July 2025 – Assistant Professor Margaret J. Suarez has been appointed as the new Faculty Secretary of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), succeeding Assistant Professor Joyce Mae Manalo-Vega. The transition comes as Assistant Professor Vega embarks on her doctoral studies through the UP x UTS Doctoral Program Collaboration starting this July.
Before joining the FICS faculty, Assistant Professor Suarez served as University Researcher, where she contributed to institutional development and championed inclusive, accessible education. She also held the position of Institutional Linkages Officer under the term of former UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria.
Assistant Professor Suarez earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). Her research interests span development communication, open and distance eLearning (ODeL), student support services, intercultural communication, VR communication, and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). She has contributed to the university’s initiatives in academic support, linkages, and international collaborations.