University of the Philippines COVID-19 News, Advisories, and Information

Preparing for a Post-ECQ Scenario: Analysis and Recommendations (7 April 2020)

Modified Community Quarantine beyond April 30: Analysis and Recommendations (13 April 2020)

Estimating Local Healthcare Capacity to Deal with COVID-19 Case Surge: Analysis and Recommendations (20 April 2020)

Addressing the Immediate Needs of All, Especially the Most Vulnerable Sectors: Analysis and Recommendations (26 April 2020)

Social Interactions and Post-ECQ School Opening and Mobility of Older People: Analysis and Recommendations (7 May 2020)

Prevailing Data Issues in the Time of COVID-19 and the Need for Open Data (12 May 2020)

Post-ECQ Job Risks: Analysis and Recommendations (22 May 2020)

UP offers educational materials to the public

17 August 2020—The University of the Philippines serves as the country’s premier community of scholars, experts, academics and researchers, and a rich reservoir of knowledge, information, cutting-edge research, innovations and technologies. [Read full story]

UPOU-Kaagapay+ launched

10 September 2020—In consonance with the UP System’s Kaagapay sa Pag-aaral ng mga Iskolar ng Bayan Fundraising and Resource Generation Campaign (Kaagapay UP), UP Open University (UPOU) launched its own UPOU-Kaagapay+ program on September 1. [Read full story]

UPLB graduates ready to take on the challenge of a post-COVID world – Regent Laurel

8 September 2020—“The year 2020 is the year that will forever be remembered as the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a daunting challenge to say the least. This is where the UP education comes into play.” [Read full story]

Enrolling in UP this semester? Here’s what to expect

26 August 2020—Aside from gadgets and financial assistance, UP will be implementing two additional programs for the student’s health, dignity, and welfare. [Read full story]

COVID-19 cases in PH could hit over half a million by end of 2020, UP forecast says

2 September 2020—The coronavirus tally in the Philippines could average at around 585,000 before the year ends, based on a forecast by researchers from the University of the Philippines. [Read full story]

Social scientists give insights on the COVID-19 pandemic

24 August 2020—Faculty members of the UPLB Department of Social Sciences (DSS) gave their take on the COVID-19 pandemic using the lenses of their respective disciplines at the inaugural edition of USAP PH webinar series on Aug 20. [Read full story]

UPLB CMDL aims to double its testing target per day

18 August 2020—The University of the Philippines Los Banos COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (UPLB CMDL) is aiming to double its target number of testing per day through employing two shifts. [Read full story]

SiM opens

18 August 2020—The newly-renovated Molave Residence Hall is in an acceptable distance from the various communities inside UPD, including Barangay UP Campus. [Read full story]

COVID infection and inflammation highlighted in UP’s next online medical grand rounds this Friday

12 August 2020—Infection and inflammation are both processes that come into play in COVID-19. Most patients will battle the infection over two weeks and only have a mild case of the disease. In some patients, however, inflammation may be severe, leading to cytokine storms and organ failure that are difficult to manage. [Read full story]

UP-backed genome center on the trail of coronavirus

1 August 2020—Researchers at the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) are working round the clock to trace the “route” of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has been ravaging populations around the Philippines since March. [Read full story]

#KaagapayUP project to bring hope to financially challenged UP students

23 July 2020—The word kaagapay is typically associated with being at one’s side. Its constituents, the affix, ka-, which indicates relation, and its root, agapay, or support, together connote mutual assistance, trust, care, and respect from individuals who desire that others become fully functional persons. [Read full story]

UPOU shares tutorials for creating video lectures

28 July 2020—The shift to remote learning because of COVID-19 brings the possibility of using video materials for teaching. Video lectures by teachers will be an important tool, especially in asynchronous learning, where lessons are discussed without the constraint of having all students together at the same place or at the same time. [Read full story]

UP-developed test kits ready for commercial use: DOH

19 July 2020—The Department of Health said the test kits developed by University of the Philippines scientists are now ready for commercial use. [Read full story]

UP webinar takes on the mental and emotional impact of COVID-19

22 July 2020—The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat not just to people’s physical health, but perhaps more insidiously, to their mental, emotional and psychological health as well, with uncertainty and fear of the unknown causing and exacerbating worry and stress. [Read full story]

UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team tracks PH cities’ road to recovery

23 July 2020—How are cities in the Philippines faring in the fight against COVID-19? Where are they now on the road to recovery towards the goal of zero cases? [Read full story]

UP CoPES helps build psychosocial resilience of self and others

14 July 2020—Times of crisis can inflict not only physical and economic, but also psychosocial harm. These psychosocial hazards take a toll on both individuals and families, compromising the safety and productivity of those involved. [Read full story]

Long road to recovery for survivors of critical COVID-19 cases

14 July 2020—“We want our patients to be able to go back to the lives they had before being critically ill.” This is the end goal of physiatrists in providing rehabilitative care and treatment, as emphasized by Dr. Celso Bate of The Medical City and the Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center, in the eleventh episode of UP’s STOP COVID DEATHS webinar series on July 3. [Read full story]

COVID-19 cases in Philippines may rise to 85,000 by end of July —UP experts

16 July 2020—Experts from the University of the Philippines have projected that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country may reach more than 85,000 by the end of July. [Read full story]

UPLB inaugurates its COVID-19 testing center

15 July 2020—The UPLB-CMDL will serve as a subnational testing center for Laguna and nearby provinces, thereby helping ease a major bottleneck in the COVID-19 response in the country. [Read full story]

Devcom prof joins scicom in COVID-19 talk

15 July 2020—“Today, more than any other time, science communication plays an integral part on how science can become more relevant in overcoming the challenges we face in this pandemic.” [Read full story]

PGH says can no longer accept critically ill coronavirus patients

15 July 2020—The Philippine General Hospital said Wednesday it could no longer accept critically ill coronavirus patients from other health facilities because its beds were almost full. [Read full story]

Social protection should be sector-specific – UP experts

14 July 2020—The experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) have recommended that the government should take into consideration the sector-specific needs of the vulnerable and marginalized to be able to survive the coronavirus pandemic. [Read full story]

UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team launches new features on endcov.ph

7 July 2020—The UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team (UP PRT) launches new features in endcov.ph, a web portal created to provide the public with vital information and tools in the fight against COVID-19. [Read full story]

UP webinar to tackle the challenges of staying safe while serving in the line of fire

7 July 2020—Anesthesiologists, doctors who provide perioperative care to COVID-19 patients, are among medical workers who serve at the frontlines in the battle against the viral pandemic. As such, they face health risks due to their exposure and close proximity to COVID-19-positive patients in enclosed spaces. [Read full story]

‘Be visible. Be available.’

6 July 2020—Ma. Rita Villanueva-Tamse teaches in the UP Open University (UPOU) Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN) program and at the UP Manila College of Nursing, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She is a former chief of the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Division of Clinical Nursing Operations and a former deputy director for Nursing at the same hospital. She has almost 40 years of experience in nursing administration. [Read full story]

Know the risk of getting COVID-19 at your workplace

6 July 2020—You can calculate this using job and workplace risk calculators developed by UPLB biomathematicians based at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics (IMSP) of the College of Arts and Sciences. [Read full story]

UPLB alumna is behind COVID-19 testing tech in Switzerland

7 July 2020—An alumna of UPLB and native of Los Baños leads the development of a mass testing technology in Switzerland that is considered a breakthrough in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read full story]

Biochemist stresses agri biotech’s role in COVID-19 fight

7 July 2020—At first glance, the field of agricultural biotechnology (agri biotech) does not seem to have any relation at all to fighting a pandemic. But according to Dr. Flerida A. Cariño, professor of biochemistry at UP Diliman, agri biotech has a bigger role in countering the current COVID-19 crisis than most people realize. [Read full story]

Next Edu-Hack Podcasts targets Students’ Perspectives on Learning amidst the Pandemic

6 July 2020—The next episode of “Edu-Hack: Navigating a Turbulent Educational Landscape” targets students who will be enrolling this academic year, with the gloom of the pandemic on their shoulders. [Read full story]

UP BadAss hits a serve for IP communities

6 July 2020—Even with COVID-19 putting a strain on the country’s healthcare system and economy, experts have found that the world’s indigenous peoples have been disproportionately affected. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs recently cited that their relatively poor access to healthcare, higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and lack of access to essential services make indigenous communities especially vulnerable to the ravages of a global pandemic. [Read full story]

PH starts Covid-19 vaccine trials

10 July 2020—The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the collaboration with five coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine manufacturers from China and Taiwan to be used in clinical trials in the country. [Read full story]

UP-PGH’s COVID-19 admissions exceed 130-bed capacity

9 July 2020—The University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital on Thursday said it has exceeded its initial 130-bed capacity for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. [Read full story]

Plans, Possibilities and Progress: UP academics moving into the “next normal”

2 July 2020—The University of the Philippines (UP) is coming to terms with the fact that we can no longer go back to the traditional modes of teaching and learning. However, this “next normal”is also opening up new prospects, platforms, and possibilities for teaching and learning, which UP is set to explore within the next two months. [Read full story]

UPRI launches Policy Sourcebook on COVID-19

3 July 2020—With the barrage of news, information, and social media posts coming from all sides, it can be a challenge for ordinary Filipinos to stay up-to-date with the national government’s efforts to fight COVID-19. In light of this, the University of the Philippines (UP) has come up with a way to keep track of the government’s latest policies and measures to defeat the viral pandemic in the country. [Read full story]

Off-label drug therapies in COVID-19 may lead to arrythmias

2 July 2020—The use of antivirals and antimalarials as off-label therapies in the treatment of COVID-19 may result in arrythmias or heartbeat irregularities, according to Dr. Chito Permejo, a UP Manila College of Medicine 2001 graduate who is a cardiology intensivist at the Philippine Heart Center. [Read full story]

UP Prof. Emeritus Pernia talks COVID-19 and the Economy at UPAA Kapihan

3 July 2020—An enriching discussion titled “COVID-19 and the Economy” on the intersection of human and economic health took place on June 16, 2020, as former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary and UP School of Economics Emeritus Professor Ernesto M. Pernia was the guest and resource speaker at the UP Alumni Association’s (UPAA) Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP program. [Read full story]

UPLB epidemiologist situates pandemics in ecosystem status

29 June 2020—A molecular epidemiologist from UPLB explained how pandemics, such as COVID-19, are caused by declining biodiversity. [Read full story]

UPLB COVID testing center is now certified!

