https://www.facebook.com/237562859724543/

The Nutri Isyu of PUP Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition and Food Science Building, Polytechnic University of the Philippines Main Campus Anonas Street Sta. Mesa, Manila (2026)

Q: What is the address?

Nutrition And Food Science Building, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines Main Campus Anonas Street Sta. Mesa

10/10/2026

𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐍 | Sugarcoating Reality

A cold soft drink on a hot afternoon. A sweetened coffee before class. A flavored milk drink on the way home. For many Filipinos, these are ordinary choices, small comforts woven into the rhythm of everyday life. They are bought on the way to school, shared during meals, or picked up after a long day. But when these choices are repeated across millions of people, their nutritional consequences become larger than any single bottle. This is why sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have become a public-health concern. But the question facing the Philippines is no longer simply whether sugary drinks should be taxed. They already are. The more difficult question is this: if we want Filipinos to make healthier choices, is making one choice more expensive enough?

Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, the Philippines introduced an excise tax on SSBs in 2018, implemented through Revenue Regulation No. 20-2018. The regulation placed a tax on beverages containing added caloric or non-caloric sweeteners, with different rates depending on the sweetener used. Since then, the SSB tax has served two purposes: generating government revenue and using price as a tool to discourage excessive consumption. The logic behind this is simple. When a product becomes more expensive, consumers may purchase it less frequently, or switch to another option. Evidence from the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (n.d.) found that the policy initially increased beverage prices. However, sustained inflation and changing market conditions diminished the initial effect of the tax over time, suggesting adjustments on tax rates to maintain its effectiveness. However, if the tax becomes less effective as prices change, simply increasing it may not be enough. A worldwide analysis by Wendorf and Rogon (2025) found no significant difference in prevalence of linked diseases between countries with and without beverage taxes. While this does not prove that SSB taxes are ineffective, it raises a crucial question; is making sugary drinks more expensive enough to create a healthier diet outcome?

Sugar itself should not be portrayed as the enemy. The concern is excessive consumption of free sugars, particularly when sugar-sweetened beverages become a regular part of the diet. The World Health Organization (2026) advises that free sugars should make up no more than one-tenth of the daily energy consumption, noting that a target below 5% offers even greater health benefits. The concern becomes more serious when an occasional drink becomes a habit. In their systematic review, Haque et al. (2020) reported evidence linking the frequent consumption of SBB with various negative health outcomes. While these findings describe associations rather than proving that a single sugary drink directly causes disease, they highlight how repeated small choices can become a dietary pattern with long-term consequences. The concern, then, is not that every bottle of soft drink is dangerous, but when a convenient product becomes a regular source of free sugars in the diet.

And yet, telling people simply to choose something healthier ignores an uncomfortable reality: people do not make food choices in a vacuum. The Food and Agriculture Organization (2026) emphasizes that affordability of a healthy diet depends not only on food prices, but also on people's income and the broader system that produces, distributes, and markets nutritious food. A student may know that water is a healthier beverage but still buy a sweetened drink, a worker may know the importance of a balanced diet but choose the cheaper, more filling option after a long shift, a parent may want to serve healthier food at home but have to stretch a limited budget across an entire family. These choices are shaped by more than knowledge or discipline; they reflect affordability, availability, convenience, income, marketing, and habit. Nutrition, therefore, cannot be treated as individual responsibility alone. Thus, If the government chooses to increase the SSB tax, then the discussion should go beyond the tax itself. It should also consider whether the resulting revenue can help make healthier choices more affordable and accessible. Making one product more expensive does not automatically create healthier choices.

This is where an SSB tax should not be viewed as the entire solution. If an unhealthy beverage becomes more expensive while healthier alternatives remain inaccessible, the government may succeed in changing the price of one choice without adequately changing the environment in which people make that choice. Taxation may discourage consumption, but it cannot by itself put clean drinking water in every school, make nutritious food affordable in every community, or guarantee that healthier options are available to families working within a limited budget.

This is why the debate should not be reduced to whether Filipinos should be allowed to enjoy their favorite sweetened drinks. Nor should it portray sugar as an inherently evil ingredient. The deeper question is whether public policy is changing people's choices or merely changing the price of those choices. Are we simply making unhealthy choices more expensive, or are we actually making healthy choices more possible? That distinction matters.

