This issue of Healthscape has articles that are so uplifting; one is filled with optimism that UP Manila is progressing in the right direction towards a better normal.
First, we are happy to announce that there will soon rise within our campus another all-important edifice (in addition to our roster of soon-to-be-completed buildings), a 15-storey neurosciences facility that is the first pandemic-ready building in the country; thanks to the generosity of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation. This center also highlights the foresight of our university specialists in planning for a modern multispecialty health facility to cater to the ever-increasing needs of the multitude of PGH patients.
During the 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology last July 13, 2021, where UP Manila and I were active participants; no less than Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser of the president of the United States, gave the keynote address and formally opened the weeklong conference. He commended the significant endeavors of Filipino researchers against communicable diseses; and highlighted the need for sustained efforts moving forward in this fight against COVID.
Our university’s ethos is clearly expressed in the MD-PhD (Molecular Medicine) program of DOST-PCHRD and UP Manila, as we now welcome the 12th batch of aspiring physician-scientists for careers dedicated to the advancement of health through biomedical research. This specialized training fits very well with the government’s plan to put up a Philippine Virology Science and Technology Institute.
UP Manila’s partnership with DOST-PCHRD continues and this time collaborates with a third entity, the Italian Liver Foundation (Fondazione Italiana Fegato) for a joint venture on liver research, capacity building, and other initiatives to strengthen the fight against liver diseases in the country. The liver network that will be formed, a first for Southeast Asia, will form the backbone for the envisioned National Liver Research Program and strengthen bilateral diplomatic relations between Italy and the Philippines.
The poignant virtual 112th graduation ceremony which marked the end of this academic year once again evinced our academic community’s tenacity and resilience. We successfully graduated Batch 2021 amidst a milieu of still grave uncertainties. Our remarkable inspirational speaker, Dr. Eddie G. Dorotan gave deep insights and actionable advice that all of us can benefit from.
Let us all rally around these beautiful beginnings, strengthen our bodies to nurture them into fruition, and sharpen our minds to plan for a “crises-ready” future!
In this issue:
