Vol. 1, No. 1 October 2016Intramuros, Manila

Pamantasan posts 100% passing rate in 3 licensure examsPLM scores ‘3-peat’ in board exams

The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) once again

lived up to its reputation as one of the country’s best schools when it posted a perfect 100% passing rate in three national licensure examina-tions given by the government over the last two months.

PLM’s College of Physical Thera-py (CPT) started the winning streak by acing the board exams given by the Professional Regulation Com-mission (PRC) last Aug. 6-7, 2016. “All the 41 PLM graduates who took the exams passed,” CPT Dean Alan P. Magpantay, said. “All of them were first-time takers. There were no exam retakers.”

To bring further honor to the col-lege and university, two PLM gradu-ates placed in the Top 10. Elysha Jane Dalangin Rosales took the sixth spot with a grade of 88.55%, while Krystle Ventura Hermogenes placed eighth with a grade of 88.15%.

PLM was one of only two schools that had two Top 10 placers in the latest board exams.

Not to be outdone, the College of Medicine (CM) also registered a perfect 100% passing rate when all its 115 graduates who took the Sep-tember 2016 Physician Licensure Examination passed. This reprised the college’s August 2013 perfor-mance when all its 97 first-time tak-

CM named country’s top med schoolThe College of Medicine (CM) of

the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila is now No. 1 in the list of top performing schools, according to the latest ranking released by the Professional Regulation Commis-sion (PRC).

PLM’s rise in the PRC rankings was the result of CM’s outstanding performance in the September 2016 Physician Licensure Examinations where it posted a perfect 100% passing rate.

Another school, St. Luke’s Col-lege of Medicine, registered a simi-lar passing rate but because PLM had more exam takers, it was given precedence by the PRC. One hun-dred fifteen PLM medicine gradu-ates took the exams, while St. Luke’s only had 75.

PLM, thus, dislodged University of the Philippines-Manila and Cebu Institute of Medicine, the top schools in 2015, from the top slot.

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“IS PLM a world-class uni-versity?”

This was a question Dr. Benjamin I. Espiritu, the new Chairman of the Board of Re-gents (BOR) of the Paman-tasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), asked the audience at his lecture on “The Business and Politics of a Working Aca-deme: From the Boardrooms of Academic Giants to the Halls of a Vibrant Public University.”

The 17th instalment of PLM’s Golden Anniversary Lecture Series, the event was held last Sept. 2 at the Justo Albert Auditorium. It was at-tended by over 500 students, university officials, faculty members, administrative em-ployees and guests.

Chairman Espiritu took the place of Dr. Benjamin E. Diok-no who was appointed to the Duterte Cabinet as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

To be a world-class aca-demic giant, Chairman Espiri-tu highlighted three elements that contribute to the success of a vibrant public university recognized globally: A high concentration of tal-ented teachers, researchers and stu-dents, a sizable budget, and a com-bination of freedom, autonomy and leadership.

Based on these factors, Dr. Es-piritu said he is fully confident that PLM is well-positioned to become a world-class university given its char-ter which clearly states the purposes for its establishment. These are:

• To advance human knowledge through basic study and re-search;

• To fully develop the Filipino intellect and promote Filipino culture;

• To give professional training in public affairs as well as in scientific, cultural, technologi-cal, industrial and vocational fields; and

• To introduce in its curricula

studies which do not, at pres-ent, receive sufficient empha-sis in existing institutions of higher learning in the country.

Dr. Espiritu knows whereof he speaks given his extensive track re-cord as an academician.

He was the former dean of Far Eastern University – Makati (Octo-ber 2009-August 2012). He was also formerly chairman of the Accounting, Finance, Business and Governance Department of the De La Salle Univer-sity (DLSU) Graduate School of Busi-ness, program coordinator of DLSU’s Doctor of Business Administration program, and course director of the university’s Corporate Governance and Risk Management program. He teaches strategic management, corpo-rate governance, public governance, finance, and accounting courses.

