Additional Reports on the Election of a new U.P. President

(BOR Chair Patricia Licuanan after announcing that
Mr. Alfredo E. Pascual was U.P.'s new President-elect)

By Ice Morales

At about 10 a.m. yesterday, on December 3, 2010, the first president after the 2008 University of the Philippines Charter (R.A. 9500) charter was passed into law was elected into office after one round of voting (To read our election day coverage of the Board of Regents (BOR) election of a new U.P. President, please click on this link: http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-flash-up-has-new-president.html).

Former Alumni Regent Alfredo E. Pascual was elected with six votes out of eleven votes in the U.P. Board of Regents (BOR).

The announcement was officially made by the chair of the BOR, Dr. Patricia Licuanan, who is also the chair of the Commission on Higher Education and Development.

(U.P. President-elect Alfredo E. Pascual

speaking before a crowd at Quezon

Hall after the announcement)

As President-elect Pascual addressed the crowd, he promised that he will bring his 30 years of experience to the service of his office. When asked what his first order of business is, he said he will first create a team for the Office of the President to support him in his projects. What he will focus on is to increase revenue for the System and manage the costs being incurred. His message to the community is for all the sectors to support him in creating U.P. as the primary university in the country given the limited budget and to maintain the public character of U.P.

With regard to raising revenues, Mr. Pascual said this will be done through a combination of government subsidy; donations and grants; partnerships for research; and of course the maximization of the University's assets, such as U.P. properties. All throughout, he said will study all possibilities on how to maximize revenues through open and competitive processes and utilize strategies that which will most benefit the U.P. community.

(Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo)

(Staff Regent Clodualdo "Buboy" Cabrera)

(Student Regent Jacqueline Eroles)

Student Regent Judy Jacqueline Eroles said the regents who voted for Mr. Pascual were concerned about how the next U.P. President would tackle two main concerns: accessibility of education to all segments of society and U.P.'s policy to approaching the lower income brackets or even its lack of a policy. She said they voted for Pascual on the grounds of his promises to strive during his term not to increase tuition fees and also for his pledge to review ratory fees which have been a persistent issue that the student body has been dealing with.

Meantime, in a December 2, 2010 Christmas message to the U.P. Community posted on the U.P. website (http://up.edu.ph/features.php?i=237), outgoing U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman said:

“When I assumed the post of UP President, the University was at a crossroads. It was on the brink of a new century. The situation demanded that we look backward, to take full measure of what our first one hundred years signified, in terms of both accomplishments and failures; and that we look forward and offer a blueprint for the next one hundred years. In both tasks, we sought the help of the University’s best minds. Naturally, we have not been in complete agreement; and, in true UP tradition, we have agreed to disagree about a number of things.”

Nonetheless I think we are one in hoping that the new administration will enjoy a tranquil and fruitful term, and that the University will prosper under its leadership. This is not just empty rhetoric. I believe that optimism is not unjustified. The mechanisms are in place to enable the University to move closer to the ideal in our minds. My predecessors have done their part in ensuring this; and I, too, have done so to the best of my ability. We must continue to work together to build on that which we truly value and hold most dear.”

“But before our administration winds up, and the new one takes over, I invite you all, my dear colleagues, students, administrative staff and friends, to pause briefly and remember the spirit behind these annual celebrations; joy and peace to men (and women) of good will.”

“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.”

(President-elect Pascual takes time for pictures with the

audience including Diliman Diary's Editor, Chanda Shahani)

(Photos by: Ice Morales)