The UPM regularly receives requests from researchers for the UP-email accounts of UPM constituents in order to invite faculty, staff and/or students to participate in their research. This is a legitimate method of recruitment which is convenient and able to reach a bigger audience.  UPM offices receiving such requests should direct the requesting researcher to the RGAO (Research Grants Administration Office) website. (https://rgao.upm.edu.ph/guidelines-on-handling-requests-to-recruit-up-manila-research-participants-through-up-email-addresses)

In order to facilitate such requests and allow our community to be actively involved in healthy scientific research, while at the same time comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173), the following procedures are to be strictly followed by all researchers, whether internal or external to the UPM.

1. Researches requesting email recruitment of participants from the UPM community should follow the standard steps of research registration and clearance. 
   • registration with the RGAO [https://rgao.upm.edu.ph/, rgao.upm@up.edu.ph].  Requirement, including intended letter of recruitment are available in the website.  Registration is followed by
   • submission to Research Ethics Board (REB) [https://ireb.upm.edu.ph/login] for ethical approval

• *An intended letter of recruitment should be included in these submissions and should contain:
  • study title
  • name and home unit of the Principal Investigator (PI)
  • general nature and main objective of the study
  • target population
  • contact information of PI or representative (email, phone, QR code)

2. Once registered with the UPM RGAO and approved by the UPM REB, the researcher should send a letter to one of the following offices requesting email recruitment of UPM participants:
   • UPM Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) [upm-hrdo@up.edu.ph] for UPM staff
   • UPM Office of the University Registrar (OUR) [upm-our@up.edu.ph] for UPM students
   • PGH Expanded Hospital Research Office (EHRO) [oddho-ehro.uppgh@up.edu.ph] for PGH staff

• The request letter should include:
  • the UPM RGAO registration of the study
  • the UPM REB certificate of approval for the study
  • the UPM REB-approved intended letter of recruitment (*) to be used in Step 3

3. Once received by the appropriate offices in #2,
   • the HRDO and/or the OUR will email the attached invitation letter (*), on behalf of the researcher, within seven (7) calendar days, to the targeted population within the UPM community.
   • In the case of the PGH, the PGH EHRO, through the PGH Human Resource Development Division (HRDO), will make the research announcements through their regular email blast
4. A prospective UPM participant communicates with the researcher/s and not the OVCR, the HRDO, the OUR, or the PGH EHRO, about the study.

5. The decision to participate is on an opt-in basis.

At no step in this process does the UPM release sensitive personal information of personnel or students.

For the information, guidance, and compliance of all concerned.