UP Engineering Research & Development Foundation Inc.

Background

The UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation Inc (UPERDFI) is a non-stock and non-profit private foundation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the Department of Science and Technology.

Since its establishment in 1972, it has committed to support the UP College of Engineering in Diliman (UPDCOE) by generating financial resources; managing endowment funds and specified donations; awarding financial support for the faculty and students; administering donations (financial and in kind) for buildings and classrooms and for research and instructional laboratories; and advocating for academe, government and industry linkages that focus on research and academics.

UPERDFI comprises about 150 members who are mostly alumni of UPDCOE, and is run by a fifteen-person Board of Trustees: eleven elected to serve three-year overlapping terms, and four ex-officio members. UPERDFI works with the UP Alumni Engineers Association, Inc. (UPAE) in mobilizing support from individuals and corporate organizations. It provides some administrative support to the UP National Engineering Center (UP NEC), particularly with regards research projects and technical activities undertaken by the center.

UPERDFI is recognized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as a Donee Institution, exempting donors from paying donor's tax and providing 100% expense deductibility of donations for donations of a minimum of P50,000. It is also a listed recipient of donations made through the Friends of the University of Philippines Foundation in America (FUPFA), enabling donors to receive an Acknowledgement Letter recognized by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The SGV & Co. is the independent auditor.

Motivations for supporting UPDCOE

Express your gratitude. Demonstrate your passion. Monetize your pride. Memorialize your beloved. Invest in the best.

UPERDFI invites our alumni and friends to be more engaged and involved in propelling the UPDCOE into a role of greater influence in crafting the future of the Philippines by strengthening engineering education, with a renewed emphasis on technological advances, research and applications that have important and lasting national and international consequences. Our donors have established many kinds of support such as Professorial Chairs, Student Scholarships and Grants, Laboratories in Different Engineering Departments, and Student Now Pay Later Program.

The University Philippines Engineering Research and Development Foundation Inc. (UPERDFI) is a non-stock and non-profit private institution registered with the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission and with the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. Since it was established in 1972, UPERDFI has committed to support the State-owned UP College of Engineering in Diliman (UPDCOE) the learning home of 5,000+ students in the bachelor, master and doctorate programs, with over 260 faculty members. UPERDFI generates financial resources; manages endowment funds and specified donations; awards financial support for the faculty and students; administers donations (financial and in kind) for buildings and classrooms and for research and instructional laboratories; and advocates for academe, government and industry linkages that focus on research and academics.

UPERDFI comprises about 125 members who are mostly alumni of UPDCOE. A fifteen-person Board of Trustees with eleven elected to serve three-year overlapping terms, and four ex-officio members. It works with the UP Alumni Engineers Association, Inc. (UPAE) in mobilizing support from individuals and corporate organizations and provides administrative support to the UP National Engineering Center (UP NEC) in technical research.

The Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue recognizes UPERDFI as a Donee Institution. It is also a listed recipient of donations made through the Friends of the University of Philippines Foundation in America, a 501 (c)(3) US Internal Revenue Service non-profit organization. The SGV & Co. is the independent auditor.

Faculty Support

1. Laboratories and Software Licenses Research and instructional laboratories are critical, as the faculty and students carry out projects that require more intensive and extensive scopes. State-of-the-art technology software and equipment multiply the productivity of brainpower resident in the College.

2. Buildings and Classrooms. There are several new buildings at the Engineering Complex in the southern part of UP Diliman that need to furnish the classrooms. It is necessary to fit these classrooms or conference rooms with a set of multimedia equipment, ergonomic chairs and desks, air-conditioning, lighting and sunlight breakers.

Student Support

3. Scholarships, Study Grants, and Thesis Support Grants. Full scholarships for tuition, books and monthly stipend; Study grants and Thesis grants are needed by the 300+ UPDCOE students belonging to the tuition-discounted brackets of the UP socialized tuition scheme.

4. Student Research Projects and Competitions. The depth, breadth and innovation of research and design projects that the UPDCOE students undertake are impressive. The Dean’s College Fighting Fund pool helps the teams of student in the registration fees, airfares and hotel costs for international competition.

5. Student Internships and Faculty Exposure Programs. UPDCOE is moving towards making corporate internships a required coursework. The Associate Dean for Institutional Linkages administers the Industry and Government Linkage with Academe Program (IGLAP) for internship.

