New U.P. President promotes green campuses

LOS BANOS, LAGUNA, Mar 21, (PIA) --Newly-installed University of the Philippines (UP) president Alfredo E. Pascual has vowed to transform U.P. colleges nationwide into green campuses by taking a lead role in national concerns related to forestry and environment conservation.

The new UP president head said his administration will follow a policy of good democratic governance that subscribes to collegiality, transparency and accountability.

Pascual also emphasized the need to operate as one in the U.P. system and work with synergy and to interact and collaborate with each other.

The UP president, who assumed office on February 10, recently visited the University of the Philippines-Los Banos, Laguna and interacted with UPLB officials and attended a forum organized by the students.
Pacual met with UPLB officials led by Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco and asked to inform him of what UPLB needs and its aspirations so his administration can be relevant. He referred to himself as a chief academic officer to emphasize his presidency as a management team and not as a single person.

On the initiatives that can be pursued at UPLB, Pascual said UPLB can take a lead role in national concerns that are related to forestry and conservation, citing the Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) that can be used as an outdoor facility for natural resources, outdoor recreation and education.

The MFR could be a center for biodiversity research in the region, and to do this, facilities must be established to make full use of the MFR, Pascual added. (Alan C. Ortillano, PIA-Laguna)