Alumni Milestones

Dr. Madrid bestowed the Ramon Magsaysay Award

September 2, 2022

Dr. Bernadette J. Madrid, Director, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Child Protection Unit (CPU); Clinical Associate Professor at the UP PGH Dept of Pediatrics; and Fellow of the Philippine Pediatrics  Society, is one of the recipients of the 64th Ramon Magsaysay Awards regarded as Asia’s Nobel Prize.


Dr. Madrid, also founding Executive Director of the Child Protection Network, was awarded for “her admirable commitment in championing the rights of the most vulnerable.” She is greatly instrumental in the establishment of the PGH CPU tasked with  capacitating and increasing the number of trained child protection specialists and multi-disciplinary CPUs in the Philippines and integrating their work all over the country for a comprehensive approach in facing the challenges of child abuse and neglect every day. As of 2021, the PGH CPU has served 27,639 children.

Dr. Madrid received numerous recognitions for her work on children’s protection and rights — both local and international. Among these are: the Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World Award 2019 Founder and Pioneer Category awarded by the Filipina Women’s Network in Paris, France; Most Outstanding Alumni for Child Advocacy 2015 Awarded by the Department of Pediatrics, UPPGH; Most Distinguished Alumna for Service 2013 awarded by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Diliman, Quezon City; Outstanding Alumni for Community Service/Public Health 2012 awarded during the UP Manila College of Medicine Alumni Homecoming; and Outstanding Service on Child Protective Services 2012 awarded by the National Children’s Advocacy Center during its National Symposium on Child Abuse in Von Braun Center, Alabama, USA.


Aside from heading both the UP-PGH CPU and the CPN, Dr. Madrid is also a Professorial Lecturer II of the Philippine Judicial Academy of the Supreme Court. She is a member of several government committees on health, social welfare, law enforcement, and the judiciary as well as of several international steering committees (Global Social Service Workforce Alliance; Learning in East Asia and the Pacific, a regional network of Know Violence in Childhood). She is a reviewer for Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. She is the convenor of the Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (CANE) Study Group of the UPM-NIH.

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Dr. Madrid has published several articles in local and international peer-reviewed journals, chapters in books and manuals, as well as researches on child protection that have contributed to changes in policy and practice in the Philippines. 

 

These include the study on “Safe Schools for Teens: Preventing Sexual Abuse of Urban Poor,” organized with the Department of Education, Child Protection Network Foundation, University of the Philippines Manila, University of Edinburgh, and Ateneo De Manila University, which goal is primary prevention of high-risk behaviors (to become either victims or offenders) among school children with ages 13-15.

 

Dr. Madrid established several programs and curricula in women and child protection. One of these is the “Women & Child Protection Specialty Training for Physicians, Social Workers and WCPD Police Officers,” a training program for physicians who conduct child abuse evaluations and give expert testimony in court as well as social workers & police officers who are part of multidisciplinary teams that provide comprehensive care for abused women and children. The training is part of the over-all strategy in the creation of Women and Child Protection Units nationwide. There are now 123 WCPUs in 61 provinces and 10 cities, which have served 119,965 children and adolescents, and 30,912 women. The WCPUs has a total staff of 237 physicians, 199 social workers, and eighty-five police officers.

 

She has chaired previous regional consultations by the World Health Organization on the WHO World Report on Violence and Health and the Health Sector Response to Sexual Violence. She is a member of the Executive Council of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and Chair of the Asian Forum.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Madrid and her team in the PGH Child Protection Unit, launched the TeleCPUs in the Barangay, a new system to ensure that child protection services are continued despite the restrictions of the pandemic. 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.  

 

Charmaine Lingdas

 

Source: https://www.upm.edu.ph/node/3962

UPLB profs at the helm of nat’l professional orgs

September 1, 2022



At least seven faculty members serve as presidents of professional and academic associations in the country. This may be because service is deeply ingrained into a UP faculty member’s mind. In our list are the following:

Dr. Jezie A. Acorda, Philippine Association of Veterinary Medicine Educators and Schools (PAVMES). He is the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, where he is a full professor at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Gifu University, and a Master of Agriculture from Obihiro University, Japan. He has published more than 120 journal articles covering ultrasonography, acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, and blood biochemistry in domestic and wild animals.