29 June 2020—The UPLB COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (UPLB-CMDL) received today, June 29, its certification as a molecular laboratory that can perform independent testing for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) by Realtime PCR from the Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM). [Read full story]

UP BadAss sells face masks for IPs

1 July 2020—The UP Badminton Association in Diliman (UP BADASS), in coordination with Abra Indigo-Manila, is selling hand-embroidered face masks by the Itneg community in Abra to raise funds for the indigenous peoples (IPs) community in Namarabar, Peñarrubia, Abra. [Read full story]

URUGUP para han Jipapad

30 June 2020—UP Tacloban turned over to the local government of Jipapad, Eastern Samar 231 sacks of rice (@ 10 kilos), 10 liters of alcohol-based hand rub, and 350 3-D printed face shields on 21 June 2020 for distribution to residents. The donation was delivered with the assistance of Navara Nation Philippines-Eastern Visayas Chapter. [Read full story]

Self-reliance needed in country’s response to COVID-19

30 June 2020—UP Manila (UPM) College of Medicine (UPCM) Dean Charlotte Chiong said, “We need to be self-reliant in testing, prevention, and treatment.” This was her statement after being asked by PhilHealth Board Director Susan Mercado to comment on the country’s independence in the fight against COVID-19. [Read full story]

University students help rice farmers sell their produce

26 June 2020—Among these are the farmers who have lost their market due to transport constraints. Seeing the plight of the farmers, a group of university students decided to act and help the farmers gain a market in the metro. [Read full story]

Sisters launch fundraiser for UP’s Ikot, Toki drivers

29 June 2020—But what began as a hobby and at times, a source of additional income, has now turned into a way for the trio to give back to the jeepney drivers on the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman campus in Quezon City who have been jobless since March due to the Metro Manila lockdown. [Read full story]

Masks reveal history of Cordillera fabrics

28 June 2020—Masks made of indigenous fabric have retained some level of value both for producers and their clientele. This is because of the time, effort and history behind the fabric woven the traditional way in many parts of the city and other Cordillera towns. [Read full story]

COVID-19 cases in Philippines may reach 60,000 by July 31 —experts

30 June 2020—The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines may reach more than 60,000 by July 31, according to a study made by a group of experts. [Read full story]

332 COVID-19 patients in PH now participating in WHO Solidarity Trials

26 June 2020—There are now 332 patients afflicted with the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country who are participating in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global Solidarity Trial, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Pena said on Friday, June 26. [Read full story]

How the pandemic impacts healthcare

28 June 2020—The art of medicine is almost as old as civilization itself. Advances in science have increased the reliability of treatments we use to help our patients feel better. The way we deliver care, however, has remained the same. A doctor still needs to examine a patient. [Read full story]

UP Mindanao, DOST XI to help set up COVID-19 testing facility in Davao de Oro

26 June 2020—The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao will help set up another COVID-19 testing facility in Davao de Oro Province, signing a memorandum of agreement with the Provincial Government and the Department of Science and Technology Region XI last 22 June 2020 at the Provincial Capitol in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro. [Read full story]

UPOU offers free online bridge courses

23 June 2020—True to the University as a public service institution, UP Open University (UPOU) will offer free online bridge courses in English and Mathematics for senior high school students, college freshmen, and all other interested individuals starting July 1. [Read full story]

10th UP-PhilHealth webinar will be about children’s health during COVID-19 pandemic

24 June 2020—There are many ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively affect the health, wellbeing, and development of children. Like adults, they are also at risk of getting COVID-19 or facing various stressful situations, such as lack of access to food, vaccination, healthcare, education, and other basic needs due to lockdown policies, unfavorable environment, or possibly other illnesses. Children may also become anxious about this “new normal” or have difficulties in expressing their feelings about the situation. [Read full story]

“Bawal lumabas.”

23 June 2020—Angelique Rosete is a gynecology and trophoblastic nurse, and a research coordinator at the UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) who is currently finishing her thesis in the Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN) program of UP Open University (UPOU). [Read full story]

CSC@40 Anniversary Lecture: “Katatagan at Pagbangon sa Panahon ng Pandemya”

24 June 2020—The UP Baguio Cordillera Studies Center invites everyone to join us on Friday, 26 June 2020, 10:00 a.m., via Livestream for the CSC@40 Anniversary Lecture titled, “Katatagan at Pagbangon sa Panahon ng Pandemya” to be delivered by Prof. Rozel Balmores-Paulino of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology, University of the Philippines Baguio. [Read full story]

Surviving COVID-19, becoming a better nurse

23 June 2020—John Alex Melencio is a charge nurse and team leader at The Royal Brompton Hospital in London, UK. He is also a UP alumnus, having earned his Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN) degree from the UP Open University (UPOU). [Read full story]

Univ Lib expands online services during the pandemic

23 June 2020—In this time of a pandemic, the UPLB University Library (UL) aims to move “closer” to its users by intensifying its online services. [Read full story]

With forensics, COVID-19 dead can tell fresh tales on pandemic

24 June 2020—A forensics-based approach to managing the dead due to COVID-19 will help policymakers better understand the disease as they navigate the country through the pandemic, a member of the academe said Wednesday. [Read full story]

DOST, UP-PGH to conduct convalescent plasma transfusion as possible cure for COVID-19

24 June 2020—The project called “Convalescent Plasma as Adjunctive Therapy for Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19″ will provide adjunctive therapy which is a treatment used to support the main or primary treatment of diseases. [Read full story]

Philippines wants equitable access to vaccine

21 June 2020—The Philippine representatives to the WHO Solidarity clinical trial are led by Dr. Marissa Alejandria of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and president of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. [Read full story]

Record 1,150 new cases sets total near 32k, UP team cites relaxed lockdown for surge

24 June 2020—The relaxation in quarantine restrictions has brought about a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections nationwide, a University of the Philippines math professor said Tuesday. [Read full story]

UP Baguio opens arts and crafts market at Oblation grounds

22 June 2020—It is the artists and artisans their turn at trading their works at the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) Oblation Grounds with an arts and crafts fair dubbed “Mandëko Kito, Artisans Market” scheduled every Monday and Tuesday 9:00am-12:00nn starting June 15. [Read full story]

UPVTC URUGUP distributes 2nd batch of alcohol

17 June 2020—UP Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC), through URUGUP, its institutional response to the COVID-19 crisis in Eastern Visayas, distributed its second batch of 80% ethyl alcohol URUGUP hand rub on May 27. [Read full story]

UP webinar highlights Lung Center’s innovations in fighting COVID-19

18 June 2020—Dr. Antonio B. Ramos, manager of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) Department of Administrative Services and resource speaker for the sixth episode of the University of the Philippines’ “STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates” webinar series held on May 29, talked about the LCP experience in promoting hospital personnel safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read full story]

Is there more to a zero in disease statistics?

17 June 2020—Lachica is a member of the IAM laboratory and has been involved in the conduct of COVID-19-related research. He is also a research assistant in the Commission on Higher Education-Discovery-Applied Research and Extension for Trans/Interdisciplinary Opportunities: Synoptic Study on Transmission and Optimum Control to Prevent Rabies Program or the CHED DARE-TO: STOP Rabies Program, which is headed by UPMin. [Read full story]

COVID-19 Clinical Management: The Cebu Experience

17 June 2020—To help Filipinos courageously face the COVID-19 pandemic, the UP webinar series, “STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates,” is hosted by the University of the Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Telehealth Center, every Friday from 12nn to 2pm. [Read full story]

UP freshmen told to expect remote learning under new normal

16 June 2020—Incoming freshmen entering the University of the Philippines (UP) are told to expect remote teaching and learning under the new normal. [Read full story]

Bucoy ‘monovlogs’ pay tribute to COVID-19 frontliners

16 June 2020—The latest literary works of Layeta Bucoy, UPLB’s lone UP Artist, homegrown playwright, and faculty member at the Department of Humanities, is a story about life, struggles, and love for family amid the pandemic and community lockdown. [Read full story]

Catastrophic Loss in Jobs and Work Hours: Save the MSMEs and Protect the Workers

17 June 2020—More catastrophic losses in both jobs and work hours are expected in the second and third quarters of 2020 in view of: (a) the expansion of the lockdown from Luzon in mid-March to virtually the rest of the country by early April 2020; (b) the extension of the community quarantine until a vaccine against COVID-19 is available and made more widely accessible; and (c) the influx of tens of thousands of displaced overseas Filipino workers. [Read full story]

Palace says UP experts’ projection happening, hopes to avoid 40k infections by June 30

