The People of OVPAA
The Vice President for Academic Affairs
Leo DP Cubillan, MD, MPH
Dr. Leo Cubillan is a leading advocate of eye health in the Philippines. He took his undergraduate in the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, majored in biology (magna cum laude). He finished his medical degree from UP Manila College of Medicine (most outstanding intern) and obtained his master's degree in Public Health from University of California Berkeley (highest honors). He then completed his fellowship on Cornea, Uveitis, and External Diseases at the University of California San Francisco.
He held several leadership positions including Director of the Philippine Eye Research Institute, Deputy Director for Administration and Finance (DDAF) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) UP Manila and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for the NIH Building and New Clark City Projects. He also serves as Clinical Faculty of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (DOVS), Philippine General Hospital (PGH), UP College of Medicine. He spearheaded various eye health projects and policies with both national, regional, and international institutions for the prevention of blindness and improvement of eye health care among Filipinos. He started his journey in Philippine Eye Research Institute in 1995. The institute is considered the oldest institute of the NIH and was created under RA 4593 on June 19, 1955. He is the fifth and immediate past Director.
He played an active role, in collaboration with the DOH and DepEd, in the policy development of the National Vision Screening Program (NVSP) for the Kindergarten (Republic Act 11358) which was signed into law on July 31, 2019. NVSP provides early detection and prevention of blindness among children and was awarded the 2017 Alberto Romualdez, Jr Outstanding Health Research Award (AROHRA) in the Health Services Research Category.
He was a recipient of the 2008 Jose Rizal Awardee for Academe and Research, an honor conferred on exceptional Filipino physicians whose lives, work and values emulate the national hero’s ideals in their love of God and country, dedicated to profession, and concern to fellowmen. He also received UPAA Distinguished Alumnus in Public Health Promotion Award in 2016 for his continuous dedication and contribution to improving the health of Filipinos.
He is currently the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the UP System.
The Assistant Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and the Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ma. Theresa T. Payongayong, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Curriculum and Instruction)
Ma. Theresa T. Payongayong is a professor at the Department of Philosophy of the UP Diliman (UPD) College of Social Sciences Philosophy (CSSP) where she teaches feminist philosophy, philosophy for children and Filipino philosophy, among others.
She was CSSP College Secretary from 2011 to 2014 and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2014 to 2017. She served as University Registrar (2017-2020) before being appointed as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) in 2020. After her term as VCAA in 2023, she served a brief stint as officer-in-charge of the UPD Office of the Chancellor.
While performing her duties as administrator, Payongayong continued to do scholarly work. She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals; the most recent ones include Reflexive-Liberative Filipino Feminist Ethics in Kritike: An Online Journal of Philosophy (2020) and Programang Pananaliksik Tungo sa Multikultural at Katutubong Edukasyon in Talas: Interdisiplinaryong Journal sa Edukasyong Pangkultura (2020).
She has authored various textbooks, such as Sophia: An Introduction to Philosophy (Pilot Edition; 2018) published by the OB Montessori Publishing House, Inc. and Pamimilosopiya: Mga Pagdulog at Konsepto (co-authored with Perseville U. Mendoza and Jeanette L. Yasol-Naval; 2011) published by the UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino. She has also written two modules for the general education course Ethics 1: Pantayong Pananaw (2018) and Pilipinolohiya (2018). In October 2009, her creative work titled Si Leo, ang Batang Lito, a philosophy for children story, received a special citation from the United Nations Population Fund.
Payongayong has attended and presented papers in many conferences and fora held in the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, the United States of America, and Japan. Among the recent papers she presented are From Babaylan Feminism to Feminist Philosophy (2019) at the 5th Congress of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies, Towards Improving Student Retention and Graduation Rates at the University of the Philippines (co-authored with Francisco N. delos Reyes and Evangeline C. Amor; 2019) at the ASEAN Quality Assurance Forum, and Training for the Nueva Ecija Senior High School Teachers: Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person (2019) and Teachers Training on Philosophy for Children Program (2019) at Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference or CUPSCON 3.
To contribute to the commitment of the University to extension work and public service, she involved herself with Serepungan: Research Training and Partnership Program with Notre Dame of Midsayap College, Tabi-tabi Folkloradyo for DZUP 1602, research writeshops for Notre Dame University-Cotabato and Holy Angel University, and other extension programs and projects.
As a proof of her dedication to teaching, research, and public service, she received various grants and awards from both UP System and UPD. Among these are One UP Professorial Chair Award (2019-2021, 2022-2024), UPD Centennial Professorial Chair (2021), and UPD Centennial Faculty Grant (2016, 2018, 2022).
Payongayong completed her bachelor’s (Philosophy), master’s (Philosophy), and doctoral (Philippine Studies) degrees at UPD. She is a member of the International Association of Women Philosophers, Women’s Studies Association of the Philippines, Asian Association of Women’s Studies, Aliguyon-UP Folklorists, Inc., and Asosasyon ng mga Dalubhasa, may Hilig, at Interes sa Kasaysayan.
Percival F. Almoro, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Research)
Dr. Percival Flavier Almoro is a professor at the National Institute of Physics (NIP), University of the Philippines Diliman. He researched on holograms, phase retrieval, and optical metrology during his postdoc fellowship stints at the University of Utsunomiya, Japan in 2014, Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark in 2008-2009, and at the University of Stuttgart, Germany in 2006. Dr. Almoro is a Member of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas, National Research Council of the Philippines, Philippine-American Academy of Science & Engineering, and a Senior Member of Optica (Optical Society of America). He was appointed Topical Editor in the Optica journal Applied Optics and currently as Section Editor for the Elsevier journal Optik. Dr. Almoro has served as the Coordinator of the NIP Photonics Research Group and the General Education Committee. He promotes active learning, inter-disciplinary collaboration, and internationalization. For extension and public service, he advocates innovation partnerships including conducting outreach workshops in photonics and fostering sustainable research through group mentoring.
Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Quality Assurance)
Dr. Alyssa Peleo-Alampay is currently Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Quality Assurance) of the University of the Philippines System in charge of quality assurance. She was Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Curriculum and Instruction) from July 2014- March 2019. Dr. Peleo-Alampay has served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Science and as Deputy Director for Academic Affairs of the National Institute of Geological Sciences in UP Diliman.
Dr. Peleo-Alampay is a Professor of Geology at the National Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She obtained her B.S. and M.S. in Geology at the University of the Philippines and her Ph.D. in Earth Science at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA. Dr. Peleo-Alampay is a Balik Scientist Awardee of the Department of Science and Technology and awarded as one of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service in 2007. She was also awarded the 2020 Outstanding Professional in Geology of the Professional Regulation Commission.
Ma. Shari Niña G. Oliquino
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Student Affairs)
Director, Office of Student Development Services
Shari Niña Oliquino is the current UP System Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Student Affairs) and Director of the University’s Office of Student Development Services. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 2017 and is set to receive her Master's degree in Community Development in 2023 after completing all the requirements needed for the said program offered by the UP College of Social Work and Community Development.
Ms. Oliquino also served as the Head Executive Assistant / Chief of Staff of the Department of Transportation’s Undersecretary for Railways from 2022 to 2023 and as a Consultant for Public Affairs of the Mayor of the City of Manila from 2020 to 2022. She also worked as a TV Host at DZRH News Television, a News Reporter at People's Television Network, an Online Program Host for civic media group Now You Know PH, and as a Political and Communications Officer for a national candidate during the 2022 National Elections.
Back in her undergraduate years, she was actively involved in various leadership positions in organizations such as the UP Broadcasters' Guild and the UP Beta Sigma Ladies Corps where she served as the Vice President for Activities and Education and Vice President for External Affairs, respectively. From 2015-2018, she served as the Lead Convenor of the Rise for Education Alliance-UP Diliman — leading about a hundred member formations inside the campus. In 2017, She was elected as one of the UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) Councilors with over 4,500 votes and eventually served as the Head of the USC's Students’ Rights and Welfare Committee.
A year later, she was selected as the UP Student Regent — the sole representative of around 50,000 UP students in the highest policy-making body of the University.
As the UP Student Regent, she was at the forefront of student campaigns such as Free Education, Academic Freedom, and Expansion of Student Services.
Imee Su Martinez, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization)
Director, Office of International Linkages
Imee Su Martinez is a Professor of the Institute of Chemistry University of the Philippines-Diliman. Her research interest is surface chemistry, characterizing molecules at interfaces using surface-specific techniques. The systems that she is presently studying are ionic liquids for various applications, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP), lipid layers, self-assembled monolayers (SAM), and marine biological samples. She became a UP Scientist in 2019, and holds a One UP Professorial Chair. Her advocacy and extension work are on the peaceful and ethical use of Chemistry, sitting as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). She served as the Director of the Office for International Linkages (OIL) Diliman from 2017 to 2019, before joining the OIL System as Deputy Director in 2020. She is currently the Director of OIL System, and the AVP for Internationalization under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Jose Antonio R. Clemente, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Faculty Development)
Dr. Jose Antonio R. Clemente is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy at University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), where he obtained his BA Psychology (magna cum laude) and MA Psychology degrees. He completed his PhD in Psychology at the University of Macau. He considers himself a scholar-advocate of Social and Indigenous Psychology. His research interests include the social psychology of social class and inequality, cultural values, interpersonal relationships, living wage, and the role of traditional and new media in education and in improving quality of life. He has been involved as a Program Manager and Project Leader in two research programs funded by UP’s Emerging Interdisciplinary Research Grant. He currently holds a One U.P. Professorial Chair Award in Sikolohiyang Pilipino for Outstanding Teaching and Research.
Ton is a former president (2020-2022) and lifetime member of the Pambansang Samahan sa Sikolohiyang Pilipino. He is also the Southeast Asia Regional Representative of the Asian Association of Social Psychology from 2019-2023. Prior to his post as the Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, he was the Director of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (2020-2023) and the Graduate Program Coordinator of the Department of Psychology (2018-2020) in UP Diliman.