Dr. Acorda is PAVMES president from 2022 to 2024. PAVMES was established in 2004 to unite the 24 veterinary colleges in the Philippines “into a single, vital, and dynamic association.” Its activities seek to uphold excellence and quality in veterinary instruction, research, community extension, production, resource generation and utilization, and information data management in the country.

Prince Kennex R. Aldama, Philippine Sociological Society (PSS). As assistant professor, he teaches political sociology and sociology of religion at the Department of Social Sciences (DSS)-CAS. He obtained his MA and BA Sociology (cum laude) from UPLB, and currently serves as the program coordinator for curriculum development at the Office for Institutional Development in Higher Education (OIDHE). He has authored textbooks for college students, and has written op-ed articles for Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Aldama is PSS president from 2021 to 2022. PSS was established in 1953 to encourage and disseminate the study and discussion of affairs in sociology and related social sciences. It publishes annually the Philippine Sociological Review, a research journal accredited by the Commission on Higher Education.

Dr. Ariel L. Babierra, Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP)-CALABARZON Chapter. He is an associate professor at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics-College of Arts and Sciences, and chair of the Curriculum Committee at Mathematics Division. He also serves as the Quality Assurance Officer of the Graduate School. He obtained his PhD Mathematics from UP Diliman. His research interests are in Approximation Theory, Combinatorics, and Graph Theory.

Dr. Babierra is the president of the MSP CALABARZON from 2022 to 2024. MSP CALABARZON was founded in 2010 at UPLB. It is composed of mathematics practitioners and enthusiasts in the academe and research institutions. It aims to promote the interest and awareness of mathematics and its applications; to seek and promulgate knowledge in mathematics and mathematics education; and to promote mathematics research in the country. It conducts seminars, workshops and trainings for mathematics educators, researchers, and students.

Mark Lester M. Chico, Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE). He is the director of the UPLB Office of Public Relations, and an assistant professor who teaches community broadcasting and multimedia courses at the College of Development Communication. A holder of MS and BS Development Communication (cum laude) from UPLB, he is a radio, television, online program, and events host, producer, and director. He is the founder of Gandingan: The UPLB Isko’t Iska’s Multimedia Awards.

Director Chico leads PACE from 2021 to 2023. PACE is committed to pushing for policies that are responsive to the needs of local and national academic and industry-based communities, adapting to changes by continuously capacitating its members in navigating toward rehumanizing communication education amid technological dependency, caring for one another as they safeguard their health and welfare, and empowering their sector by providing opportunities for collaboration and development of their crafts and expertise. Among its founders was the late Professor Emeritus Nora C. Quebral, known in the communication circles as the “Mother of Development Communication.” PACE was created in 1975.

Dr. Emmanuel Ryan C. de Chavez, Malacological Society of the Philippines, Inc. (MSPI). He is an associate professor at the Animal Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, and conducts research on tropical malacology, community ecology, evolutionary biology, and developmental ecotoxicology. He is the curator for mollusks at the Museum of Natural History, and holds a PhD in Life Sciences from Tohoku University, Japan.

Dr. de Chavez is the president of MSPI from 2021 to 2023. It aims to promote the science of Malacology to scientists, teachers, researchers, students, and mollusk enthusiasts. It regularly conducts national conventions and workshop-trainings to advance the field in the country. The MSPI was founded in 1980 by malacologists, zoologists, and parasitologists from UP Diliman, UP Manila, and the then Ministry of Health (now the Department of Health).

Julie Aiza L. Mandap, Philippine Phytopathological Society (PPS), Inc. She heads the Pest Biology and Biodiversity Division of the Institute of Weed Science, Entomology, and Plant Pathology of the College of Agriculture and Food Science. She finished MS Plant Pathology (highest distinction) at Iowa State University, USA, and is a member of the American Phytopathological Society, and the Iowa and Philippine Chapters of the Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture.

