University of the Philippines Tacloban College https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph Building capacities and engaging communities for sustainable development in Eastern Visayas Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:08:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/UPTClogo1-150x150.png University of the Philippines Tacloban College https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph 32 32 International Island Studies Conference Brings Global Scholars to UP Tacloban https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/international-island-studies-conference-brings-global-scholars-to-up-tacloban/ Fri, 10 Jul 2026 07:15:29 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11240

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International Island Studies Conference Brings Global Scholars to UP Tacloban

10 July 2026

Fifty island studies scholars from Canada, China, Germany, Japan, India, the Maldives, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) hosted by the University of the Philippines Tacloban, in partnership with the Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI), on 25-27 June 2026 at the Leyte Samar Heritage Center.
A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
Participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gather for a group photo at the Leyte Samar Heritage Center following three days of interdisciplinary discussions on advancing sustainable and regenerative futures for island communities.
The conference focused on the theme “Navigating Island Futures: Intersections of Heritage, Transitions, and Regenerative Practices.” Participants listened to and discussed 41 oral presentations in 11 panel discussions on climate adaptation and island ecological stewardship; education, youth, and intergenerational island futures; governance, justice, and participatory development on small islands; island migration, mobility, and identity in transition; reclaiming and reimagining island heritage; and regenerative livelihoods and blue economies in small islands.
A speaker stands holding a microphone in front of a presentation screen that reads "Panel 1: Theoretical & Conceptual Frameworks in Island Studies" at a 2026 conference in Tacloban City, Philippines. Three other panelists sit at a wooden table beside him, while attendees listen in the foreground.
Open forum during the first Panel entitled Theoretical & Conceptual Frameworks in Island Studies.
A presenter stands at a podium speaking into a microphone during an academic session, with a laptop open in front of him. Behind him, a large display screen shows a presentation slide titled "Paljaljim Gadu" featuring images of indigenous groups (labeled Paiwan, Tao, Atayal, and Amis). Four panelists sit at a long table adjacent to the screen, while attendees sit at round tables in the foreground listening to the presentation.
Yu-Jen Chung, presenting his study on Reimagining Islan Heritage Through an Indigenous-Led Music Festival in Taiwan on the third day of ISIC 2026
At the closing program, SICRI Convenor Dr. Evangelia Papoutsaki presented the New Voices in Island Studies (NVIS) awards to Emily Linane (Creative and Artistic Contribution), Brian Salvador Baran (Outstanding Scholarly Contribution for “A Mooring System: Island Relations in the Bantayanon Lexicon and Morphology”), and Venusi Taumoepeau (Outstanding Scholarly Contribution for “Letting Culture Lead the Wave: Peau as a Pacific Creative Process”). Acting Chancellor of UP Tacloban Dr. Patricia Arinto joined Dr. Papoutsaki in presenting a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Lakehead University in Canada, for being instrumental in the collaboration between SICRI and UP Tacloban for the hosting of ISIC 2026.
 
Emily Linane (left) of Newcastle University and Brian Salvador Caratao Baran (right) of UP DIliman received the New Voices in Island Studies (NVIS) Awards. The awards were presented by Dr. Evangelia Papoutsaki, SICRI Convenor
ALT Text: Four smiling individuals stand shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a presentation screen that reads "SEE YOU AT ISIC 2027 IN NEW ZEALAND." The second man from the left, wearing a colorful butterfly-patterned shirt, holds a black gift box containing a book, flanked by three other colleagues posing for the photo.
(from left to right) SICRI Convenor Dr. Evangelia Papoutsaki, ISIC 2026 Steering Committee Chairperson and UP Tacloban's Internationalization Officer Asst. Prof. Gian Paulo Paglinawan, Acting Chancellor of UP Tacloban Dr. Patricia B. Arinto, and Leyte-Samar Heritage Center Director Asst. Prof. Antonino Salvador De Veyra
ISIC is an annual gathering that provides a platform for island studies scholars, researchers, and community practitioners to share research, perspectives, and emerging knowledge on islands and island communities. The conference advances interdisciplinary dialogue on island heritage, ecological stewardship, sustainable livelihoods, governance, and cultural identity across local and global contexts. Next year’s conference will be hosted by the Pacific Arts Center and Waiheke Island in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
 
