The top photo shows the participants and key officials with the Commitment Banner at the closing ceremony.
The nonteaching staff of UP Mindanao reaffirmed their dedication to serving the University of the Philippines, Mindanao, and the nation during the closing ceremonies of the 2nd Nonteaching Personnel Seminar and Conference held off-site in Davao City on May 14–15, 2025.
With a spirited chant of “UP Mindanao, Damlag!” (“UP Mindanao, the Future!”), the personnel encapsulated the event’s theme, “Building Foundations for a Stronger UP Mindanao Nonteaching Workforce.” The chant also echoed UP Mindanao’s 30th anniversary theme: “Damlag: Shaping the Future Together.”
This collective declaration responded to Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao’s call for an empowered workforce and a decentralized university administration.
“As individuals, we each carry a vital piece of our university’s future. Our theme speaks of a shared vision—of a workforce grounded in common values, empowered in their roles, and actively shaping the university’s direction,” said Chancellor Murao. “My goal for my second term is simple: to become invisible. That is, to enable a people-first, decentralized culture where everyone feels empowered to act.”
Over the two-day conference, nonteaching personnel and administrators engaged with UP’s learning and development programs and explored actionable strategies for institutional growth and personnel development.
Assistant Vice President for Administration Tiffany Tan, one of the event’s resource speakers, reinforced the Chancellor’s policy direction in her talk, “Building Respectful and Collaborative Work Relationships.” She introduced personality assessment frameworks and discussed their impact on workplace dynamics and leadership, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and mutual understanding. Her session served as an entry point to the Relationship Operations and Sensitivity Enhancement Seminar (ROSES) and the Work Attitude and Values Enhancement Seminar (WAVES)—key components of UP’s Linang program.
“What is UP for?” she asked. “To serve the Philippines! To help address the country’s most urgent social and development concerns.”
OVPA Program Development Associate Pepito Dizon, another resource speaker, presented the principle of Completed Staff Work (CSW)—a cornerstone of the Linang framework. Using the Filipino dish pakbet as a metaphor, he demonstrated how CSW improves the quality of decision-making, operational efficiency, and institutional productivity by encouraging thorough, actionable reporting.
On the second day, participants formed workshop groups to identify solutions to pressing issues. Vice Chancellor for Administration Leo Manuel Estaña led by example with a cause-and-effect diagram analyzing the persistent challenge of the lack of plantilla items. Each group presented recommendations during a plenary session, beginning their presentations with team chants that added energy and camaraderie to the discussions.
The teams tackled a range of operational concerns—including workspace limitations, infrastructure needs, and client service gaps—while emphasizing the university’s core values of integrity, collaboration, and professionalism. Recommendations spanned issues such as job security, workload distribution, and professional development, and included proposals for improved communication systems, enhanced training opportunities, and better organizational processes. Discussions also touched on budget allocation, scheduling, and health and wellness initiatives.
“These group reports and recommendations will serve as inputs to the university’s upcoming strategic planning,” said Executive Assistant Allan Villanueva.
A Town Hall session followed, providing staff the opportunity to directly raise questions and proposals with university officials. Concerns ranged from university-wide systems to department-level issues. VC Estaña addressed several administrative matters, while Land Management Chief Joel Sagadal, Budget Officer Jo-An Garcia, and Professor Vic Calag offered insights into land use, financial processes, and workplace automation, respectively.
Representatives from various personnel sectors then delivered their closing statements. REPS Association President Michael Bonghanoy highlighted the dual administrative and academic nature of the REPS sector and called for better alignment within the university structure. Job Order/Contract of Service representative KC Ann Abella expressed gratitude for the privileges extended to their group despite their unique employment status. All UP Workers Union representative Analiza Fulvadora conveyed the shared concerns of administrative staff and thanked the administration for their responsiveness.
To conclude the event, participants individually placed university and anniversary logos onto a Commitment Banner featuring the iconic vinta boat of Mindanao—symbolizing the university’s collective journey forward.
Throughout the two-day event, participants also engaged in energizing physical activities that fostered connection and camaraderie. Many commemorated the event with group photos at a backdrop designed by REPS member Maiq Bonghanoy.
In her closing message, Chancellor Murao encouraged unity and perseverance:
“Daghang salamat ug padayon sa atong panaghiusa ug paningkamot alang sa atung damlag!”
As a way forward, the conference participants committed to several next steps: undertaking personal assessments for growth, aligning roles with individual strengths, increasing opportunities for decentralized leadership, and fostering initiatives that allow personnel to lead and thrive within a supportive institutional culture.
Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao gives Welcome Remarks, calling for empowerment and decentralization
AVP Tiffany Tan speaks of UP’s mission
Program Development Associate Pepito Dizon speaks on Completed Staff Work
The participants and officials with resource speakers PDA Pepito Dizon and AVP Tiffany Tan (seated, front center)
The Town Hall session with university officials onstage