PSS, Inc. was organized by plant pathologists from UPLB in 1963. Its activities focus on extending plant pathology to the community, providing assistance through training, consultation, disease diagnosis, and support to activities related to managing plant diseases. It is one of the six professional associations under the Pest Management Council of the Philippines. Asst. Prof. Mandap is PSS president from 2022 to 2023.

Dr. Maria Ana T. Quimbo, Philippine Association of Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc. (PASSAGE). She is a professor and a UP Scientist II at the Institute for Governance and Rural Development of the College of Public Affairs and Development. A holder of PhD Education from UP Diliman, she currently chairs the same program at the UP Open University. Her research focuses on evaluation studies in distance education, e-learning, education policy and practice, curriculum studies, and community development, among others.

Established in 1981, PASSAGE members include educators and researchers, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, extension workers, administrators and policymakers, and students of agriculture, environment, and entrepreneurial education. It holds the PASSAGE Biennial Convention and International Research Conference and publishes the PASSAGE Journal. Dr. Quimbo is PASSAGE president from 2022 to 2024. (Mark Jayson E. Gloria)

Source: https://uplb.edu.ph/all-news/uplb-profs-at-the-helm-of-natl-professional-orgs/

Bernadette Madrid, Filipino pediatrician, among 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees

By NIKA ROQUE, GMA News

Photo: Ramon Magsaysay Awards

Filipino pediatrician Bernadette J. Madrid is one of the 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees.

The announcement was made by Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation via a Zoom event on Wednesday.

A children’s rights and protection crusader, Madrid has devoted her career to addressing violence against the youth. An active multi-hyphenate, her work involves her being a doctor, educator, researcher, social leader, organizer, and advocate.

Born in Iloilo, she studied medicine and pediatrics at University of the Philippines Manila and did a post-residency fellowship in ambulatory pediatrics at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

Since 1997, Madrid has been serving as the head of the Philippine General Hospital Child Protection Unit (PGH-CPU), the first facility of its kind in the country, which is praised as “the best medical system for abused children in Southeast Asia.”

A one-stop health facility, PGH-CPU provides a coordinated program of medical, legal, social, and mental health services for abused children and their families. As of 2021, it has served 27,639 children.

It became the axis of a national network of child protection units when the Child Protection Network Foundation Inc., a partnership of civil society, academe, and government, was established in 2002. As CPN executive director, Madrid designed programs and engaged with family courts, schools, hospitals, local government units, community organizations, and policymakers in advancing the cause of child protection.

She also oversees and coordinates the network’s five areas of work: medical and psychosocial care; child safety and legal protection; a national program for training in child protection; a national network called the Network of Women and Child Protection Units (WCPUs); and research for a national database on child abuse.

The network now consists of 123 WCPUs in 61 provinces and 10 cities, which have served 119,965 children and adolescents, and 30,912 women. The network has a total staff of 237 physicians, 199 social workers, and eighty-five police officers.

“I feel that I was prepared to do this work,” Madrid said in a statement. “I was given the talent to do this and it has developed as I worked. That’s why I’m happy. It has become, for me, work that is God’s work.”

In electing Madrid to receive the 2022 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the board of trustees “recognizes her unassuming and steadfast commitment to a noble and demanding advocacy; her leadership in running a multisectoral, multidisciplinary effort in child protection that is admired in Asia; and her competence and compassion in devoting herself to seeing that every abused child lives in a healing, safe, and nurturing society.”

Other awardees include psychiatrist and mental health advocate Sotherea Chhim from Cambodia; sight-saving humanitarian and ophthalmologist Tadashi Hattori from Japan; and anti-plastic pollution warrior Gary Bencheghib, based in Indonesia.

