Wed, 12 Nov, 2025
The UA&P Cooperative invites the entire university community to its pre-Christmas bazaar from November 24 to 28 (Monday–Friday) at the DCB Plaza.
Drop by anytime from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, shop local, and share the Christmas cheer with your fellow Dragons!
Wed, 12 Nov, 2025
The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) hosted a three-hour workshop titled “Understanding Palliative Care” on November 5, 2025, at the Telengtan Hall. The session aimed to raise awareness and deepen understanding of palliative care—an approach that enhances the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses through the prevention and relief of suffering.
The workshop provided participants with insights into the philosophy and principles of palliative care, emphasizing the importance of addressing not only physical needs but also emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual well-being. Through interactive discussions and reflection activities, the facilitators guided attendees in exploring how empathy, teamwork, and ethical decision-making contribute to compassionate and dignified caregiving.
The session concluded with an engaging open forum, allowing participants to reflect on how palliative care principles can be applied not only in medical settings but also in everyday interactions with those experiencing pain, loss, or hardship.
Overall, the “Understanding Palliative Care” workshop provided an enlightening and meaningful learning experience that reinforced the value of compassion-centered care and the importance of the human touch in both healthcare and education. A Health Humanities student, Maria Annika Castillo, reflects on this:
In our Health Humanities class on Bodiliness, we learn how people change throughout life and how we care for them must adapt to their needs along the way. From childhood to old age, every stage brings different needs, both physical and emotional. Palliative care reminds us that those with chronic or life-limiting illnesses are still very much alive, facing not only physical pain but also psychological and spiritual suffering, or what's called “total pain.”
In sterile hospital settings, it’s easy for patients to feel unseen. That’s why palliative care isn’t just the job of professionals; it takes a village. This is where our role begins—not just as future healthcare professionals, but as humans among humans. We need to meet people early, offer support, and be present. Death, after all, is a universal equalizer; it shouldn’t be a taboo topic we walk on eggshells around, and that calls for honesty and compassion.
Organizations like Kythe show how care can be intentional and human-centered. Pain and suffering aren’t simply emotions or bodily responses to stimuli. Our whole realities are involved and impacted. This implies that suffering can compound or be alleviated depending on how we perceive what we’re going through. Thus, it’s important to look at the world we live in today. We have the technology and the biotechnical aspect down, but what about our humanity? If healthcare is for human beings, we should use human-centered solutions to treat their ailments. What we really need is presence, not just cures. Even as undergrads, we have a role in making that kind of care real.#
(L-R) Dr. Joem Antonio, UA&P Humanities Program Director; Dr. Rhea Jayma, Palliative Care Specialist; Ms. Carolyn Tongco, Kythe, Child Life Program Coordinator; Dr. Agnes Bausa-Claudio, Palliative Care Specialist; Dr. Liza Naranjo, Pedia-Hema Onco Palliative Care Specialist; and Dr. Marion Magsino, Assistant Professor of Philosophy.
Tue, 11 Nov, 2025
By Maria Cristina A. Uy and Danielle Calantuan-Mejos.
The University Research Office successfully held the orientation on the 2025 University Research Agenda last November 5, attended by faculty members and administrative staff from various academic units.
Dr. Veronica Esposo Ramirez, Executive Director of the University Research Office, opened the program by presenting the 2025 University Research Agenda and highlighting URO’s initiatives and support mechanisms to cultivate a strong and mission-aligned research culture.
Dr. Celerino Tiongco, Emeritus Associate Professor and former Dean of the School of Education and Human Development, shared insightful reflections on how research should remain aligned with the University’s mission and values. He emphasized that UA&P’s mission—promoting integral human development and contributing to nation-building—should be reflected in the University’s research. Research, he stressed, must be deeply human, guided by values, and directed toward meaningful social transformation.
Representatives from the different academic units shared their ongoing and future research initiatives:
School of Economics (SEC) – Dr. Jovi Dacanay, Program Director of Ph.D. in Business Economics, underscored the School’s rigorous research mentoring framework, through which faculty and students consistently produce high-quality studies that are presented in reputable local and international conferences. A number of these works have been published internationally. Research within the School of Economics remains firmly anchored on practical and industry-related concerns, addressing relevant social and economic issues.
School of Management (SMN) – Dr. Ruel Maningas, Vice-Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research, presented the School’s completed and ongoing research projects, which span digital transformation, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and ethical leadership. He also highlighted the SMN Digest, the School’s official research publication accessible through EBSCO and Philippine E-Journal, which serves as a platform to amplify the visibility and reach of faculty research. Additionally, he shared that the School has established the SMN Data and Analytics Kiosk, where students and faculty may access research-related tools and software such as AWS Academy, Euromonitor International, LSEG Data & Analytics, and Technistock.
School of Media and Marketing (SCM) – Dr. Robert Cortes, Associate Professor, highlighted its vibrant research culture supported by structured research days, active idea exchange, publication goals and priorities, and frequent co-authorship among faculty. Their research agenda focuses on industry-grounded areas such as integrated marketing communication, media literacy, entertainment and culture, and technology and AI ethics.
School of Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (SSE) – Ms. Chona del Castillo, Department Chair of Natural Sciences, presented the School’s recent Scopus-indexed journal publications and upcoming research projects. She also emphasized the School’s collaborative research culture, which allows faculty from different departments to work seamlessly on scientific, practical, and community extension initiatives, while underscoring the need for continued funding and policy support to sustain this momentum and further expand research activities.
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) – Dr. Dean Mejos, Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs, shared that due to diverse research interests among its full-time faculty members, they have formed small research groups within the different departments to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary research. Their current alignment with the University Research Agenda is focused on Moral and Cultural Renewal, promoting scholarship grounded in values and societal transformation.
During the open forum, Dr. Leodivico Lacsamana highlighted that research and teaching are complementary, noting that engaging in research enhances teaching effectiveness. Ms. Juliana Odoño inquired about how “creative work” fits into the University Research Agenda, to which Dr. Tiongco clarified that such outputs generally align with the Moral and Cultural Renewal priority, depending on the focus of the work.
The program concluded with the closing remarks of Dr. Fe Gladys Golo, Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs. She thanked all participants and reiterated the University’s commitment to nurturing a collaborative, mission-aligned, and empowered research community.
To access the 2025 University Research Agenda, please click this link.
Tue, 11 Nov, 2025
The School of Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (SSE) will celebrate its 16th Founding Anniversary on November 15. It also marks the Feast of St. Albert the Great, Patron Saint of the Natural Sciences—a fitting day to honor the spirit of discovery and faith that guides our School.
Join us for a Thanksgiving Mass at 12:05 PM at the Sancta Maria Stella Orientis Oratory on November 17 (Monday) as we give thanks for 16 years of learning, innovation, and service.
This week, we also celebrate Technovation Week (Nov. 12–19), featuring exciting talks, exhibits, and activities that highlight creativity and innovation in science and technology.
Thank you to the entire UA&P community for your continued support through the years. Here’s to more discoveries and milestones ahead!
Tue, 11 Nov, 2025
UA&P Anima invites interested UA&P students, faculty, personnel, and alumni to join them for an educational trip to the Senate on November 19 (Wednesday) from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
The activity aims to provide participants with firsthand exposure to government processes by observing a live Senate hearing and getting a tour of the Senate building, fostering a deeper understanding of national issues and critical engagement with how government works.
The registration fee is Php200. Transportation will be provided.
Kindly sign up here.