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]]> UP Tacloban’s 48th Commencement Exercises https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-taclobans-48th-commencement-exercises/ Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:31:57 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11253

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UP Tacloban’s 48th Commencement Exercises

7 July 2026

A total of 295 graduates received their diplomas at the 48th Commencement Exercises of the University of the Philippines Tacloban held on 2 July 2026 at the Arts and Sciences Grounds.
A line of UP Tacloban graduates dressed in formal attire and traditional Sablay sashes walk down a red carpet during an outdoor ceremony. In the center, a male graduate solemnly carries a framed portrait of his younger brother, honoring their memory during the processional.
Wearing the traditional Sablay, the UP Tacloban graduating class of 2026 walks to the ceremony grounds during the processional.
A group of university faculty and officials walks down a red carpet in an outdoor setting during a formal academic procession. They are dressed in formal attire, including cream-colored barongs and dresses, accented with the maroon and green University of the Philippines Sablay sash.
Acting Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs John Paul Yusiong leads the UP Tacloban faculty members in the academic processional.
UP President Angelo A. Jimenez and UP Tacloban Acting Chancellor Patricia B. Arinto presided over the distribution of diplomas to the graduates of nine undergraduate and two graduate programs: BA (Communication Arts), BA Literature, BA Media Arts, BA (Economics) and BS Economics, BA (Social Sciences) Political Science and BA Political Science, BA Psychology, BS Biology, BS Computer Science, BS Accountancy, BS Management, MS in Environmental Science, and Master in Management.
A quote graphic from the UP Tacloban 48th Commencement Exercises featuring a photo of commencement speaker Atty. Maria Paz "Ipat" G. Luna at the podium alongside highlighted excerpts from her address on community and cooperation.
A quote graphic from the UP Tacloban 48th Commencement Exercises featuring a photo of valedictorian Lean Jane L. Elgera speaking at the podium alongside text excerpts from her valedictory address on empathy, community grief, and the true meaning of excellence.
BS Accountancy student Lean Jane Letrodo Elgera graduated magna cum laude, and 59 others graduated cum laude. Elgera delivered the valedictory speech on behalf of the graduating class.
 
Environmental lawyer Atty. Maria Paz “Ipat” G. Luna, who served as Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 2016 to 2017 and then as Regional Executive Director of DENR CALABARZON from 2018 to 2019, delivered the commencement address.
 
The graduation ceremony was attended by members of the UP Board of Regents, officials of the UP System, UP Tacloban faculty and staff, and the graduates’ parents and relatives.
 
Click here to see more snaps from the event: https://tinyurl.com/UPTacloban48thCE
 
 
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]]> UP Tacloban, NCCA Gather 500 Young Writers for Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-tacloban-ncca-gather-500-young-writers-for-pagsaribo-han-panuratan-2026-national-youth-literary-festival/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:43:31 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11263

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ARTS AND HUMANITIES

UP Tacloban, NCCA Gather 500 Young Writers for Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival

23 June 2026

The University of the Philippines Tacloban, through its Division of Humanities and in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), brought together around 500 young writers, scholars, students, and literary practitioners from across the country for the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival (NYLF) on 17–19 June 2026.
An audience watches a large projection screen displaying Professor Emeritus Merlie Alunan delivering her address virtually for the Pagsaribo han Panuratan National Youth Literary Festival.
Professor Emeritus Merlie Alunan delivers her virtual keynote address to the participants during the opening program of the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival at UP Tacloban.
The festival opened with remarks from Dr. Patricia B. Arinto, Acting Chancellor of UP Tacloban, and Dr. Edgar Calabia Samar, head of the NCCA’s National Committee on Literary Arts. Professor Emeritus Merlie Alunan, 2025 Royal Society of Literature International Writer, gave the keynote message. The opening program was followed by Tsika-Lit: Conversations on Literary Production, Translation, and History, a roundtable discussion featuring writers Christian Benitez, Michael Carlo Villas, and Voltaire Oyzon and moderated by Asst. Prof. Efmer Agustin. The first day concluded with a welcome dinner and cultural showcase featuring performances by Kenneth Alvin Cinco, Paolo Ay-ay, Gio Plameran, the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company, and the Daraygon Dance Company.
A wide shot of a crowded auditorium at UP Tacloban during a panel discussion on stage titled "Buklad: A Reading Community and Book Talk Series" under the theme "Writing the Nation Through the Regions."
Panelists share their insights during the "Buklad: A Reading Community Book Talk Series" on the second day of the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival at UP Tacloban.
Writer Kaisa Aquino speaks into a microphone while standing in front of workshop slides about Ursula K. Le Guin's concept of the novel as a vessel, with participants listening in a classroom setting.
Isabela author Kaisa Aquino shares her expertise on narrative structures as the resource speaker for the fiction writing workshop during the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival.
On the second day festival attendees joined workshops on writing poetry (led by Dr. Edgar Calabia Samar), writing fiction (led by Kaisa Aquino), writing nonfiction (led by Dr. Jhoanna Lynn Cruz), and writing for children (led by Firie Jill Ramos). Participants also joined a zine making workshop at the UP Tacloban Library and explored a book mobile at the Leyte-Samar Heritage Center. In the afternoon, the celebration of Philippine literature continued with Buklad: A Reading Community Book Talk Series featuring writers Kristian Sendon Cordero, Christian Jill R. Benitez, Michael Carlo C. Villas, Edgar Calabia Samar, Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz, Kaisa R. Aquino, and Firie Jill Ramos, with Jenilyn V. Garcia serving as moderator.
 
Several young festival attendees wearing identification lanyards stand in a line to browse and read through various books displayed on a long wooden table.
Festival participants browse a diverse selection of Philippine literature on display during the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival at UP Tacloban.
A young female participant in a pink polo shirt speaks into a microphone while holding up her smartphone on stage, as another person smiles and applauds in the background.
A festival participant shares her experience and learnings during the closing program of Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival.
Pagsaribo han Panuratan concluded on 19 June 2026 with a closing program where participants expressed their commitment to sustaining, enriching, and transforming Philippine literature as emerging writers and cultural workers.

NYLF 2026 was also UP Tacloban’s contribution to the Alab ng Puso: UP Public Service Day celebration in commemoration of the 118th founding anniversary of the University of the Philippines.

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A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
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]]> Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) 2026 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/island-studies-international-conference-isic-2026/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:49:17 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11137

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Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) 2026

22 June 2026

“Navigating Island Futures: Intersections of Heritage, Transitions, and Regenerative Practices”

Date: 25–28 June 2026 

Venue: Leyte Samar Heritage Center, University of the Philippines Tacloban, Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines 

Organizers: University of the Philippines Tacloban and the Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI)

The University of the Philippines Tacloban and Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI) are hosting the Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) 2026 on 25–28 June 2026 at the Leyte Samar Heritage Center, UP Tacloban. 

Held for the first time in an archipelagic nation at the heart of the Pacific, ISIC this year carries the theme “Navigating Island Futures: Intersections of Heritage, Transitions, and Regenerative Practices.”

Over 50 scholars, community practitioners, policymakers, and development partners from 15 countries across the Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas, and beyond are convening to exchange perspectives on island heritage, cultural identity, ecological stewardship, sustainable livelihoods, governance, mobility, resilience, and regenerative futures. Particular attention is given to the experiences and knowledge systems of island communities, foregrounding Philippine and Southeast Asian scholarship within the growing global field of island and archipelagic studies.

Conference Subthemes and Panel Topics

Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks in Island Studies • Reclaiming and Reimagining Island Heritage • Climate Adaptation and Island Ecological Stewardship • Island Migration, Mobility, and Identity in Transition • Education, Youth, and Intergenerational Island Futures • Island Heritage for the Future: Between UNESCO Frameworks and Local Realities • Governance, Justice, and Participatory Development on Small Islands • Regenerative Livelihoods and Blue Economies in Small Islands

Programme Highlights

The three-day programme features a roundtable discussion on post-Haiyan development in the Leyte-Samar islands, 11 academic panels with presenters joining on-site and online, a creative workshop titled “From My Shore to Your Shore,” and a conference dinner with a cultural performance by the UP An Balangaw Performing Arts Group. The conference closes with the New Voice in Island Studies Presentations Awards recognizing emerging scholars in the field.

For updates, visit facebook.com/SICRI and https://www.sicri.net/ISIC2026.

