The University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents (BOR) has approved seven Collective Mentorship Programs (CMPs) of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV-CFOS), further strengthening the College’s capacity to deliver advanced graduate instruction and research training. The approval was made during the BOR’s 1411th meeting on August 26, 2026.
The following are the approved CMPs and their respective program leaders:
* Aquatic Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory (AMBL) – Prof. Rhoda Mae C. Simora, PhD
* Fisheries and Aquaculture Biosystems Laboratory and Engineering (FABLE) Hub – Assoc. Prof. Sanny David P. Lumayno, PhD.
* Fisheries and Aquaculture Data Analytics Laboratory (FishAquaDx) – Assoc. Prof. Cherry P. Añasco, PhD
* Fish Capture and Technology for Conservation and Harvest (FISH-CATCH) – Prof. Harold M. Monteclaro, PhD
* Policy and Resource Integrated Studies in Marine Management (PRISM) – Assoc. Prof. Farisal Ungkakay-Bagsit, PhD.
* Seafood Product Research, Innovation, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship (PRIME) Laboratories – Prof. Encarnacion Emilia S. Yap
* Seaweed Laboratory – Assoc. Prof. Iris Ann G. Borlongan, PhD.
Established under the UP Charter of 2008 (R.A. 9500) as part of UP President Angelo A. Jimenez’s flagship initiative, the UP Collective Mentorship Program (CMP) aims to enhance graduate education, research, creative work, innovation, and public service. By introducing a collaborative, interdisciplinary mentoring structure, the program gives students access to specialized facilities, builds real-world problem-solving skills, and supports them throughout their academic journey.
This approval strengthens CFOS’s academic programs and reinforces its core mandate. Through sustained collective mentorship, the programs will enrich graduate learning, broaden student access to faculty expertise and research opportunities, enhance training and supervision, and improve PhD completion rates.
The BOR approval further underscores CFOS’s role in delivering high-quality advanced instruction in the field of fisheries and ocean sciences, while contributing to UP’s broader mission as the country’s premier institution for advanced instruction, research, innovation, and transformative public service.
Written by Lenilyn B. Gallos
Pubmat by Czar Ian Angel B. Esquivel
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