Dear Members of the UP Diliman Community,
Ìý
Today, the national government will start implementing more stringentÌýmeasures in an effort to control the spread of the epidemic. These areÌýtrying times for our country, and I would like to reach out to ourÌýcommunity – our faculty, students, REPS, staff, and campus residents.ÌýLet us continue to look out for each other. Let us use this period toÌýhelp each other find our bearings.
The national response to COVID-19 has cost to all of us, but for some,Ìýthe burden will be and has already been greater. On UP Diliman’s part,Ìýto help minimize the impact of continuing containment measures, weÌýannounced last night the suspension of classes, including the onlineÌýmodes of learning, until 14 April. We recognize that during thisÌýemergency our faculty and students have concerns other than theirÌýclasses. Caring for our families and for ourselves comes first.
We heeded the appeal of faculty and students who rightly pointed outÌýthat unequal access to personal computers and the internet existsÌýamong our community.Ìý We support our students’ call that no one shouldÌýbe left behind in their education.
The shift to online classes has also not been smooth for our faculty,Ìýwho have had to learn new skills and revise their syllabi overnight.ÌýWe hope to provide more support to our faculty in order to equip themÌýfor online teaching and blended learning.
For those who are able, let us use this period of home and communityÌýquarantine to learn and familiarize ourselves with the onlineÌýplatforms made available by UP. These too are technologies we canÌýtransform as a means to support our community – to check on eachÌýother, to exchange stories, to explore collective action.
In addition, work on campus is also suspended, except for frontlineÌýand vital offices. These include our health services and communityÌýpolice force, among other units. For the rest of our staff, theÌýwork-at-home arrangement will remain.
To ease worries about sustaining our families in the next weeks,Ìýsalaries of regular and non-UP contractual personnel for March will beÌýreleased early. We are also making arrangements for the early releaseÌýof salaries for the month of April.
As for the communities around UP Diliman, we hope to find ways toÌýcontinue working with the barangays within the context of ongoingÌýrestrictions. Rest assured that we will do our best to keep UP’sÌýpledge to serve the marginalized.
Lastly, this pandemic is something that we are experiencing for theÌýfirst time. But UP Diliman has seen tough times in the past, andÌýemerged resilient. Crises have a way of bringing people together.Ìý OurÌýsolidarity will help us get through this period, and beyond.
Muli, maraming salamat sa lahat.
Fidel R. Nemenzo
Chancellor
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