16 June 2020—Malacañang is hoping that by keeping Metro Manila under general community quarantine for two more weeks, the country will not reach the 40,000 total number of COVID-19 cases by June 30 as projected by experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) based on their own study. [Read full story]

UPCAT qualifiers enrolling in UP can expect the “new normal” of remote learning

15 June 2020—For this year’s batch of successful UPCAT qualifiers who will be entering the University of the Philippines (UP) as freshmen enrollees, their first taste of university life will be that of the “new normal”: remote teaching and learning, with the possibility of blending remote and face-to-face meetings. [Read full story]

UPV Tacloban College maps the COVID-19 outbreak in Eastern Visayas

16 June 2020—Motivated by recent developments in the COVID-19 situation and incremental movements towards the new normal in Eastern Visayas, the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College, through its Regional Environmental Information Systems program and Health Services Unit, has endeavored to visualize key COVID-19 data in the region. [Read full story]

Gender inclusion, appreciative resilience vital to crisis response

16 June 2020—Response to a crisis, whether the crisis may be resolved quickly or drawn out over a long period, benefits greatly from gender inclusion and appreciative resilience. For which reason these actions are vital to successfully ensuring the psychosocial well-being of persons dealing with crises. [Read full story]

Remote learning resources now available

15 June 2020—Resources for remote learning are now available to assist educators shifting from traditional classroom instruction to blended learning when the new school year opens on August 24. [Read full story]

Oplan Hatid makes 1000th mark in students served

15 June 2020—UPLB’s Oplan Hatid has made it to the 1,000th mark in the number of students it has served since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was implemented in Luzon on March 16. [Read full story]

Oplan Hatid embarks on biggest international operation

12 June 2020—Twenty four Sri Lankan graduate students from UPLB were able to fly home to their country today, June 11, through an embassy-coordinated operation of various UPLB offices and Oplan Hatid. [Read full story]

PAF flies stranded UPLB students home to Western Visayas

12 June 2020—UPLB Oplan Hatid, a program under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA), partnered with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to fly home students who were stranded in the UPLB campus during the series of community quarantine implemented in Luzon from March 16 to date. [Read full story]

UP webinar takes on COVID-19 and its impact on heart disease

11 June 2020—One out of four adult Filipinos has hypertension, while a large portion of the population are not aware that they have persistently high blood pressure. How does the COVID-19 pandemic impact adult Filipinos with heart disease? [Read full story]

UPV community takes care of UPD students

11 June 2020—The arrival of 14 Ilonggo UP Diliman (UPD) students in Iloilo City on May 31 may have come as a surprise to the UP Visayas (UPV) administration and alumni, but they wasted no time in taking care of these students. [Read full story]

UP Alumni Association to hold Kapihan ng Bayan sa UP on “COVID-19 and the Economy”

11 June 2020—From jobs lost, businesses shutting down, manufacturing and supply chains interrupted, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on both the global and national economy. [Read full story]

UPOU sets more online lectures and discussion

11 June 2020—The easing of restrictions does not mean the crisis is over, with the impact of COVID-19 cutting across various sectors. In an effort to continue the capacity-building of affected individuals, organizations, and fields, the UP Open University (UPOU) has embraced its unique role as online education provider, at a time when physical distancing is a must and mass gatherings are prohibited. [Read full story]

Virgin coconut oil trials for COVID patients OK’d

9 June 2020—Virgin coconut oil trials on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) are finally underway, according to Science and Tecnology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña. [Read full story]

Telepresence device enables health workers at PGH to communicate with patients remotely

7 June 2020—A telepresence device that can enable health workers to connect with their patients without physically being present in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wards can now be used at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). [Read full story]

COVID-19 test booth project reaches 100th mark

5 June 2020—A partnership that sought to help the medical community in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic has fulfilled its promise. [Read full story]

Opening soon: UPHS telemedicine specialty clinics

5 June 2020—Seven UP Health Service (UPHS) specialty clinics will be available through telemedicine and will tentatively serve on Monday. [Read full story]

UPLB makes upgraded COVID-19 swabbing booth

5 June 2020—Swabbing booths for COVID-19 testing have become imperative to protect the lives of medical frontliners who collect sample specimens from suspected and probable patients. [Read full story]

5 more stranded UP Mindanao students return home

4 June 2020—Five more students from the University of the Philippines in Mindanao were able to return to their hometowns in Davao region after being stranded due to the lockdown brought by the coronavirus disease. [Read full story]

DIY face shields initiative continues in UPV

24 May 2020—Students of UP Visayas may be considered as trail blazers in the creation of the ‘Do It Yourself’ face shields in the country. [Read full story]

UP Mindanao, SPMC to train more medical personnel for Covid-19 testing facilities

3 June 2020—The Mindanao campus of the University of the Philippines and the Southern Philippines Medical Center would soon start a series of training for medical personnel to handle the human resource demand of the emerging testing centers across Mindanao for Covid-19 cases. [Read full story]

UP Mindanao launches online platform to track COVID-19 cases in the Davao Region

3 June 2020—COVID-19 Insights, a web-based platform created and maintained by the UP Mindanao COVID-19 Modeling Team for tracking COVID-19 cases in the Davao Region was launched last month. The team created the platform to provide local government officials, policymakers, researchers, and health professionals valuable tools for decision-making. [Read full story]

UP researchers develop VR prototype of stay-homecare for behavioral and psychological conditions

3 June 2020—Neurological conditions, such as Dementia and Cerebral Palsy, affect the cognitive abilities, motor functions, and performance of activities of daily living of patients. These manifestations may occur throughout the patients’ lifetime, which may render poor quality of life for both the patients and their families. [Read full story]

Lessons from the San Lazaro experience

3 June 2020—In the fifth presentation of the UP webinar series,“STOP COVID DEATHS: Clinical Management Updates,” on May 22, 2020, Dr. Rontgene M. Solante, head of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine unit of the San Lazaro Hospital, shared valuable insights from their care and management of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other infections. [Read full story]

The pivotal role of Noel Ferriols and PGC-Visayas in the WV fight against COVID-19

2 June 2020—Heroes emerge during times of crisis. [Read full story]

How epidemics start and end: COVID-19 spread in PH analyzed

23 May 2020—Dr. Mary Grace Dacuma of the UP Pandemic Response Team has released findings from a recent study on how an epidemic happens and what an epidemic wave is. [Read full story]

Quarantine facility sa UP College of Human Kinetics, handa na para sa mga gumaling sa COVID-19

1 June 2020—Handa na ang Kalinga Center quarantine facility sa College of Human Kinetics annex gym sa University of the Philippines-Diliman sa lungsod ng Quezon para sa mga pasyenteng gumaling na sa COVID-19 at nangangailangan lang ng karagdagang quarantine period. [Basahin ang buong istorya]

Yani, the EndCovBot, learns LGBT slang

26 May 2020—LGBT slang or the Beki language option is now available when you converse with Yani! If you’re looking for COVID-19 statistics, the nearest hospitals, links to therapy and counseling, or information on policies, you can talk to Yani through Facebook messenger: m.me/YaniEndCovBot. [Read full story]

Medical eLearning at the time of COVID-19

29 May 2020—UP College of Medicine, DOH, and APMC to hold month-long Medical eLearning: Behind the Screens Virtual Conference on June 2020. [Read full story]

Frontliners at the forefront of the 6th UP “Stop COVID Deaths” Webinar, May 29

26 May 2020—The University of the Philippines, in partnership with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, is inviting you to join the fight against COVID-19. [Read full story]

UPVTC reflects on MHPSS in COVID-19 crisis

29 May 2020—The COVID-19 pandemic, just like previous emergency and crisis situations, activated the UP Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC) mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) core team. [Read full story]

23 stranded UP Mindanao students return to hometowns through inter-agency efforts

29 May 2020—Twenty-three students of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao successfully returned to their respective hometowns starting May 6, following a tightly coordinated inter-agency operation. [Read full story]

More UPV students reunite with families

29 May 2020—Stranded no more. Students of UP Visayas (UPV) who hail from other cities, municipalities, provinces, and regions have gone home as UPV has continued to facilitate their return to their families with the province of Iloilo’s transition to general community quarantine. [Read full story]

Doing the math in a pandemic

27 May 2020—“Our decision will be based on science.” The science community must have heaved a collective sigh of relief when a top government official said this about the way forward for the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read full story]

UPLB ready to open COVID-19 laboratory

21 May 2020—The University of the Philippines Los Baños’ (UPLB) molecular diagnostic laboratory for COVID-19 is now on its way to the final stages of obtaining approval from the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health (DoH), and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). [Read full story]

P4.7M allotted for research, development of disinfection pods for health frontliners

25 May 2020—Dubbed the “SANI-POD,” the research and development project is a partnership among doctors of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila and engineers of UP Diliman, President Rodrigo Duterte’s report to Congress on Monday said. [Read full story]

LRT-1 operator invests in disinfection technology

28 May 2020—Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), operator of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), has partnered with the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s National Engineering Center for the use of an ultraviolet technology to disinfect its train sets. [Read full story]

UP women’s basketball team creates masks to help indigent members

29 May 2020—The UP Women’s Basketball Team is launching a fundraiser to help indigent team members amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. [Read full story]

UP Baguio puts up farmers market to aid food growers

30 May 2020—A farmers market will be open to the public every Friday at the University of the Philippines Baguio, to help widen access to food during the quarantine. [Read full story]

Lopez Group helps PGH expand testing capacity

30 May 2020—The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) has accepted an offer from the Lopez Group to help the state university hospital increase 10 times its capability to test for the virus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Read full story]

