UP Open University conducts Virtual Student Summit 2021

The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of the Student Regent (OSR) in coordination with the UP Open University (UPOU) Office of Student Affairs (OSA) hosted the virtual Student Summit 2021 with the theme #SulongUP: UP Fight Back. It was held on 14 April 2021 via Zoom. The purpose of the summit was to cater to the concerns of the students in this time of disruption. 

UP and UPOU officials were present in the program. This includes Ms. Yasele M. Yambao, Director of the UPOU OSA; Ms. Luisa Gelisan, Director of the UPOU Multimedia Center; Ms. Renee Co, UP Student Regent; Ms. Sarah Magnaye, Chair of Kasama sa UP (KSUP) and Mr. Raoul Danniel Manuel, former UP Student Regent. Mr. Rodolfo Pullian, administrative staff of UPOU OSA, served as the program’s host.

The program started with the opening remarks from UPOU Chancellor Dr. Melinda dela Pena Bandalaria. She expressed her support to the summit saying that it is important to have this kind of discussion to be able to tackle the challenges that students face especially in the context of UPOU where the concerns of independent learners should also be addressed. 

Ms. Magnaye presented the UP Situationer by discussing the brief background of the University of the Philippines (UP) and the establishment of the student movement inside UP. Adding to her discussion were the issues and difficulties of online learning to students and the responsibility of the school in giving assistance to students in this difficult time. 

Ms. Co discussed the history of OSR and KSUP. She mentioned the issues involving the UP System for the past months, student difficulties in online learning, and some suggestions in order to ease these difficulties.    

After a short break, Mr. Manuel presented specific student campaigns with focus on student council leadership. This served as a glimpse for students as UPOU is in the process of establishing its first student council. 

The discussion was followed by an open forum in which students asked interesting questions about the establishment of a student council in UPOU. The questions were mostly about the campaign, application for candidacy, and voting system,  among others.   

Ms. Co mentioned that the discussion is still ongoing withOSA in polishing the plans for the establishment of the student council. She assured that announcements and details will be presented once everything is finalized. 

The program concluded with closing remarks from Student Regent Renee Co followed by the chanting of calls and singing of UP Naming Mahal.

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Written by Phoebe May Apostol

Edited by Joane V. Serrano and Anna Cañas-Llamas