PhilOHUN charts its future as a Philippine network for One Health
The Philippine One Health University Network (PhilOHUN) held its first strategic planning meeting on July 4 and 5, 2022, in Metro Manila. The meeting was well attended by 14 faculty members from nine member Universities, who set their mission, vision, strategic activities, elected their officers, and prioritized their registration as a legal entity with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission.
Elected PhilOHUN officers are:
1. Dr. MICHAEL L. TEE of the University of the Philippines Manila as Chairperson
2. Dr. NEIL C. TANQUILUT of Pampanga State Agricultural University as Vice Chairperson and Coordinator
3. Dr. MARIA FE S. BULAO of Pampanga State Agricultural University as Secretary
4. Dr. LOTIS M. BALALA of Visayas State University as Treasurer
The occasion marked the addition of members from two new universities into the network – Partido State University and Western Visayas State University, bringing the total number to 11 Member Universities. It ended with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the faculty members.
The strategic planning meeting was supported by Chevron under the SEAOHUN regional project “Strengthening One Health Education in Southeast Asia”. Under this social investment, the establishment and stabilization of PhilOHUN, the youngest country network of SEAOHUN, was earmarked as a key milestone to support the expansion of One Health curricula in the Philippines. Ms. Dee Bourbon, Senior Social Investment Advisor, and two representatives of Chevron Philippines attended the event to provide inputs on how to craft a mission, vision, and objectives to be attractive for partners to invest in PhilOHUN. Dr. Vipat Kuruchittham, SEAOHUN Executive Director, and Ms. Gabrielle Iglesias, SEAOHUN liaison to PhilOHUN, provided inputs into the Network’s direction, priorities and possible organizational arrangements.
(Clockwise from upper left) Ms. Dee Bourbon, Senior Social Investment Advisor of Chevron; Dr. Vipat Kuruchittham, SEAOHUN Executive Director;
Ms. Gabrielle Iglesias, SEAOHUN Liaison to PhilOHUN; Mr. Joel J. Gaviola, Corporate Affairs Advisor, Chevron Philippines
To support PhilOHUN activities as well as strengthen the connection to initiatives implemented with SEAMEO Tropical Medicine (TROPMED) Philippines, Chevron and SEAOHUN met on July 6, 2022 with Prof. Vicente Y. Belizario Jr., the former Centre Director of the SEAMEO TROPMED Philippine and Dean of the College of Public Health, and his research team who were awarded SEAOHUN Small Grants in 2020 and 2021.
On July 7, 2022, SEAOHUN, PhilOHUN and Chevron visited the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in the Philippines to exchange updates on the activities and interests in One Health and Global Health Security in the country.
Comments