OVPAA Memorandum No. 2020-62: Reiteration of the Grading System in the Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester 2019-2020 in Light of COVID-19

22 May 2020—The University of the Philippines Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs has issued Memorandum No. OVPAA 2020-62 reiterating the grading system in the implementing guidelines of the UP policy on the second semester 2019-2020 in light of COVID-19. [Read full memorandum]

UPVTC turns 47

22 May 2020—What to do when mass gatherings are not allowed to celebrate an occasion because of a pandemic? Take it online. [Read full story]

Kidney patients more vulnerable to COVID-19

21 May 2020—The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, is well-known for causing respiratory problems. However, the virus does not only attack the lungs but targets other organs as well. [Read full story]

UP Cebu CENVI presents “a timeline in maps” of Cebu City’s battle against COVID-19

21 May 2020—The University of the Philippines Cebu Central Visayas Center for Informatics (CENVI), a Department of Science and Technology-funded project under the NICER program, created last May 5 a story map showing the series of events that took place after the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Cebu City. [Read full story]

Negrense students of UPV go home

21 May 2020—Twenty-three UP Visayas (UPV) students from Negros Occidental who were stranded in Miagao and Iloilo City due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) have gone home. [Read full story]

UP Beta Sigma Fraternity – UP Visayas Chapter ramps up COVID-19 response, distributes medical supplies, sends relief in southern Iloilo

21 May 2020—The local chapter of UP Beta Sigma Fraternity in the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) distributed 100 liters of alcohol and 1000 pieces of medical grade surgical masks to different health centers and hospitals in the first district of Iloilo, including the municipalities of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miag-ao, and the UPV Infirmary and dormitories. [Read full story]

IMSP FabLab makes medical accessories for frontliners

21 May 2020—Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic has made UPLB colleges and institutes step up to do their part. [Read full story]

Save a life. Make a face shield.

20 May 2020—To continue providing frontliners protective gear to battle COVID-19, the UPD Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (OVCAA) is making a clarion call for volunteers to assemble face shields. [Read full story]

14 stranded UP students to arrive in Naga City

20 May 2020—At least 14 students of the University of the Philippines (UP), who were stranded at the school campus in Quezon City since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine last March, were expected to arrive in Naga City on Wednesday afternoon. [Read full story]

UPD continues to help

19 May 2020—Here is an update on the initiatives or projects of various UPD units, student organizations and an alumni group. [Read full story]

CHED chair, HEI heads discuss grad educ amid COVID-19

8 May 2020—Issues surrounding higher education institutions (HEIs) amid the COVID-19 pandemic are often associated with the undergraduate level, with this sector comprising majority of students. [Read full story]

CoVcheck develops Quarantine Buddy: a patient care management system

15 May 2020—In these extraordinary times, speed is of the essence. To further accelerate our LGUs’ CoVID-19 response, CoVcheck developed the Quarantine Buddy (QB). [Read full story]

UPV facilitates going home of students

14 May 2020—UP Visayas is continuously endeavoring to assist its students who are stranded in Miagao and Iloilo City campuses who wish to return to their places of residence now that the Second Semester has ended. [Read full story]

LOOK: Palma Hall opens its doors as isolation unit for UP Diliman

19 May 2020—Dubbed as Kanlungang Palma sa Panahon ng Pandemya, the social sciences and humanities hub of University of the Philippines Diliman takes on the responsibility of housing suspected and probable coronavirus cases in the area. [Read full story]

UP CHK opens annex as step-down iso facility for COVID-19 cases

18 May 2020—In support of the government’s drive to curb the effect of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, University of the Philippines opened the annex of the College of Human Kinetics Gym as a step-down isolation facility. [Read full story]

NIMBB trains 54 medical technicians under DOH-RITM

15 May 2020—The National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) helped the Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM) train 54 medical technicians. [Read full story]

UP Diliman looking for volunteers to help assemble frontliner gear

17 May 2020—The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (UPD-OVCAA) of the University of the Philippines-Dilman is asking for volunteers to help assemble face shields for frontliners. [Read full story]

Tsikiting Stories addresses children’s mental health amidst COVID-19

15 May 2020—While adults are adjusting to the arrangements required by the COVID-19 crisis, children are likely having a hard time understanding the sudden changes going on around them. [Read full story]

STAT: Finding solutions for COVID-19

12 May 2020—Like most UP Diliman units, the UP School of Statistics (STAT) has projects addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis. [Read full story]

Relaxed quarantine measures in PH not ‘coming-out party’: disease expert

14 May 2020—An infectious diseases specialist cautioned the public against keeping their guard down as the Philippine government is set to reduce quarantine restrictions to revive the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. [Read full story]

Philippines in a global race to find a treatment for COVID-19

13 May 2020—As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the planet, medical experts and scientists around the world have found themselves in an unprecedented race to find a treatment for the disease. [Read full story]

Yani the EndCovbot has unlocked a new skill!

12 May 2020—Remember Yani the EndCovBot? If you’re looking for the latest COVID-19 statistics in your municipality, city, province, region, or for the whole Philippines, just ask Yani on Messenger. [Read full story]

UP to provide its workforce additional emergency allowance

14 May 2020—In consideration of the unprecedented situation confronting its constituents, UP is providing its workforce an additional emergency allowance of P5,000 each not earlier than May 15, 2020. [Read full story]

UPLB ensures adherence to biosafety reqts in COVID-19 testing lab

11 May 2020—As UPLB stepped up to establish its own COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory that shall serve as a subnational testing center for Laguna and neighboring provinces, it sought to equip the said facility with an all-important pre-requisite – biosafety and biosecurity. [Read full story]

ECQ alone won’t curb coronavirus, PH needs mass testing – UP expert

12 May 2020—’Mass testing, isolation, and contact tracing – this is where we should invest,’ says Professor Jomar Rabajante of the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team [Read full story]

The inspiring everyday heroism of PGH’s frontliner moms

9 May 2020—‘Ma, Bakit Hindi ka pa uuwi?’ is a question often asked of the children of these amazing women at Philippine General Hospital. But despite missing and worrying about their own families, they must heed their call to serve. [Read full story]

U.P. experts say ‘open data’ is part of fight vs COVID-19

12 May 2020—The UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team, a group of some 200 professors, researchers, alumni, and students, says data sharing ‘must be used to generate knowledge’ [Read full story]

UP experts spot ‘alarming errors’ in DOH’s COVID-19 patient data

12 May 2020—The University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team in their policy note released Tuesday pointed out errors and discrepancies in the Department of Health’s data on COVID-19 patients. [Read full story]

Pinoy medical experts, scientists join fight vs virus

13 May 2020—Filipino scientists and medical practitioners who were trained and based overseas have joined the frontliners in Philippine hospitals in the continuing struggle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). [Read full story]

‘Test center gives more hope against Covid-19 in Eastern Visayas’

10 May 2020—The first accredited molecular laboratory in Eastern Visayas will boost the country’s fight against the deadly coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the region. [Read full story]

UP-Diliman’s Palma Hall now a DOH-approved quarantine facility

13 May 2020—The University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) Palma Hall is now operating as a quarantine facility for suspected and probable cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [Read full story]

Pandemic shines light on country’s brightest minds

11 May 2020—In the battle against COVID-19, Filipino scientists—such as the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team—take center stage. Get to know some of the ways they harness their knowledge and skills to help the country win the war against a deadly virus. [Read full story]

UP Concert Chorus conveys peace message in song

11 May 2020—Netizens were treated to a heart-felt cover of the song “Let there be Peace on Earth” by the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus. [Read full story]

Metro Manila Council chief sees another lockdown extension

11 May 2020—On Saturday, a team of University of the Philippines (UP) professors recommended that the government extend the ECQ in Metro Manila and other areas, warning that a premature easing could lead to 24,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,700 deaths by mid-June. [Read full story]

Philippines now has 26 COVID-19 testing centers — DOH

10 May 2020—There are now 26 testing laboratories in the Philippines that are capable of detecting the SARS CoV-2—the coronavirus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Read full story]

UPD-NIMBB trains med-techs for COVID-19 detection

8 May 2020—The University of the Philippines is training medical technicians in performing the qRT-PCR assay for the detection of the SARS CoV2, to support the training efforts of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for COVID-19 testing. [Read full story]

COVID-19, ECQ, and Crash Landing on You

8 May 2020—Question: How does one explain the COVID-19 crisis from a governance perspective in an easily digestible and palatable manner? [Read full story]

UP pays tribute to 22 alumni who died from COVID-19

8 May 2020—The University of the Philippines has released a video paying tribute to its alumni who succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [Read full story]

UP Law faculty proposes use of new tech for ‘smart courts’ during pandemic

7 May 2020—Incorporation of new technologies into the Philippine court system will help dispensation of justice during the COVID-19 pandemic and even after, a study from the University of the Philippines College of Law said. [Read full story]

UP scientist: gov’t should reconsider activities with adverse effects on air quality

6 May 2020—To maintain the “good air quality” as the “new normal,” a scientist from the University of the Philippines has appealed to all sectors to use the opportunity to reconsider activities that have adverse impacts on air quality. [Read full story]

UP’s “StopCOVIDDeaths” webinar to discuss COVID-19 treatment landscape

7 May 2020—The third installment of the UP webinar series, “Stop COVID Deaths: Clinical Management Updates,” will happen on Friday, May 8, at 12:00 PM in Taipei. [Read full story]

#TatagUP: resilience, survival and response post-ECQ

1 May 2020—As the nation looks forward to a post-pandemic scenario, UP Diliman (UPD) is easing the transition to post-ECQ. [Read full story]