Dr. Espiritu earned his Doctor of Philosophy major in Public Admin-istration degree from the University

of Santo Tomas (UST) where he graduated Meritissimus/Excellent; Master in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines (Gold Med-al-Leadership; Special Award-Academic Excellence; Special Award-Best Thesis); Master of Business Administration from DLSU; and Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Ac-counting, also from DLSU.

He completed the Basic Management Program at the Asian Institute of Management (1975), and the Naval Com-mand and General Staff Course at the Naval Command and Staff College (2001) where he finished at the top of the Non-Resident Instruction group.

Dr. Espiritu was named Most Outstanding Faculty Member of the De La Salle Professional Schools Gradu-ate School of Business in 2001, and in 2006 was given a Most Outstanding Alumnus Award. In 2005, he received the St. Antoninus of Florence Award

(Outstanding Alumnus in the field of Public Administration) from the UST Graduate School and the UST Graduate School Alumni Associa-tion, Inc. He was given an Outstand-ing Alumnus Award by the National Defense College of the Philippines and the National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association, Inc. twice – in 2007 and in 2014.

Challenging the PLM community to endeavor to make the school a world-class university, Dr. Espiritu quoted Charles Kettering, an Ameri-can inventor, engineer and busi-nessman: “Nothing ever built arose to touch the skies unless some man dreamed that it could, some man be-lieved that it should, and some man willed that it must.”

He encouraged everyone to play a part in promoting PLM to evolve into a great world-class university so it can take its rightful place among the world’s academic giants. n

PLM well-positioned to be world-class, BOR chairman says

PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION. Dr. Benjamin I. Espiritu, BOR Chairman (center), receives a plaque of appreciation from President Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus and EVP Nelson J. Celis for his talk at the 17th installment of PLM’s Golden Anniversary Lecture Series.

2 l PLM TODAY

OFFICIALS and employees of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng

Maynila (PLM) can now avail them-selves of free health services provid-ed by the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (OMMC).

Under the terms of a Memoran-dum of Agreement (MoA) signed last Sept. 15, 2015 between PLM and the OMMC, the hospital will extend its medical, dental and other health ser-vices, including the use of its facili-ties, to the university’s permanent, temporary and casual personnel who have been employed for at least one

year. The services to be administered are part of OMMC’s thrust to ensure the health and welfare of the workers of the City of Manila.

PLM, on the other hand, will pro-vide the OMMC with a list of its offi-cials and employees who are quali-fied to benefit from the free health and medical services. The university will also institute measures to ensure that only qualified personnel will enjoy the privileges specified in the agreement.

The MoA was signed by Dr. Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus, PLM President,

and Dr. Rachael V. Mariñas, OMMC of-ficer-in-charge and hospital director. The agreement will be effective for three years.

“This agreement is very signifi-cant because PLM officials and em-ployees will now be provided with free health services for the first time in the history of the university,” said Dr. Mariñas. “The MoA will serve as an incentive for PLM personnel to undergo annual check-ups.”

This, according to Dr. Maria Ana B. Mariano, University Health Servi-ces (UHS) chief, will significantly help the university in pursuing its objec-tive of keeping the campus commu-nity healthy.

“The MoA will enable the UHS to sustain a healthy community in the campus by providing proficient medical services to PLM personnel,” she said.

PLM’s objective of maintaining a healthy community is in line with the 10-point agenda of the City Govern-ment of Manila, under Mayor Joseph E. Estrada, that, among other targets, calls for the provision of affordable medicines and health services to the city’s citizens, especially to the mem-bers of its labor force.

OMMC’s free health services that are now available to PLM employees include laboratory tests, consultation and examination for inpatients and outpatients, diagnostic and confirma-tory tests (X-ray, ultrasound, CT-Scan, MRI, ECG, 2D ECHO, and EEG), and free professional services for those undergoing surgery and for pregnant personnel. n

Under a 3-year MoA signed with the university

OMMC extends free health services to PLM employees

MOA SIGNING. PLM and the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center have entered into an agreement that will extend to all Pamantasan personnel free health services for three years. Shown signing the agreement are (from left) Dr. Angeline Alabastro, College of Medicine dean, President Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus and Dr. Rachael V. Mariñas, OMMC officer-in-charge and hospital director.

TWO notable projects imple-mented by student groups in the

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) clearly demonstrated the compassion, the enthusiasm to serve, and the caring attitude of Pa-mantasan students.

The first, the “Pada-yong ang Iyong Silong” project of the Buklu-ran Students’ Alliance-Integrated Students’ Organization (BSA-ISO), is an ongoing activity that the associa-

tion is committed to continue until the end of the rainy season.

Under this project, the BSA-ISO lends umbrellas to PLM students and employees to protect them from the rain. The umbrellas are available daily on the ground floor of Gusaling Lacson from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.

The project was approved by the Office of the Vice President for Aca-demic Affairs (OVPAA) following its endorsement by Prof Allan Jay C. Na-

tividad, director of the National Ser-vice Training Program (NSTP), a civic education and defense preparedness program for Filipino college students.

The project may be “a simple gesture,” Dr. Ma. Leonora V. de Je-sus, PLM President, said in a letter to Salvador Mante, BSA-ISO president, “but it says a lot about your group’s readiness to help and to care for the members of our PLM family.”

2 projects showcase PLM students’ compassion

PLM TODAY l 3

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“You are exactly the kind of stu-dents that the Pamantasan founders envisioned PLM to produce – com-passionate and helpful young men and women who, after graduating, will go out into the world and be-come productive and upright citi-zens who care about the community, who lead socially-relevant lives, and who work for the common good,” she wrote.

The second project was the re-view tutorial class conducted last Oct. 1 by the College Student Coun-cil of the College of Science (CSC-CS) to prepare students who were taking Algebra, Trigonometry, Dif-ferential Calculus, Natural Science, and Fundamentals of Science for their final examinations given last Oct. 3-7.

Called “Throwback,” the half-day tutorial session held at the Gusa-ling Lacson attracted around 70 students. Selected students from the chemistry, biology and mathemat-ics departments of the CS helped to facilitate the review. Participants included students from the CS, Col-lege of Engineering and Technology

(CET), College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), College of Business and Management (CBM), and the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS).

“We conduct this yearly academ-ic activity primarily to help students from different colleges,” said Jan Michael de Leon, CSC-CS president. “This project started in 2006 and was called the Math Clinic. We con-tinue to hold it every year because we see how it is helping our fellow ka-Isko at ka-Iska (fellow scholars) improve.”

Throwback’s effects were readily seen this month in the high scores the reviewees got in their final ex-aminations.

“The review project of the College of Science was a big help because when a fellow student is doing the teaching, you somehow understand the lesson better,” said Elva Dausan, a second year Communication Arts student.

For his part, De Leon said: “It’s so fulfilling to see how the students you tutor excel in their subjects and especially in their final exams. It really gives you a very good feel-ing.”

Editor-in-Chief Mr. Ibarra C. Gutierrez

Consulting Editor Mr. Rodolfo A. Morales

Managing Editor Ms. Pauline M. Abuda

WritersMs. Mary Lane D. LiporadaMr. John Lemuel P. Gardose

ContributorsDr. Mary Pauline V. Saquing

Atty. Nancy R. Hadap-VillanuevaPhotographers

Mr. Jeffrey BagallionMr. Jonathan Flores

Lay-out ArtistMr. Ernanie Gonzales Editorial Coordinator

Lainna Pangyarihan-Ko

The PLM Today is published by the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs with office address at

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, General Luna cor. Muralla St. Intramuros,Manila. For inquiries or information, please call 02-526-6842 or email us at vppa@plm.edu.ph.

2 projects showcase PLM students’ compassionThis year’s project, he pointed

out, was such a huge success not only because of the big number of students who participated but, more significantly, because of their will-ingness to learn.

Meanwhile, Ariel Arellano, CSC-CS treasurer, also credited Throw-back’s success to the support, advice and motivation given by CS Dean Emelinda P. Sabando, Prof. Alvin G. Bansil of the mathematics depart-ment, and Prof. Jennifer C. Sy of the chemistry department.

