Text by Jennifer F. Manongdo
Photos by Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office
The University of the Philippines Manila Non-Teaching Personnel (NTP) Summit convened inside the halls of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on Sept. 23-24, 2026, with a clear message: Health and mental well-being are essential foundations for excellence in work and professional development.
The summit gathered administrative staff and Research, Extension, and Professional Staff (REPS), and those in permanent, contractual, and JO/COS appointments. It featured plenary sessions, interactive Q&A discussions, and parallel workshops that focused on key areas such as digital transformation in the workplace, effective administrative and research support, quality assurance practices, and service delivery in a dynamic public sector environment. The summit included sessions on cultivating effective leadership and promoting wellness, self-care, and psychological well-being. The two-day gathering emphasized the effectiveness of UP Manila offices in fulfilling institutional processes and standards.
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Bernadette Heizel Reyes reminded attendees about UP Manila’s deeper purpose in forming good leaders who will serve the nation. In achieving this, she said, every unit or office should embody the university’s core values as well.
“UP Manila prepares students to become constructive contributors to society, demonstrating integrity, moral courage, social accountability, and ethical leadership in professional practice and public service. Kung ito po ang pilosopiya natin para sa pagbuo ng ating mga estudyante, ito rin po sana ang pilosopiyang panghahawakan natin when we do our day-to-day work and when we encounter all our students in our day-to-day transactions,” she said.
Excellence and professionalism were also echoed by UP Manila’s Community Health Development Program Director, Dr. Anthony Geronimo H. Cordero, in his talk on “Strengthening the Heart of UP Manila through Appreciative Leadership.” This type of leadership, he said, concentrates on “what is brilliant?” rather than “what is broken or deficient?”
“Sa mga meetings, hingin po natin ang pahalagahan ang opinyon ng lahat ng kasama natin. Kaya nga po siya inquiry para mag-inquire tungkol sa ideas ng lahat,” he said.
Meanwhile, UP Diliman Dept. of Psychology Asst. Prof. Marshall N. Valencia
Discussed “Mastering Office Leadership through Strengths-Based Performance.”
In the session, he said deficiencies matter, but they should not define the whole being of a person. “Dapat makita natin pareho ‘yung kahinaan, and then we go beyond it. We should also identify ‘yung strengths ng mga tao and build that further,” he emphasized.
The other discussions on the first day of the summit were about “The Ethical Steward:
Advancing Administrative Honor in the Age of AI” led by Dr. Iris Thiele C. Isip-Tan, Dr. Anton G. Elepaño, and Dr. Jose A. Faraon; “Transforming Quality into a Proof of Culture of Administrative Excellence” led by Ado Bernardo, a Gallup-certified Clifton Strengths Coach, and moderated by Dr. Bhabita V. Murjani; “Legal Accountability, Administrative Integrity, and the UP Mandate” led by Atty. Maria Gracia Pulido-Tan and moderated by Dr. Leilani A. Nicodemus; “Strengthening the ‘Heart‘: Enhancing Staff Well-being” led by clinical and forensic psychologist Kristine Joy Irinea-Felipe, and moderated by Anne Loren Claire A. Santos, chief administrative officer of the Office of the Chancellor. Meanwhile, a dialogue session on “What Works, What’s Hard, What’s Next: Benchmarking Our Administrative Processes” was facilitated by Dr. Paul Michael Hernandez, director of the Healthy University Office, and Katherine V. Munda, of the Office of the Chancellor; and “What Works, What’s Hard, What’s Next: Benchmarking Our Academic and Research Processes,” facilitated by University Registrar, Asst. Prof. Jean Flor Camu-Casauay and Dr. Emerito Jose A. Faraon, director of the Research Management and Translation Office;
The second day of the NTP Summit began with a plenary session on “Ethics and Public
Service Values” led by Vice President for Administration, Prof. Tiffany Adelaine G. Tan.
A parallel session on “Thriving Through Challenges: Resilience and Conflict Management” was led by Dr. Evangeline B. dela Fuente, chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine. In the session, dela Fuente highlighted the importance of conflict management in building a respectful, productive, and collaborative work environment.
“Okay lang magreklamo,” Dr. dela Fuente said. “If you do it properly, you are defining what the concern is. If you keep quiet, no one will know. Ang pakiusap lang, respeto sa kapwa.”
The other discussions on the second day of the summit delved into “Valuing One’s Role in the
Office: Purpose and Ownership” led by Karina Mayumi Wada and moderated by Head Librarian Alfred Dalmacio; “Harmony in the Workplace: Gender Sensitivity, Safe Spaces,
and Effective Communication” led by Maricar Paras-Ong, administrative officer of the College of Dentistry, Prof. Mary Dorothy DL. Jose, and Assoc. Professor Gina Salazar; “Financial Wellness: Paano Mag-Retire ng Mayaman?” led by Prof. Joselito G. Florendo, vice president for Planning and Finance, and moderated by Dr Janus Ong. Meanwhile, the topic “Digital Skills for Everyday Work” was discussed by Asst. Prof. Rozheanne C. Hilario, Junette Fatima Gonzales, senior project officer of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, and Noriel S. Nulud, administrative officer of the Information Management Service.
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