Newsletter: Baring the ‘silent violence’ of Philippine jails

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Conversations about Philippine jail congestion often begin and end with statistics: thousands of case backlogs, cells built for 50 crammed with 200 bodies, and facilities straining at 300 to 400 percent beyond capacity. Yet these numbers barely capture the everyday human cost of overcrowding. 

What does punishment feel like when confinement overwhelms the senses?

Newsletter: UP Study Traces Extreme Waves through Ancient Coastal Boulders

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Large boulders, some weighing as much as a large truck, are scattered along the rocky coastline of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.

Newsletter: Solving the Philippine Education's Greatest Problems

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The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) final report titled “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reforms" emphasizes the need to invest in early childhood and primary education, improve learning outcomes by Grade 3 to build a foundation for future learning and skill development, and reform teacher workload and school staffing structures.

Newsletter: AI for All: Teachers gear up for the future of learning with PLDT and Smart

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PLDT champions teacher professional development through its “AI for All” bootcamp.

Filipino teachers are now discovering how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can make teaching smarter, simpler, and more impactful.

Newsletter: PLDT, Smart, ADZU launch literacy apps to support Chavacano and Tausug communities

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PLDT and Smart, in partnership with Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU), have officially launched the literacy mobile applications Apprende and Hinduan.

As the world becomes more and more digitally borderless, helping children retain and learn in their native languages safeguards the Philippines' rich linguistic heritage and makes education more accessible, meaningful, and culturally rooted for future generations. Toward this, PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc., in partnership with Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) and with the support of the Department of Education – Division of Zamboanga City, have officially launched the literacy mobile applications called "Apprende" for Chavacano and "Hinduan" for Tausug.

Newsletter: Alonaw Business School Unveils Fifth Investment Education Course with AI Integration

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In an era of rapidly evolving global financial markets, comprehensive investor education stands as a cornerstone for sustainable economic development. The Philippine government has consistently advocated that enhancing investors' knowledge base and skill sets is fundamental to achieving enduring stability in today's volatile market conditions. 

Newsletter: Bird poop to the rescue: Using bird perches for forest regeneration

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By: Dr. Jelaine L. Gan

Reforestation activities typically involve planting trees in degraded areas. However, tree planting is resource-intensive, requiring labor for the planting and more importantly nurturing of the seedlings, and may be expensive and limited by seedling supply. Moreover, there is always a question of whether the right plant species (i.e., native rather than non-native economically important species) are being planted to benefit biodiversity. 

Newsletter: UP Scientists’ Invention Could Lower Terahertz Antenna Device Cost

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) have developed a new semiconductor structure that could lead to more affordable and reliable terahertz (THz) technology—used in applications ranging from medical imaging to high-speed wireless communication.

Newsletter: Bitget joins UNICEF Game Changers Coalition to provide blockchain education to 300K people in 2025

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Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has entered a three-year partnership with UNICEF Luxembourg to advance digital skills and blockchain literacy among young people.

Newsletter: UP Physicists Visualize Evolution of Global Values Over Four Decades

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Scientists from the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) have generated culture maps using data from the Integrated Values Survey (IVS).

Newsletter: Harnessing the Power of AI for Startups: Insights from Allan Tan

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Alan is a techno-preneur and AI engineer with a proven track record in developing AI-driven solutions. He is the founder and Chief AI Strategist of Predictive Systems, a company committed to ethical and high-performance AI. Allan’s career includes founding Ideyatech, which was later acquired by Monstar Lab, and mentoring startups through Founder Institute Manila. He is also the creator of the Artificially Intelligent YouTube Channel, where he shares insights on AI’s evolving landscape.

Newsletter: Globe nurtures youth at 1st-ever student community builder pitch day

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Marxandrea Diane. Cabato from DLSU-Manila presents on behalf of Google Developers Student Group at the Globe Student Community Builder Pitch Day.

Over 150 students from 63 student organizations gathered for the first-ever Globe Student Community Builder Pitch Day, a platform designed to nurture student-led initiatives through mentorship, collaboration, and direct support from Globe.