The responsibility for a healthier population cannot rest entirely on the person standing in front of a refrigerator deciding what to buy. It also rests on the systems that determine what is inside that refrigerator, what is affordable in the market, what is sold outside school gates, what is advertised, and what options are available when people are trying to make ends meet. Public health should not ask people to climb a staircase while continuing to remove the steps beneath them.

If the government wants Filipinos to live healthier lives, then it must do more than put a price on bottles. It must listen to the people it intends to protect. It must understand the realities behind their choices and ensure that health-related policies help create an environment where healthier decisions are realistically possible. Ultimately, it is about whether people have a fair opportunity to care for their health. A bottle of soda may be small. But the choices surrounding that bottle are not. We cannot simply tax the symptoms and walk away from the root.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:
CPBRD policy brief an EmpiricAl EvAluAtion of thE SugAr-SwEEtEnEd BEvErAgE tAx and itS implicAtionS on hEAlth policy and tAx rEvEnuES congressional policy and Budget Research Department House of Representatives. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2026, fromhttps://cpbrd.congress.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PB2024-04-An-Empirical-Evaluation-of-the-Sugar-Sweetened-Beverage-Tax-and-its-Implications-on-Health-Policy-and-Tax-Revenues.pdf
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO. (2026, July 21). Why affordability matters. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Why Affordability Matters. https://www.fao.org/interactive/2026/cost-healthy-diet/en/
Haque, M., McKimm, J., Sartelli, M., Samad, N., Haque, S. Z., & Bakar, M. A. (2020). A narrative review of the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on human health: A key global health issue. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology = Journal De La Therapeutique Des Populations Et De La Pharmacologie Clinique, 27(1), e76–e103. https://doi.org/10.15586/jptcp.v27i1.666
RA 10963 (TRAIN law) | department of finance. (2024). Department of Finance. https://www.dof.gov.ph/download/ra-10963-train-law/
Wendorf, A., & Rogoń, I. (2025). Is a beverage tax really a healthy start? Worldwide analysis. Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02528-8
World Health Organization: WHO. (2020, April 29). Healthy diet. World Health Organization: WHO. Who.Int. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

✍🏼: A.M. Angco
📝: J.V. De Claro
🖼️: C.Y. Francisco & S.N. Fiñones

08/10/2026

𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄┃We Feed The Eyes That Watch The World

There is a hunger that we ignore every time we feast our eyes on the blue glare of our screens. This is evident in the way every head is bowed inside the train, as if worshipping a miniature god in our palms, when it is all but a rectangular piece of metal and glass. But little did we know that life is happening outside. Outside, city lights shine gold against an onyx sky, their reflection on the glass glinting like stars that came down on earth.

Inside the train, there is an office worker coming home after a long shift of typing emails, submitting paperwork, and creating proposals. Yet, a phone still rests in their hand. There is a student, too, coming home after a long day of exams, their eyes already exhausted from a night spent studying on a laptop. Yet, a phone still glows in their hand. And there is a toddler, sitting beside their mother after a long day of running errands. A tablet was placed in their hands at the beginning of the day, and somehow, it remained there.

Beyond the train windows, 2.2 billion people around the world live with vision impairment (World Health Organization, 2026). This burden spans across generations, from children and adolescents experiencing myopia to adults facing vision problems associated with aging. Phones, tablets, laptops, and computers keep our eyes focused for hours, a habit linked to growing concerns over myopia among children and adolescents (Cleveland Clinic, 2026).

Myopia is a prevalent eye condition in which distant objects appear blurry while nearby objects remain clearer (The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 2026). This can mean struggling to read what is written on the classroom board or make out road signs from a distance without eyeglasses or contact lenses. While nutrition cannot correct the refractive error that causes myopia, caring for our eyes also means giving them the nourishment they need to function at their best.

Staying hydrated and eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids supports healthy vision. Vitamin A supports vision in low-light conditions and can be found in carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupes; lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that help protect the retina and are found in spinach, broccoli, and eggs; zinc helps transport vitamin A to the retina and is abundant in lean red meat, poultry, and oysters; omega-3 fatty acids support eye lubrication and can be found in salmon, sardines, and chia seeds (John Hopkins Medicine, 2024).

Just as the body reminds us when it needs nourishment, our eyes can also signal when they have had enough by becoming dry or blurry and leaving us with headaches and general discomfort (Porter, 2025). The 20-20-20 rule is a simple habit: look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of screen use, giving our eyes a chance to relax from prolonged close-up focusing and helping reduce digital eye discomfort (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2023). Other simple habits include wearing UV-protective sunglasses when outdoors, using eye drops recommended by an ophthalmologist to soothe dryness and irritation, and washing our hands before touching our eyes to help prevent infections (Legazpi Eye Center, n.d.).

Our eyes are meant to take in more than the glow of a phone, the rush of wind against our skin on a walk, the warmth of sunlight on our faces, and the movement of the trees. However, when screens consume our time, these moments can quietly disappear, replaced by another episode, another round of a game, or another scroll. Excessive screen use can also take time away from physical activity and sleep, with studies associating heavy screen engagement with consequences such as higher BMI, insomnia, anxiety, and depression (George et al., 2023). In constantly directing our gaze toward glowing screens, we can forget to give our eyes the chance to experience everything else.

They say we eat first with our eyes, but how can we be enticed by the feast before us when the plates are blurred? This October 8, we celebrate World Sight Day, a day that reminds us to give our eyes the attention and care they deserve as the organs that allow us to see the beauty of this world. Take to heart these simple eye care habits, have regular eye examinations, and nourish your body with a healthy, balanced diet.

So, on the next train ride home, we can remember to look up. Past the glowing screens, the city is still there. The golden lights, the passing streets, the faces beside us, and a world that continues to unfold even when our thumbs stop scrolling. We may feed our eyes with screens every day, but they, too, hunger for something beyond the glass.

References:
Cleveland Clinic (n.d.). Myopia (nearsightedness). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8579-myopia-nearsightedness

Eye strain and sleepy eyes: How to prevent eye discomfort. (2023, May 5). American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-eye-strain

George, A. S., George, A. H., Baskar, T., & Shahul, A. (2023). Screens steal time: How excessive screen use impacts the lives of young people . Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication, 1(2), 157-177. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10250536

John Hopkins Medicine. (2024, April 15). Nutrition and eye health. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/nutrition-and-eye-health

Legazpi Eye Center. (n.d.). 9 steps to a more relaxing eye care routine. https://legazpieyecenter.com/9-steps-relaxing-eye-care-routine/

Marcin, A. (2025, July 2). How does the 20-20-20 rule prevent eyestrain? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/20-20-20-rule

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024, April 19). Nearsightedness: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nearsightedness/symptoms-causes/syc-20375556

Porter, D. (2025, December 5) Digital Devices and your eyes. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/digital-devices-your-eyes

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. (2026, July 31). Refractive error. https://www.iapb.org/learn/knowledge-hub/eye-conditions/refractive-error/

World Health Organization: WHO. (2026, February 10). Blindness and vision impairment. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment

✍️: S. Sayre
🖼️: A. Bagsarsa
📝: N. Rizardo

04/10/2026

𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐍 | Bittersweet: The Face of the Sugarcane Industry Under Exploitation and Nutritional Costs in the Philippines

Cane fields have been a familiar scenery in provinces not only because it has brought numerous by-products; almost everything when harvested is useful in the industry and even at home. Sugarcane remains the country's fifth-largest crop by economic value, sprawling across nearly 400,000 hectares. It contains antioxidants, a source of quick energy from its natural sugars, and even electrolytes (Singh et al., 2015). Its rich industry has also supported the production of raw sugars, molasses, refined sugars, and ethanol, which go beyond biotechnology, resulting from decades of research and development. While it is appealingly sweet to unravel the billion-peso agro-industrial potential of the sugarcane industry—the country's people and land remain vulnerable to the ruling business giants—rooted in a decayed system, band-aid policies, failures in livelihood and diverse economic opportunities that still challenge politicized growth.

