A group of alumni from the UP Diliman (UPD) School of Statistics (STAT) provided financial assistance on Nov. 21 to four deserving students through the Adopt-a-Student program of the UPD Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA). (From left) OSG Officer-in-Charge Teresita G. Villamor-Barrameda, UPSSAAI President Ma. Josefa Rosario Y. Abanilla, Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Louise Jashil R. Sonido, and UPSSAAI Board Member and Chair of the Scholarship Committee Francisco N. de los Reyes of STAT. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO This academic year (AY) 2022-2023, four incoming undergraduate students (two juniors and two seniors) from the STAT will receive a P5,000 book allowance and a monthly stipend of P5,000 for 10 months (or a P10,000 stipend if they will enroll in the midyear term). The generous P260,000 donation was from the UP School of Statistics Alumni Association Inc. (UPSSAAI) through their UPSSAAI Financial Assistance Program. It is a grant-in-aid program exclusively for STAT students who are either in junior or senior standing and are from a low-income group. The funding was coursed through the Adopt-a-Student Program, which is implemented by the UPD Office of Scholarships and Grants (OSG) of the OVCSA. According to the OVCSA website, this program is exclusive to low-income students who may have lost other grants “due to academic standing or other matters, or those whose current grants/benefits are not sufficient to cover their needs.” From the 2nd semester of AY2013-2014 to the 1st semester of AY2022-2023, 331 students have received financial support from some 30 donors through the Adopt-a-Student Program.—With a report from the OSG

UPD holds first in-person Pag-iilaw Anna Regidor After two years of remote celebration, the annual Pag-iilaw ceremony was celebrated physically, with the participation of the UP Diliman (UPD) community on the evening of Dec. 9. Hours before the event, the students, faculty, staff, families from barangay UP Campus and the surrounding communities, and alumni began to gather in front of the Oblation Plaza to see the Christmas lights turn on for the season. The program began with a message from Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Luis Maria Bo-ot, PhD, who expressed happiness at the gradual and inevitable resumption of normalcy in the University and the presence of the community at the Pag-iilaw. “Pagkatapos ng higit dalawang taon muli tayong nandito, nagkikita-kita, nagtitipon ngayong gabi, at handa tayong harapin ang mga bagong kabanata, ang mga bagong landas na ating sasalubungin, na ating tatahakin, at kasama ang tapang, talino, at ngayon, galak,” said Bo-ot. He invited those present to all the other official activities planned for the Year-end: The UP Diliman Busker Festival 2022: A Fundraiser for Taguyod UPD on Dec. 11, at the UP Town Center Acacia Courtyard; Jazz for Christmas on Dec. 16 at the UP Carillon Plaza; and the culminating activity of the celebrations, the UP Lantern Parade, on Dec. 21 which will be held in person in the traditional format for the first time since 2020. His speech was followed by homegrown a capella group Iskollas, who sang a medley: Heto na Naman composed by National Artist (NA) for Music Ryan Cayabyab, Bibingka by Ben&Ben, and Noche Buena with lyrics by NA for Music Levi Celerio and music by NA for Music Felipe Padilla de León. This was followed by a message from UP President Danilo L. Concepcion delivered by Vice President for Public Affairs Elenia Pernia, PhD. In a message to the UPD community, UPD Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo mused on UP’s resilience as it transitions from the pandemic to a new normal.  “Naniniwala ako na ang tatak ng ating komunidad ay nag-uugat sa mga bagay na ating pinapahalagahan: Ang dangal, ang husay, talino at serbisyo publiko. Ito ang mga bagay na humuhubog sa atin at nagbibigay ng edukasyong Tatak UP. Ito rin ang mga bagay na ating dadalhin sa mga bagong landas na ating tatahakin,” he said. This was followed by a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in D Major RV 93 arranged by James Edwards and performed by Solaiman Jamisolamin, a professor of strings and chamber music at the UPD College of Music (CMu) along with CMu student and Gawad Tsanselor Natatanging Mag-aaral awardee, RJ Balledos. The kalesa of the Pag-iilaw. Photo by Jefferson Villacruz, UPDIO

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