Maynilad turns over 100 isolation tents

7 May 2020—MAYNILAD Water Services, Inc. has handed over 100 isolation tents and hygiene kits to an alumni association of the University of the Philippines that is setting up a 100-bed quarantine facility for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. [Read full story]

5 tips to maintain psychosocial health amid COVID-19 pandemic

6 May 2020—Physical health is not the only thing that needs precious care in this COVID-19 crisis. Equally important is mental and psychosocial well-being. UP Open University (UPOU) Assistant Professor Finaflor Taylan of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies, who is also a registered social worker, gives advice on maintaining psychosocial health during this time. [Read full story]

UP pays tribute to COVID-19 fatalities

6 May 2020—UP honors the memory of those who have succumbed to COVID-19 as “unknown heroes who fell during the night” in a music video of Fr. Manuel Francisco’s “Hindi Kita Malilimutan”, featuring the symbolic image of UP’s Oblation and an alumni roster whose lives were also taken by the virus. [Read full story]

UP buildings transformed into Covid-19 facilities

1 May 2020—Several buildings within the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City have been transformed into testing sites, a quarantine facility and living quarters for frontliners and health workers. [Read full story]

58 UP Students na Umuwi sa Isabela, Nasa Maayos na Kalagayan!

4 May 2020—Nasa maayos na kalagayan at walang sintomas ng COVID-19 ang 58 estudyante ng UP Los Baños na sinundo ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Isabela. [Read full story]

UPCAT 2020 results targeted for release within the month of May

5 May 2020—As previously announced, the release of the UPCAT2020 results has been delayed due to the enhanced community quarantine. [Read full announcement]

Elevate air pollution problem in post-ECQ “new normal” agenda – UPD scientist

5 May 2020—A scientist from the University of the Philippines-Diliman Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology has called on all sectors to consider putting the issue and solutions to the air pollution problem in the higher agenda for a post-enhanced community quarantine (post-ECQ) “new normal” Philippines. [Read full story]

UPV increases priority of relief to its affected communities

5 May 2020—While the University continues to deliver public service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UP Visayas (UPV) has decided to give more priority to the sectors that have been affected by its work and class suspensions. These include its students and employees as well as those who rely on the UPV community’s patronage: tricycle drivers, food vendors, and laundry service providers, among others. [Read full story]

Air quality after ECQ far from ‘new normal’ expectations – UPD experts

5 May 2020—Experts from the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science and College of Engineering are looking at the positive impact of the enhanced community quarantine on air quality, but are not seeing this to be the “new normal” in a post-enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) Philippines. In making this conclusion, they conducted ground-, satellite- and modeling-based approaches to visualize the extent of air quality during pre-ECQ and while on lockdown. [Read full story]

UPV to stranded students: “Prepare to go home”

5 May 2020—UP Visayas (UPV) has advised its students stranded in campus and off-campus housing to start preparing to go home. [Read full story]

UP Law offers free legal aid online

5 May 2020—The UP College of Law launched on April 20, 2020 an online portal to “handle requests for legal assistance, legal advice and education, and if necessary, legal representation for issues arising from the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine [ECQ].” [Read full story]

UPOU launches “Edu-Hack” podcast series

5 May 2020—Flexibility and compassion. These were the key takeaways in the first episode of UP Open University’s (UPOU) podcast series, “Edu-Hack: Navigating through a Turbulent Educational Landscape” on April 28. [Read full story]

UP Beta Epsilon Fraternity donates 10,000 PPEs for UPM-PGH frontliners

5 May 2020—The UP Beta Epsilon Fraternity (UPBE), based in the UP Diliman College of Engineering, is doing its part to help the country win the war against COVID-19. [Read full story]

UPSO, UP musicians come together in “Alay sa Sambayang Pilipino sa Panahon ng Agam-Agam”, a musical tribute

4 May 2020—Musicians, vocalists and choristers from the University of the Philippines came together in a virtual performance to honor of the medical and healthcare workers, the frontliners, and the ordinary Filipino people battling against a global pandemic and socio-economic uncertainty. [Read full story]

UPLB medical technologists and volunteers train in COVID-19 testing

1 May 2020—In order to prepare for the operation of the UPLB SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 Testing Center, UPLB personnel took the SARS-CoV2 Testing Training Program at the UP Manila -National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman on April 28 and 29. [Read full story]

UP’s graduation tradition of planting sunflowers endures despite COVID-19

4 May 2020—While the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may lead to the postponement or even cancellation of this year’s commencement rites at the state university, it doesn’t mean the end of a cherished graduation tradition. [Read full story]

Para sa bayan: U.P. lends expertise, resources in fight vs coronavirus

1 May 2020—As the coronavirus disease continues to spread across the country, the University of the Philippines (UP) has risen to the challenge of lending its expertise and resources to stem the new virus. [Read full story]

UP team bares 3 minimum health standards to flatten the curve

2 May 2020—With COVID-19 cases declining in major areas in Luzon, a team of professors from the University of the Philippines said three minimum health safeguards have to be met first to sustain the flattening of the curve if the government intends to relax its quarantine protocols. [Read full story]

UP Men’s Basketball players stay fighting amidst COVID-19

3 May 2020—The whole world of sports has come to a halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Men’s Basketball Team (UP MBT) stay fighting. [Read full story]

DavNor donates P12-M for UP Covid-19 test lab

29 April 2020—The Provincial Government of Davao del Norte donated P12 million to help set up the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP-Mindanao) coronavirus disease (Covid-19) testing laboratory. [Read full story]

UP holds “Stop COVID Deaths: Clinical Management Updates” webinar for healthcare frontliners

30 April 2020—The University of the Philippines continues its mission to help educate our country’s medical and healthcare workers and frontliners, enabling them to win the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic through the sharing of information, research, experience, and expertise. [Read full story]

Start an EL garden today and have a ready food source

28 April 2020—Whether one has or has no money, food source during the enhanced community quarantine remains a problem. [Read full story]

PGC Core Facility for Bioinformatics releases six (6) genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from Philippine samples between March 22-28, 2020

30 April 2020—The Philippine Genome Center through its Core Facility for Bioinformatics releases today to the global community through the GISAID database six (6) viral genome sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19 cases between March 22-28, 2020 in Metro Manila. [Read full story]

More support for UP Cebu’s stranded students

29 April 2020—More support has come in for the students left stranded at the University of the Philippines Cebu campus following the declaration of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and travel ban over the City of Cebu. [Read full story]

UPV team submits post-ECQ plan to Iloilo City gov’t

29 April 2020—UP Visayas (UPV) Professors Maria Elisa Baliao (Sociology), Rhodella Ibabao (Management), Hanny John Mediodia (Economics), Cristabel Parcon (Sociology), Juhn Cris Espia (Political Science), and Vicente Balinas (Statistics) have forwarded their team’s proposed exit plan to the Iloilo City government in anticipation of the eventual lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). [Read full story]

UPLB laboratorians complete online biosafety training on COVID-19

28 April 2020—Nine UPLB staff completed the Free Online Biosafety Training for Laboratorians who will be handling SARS-COV-2 or COVID-19, boosting UPLB’s capability to become certified as a COVID-19 testing center. [Read full story]

UPV turns over 3D-printed face shields to Western Visayas LGUs

27 April 2020—UP Visayas has started distributing 3D-printed face shields to local government units and its institutional partners in Panay and Negros since last week as part of the university’s contribution to the efforts against COVID 19 pandemic. [Read full story]

UPLB retrofits BL2 lab for gold standard COVID-19 testing

27 April 2020—UPLB is now rushing work to retrofit one of its Biosafety Level II laboratories into a COVID-19 testing center. [Read full story]

Project ARK can diagnose a combination of rapid antibody testing, PCR screening

28 April 2020—A private sector-led initiative has started to conduct a massive testing for the coronavirus disease to help in the early identification, isolation, and management of the disease at the community level. [Read full story]

Telepsychotherapy services offered to frontliners and COVID-19 patients, PUIs, PUMS, and probables

23 April 2020—The Department of Psychology of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) is offering free “telepsychotherapy” services to frontliners, and suspect, probable, and positive COVID-19 patients, including their relatives, and other severely affected by the pandemic. [Read full story]

Philippine Genome Center is country’s 18th coronavirus testing hub

24 April 2020—The Department of Health on Friday, April 24, confirmed that the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) is the country’s 18th testing center for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Read full story]

UP Mindanao eyes opening of COVID-19 test lab by June

24 April 2020—Mindanao will have its second COVID-19 testing laboratory by June this year, University of the Philippines Mindanao said in a press release Friday. [Read full story]

UP team favors quarantine extension to check coronavirus transmissions

27 April 2020—Based on its forecast, the UP team said that should the ECQ be continued, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) will not breach the 10,000 mark by May 31. [Read full story]

OVP buys 10,000 coronavirus test kits developed by UP scientist

24 April 2020—The office of Vice President Leni Robredo has purchased 10,000 units of coronavirus test kits that were developed by a scientist from the University of the Philippines. [Read full story]

UP sets guidelines on proceeding with academic year affected by the ECQ

24 April 2020—The University of the Philippines released on 23 April 2020 implementing guidelines for proceeding with the Second Semester of Academic Year 2019-2020, which has been affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon and other parts of the country. [Read full story]

UPD chemists produce sanitizers

24 April 2020—Like other UP campuses with chemists and chemistry laboratories, UP Diliman (UPD) has been producing alcohol sanitizers—the demand for which has significantly increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These were distributed to the UPD community and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). [Read full story]

