PUP - an Epistemic Community:

An Evaluation of
Polytechnic University
of the Philippines
– Taguig’s
Corporate
Social
Responsibility
PUP - Epistemic Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -
Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

This essay evaluating the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Taguig

Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility and ethics entitled “PUP - Epistemic
Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Taguig Branch’s
Corporate Social Responsibility” serves as the final output for the subject Business Logic
under Dr. Angelito R. Calingo. The paper was made through the joint efforts of the
following students of BSA 2-1:
 Alojado, Andrea N.
 Carpizo, Keff Joshua C.
 Dolz, Jazz Jade N.
 Domiquil, Renz Christian D.
 Garcia, Merlyn Grace M.
 Isidro, Aleena Andrea Q.
 Ladringan, Justine Jane R.
 Legaspi, Darwin E.
 Mallillin, Niño Raphael A.
 Talledo, Christian Jay

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PUP - Epistemic Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -
Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

Quality and relevant education; these are the key words and main objectives for
the establishment of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Taguig Branch in year
1992. This is in line with the vision of the whole PUP system stating, “Clearing the paths
while laying new foundation to transform the Polytechnic University of the Philippines into
an epistemic community”. An epistemic community pertains to a community where
acquisition and distribution of knowledge take place. Along with this are the 8-point
agenda or the objectives that the University wants to obtain, including institutionalizing
civil society engagement and involved extension program. The University aims to expand
its extension and community involvement and to redefine its involvement in LGUs and
their communities, as well. One of the goals of the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines is to partner with industry and other research and development institutions in
order to strengthen and upgrade the knowledge and skills of faculty and students, which
will create a mark of gradual peace of change in the University by placing high premium,
not merely on providing better quality education, but also on engaging in sustainable
community development programs that will pave way to a greater community
collaboration and innovative solutions that will help the community in economic and social
development. Annually, PUP complies with necessary documents with Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) that will help the University maintain its provision of quality
standard education. Aside from CHED, PUP also submits an annual report to BIR in
compliance to taxes and other governmental responsibility, earning a good record in its
corporate governance and the Seal of Transparency.

With this, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, in its more than a century
of existence, has provided high-need state scholars access to excellent education as it
continuously strive to set and uphold the standards of a true academic-driven and civil-
oriented institution.

Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ Extension Service Program

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines defines “Extension” as a systematic

transfer of technology, innovation, or generation, generated by the Higher Education
Institution (HEI) and its partner to seek solution to specific developmental concerns. This
definition was adapted by the PUP from the CHED Memorandum Order No. 52 Series of

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PUP - Epistemic Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -
Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

2016. According to CHED, extension should be purpose-specific, target-specific, and

need-specific program of action, utilizing the best available data, science, and evidence
from a range of disciplines to inform systematic approaches to developmental solutions.

The main point of the University Extension Vision, Mission, and Objectives is to
uplift the community’s quality of life by conducting extension programs and partnering
with the LGUs and other institutions that may help the PUP achieve their goals.

The agenda of the University Extension falls under three categories; Transfer of
Expertise, Outreach Community and Voluntary Service. Transfer of Expertise, such as
welding, electrical wiring, and basic computer training, are usually series led by the faculty
extension trainings and programs based on the needs assessment result of the target
beneficiaries. Outreach Community, usually done through feeding programs and clean
up drives, are made on a regular basis which focuses on immediate programs and short-
term activities. Voluntary Service, such as the the Salin Kaalaman, Tungo sa Kaunlaran
– An Expert Transfer of Technology Project, is a charitable research-based or non-
research-based extension service.

PUP TAGUIG EXTENSION DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the Polytechnic University of the

Philippines – Taguig Branch is mainly on outreach and research-based extension
programs that are geared towards community development and empowerment of its
constituents. This is in line with the 8-Point University Agenda “Institutionalizing Civil
Society Engagement and Involved Extension Service Program” that seeks to increase the
involvement of the University in improving the society and the quality of life of the people,
especially the underprivileged ones. Its CSR is centered on its advocacy of creating an
epistemic community, which is through faculty-led extension trainings and programs,
outreach community services, and acts of volunteerism.

