University Fellow chaired first APCRH scientific committee

Dr. Pilar Ramos-Jimenez, University Fellow and associate professor of the Behavioral Sciences Department, chaired the Scientific Committee of the highly successful First Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health (APCRH) which was held on February 15-19 at the Philippine Trade Training Center.

The theme of the conference was “Quality RH (reproductive health): On Track with the International Conference on Population and Department Commitment.” It was organized by the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc. with support from the Department of Health, the Commission on Population, UNFPA, Ford Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, Embassy of New Zealand, and the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Ramos-Jimenez also convened the first plenary session entitled “Fulfilling the Cairo Commitments” which had speakers from China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. She facilitated the meeting of NGO representatives leading to the creation of an RH network among NGOs and individuals in the Asia-Pacific region.

Behavioral Sciences Department Chair Dr. Romeo Lee, also participated in the conference as convenor of the parallel session on male involvement. All the graduate students of the DLSU-BSD Health Social Science graduate program served as rapporteurs of selected parallel sessions of the conference.

CLA faculty read papers in 5th International Conference on Japanese Studies

A La Salle-Ateneo joint international conference was held on March 8-9 at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. The theme for this year’s International Conference was “Challenges and Opportunities of Japanese Studies in the New Millennium.”

Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta, director of the Yuchengco Center for East Asia and faculty of Political Science Department, read a paper titled, “Philippines-Japan Relations during the Aquino and Ramos Administrations.”

Psychology Department faculty Dr. Alex Abrenica gave a lecture on the plight of Japinos in the Philippines.

Japanese Studies Program Coordinator and Philosophy Department faculty Laureen Velasco also spoke on “Zen’s Paradigm of No-Paradigm: Seeing the Suchness of the Japanese.”

In addition, Mamoru Tsuda of the Osaka University of Foreign Studies, this year’s Japanese Studies visiting professor, presented a paper titled, “The Need for an Integrated Approach towards Japan-Philippine/Philippine-Japan Relations.”

Other paper presentors came from the University of the Philippines-Visayas, Kyoto Sangyo University, the National University of Singapore, University of Western Sydney, and ADMU. The conference culminated in a buffet dinner at the residence of Japanese Ambassador Yoshihisa Ara.

The conference was made possible through the generosity of the Japan Foundation. The organizing committee members from DLSU-Manila were Dr. Eduardo Ugarte, International Studies Department Chair, and Velasco of the Japanese Studies Program.

Book honoring Brother Andrew launched

A festschrift titled Quest for Insights Into Faith: Charting New Paths and Direction for Religious Education was launched on March 17 at the Ariston Estrada Seminar Room. The book was conceived by Adamson University President Fr. Jimmy Belita, CM in honor of Brother Andrew Gonzalez, FSC.

Published by Adamson University, it features 12 essays and monographs.
The lead essay was written by Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi, OP, DD. Among the contributors are faculty and graduates of DLSU-Manila’s Religious Education Department: Brother Bill Garvey, FSC, Fr. Herman Hendrickx, Dr. Jose de Mesa, Dr. Nati Pagadut, Dr. Carol Fallarme, Dr. Julius Wangiwang, Brother Luke Nguyen, Dr. Carmen Gaerlan, Mr. Hernan Raymundo, Fr. Jimmy Belita, and Sr. Ma. Corazon Manalo, DC.