 #ISIC2026

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An official poster for the "2026 National Youth Literary Festival" features the colorful acronym "NYLF" and the text "Pagsaribo han Panuratan." The poster lists Tacloban City, Leyte, and the dates June 17–19, 2026, alongside institutional logos at the top.
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]]> UP Tacloban unveils new Fitness Center https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-tacloban-unveils-new-fitness-center/ Tue, 26 May 2026 06:05:36 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11036

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UP Tacloban unveils new Fitness Center

26 May 2026

University of the Philippines Tacloban inaugurated its new Fitness Center on 22 May 2026 as part of the celebration of its 53rd Founding Anniversary. Faculty and staff members gathered for the blessing of the facility in the morning, followed by the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the afternoon.
Four individuals participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the entrance of an indoor venue, cutting a decorative ribbon with a large red bow. Guests are gathered in the background, witnessing the opening event.
Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (L-R) John Paul T. Yusiong, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Patricia B. Arinto, Dean of UP Tacloban; Michael Joshua C. Lora, Sports Coordinator; and Arvin L. De Veyra, Associate Dean for Administration, marking the opening of the fitness center.
The Fitness Center is primarily intended to support Physical Education classes and the training sessions of student-athletes. It is equipped with modern fitness and strength-training equipment, including two curved treadmills, a leg press machine, a 4-in-1 multi-function strength machine, two power squat racks, and a dumbbell set rack.
A well-lit indoor gym features various fitness equipment, including treadmills, squat racks, weight benches, barbells, and free weights arranged neatly across the room. The clean exercise space is fitted with rubber flooring and bright overhead lighting.
A newly equipped fitness space designed to support wellness, strength, and an active lifestyle for the UP Tacloban community.
The 46-square-meter facility is located at the Student Lounge (SL) Building next to the basketball, pickleball, and volleyball courts in the Arts and Sciences complex. It is open to UP students and staff members, in line with UP Tacloban’s commitment to promoting wellness, physical fitness, and athletic development within the campus community.
 
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A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
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]]> UP Tacloban inaugurates Natural History Museum and Herbarium https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-tacloban-inaugurates-natural-history-museum-and-herbarium/ Mon, 25 May 2026 06:52:14 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11050

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UP Tacloban inaugurates Natural History Museum and Herbarium

25 May 2026

UP Tacloban inaugurated its Natural History Museum and Herbarium at its new and permanent location in the Leyte Samar Heritage Center on 22 May 2026 as part of the college’s celebration of its 53rd founding anniversary.
A group of officials gather at an entrance to perform a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, using scissors to slice through a wide, golden mesh ribbon decorated with a large red bow. Captured from just outside the doorway, the team works together to officially open the venue as onlookers watch.
(L-R) Natural Museum and Herbarium Faculty-in-Charge Jay T. Torrefiel; Dean Patricia B. Arinto; Associate Dean for Academic Affairs John Paul T. Yusiong; and Associate Dean for Administration Arvin L. De Veyra, gather to cut the ceremonial ribbon. The event officially marks the grand opening of the UP Tacloban Natural History Museum & Herbarium.
The museum and herbarium houses approximately 3,000 biological, botanical, zoological, geological, and other scientific specimens collected by the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics over the last 50 years. It is one of the few organized and accessioned natural history museums in Eastern Visayas.
 
Most of the specimens in the collection are from student projects submitted over the years. Among the oldest is a specimen of Elephantopus mollis (Turutabako, Waray), an herbaceous perennial plant commonly found in tropical climates, collected by Rosalina Pacheco on 3 September 1976 in Tanauan, Leyte. Pacheco was a member of the pioneering class of the then newly established UP College Tacloban.
Three women stand with their backs to the camera, looking into a large glass display case that showcases a taxidermied Philippine Eagle perched on a branch. The eagle's prominent brown and cream feathers are on full display, while reflections in the glass reveal other museum visitors and exhibits in the background.
Visitors admire the majestic, taxidermied Philippine Eagle on display inside the newly opened museum.
The museum exhibits are organized into major animal groups—Mollusca (snails and clams), Arthropoda (insects and spiders), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes), Osteichthyes (bony fishes), Amphibia (frogs and salamanders), Reptilia (snakes, lizards, and turtles), Aves (birds), and Mammalia (mammals). The centerpiece is a specimen of the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi, Critically Endangered, IUCN 2026) donated to UP Tacloban by the Philippine Eagle Foundation in May 2025.
Also featured are notable endemic and threatened species, such as the Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica, Vulnerable, IUCN 2026), Philippine Sailfin Lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus, Vulnerable, IUCN 2026), Samar Water Monitor (Varanus samarensis, Vulnerable, IUCN 2026), Philippine Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas, Critically Endangered, IUCN 2026), Philippine Deer (Rusa marianna, Vulnerable, IUCN 2026), and Visayan Warty Pig (Sus philippensis, Vulnerable, IUCN 2026).
 