Statement on the Reported Proposal of the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team to Delay the Reopening of Schools up to December 2020

24 April 2020—In a press briefing at Malacañang Palace on 21 April 2020, the scientific findings by the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team on age-group social interactions and its implications on flattening the so-called epidemic curve was presented. [Read full statement]

UP united: How the state university is raising head and heart against COVID-19

23 April 2020—As expected of the country’s national university, the University of the Philippines has been among the main institutions at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus. The spirit of honor, excellence and compassion shines brightly among faculty, students, alumni, and staff across constituent universities nationwide. [Read full story]

UP historic building to shelter persons for COVID-19 isolation

23 April 2020—Operations of “Kanlungang Palma” will begin on April 22 after the historic Palma Hall of UP Diliman (UPD) was designated an isolation area for suspected and probable cases of persons with COVID-19, according to bulletins from the UPD College of Social Sciences of Philosophy (CSSP). The shelter will handle cases coming from the UPD area. [Read full story]

UPD department offers free counseling in a time of physical distancing

23 April 2020—The UP Diliman Department of Psychology, along with its UPD Psychosocial Services (PsycServ) program, has offered free telepsychotherapy services to frontliners, PUMs and PUIs, COVID-19 positive individuals, their relatives, and others severely affected by COVID-19. [Read full story]

URUGUP: UPV Tacloban’s call for cooperation amid COVID-19 crisis

23 April 2020—Partner, ally, kaugop. This is what UP Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC) advocates each and everyone to be in facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the Waray word, ugop, URUGUP is UPVTC’s institutional initiative in bringing together various sectors to help those in need in these trying times. [Read full story]

UP economics profs recommend sector-based random sample testing

22 April 2020—A group of economics professors from the University of the Philippines (UP) has proposed the use of sample-based random testing for COVID-19 from among the different industries or sectors and localities such as barangays to fully understand and monitor the transmission of the deadly virus. [Read full story]

Stranded UPLB students participate in blood donation drive

22 April 2020—Stranded students of University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) participated in a blood donation drive to make purposeful use of their idle time. [Read full story]

UP-PGH, PLDT upgrade Action Center with telemedicine program

23 April 2020—Since the establishment of the University of the Philippines Manila-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Bayanihan Na! Covid-19 Action Center on March 30, 2020, PLDT Enterprise has served as its backbone through its connectivity infrastructure, Hotline 155-200. [Read full story]

UP AIT houses QC District 6 testing center for COVID-19

22 April 2020—The east wing of the newly renovated UP Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT) building located along Commonwealth Avenue is now COVID-19 Testing Center of Quezon City District 6. [Read full story]

Stop COVID Deaths: Clinical Management Updates Webinar Series

22 April 2020—Changes in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 as an infection, and as it impacts on all medical and surgical conditions occur at great speed. There are no experts in COVID-19. But over the past month, expertise in different specialties of medicine is growing. [Read full story]

COVID-19 heroine was ‘Wonder Woman’: ‘It’s my moral responsibility and obligation’

22 April 2020—At 5:37 p.m., April 11, Faye Marie Palafox, head nurse with the Hospital Infection Control unit at Philippine General Hospital (PGH), posted on her Facebook: “Finally! Home sweet home!” [Read full story]

Millennial ‘bayanihan’: UP-PGH interns’ ‘call center’

22 April 2020—When the Alliance of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC) ordered the pull-out of 350 medical students from the University of the Philippines Manila Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) mid-March, interns Nick Tan, Ino Villlacastin, PA Pangan and Michelle Eala couldn’t help but feel anxious. [Read full story]

UP-Min’s Covid-19 diagnostic lab now under engineering planning stage

21 April 2020—The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) diagnostic laboratory proposed by the University of the Philippines (UP)-Mindanao is now in its engineering planning and manpower training stages, said Philippine Genome Center (PGC)-Mindanao director. [Read full story]

UPLB publishes free-to-download children’s ebooks on COVID-19 prevention and control measures

20 April 2020—The Department of Human and Family Development Studies (DHFDS) under the UP Los Baños College of Human Ecology (UPLB-CHE) has published free-to-download children’s e-books about the importance of social distancing and of wearing face masks during this time of COVID-19. This was announced in recent posts on UPLB’s Facebook page. [Read full story]

Former UPLB researcher who developed a COVID-19 test kit in UK says local research is valuable in a pandemic

20 April 2020—“Local research provides country- or region-specific information and data that are necessary for adoption of a new technology.” [Read full story]

UP-NIH begins mass distribution of Pinoy-made COVID-19 test kits that can yield results within 2 hours

20 April 2020—The Manila Health Tek Lab, Inc. has delivered the locally-made coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test to the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH). [Read full story]

Get help on how to teach, learn, and work remotely

20 April 2020—Physical or social distancing have been buzzwords since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out more than a month ago. Traditional classes have been suspended. Work has been reduced to skeleton forces and confined to industries of basic goods and services. [Read full story]

DILG-endorsed UPOU MOOC begins in May

20 April 2020—Enrollment is ongoing for the UP Open University (UPOU) Master of Public Management (MPM) program’s massive open online course (MOOC) on interlocal cooperation. It is free and open to the public. [Read full story]

ECQ doing good, ‘graduated activation’ recommended after April 30—UP pandemic response team

20 April 2020—The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed over Luzon, along with other interventions, has indeed slowed down the spread of COVID-19 virus, based on “the best available data”, according to a team specially formed by the University of the Philippines to help government make informed interventions against the pandemic. [Read full story]

Estimating Local Healthcare Capacity to Deal with COVID-19 Case Surge: Analysis and Recommendations

20 April 2020—The rising number of cases of COVID-19 infections on a daily basis is a serious concern as there are limits to hospital care capacity for patients with serious symptoms (e.g. difficulty in breathing). [Read full paper]

UP Baguio produces ethyl alcohol

20 April 2020—A team from the UP Baguio College of Science (UPB-CS) is producing 70-percent ethyl alcohol in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UPB announced through an official Facebook post on April 8, 2020. [Read full story]

Call for blood donations: Red Cross ‘Love Bus’ goes to UP Diliman dorms

20 Abril 2020—Dahil sa COVID-19 at sa umiiral na enhanced community quarantine, maraming mga mass blood donation ang nakansela. Nahihirapan din ang mga walk-in donors dahil sa limitasyon sa public transportation, kahit na bukas ang ibang blood donation centers. [Basahin ang buong pabatid]

Meet the Hero Doctor Helping Fight COVID-19 By Developing a Filipino-Made Ventilator

20 April 2020—At least one good thing that has come out of the coronavirus pandemic is the display of bravery and heroism from ordinary people. [Read full story]

Palma Hall sa UP Diliman inihahanda bilang COVID-19 isolation facility

19 Abril 2020—Inihahanda na ang gusali ng Palma Hall sa University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP) campus sa Quezon City para magsilbing isolation facility ng mga pasyenteng may coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Basahin ang buong kwento]

UP scientists aim to double COVID-19 test kit output by May

19 April 2020—The team of scientists who delivered the country’s first locally-developed test kits for COVID-19 detection aims to double their production capacity by next month. [Read full story]

UP frat alumni send aid to COVID-19 frontliners, set up quarantine facilities at Diliman campus

18 April 2020—Alumni of a fraternity at the University of the Philippines Diliman have come together to send help for frontliners in the battle against the coronavirus crisis. [Read full story]

UP students given options in complying with course reqs, safety nets against failing grades

17 April 2020—In light of the global pandemic and enhanced community quarantine declared across most of the country, the University of the Philippines has decided to end the second semester of AY 2019-2020 on April 30, 2020, instead of the original May 23, 2020. [Read full story]

UP CMC battles COVID-19 ‘infodemic’ through fact-checking

17 April 2020—The UP College of Mass Communication Journalism Department is joining the fight against COVID-19 through fact-checking. [Read full story]

Filipinos start to ‘flatten curve’ but expert warns vs. ‘resurgence’ of COVID-19 cases if they let their guard down

17 April 2020—As the government-ordered shutdown continues in Luzon, data show the coronavirus curve is starting to flatten, a health expert said Friday. [Read full story]

Get Checked! FireCheck develops CoVcheck

8 April 2020—While it’s important to remain socially distant, there’s no stopping our joining of hands to #CombatCOVID. [Read full story]

Free Rides, AI-Powered Thermal Scanning, And Grocery Deliveries: How Pinoy Tech Startups Are Fighting COVID-19

16 April 2020—Working with DOST-PCIEERD and UPSCALE Innovation Hub, three Philippine tech startups have started offering new services to aid in the fight against COVID-19. The startups will offer these services and roll out improvements for the duration of the pandemic. [Read full story]

“OCG Cares’ Kumustahan” ensures psychosocial support to UPLB students in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic

16 April 2020—Apart from being a health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, is also a psychosocial crisis. [Read full story]

A little help with WFH

14 April 2020—WAHM, SAHM – we’ve probably heard of these before. The terms Work-at-home-moms or stay-at-home-moms have been circulating the virtual space for a few years now. Mothers, mostly, are the ones who maintain online jobs to earn while attending to their families. Today, however, forced by circumstances we find everyone staying home while earning. [Read full story]

DILG endorses UPOU MPM’s MOOC on Inter-Local Cooperation

15 April 2020—The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has formally endorsed the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Interlocal Cooperation (ILC) of the Master of Public Management (MPM) Program. [Read full story]

Iloilo City gov’t receives 1,700 UP-developed COVID-19 test kits

15 April 2020—The city government of Iloilo City on Wednesday received additional COVID-19 test kits bought using donations. [Read full story]

No alcohol? UP scientists come to the rescue

15 April 2020—The local supply of alcohol for sanitation has dwindled due to high demand triggered by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. [Read full story]

UP athletes initiate online training program to help fund PPEs for frontliners

15 April 2020—A group of athletes from University of the Philippines organized an online training program for the benefit of frontline workers. [Read full story]

Dorm frontliners briefed on how to give psychosocial support to stranded UPV students

13 April 2020—“During disasters, the most basic needs are to be attended,” says Dr. Johnrev Guilaran, clinical psychologist and assistant professor of the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Visayas during an orientation for the frontliners of the university’s six dormitories at the Miagao campus. [Read full story]

UP COVID-19 team suggests localized quarantine after initial lockdown ends

14 April 2020—The COVID-19 response team of the University of the Philippines (UP) has suggested enforcing localized quarantine measures after the initial enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) deadline ends on April 30. [Read full story]

UP rolls out free online courses to train teachers in online teaching

14 April 2020—In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the limitation of educational institutions to hold physical classes, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) said it will be offering free online courses to train teachers in online teaching. [Read full story]

Manila HealthTek aims to produce 8,000 UP-developed coronavirus test kits daily

15 April 2020—Medical research company Manila HealthTek Inc. said Tuesday it aims to produce 8,000 coronavirus test kits per day, which will be distributed to different local government units (LGUs). [Read full story]

Luzon lockdown slowed COVID-19 spread: UP institute

14 April 2020—A nearly month-long lockdown of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon slowed the spread of COVID-19, an institute of the University of the Philippines said Monday as it identified areas that might need to sustain quarantine measures beyond April. [Read full story]

UPLB mobilizes for COVID-19 R&D and testing center establishment

13 April 2020—UPLB has always stood at the ready to help in the areas of its expertise in the name of public service during times of great calamity, but the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently gripping the nation and the whole world may be its biggest challenge so far. [Read full story]

UPV officials and task force members donate allowance and benefits for COVID-19 efforts

12 April 2020—Officials of UP Visayas led by Chancellor Ricardo Babaran are turning over one month of their Representation and Travel Allowance (RATA), honorarium or other additional benefits to UP, Magbubunga Tayo! to sustain the UPDanay donation drive and relief efforts during the current public health emergency. [Read full story]

Beyond the call of duty: UP Manila teacher assembles PPEs, distributes food for homeless

14 April 2020—A young instructor from the University of the Philippines-Manila’s College of Allied Medical Professions (CAMP) has earned the admiration of netizens for going beyond the call of duty amid the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. [Read full story]

26,000 PH-developed COVID-19 test kits ready for delivery

13 April 2020—The delivery of locally developed COVID-19 real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits is finally moving after getting the nod from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA). [Read full story]

UP Vanguard raises P1.8-M for PPEs, other medical supplies for hospitals

12 April 2020—A University of the Philippines group raised some P1.8 million to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies to be donated to some hospitals in Metro Manila. [Read full story]

From free masks to free money delivery: Covid-19 Bayanihan in Eastern Visayas

13 April 2020—In Tacloban City, businessman Rhoel Ladera and lawyer Hermie Alcera II are organizing a drive to help the frontliners anywhere in the region through their car club Navara Nation Philippines-Eastern Visayas (NNP-EV) chapter. [Read full story]

Drive Manila’s grocery delivery app goes live

13 April 2020—An app that offers grocery delivery service, which was developed with the support of the Department of Science and Technology and the University of the Philippines Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment (UPSCALE), was launched by Drive Manila. [Read full story]

UP creates COVID-19 dictionary for children

3 April 2020—For the young to further understand terms they usually encounter during the COVID-19 pandemic, the faculty of the University of the Philippines College of Education has created a children’s dictionary containing words related to COVID-19. [Read full story]

Modified Community Quarantine beyond April 30: Analysis and Recommendations

13 April 2020—Problem situation: The extension of the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) raises the question on how effective the ECQ has been to contain the spread of COVID-19. If it is, how should it be implemented after April 30 without unnecessarily paralyzing local economies over a long period of time? [Read full report]

COVID-19 Forecasts in the Philippines: Insights for Policy-making

13 April 2020—In the Philippines, the first case of Covid-19 was reported on January 30, 2020. Since then, the number of cases has soared to more than 3,000, amidst lockdown and quarantine measures implemented by the government. In the Philippines, there are challenges in responding to the pandemic including the shortage of health facilities, health workers, and testing kits. This is aggravated by the economic status of the citizens, and a culture that does not seem to embrace self-quarantine. For these reasons, the number of Covid-19 cases in the Philippines may have been under- reported, especially during the initial period of the outbreak. Given these factors, forecasting the spread of Covid-19 in the Philippines is a challenging task. [Read full report]

PGH naglunsad ng ‘e-dalaw’ para sa COVID-19 patients

13 Abril 2020—Pinagagamit ng Philippine General Hospital (PGH) ang sistemang “e-dalaw” o electronic dalaw sa kanilang mga pasyenteng may coronavirus disease (COVID-19) para makausap ng mga ito ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay at kahit papaano ay maibsan ang lungkot dulot ng paglaban sa sakit. [Basahin ang kabuuan ng istorya]

FASSSTER than COVID-19: The science used to forecast COVID-19 in PH

8 April 2020—Evidence-based forecasts of possible cases and scenarios on the spread of COVID-19 in the country can now be accessed thanks to the Feasibility Analysis of Syndromic Surveillance using Spatio-Temporal Epidemiological Modeler or FASSSTER. [Read full story]

UPOU’s Free Online Courses will Train Teachers in Online Teaching

13 April 2020—In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the limitation of educational institutions to hold physical classes, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) continues its offering of free online courses to train teachers in Online Teaching. [Read full story]

Schools now safe shelters for frontliners

8 April 2020—The University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City has converted one of its buildings to accommodate around 35 health workers from the university’s health service and the Lung Center of the Philippines. [Read full story]

Preparing for a Post-ECQ Scenario: Analysis and Recommendations

7 April 2020—Since Day One, the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team has done simulations on the spread of SARS-COV-2 in the country. Our bioinformatics group—composed mostly of mathematicians from different UP campuses—estimate a peak by end of April to June with approximately 140,000 to 550,000 people infected in Metro Manila. [Read full story]

Even in the midst of need, UPLB extends a helping hand

3 April 2020—UPLB may be on SOS mode as it raised an urgent call for donations to provide food and other needs of around 1,500 of its students who are stranded in dorms inside and outside the campus due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). [Read full story]

EL Team donates fresh produce, planting materials to stranded dormers

6 April 2020—Nutritious diet with fruits and vegetables has become even more important for survival and better immunity in the midst of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read full story]

Dulaang UP is streaming 3 of its plays for free

7 April 2020—Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (DUP) is letting the public watch three of its plays online for free amid the coronavirus-induced quarantine. [Read full story]

Lawyers from UP College of Law to aid people discriminated amid COVID-19 scare -Nograles

6 April 2020—Lawyers from the University of the Philippines College of Law have offered to defend individuals who have experienced discrimination amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday. [Read full story]

PH gov’t to launch contact tracing app for COVID-19 cases

5 April 2020—The Philippine government is beginning the testing of a new contact tracing smartphone app to aid its fight against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Read full story]

UP scientists lauded for COVID-19 test kits

4 April 2020—Senator Joel Villanueva lauded on Friday the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the University of the Philippines-developed COVID-19 testing kits for public use. [Read full story]

UP Tacloban produces alcohol-based hand rub for frontliners

6 April 2020—Through its URUGUP public service initiative, UPV Tacloban College has produced an alcohol-based hand rub following World Health Organization standards for donation to healthcare facilities and other frontline service providers in Eastern Visayas. [Read full story]

UP PGC-Visayas Satellite Facility shares equipment for COVID-19 testing

6 April 2020—The UP Philippine Genome Center-Visayas Satellite Facility (PGC-VSF) has lent its reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machine to the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) to strengthen the hospital’s capability in testing patients for COVID-19. [Read full story]

Locally-made COVID-19 test kits to cost less: health official

6 April 2020—The Food and Drug Administration last week said it has approved the test kits developed by the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) and the Philippine Genome Center with the support of the Department of Science and Technology. [Read full story]

Quarantine extension would flatten COVID-19 curve – UP team

5 April 2020—The University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team said an extension of the enhanced community quarantine may help control the further transmission of the novel coronavirus. [Read full story]

UPLB to open subnational testing lab for COVID-19

5 April 2020—The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) has offered to convert its existing research laboratories to become a subnational testing center for the coronavirus. [Read full story]

BREAKING: FDA approves UP-developed COVID-19 test kits for commercial use

3 April 2020—The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday that it has approved the test kits developed by the University of the Philippines-National Institute ofHealth (UP-NIH). [Read full story]

UP-developed COVID-19 test kits ready for rollout

3 April 2020—The COVID-19 testing kits developed by scientists of the University of the Philippines (UP) have completed field validation, and are now ready for mass production and usage. [Read full story]

The low-cost COVID-19 testing kit made by UP scientists is ready for rollout

3 April 2020—A number of testing kits, which can do up to 26,000 tests, will be distributed for field implementation from April 4 to 25. Currently in production are testing kits that can accommodate up to 120,000 tests. [Read full story]

DOST to study use of virgin coconut oil as coronavirus treatment

2 April 2020—The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is conducting clinical studies on the possible benefits of virgin coconut oil for patients with moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 and patients under investigation (PUIs). [Read full story]

