The UPLB Genetics Society and VYLH-Philippines: 10 Years of Service by Advocating for a Healthier Country

by Kim Camacho (Allosyndesis)

For over 10 years, The UPLB Genetics Society has been one with Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health Philippines (VYLH-Philippines) in promoting a healthy society through its advocacies such as folic acid supplementation, rare disease prevention, and newborn screening awareness. VYLH-Philippines, together with The UPLB Genetics Society, were able to reach the lives of different families through community and university-based programs like K4Health, Project Kabilin Kalusugan for LB Nanays, Run for Rare, and more.

On 2009, an exhibit was held on the Wing C of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) with the theme “Care for Rare: Beyond the Gene, Orphan Disorders and Birth Defects” in line with the celebration of the 26^th Genetics Week. Symposiums were also conducted during the same week of the exhibit emphasizing on the importance of the supplementation of folic acid on the diet of women within the reproductive age. 

The UPLB Genetics Society during the 2011 UPRHS Science Fair

On the following year, The UPLB Genetics Society conducted signature campaigns, specifically at the 2010 UP Rural High School (UPRHS) Science Fair. This continued until 2011, involving different communities in order to legislate the Republic Act 10747 or the Rare Disease Act that aims to address the needs of people with rare diseases. The Rare Disease Act was signed on the 3^rd  day of March 2016. In line with this, patients with rare diseases were able to access adequate medical care, information, and products to treat their condition.

The UPLB Genetics Society supports the VYLH-Philippines’ cause to promote newborn screening for a healthier country. In relation to this, a door-to-door newborn screening campaign at the neighborhood of Sitio Molawin, Batong Malake, Los Baños, Laguna was done on 2011, where pamphlets containing essential information about newborn screening were provided to the residents. On the same year, a seminar was conducted among the residents of Southville 7 in Calauan, Laguna regarding the advocacies of VYLH-Philippines. Mr. Ryan John Pascual, an alumnus of The UPLB Genetics Society and VYLH-Philippines National President, and Ms. Monaliza Miras, a former vice president of The UPLB Genetics Society, were the key speakers for this activity. Also, on the same year, 60 mothers were reached by the seminar held in participation of the event organized by UPLB Gabay Volunteer Corps.

The year 2012 was focused in conducting university-based activities and promoting the VYLH-Philippines’ advocacies to different schools. A symposium was held during the 7^th Genetics Camp focusing on newborn screening, folic acid supplementation, and rare diseases. On the 20^th  day of February 2012, an invitation from De La Salle Lipa in Batangas, in celebration of their biology week, was readily accepted to promote the advocacies of VYLH-Philippines.  While on February 23-29, activities such as: “Schools-for-rare”, signature campaigns, Adopt-A-School, and distribution of flyers were conducted, and VYLH-UPLB took part in making these things happen. And to celebrate the folic acid awareness week, a symposium with the theme “Folic Acid: A Vitamin for Life” was organized by The UPLB Genetics Society.

The UPLB Genetics Society conducts an annual medical mission at different communities, not just in Los Baños, Laguna, but also in neighboring communities. During these medical missions, special talks and flyers were given out with the purpose of introducing the importance of folic acid and newborn screening in combatting the development of metabolic and endocrine disorders.

On the 22^nd day of February 2015, a run-for-a-cause was organized by the Philippine Society for Orphan Disorders (PSOD), and RunManiaPH, where The UPLB Genetics Society participated in this “Run for Rare” event. On the same year, the VYLH-Philippines Los Baños participated in the 3^rd Buntis Congress in Los Baños. Additionally, Mr. Patrick Cuenca, a Los Baños coordinator and an alumnus of The UPLB Genetics Society, delivered his talk on the 6^th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC) on 2015, a quiz contest held by the organization for tertiary level students from all over the country.

The Project #TROPA: Teens are Responsible Over Pregnancy advocacy was conducted on June 24, 2016 which catered Grade 7 students at the Los Baños National Highschool. This activity was held in coordination with Master’s in Public Health (MPh) students from UP Manila and the Los Baños Laguna Rural Health Unit. On the same year, a talk about maternal health was conducted and brochures were distributed containing information about he VYLH-Philippines’ advocacies.

Project Kabilin Kalusugan para sa LB Nanays, a youth-led initiative conducted by the Proactive Kabilin and VYLH-Philippines, together with The UPLB Genetics Society, that seeks to promote and educate women of reproductive age about the importance of preconception health was done last July 20, 2017. Another activity led by the organization is the K4Health, which stands for Kabataang Kabalikat ng Komunidad para sa Kalusugan. This activity focuses on the mobilization of youth volunteers towards the promotion of folic acid supplementation, newborn screening, and birth defects prevention.

Throughout the years, The UPLB Genetics Society has always been a pioneer for VYLH-Philippines advocacies, together with other core organizations that made the existence of this youth-led and advocacy-oriented organization possible.