The laureates will conduct their virtual lectures from September to November. The awards presentation will be held on Nov. 30, livestreamed from Manila. – RC, GMA News

Source: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/content/843300/bernadette-madrid-filipino-pediatrician-among-2022-ramon-magsaysay-awardees/story/

UPAA Alumni Honoured during August 21 Homecoming Dinner

August 31, 2022





UPAA Alumni Honoured during August 21 Homecoming Dinner

The UPAA Iloilo Chapter conferred upon seven UPV alumni commendations for being outstanding in their respective fields during the August 21 Homecoming Dinner at the Iloilo Convention Centre.

The 2022 awardees are:

Dermatologist and community welfare volunteer Dr. Marovi S. Ascalon-Celis (UPHSI 1978, BS Biological Sciences 1982) for her work in the field of Health and Medical Profession;

Medical Director Dr. Erwin G. Benedicto (UPHSI 1987, MA in Public Health 2012) for his work in the field of Health and Medical Profession;

WVSU President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz (BS Biology 1987, MA in Public Management 2004) for his work in the field of Governance, Public Administration, and Public Service;

Current chair of the International Law and International Affairs Committee of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Atty. Andre C. Palacios (UPHSI 1987, UPC BS Secondary Education 1992, UPD Bachelor of Laws 1998) for his work in the field of Law;

Veteran journalist and former National Chair of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Nestor P. Burgos Jr. (UPHSI 1987) for his work in the field of Arts & Letters;

Former UPHSI Principal and beloved mentor to generations of UP students, Prof. Llena P. Buenvenida (UPIC 1958, BS Education 1962, MA in Environmental Planning 1975), was bestowed the award posthumously for her work in the field of Education; and

Faculty of WVSU College of Medicine and Mental Health advocate Dr. Ma. Pilar Servigon-Malata (UPHSI 1982), awardee in the field of Education, who delivered the response on behalf of the awardees to the gathering.

Source: UPV Office of Alumni Relations Facebook

UPAA-Iloilo Chapter fetes Drilon with Lifetime Achievement Award

August 26, 2022

Ms. AL Ramirez



The UP Alumni Association Iloilo Chapter named former Sen. Franklin Drilon as Lifetime Achievement Awardee during the 2022 Alumni and Faculty Homecoming Dinner and Awards night held at the Iloilo Convention Center on August 21, 2022.

Conferring the award to him was UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano and UPAA-Iloilo Chapter President Evaristo John Cañonero.

In his message, he thanked UPAA-Iloilo and UP Visayas for the recognition. “This Lifetime Achievement Award makes my career in public service memorable. It has been an honor to have served the nation, Iloilo and my beloved alma mater.”

This accolade, according to him, belonged to his topmost recognition in his career as a public servant, along with awards given to him, which include the Philippine Legion of Honor, Order of the Rising Sun conferred by the Emperor of Japan, and Honoris Causa by the UP College of Law.

The award also coincided with UPV’s milestone anniversary. “Iloilo will always be home to me. Your recognition is more significant because we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of UP’s Presence in Iloilo,” Drilon added.

He went back to memory lane, recalling his days in UP Visayas, saying, “I was a UP freshman in 1957 to what was known as the UP Iloilo College Lower Division. I was once a carefree teenager who enjoyed time with my classmates.”

He also evoked the grandeur of Iloilo in his time and how he wanted to bring it back. “Back then, Iloilo was an established commercial center and political center. It was painful to see its urban decay,” he shared. Hence, he pursued massive infrastructure development for Iloilo.

“I see the value of preserving our heritage and vestiges of the past. With the National Historical Council of the Philippines (NHCP), we restored the Old Commission on Audit (COA) Ynchausti Building, the Molo Church and Plaza, the Jaro Plaza and Belfry, and the Sunburst Park. The Iloilo Customs House is also currently renovated to adaptive reuse to host the Museum of the Maritime History of the Philippines,” he cited.

Iloilo is being developed to suit the backdrop of the city’s magnificent past. “JM Basa and Calle Real are being restored and the old buildings therein through Mayor Treñas.”

