Students from UP Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) and Republic Polytechnic in Singapore (RP) immersed themselves anew in the recently concluded month-long Temasek Foundation International Specialists’ Community Action and Leadership Exchange Program held in the Philippines.

The TFI SCALE Program aims to promote cultural, cognitive, social and emotional engagements among Southeast Asian youths.

In the ninth iteration of the program, students from the National Institute of Geological Sciences (UPD-CS NIGS), Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), and National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (UPD-CS NIMBB) collaborated with students from RP’s School of Applied Sciences. The exchange students visited Mt. Pinatubo, the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), and the Parañaque Science High School (ParSci) to explore the country’s climate, biodiversity, research and sustainability issues.

The participants were divided into three groups: the microplastics group which examined the presence of microplastics in Manila Bay, the coliform group which investigated human and animal waste in the bay, and the mangrove cleanup trash segregation group which surveyed various types of trash found in the protected mangrove area of LPPWP.

The said students also conducted a Youth Community Engagement Program for Grade 7 students of ParSci. The outreach program included activities meant to raise awareness of climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability among ParSci students, especially since the school is located right beside one of the major tributaries of Manila Bay.

In her closing remarks, program coordinator Dr. Lillian Jennifer Rodriguez underscored the program’s importance in teaching the youth about sustainability, building lifelong ties, and producing future leaders.

UPD chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II signed a memorandum of understanding in the presence of RP officials, solidifying future partnerships between the two institutions. The MoU stated that both parties will collaborate on the “exchange of students, including student internship; joint lectures, research activities, symposia, and projects; exchange of academic materials, publications, and information; and exchange of academic staff.”

“This program fostered a rich exchange of experiences. The formalization of this partnership between UP Diliman and Republic Polytechnic definitely paves the way for more students to forge friendships, expand their knowledge, and strengthen relations between our countries,” Raymond Gallego, one of the program’s participants and student of UPD-CS NIGS, said in his testimonial.

Aside from Gallego, the CS students who completed the program were Francesca Petero, Alena Taladua, Kristina Marie dela Cruz, Johannah Isabel Sengson, Florence Maryanna Agcaoili, Sabine Alexa Guinto, Martine Gabrielle Rosete, Josef Emil Artiaga, Sean Michael Maghirang, John Daniel Regala, John Nash Guzon and Glenn Vallespin.

MoU signing by UPD chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II and RP’s senior director for student services Ashley Chua at UPD-CS administration building auditorium.