The Edukalinga and the Salin Kaalaman are the flagship projects of the branch’s
community extension program. It is designed to educate, train, and mentor constituents
of Barangay Lower Bicutan and other communities with various skills that will be

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Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

beneficial for their livelihood and employment. These trainings will also contribute to their
well-being as they become self-sufficient members of the community.

Under the Salin Kaalaman series, the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants
conducted a seminar entitled “Plan-Spend-Evaluate: Effective ways of spending your
money right”. This focuses on budget literacy seminar directed to the Sangguniang
Kabataan officers and member of Taguig City. This program held in Mercado de Lago,
Barangay Lower Bicutan, Taguig City on April 6, 2019 was aimed at educating the
participants on how to do the proper budgeting to avoid exhausting the finances of local
or national government and private businesses. Another part of this series is the Dunong
Teknikal, Kaagapay sa Makabuluhang Pamayanang Lokal workshop which was
sponsored by the Junior Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers and Association of
Electronics Communication Engineering Students. This two-day event focused on
sharing the technical skills of the two courses involved to the selected beneficiaries which
are neighboring barangays of the university.

Mentors’ Society together with Marcelo Green Village Elementary School’s Summer
Reading Camp last April 26, 2019 and also their workshop was an example of the
Edukalinga franchise. The officers of the organization prepared stories, games and prizes
for the students. The main objective of this event is to share and to entertain the students
and the out of school students by means of reading stories. A workshop entitled “Mentor’s
Creative Writing workshop: Emerging Writers in Progress” was also held on June 28,
2019 at Education Laboratory to discuss various topics about feature writing.

The branch’s Central Student Council together with the admins were also involved
in an outreach benefitting the BANAI community. Notebooks and pencils that were
garnered and given, were collected during the Battle of the Bands as a fundraising activity
as well as some donations from the other student bodies.

A Community of Socially Responsible Universities

Along with PUP – T, in the roster of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with
available information in terms of outreach and extension programs are the following:

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PUP - Epistemic Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -
Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

Ateneo de Manila University

The main part of the extension programs of Ateneo de Manila University is

education. The institution gives scholarship grants to students from secondary education
to Law School, establishes facilities such as school buildings and libraries, provides
performance excellence awards to teaching and non-teaching personnel, and allocates
funds to deserving athletes who want to study in ADMU. Furthermore, the university
participates in disaster relief and rehabilitation as one of its outreach programs.

Centro Escolar University

Different outreach organizations, from faculty, students up to its alumni, build the
foundation of community department of Centro Escolar University. In its imperative of
actively participating in community education and service, the university achieves its
mission through programs ranging from livelihood, health and nutrition, environmental
protection and conservation, up to volunteerism in calamity-stricken communities.
Additionally, CEU has helped in the establishment of Manila Boy’s Town Complex which
houses underprivileged people in Manila, particularly street children and senior citizens.

De La Salle University

A diverse set of programs aimed at creating social impact consists the corporate
responsibility of De La Salle University. The extension program of the university promotes
education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and environmental sustainability. Most of their
community engagement projects are based on universal rights, greatly emphasizing the
need of providing to those who are deprived with basic human rights.

University of the Philippines

A vast list of public service programs comprises the CSR of the University of the
Philippines system, as a whole. Their services cover different subject areas of interest
such as agriculture, arts, health, technology, and sciences among the others. The faculty
and the studentry realize these extension programs through conferences and forums,
trainings, and outreach to beneficiaries.

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Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

University of Santo Tomas

At its core, University of Santo Tomas incorporates the concept of church, home
and nation in its community development program, from UST – SIMBAHAYAN. Driven by
its mission the Catholic educational institution immerses through different regions of the
country to help partner communities by means of training and education, to empower
people as cohesive units of the community, to sustain long-term development, to
advocate social rights, and to strengthen spiritual connection of people.

Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendation

The University's vision is to transform the University into an epistemic community.

Acquisition and distribution of knowledge is not limited only to the four corners of our
rooms, but it expands its branches to reach all other members of the community. At least
one of the University's mission, vision, goals, and objectives is aimed at the expansion of
its extension and community involvement. Such ambition requires huge amount of effort.
By conducting extension service programs and partnering with LGUs and other
institutions, the University compensates for its lapses in achieving these agenda.
Precedents of this are the “Edukalinga and Salin Kaalaman” with a grail of educating and
training mentor constituents in Taguig. Programs under Salin Kaalaman are “Plan-Spend-
Evaluate: Effective ways of spending your money right”, pioneered by the Junior
Philippine Institute of Accountants which focused on providing information for budget
literacy to the Sangguniang Kabataan officers and members. Another is “Dunong
Teknikal, Kaagapay sa Makabuluhang Pamayanang Lokal”, spearheaded by the Junior
Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Association of Electronics
Communications Engineering Students, which aims to share technical skills from the two
organizations. For the Edukalinga program, examples are the Summer Reading Camp
lead by the Mentors’ Society, which aimed to share, teach, and entertain students as well
as out of school students. Another example is the “Mentor’s Creative Writing workshop:
Emerging Writers in Progress“, another program pioneered by the Mentors’ Society,
which focused on discussing feature writing. These programs are only some examples of
the extension programs lead by the PUP Community outside the University’s premises,
in line with the University’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives. These programs prove

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PUP - Epistemic Community: An Evaluation of Polytechnic University of the Philippines -
Taguig Branch’s Corporate Social Responsibility

that the University fulfills its social responsibility. However, such effort is only a necessity,
but not sufficient, for the University to achieve such intention. No institution is perfect.
Consequently, all institutions have rooms for improvements, and the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines is no exemption. The University must cover a wider variety
of programs which produce knowledge and skills which will help better the living
standards of people in the community. The programs must not also be only about the
speakers, talking about the lessons and ending the program with just that. These
programs must be interactive. Very interactive that at the end of the program, the
audience may have produced outputs. The audience will exit the venue, with not just
knowledge implanted in their memory, but also with technical skills which they have put
into practice during the flow of the program that they will carry, practice, and enhance
after being involved in such a project. This is what the University should aim. Programs
that will not just engrave knowledge, but also carve deeply skills. Because the information
presented to them will just be forgotten in a short span of time. But, when we carve skills
into their brain and muscles, those skills will be retained, which they can develop, nurture,
improve, or modify, for the changing needs of our industry, community, and society.

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References

Ateneo de Manila University. (2019). Giving. [online] Available at:

https://www.ateneo.edu/giving?fbclid=IwAR3Rvu09oqnQHZhrpdLaf_WWMofVKAUQQr
Gxnwb7Vf8-ahwa37F_Xs0-eFQ [Accessed 22 Oct. 2019].
Ceu.edu.ph. (2019). CEU Community Outreach Department | Centro Escolar University. [online]
Available at: https://www.ceu.edu.ph/community-outreach [Accessed 22 Oct. 2019].
De La Salle University. (2019). Sustainable Development - De La Salle University. [online]
Available at: https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/ovplm/cosca/what-we-do-
2/lsd/?fbclid=IwAR2pDmHfdRPUBWzXZowENgdiME8W1poLCZwrdONhf85hRxqp9ofTT
E2oSUc [Accessed 22 Oct. 2019].
Extension Manual. Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Padayon UP. (2019). UP Catalogue of Institutional Public Service. [online] Available at:
https://publicservice.up.edu.ph/sample-
catalogue/?fbclid=IwAR35iOgUyGo7O0WTfM5LxfZ8vysgm--
WJC0MmWZtuduSUYqitekCaP07mek [Accessed 22 Oct. 2019].
Ust.edu.ph. (2019). Community Development - University of Santo Tomas. [online] Available at:
http://www.ust.edu.ph/community-development/ [Accessed 22 Oct. 2019].