“We continue to strive to make them better, cleaned Iloilo River, and made the Esplanade. We built the Iloilo Convention Center. By December, we will have Sunset Boulevard. There are also the 11 billion pesos Jalaur Dam and Iloilo-Guimaras Bridge.” These grand projects translate to Iloilo as a symbol of progress, “the most livable and urbanized city in the country.”

He never failed to remember UP Visayas in all these, saying, “In the 2022 Budget, among my last acts as a Senator, is the allocation of the 25M for the Handumanan Project’s Women’s Club.”

“We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to be educated in the best university with the highest-ranking educational institution in the country. I am a proud son of UP. I have seen our nation evolve. I know the greatest of its history and the promise it holds. Let us move forward but with a will to remember,” Drilon reminded.

His early education was received at the Molo, Iloilo public school system, where Senator Franklin M. Drilon graduated from the Baluarte Elementary School in 1957 and the High School at UP Iloilo College in 1961. He completed his undergraduate studies in 1965 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman before continuing on to earn his Bachelor in Law in 1969. He passed the bar exam that year with flying colors, placing third.

Between 1986 and 1987, he served as the former Ministry of Labor’s Deputy Minister for Industrial Relations. Thereafter, he assumed the office of Secretary of Labor through January 1990. He was Labor Secretary when he was appointed Secretary of Justice in 1990 and subsequently, Executive Secretary of the Cabinet of President Corazon C. Aquino in 1991.

Drilon was elected three times to the third highest position in the land, the Senate Presidency, from 2000 to 2016.

He also served as Secretary of Justice. Senator Franklin M. Drilon has the distinction of having held multiple Cabinet positions that marked his stellar career in politics. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he has held leadership roles in 19 government institutions and agencies. (With sources from the web)

Source: https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/upaa-iloilo-chapter-fetes-drilon-with-lifetime-achievement-award

PH Army reservist bags ASEAN award for defense, security efforts

by Martin Sadongdong

In a male-dominated field such as the military, women are slowly setting their own path and etching their names in the history books.



One of them is Lt. Col. Jannette Chavez Arceo, a Philippine Army (PA) reservist who was recently hailed as one of the exemplary women “prime movers” in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense and security sector.

Chavez-Arceo received the award during the annual Top 30 Women in Security ASEAN Region 2022 held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last Wednesday, August 17.

The initiative was established to “recognize women who have advanced the security technology industry,” in the 10-nation regional bloc, according to ASEAN.

A peace educator and a staunch advocate of children and women’s rights, Chavez-Arceo currently serves as the first female battalion commander of the Laguna-based 403rd Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion, 4th Regional Community Defense Group.

According to Col. Xerxes Trinidad, PA spokesperson, Chavez-Arceo’s professional expertise spans the areas of reserve force development, gender and development mainstreaming, military leadership development, cyber peace education, and prevention of violent extremism.

“Her anti-human trafficking work contributed to the country’s Tier 1 rating in the United States (US) Department of State Global Report on Trafficking In Person,” Trinidad said.

A Tier 1 rating indicates that a government “has made efforts to address the problem that meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) minimum standards.”

Chavez-Arceo also initiated the membership of the Philippine government in the Global Alliance to End Sexual Exploitation Online, a coalition of 54 countries committed to pursue concrete actions against child pornography that is spearheaded by the European Commission; and the Asia Pacific Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography (FCACP), a group of credit card issuers and internet services companies which seek to eliminate child pornography by taking actions on payment systems being used to fund such illegal activities.

Chavez-Arceo holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of the Philippines (UP) and two Master’s degree from the National Security Administration and Public Management specializing in Development and Security.

Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., PA commanding general, lauded Chavez-Arceo for “embodying the Army’s core values of honor, duty, patriotism in fulfilling her sworn oath as a reserve officer.”

Chavez-Arceo’s achievements only proved that gender is not a hindrance in pursuing a career or passion that contributes to the development of a community, or even a whole country.

