University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Human Ecology

The College of Human Ecology is one of the eleven degree-granting units of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. It is one of only a few institutions in Asia that offers a degree program in Human Ecology and is the first and only one to offer the degree in the Philippines. It is also the first in Asia to offer a degree program in Food and Nutrition Planning.

CHE aims to develop "professionals who understand human development in relation to the biophysical and social environment, are able to participate in development programs, internalize and apply the ecological perspective to society’s problems; as well as produce human resource who understand nutrition management, and nutrition program planning, implementation, and evaluation."

History

CHE traces its roots to the Department of Home Technology at the College of Agriculture. In 1974, the department was transformed into the Institute of Human Ecology in response to the United Nations Global Stockholm Conference calling for a “common outlook and principle in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment.”

On 23 February 1983, the Institute was elevated to a full-fledged College of Human Ecology.

Research and Extension

The College developed and currently administers the Regional Training Program on Food and Nutrition Planning for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Netherlands Universities Foundation for International Cooperation. It aims to establish a pool of human resources in Asia who are fully capable of integrating nutrition considerations into development planning and management. It is the first in Asia to offer a degree program on Food and Nutrition Planning which has trained hundreds from all over the continent since its inception in 1978.

CHE also conceptualized the Nutrition Improvement Model, which led to the development of Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Program. BIDANI is now a component of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition for building capacities of local governments to integrate nutrition into local development programs.

Faculty (selected)

• Aguilar, Nona C. (MS University of the Philippines Diliman)
• Barba, Corazon VC (PhD Pennsylvania State University)
• Jimena, Carla Edith G.(MS University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Dy, Marison R. (PhD University of the Philippines Diliman)
• Ferido, Melissa P. (MS University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Hurtada, Wilma A. (PhD University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Mendoza, Ma. Emilinda T. (MS University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Piadozo, Raden C. (PhD University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Ranit-Dy, Marison C. (PhD University of the Philippines Diliman)
• Rola, Walfredo R. (PhD University of Wisconsin, Madison)
• Saguiguit, Sue Liza C. (PhD Michigan State University)
• Sunga, Jennifer C. (MS University of the Philippines Los Baños)
• Talavera, Theresa M. (MPH University of the Philippines Manila)
• Tuazon, Ma. Antonia, G. (PhD Wageningen University, Netherlands)
• Visco, Emilia S. (PhD University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Degree Programs

• PhD Nutrition
• MS Family Resource Management
• MPS Food and Nutrition Planning
• MS Applied Nutrition
• BS Human Ecology (Majors: Social Technology; Family Development; Human Settlement Planning)
• BS Nutrition

References

• UPLB College of Human Ecology
• University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement