| Remarks of UP President Alfredo Pascual at the 118th meeting of the UP Diliman University Council |
| Wednesday, July 20, 2011 |
 18 July 2011, Abelardo Hall(This statement was prepared by the UP System Information Office following President Pascual’s extemporaneous remarks.) There seems to be a controversy over the proposal of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) to have me appointed as Professor 12, as may be gleaned from the column article of Prof. Solita Monsod published in Business World last 14 July titled “Tempest over academic rank.” Such a controversy is an unnecessary distraction at this time when we are trying to achieve academic excellence and administrative efficiency in the face of inadequate budget funding from the government. I therefore thought it wise to talk to you directly, the faculty of UP Diliman, and clear the air on this issue. Instead of just writing a statement to be read before the council, I have decided to speak to you today. I have noted that some people are second guessing my intentions and I hope that through this conversation we can clarify matters. Let me say upfront, here and now, that I have not sought to be appointed as professor. I don’t need the title to effectively discharge my mandate as UP President and execute my plans and programs for the university. Let me also say that if offered to me, I will NOT accept an appointment as Professor 12 in UP, now or in the future. You must note that by the time I finish my term as President in February 2017, I will be over the faculty retirement age of 65. A professor appointment given to me while I am President will therefore be of no use for me. Does it mean I will no longer consider teaching in UP? The answer is no. I will be happy to serve as guest lecturer at NCPAG – to whom I am thankful for the invitation to join its faculty – or any other unit of the university where my experience and expertise, particularly in development, project finance and public-private partnership (PPP), will add value. As you may very well know, my first job was an instructor of Chemistry after getting my Bachelor of Science degree in the same discipline here at UP Diliman. Aside from UP Diliman, I also taught at the Ateneo de Manila University part-time for four years and at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) full-time for nine years. I welcome any opportunity to share knowledge with our students. But let me repeat that I do not need to be appointed professor to do so. I know I am considered by some of you as an outsider. Given that, I know I need to allow time for you to get to know me better. I need to earn your trust and merit it. As early as now, there is something you have to know about me: I am not in the habit of replying to poison-pen letters, and I think many of you know what I am referring to. Coming from a discipline which strictly requires evidence-based conclusions, I decided not to dignify the black propaganda against me in an open letter written by a certain Mari Batalla La Granja dated 12 May, the contents of which have even reached those outside our university. I stand by my career record in reputable local and international institutions, such as ADB and AIM, where I occupied positions of trust and respect. Suffice it to say that the La Granja letter contains logical fallacies we tell our students to avoid like non-sequitur, hasty generalizations and ad hominem attacks. This poison-pen letter is full of lies, half-truths, and innuendoes. I challenge those behind the poison-pen letter to come out with evidence and prove their allegations. For many of you who uphold honor and excellence by, among others, relying on verified information instead of mere speculation, I am confident that you will keep communication lines open, in the same way that you may have ignored altogether the contents of the poison-pen letter. In my speech during the turnover ceremonies last 10 February, I stressed, “The Office of the President will keep its communication lines open to the UP community. I would love to hear your views, comments and suggestions.” All of you are more than welcome to approach me or any member of my executive team. In the spirit of collegiality, transparency and democratic governance, we should continue consultations and I hope that my speaking to you today is the start of more productive interactions and the end to unnecessary distractions. Let me end by saying that there is something we could learn from our student leaders who, since the start of my term as President, have sought an audience with me from time to time. As you all know, there were speculations last month about alleged tuition increases as a result of alleged re-bracketing in the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP). But as a result of open lines of communication with student leaders and campus journalists, we were able to clarify matters and explain the necessity to implement new requirements as regards application for Bracket B classification. Again, the communication lines are open and I hope that you, our dear faculty, will maximize this opportunity being provided by the new administration. Thank you for your attention. (Source: http://up.edu.ph/features.php?i=342) |
Showing posts with label U.P. Manila University Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.P. Manila University Council. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Remarks of U.P. President Alfredo Pascual at the 118th meeting of the UP Diliman University Council Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Commentary: U.P. Manila University Council to U.P. President Emerlinda Roman and Palace Regents: "We uphold Dr. Jose Gonzales as PGH Director."
Philippines Manila showing the Oblation (Source:
The website U.P. Issues has just posted an update on developments in U.P. Manila with respect to faculty support for deposed University of the Philippines (U.P.) Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Director Jose Gonzales. The website states: "The University Council of UP Manila resolved (on April 13, 2010) to uphold the UP College of Medicine College Council resolution upholding Dr. Jose Gonzales as PGH Director. (U.P. Manila) Chancellor (Ramon) Arcadio wants to conduct a referendum on the matter. If Arcadio wants… a resounding approval of Dr. Jose Gonzales then let’s give him a wake up call."
(http://upissues.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/upm-uc/).
With this development, U.P. President Emerlinda Roman and the Malacañang Regents are now presented with a classic dillemma with respect to their recent railroading of a decision to depose Dr. Gonzales as the duly selected Director of the PGH and replacing him with a more malleable but more junior Dr. Enrique Domingo, who has publicly stated that he is in favour of the continuation of the project to privatize portions of the PGH through a contract signed last July 2009 by President Roman with the Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC). Dr. Gonzales says that he opposes the project in its present form. The Department of Justice is against the project because it says it is contrary to existing laws, and has pointed out that the U.P. Charter (R.A. 9500) requires that thorough public consultation of affected constituents needed to be done rather than through a legal sleight-of-hand where the U.P. Administration is essentially stating that since negotiations began before the passage of R.A. 9500 into law, then the more rigorous requirements of the U.P. Charter did not apply to the DMMC contract (see Diliman Diary, March 3, 2010: http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2010/03/department-of-justice-up-board-of.html).
