Onsite and online attendees and resource speakers at the PILLS Launch
The UPOU Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) officially launched the Policy Innovation and Learning Laboratory for Sustainability (PILLS) as its Mentoring Hub for the Collective Mentoring Program (CMP).. The event took place on 23 October 2025 at the Audio-Visual Room (AVR), UPOU Headquarters in Los Banos, Laguna, and livestreamed via Zoom and Facebook.
PILLS marks a milestone for FMDS as it becomes a mentoring and research hub for collaborative, multidisciplinary work addressing sustainability challenges in the Philippines and ASEAN.
In her video recorded message, UPOU Chancellor Dr. Joane V. Serrano congratulated the FMDS for launching this hub as a space for collaboration with partners and the broader community.
Asst. Prof. Leo Mendel Rosario, PhD, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Instruction, PILLS Co-proponent, and DRDM Program Chair, discusses the foundation and goals of PILLS.
Advancing Sustainability Solutions
Dr. Leo Mendel Rosario, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Instruction, PILLS Co-proponent, and DR&DM Program Chair, introduced PILLS as an Open and Distance eLab (ODeLab) for Policy Innovation designed to generate and incubate policy ideas that support systemic change toward sustainability goals. He noted that to truly achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there should be system changes in policy, administration, culture, and mindsets.
Dr. Rosario also introduced the FMDS Framework for Sustainability Innovations, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary solutions to complex sustainability challenges.
Prof. Myra Oruga, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Research and Publication, presents the UP Collective Mentorship Program (UCMP)
He also presented the ARISE (Adaptive Research-Innovation Systems and Environments) initiative, an extension of the PILLS vision that aims to strengthen the policy innovation ecosystem through adaptive and inclusive research models.
Collective Mentorship Programs
Dr. Myra D. Oruga, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Research and Publication, presented the UP Collective Mentorship Program (UCMP) and the Digital Mentorship and Innovation Hub (D/MIH) Research Group. She said that the program aims to strengthen professional growth through guided mentorship in teaching, research, and leadership; enhance research productivity and ethical capacity through interdisciplinary collaboration; promote wellness, balance, and resilience among academic staff; and build a community of mentors and mentees who embody the UP values of honor and excellence.
She concluded with a powerful call to action: “Mentorship is not a one-way act of teaching—it is the collective journey of learning together.”
DSUS and MR&DM students as ARISE members presenting their studies.
From L-R, T-B: Engr. Mike Clester Perez, Dr. Lilibeth Languido, and Mr. Heherson Paris España
Student Research Highlights
Students in the research programs also present their research during the launch.
Engr. Mike Clester Perez, a Doctor of Sustainability (DSus) student and ARISE member, presented his study titled “Embeddedness of Sustainability in the Philippine Innovation Policies.”
Dr. Lilibeth Languido, a Master of Research and Development Management (MR&DM) student and ARISE member, shared her research on the “Lived Experiences of Women Innovators of Agricultural Crop and Processing Startups in the Cagayan Valley Region.”
Mr. Heherson Paris España, also an MR&DM student and ARISE member, presented his work titled “Understanding the Narratives of Women Role Models in Regional Technology Startup Ecosystems (RTSEs) of the Philippines: A Phenomenological Approach.”
An open forum followed the presentations, where participants discussed the standard processes for application for these initiatives.
Closing Message
To conclude the session, Dr. Finaflor Taylan, Dean of the UPOU Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS), underscored the importance of collaboration in driving meaningful change.
She said,“When research meets mentorship, innovation truly begins,” urging everyone to ask more challenging questions, develop richer solutions, and engage community partners at every step of the innovation process.
The launching video of the Collective Mentorship Program and the D/MIH Research Group was also played.
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the resource speakers in recognition of their valuable contributions.
Written by Marinela Hernandez | Edited by Primo Garcia | Photos by Anthea Faye Peredo
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