1st One Health leadership boot camp in PH held in UPLB
UPLB and the Visayas State University (VSU), in partnership with the Philippine One Health University Network (PhilOHUN), spearheaded the first-ever One Health leadership boot camp in the Philippines.
Through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN), 26 students, young professionals, mentors, and speakers from across the country converged at UPLB for the One Health training.
The “One Health Leadership Bootcamp 2024,” held from July 9-12, 2024 at the SEARCA Residence Hotel, aligns with the One Health interdisciplinary approach toward optimal people, animals, and ecosystems health, with these three as a nexus rather than separate and exclusive fields.
Dr. Neil Tanquilut, the country coordinator of PhilOHUN, said that the bootcamp aimed to train students and young professionals on how to become One Health champions in light of the recent and recurring health challenges in the Philippines.
Dr. Ronilo Flores, an associate professor at UPLB’s Institute of Biological Sciences and the boot camp’s main proponent, said that its theme is “to catalyze the next generation of One Health champions.”
“After this bootcamp, we will all be championing the One Health cause in our own respective areas, in our own localities, in our own universities,” Dr. Flores added.
To foster a collaborative spirit, the participants were grouped with members coming from different careers and fields, in line with the interdisciplinary approach to solving One Health issues.
Under the guidance of mentors, a pitch competition was held to challenge the participants to apply the principles of One Health in solving real-world issues.
The bootcamp was filled with workshops and nine (9) plenaries that set the framework for the pitches of each group. The event provided the participants with mentorship and possible funding of their pitches.
In his presentation, Dr. Remil Galay, the first director of the newly minted UPLB Zoonoses Center (UPLB-ZC), said that the Philippines is in constant threat from zoonotic diseases, especially reemerging and transboundary ones.
UPLB-ZC actively conducts research and collaborative activities that apply the One Health approach.
“The COVID-19 pandemic experience showed that we, the Philippines, still lack research and medical capability. We’re still lagging behind the developed countries,” Dr. Galay stated. He then emphasized the need to be more proactive to better address zoonotic diseases.
Dr. Tongkorn Meeyam, the executive director of SEAOHUN, also gave an online message wherein she urged the mentors to uphold their commitment to nurture future leaders through initiatives such as this bootcamp.
“Let us seize this opportunity to learn from one another and to challenge conventional thinking in the way we approach the sectors of human, animal, and ecosystem,” Dr. Meeyam said.
“We were caught unaware by the COVID-19 [pandemic], but I hope, this time, we will be more ready to face any health challenges. I hope that this bootcamp will help prepare us for future pandemics and health challenges.” Tanquilut added.
Dr. Ernesto Bontuyan Jr., the supervisory project management specialist of USAID Philippines, highlighted the importance of bringing together young professionals and students from different fields to discuss health-related issues and strategize as one to solve emerging and reemerging diseases.
“We look at you–students and young professionals–to be those champions, to be that voice.” Bontuyan enjoined the participants to advocate the One Health approach.
The bootcamp also included a one-day exposure trip to Lake Yambo in San Pablo City, Laguna. This activity employed the discussions in the seventh plenary that tackled the ecotourism and aquaculture of The Seven Lakes of San Pablo City.
Mentors and speakers agreed to make the bootcamp an annual event.