DOST gives PGH medical devices that reduce contact between COVID-19 patients, frontliners

2 April 2020—The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has delivered 106 units of RxBox, a device capable of simultaneously measuring an individual’s vital signs, to the Philippine General Hospital. [Read full story]

UP launches web portal, map for COVID-19 responders

2 April 2020—The University of the Philippines COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team created the web portal http://endcov.ph/ to provide the public with vital information for fighting the coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19 in the country. [Read full story]

UPD food tech students produce ginger-calamansi concentrate for PGH and Lung Center frontliners

2 April 2020—Meghan Sevilla and Sofia Tagle, 4th year BS Food Technology students from UP Diliman’s College of Home Economics (CHE), formulated and produced a ginger-calamansi concentrate called Lucal. Lucal can easily be consumed when mixed with warm or cold water. [Read full story]

DOH pins hope on UP-NIH-developed ventilators

1 April 2020—DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire hopes that the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health can soon come out with their locally produced ventilator that is now still in the pipeline. [Read full story]

UPLB prepares 80% ethyl alcohol for frontliners

2 April 2020—The University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Chemistry (IC-UPLB) produced ethyl alcohol to be given to the frontliners fighting against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). [Read full story]

U.P. researchers develop coronavirus dashboard tracker

2 April 2020—The University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), in collaboration with the UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH), developed a dashboard that tracks the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines. [Read full story]

UP-produced Covid-19 testing kits ready for deployment, says Nograles

2 April 2020—IATF spokesperson Karlo Nograles announced that the government has allocated 57.2 million pesos for the production of locally-produced COVID-19 testing kits developed by the UP NIH and Manila HealthTek Inc., saying in a press briefing on Tuesday that field validation of the said kits has already been completed and will be rolled out by April 4. [Read full story]

DOST allots P53.2-M to fund development of UP COVID-19 test kits

1 April 2020—DOST has allotted P53.2 million as funding for the development of the COVID-19 test kits by the University of the Philippines National Institute of Health in response to the pandemic, a report submitted by President Rodrigo Duterte to Congress states. [Read full story]

UPD College of Science responds to COVID-19

1 April 2020—The UP Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) expressed its appreciation for its constituents who are actively helping the country respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read full story]

UP-PGH begins operating as COVID-19 referral center

1 April 2020—Preparations have been completed, and on March 30, the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) begins operations as a COVID-19 referral center. [Read full story]

How the UP-developed COVID-19 test kits aid hospital work

1 April 2020—Test kits are essential for rationalization in hospital work. This is what University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Director, Dr. Gerardo Legaspi said in a press conference on March 12. This, he said, allows them to provide their patients proper advice when they consult them about their health. [Read full story]

UP scientists making ventilators as coronavirus cases mount: health dept

1 April 2020—Scientists from the University of the Philippines are designing a more affordable ventilator that will help patients with the novel coronavirus breathe, the health department said Wednesday as cases of the respiratory disease continued to climb. [Read full story]

New Clark City polyclinic ready for PUIs

31 March 2020—Isolation rooms set up at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Polyclinic inside the New Clark City are now ready to take in persons under investigation (PUI) for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), who display mild symptoms, Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said in a statement. [Read full story]

Bayanihan Na! UP-PGH launches COVID-19 Ops Center

31 March 2020—155-200 is the number to call. And it’s open 24/7. The UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) launched its Bayanihan Na! COVID-19 Operations Center on March 30 to answer queries related to COVID-19, including how to volunteer and donate. [Read full story]

LOOK: UP-PGH launches COVID-19 operations center

30 March 2020—The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital on Monday launched its operations center for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) concerns. [Read full story]

PGH debuts 24/7 COVID Bayanihan Operations Center hotline

30 March 2020—The University of the Philippines Manila-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) on Monday launched a dedicated 24/7 hotline number for its Bayanihan Operations Center that covers cases related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [Read full story]

UPV chemists formulate alcohol to aid hospitals in this COVID-19 pandemic

28 March 2020—Chemists composed of students and alumni of UP Visayas are currently making alcohol to be donated to hospitals and frontliners. [Read full story]

UP personnel to receive emergency allowance

28 March 2020—The UP Administration has announced the release of an Emergency Allowance amounting to P5,000.00 each for all UP faculty and Professors Emeriti who are in active service as of March 17, 2020; research, extension and professional staff (REPS); administrative staff, whether regular, permanent, temporary, UP contractual/casual or substitute; and Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) workers who are rendering full-time service. [Read full story]

Announcement on the release of UPCAT 2020 results

28 March 2020—The University of the Philippines Office of Admissions is postponing the release of the UP College Admissions Test 2020 results, which was originally scheduled on 30 March 2020. Please wait for further announcement. [Read full story]

Salin sa Filipinong mga terminolohiya kaugnay ng COVID-19

28 March 2020—Halaw sa salin ni Prof. Eilene Antoinette G. Narvaez mula sa Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UP Diliman. [Read full story]

UP employees get financial aid early

27 March 2020—The University of the Philippines has released additional financial support for its members in light of the enhanced community quarantine implemented in Luzon. [Read full story]

UP Visayas lends RT PCR Machine to WVMC for COVID-19 Testing

27 March 2020—The University of the Philippines Visayas through its Philippine Genome Center, transferred its RT Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine to the Western Visayas Medical Center for COVID-19 testing to complement the existing PCR machine of WVMC. [Read full story]

SOS for stranded students

27 March 2020—The UP community in each constituent university banded together to give donations and other forms of assistance for UP students who have been stranded in campus and off-campus housing by the enhanced community quarantine. [Read full story]

Free Online Biosafety Training for Laboratorians who will be handling SARS-CoV-2

27 March 2020—The National Training Center for Biosafety and Biosecurity (NTCBB) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), UP Manila is offering a free Online Biosafety Training for Laboratorians who will be handling SARS-CoV-2 on March 30 to April 3, 2020. [Read full story]

UP-PGH to continue treating non-COVID-19 patients even as a COVID-19 referral center

26 March 2020—The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) will continue serving non-COVID-19 patients even while operating as a COVID-19 referral center as designated by the Department of Health (DOH). [Read full story]

The bayanihan spirit burns bright in the University of the Philippines

26 March 2020—No task is too big nor too small in UP’s fight against COVID-19. This is the rallying spirit behind the various UP bayanihan efforts that range from science and technology to humanitarian efforts, leading the way in social responsibility for its students and staff. [Read full story]

Your 3-D Printer might help save lives in the COVID-19 crisis

25 March 2020—UP’s College of Engineering is working on several initiatives to help solve problems brought about by the coronavirus. Here’s how you can help. [Read full story]

Dr. Raul Jara: The Blueprint of a Great Teacher

24 March 2020—On Tuesday, Dr. Raul Jara, a renowned cardiologist and an influential teacher, passed away because of COVID-19. We are republishing this piece, originally written in 2013 and updated in 2019, as a tribute to the legacy of Dr. Jara, with permission from the author. [Read full story]

CALL FOR DONATIONS: FabLab is in need of materials to produce PPEs

24 March 2020—FabLab UP Cebu is receiving so many requests for face shields that it is producing. We are producing these for free to the medical frontliners of Cebu. Design work for other types of personal protective equipment (PPE) is also in the pipeline. [Read full story]

UP-PGH preparing to operate as COVID-19 referral center

24 March 2020—The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital has been designated by the Department of Health as one of the three COVID-19 referral centers in NCR, with the concurrence of UP President Danilo L. Concepcion and UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla. [Read full story]

UP Cebu FabLab creates face shields for frontliners against COVID-19

23 March 2020—A team of faculty members and staff at the University of the Philippines Cebu FabLab has designed and started 3D-printing face shield frames to contribute to the much-needed supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the fight against COVID-19. [Read full story]

UP Mindanao Proposes a Diagnostics Program for Free COVID-19 Testing in Davao Region

23 March 2020—The University of the Philippines Mindanao is proposing a diagnostic program that can give free testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Davao Region. [Read full story]

In Memoriam: Former UP Asian Center Dean Aileen SP Baviera

21 March 2020—Dr. Aileen San Pablo-Baviera, UP political science professor, former Dean of the UP Asian Center, and one of the country’s foremost experts in international relations and Asian and China studies, passed away at 3:55 a.m. on March 21, 2020, at San Lazaro Hospital. She was 60 years old. [Read full story]

‘China always rose to the front and center of my work’ | Dr. Aileen Baviera (1959–2020)

21 March 2020—Dr. Aileen S.P. Baviera, Professor and former Dean of the UP Asian Center, passed away on the early morning of 21 March 2020. She was 60. [Read full story]

UP-PGH is designated as COVID-19 referral hospital for NCR

20 March 2020—The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) has been designated by the Department of Health as one of its COVID-19 referral hospitals for the National Capital Region in line with UP’s mandate as a public service university. [Read full story]

Salaries of UP lecturers, teaching assistants and fellows to be released early

20 March 2020—In light of the lockdown of Luzon and provinces in other regions, the UP System administration, through Memorandum No. OVPAA 2020-40 dated March 20, 2020, instructed the constituent universities (CUs) to process the early release of salaries due to lecturers and to teaching assistants (TAs) and fellows (TFs) up to April 15, 2020. [Read full story]

Protocols carried out as 2 UP faculty members undergo test for COVID-19

11 March 2020—The University of the Philippines is strictly carrying out protocols following a recent case of two faculty members being declared patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus disease. [Read full story]