The council likewise expressed its appreciation to the OVPAA, the Office of Student Development and Services (OSDS), the Office of the University Librarian (OUL), and the Information, Communication Tech-nology Office (ICTO) for facilitating the project’s implementation.

“We want to continue doing this project not only before the major ex-ams,” De Leon disclosed. “We plan to conduct tutorials more often start-ing next semester. We’re also plan-ning to add another subject. We’ll do the tutorials using the buddy-buddy system if not every week, then defi-nitely twice a week before major ex-aminations.” n

P20-M GRANT-IN-KIND FOR PLM. The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) last Aug. 23 with the One-Meralco Foundation (OMF) and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company-Smart Foundation (PSF) for a P20-million grant-in-kind. The grant will be used by the two foundations to put up the MVP Technology Center at the Gusaling Villegas. Shown signing the MoA are (from left) PLM Board of Regents Chairman Benjamin I. Espiritu, PLM President Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus, OMF and PSF Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, PSF President Esther O. Santos and OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao.

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From page 3

By Atty. Nancy R. Hadap-Villanueva

GUIDED by the principle of meri-tocracy, the Pamantasan ng Lung-

sod ng Maynila (PLM) promoted 100 faculty members last year as part of the university’s continuing efforts to safeguard the welfare of its employ-ees.

The system of meritocracy lev-els opportunities and gives rewards based on one’s abilities and achieve-ments. The principle considers performance and efforts exerted in recognizing and commending one’s work. Meritocracy serves as an in-centive for individuals to excel in their chosen profession, to dedicate themselves to their work, and to de-velop their full potential.

“As a public administrator, I total-ly subscribe to the principle of merit

and fitness,” Dr. Cecilia J. Sabio, vice president for academic affairs, said. “I believe that meritocracy provides an equal opportunity for all faculty members to grow professionally ir-respective of their previous associa-tions and experiences.”

The promotion of the PLM fac-ulty members based on merit opens more avenues for them to enhance their educational knowledge for the benefit of their students who are ex-pected to contribute to the advance-ment of Philippine society after they graduate, she pointed out.

The promotions were implement-ed in three batches, with the first tak-ing effect on July 8, the second on Sept. 1, and the third on Dec. 17.

Prior to the deliberation of the Faculty Selection Board, which is chaired by Vice President Sabio, the

PLM promotes 100 faculty members based on meritcredentials of the faculty members were submitted to and evaluated by the University Review Committee on Faculty Promotion as mandated by Pamantasan Administrative Order (PAO) No. 32, series of 2015 and in consonance with the pertinent provi-sions of National Budget Circular No. 461, series of 1998, and Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 19 series of 2005.

“Meritocracy and fitness are words often bandied about as a way to get the right people in govern-ment,” Vice President Sabio said. “In fact, previous to this administration, we saw appointments that were be-deviled by a system that gave birth to attitudes inimical to good gover-nance – appointments made based only on trust and confidence and not on competence.” n

By Dr. Mary Pauline V. Saquing

FOR the first time in the history of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod

ng Maynila (PLM), faculty members took an active part in selecting their college deans and officials for Aca-demic Year 2015-2016.

The implementation of this se-lection process was the result of the decision made in May 2015 by the university’s top management headed by Dr. Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus, PLM President, to allow faculty members to choose their respective college officials. It was management’s way of demonstrating its bottom-to-top decision-making approach and its participatory leadership style of ad-ministration.

The decision was based on Ar-ticle 41(a) of the 2005 University Code which provides that the Presi-dent, as academic and administrative head, “shall exercise the authority to appoint qualified persons to fill avail-able positions whose appointment is not otherwise provided for by the Code, provided that she informs the Board of Regents of any and all ac-

tions she takes for which she shall be accountable.”

For Academic Year 2015-2016, President De Jesus exercised the power stipulated in the Code, taking into consideration the preference of the faculty members.

“The application of the provision in the University Code on the selec-tion of deans and other administra-tors in the college unit is something I fully supported and advocated,” Dr. Cecilia Cecilia J. Sabio, vice president for academic affairs, said. “This pro-cess allows an objective selection of the best and the most qualified, which is very much reflective of how government, especially higher edu-cation institutions, should appoint/designate people to run colleges and academic units.”