The Philippines produces this agricultural commodity without relying on exports, at the cost of leaving nearly 700,000 sugarcane workers and five to six million dependents to systemic poverty and chronic food insecurity (SRA 2022; Mendoza 2022). The tragedy of the Philippine sugar industry, marked by the strict import impact, takes us back to its history of loss and crises. After decades of recovery, the issue is not that the industry is struggling to modernize. The tragedy is that the country continues to uphold a colonial monoculture that exhausts both the soil and the people to generate by-products that are expensive and inaccessible for locals, at times, while foreign interests capitalize on this advantage to gain more from the industry than the country itself.

From a nutritional standpoint, less-refined sugar products such as jaggery, brown sugar, and molasses may offer more nutrients than standard table sugar (WebMD, 2020). Highly refined white sugar contains fewer beneficial nutrients in favor of pure calories, which can drive up the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease when overconsumed alongside unhealthy lifestyle habits. However, framing sugar simply as the ultimate villain overlooks a much larger issue—much like past diet trends that have unfairly demonized rice. Public health is shaped by systemic access to fresh, wholesome food rather than just individual blame. Beyond everyday sweeteners, sugarcane itself holds genuine biochemical promise: its raw juice naturally retains antioxidants and trace minerals like chromium and magnesium. On an industrial scale, its byproducts are just as vital, with molasses supplying 13 bioethanol distilleries that produce 425 million liters annually—important in lowering gas emissions and favorable chance having energy independence—while leftover fibrous bagasse fueling 14 biomass power plants that generate 366 megawatts of clean electricity (Initiatives and Implications of Philippine Sugar Liberalization, 2025).

More than half of this acreage is concentrated on the island of Negros. For over a century, local sugar barons and state policies transformed this fertile island from a self-sustaining breadbasket of rice and vegetables into an export-oriented plantation economy. The social cost has been staggering. While land consolidation created one of the wealthiest landed oligarchies in Filipino history, it contributed to the creation of a class of farmworkers trapped in feudal arrangements. Under the piece-rate pakyaw system, farmworkers labor through grueling, sun-drenched shifts for wages that fail to meet livable income, let alone cover the cost of basic necessities close to their table (Gonzales, 2022). Without secure tenure, healthcare, or social safety nets, these families remain dispossessed of the land they till, and are barred from cultivating personal vegetable plots because landowners insist on using every square meter for a cane, for a red-stained profit, and for an exploitation system shaped over generations of families dependent on the industry to continue their lives.

When the harvest ends in April, the cruelty of this arrangement comes into sharp relief. Between May and September, Negros enters tiempo mu**to, its dead season, locally known as tigkiliwi, literally describing the grim physical distortion of hunger. When cane stalks vanish, income vanishes close to life (Serge Cherniguin, 1988). This dependence on monoculture is precisely what caused the catastrophic Negros famine of the 1980s, where world sugar prices crashed from closing imports globally, and thousands of children suffered acute, life-threatening malnutrition on land that could have supported a more diverse and sustainable food supply, (Caña, 2021) . Under the dictatorship of Marcos Sr., it flamed with historical trauma adjacent to the present reflection of the current administration, not only now in Negros, but all over the Philippines. Decades later, rural activists and organizers challenging these land imbalances continue to face allegations on violent reprisals, land grabbing, and state harassment; where a hunting reality underscored by historical tragedies such as the Escalante massacre, the reported persecution of peasant leaders, the “Negros 19”, and allegations involving the Pax Silica propaganda.

There is a silverlining beyond its comforting economic value, people are compelled to sit in discomfort: knowingly justice is denied, and reforms are forcibly silenced. Industry advocates frequently counter that the sector is simply suffering from an operational crisis: soil acidity, low yields of 56 to 60 tons per hectare compared with those of other regional areas, costly fertilizer inputs, and under-capacity mills. Their proposed solutions often involve the same foundation: pour more taxpayer subsidies into poorly implemented or non-existent projects of mechanization, soil revitalization, and infrastructure.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA, 2026), the Negros Island Region now has a competitive production of major crops like banana and coconut as well as major vegetable and root crops like cassava and camote. It may appear that Negros has shifted toward new forms and livelihood production, but the past continues to linger in ongoing pest control crises and electrical grid instability. For a genuine economic and social future of sugarcane, it must revolve around people's interests and extend its existing industry without bleeding those who nurture it. Workers should not be subjected to hunger, overwork, and inadequate compensation. The Philippine government and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) must stop treating the industry as separate from the systemic problems affecting it. Societal reforms should open discussions on equal and consolidated agrarian land redistribution to ensure crop diversification in communities. Guaranteed livable wage through possible amendment of the Wage Rationalization Act and the reality of unequal opportunities from standardization. Ultimately, in reframing national industrialization to stand alone, develop, innovate, and fund research and development to further localize our products and services from science-based technology.