According to Assistant Professor Jay Torrefiel, the faculty-in-charge of the facility, the UP Tacloban Natural History Museum and Herbarium addresses the need for an institutional repository dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of the natural heritage of Eastern Visayas. It supports students, educators, researchers, and partner institutions by providing valuable reference materials for instruction, taxonomy, biodiversity assessment, ecological research, environmental monitoring, and conservation planning. The museum also plays an important role in documenting endemic, native, rare, and threatened species, contributing to regional conservation efforts.
 
A man and a woman look closely into a glass museum cabinet filled with preserved biological specimens, including small skeletons and butterflies.
Visitors explore the detailed exhibits at the newly opened museum, viewing a variety of preserved biological and anatomical specimens on display.
Two men stand side by side, smiling as they look into a glass museum display case containing various animal skulls and horns. Other visitors are visible in the background browsing the gallery.
Guests admire the impressive collection of faunal skeletal remains on display at the museum's exhibition.
“By preserving plants, animals, rocks, and other records of life, the museum and herbarium helps us understand and protect the region’s remarkable biodiversity. It also reminds us that conservation begins with knowing what we have, valuing it, and keeping it for the next generation,” Torrefiel said.
 
In her message during the museum’s inauguration, Dean Patricia B. Arinto noted that “It is especially fitting that the museum and herbarium are now housed at the Leyte Samar Heritage Center, the university’s principal platform for culture and heritage studies in Eastern Visayas. Locating the museum here affirms an important insight—that culture and ecology are deeply interconnected and understanding our region requires us to study not only its histories and traditions, but also its landscapes, biodiversity, and environmental realities. In this way, the Leyte Samar Heritage Center becomes a space where scientific research, cultural memory, public humanities, and environmental stewardship can meaningfully converge.”
 
The museum and herbarium’s inauguration followed Torrefiel’s professorial chair lecture on “Documenting a Floristic Crisis: Threatened Vascular Plants of Samar Island, Philippines.” Torrefiel holds the Cornelio A. Manuel, Jr. Professorial Chair in AY 2025-2026.
 
Coincidentally, the professorial chair lecture and the inauguration of the UP Tacloban Natural History Museum and Herbarium took place on the United Nations’ International Day for Biological Diversity.
 
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A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
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]]> Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026: National Youth Literary Festival https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/pagsaribo-han-panuratan-2026-national-youth-literary-festival/ Fri, 22 May 2026 07:24:04 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11063

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Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026: National Youth Literary Festival

22 May 2026

The Division of Humanities of UP Tacloban, in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), will hold the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026: National Youth Literary Festival at UP Tacloban College, Tacloban City, Leyte. Running from 17 to 19 June 2026, the festival will convene young writers, scholars, students, and literary practitioners nationwide for lectures, workshops, performances, and book fairs celebrating Philippine literatures, languages, and creative expression and exchange.
 
Registration is free, but slots are limited. Interested participants should register through this link on or before 29 May 2026: https://forms.gle/VfDvPMSxixzJujk36
 
For more information, access this information kit: https://tinyurl.com/NYLF2026Info
 
For inquiries, contact Asst. Prof. Jessa Amarille at jaamarille@up.edu.ph.
 