Newsletter: Conference on education and technology launched successfully

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THE National Education & Technology Conference (EdTek Con) 2025, titled “Unfolding the future of education,” was staged successfully for the first time at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino in Lahug last Friday, March 28, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., beginning with registration at 7 p.m.

Newsletter: Cyber security and resilience key factors to user online protection, economic growth

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The 2025 Cyber Resilience Summit: Delivering Competitive Advantage Through Security held March 5-6 at the Crowne Plaza Manila is the first of its kind in the Philippines. The event featured top level experts from the Philippines and the SEA region representing government, finance and technology, banking and healthcare, BPM, advocacies and education, and the Armed Forces.

Newsletter: EdTech start-up founder and CEO takes industry to next level

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URSEL Murillo-Laureno has been the co-founder and CEO of EdFolio and SkoolTek, taking solutions in education technology (EdTech) to the next level.

Newsletter: Xavier School Nuvali Awarded for Commitment to Sustainability by SolX Technologies and DOE

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Xavier School Nuvali has been officially awarded the Excellence in Institutional Sustainability Award for its leadership in renewable energy adoption and commitment to sustainability. The award, co-presented by SolX and the Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes the school’s significant efforts in reducing its environmental impact through a rooftop solar energy system.

Newsletter: Taal volcanic ash can be used for radiation shielding, Filipino researchers find

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Researchers from the Ateneo de Manila University and from National University- Mall of Asia Campus have found a surprising new use for the copious amounts of volcanic ash scattered across the Philippines: it can be used to shield against harmful radiation. 

Blocks of geopolymer mortar made from Taal volcanic ash (TVA) freshly removed from their molds after being left to cure for 24 hours. It was found that the natural presence of iron-rich minerals in TVA give it strong radiation attenuation properties. CREDIT: Myris V. Supnad

Radiation shielding is essential for hospitals, industrial sites, and nuclear facilities. These places use ionizing radiation for beneficial purposes such as in helping doctors treat sick organs and broken bones; looking for structural weaknesses in buildings; or helping sterilize food for longer shelf life. Though useful, exposure to ionizing radiation can be harmful for prolonged periods—hence the need for shielding. However, currently available materials like concrete and lead can be expensive and environmentally hazardous. Construction materials made from volcanic ash offer a potential sustainable and lightweight alternative.

Newsletter: UPD-CS Spearheads Workshop on Promoting Innovation and Industry Collaboration

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By: Eunice Jean C. Patron

Participants of the OGSM Workshop. (Photo credit: UPD-CS Innovation Committee)

Institutions around the globe are working toward creating scientific innovations to address the challenges faced by humanity. Likewise, Filipino scientists are striving to find solutions to the Philippines' concerns.

Newsletter: Memes improve learning and attitude towards science, Ateneo study finds

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Ateneo de Manila University researchers have found that using internet memes to teach science can significantly improve learning outcomes for senior high school students.

Sample memes that were successfully used to teach biology to Grade 11 high school students. The students not only scored better in tests, they also said they felt more confident in their newfound ability to grasp and use scientific concepts. SOURCES: Reddit.com, Twimg.com, Imgflip.com, and Pinimg.com

Over 200 Filipino private high school students in Grade 11 were involved in the study, which specifically focused on kids in non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) tracks who are required to take biology as part of their curriculum. The students were divided into two groups: the experimental classes, where teachers gave biology lessons infused with memes; and the control classes, which received traditional teaching materials without any meme content.

Newsletter: UP Physicists Extend Condensed-Matter Principle in Realistic Set-Ups

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By Harvey Sapigao

Liquid helium in superfluid phase. (Photo credit: Alfred Leitner)

At extremely cold temperatures, things become fascinating. Much like how water turns into ice, some matter undergoes phase transitions that give them interesting properties. Just above absolute zero, for example, aluminum transforms into a superconductor, while helium isotopes change from gas to superfluid. A foundational principle, known as the Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM), explains how these materials behave as they cool at different rates.