “to make a pivot to Mindanao.”

The ����̽̽ President, the first one to be officially conferred the title at ����̽̽ Mindanao, also answered questions alongside ����̽̽ Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Muaro on establishing a ����̽̽-Bangsamoro Development Institute and a Mindanao Sports Development and Training Institute on campus; on internally generating funds to support ����̽̽CAT passers belonging to marginalized sectors; on finding means to logistically support the new ����̽̽ Mindanao offerings; and on current ����̽̽ programs to promote mental health among its constituents.

Throughout history, music has played various functions: to tell a story, to worship God, to provide entertainment, and even to take part in resistance. Music has the capacity to transport its listeners from their current spatial and temporal borders to distant lands, bygone eras, and forgotten memories—all through sheer aural power alone.

Indeed, to listen is to travel, and in the evening of May 3, the ����̽̽ Symphony Orchestra (����̽̽SO) once again took their listeners on a musical odyssey in their recent concert, “Beyond Time and Space,” at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

“Beyond Time and Space” is ����̽̽SO’s third concert this year following “Puso at ����̽̽SO” on February 23, which featured ����̽̽ conductors, and “Seasons of Love” on March 16. The concert was conceived as an exploration of stories, beliefs, and customs from across periods and cultures through renditions of the iconic compositions of Richard Wagner, Olivier Messiaen, Giacomo Puccini, and National Artist for Music Ramón P. Santos, under the baton of ����̽̽SO’s music director and acclaimed composer-conductor, Josefino Chino Toledo.

Of Norse gods and heroes

The first half of the evening began with a quest to the mythical realm of Norse gods and heroes as the orchestra delivered an exhilarating performance of Wagner’s “Ride of Valkyries.” The majestic piece’s symphony of stirring brass and rapid strings and woodwinds heralded the arrival of the titular Norse creatures as they fulfill their noble mission to bring fallen heroes from the battlefield—and perhaps, even the its listeners—to the heavenly halls of Valhalla.

“Ride of Valkyries” opens the third act of “Die Walküre,” the second installment in Wagner’s epic four-part opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen, but it has since become a beloved and enduring concert staple as a standalone work, and the orchestra’s flawless rendition was immediately met with rapturous applause by the audience.

From Valhalla, the orchestra then brought its audience to a spiritual journey with Messiaen’s “Les Offrandes Oubliées;” its French title, which translates to “the forgotten offerings” in English, underscores Messiaen’s devout Catholic spirituality which would be a central theme in his later compositions.

The continuous three-part suite opened with plaintive strings signaling both introspection and a brewing turmoil before dramatically shifting to an agitated explosion of brass and percussion interjections that evoked the turbulent struggle between man’s corporeal desires and spiritual aspirations. After this long musical battle, the piece concluded in a serene and silent resolution, suggesting the triumph of the human spirit.

Tapestry of Filipino music

After mythical and spiritual battles, the concert traversed our local soundscapes with a performance of Santos’ Penomenon, a five-part orchestral suite, which showcased the National Artist’s unique blend of indigenous Filipino musical traditions with contemporary avant-garde techniques through its depictions of various experiences in the Philippine landscape.

From the festive noise of town fiestas in “Pagdiriwang,” the mournful reflection of “Pasyon,” the foreboding tension in “Balang” which evoked the coming of locusts and the flapping of their wings slowly building to a swarm, the intensity and trepidation of expressing one’s feelings during courtship in “Harana,” to the cacophony of wind in “Agay-ay,” Penomenon offered a glimpse into the colorful and diverse tapestry of Filipino musical expression. Santos, who graced the concert as a member of the audience, gave the orchestra a standing ovation as they concluded their performance

The night’s second half, meanwhile, was dedicated to Puccini’s centennial death anniversary. Though the Italian composer is better known through his operatic masterpieces “La Bohème,” “Tosca,” and “Madame Butterfly,” the ����̽̽SO honored Puccini with a solemn performance of his early choral work “Messa di Gloria” together with the ����̽̽SO Chorus, tenor Ervin Lumauag, and baritone Raymond Leslie Diaz.

Upon the crowd’s request, the orchestra performed four more pieces for its encore—including Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 39/2, and the University’s hymn, “����̽̽ Naming Mahal.”

“Beyond Time and Space” was presented together with the Office of the ����̽̽ President, the ����̽̽ College of Music, Orkestra ng Bayan Inc., and the ����̽̽ College of Music Alumni Association. Part of the proceeds from the concert will be given to the ����̽̽ College of Music Alumni Association’s MusiKalinga Scholarship and Grant Fund.

����̽̽ President Angelo A. Jimenez, former ����̽̽ President Danilo L. Concepcion, Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo D.P. Cubillan, and Vice President for Planning and Finance Iryn Y. Balmores, and Alumni Regent Robert Lester F. Aranton were among the ����̽̽ officials who graced the concert.

����̽̽ was the only Philippine university ranked in two of the five broad subject areas in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject 2024. These subject clusters were “Life Sciences and Medicine” (401-450) and “Engineering and Technology” (501-550).

According to the QS website, 1,559 universities and “over 16,300 academic programmes were ranked across various subjects.” Moreover, these institutions were “ranked using various metrics, including their academic reputation, employer reputation, and the International Research Network (IRN) Index.”

In “Life Sciences and Medicine,” ����̽̽ placed in three out of nine subjects: agriculture and forestry (151-200), medicine (301-350), and biological sciences (551-600). In “Engineering and Technology,” it ranked in two of the group’s eight subjects: chemical engineering (401-430), and computer science and information systems (501-550).

����̽̽ was also the top Philippine higher education institution (HEI) in the area of “Social Sciences and Management” (276). Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and De La Salle University (DLSU)—the only Philippine HEIs with ����̽̽ in this particular QS WUR—placed 401-450.

����̽̽ ranked in six out of 16 subjects in the “Social Sciences and Management” group: politics (201-250), sociology (251-300), law and legal studies (301-350), business and management studies (351-400), economics and econometrics (351-400), and education and training (351-400).

In “Arts and Humanities,” ����̽̽ was second at 351, following ADMU at 325. DLSU was in 401-450. It was in this cluster that ����̽̽ attained its top two subject rankings: 51-100 in performing arts and 101-150 in archaeology. Its other rankings in this area were in English language and literature (151-200), modern languages (251-300), and linguistics (251-300).

While ����̽̽ did not rank in the “Natural Sciences” broad subject area, it did register as the only Philippine university in four of the area’s specific subjects: geography (201-230), environmental sciences (351-400), mathematics (501-550), and physics and astronomy (551-600).

In the last QS WUR which focused on sustainability, ����̽̽ was the top Philippine HEI, placing 231st out of 1,397 universities.

Every first of May, Labor Day is commemorated around the world in honor of workers’ immeasurable contributions to society and the continuing struggle to uphold labor rights and welfare.

May 1 is important rallying point for the mobilizations of labor groups and unions around the world. Filipino workers first marked Labor Day in 1903 as the Union Obrera Democratica de Filipinas led a 10,000-strong march through the streets of Manila to demand not only fair pay and better working conditions but also Philippine independence from American colonial rule.

The ����̽̽ (����̽̽) community has been a significant part of this rich and historical tradition—and it has stood with workers in their calls for higher wages, humane labor practices, and social protection. This year, in the weeks leading up to Labor Day, members of the ����̽̽ community led various activities to amplify and further register their solidarity with these calls.

From unions to student organizations, to offices and constituent units, here is a rundown of some of the ����̽̽ community’s initiatives throughout April in support of our workers.

Workers’ initiatives

For the past weeks, unions and labor groups have initiated forums and spearheaded campaigns to assert their calls for better pay and working conditions.

The ����̽̽ Salary Fight Network, a broad network of faculty and academic and non-academic staff throughout the ����̽̽ System, submitted before the Board of Regents meeting on April 3 the following 10 demands that call for the increase of workers’ salaries, timely pay and delivery of benefits, and the regularization of the university’s contractual staff and personnel. The network continues to gain ground in the grassroots with its tireless house-to-house and office-hopping campaigns over the past few weeks to garner support from members of the ����̽̽ community.

Chapters of the A����̽̽AEU from all over the ����̽̽ System flocked to Baguio City from April 20 to 22 for the union’s National Council. Alongside situationers on the ongoing campaigns for salary increases and regularization of contractual workers in the university, the National Council also registered their opposition to proposals for Charter Change as well as the current framework of the PUV modernization program.

In commemoration of the International Workers’ Memorial Day last April 28, national labor federation Kilusang Mayo Uno partnered with the ����̽̽ College of Mass Communication for the Talakayang K4: Kalusugan, Kaligtasan, Klima, Kalikasan, a forum on workers’ occupational health and safety amid the climate crisis.

On the eve of Labor Day, more than 100 workers from across the ����̽̽ System joined an online forum led by the A����̽̽WU’s National Education Committee to discuss the urgency of increasing workers’ wages and of addressing other concerns faced by workers in the public and private sectors.

Santiago Dasmariñas Jr., president of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), and Edgardo Gado, secretary general of KMU’s chapter in the National Capital Region, led the forum in asserting the passage of a nationwide 33,000-peso minimum wage for all government employees alongside measures to uphold security of tenure, end contractualization, and protect workers’ rights to self-organize.

Empowering workers

A total of 39 trade unionists completed the six-day Paralegal Training Program on Labor Rights and Remedies conducted by the ����̽̽ Law Center’s Workers and Employees Program in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) from April 11 to 12 and 17 to 20.

In line with ����̽̽’s mandate as a public service university to address urgent societal problems and advance national development, the six-day training program provided trade unionists with an immersive learning experience designed not only to help navigate the labor laws and legal issues, but to empower them with the tools to protect their rights and for documenting and responding to reported violations.

On April 11, the ����̽̽ College of Nursing hosted the Advanced Nursing Practice through Transnational Education seminar. Through a partnership with the Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland, the seminar aims to strengthen the practice of nursing and expand the knowledge and skills of our country’s nurses by exposing them to the advanced practices in other countries.

Close encounters

Cultural programs and educational discussions led ����̽̽’s student organizations and unions also became platforms for encounters with workers—allowing members of the ����̽̽ community to have close encounters and discussions with workers themselves.

On April 16, as part of the activities for this year’s ����̽̽ Visayas Fair, the ����̽̽ Visayas University Student Council together with the Iloilo chapters of the All ����̽̽ Workers Union (A����̽̽WU) and the All ����̽̽ Academic Employees Union (A����̽̽AEU) led a series of educational discussions, including a primer on the issues faced by transport sector such as the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

The third and final night of the ����̽̽ Visayas Fair last April 25 also spotlighted their community’s local sectors—particularly the tricycle drivers of the Bolho, Sapa, ����̽̽V Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (BSUTODA) which, for decades, have served and provided transportation to the members of ����̽̽ Visayas’ Miagao campus.

Meanwhile, the ����̽̽ Writers Club’s Lit ����̽̽ 2024: Versus featured a roundtable discussion with various cultural workers on the literature and literary production of the working class. To ground these discussions, Lit ����̽̽ 2024: Versus also involved discussion groups on the PUV modernization program with ����̽̽ Diliman’s jeepney drivers from the ����̽̽ Transport Group.