An official poster for the "2026 National Youth Literary Festival" features the colorful acronym "NYLF" and the text "Pagsaribo han Panuratan." The poster lists Tacloban City, Leyte, and the dates June 17–19, 2026, alongside institutional logos at the top.
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]]> Maroon Pride Shines as EVR-SCUAA 2026 Opens in Tacloban City https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/maroon-pride-shines-as-evr-scuaa-2026-opens-in-tacloban-city/ Thu, 14 May 2026 01:33:24 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11017

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Maroon Pride Shines as EVR-SCUAA 2026 Opens in Tacloban City

20 April 2026

Bringing the maroon spirit to the center stage, UP Tacloban stood tall with pride and honor during the opening ceremonies of the 39th Eastern Visayas Regional State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association Meet on 20 April 2026.
The UP Tacloban Fighting Maroons—composed of 152 athletes and 34 coaches—marched alongside fellow athletes from colleges and universities across Eastern Visayas in a vibrant parade along the major thoroughfares of Tacloban City, culminating in a spectacular opening program at the Leyte Sports Development Center.
Following the ceremonies, a series of sporting events across various venues in Tacloban City is set to begin on 21 April 2026 and will run until 25 April.
Anchored on the theme “One SCUAA 8: Strengthening Unity through Sports,” EVR-SCUAA 2026 is co-hosted by Eastern Visayas State University, Leyte Normal University, and UP Tacloban.
 
 
  • EVRSCUAA8Sports and Athletics

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A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
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]]> UP Tacloban Hosts Advocacy Fun Run for Women’s Rights and Student-Athlete Support https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-tacloban-hosts-advocacy-fun-run-for-womens-rights-and-student-athlete-support/ Thu, 07 May 2026 02:23:27 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=11000

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CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY

UP Tacloban Hosts Advocacy Fun Run for Women’s Rights and Student-Athlete Support

16 April 2026

More than 400 runners joined the “UP Tacloban Fun Run for Women’s Rights” held on 12 April 2026. The fun run was organized by UP Tacloban’s Physical Education and Gender and Development programs to help raise awareness of sexual violence prevention and promote the advancement of women’s rights, in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The fun run also served as a fundraising initiative in support of UP Tacloban’s student-athletes in the upcoming State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) regional meet.
The runners, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and running enthusiasts, gathered at the UP Tacloban AS Grounds for the opening program before the gunstart at 4:30 AM. The event concluded with a zumba session and the awarding ceremony.
Ella Auria Adora, a first-year Media Arts student, was declared the "fastest woman in the race."
Denis Tavieza won first place, finishing at 16 minutes and 44 seconds.
Michael Sevilla finished first in the 3km category with a time of 10 minutes and 42 seconds.
The event’s sponsors included Ocho Seafood and Grill, UP Tacloban Employees Multipurpose Cooperative (UPTEMC), Portraits Realty, Calico Cakes and Creations, and Mhavvi Water Refilling Station.
  • SDG10ReducedInequalitiesSDG5GenderEquality

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A group photo of approximately 50 participants of the 2026 Island Studies International Conference (ISIC) gathered inside the Leyte Samar Heritage Center in Tacloban City. The Philippine and UP flags are visible on either side of the group, with the iconic statue inside the venue partially seen on the right. The participants, wearing conference name tags, smile toward the camera at the conclusion of the three-day international conference.
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A row of graduates is seated under an outdoor tent, captured from behind during a commencement ceremony. They are dressed in formal cream-colored attire with the traditional University of the Philippines maroon and green "Sablay" sash draped over their shoulders.
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Four individuals participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the entrance of an indoor venue, cutting a decorative ribbon with a large red bow. Guests are gathered in the background, witnessing the opening event.
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]]> UP Tacloban Expands UPCAT Access Through Region-Wide School Caravan https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/up-tacloban-expands-upcat-access-through-region-wide-school-caravan/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:43:03 +0000 https://www.uptacloban.edu.ph/?p=10981

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TATAK UP

UP Tacloban Expands UPCAT Access Through Region-Wide School Caravan

7 April 2026

UP Tacloban’s Ugnayan ng Pahinungod spearheaded an UPCAT information caravan on 11 and 13 March 2026, reaching 86 public senior high schools in 63 municipalities in Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar. A total of 6,179 Grade 11 students participated in simultaneous information sessions conducted by UP Tacloban faculty members, non-teaching personnel, and student volunteers.
The caravan is part of UP Tacloban’s annual Dayón Kamo ha UP campaign to encourage senior high school students to take the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT). The campaign aims to ensure wider dissemination of information on UP college admissions and scholarships and academic programs in UP Tacloban, particularly for deserving students from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas in Eastern Visayas.
  • SDG4QualityEducation

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