Source: https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/19/ph-army-reservist-bags-asean-award-for-defense-security-efforts/

UP alumni win National Children’s Book Awards

Written by Arlyn VCD Palisoc Romualdo



Twenty-two alumni of the University of the Philippines (UP) won in all three categories of the recently announced 7th National Children’s Book Awards.

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) honors are given by the National Book Development Board every other year. According to the PBBY, the awards recognize “the best books published for children and young adults in the previous two years” and “encourage parents and caregivers to spend more time reading with their children while recommending the best-published works.” The 7th National Children’s Book Award winners were announced on July 19.

In the Best Reads Category, 2020-2021, the following eleven UP alumni were awarded:

 

  • Beth Parrocha (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1984), illustrator of Bulul and Ako ay may Kiki;
  • Gigo Alampay (BS Economics, 1985 and Bachelor of Laws, 1991), author of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
  • Liza Flores (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, 1996), illustrator of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
  • Abi Goy (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, cum laude, 1996), illustrator of Safe Space: A Kid’s Guide to Data Privacy and Youthink: Fight Fake News;
  • Mon Sy (BA Comparative Literature, summa cum laude, 2016), author of Kakatok-katok sa Bahay ni Benok;
  • Gabriela Dans Lee (BA English Studies, cum laude, 2005), author of Cely’s Crocodile: The Art and Story of Araceli Limcaco Dans;
  • Adrian Panadero (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, magna cum laude, 2014), illustrator of Cely’s Crocodile: The Art and Story of Araceli Limcaco Dans;
  • Philip Ignacio (BA Development Studies, 1995), author of Alandal;
  • Maloi Malibiran-Salumbides (BA Communication, Broadcast Communication, 1993), author of Tinola ni Nanay; and,
  • Felix Mago Miguel (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 1992), illustrator of Tinola ni Nanay.

Ten UP alumni won honors in the Kids’ Choice Awards: Chapter Books Category. They were:

 

  • Denise Nicole P. Tolentino (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, 2003), author and illustrator of The Quick and Careful Adventures of Muni;
  • Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay, Ph.D. (BS Geology, 1985 and MS Geology, 1990), author of I am the Change in Climate Change;
  • Jacqueline Franquelli (BA Broadcast Communication, 1999), author of Anak ng Tinapay;
  • Daniel Tingcungco (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication, cum laude, 2009), illustrator of Anak ng Tinapay;
  • Danielle Florendo (Bachelor of Fine Arts, 2018), illustrator of Maselan ang Tanong ng Batang si Usman;
  • Bambi Eloriaga-Amago (BA Journalism, cum laude, 1997), author of Doobiedoo Asks;
  • Cat S. (Certificate of Fine Arts in Visual Communication, 2001), creator of Little Wolf;
  • Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo (Ph.D. Comparative Literature, 1993), author of Catch a Falling Star (Filipino Edition);
  • Chuckberry J. Pascual (BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino, cum laude, 2003; MA Philippine Studies, 2008; and PhD Filipino, 2015), translator of Catch a Falling Star (Filipino Edition); and,
  • Ana Digi (BA Comparative Literature, cum laude, 2000), author of Sinta.

Finally, the two UP alumni who were recognized in the Kids’ Choice Awards: Picture Books Category were:
 

  • Meanne Mabesa Mijares (BS Education, English, 1994), author of Cassy’s Chair; and,
  • Jacqueline Tiu (BA English, 1993), author of Nang Matutong Magbasa si Mariano.

With reports from the Office of Alumni Relations, UP System.

Source: https://up.edu.ph/23-up-alumni-win-national-childrens-book-awards/

New AMLC executive director named

Lawrence Agcaoili – The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has named Matthew David as the new executive director of the AMLC Secretariat, replacing Mel Georgie Racela, whose term ended last Wednesday.

Under Section 8 of Republic Act 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended, the AMLC is authorized to establish a secretariat to be headed by an executive director, who shall be appointed by the Council for a term of five years.

The executive director must be a member of the Philippine Bar, at least 35 years of age, and of good moral character, unquestionable integrity, and known probity.

