The OVCRD Report (May 2011-April 2014).2.10.14 | Page 26

UP Diliman

Affirming Convergence through Externally-Funded Projects

In UP Diliman, the convergence of
disciplines can be seen not only in
initiatives that are funded by the University
itself, but also in several research programs
that are supported by external funding
sources.
One such program, funded by the
Philippine Council for Health Research and
Development (PCHRD) under the DOST, is
The Discovery and Development of Health
Products: Extracts of Terrestrial Plants and
Organisms for Bioactivity and ADMETox
Assay. The research program, spearheaded
by Dr. Evangeline C. Amor of the Institute
of Chemistry (IC), aims to study indigenous
and endemic plants for potential
pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products
for curing various ailments that afflict not
just Filipinos but the world population.
Collaborating institutions in this program
include the UP Diliman Marine Science
Institute (MSI), Benguet State University,
Aurora State University, and Herbanext
Laboratories, Inc.
Another program funded by the DOSTPCHRD and implemented by the UP
Diliman IC in cooperation with the
Institute of Biology (IB) studies the
medicinal potentials of Moringa oleifera,
locally known as malunggay. The Research
Team, led by Dr. Irene M. Villaseñor,
believes that the comprehensive study of
this miracle plant will pave the way for
developing natural and affordable health
products for the treatment and prevention
of various diseases like arthritis,

hypertension, diabetes, tumors, and other
metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Science and umanities come together in
WHATSUP: Weather and Hazard Alert and
Tracking System for Urban Areas in the
Philippines, recipient of a research grant
from the Oscar M. Lopez Center for
Climate Change Adapt ion and Disaster
Risk Management Foundation, Inc. (OML
Center). The 18-month program, headed by
Dr. Benito M. Pacheco of the Institute of
Civil Engineering (ICE), is subdivided into
three projects that look into (1) the use of
crowd-sourced data as additional input to a
weather prediction model; (2) the
verification and validation of internetresident (website information) and crowdsourced data (Twitter, Facebook, SMS,
email) to create a database for disaster
scenarios that will become a reference guide
to an alert system for disaster risk
assessment; and (3) the use of a website to
link environment specialists with citizens
seeking localized, customized information
about their environment-related concerns.
The large-scale WHATSUP program aims
to achieve a science and technology-based,
interdisciplinary approach in working
towards a cl