On the one hand, President Roman, who voted for Dr. Domingo, and the Malacañang regents, can collectively be expected to be in favour of retaining Dr. Domingo since they are essentially the same proponents of the PGH privatization, and Dr. Domingo can be expected to act as their strong right arm in U.P. PGH to ensure the project is followed to the letter.
On the other hand, President Roman and the Malacañang regents are also guided by clause 3h of R.A. 9500 (http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2008/ra_9500_2008.html) which states that the University shall:
"Provide democratic governance in the University based on collegiality, representation, accountability, transparency and active participation of its constituents, and promote the holding of fora for students, faculty, research, extension and professional staff (REPS), staff, and alumni to discuss non-academic issues affecting the University."
President Roman's conduct and behavior in the case of the PGH Director is also guided by Section 14 of R.A. 9500 which states that, "The President of the University is the chief academic officer, head of the university faculty and the chief executive officer of the University." Thus, as the chief academic officer and head of the university faculty, she cannot ignore the academic freedom of the U.P. Manila University Council who voted in the majority to uphold the selection of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director.
Observers state that Dr. Gonzales was targeted for removal by elements within the BOR for his uncompromising stand on rejecting the rampant commercialization of PGH at the cost of denying much needed revenues to revenue generating units such as PGH's pharmacy and diagnostics center; by allowing DMMC to directly compete against them. Dr. Gonzales says that given the annual budgetary shortfall of PGH, the cannibalization of mission-critical revenue generating units had to be opposed since the funds were needed to augment the budgetary shortfall of the PGH, which services up to 500,000 indigent patients a year. PGH's budgetary shortfall in 2008 reached PhP 1.7 billion, according to the Commission on Audit.
However, for standing up for his principles and paying the price by being deposed as PGH Director by the BOR , observers state that Dr. Gonzales has essentially been stripped of his academic freedom by President Roman and the BOR. Scholars worldwide cite how Academic Freedom is repeatedly under attack in several fronts by bureaucrat-capitalists in the academe. For example, proponents of academic freedom believe that "the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy," and that Dr. Gonzales should not have been persecuted for merely expressing an opinion.
An article on Academic Freedom in Wikipedia stated that: "(Proponents) argue that academic communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to their ability to shape and control the flow of information. When scholars attempt to teach or communicate ideas or facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public vilification, job loss, imprisonment, or even death. For example, in North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that his country's infant mortality rate was higher than government figures indicated. He lost his job and was imprisoned."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_freedom).
It still remains to be seen as to whether President Roman will undertake the harder right -- which is to close ranks with -- and respect the Academic Freedom of the U.P. Manila University Council to uphold the selection of Dr. Gonzales by the BOR in December 18, 2009 or at the very least initiate a new round of votes in the BOR for a "sudden death" vote between Dr. Gonzales and Dr. Domingo -- or whether she and the Palace regents will succumb to the pressure of commercial interests and pressure from the Palace to retain Dr. Domingo -- and -- thereby -- wholeheartedly embrace -- the easier wrong .
UPDATE:
The draft of the resolution can be accessed through the website, U.P. Issues which was posted on April 17, 2010: http://upissues.wordpress.com/
Observers state that Dr. Gonzales was targeted for removal by elements within the BOR for his uncompromising stand on rejecting the rampant commercialization of PGH at the cost of denying much needed revenues to revenue generating units such as PGH's pharmacy and diagnostics center; by allowing DMMC to directly compete against them. Dr. Gonzales says that given the annual budgetary shortfall of PGH, the cannibalization of mission-critical revenue generating units had to be opposed since the funds were needed to augment the budgetary shortfall of the PGH, which services up to 500,000 indigent patients a year. PGH's budgetary shortfall in 2008 reached PhP 1.7 billion, according to the Commission on Audit.
However, for standing up for his principles and paying the price by being deposed as PGH Director by the BOR , observers state that Dr. Gonzales has essentially been stripped of his academic freedom by President Roman and the BOR. Scholars worldwide cite how Academic Freedom is repeatedly under attack in several fronts by bureaucrat-capitalists in the academe. For example, proponents of academic freedom believe that "the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy," and that Dr. Gonzales should not have been persecuted for merely expressing an opinion.
An article on Academic Freedom in Wikipedia stated that: "(Proponents) argue that academic communities are repeatedly targeted for repression due to their ability to shape and control the flow of information. When scholars attempt to teach or communicate ideas or facts that are inconvenient to external political groups or to authorities, they may find themselves targeted for public vilification, job loss, imprisonment, or even death. For example, in North Africa, a professor of public health discovered that his country's infant mortality rate was higher than government figures indicated. He lost his job and was imprisoned."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_freedom).
It still remains to be seen as to whether President Roman will undertake the harder right -- which is to close ranks with -- and respect the Academic Freedom of the U.P. Manila University Council to uphold the selection of Dr. Gonzales by the BOR in December 18, 2009 or at the very least initiate a new round of votes in the BOR for a "sudden death" vote between Dr. Gonzales and Dr. Domingo -- or whether she and the Palace regents will succumb to the pressure of commercial interests and pressure from the Palace to retain Dr. Domingo -- and -- thereby -- wholeheartedly embrace -- the easier wrong .
UPDATE:
The draft of the resolution can be accessed through the website, U.P. Issues which was posted on April 17, 2010: http://upissues.wordpress.com/
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