Indigenous lands call for the same justice. Filipino farmers have long cultivated the land using valuable practices passed down from and to generation. Recalling how diminished sugar production originates, let us not forget the people who cultivated it before the industrial process. The administration should stop sugarcoating the realities faced by ordinary Filipinos. It is evident that parasitic bureaucratic-capitalists are licking all what workers deserve to have. Even outside Negros, these issues have manifested on various forms. Many Filipinos may be less informed of their rights and may consequently feel powerless. Beyond what we can proudly claim, our products and labor should not be marketed solely for the benefit of a select few. The industry must support communities that sustain its production despite the working conditions.

Sugarcane is one of all loved staples that became valuable, and can be considered part of our national wealth. Leading from many industries, it has been shaped by continuous capitalization and monopolistic practices. The burden should not fall on the shoulders of our grieving farmers. Bittersweet about how the past glimpses so closely when feudal machinery works the same template, and worse, becomes normal management. The sweetest truth is that the country has always been rich: we have seen that the soil of those who planted it first has always been remembered for serving the interests of the masses who nourished it. As life takes root anew, hope refuses to wither.

References:

Caña, P. J. (2021, April 15). Sugar wars: Looking back at the Negros famine of the 1980s. Esquiremag.Ph.https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/negros-famine-of-the-1980s-a00289-20210415-lfrm2

Gonzales, I. (2022, September 19). Sugar workers. Philstar.Com. https://www.philstar.com/business/2022/09/19/2210575/sugar-workers

Negros Island Region economy sustains 5.7 percent growth in 2025 | Philippine Statistics Authority. (2026, April 23). Psa.Gov.Ph. https://rssonir.psa.gov.ph/content/negros-island-region-economy-sustains-57-percent-growth-2025

Serge Cherniguin. (1988). The Sugar Workers of Negros, Philippines. Jstor. https://doi.org/10.2307/44256738

Singh, A., Lal, U., Mukhtar, H., Singh, P., Shah, G., & Dhawan, R. (2015). Phytochemical profile of sugarcane and its potential health aspects. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 9(17), 45. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.156340

Sugarcane – industry strategic science and technology plans (ISPs) platform. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://ispweb.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/sugarcane/

Zelman, K. M. (2023, March 23). Cane sugar: Are there health benefits? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cane-sugar

✍🏼: C. Jimenez
🖼️: J.M. Agron & L. Barrios
📝: J. Mauhay

30/09/2026

𝐖𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢 𝐈𝐬𝐲𝐮 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 2026 🎓

The student publication honors your exceptional dedication and service in campus journalism. Your commitment to sharing your knowledge, creativity, and passion has led you to leave a meaningful and lasting impact on our community.

We thank you for the years you have dedicated to the publication and for your commitment to the truth in every story you have shared with us.

Congratulations, graduates! Your 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢-𝐈𝐬𝐲𝐮 family is proud of you. May you continue to tell stories with purpose and integrity wherever your journey takes you.

📝: J. Mauhay
🖼️: A.M.T. Quillo

29/09/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒, 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒

Welcome to 𝐍𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢-𝐈𝐬𝐲𝐮, the official student publication of the PUP-CS Department of Nutrition and Dietetics!

For over 39 years, it has been committed to delivering timely and relevant nutrition perspectives for progress, guided by its principles and engagements, including covering departmental news and events, engaging in editorial discussions on nutrition-related issues, highlighting community outreach initiatives, featuring literary, sports, and creative works, showcasing board performance, and promoting awareness of local and international nutrition breakthroughs.

As we begin another year with the 2026-2027 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟, we continue to bring reliable information and relevant truths on nutrition, health, and wellness.

𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲.

📝: J. Mauhay
🖼️: F. Magcanam & L. Barrios

14/09/2026

NutriSkolars, the call isn’t over just yet. 👀
Because 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈-𝐈𝐒𝐘𝐔 is 𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 its 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 period for A. Y. 2026–2027! 🌱

There’s still time to find your place in the stories we tell, the moments we preserve, and the conversations we help shape. Whether you have a way with words, an eye for design, a passion for photography, or a voice worth hearing—there is still a space for you here. ✨

Positions are still open for PUP BSND 1st–4th-year students 👇🏻
𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗬𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥 ✏️
𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥 📖
𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗦𝗧 🖼️
𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥 🎤
𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥 🤔
𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 (doesn’t require possession of a professional camera) 📸

For more details, please click the Google Forms link or scan the QR code below:
https://forms.gle/WDWNxEwdaX6MioCQ6
https://forms.gle/WDWNxEwdaX6MioCQ6
https://forms.gle/WDWNxEwdaX6MioCQ6

The application is extended until 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 (𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆).
Follow The Nutri-Isyu on Facebook and Instagram for more updates and announcements.

Apply now and let’s make this chapter one worth remembering. ✨

✏️: Modesto, K. D.
🖼️: Barrios, L. E.

12/09/2026

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: PANibol 2026 brought together the PUP Nutrition and Dietetics community in welcoming the newest batch of freshies. The event was filled with fun and excitement through engaging games, raffle activities, and moments of camaraderie among the students—made possible through the collective efforts led by PAN-AEC and the dedicated working committee.

✍🏻: I. Manalang
🎨: L. Barrios
📄: K. Olino
📸: I. Alemania, P. Sabao, R. Jamlid

12/09/2026

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: The PUP Nutrition and Dietetics community warmly welcomed the 2026 freshies during PANibol 2026, which was held at Claro M. Recto Hall last September 9. The event marked the beginning of a new chapter for the incoming students as they officially joined the department.

✍🏻: I. Manalang
🎨: L. Barrios
📄: K. Olino
📸: I. Alemania, P. Sabao, R. Jamlid

12/09/2026

𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐑𝐈 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 | The Recto Hall Gathering: Lighting the Path at PANibol 2026

Despite the heavy rain, the chilly breeze, and the lingering hesitation over whether the journey to school would end safely, the feet of these ambitious young dreamers were all drawn to a single destination. These were the moments that unfolded on the retina as PANibol 2026 officially began at the Claro M. Recto Hall, ushering in the newest batch of Nutrition and Dietetics (ND) freshmen.

It is true that no one can ever predict the surreal turns of time. Those who once sat wide-eyed within the four corners of this room, listening in quiet wonder, have now stepped through the looking glass to become the wise guides offering counsel to a new generation of dreamers.

𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

It all began with the first guest speaker, Ms. Samantha Ecleo, Registered Nutritionist-Dietitian (RND), who opened the talk on clinical nutrition, a field in which she actively specializes, alongside pediatric oncology and nutrition research. A reverent silence fell over the room as she shared her seven-year journey, tracing her path from her early days as a student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) to her current practice as a registered professional.

Clinical nutrition and dietetics goes beyond basic meal planning because it is an essential healthcare discipline focused on preventing, managing, and treating chronic diseases through evidence-based nutrition. It is also a field with broad professional reach. Today, dietitians and nutritionists apply their expertise across varied fields, spanning from clinical patient care in hospitals to product research and strategy within pharmaceutical companies.

One of the most memorable parts of her talk was her "Top Clinical Dates." First, the case that challenged her; second, the patient interaction that stayed with her; and third, the pivotal moment that made her think, "Okay, this is why I chose ND."

Ms. Ecleo concluded her talk with words that struck a deep chord: “Learning does not stop when you graduate. It does not stop when you have already earned your license; it only intensifies.”

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

But the reach of ND as a program extends far beyond clinical walls. Turning the focus to community nutrition, Mr. Christian Jay Vasquez, RND took the stage to emphasize that the real fight against malnutrition happens on the ground—in local barangays, public classrooms, and marginalized communities where grassroots nutrition work truly comes alive.

