Cavite State University, UP Manila Sign Partnership on Development of Community Health Programs

January 28, 2026

Text by: Jennifer Manongdo
Photo by: Cavite State University College – International and Local Collaboration and Linkages Office

Officials of Cavite State University College of Medicine (CvSU COM) and University of the Philippines Manila College of Public Health, together with representatives from the Office of International and Local Linkages, pose for a photo after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on January 19, 2026.

The Cavite State University College of Medicine (CvSU COM) and the University of the Philippines Manila College of Public Health signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) strengthening medical education through the development of evidence-based community health programs.

The MOA was signed on Jan. 19, 2026, by CvSU President Dr. Ma. Agnes P. Nuestro, and Dean Eleanor Galvez, CvSU College of Medicine, UPM College of Public Health Dean Fernando Garcia, and Chancellor Michael Tee.

The partnership aims to “leverage UP CPH’s expertise and CvSU COM’s mission to produce versatile physicians who are leaders and managers for more responsive health systems, thereby addressing both local and national health priorities,” the MOA stipulated.

The agreements include providing students and faculty of CvSU COM with access to advanced public health instruction and practical training opportunities, fostering joint research initiatives and addressing priority health concerns in the Philippines, developing and implementing evidence-based community health programs, and strengthening institutional linkages and academic cooperation between the two institutions.

Key areas of collaboration include faculty exchange and lectures, where UP CPH faculty may serve as guest lecturers or adjunct professors at CvSU COM, while CvSU COM faculty may contribute to relevant UP CPH programs. Student exposure and training will also be enhanced through participation in UP CPH fieldwork, laboratory sessions, community health initiatives, and short-term rotations in public health agencies and research units.

The partnership also covers joint development of modules, case studies, and instructional materials, as well as technical assistance to strengthen CvSU COM’s public health and preventive medicine courses. Joint research initiatives will focus on priority areas such as non-communicable and infectious diseases, climate change and health, and other emerging health issues, with shared resources, mentorship, and co-authored publications.

Other collaborative efforts may include co-hosting academic conferences, forums, and training workshops, as well as pursuing joint grant applications for public health projects.