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On the UP Presidency:
Statement of National Artists, National Scientists
and Emeritus Professors of the University of the Philippines
30 November 2022

The University of the Philippines is undergoing a search for a new President who will take office at a crucial time in the university’s history. The three-year Covid-19 pandemic has severely tested the abilities of university leaders and constituents to cope with the demands of a new and difficult mode of instruction. As we transition to normality we must be cognizant of the lessons from the pandemic experience and strive to move forward in the pursuit of knowledge in the service of the public good.

The university needs a leader with a vision that will uphold UP’s strong commitment to knowledge generation and public service. UP’s President must be an exemplary scholar with a lengthy teaching experience, a deep-thinking intellectual, a competent administrator and committed public servant. UP’s leader must also possess a broad and multidisciplinary approach to higher education, research, and public management.

The UP President must have an unblemished track record and proven experience in running a university and a full understanding of the needs of the UP community. This includes overcoming unthinkable challenges such as a mammoth health crisis. It is decisive, therefore, that UP’s paramount leader enjoys high credibility with the university’s constituents – faculty, students, research staff, administrative personnel, and residents. These are essential leadership traits to motivate UP’s diverse community in fulfilling the mandate of educating the Filipino youth in the service of the Filipino people.

Moreover, the UP President must appreciate and treasure the intellectual and socio-political responsibilities of defending UP’s singular status as a safe haven and secure refuge for the pursuit of an empowering truth and the nurturing of critical thinking.

The UP President must have access to an extensive regional and global network as a means for the university to collaborate with its counterparts in Asia and the world. Crucial qualities are the discernment and skills to engage and work with those outside the academe in the realms of government, politics, business, and civil society.

In this data driven world, an academic leader should have an intricate grasp of data and analytics overlayed with the ability to link and apply these to the hard sciences, the social sciences, humanities, gender, philosophy, ecology, and the arts.

It is our most informed and judicious view that, among the current aspirants for UP President, only UP Diliman Chancellor FIDEL R. NEMENZO fulfills all of our criteria for an ideal and exemplary academic leader. We are certain that, as UP President, Chancellor Nemenzo will lead the UP community into pathbreaking horizons to enhance and solidify UP’s status as the country’s premier institution of higher learning in the service of the nation and beyond.

Signed by UP Emeritus Professors

1 National Artist Gémino H. Abad, UP Diliman (Literature and Creative Writing)

2 National Artist Virgilio S. Almario, UP Diliman (Filipino and Philippine Literature)

3 National Scientist Lourdes J. Cruz, UP Diliman (Marine Science)

4 National Scientist Raul V. Fabella, UP Diliman (Economics)

5 National Artist Ramón P. Santos, UP Diliman (Composition and Theory)

6 National Scientist Gavino Trono Jr., UP Diliman (Marine Science)

7 Former UP President Emerlinda R. Roman, UP Diliman (Business Administration)

8 Former UPB Chancellor Priscilla S. Macansantos, UP Baguio (Mathematics)

9 Former UPOU Chancellor Ma. Cristina D. Padolina, UP Los Baños (Chemistry)

10 Former UPV Chancellor Ida M. Siason, UP Visayas (Psychology)

11 Generoso T. Abes, UP Manila (Otorhinolaryngology)

12 Jasmin E. Acuña, UP Diliman (Psychology and Management)

13 Florian A. Alburo, UP Diliman (Economics)

14 Violeta Bautista, UP Diliman (Psychology)

15 Alex B. Brillantes Jr., UP Diliman (Public Administration)

16 Leonor M. Briones, UP Diliman (Public Administration)

17 Benjamin Isla Cabangis, UP Diliman (Fine Arts)

18 Maria Luisa T. Camagay, UP Diliman (History)

19 Dante B. Canlas, UP Diliman (Economics)

20 Apolonio B. Chua, UP Diliman (Filipino and Philippine Literature)

21 Jose Dalisay, UP Diliman (English and Comparative Literature)

22 Ida F. Dalmacio, UP Los Baños (Food Microbiology)

23 Rolando A. Danao, UP Diliman (Economics)

24 Randolf S. David, UP Diliman (Sociology)

25 Ma. Serena I. Diokno, UP Diliman (History)

26 Erlinda S. Echanis, UP Diliman (Business Administration)

27 Elizabeth L. Enriquez, UP Diliman (Broadcast Communication)

28 Sylvia Estrada-Claudio, UP Diliman (Social Work and Community Development)

29 Felisa U. Etemadi, UP Cebu (Political Science)

30 Cecilia A. Florencio, UP Diliman (Nutrition)

31 Maria Cecilia Gastardo-Conaco, UP Diliman (Psychology)

32 Cristina P. Hidalgo, UP Diliman (English and Comparative Literature)

33 Elsie C. Jimenez, UP Baguio (Chemistry)

34 Ricardo Trota Jose, UP Diliman (History)

35 Angelito G. Manalili, UP Diliman (Community Development)

36 Agnes D. Mejia, UP Manila (Medicine)

37 Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo, UP Diliman (Women and Development Studies)

38 Epictetus E. Patalinghug, UP Diliman (Economics and Finance)

39 Ernesto M. Pernia, UP Diliman (Economics)

40 June C. Prill-Brett, UP Baguio (Anthropology)

41 Evangel P. Quiwa, UP Diliman (Computer Science)

42 Rafael Rodriguez, UP Diliman (Business Administration)

43 Rosario del Rosario, UP Diliman (Community Development)

44 Academician Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone, UP Diliman (Marine Science)

45 Gerardo P. Sicat, UP Diliman (Economics)

46 Polly W. Sy, UP Diliman (Mathematics)

47 Academician Guillermo Q. Tabios III, UP Diliman (Civil Engineering)

48 Eduardo C. Tadem, UP Diliman (Asian Studies)

49 Edita A. Tan, UP Diliman (Economics)

50 Nicanor G. Tiongson, UP Diliman (Mass Communication)

51 Delfin Tolentino, Jr., UP Baguio (Literature)

52 Amaryllis T. Torres, UP Diliman (Community Development)

53 Rosario L. Torres-Yu, UP Diliman (Filipino and Philippine Literature)

54 Elizabeth R. Ventura, UP Diliman (Psychology)

55 Corazon Villareal, UP Diliman (English and Comparative Literature)

56 Basilio Esteban Villaruz, UP Diliman (Dance)

57 Nestor Olarte Vinluan, UP Diliman (Fine Arts)

58 Roy C. Ybañez, UP Diliman (Business Administration)

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