Graduates of 11 UPOU Continuing Education Programs (CEP) pose for a group shot with Dr. Primo Garcia, FMDS Dean, Asst. Prof. Rita Ramos, FMDS Faculty Secretary and Mr. Larry N. Cruz, PDA for CEP.Eleven Continuing Education Programs (CEP) under the UP Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) closed in a ceremony for their offering for the first half of 2016. The event was held on 11 June 2016 at the CCDL Auditorium, UPOU Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna.
One hundred thirty eight students completed the programs, namely, Basic Land Use Planning (BLUP); Caring for the Child with Special Needs (CCSN); Financial Management in Nursing Practice (FMNP); Integrating Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Policies, Plans and Investments toward Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural and Rural Development (CCA&DRM); Introduction to Electronic Commerce (eCom); New Enterprise Planning (NEP); Organic Agriculture (OA); Personal Entrepreneurial Development (PED); Research Utilization in Nursing Administration (RUNA); Responding to Climate Risks in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (RCRANRM); and Simplified Accounting for Entrepreneurs (SAfE). The closing ceremony was attended also by all the Course Coordinators and students who could not be present physically through www.upounetworks.net where the event was livestreamed.
Dr. Primo Garcia, Dean of FMDS, congratulated all the students for successfully completing their courses and for their well-deserved achievement. "Success as a learner depends on your ability in overcoming challenges, and you have shown that you are made of the right stuff," he stated. Dr. Garcia encouraged all the students to use their acquired skills to make a difference.
In her message to the CEP graduates, Dr. Melinda dP. Bandalaria, Chancellor of UPOU, mentioned that the inclusion of the UPOU's offering of CEPs are its clear and concrete step of fulfilling its mandate of democratizing and opening access to education and making UP more inclusive. Through the continuing education programs, UPOU responds to the needs of lifelong learners, help the industries with their manpower needs, and provide learners the opportunity for professional and personal advancement, and increase their networks in their communities of practice.
Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip, Founder and Managing Director of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), told the story of how he started CARD MRI and what drove him to pursue CARD MRI's mission to eradicate poverty in the country by establishing a bank that is owned and managed by the poor. CARD MRI now has more than 2000 branches all over the Philippines, and operates also in Hong Kong, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia, and has more branches to be opened in Singapore, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan. He shared that "succession strategies must be put in place if an institution is to flourish well beyond the lifetime of its founders." This includes the importance of education and lifelong learning, and the compulsory retirement at age 60 to allow others to step up. He advised the graduates, specifically in poverty eradication, that commitments requires a lifetime, they need to pursue their vision with passion, and they need to work hard and work smart.
Of the 138 students who completed the programs, 39 were awarded with high distinction (96-100%) and 32 were awarded with distinction(90-95%). The certificates of all those who completed were given by Dean Garcia, Asst. Prof. Rita Ramos, FMDS Faculty Secretary, and their respective Course Coordinators – Ermin V. Lucino and Maripres U. Sarinas for BLUP; Ricardo T. Bagarinao for CCA&DRM; Marie Grace A. Gomez for CCSN; Ramon Manuel T. Nisperos for eCom; Bettina D. Evio for FMNP; Brian A. Belen for NEP; Raymundo M. Lucero for OA; Jabez Joshua M. Flores for PED; Mary Anne Velas-Suarin for RCRANRM; Queenie R. Ridulme for RUNA and Tricia C. Ascan for SAfE.
Messages were also delivered by the representative topnotchers of each program – Pablo V. Del Mundo for BLUP; Manuel K. Palis for CCA&DRM; Ma. Med D. Osuyos for CCSN; Hnormie S. Sivila for eCom; Gelbert Jan S. Porque for FMNP; Leonila G. Domen for NEP; Carmine Sarah C. Onza for OA; Joanne M. Cabaless for PED; Rolando V. Maningas for RCRANRM; Erik Hans L. Sorio for RUNA; and Richard Jeric L. Chua for SAfE.
Mr. Larry N. Cruz, Program Development Associate for CEP, closed the event congratulating all who completed their programs and thanked the Course Representatives, Dean Garcia, Chancellor Bandalaria and Dr. Alip for gracing the event. Inspired by Dr. Alip's quotation from Mark Sanborn which says "… And the simple fact of having a title won't make you a leader… everyone has the opportunity to lead everyday. Anyone at any level can learn to be a leader and help shape or influence the world around them." He challenged everyone to be a leader in his/her own way,now!
