A contingent of 18 UP Visayas personnel took part in the 2023 UP Systemwide Administrative Staff and Research Extension and Professional Staff Conference on September 7-9, 2023 at the Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City.
With the theme, “Championing the Role of UP Administrative Staff and Research Extension and Professional Staff in Achieving Excellence in the Academic and Administration Settings,” the conference featured four plenary speakers.
Dr. Ronahlee A. Asuncion, Professor of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations, UP Diliman pointed out the importance of preparing employees in the new normal and digital era. She said that the digital era has set the trend of deskilling or reducing the level of skill required to carry out a job, that will make some work obsolete.
In order to stay relevant, UP employees should keep learning, must have cultural and data literacy, must be adaptive and resilient, must know how to manage one’s time and have self-discipline, must be aware of cyber security threats, must know how to innovate and is a problem solver, must think critically, must have soft skills, leadership and initiative, but must also attends to one’s wellness and have self-care.
The second plenary speaker Dr. Aimee Lyn Barrion-Dupo, Professor of the Institute of Biological Sciences, UP Los Baños paid tribute to the staff that she said were part of her mentors who helped in her success story. “To the administrative staff and REPS, you are our safe space,” she pointed.
Meanwhile, Prof. Nestor Yunque, former UP Vice President for Administration, emphasized the need to strengthen UP’s support mechanisms for non-teaching staff’s psychosocial, physical health, and well-being.
Mr. Danilo Ramos, Chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, lamented the deplorable state of the farming industry in the country wherein farmers still used pre-industrial tools. Farmers are threatened with joblessness, landlessness, and the export policy of agricultural products. He reminded the audience of the right to unionize and protest against unjust policies.
The conference was participated in by 217 delegates from the various CUs of UP, namely, Diliman, Los Baos, Manila, Visayas, Open University, Mindanao, Baguio, Cebu and Tacloban. The Office of the Staff Regent, Victoria Canape Belegal, of the UP Open University, led in organizing of the conference along with the officials of the ALL UP Workers Union of the CUs.
“We can get more resources if we can demonstrate, show and dramatize our relevance to the Filipino people” said UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, who was present during the second day of the conference and listened to the issues of concerns raised of the staff and REPS.
The second day also included a face-to-face Q & A with UP officials and CU officials who responded to the issues and concerns raised by the staff, REPS, and the Contract of Service personnel who were represented in the conference for the first time.
