(Facing right) Mr. Christian L. De Jesus, Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, and Ms. Fatima Quintin from the Philippine Embassy in Japan meet with UP and UPOU officials to discuss opportunities for OFWs through UP VINTA.
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) joined UP President Angelo A. Jimenez and other university officials in a high-level meeting with the Philippine Embassy in Japan on 26 May 2025 to advance the goals of UP VINTA—University of the Philippines Ventures for International and Transformative Academia.
The meeting was a strategic follow-through to the successful UP VINTA Learning Caravan in Tokyo held the previous day, spearheaded by UPOU and attended by more than 80 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as well as Japanese and Filipino scholars based in Japan.
During the meeting, Mr. Christian L. De Jesus, Deputy Head of Mission of the Philippine Embassy in Japan, expressed his appreciation for the UP VINTA Program and the Learning Caravan for OFWs. Philippine Embassy First Secretary and Consular, Ms. Fatima Quintin, was also present in the meeting.
UP President Jimenez then shared the UP VINTA’s aspiration to help OFWs move to high-paying and low risk jobs and offer country-specific courses based on their needs and emerging labor market demand. He also expressed UP’s intention to partner with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to reach more global Filipino communities. He proposed assigning a dedicated DFA staff member and a small space within the Embassy to serve as a hub for UP VINTA advocacy.
H.E. Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, Ambassador of the Philippines to Japan, shared her enthusiasm for the strong turnout of the previous day’s learning caravan. She also said that neighboring nations like Micronesia, including the Marshall Islands and Palau, have expressed interest in sending students to UP, particularly in medical and allied health programs. This reinforces UP’s position as a regional leader in transnational education through the UP VINTA Program. Philippine Embassy First Secretary and Consular, Ms. Fatima Quintin, was also present.
UP President Angelo Jimenez (8th from left) and H.E. Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (8th from right) with officials of UP, UPOU, and the Philippine Embassy in Japan.
UP President Angelo Jimenez was joined by UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Leo D.P. Cubillan; UP Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Student Affairs) Ama Shari Niña G. Oliquino, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President, Atty. Ricky Dela Torre, and UP Los Baños Chancellor, Dr. Jose C. Camacho, Jr. The UPOU team was led by Chancellor Joane V. Serrano, with Dr. Charisse T. Reyes, Dean, Faculty of Education; Dr. Roberto B. Figueroa, Jr., Dean, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies; Dr. Finaflor F. Taylan, Dean, Faculty of Management and Development Studies; Asst. Prof. Margaret Jarmin-Suarez and Asst. Prof. Remsce Pasahol, Program Development Associates for International Linkages.
As UP VINTA continues to unfold, UPOU remains at the forefront of developing innovative, inclusive, and responsive learning models for Filipinos all over the world and building international partnerships that redefine the global Filipino academic experience.
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas ♦ Edited by Primo Garcia and Remsce Pasahol ♦ Photos from Margaret Jarmin-Suarez and Remsce Pasahol
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