The Demographic Research and Development Foundation, Inc. received a generous donation from Dr. John B. Casterline, distinguished demographer and professor Emeritus at the Ohio State University (OSU). This donation is intended for the promotion of the study of demography and population studies in the Philippines at the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI).
In his email to Dr. Maria Midea Kabamalan, Dr. Casterline wrote, “I am glad that I can offer this contribution to UPPI and its mission, especially demography training mission.” The UPPI and DRDF express utmost thanks to Dr. Casterline for the said donation as well as his many contributions in the study of population in the Philippines.
Dr. John B. Casterline’s engagement with Philippine demographers in various research and academic activities spans over 50 years. Since the late 1970s, John Casterline has been actively involved with UPPI and DRDF, collaborating on a range of research endeavors. Notably, he worked closely with Dr. Corazon Raymundo, former faculty and Director of the UPPI on the preparation of the 1978 Republic of the Philippines Fertility Survey Report. He also worked with the late Dr. Lita Domingo on a four-country study on aging in Asia (1989-1994). As a testament of his enduring connections with UPPI, Dr. Casterline was honored as the guest speaker during UPPI’s 25th Anniversary in 1989. In 2012, he was keynote speaker at the Philippine Population Association Scientific Conference. More recently (2022), Dr. Casterline served as disciplinal external assessor and lead assessor for UPPI’s External Quality Assessment (EQA) of the MA Demography Program.
Dr. Casterline’s dedication to the field of demography extends beyond the works that he has done. The contribution he has provided to UPPI and DRDF and other institutions to support the future of the discipline is indeed exemplary, says Dr. Kabamalan, Professor at the UPPI and Chairperson of DRDF and former mentee of Dr. Casterline.
DRDF intends to use the donation to support UPPI students and their respective research to advance training of future demographers in the country.