The public health crisis brought about the COVID 19 pandemic and the stringent measures imposed by the national and local government caught everyone off guard, including academic institutions like UP Visayas.
At the start of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ),emergency arrangements, including cooking inside the dormitories, were allowed and put in place as the university dealt to address risks and circumstances that the crisis has brought about.
The approval for cooking specifically at the UPV dormitories in Miagao was a temporary measure, a stopgap, granted initially to a group of students, which later on became a mode of food provision for all the stranded residents. About 2-3 weeks into the emergency, the task force considered withdrawing the permission to cook inside the dorms but gave way in consideration of requests of students to continue with the setup. The university eventually agreed to allow cooking to continue until April 14, 2020.
The UPV COVID 19 Task Force has been continuing the assessment of its initiatives and responses and has remained dynamic in its policies depending on the fluidity of some factors as well as the stability of other aspects of the current public health threat. The task force, which includes University Student Council Chairman Adrian Camposagrado, met on April 14 and discussed about the termination of the cooking arrangements, but some students refused to acknowledge receiving any feedback about these discussions.
In several meetings, this was made clear to students that food would be have to be sourced from somewhere eventually since the dormitories do not have proper kitchens. The decision to altogether discontinue cooking at the dormitories in Miagao was again discussed with student dormitory representatives on 15 April 2020 and the directive was issued on April 16, 2020. As another concession for the students, the cooking arrangement was extended until April 19, 2020 in order to use up the food supplies purchased by the students themselves.
The directive was issued after the risks to students and to the university’s facilities were determined, and the costs of giving food subsidy or meal allowance were calculated and the funds for such system were identified.
The University was able to convince the UPV Employees Cooperative (UPVEC), which operates a cafeteria and grocery store in the College Union Building (CUB), to reopen so food and dry goods can be had by residents of the campus without going out of the premises of the university as the local government of Miagao imposed rigid requirements in its implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Based on the vulnerability assessment conducted by the dormitory staff and representatives, students shall be given either Php 100, Php120, or Php150 daily meal allowance starting from April 20 through April 30, the end of the ECQ and of the second semester in UP. Those living in boarding houses shall continue to receive food packs based on assessment of their vulnerabilities.
To ensure continued protection and minimize the chances of exposure to the COVID 19 virus from asymptomatic carriers who may enter the campus, UPVEC has been instructed to deliver the food orders of students to the dormitories at specific schedules each day.
All food donations received by the Task Force specifically intended for the students shall be cooked by the UPVEC and be delivered to the dorms.
UPV strongly denies insinuations that it is encouraging UPVEC to take advantage of the current situation and continue to be in business despite the health crisis. In this public health emergency, the UPV administration would rather err on the side of caution than endanger students’ health from unsafe or unhealthy food provided by new or uncertified suppliers.
While the University shall continue to ensure that everyone is consulted in the decisions that affect its constituents, it might be best for everyone to bear in mind that not all suggestions and proposals shall ultimately be harnessed in the final arrangements, guidelines or directives it issues if the best interest of both students and personnel and the University at large is considered. This is how democracy works.
The mark of true leadership is owning decisions made and not passing the buck, as it were. At this point the undersigned, as Responsible Officer for this crisis along with members of the UPV Management Committee and the UPV COVID 19 Task Force as a whole are ready to own this arrangement.
The present health crisis brought on difficulties that exempt no one. While the best intentions and efforts may not be always recognized as such, University officials and the Task Force shall continue to exert its very best for the welfare of UPV constituents – student, faculty and staff. Sobriety, patience and understanding are highly valued and much appreciated at this time. Everyone can help by following COVID 19 directives and staying healthy.
Madamu gid nga salamat.
RICARDO P. BABARAN
Chancellor
