WRP makes changes due to issues

As Wellness and Recreation Program (WRP) culminated its first commencement

to the freshmen last semester, changes are made in response to criticisms of the
course in the current sem.

Changes in WRP includes lessening the number of hours needed from 36 to 27, FEU
Learning Journey (FLJ) requirement from 10 to 1, and the new design of reservation in
Canvas.

Number of Hours and Units

“I don't think they have issues on the number of hours kasi this is also equivalent to PE
before, in fact lesser nga ang number of hours ngayon kaysa last time (because this is
also equivalent to PE before in fact the number of hours is lesser than last time),” said
by Institute of Education Dean, Dr. Elisa S. Mañalac.

“We lessen it because nag 1.5 na siya instead of 2 units. Per sem 1.5 na tayo, pero yung
PE dati 2 [units] yan pero ngayon 1.5 lang, mas lessen nga, kaya lang inextend namin
hanggang 4th year, dati kasi 2 units kaya hanggang 2nd year lang (We lessen it because
it is 1.5 instead of 2 units. Per sem we are 1.5, but PE before is 2 units but now it is only
1.5, lesser than, but we extended it up to 4th year, because before it is 2 units that is why
it is until 2nd year only),” Mañalac added in the concern of number of units.

Reservation and Canvas

“For reservation and canvas, because our enrolment system and everything is new, we
really had issues on reservation but it's not actually not at the end of WRP because the
WRP have its own schedule so we don't have problems with that. The problem is when
the system bugs down but when the system recovers, we can accomodate all the
requests, except for when it bugs down but of course we also sought already the help of
the office in-charge of Edtech (Education Technology) to give us a bigger capacitative
system to handle reservation through canvas,” Mañalac stated.

According to Dr. Jayson Cruz, WRP Head that a new system for WRP will be prepared
as he stated that “Actually, by this coming February or end of February, we have new
clouds, edtech is purchasing clouds para mas maging okay na yung system. So if that
happens, so yung bug down na sinasabi natin, matatanggal na natin yan so it's just in
one sem that maybe talagang nagkaroon talaga ng problems (for it the system to be okay.
So of that happens, the bug down that we are talking about, it will be getting removed so
it’s just one sem that maybe there will be actually problems).”

Exemption Policy and Excuses

Mañalac responds to the issues of no exemption in WRP stating that,”Wala tayong no

exemption policy, meron tayong exemption especially doon sa mga students who cannot
do rigorous or strenuous activities, we have what we called ‘adaptive wellness program.’
But of course we wouldn't process it unless they apply for it. Kailangan pa rin silang
magregister so that we would know that they cannot do strenuous activities so they will
be deployed in an adaptive wellness program (We don’t have a no exemption policy, we
have exemption especially to those students who cannot do rigorous or strenuous
activities, we have what we called ‘adaptive wellness program.’ But of course we wouldn't
process it unless they apply for it. They still need to register so that we would know that
they cannot do strenuous activities so they will be deployed in an adaptive wellness
program).”

“Normally ang ineexcuse namin ay yung talagang ang dahilan ay meritorious, halimbawa
naospital siya that time, meron naman siyang proweba na naospital siya, namatayan ang
ganito niya, meron naman siyang proweba na namatay ang kamag-anak niya or
whatever, we accept those reasons (We normally excuse those reasons that are really
meritorious, for example hospitalized at that time, he can have proof of being hospitalized,
loosed someone to death, he can have proof of loosing to death of family members or
whatever) ,” Mañalac added in response to excuse in WRP classes.

Activity Periods

“In this semester, we don't offer, we just offered it last time because there were students
also who requested kasi kulang sila ng mga hours, so we deemed it necessary to offer
kung sino yung pwede pero iprioritise nila yung activities nila sa organizations but this
time, so that wala ng mga kalituhan, we opted not to offer WRP during activity period, but
we're open to accept those who want (In this semester, we don't offer, we just offered it
last time because there were students also who requested because they have insufficient
hours, so we deemed it necessary to offer who are those available but they should
prioritize activities in their organizations but this time, so that there will ne no confusions,
we opted not to offer WRP during activity period, but we’re open to accept those who
want),” stated by Mañalac.

“However, if there are organizational activities carried out during activity periods we open
it to call WRP students, if they want to come, they will come, if they don't, then don't but
definitely we will not offer WRP activities because we know that it's an issue,” Mañalac
responds regarding the possibility of WRP classes during activity periods.

Changes in the future

According to Mañalac, “It's a working progress meaning we are trying our best to better it
so that we are trying to figure out how can we best serve the students in such a way that
WRP become one of the most sought after courses in the university because this is the
balancing course, you know that with the on set of the changes made in the curricula of
all the institutes, especially that we are in the student-centered learning paradigm, we are
trying our best to better the WRP, sir Jayson is really thinking a lot of activities that WRP
becomes one of the favorite courses of the students.”