UP Manila Political Science Program

University of the Philippines Manila delegates at the UP Systemwide General Education Conference

COMING UP: Collective Actions and Academic Freedom: Sharing Organizing and Mobilizing Experiences

📅 June 4, 2026 (Thursday)
⏰ 3:00 PM-5:15 PM (Philippine Standard Time)
💻 Via Zoom

Register here: https://bit.ly/4nOmVOu

12 SENATORS ENOUGH TO CREATE QUORUM - SC RULING

The new Senate majority bloc on Wednesday cited the Supreme Court’s ruling on Avelino v. Cuenco as their legal basis for the leadership revamp in the chamber.

The case involves 12 senators who held a quorum after then Senate President Jose Avelino and nine of his allies walked out of the session and replaced him with Sen. Mariano Jesus Cuenco.

READ MORE: https://inqnews.net/AvelinoVCuencoQuorum

Buwan ng Unibersidad 2026

Tumutugon. Naglilingkod. Para sa Bayan.

Join the University of the Philippines’ Buwan ng Unibersidad 2026, a month-long series of activities that commemorate UP’s founding anniversary on June 18. Highlighting the university’s core values of honor, excellence, and service, the UP community celebrates the achievements, people, and enduring traditions that have shaped the university over the last 118 years — while reaffirming UP’s enduring commitment to serve the Filipino nation and its people.

Visit the website to know more:
https://up.edu.ph/buwan-ng-unibersidad-2026/

For incoming First Year students

The College of Arts and Sciences joins communities around the world in celebrating Pride Month, recognizing the diversity and richness of human experiences and reaffirming our commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and supportive academic community for all.

As part of this celebration and in line with our continuing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Department of Behavioral Sciences, through the Graduate Program in Health Policy Studies (Health Social Science), in partnership with the Office of the Gender Program of the College of Arts and Sciences, will co-host the online forum “The Right to Care Act: Advancing Inclusive Health and Social Protection in the Philippines” this June (details will be announced soon).

The forum aims to provide a platform for meaningful discussions on the proposed Right to Care Act and its potential role in advancing the rights and welfare of LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families in the Philippines. Specifically, the discussion will examine how the proposed legislation seeks to uphold the right of individuals to designate their chosen caregivers and decision-makers, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or family structure, particularly in matters involving healthcare, medical decision-making, and access to social protection.

As LGBTQIA+ communities face persistent barriers to securing equitable healthcare, legal recognition, and supportive social systems, the forum will also explore the broader social, legal, and public health implications of the proposed measure. By bringing together scholars, advocates, policymakers, health professionals, and members of civil society, the event seeks to foster informed dialogue on inclusive care systems, human rights, and policy reforms that contribute to a more compassionate, inclusive, and equitable Philippine society.

Through this initiative, the College of Arts and Sciences reaffirms its support for evidence-based policymaking, social justice, and the promotion of human dignity for all, in the spirit of Pride Month and beyond.

Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development’s special issue of ASSERT was written and designed by UP Manila Political Science students.

𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗨𝗘 𝗜 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

This April 2026 special issue of ASSERT is one of the outputs of Ma'am Beatrice Fernandez’ NSTP class from the UP Manila Political Science Program. The IOHSAD team extends our gratitude for the efforts and work poured by the students, from planning and actual press work, to complete and release this newsletter.

We hope that the statements and articles you have written will be translated into lifelong advocacy for workers' OSH and labor rights.

📌 This issue features:
● A report on the tragic Binaliw Landfill collapse in Cebu
● IOHSAD 2025 Annual OSH Incident Report and the urgent need for stronger occupational health and safety protections
● A column by IOHSAD's Occupational Health Physician, Dr. Camille Joyce Cruzada, on her inspiring journey in OSH and her service to Filipino workers

📌 Also inside:
● Editorial: "Isang Araw, Isang Kamatayan"
● Push the OSH Agenda Forum in UP Manila
● News Updates: Forum on Corruption and Bureaucrat Capitalism organized by the PAMATU - Pagkakaisa ng Mamamayan ng Tundo and 40th EDSA Anniversary Commemoration
● Feature: Effects of extreme heat on women workers' health
● Climate change and its impacts on workers' health and safety

🔗 Visit the IOHSAD website and download the ASSERT Newsletter here: https://iohsad.com/assertapr2026/