For his part, Arch. Gil C. Evasco, College of Architecture and Ur-ban Planning (CAUP) dean, noted: “People of talent will always appre-ciate being included in a circle of hardworking individuals, especially when accorded with trust. This en-courages them to give their best and make them want to work again with

Faculty members nominate college officialsa leader who pushes them to success. Confidence is built when one is given that small window to grow.”

Under the selection process implemented, the different colleges held their respective meetings dur-ing which candidates for dean were nominated. From the nominees, the faculty members of each college voted for their preferred deans. Then they shortlisted the nominees based on the number of votes received, qualifi-cation, experience and education.

The lists were submitted to the Office of the Executive Vice Presi-dent (OEVP) through Vice President Sabio. The top three nominees from each college were interviewed by Dr. Nelson J. Celis, EVP, and Vice Presi-dent Sabio. Their qualifications were presented to President De Jesus.

Based on the result of the in-terviews, Executive Vice President Celis and Vice President Sabio re-commended the nominees who they think could effectively work with the university management. The same recommendations were submitted to the Board of Regents, which then confirmed them. n

PLM TODAY l 5

“I am glad because once again we got the No. 1 position,” Dr. Ange-line Alabastro, CM dean, said. “This proves that we really have good students here at PLM and, on top of that, we have a great 136-member faculty that is able to bring out the best in our students.”

Doing well in the licensure exams is, in fact, an annual occurrence for the college. In the February 2007 board

exams, it also posted a 100% passing rate when all its graduates, numbering 23 in all, passed. In the August 2008 exams, its passing rate slipped a bit to 99.00% but it, nonetheless, managed to take the No. 1 slot.

In the August 2011 exams, it dropped to No. 3 with a passing rate of 98.31%. However, one PLM grad-uate, Dr. Mary Rose M. Maballo, took the No. 2 position among the Top 10

passers with a grade of 88.17%.PLM regained the top spot in the

August 2013 exams where it regis-tered another 100% passing rate. It posted the same perfect passing rate in the February 2014 exams, but since only seven took the test, the university was not included in the list of best performing schools. But PLM more than made up for this when two of its graduates placed in the Top 10. Dr. Webster S. Alindog landed in third place with a grade of 87%, while Dr. Annie P. Abordo-Dioso took 10th spot with a grade of 85%.

Last year, PLM scored passing rates of 100% in the February ex-ams, and 98.67% in the August ex-ams.

“The truth of the matter is our teachers here at PLM give us tests that are way more difficult than the board exams,” Dr. Grace Salacop, the president of the CM’s 2016 batch and one of the successful examinees in the last board exams, said. “Being a PLMayer really gives you a great advantage.”n

CM named country’s top med school From page 1

Ranking of Schools in the Physician Licensure ExaminationSeptember 2016

Source: Professional Regulatory Board

Rank School Total Number of Examinees

Total No. of Passers

Percentage Passed

1 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila 115 115 100.00%

St. Luke’s College of Medicine 75 75 100%

2 University of the Philippines - Manila 150 148 98.67%

3 Cebu Institute of Medicine 123 120 97.56%

4 Angeles University Foundation 50 48 96.00%

5 Ateneo De Manila UniversitySchool of Mediine & Public Health

122 116 96.08%

On Feb. 5, 2015, CHED issued a memo to the Mayor Hon. Joseph Ejercito Estrada through the PLM President Dr. Ma. Leonora V. De Je-sus informing the University that fifty (50) of its programs has no Certificate of Compliance.

In that memorandum, CHED made reference to the CMO 30 s.2009 entitled: “Applicability of the Manual of Regulations for Pri-vate Higher Education (MORPHE) of 2008 to all State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs). In addition, it states therein that the CHED is authorized to monitor and evaluate compliance of pro-grams of Higher Education Insti-tutions (HEIs) including LUCs for appropriate incentives as well as

imposition of sanctions such as but not limited to diminution or with-drawal of subsidy, recommendation on the downgrading or withdrawal of accreditation, program termina-tion or school closure.