Previously, David served as director of the Investigation and Enforcement Department of the AMLC Secretariat and as deputy director of the Office of the General Counsel and Legal Services at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

David also taught law at Arellano University and Our Lady of Perpetual Help University.

David holds a Master of Laws degree in Finance from the Institute for Law and Finance at the Goethe-Frankfurt University in Germany. He obtained his degrees in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

David will have his hands full as the Philippines has been retained in gray list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Since its re-inclusion in the gray list in June last year, the Philippines made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG).

Last June, the FATF retained the Philippines in its ‘gray list’ as it stressed the need for the country to further strengthen its action plan to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

The AMLC is confident the Philippines would be removed from the gray list of the global dirty money watchdog on or before January 2023 as the country has committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/business/2022/08/21/2203978/new-amlc-executive-director-named

GMA Network names Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes as Senior Vice-President



GMA Network, Inc.’s Executive Committee has elected Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes on August 17, 2022 as its new Senior Vice President effective September 1 this year. In this role she will oversee the Talent Management and Development Dept., Program Management Dept., Human Resources Dept., Legal Dept. and some subsidiaries in the Kapuso Network.

She has been a director of GMA since 2000 and was part of the team that led GMA’s phenomenal rise to the top.

She serves in numerous leadership roles across the Network. Among these was setting up GMA New Media, the Network’s digital media and technology arm and future-proofing agent. As President of GMA Worldwide, she led the team that distributed GMA’s shows to territories in Asia, North America, Middle East, and Africa. Atty. Gozon-Valdes was also instrumental in pushing for new partnerships with new global platforms and in bringing some of the best foreign shows to the Filipinos such as Full House, Stairway to Heaven and Jewel in the Palace.

Currently, she is the Programming Consultant to the Chairman/CEO of GMA Network, where she works with the Drama group and drives synergy across departments. She was one of the brains behind the iconic series Encantadia and Mulawin. She was one of the first to push for local adaptations of iconic foreign materials such as Marimar, Stairway to Heaven, Endless Love and other Korean dramas, as well as the upcoming live action drama Voltes V Legacy.

She was recently appointed as Consultant of Sparkle, GMA’s talent management arm and serves as President of GMA Films, Inc. where she led the production of several blockbuster movies such as Let the Love Begin, Lovestruck and Moments of Love.

Atty. Gozon-Valdes is also the Corporate Secretary of GMA Network, director of GMA Ventures, Inc. and Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. (PEP), Treasurer of Citynet Network Marketing & Productions, Inc., and a Trustee of the GMA Kapuso Foundation. She also sits on the board of RGMA Network, Inc., GMA’s radio management and broadcasting affiliate, among others.

She is a partner (on leave) in Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila and was an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines, College of Law where she taught Taxation and Legal History.

Atty. Gozon-Valdes was the valedictorian of her elementary and high school classes in Colegio de San Agustin at Makati City. She graduated cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University. Thereafter, she obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines where she graduated valedictorian and cum laude. She later obtained her Master of Laws from Harvard University.

Source: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/842088/gma-network-names-atty-annette-gozon-valdes-as-senior-vice-president/story/

Meet the UP Diliman Summa Cum Laude Who Graduated with Highest Weighted Average This 2022

By Therese Aseoche

Last July, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman produced a record-breaking number of graduates with Latin honors: a total of 634 cum laude graduates, 652 magna cum laude graduates, and—the most impressive feat—150 summa cum laude graduates.

Among all the summa cum laude graduates, it was BA Speech Communication student Neil Piolo Villanueva who achieved the highest Weighted Average Grade (WAG) of 1.032. The College of Arts and Letters valedictorian was able to excel academically while also bearing a passion for service as the Chairperson of UP Batangan, a duly-recognized socio-civic organization of Batangueño students on campus, and the Project Head of Aruga Are, one of the organization’s projects that had received the 2022 Ignacio B. Gimenez Award for UP Student Organizations’ Social Innovation Projects – Special Citation.