6. Student Awards. Recognition for academic excellence and outstanding all-around performance provide much needed encouragement and motivation to our students. Sponsors provide cash awards to the best and the brightest graduates in the Department or Institute of choice.coe.upd.edu.ph

7. Student Loans. To further increase the options for financially-strapped students, the UP Alumni Engineers has set up the Study Now Pay Later Plan (SNPL) and has enlisted UPERDFI to administer the loans. Repayment is due to start three years after graduation, or earlier, when the borrower can afford to repay on a scheduled installment plan.http://upae.org/a-fruitful-night-for-the-snpl-program/

Faculty Development

8. Professorial Chairs. To support the renewed efforts of making UP a research university, awarding chairs to faculty encourages the faculty to do research on top of their teaching roles. Chairs set up in 2016 and 2017 carry the tag “Electrical, or Mechanical, or Mining, Engineering Centennial Professorial Chair”.

9. Faculty Grants. These grants are given to faculty members handling courses that require new teaching innovations, or to junior faculty taking their master’s studies, or faculty who are pursuing specific thesis or research projects.

10. Sponsored Research Projects. With the UP NEC, companies can engage faculty-led teams in carrying out in-depth research projects to address specific subjects enabling skills exchange/transfer from academe to industry and vice versa.

Course Development

11. Sponsored Courses. The University recognizes the importance of industry experts handling a course of their specialization, subject to satisfying academic requirements. Industry is encouraged to co-develop courses with the appropriate Department or Institute.

12. In-house Degree Courses. The Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute have established inroads in industry with Master of Engineering degree courses. Professors conduct the coursework at UP or at the host company’s site, with the basic course curriculum required by the College, and the lab/practical courses tailor-fitted to the company’s requirements. The other Departments and Institutes are developing similar courses also.

13. Lecture Series. Alumni can share their career experiences to inspire students and help in career mentoring by participating in the Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series.

           UPERDFI ORGANIZATION, 2016 - 17

Chairman, Board of Trustees – Pedro H. Maniego, Jr.
President – Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr.
Vice President – Rosario S. Calderon
Treasurer & Corporate Secretary – Aura C. Matias
Comptroller – Editha J. Atienza

       Members of the Board of Trustees, 2016 – 17 

ELECTED:
Silvino Alcabasa, Jr.
Alfonso A. Aliga, Jr.
Filemon T. Berba, Jr.
Rosario Calderon
Isidro A. Consunji
Pedro H. Maniego, Jr.
Aura C. Matias
Rogelio M. Murga
Antonio M. Ostrea
Ramon B. Segismundo
Emilio J. Tumbocon

EX-OFFICIO:
UPDCOE Dean - Rizalinda L. de Leon
UPDCOE Faculty Representative – Joseph Reyes
UP System Representative - Joselito G. Florendo
UP Alumni Engineers President – Liberito Espiritu (2016), Adrian Arias (2017)

Council of Advisers:
Leopoldo V. Abis
Magdaleno B. Albarracin, Jr.
Cesar A. Buenaventura
Marcelo Casillan, Jr.
David M. Consunji
Jesus P. Francisco
Manuel T. Frondoso
Fortunato T. de la Pena
Gregorio Vigilar
Cesar E. A. Virata

Past Presidents:
Dean Alfredo L. Juinio (+) Founding President
Leopoldo V. Abis

           UP DILIMAN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP TEAM

Dean: Dr. Rizalinda L. de Leon

Associate Deans:
Dr. Menandro Berana (for Research and Instruction)
Dr. Rhandley Cajote (for Student Affairs)
Dr. Nathaniel Diola (for Administration and Facilities)
Dr. Eric Augustus Tingatinga (for Institutional Linkages and Alumni Affairs)

College Secretary: Dr. Jhoanna Pedrasa

Academic Unit Heads:
Dr. Ricardo Sigua (Institute of Civil Engineering)
Dr. Richard Hizon (Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute)
Dr. Terence Tumolva (Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
Dr. Jan Michael Yap (Dept. of Computer Science)
Dr. Ariel Blanco (Dept. of Geodetic Engineering)
Prof. Lowell Lorenzo (Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research)
Prof. Ralph Jose (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering)
Dr. Magdaleno Vazquez, Jr. (Dept. of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering)

Program Coordinators:
Dr. Michael Pedrasa (Energy Engineering)
Dr. Augustus Resurreccion (Environmental Engineering)

UP NATIONAL ENGINEERING CENTER

Executive Director – Dr. Rizalinda L. de Leon
Deputy Executive Director – Dr. Mili-Ann Tamayao