Further indicated in the said memo is a reminder that HEIs not recognized by CHED will not be able to avail of other CHED programs and services such as certification, authen-tication, verification, scholarships and grants for its students.

As a response to this, all academic programs of PLM underwent CHED’s intensive monitoring and evaluation to manifests conformity to mini-mum standards and quality. In order for the PLM programs to be issued Certificate of Compliance (COC) by CHED, all colleges submitted the

PLM seeks gov’t recognition From page 8

6 l PLM TODAY

following required documents per Government Program Recognition (GPR) checklist and were eventually used by the CHED – National Capital Region (NCR) Quality Assessment Team (QAT) for evaluation to deter-mine the compliance of the programs with CHED policies, standards and guidelines.

Upon completion of the evalu-ation of documents submitted, CHED notified PLM in writing on the schedule of ocular visit of the RQAT. The actual submission of documents happened from March 2015 to May 2015 while the assessment trans-pired from May 2015 to February 2016 with various evaluators/as-sessors from CHED Regional Quality Assessment Team (RQAT) per pro-gram/ discipline.

CPT BOARD PASSERS. Members of the College of Physical Therapy Class of 2016 which post-ed a perfect 100% passing rate in the August 2016 licensure exams paid a courtesy call on Dr. Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus, PLM President (shown seated on her desk). Accompanied by CPT Dean Alan P. Magpantay, the board passers thanked President De Jesus for the support the university administration has been giving their college as well as for the continuing improvements being undertaken to make the PLM environment more conducive to learning. Also in photo are (from left) Manuel I. Inserto, former vice president for finance and planning, and Ibarra C. Gutierrez, vice president for public affairs.

ers passed the exams to put PLM in a tie with the University of the Phil-ippines, Ateneo de Manila and the Cebu Institute of Medicine as the country’s best medical school (see related story).

Finally, in the Board Licensure Examination for Mechanical Engi-neers given by the PRC last Sept. 28-29, all 25 mechanical engineer-ing graduates of the College of Engi-neering and Technology (CET) who took the exam passed, resulting in the Pamantasan posting another perfect 100% passing rate.

This again equaled the perfor-mance of UP but bettered those of De la Salle University and University of Santo Tomas, and, thus, further cemented PLM’s place among the top schools in the country.

One of the CET’s mechanical engineering graduates, Mark An-thony Bautista Abaincia, also ranked among the exam’s Top 10 with a grade of 88.7% that gave him the tenth slot.

“I’m very happy with the perfor-

mance of our graduates, and I’m par-ticularly proud of the fact that all of them were first-time exam takers,” CET – Mechanical and Manufactural department chair, Engr. Juan C. Tal-lara, Jr. said. “And, of course, I con-gratulate Mark Anthony for a job well done!”

PLM also did very well in the other licensure examinations given over the August-October 2016 pe-riod. In the board exams for psycho-metricians conducted last August, 124 out of the 152 Pamantasan graduates who took the test passed to give PLM an 81.58% passing rate, well above the national average of 50.46%. With this performance, PLM was ranked third best school after UP and UST.

In addition, one of PLM’s psy-chology graduates, Marian Alaan Ra-marama, a first-time taker, ranked ninth among the exam’s Top 10 plac-ers with a grade of 83.80% to bring more honor to the school.

Finally, in the Chemist Licen-sure Examinations given on Oct. 4-5, 26 out of the 42 College of Sciences (CS) graduates who took the exams passed, enabling PLM to post a 61.90% passing rate, still better than the national average of 54.86%.

One of the university’s gradu-ates, Jonniel Sison Vince Cruz, who graduated summa cum laude last April, also placed among the Top 10. With a grade of 88.25%, he took the sixth spot, a position he shared with a graduate from the UP and another from UST.

