The University of the Philippines, under the leadership of President Angelo Jimenez, is moving toward becoming a more transformative university by placing service at the heart of its mission. This shift echoes UP’s eighth flagship program: the Expansion of Public Service Offices — a commitment to utilizing knowledge to address real-world needs and uplift communities. Known to many, on May 14, 2024, “service” was officially added to UP’s motto, to now be “Honor, Excellence, and Service.” This historic change affirms that true honor and excellence are best realized through meaningful service to the nation.
This, coupled with emerging needs and new opportunities, necessitated changes in the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs under Atty. Marian Coquia-Regidor to ensure alignment with and fulfillment of the university’s strategic direction. Reorganization was thus needed to update the last approved 1983 organizational structure of its office and the mandate approved at the 1134th Board of Regents meeting on Aug. 26, 1999. After almost 26 years, a reorganization proposal that takes into account the need for “unification of management of public service monitoring and volunteerism, and to institutionalize the public service structural component” was taken up and approved by the BOR, in its 1402nd meeting on Aug. 28, 2025.
In essence, the OVPPA redefined its functions and responsibilities to reflect the expanded mandate for public service, traditional and digital media communication platforms, strengthen alumni, private sector, and government linkages: (1) to develop relations with various publics; (2) to develop programs, and review and rationalize policies on public service; (3) to manage the official publications of the UP System; (4) to explore and monitor legislative initiatives; (5) to inform internal stakeholders of university policies and programs; and (6) to perform other functions as may be assigned by the UP President. Apart from these, organizational changes were included to effectively carry out revisions. OVPPA units in its revised structure are: Media and Communication Office, Padayon Public Service Office, Ugnayan ng Pahinungód, and the Office of Alumni Relations.
Renaming of MPRO to MCO
In the BOR’s 1326th meeting on April 5, 2017, the UP System Information Office was renamed Media and Public Relations Office. The OVPPA proposal says the new name intended to accurately represent the office’s functions and avoid possible confusion with the Information Technology Development Office under the Office of the Vice President for Development, recognizing that information “had evolved from connoting ‘news’ to emphasizing ‘data,’ which had become more closely associated with information technology and management information systems.”
In an interview, Assistant Vice President for Media and Communication Dr. Teresa S. Congjuico emphasized that today’s contemporary media landscape has undergone substantial transformation and that the name “MPRO” no longer reflects the office’s scope and responsibilities. “While it encompasses both media relations and engagement with internal and external stakeholders, the office’s present activities and services extend significantly beyond traditional relations engagement.”
“‘Media and Communication Office’ more accurately represents the comprehensive scope of the UP System’s communication initiatives and reflects the office’s current role as both a digital media outlet and a strategic communicator that caters to the information needs of the UP community and the general public,” she added.
Its approved and updated mandate states that UPS-MCO is “to be responsible for the production, and dissemination of news and information to the UP community and the university’s various publics.” It now comprises administrative, knowledge and quality management, content creation, UP brands and engagement, and media management functions.
Pahinungód Returns
The Ugnayan ng Pahinungod was established in 1994 under UP President Emil Javier’s leadership. It was transferred to the OVPPA in 1999, when President Francisco Nemenzo succeeded Javier. A devolution policy let each UP unit decide on the Pahinungod Program. UP Manila, UPLB, and UP Visayas kept the program, while UP Diliman dissolved it and shifted volunteer efforts to college extension services under the UP Diliman Office of Extension Coordination.
The program was revitalized in 2019 by then UP President Danilo Concepcion, remaining under the Office of the President until being recently returned to the OVPPA via the BOR decision.
In the 1360th BOR meeting on April 29, 2021, the organizational structure of Pahinungód was approved, with support from then Regent Jimenez, who proposed “identifying the priority programs of the University so that there is coherence in the initiatives of the CUs.”
Since 1998, its centerpiece program, Gurong Pahinungód, has deployed UP graduates to 160 public schools nationwide. With the OVPPA’s board-approved updated mandate and core functions, the service-oriented initiatives of its offices “ensure the effective and quality delivery of services, with relevant partner institutions, for and to the University’s stakeholders.” Pahinungód’s return to the OVPPA is strategically a cohesive approach that unifies public service efforts across the System, integrating Pahinungód and OVPPA programs to create impactful synergy for the social good.
While the newly-renamed MCO adapted to media shifts, Pahinungód found its way home.
