UP Cebu faculty and staff shape up with weekly fitness exercise

By Monna Senara

At least 20 faculty and staff members of the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu participated in the Zumba activity during their first fitness day of the school year held last July 2.

Fitness day in UP Cebu is held every Tuesday at 4pm to 5pm. This was organized by the Health and Wellness (HW) Committee of UP Cebu.

Photo from http://yorktown.lohudblogs.com

Physical Education professors Ma. Alena Macasil and Marlon Timbang led the participants in performing Zumba, an aerobic dance set to South American Beats, during the first two weeks.

“To help improve their health and minimize their problems we came up with an activity, Zumba which will also lessen stress,” said Macasil, chairperson of the HW Committee.

The fitness day is supposedly a weekly activity but due to busy schedules and events, such as the Intramurals and the coming final exams, the exercises have not resumed since Intramurals began.

Aside from Zumba, other activities such as jogging, walking, and playing sports like volleyball and basketball were also held in the succeeding weeks.

Macasil said that consistent participation is a challenge, especially with the faculty, who are outnumbered by the staff during the activities.

 “The employees here are not very committed. Maybe it is hard for them to leave their post because of so many things to do. Maybe it’s also because of the schedule. Some may still have classes. But it’s difficult to set a schedule wherein everyone can attend,” said Macasil.

She said that they started out with twenty attendees but they became fewer as the weeks went by.

“We did not reach ten during our last activity. We can’t even form at least one team in volleyball,” said Macasil.

Dr. Lorel Dee, who is also a member of the HW committee, said that they are looking to continue the exercises during the break of the semester, when the teachers would not be very busy.

Mylah Pedrano, 41, who is a librarian, said that the exercises are very helpful to her, especially that she is now older and has hypertension.

“It’s tiring to just sit all day. We need to stay fit and healthy. I hope we will have those exercises again,” said Pedrano.

Gemma Hermogenes, 48, of the Associate Dean’s Office for Academic Affairs, echoes the same sentiments.

“I really liked doing the exercises because the toxins from our body will be released. We should continue having those.”

The health and wellness program for the faculty and staff of the university is a project by the UP Vice President for Administration Maragtas Amante that started March last year.

It is in accordance with the Civil Service Code, which mandates all offices to allot an hour every week for physical exercise.

 

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