“I extend my warmest congratu-lations to all our board exam pass-ers for their splendid performance,” Dr. Maria Leonora V. de Jesus, PLM President, said. “Congratulations as well to deans and the faculty of the concerned colleges for their hard work and dedication that enable the Pamantasan to score board tri-umphs every year.” n

PLM scores ‘3-peat’ in board exams From page 1

PLM TODAY l 7

As of February 2016, PLM awaits assessment of four remain-ing programs by their correspond-ing RQATs. Further, it is anticipat-ed that once granted government recognition by mid-2016, PLM as well as its students and its faculty members, will be able to avail of privileges being enjoyed by other higher educational institutions granted the same.

Furthermore, PLM intends to proceed with its plans to pursue PAASCU accreditation of all Col-leges, following the Level I Ac-creditation grant to the College of Medicine in December of 2015. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs spearheads the university’s efforts towards quality assurance through gov-ernment recognition and private accreditation. n

AFTER a long series of failed nego-tiations, there now seems to be

a real chance that the ongoing peace talks will succeed and, thus, finally put an end to the hostilities between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) which has been raging for more than four de-cades.

This was the encouraging feeling that members of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) com-munity and their guests got after at-tending the Public Policy Forum on the Peace Talks between the Philip-pine Government and the NDF that was held at the Justo Albert Audito-rium on Sept. 26, 2016.

This was primarily due to the two principal speakers – Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, chair of the Philip-pine government panel, and Mr. Luis Jalandoni, the chief NDF negotiator – who both gave honest and rosy as-

PLM ‘hosts’ Gov’t-NDF peace talks

sessments of the current talks and who, more importantly, kept the dis-cussions very friendly.

The event which attracted a large audience that included a number of

media people was the first of a series of public policy fora that PLM will be holding as part of the two-year cel-ebration of its Golden Anniversary.

In addition to the two principal speakers, three reactors also gave short talks on various aspects of the peace negotiations and on their possible outcomes. They were Mr. Jose Luis U. Yulo Jr., president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Phil-ippine Islands; Prof. Bobby M. Tua-zon, director of policy studies of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG); and Atty. Nashmyleen Adap Marohomsalic, court attorney at the Office of Asso-ciate Justice Jose P. Perez, Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Marked by amicable exchanges, the forum ended on a hopeful note that was clearly captured by Dr. Ma. Leonora V. de Jesus, PLM President, in her closing remarks when she ad-dressed the two principal speakers and said: “You hold in your hands the hope of the entire Filipino nation for a just and lasting peace, the kind of peace that will not only put an end to four decades of hostilities, but, more importantly, allow the establishment of a society where human rights and international humanitarian laws are respected and where genuine socio-economic, political and even consti-tutional reforms are implemented.” n

In its effort to upgrade the quality of education, PLM started to apply for government program recognition (GPR) through the issuance of Certifi-

cate of Compliance (COC) by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). As early as February 2015, the twenty (20) different colleges of the Univer-sity started to collate documents and gather evidences that would show-case compliance to the minimum standards of CHED.

Inspired by the sterling leadership of our beloved President, Dr. Le-onora V. de Jesus, the academic community has come together to estab-lish a university-wide collaboration and solidarity to achieve the goals of institutionalizing quality assurance and CHED compliance – hard work and effort that truly paved the way to full documentation, complete and prompt submission to CHED. The preparation of documents engaged the participation of leaders from colleges, heads of academic support units, faculty members, students and employees of the administrative units. In-deed, this endeavour manifests a commitment to excellence and achieving reasonable measures of success toward quality education.

Attuned to CHED’s objective of upgrading the quality of public higher education as explicitly pronounced in the Roadmap for Public Higher Edu-cation Reform (CHED, 2011), PLM finally responded to the call to institu-tionalize quality assurance and the system of accreditation. This is after fifty (50) years of operation. Nevertheless, such an initiative, no matter how recent, will still redound to the greater benefit of the student and the entire academic community in achieving success and enhancing quality and excellence, relevance and responsiveness, access and equity and ef-ficiency and effectiveness in higher education.

TwO SIDES OF THE PEACE TALKS. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (left) and Mr. Luis Jalandoni of NDF share the Justo Albert stage as they give updates current issues on the on-going peace negotiation.

PLM seeks gov’t recognition

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