“A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” – Forest Witcraft
iAmUPHi is a non-stock non-profit association of UP High School alumni organized to help UPHSI meet the challenges of a limited budget and students’ financial and emotional needs.
iAmUPHi has always recognized the need for uninterrupted education. And its donations came at a crucial time when the threat of infection made traditional face to face learning impracticable.
In March 2020, the country went into complete lockdown. iAmUPHi and the UPAA, Iloilo Chapter (under the banner, “UP Fight!”) came to the forefront of COVID initiatives in Iloilo City and helped capacitate COVID testing centers, distribute PPEs, and provide food and housing for stranded UP constituents and other members of the community.
Even now, it is still active in the fight against COVID through its relevant projects aimed at helping the city and the community fight COVID 19, equip the medical front-liners with much-needed PPEs, and enable the people to cope with the demands of quarantine measures.
The pandemic forced a shutdown of almost all activities, including education. Schools and universities had to migrate to remote learning without the benefit of methodical planning or preparation.
UPHSI was not spared from this emergency. Remote learning, however, cannot be fully implemented without online learning devices.
When it was announced that there would be no face-to-face learning in schools, iAmUPHi immediately mobilized to procure laptops under its “Learning Devices Campaign Project,” – which is aligned with the “KAAGAPAY PROJECT” of the UP System led by President Danilo Concepcion.
This is also consistent with the ISKOmpyuter project of UP Visayas. The initiative received a big boost when retired Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza gave his full support to the drive by rallying his jubilarian class of 1965 and other high school batches in the call for donations.
iAmUPHi was able to procure 175 laptops in record time through its funds, contributions, and donations from its membership and other well-meaning individuals and companies.
The laptop donations empowered UPHSI and its students to quickly transition to remote and online learning, which is consistent with the vision of iAmUPHi when it was conceived three years ago – to bring educational content to the unserved and underserved members of the Philippine population – a goal which is fully supported by the newly installed UPV Chancellor, Dr Clement Camposano.
From October 1 to 3, 2020, iAmUPHi Alumni Association donated its first 150 laptops to deserving UP High School Grade 8 and 9 students to help fill the need for a device when participating in the UPHSI remote learning program.
The remaining 25 laptops were further distributed to Grade 7 Students last November 13, 2020. (https://www.upv.edu.ph/index.php/news/uphsi-students-receive-175-laptops)