At the core of effective community work is a disciplined cycle. First is program planning. As Mr. Vasquez pointed out, creating lasting impact starts with identifying the actual root problems using the core tools of the discipline which include Nutrition Assessment and Nutrition Care. Planning, however, is only the first step. When ex*****on begins, true community nutrition practitioners do not act alone. Students were encouraged to immerse themselves early in organizations like the Philippine Association of Nutrition (PAN) to hone their leadership and coordination abilities before stepping onto the field.

Mr. Vasquez also drew a clear line between the two important closing phases of any public health initiative: monitoring and evaluation. While monitoring tracks the raw data of an ongoing project such as attendance or meal distribution in a feeding program, evaluation digs deeper, giving that data real meaning to measure actual growth.

Yet, the ultimate mark of a successful community program lies in its sustainability through re-planning. Criticizing short-sighted initiatives like typical local political projects that end as quickly as they start, Mr. Vasquez urged the future dietitians to break that cycle by practicing sustainable Nutrition Program Management, even suggesting they start observing and asking questions in their own local barangays.

To thrive in this line of work, technical skills alone are not enough. Mr. Vasquez left the audience with a striking quote passed down from a veteran in the non-governmental sector: "Kung gusto mong tumagal sa field na ito, you need to be politically savvy."

Closing with an earnest call to action, Mr. Vasquez reminded the freshmen that public health is not just a career option but a mission. He left the aspiring nutritionists and dietitians with a simple hope: that they would find inspiration in serving the broader public.

𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘

Yet, whether in a hospital ward or a local barangay, one universal truth remains: nutrition must eventually find its way onto a plate. Stepping into the fast-paced world of fFood sService mManagement, the spotlight shifted to Ms. Ivy Canicon, RND, a Quality Assurance Assistant at the prestigious Manila Hotel. Specializing in food safety and quality assurance, she brought the focus back to the heart of both healing and public health where strict safety standards and large-scale meal ex*****on turn nutritional science into actual sustenance.

Before diving into the technical rigor of institutional kitchens, Ms. Canicon grounded her address in relatable humility, reminding the audience that her path began in the exact same seats they occupied. "Katulad ninyo, isa lang din akong estudyante na nakikinig [noon] sa Recto Hall," she shared, immediately bridging the gap between a seasoned professional and wide-eyed freshmen.

She recounted her undergraduate journey—one marked by grit, sleepless nights, and an undergraduate research project that eventually brought her and her team all the way to South Korea. Recalling the overwhelm of their first international flight and their first steps onto foreign land, she spoke candidly about the sacrifices behind academic milestones. "Dugo at iyak ang puhunan namin doon," she reflected, emphasizing that success in research is never a solitary achievement, but a shared victory built on the quiet financial and emotional sacrifices of family.

Beyond the personal triumphs, Ms. Canicon left the students with a core professional principle to guide their upcoming years in academia and practice: research and food service are not meant for self-serving validation. True impact lies in serving others. "Make sure na hindi lang kayo ang nagbe-benefit... As future RNDs, dapat niyo laging intindihin na maraming tao ang nangangailangan."

Closing the session with a poignant reminder for every freshman navigating self-doubt, Ms. Canicon left them with words to anchor their entire four-year journey: "If you ever question where you are in life, remember how far you've come. There is still so much ahead—so much yet to discover. Take the chance. Give it a shot. Your story is far from over."

As the applause inside the Claro M. Recto Hall faded, the heavy weather no longer felt like an obstacle, but rather the backdrop to a new beginning. From clinical wards and local communities to fast-paced kitchens, PANibol 2026 proved that nutrition and dietetics is far more than an academic path; it is a mission with endless reach. The road ahead will demand grit, late nights, and resilience, but as the alumni once sitting in those same seats showed, every great journey starts with a single step forward. The foundation is set, the apron is passed, and for these future RNDs, the story has only just begun.

✍️: Narra, K. M.
🎨: Quillo, A.M.T.
📑: Mauhay, J. M.

The Nutri Isyu of PUP Nutrition and Dietetics

10/10/2026

08/10/2026

04/10/2026

30/09/2026

29/09/2026

14/09/2026

12/09/2026

12/09/2026

12/09/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The University

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request