Headed by Dean Roberto B. Figueroa Jr., the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) held its first alignment meeting on 5 May 2025 at the Academic Residences, UPOU Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna.

This meeting forms part of UPOU’s Strategic Planning Workshop, which supports the university’s vision of becoming a “Transformative University of the Future.” The initial phase of the planning process focused on assessing current activities and future plans at the unit level to establish a clear baseline for strategic directions.

The session began with a review and discussion of the 10 Flagship Programs (FPs) outlined in the University of the Philippines’ Strategic Plan, anchored on the theme “Transformative University in the Service of the Nation.” This was followed by a reflection on UPOU’s strategic vision, which highlights four key aspirations: becoming a Sustainable and Resilient University, an Intrapreneurial University, a Learning University, and a Healthy University.

To deepen the conversation, faculty and staff were grouped into clusters and invited to discuss a series of guide questions. These were designed around the university’s strategic goals and key areas of work—teaching, research, public service, and administration and management. The discussions encouraged participants to share their perspectives, reflect on current practices, and suggest new strategies or initiatives that align with UPOU’s evolving vision and commitments.

The results of the alignment planning were carried out to the two-day University-level Strategic Planning, led by Chancellor Joane V. Serrano on 6-7 May 2025.

Written by Maria Andrea Bodaño ♦ Edited by Joy Abigail Rebulanan ♦ Post from FICS

Sustainable Development Goals

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The 7th AAWS Congress opened with compelling plenary sessions that framed key conversations on empowerment, inclusion, and women’s scholarship.Plenary 1, “Revisioning Gender/Women’s Studies in the Post-Pandemic World: Work for Empowerment,” was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Finaflor F. Taylan, Dean of UPOU FMDS and President of AAWS. Dr. Taylan discussed how crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic deepened gender inequalities—particularly in sectors with high female participation—and intensified unpaid care work. She emphasized the need to integrate crisis-related realities, including gendered vulnerabilities, labor shifts, and digital divides, into Gender/Women’s Studies teaching and research, and called for stronger advocacy toward gender-responsive recovery and structural transformation. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A moderated by Asst. Prof. Lorena Jean Saludadez.The second plenary, “Emerging Issues in Diversity, Multiculturalism, and Democracy in Asia: The Role of Advocates,” was presented by Dr. Aileen Park, Associate Professor at Philippine Normal University Mindanao and AAWS Council Member. Drawing from migration-related experiences in the United States, Korea, and Australia, Dr. Park explored discriminatory practices and highlighted the importance of a multivoiced academic mindset rooted in cultural sensitivity, self-awareness, and social responsibility. The session was moderated by Asst. Prof. Maria Lourdes Jarabe, Director of UPOU’s Office of Gender Concerns.Several Parallel Presentation Sessions were also held in the afternoon, featuring research topics on Evolution of Women and Gender Studies Across Asia; Gender, Social Inclusion and Women Empowerment in ASEAN; Women’s Struggles and Democracy in Asia; Gender and Development: ASEAN’s Performance on the SDGs; Gender, Social Inclusion and Women Empowerment in ASEAN; and it also included a Colloquium where UPOU undergraduate and graduate students present their research studies.#AAWSCongress2025 #EmpowerSustainDemocratize #AsianWomenInFocus #SDG5GenderEquality #UPOU ... See MoreSee Less
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