When In Manila was able to talk to Piolo about his college experience, what he learned and will miss most about college, and how he embodies the university’s values of honor, excellence, and compassion for others.



I believe your batch was the first to study not only in the K-12 program but also transition to an online set-up amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Personally, how were you able to overcome the struggle of switching to this alternative learning?

“Privilege. The privilege to have access to a functioning laptop, an okay internet connection, a safe house to study in, a loving support system, and a so-so mental health made the transition bearable. Unfortunately, all these earned the name “privilege” for a reason.

If anything, the online setup magnified the gross inequalities in our country, and we saw clearly how all the aforementioned things are privileges rather than things all students must have in the first place. Maraming napwersang tumigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa anti-poor setup na ito. Maraming hindi tiyak kung epektibo ang kanilang pagtuturo o pagkatuto. May krisis tayo sa edukasyon at dapat maaksyunan ito agad; tiyak na hindi solusyon dito ang paggastos ng 58,300 na piso kada laptop na may lumang processor.”

How important was it for you to not just excel academically but also be of service to others through your extracurriculars? Was it difficult to balance this?

“It would be hypocritical for me to say that I never chased after uno’s. I am saddened to admit and think that it has been part of my social configuration under a neoliberal framework of education to anchor my worth on grades and merits. Thankfully, my stay in UP eventually equipped me with the knowledge to challenge this thinking and the system that perpetuates it.

The common saying, “grades are just numbers,” made more sense to me when I started assuming leadership positions in my organization. UP Batangan, my only organization in college, exposed me to the harsh realities in our province. Marami pa ring walang akses sa edukasyon, serbisyong pangkalusugan, pagkain, at sa gitna ng lahat ng ito’y laganap pa rin ang militarisasyon.

Since then, my views of why I study and learn have tremendously evolved. I treated every learning opportunity not anymore as a chore for which I must get high grades, but now as a means through which I could grow and become more knowledgeable in pursuit of enabling myself to genuinely and excellently be of service to others. That is why, for me, learning is in itself an act of service and more importantly, learning is a means through which I would be able to serve my country well. While managing my academics and extracurriculars was hard, it made all the hardships enjoyably purposeful. Kaya ngayon, tuloy pa rin ang pagpapahusay at pagkatuto para mas makapaglingkod lalo sa panahong ito.”



What are some important life lessons you learned during your stay at UP?

Every lesson in UP can be life-changing, no matter how small or big it may be. Halimbawa, sa dami ng pancit canton kiosks sa UP, natutunan kong original flavor ng pancit canton talaga ang pinakamasarap, at ang kalaban natin ay ‘yung mga sweet and spicy apologists.

Kasabay niyan, natutunan ko rin na hindi totoo ‘yung “kung may tiyaga, may nilaga.” Walang ganun, mars. Some of the brightest and most responsible people I know got delayed or were forced to stop studying because of poverty, gender discrimination, and other systemic inequalities.”

The one thing you’ll miss the most about UP.

“‘Yung kalayaan in many forms. Una, kalayaan para isuot mo kahit anong gusto mong isuot. Mamimiss ko magtsinelas at magsuot ng pantulog araw-araw nung face-to-face pag papasok sa klase. Pangalawa, kalayaang mahalin kung sinong gusto mong mahalin. Kaya talaga pagsabayin ‘yung laude at landi. Pangatlo, kalayaang makipagdiskurso at makapagpahayag ng kritisismo. I was so lucky to be surrounded with the brightest professors, classmates, and orgmates. Higit sa lahat, siyempre, kalayaan mula sa tuition fee na utang ko hindi sa gobyerno, kundi sa mamamayang Pilipino na matapat na nagbabayad ng kanilang buwis.”

Any message you’d like to share with fellow graduates who are now about to face a new world beyond the walls of their campus?

“Grades don’t define you… unless mataas. Eme.”

Congratulations to all 2022 graduates! Padayon, mga Iskolar ng Bayan!

Source: https://www.wheninmanila.com/up-diliman-summa-cum-laude-neil-piolo-villanueva/