Ateneo co-hosts 4th AUN International Health Promotion Conference

Ateneo de Manila University recently co-hosted the 4th AUN International Health Promotion Conference with the University of the Philippines (UP) and De La Salle University (DLSU). The conference, which took place from 27 to 28 Nov 2025 at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts hotel in Pasay City, had the theme, “Advancing Health Promotion in the ASEAN Region: Championing University Innovations for Equity and Resilience.” 

Associate Prof Dr Thunwadee Suksaroj, Executive Director of AUN-HPN Secretariat and Director of ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, welcomed the conference attendees with a reflection on the journey of the ASEAN University Network for Health Promotion (AUN-HPN), and how it has fostered an environment that empowers universities to play a leading role in healthier societies, allowing them to share best practices, highlight innovative programs, create partnerships.

Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, Dr Michael L Tee MD, UP Manila Chancellor, told the story of how the three universities volunteered to host the conference without hesitation. He noted how the three universities – UP, DLSU, and Ateneo – define the standard of higher education in the Philippines. Dr Tee also stated that the greatest strength of the three lies in their unity, especially when it came to prioritizing “the single greatest cause - the health of our students.”

The welcome and opening remarks were followed special messages from the presidents of the host universities: Ateneo de Manila University President Fr Roberto C Yap, De La Salle University President Bro Bernard S Oca FSC, and University of the Philippines President Atty Angelo A Jimenez.

In his video message, Fr Yap noted that the collaboration between universities in the ASEAN region highlights the need for trust, mutual learning, and community connectedness among them, as they are united by a common identity and goal, drawing strength from their collective support.

"This commitment to collaboration is essential to our conference theme: advancing health promotion in the ASEAN region, championing university innovations for equity and resilience," Fr Yap stated. "Because a healthy society has a ripple effect on the nation's productivity, growth, and stability."

"In essence, investing in health is investing in a nation's future," he added, emphasizing the importance of health promotion to nations.

The university presidents were followed by Dr Teodoro J Herbosa, Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH). Secretary Herbosa called back to the Manila Declaration in the 3rd AUN International Health Promotion Conference, that identified universities as centers for health promotion, stating that universities have the power to generate true change by cultivating the next-generation of health leaders

He added that health promotion reforms and innovations must first benefit the poorest, and that resilience is not only measured by hospital beds or ventilators, it is measured by the populations ability to resist health pandemics — resilient health systems begin with resilient communities. 

Meanwhile, Associate Prof Dr Thanapan Lalprakabsup, AUN Executive Director, noted how the universities bring diverse experience in health promotion, stating: "together you form a wider community of practice, turning ideas into practice on campus." 

Keynote speaker's message: Universities as bastions of social reform for health

The keynote speaker for the event was Dr Susan Pineda Mercado MD, MPH, TVUP Public Health Advisor. In her speech, Dr Mercado pointed out that health promotion is not health education — it's not about having more knowledge, rather it's the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. 

As part of this she also brought up the World Health Organization's Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion which states that to promote health you need to develop personal skills, strengthen community action, reorient health services, build healthy public policy. She also brought up the Dahlgren-Whitehead model of health determinants. These are These are 'Agriculture and food production', 'Education', 'Work environment', 'Unemployment', 'Water and sanitation', 'Healthcare services, and 'Housing.

On the topic of the role of universities in health promotion, Dr Mercado discussed her concept of what a "health promoting university" entails. She stated that such a university need to have a whole campus health strategy, mental health response teams, a healthy dietary environment, and an active living campus.

On top of this, Dr Mercado noted that the ability to live in a healthy manner is not always accessible to everyone, due to economic factors, on top of commercial interests which directly and indirectly affect these. Addressing this and making a healthy lifestyle then requires policy changes informed by research and data. Universities should then be a bastion for evidence on larger determinants of health that require policy, social change and governance.

In short, universities should challenge the social and commercial determinants of health through evidence, social justice, and political reforms.

ASEAN universities coming together to advance health promotion

In addition to Dr Mercado's speech, the conference hosted numerous other lectures on public health promotion. Dr Wiwat Rojanapithayakor, Advisor to the AUN-HPN secretariat, discussed how universities can help improve health promotion in the ASEAN region. 

For his lecture, UP President Atty Jimenez talked about how AI factors in health promotion. 

Meanwhile, Maryrose C Macaraan, RGC Director, Counseling and Psychological Services De La Salle University, talked about the importance of mental health promotion.

Finally, Dr Geminn Louis C Apostol, Program Head for Environmental Health at the Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation, Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health discussed how climate change needs to be considered when talking about health promotion.

Other activities during the conference included the awarding of this year's AUN-HPN Healthy University Rating System (HURS) awards, a panel discussion where some of the universities shared their best health promotion practices, a session for elevator pitches for innovations for healthy universities, and of course research presentations from faculty and students of the member universities.

The event was closed with a lecture from Dr Shirley C Agrupis, Chairperson of Philippine Commission on Higher Education; followed by remarks by Dr Johanna Patricia A Cañal, UP Manila Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, and Organizing Committee Co-Chair of 4th AUN International Health Promotion Conference.