CITATIONS FOR THE OUTGOING REGENTS AND THEIR RESPONSE
For Regent Kristine ClareC.Bugayong
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CITATION
KRISTINE CLAREC.BUGAYONG
Whereas, Kristine ClareC.Bugayong served with distinction as Student Regent of the University of the Philippines from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001;
Whereas, she shared her vision, ability and resources with the University Community:
Whereas, as member of the Board, she consistently brought to its attention the views, interests and demands of the studentry, thus helping to ensure that the University's policies, programs and projects were responsive to her constituency while also affirming the principles of democratic governance, academic freedom and academic excellence of the University;
Whereas, as a recognized leader of the University, she provided an effectivelink between the latter and the Student Sector;
Now, therefore, the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the President of the University, hereby recognizes the invaluable services of Regent Kristine ClareC.Bugayong to the University of the Philippines and expresses its profound gratitude therefor, for itself and on behalf of the University faculty, staff and students.
Done in Dillman, Quezon City, this 215tday of March in the year two thousand and two.
(Sgd.) ESTER A. GARDA ChaiT Board of Regents Attested:
(Sgd.) MARTIN V. GREGORIO Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents
For Regent Manta V.T. Reyes
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CITATION
DR. MARITA V.T. REYES
Whereas, Dr. Marita V.I. Reyes served with selflessness and distinction as Faculty Regent from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001;
Whereas, she brought to the Board of Regents her wealth of expertise and wisdom as a scholar, administrator, and academic leader;
Whereas, as a member of the Board, she embodied incisiveness in deliberations and decisiveness in formulating goals and policies vital to the interests of the University;
Whereas, she consistently displayed integrity and independence of mind in probing into the nature, implementation, and effects of the University's major programs and projects, thus helping to ensure that they serve the interests and goals not only of the faculty and the university, but also of the nation at large;
Whereas, she assiduously dialogued with her constituents on such issues as the selection process for the Faculty Regent promotion, tenure, faculty benefits, the Revised General Education Program, etc., and tirelessly pursued programs meant to promote faculty welfare and development;
Whereas, as Faculty Regent, she proved tobean effective and articulate spokesperson for the concerns and aspirations of the faculty, whose dedication to her work was exceeded only by her own zeal for the University's cause and the larger interests of the communityandthe country, thus helping to inspire commitment and a sense of duty among the University constituency;
Now, therefore, the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the President of the University, hereby recognizes the invaluable services of Dr. Marita V.T. Reyes to the University of the Philippines and expresses its profound gratitude therefor, for itself and on behalf of the University faculty, staff and students.
Done in Dillman, Quezon City, this 21" day of March two thousand and two.
(Sgd.) ESTER A. GARCIA Chair Board of Regents Attested:
(Sgd.) MARTIN V. GREGORIO Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents
For Regent VictorA.Reyes
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CITATION
DR. VICTOR A. REYES
Whereas, Dr. Victor A. Reyes served the University of the Philippines with distinction as a member of the Board of Regents during the past two years;
Whereas, as Regent he embodied a judicious mix of authority, wisdom, tradition, and experience;
Whereas, he brought to the deliberations of the Board his clarity of mind and force of expression, balanced with courtesy and calm, always respectful of the persons and views of others, resistant to pressure yet pragmatic and open to argument;
Whereas, he showed courage in tackling difficult and sensitive issues presented to the Board, notably the issue of the relationship of the Philippine General Hospital and U.P. Manila, which resultedinthe Board's investing of additional authority upon the Office of the Director of the Philippine General Hospital;
Whereas, he sharedhisprovocative ideas and observations with wit and eloquence, but graciously always, thereby enabling the Board toexplore with both vigor and calm the various facets of a problem or issue before making a decision;
Whereas,inhiswork as Regent he consistently upheld the greater welfare of the University and its constituents;
Now, therefore, the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the President of the University, hereby recognizes the invaluable
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January. March
2002
V.P.GAZETIE 35 services of Dr. VictorA.Reyes to the University of the Philippines andexpresses its profound gratitude therefor, for itself, and on behalf of the University faculty, staff and students.
Done inDillman,QuezonCity,this21"day of March, two thousand and two.
For Regent (elsaR.Roque'"
UNIVERSITY OFTHE PHILIPPINES CITATION
CITATION DR. OSCAR M. ALFONSO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES For Regent OscarM.Alfonso
DR. CELSO R. ROQUE
... Dr.(elsa R.Roque wasflatabletoattend the occasion. He was confined at the Intensive Care Unit(leU)ofSf.Luke'sHospital.
Attested:
(Sgd.) MARTIN V. GREGORIO Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents
TheRegents responded asfollows:
(Sgd.) ESTER A. GARCIA Chair Board of Regents Whereas, Dr. Celso R.Roque served the University of the Philippines, with distinction, as member of the Board of Regents, for the past two years;
Whereas, he brought to the Board his wealth of experience as scholar, scientist and former administrator, providing the body with a perspective that is national as well as international, relevant and holistic;
Whereas, as member of the Board, he manifested incisiveness as well as decisivenessinformulating goals and policies vital to the interests of the University;
Whereas, his partiality to democratic and intelligent discussions made every Board meeting he attended an arena where the best of ideas were scrutinized;
Now, therefore, the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the President of the University, hereby recognizes the invaluable services ofDr.Celso R. Roque to the University of the Philippines and expresses its profound gratitude therefor, for itself and on behalf of the University faculty, staff and students.
DoneinDillman, Quezon City, this 21'I day of March in the year two thousand and two.
First, I'd like to thank the Board of Regents for giving me the Citation, maraming salamat. Pasensiya na po kung napasakit ko ang ulo n'yo paminsan-minsan. Si Ma'am Diokno, ginawa ko po iyon para maipahatidsaBoardryongsentimentsngmga estudyante.Iwill miss wakingup at five o'clock every last Thursday of the month to attend the Board, reading the long agenda na minsan, mas mahaba pa ang Addenda kaysa sa Agenda na pinapahabol mismo sa umaga ng Board of Regents' meeting.
Siguro. hindi naman po dito magtatapos iyong "service to the University" at sfguro inthe future, we might see each other becauseI willstill continue serving the students. Siguro sa ibang form na lang.
Siguro magkikita pa tayo sa mga hearings ng budget, sa mga rally, para sa mas mataas na budget para sa University.
Siguro ay isa na lang po ang hihilingin ko sa Board sa pag-alis ko dahil nabalitaan ko na bumaba na ang desisyon doon sa kaso ng predecessor ko, si Hannah Serana, na for confirmation na yata ng Board ngayong araw na ito. Siguro, hihilingin ko na lang po na baka po puedeng samahan karni, kasi magiging co-complainant na po sa kaso sa Ombudsman si[Paul Manzanilla. Baka popuedengsamahanng University tyong mga estudyante sa kanilang quest for justice.saka.so~g itoat sumama po ang University sa kaso sa Ombudsman dahil satmgin po namin mas malakas ang laban natin kung kasama namin ang University .
RegentKCBugayong
(Sgd.) ESTER A. GARCIA Chair Board of Regents (Sgd.) ESTERA.GARCIA
Chair Board of Regents Attested:
(Sgd.) MARTIN V. GREGORIO Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents
Whereas,Dr.Oscar M. Alfonsoserved with distinction as member of the Board of Regents from February 1992 to December 2001;
Whereas, he brought to his position a unique perspective shaped bydecades of experiencein various positions under five University presidents;
whereas, part of this perspective was an unmatched institutional memory and a strong sense of tradition that often gave the Board indispensable guidesinmaking decisions;
Whereas, he consistently manifested a strong sense of fairness in tackling issues, particularly contentious ones, examining contending arguments, bringing to bear on his stand his rationality, insight and wisdom, and not automatically yielding to dogmatic and predetermined positions;
Whereas,hisstyle was never one of unrelieved seriousness and grimdetermination but invariably laced with asenseof humor and a cheerfulness of spirit that relieved tension in difficult situations;
Whereas, he always displayed inhiswritten and oral discourse a strong sense oflanguage that never failed to edify, surprise, and entertain with its imaginative turns of phrase, rare words, wisdom and optimism;
Whereas, in his work as member of the Board of Regents he brought a passionate loyalty to the V.P.,a decade-long commitment that now ends with all the laurels that he deserves;
Whereas, for overhalfa century he served the University-in the last decadeasRegent-bringing to his work a passionate loyalty to the V.P.and a rare prudence and discreetness-altogether a record of service that has earned for him deep respect and affection;
Now, therefore, the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the President of the University, hereby recognizes the invaluable services ofDr.OscarM.Alfonso to the University of the Philippines and expresses its profound gratitude, therefor, for itself and on behalf of the University faculty, staff and students.
Done in Dillman, Quezon City, this21<1day of Marchinthe year two thousand and two.
Attested:
(Sgd.) MARTIN V. GREGORIO Secretary of the University and of the Board of Regents
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[sa pa po, i-implement na po iyong Expanded ROTC at hinihiling korinpo sa Board na baka po puedeng tingnan po natindahilpo baka next sem ay baka kasama na po iyong mga babae sa ROTC at ayaw na ayaw po ito ng mga estudyante. Sana po ay tulungan ng University iyong mga estudyante na tuluyan na pong ma-abolish ang ROTC. lyon lamang po at maraming salamat. Experience of a lifetime po ito.
Maraming salamat pong muli.
Regent VictorA. Reyes
Letme tell you sincerely, my having served on this Board has been for me, of mosthighhonor. In addition. a great learning experience for which I am very thankful to all who have been involved during my stint. In particular, I want to thank our handsome President, Dodong Nemenzo; our admirable Chairman Ester Garcia; and all the rest of you inthis room who have made my stint most enjoyable ane' temorable.
I wish the new regents congratulations and goodlUC1\.
Thank you.
Regent Manta V. T.Reyes
A MAGIC MIX OF PERSONS AND VALUES
I had a long standing gripe against the Board of Regents and the University Administration. For a long time - I believed that the Board and U.P. administration just don't getit;that their primary reason for being is to support the academe in its pursuit of academic excellence and to protect academic freedom.
Thus, the irony of the situation was not missed by many of my co- combatants when I was selected as faculty regent. I was indeed prepared to report and confirm what we have long suspected about the Board of Regents - that the Board decided on matters based on hidden agenda or as participants ina power play to favor a selected few. Or, even maybe based on nothing for what do the members of the Board really know about the university? What happened was a happy disappointment:
month after month of meetings I could not come up with any expose'.
No intrigues, no plots! I did not uncover any schemes to undermine academic freedom and academic excellence.
There were - President Nemenzo: as very transparent academic leader, optimistic as he weathered "ups and downs" in generating intellectual ferment;Dr.Oscar Alfonso: alert and ready with precedent decisions and an understanding of university history; Dr. Raul de Guzman: inspiring for his humility and unbounded concern for the university's interests; Atty. Eddie Hernandez: impatient in his advocacy for directionand.action; Hon. Ping de Jesus: clear of thoughtinpolicies and decisions;Dr.Victor Reyes: handsome, persistent and adamant in putting forth the imperatives of health services in the PGH; KC Bugayong: a calm and gracigus voice for students; andDr.Ester Garda:
a firm, even-handed moderator, ensuring fair and rational resolutions.
The President's staff has been most reassuring with their competence, commitment and humanity: VP Maris Diokno: always quick to explain the ramifications of academic decisions and processes; VP Martin Gregorio: ready with supporting documents and background materials (only missed one or two!), VP Endriga: providing context in deliberationswith the latest campus developments; VP Ralph Rodriguez:
a self-deprecating humor behind an intelligent planner; VP Echarus: no- nonsense approachto budgeting and finance which is now matched by VPGerryCao with a song; and Legal expert Marvic Leonen: providing not only legal but social counsel.
I have been amazed and appreciative of the loyalty and dedication of the staff of the Office of the University Secretary: most especially Ghani, Dante, Cora and Toto. And,ifI may be granted awish as outgoing faculty regent: it wouldbe a wish for a regular item for Toto!
TRULY, A MAGIC MIX OF PEOPLE AND VALUES' I miss you all, already.
I have tried to consider which of the many activities, assigrunents and experiences of a faculty would be comparable to being member of the Board of Regents. Given that I am near retirement and having taught for 37 years (27years in U.P.), there should be many of these. But I have come to the conclusion that thereisnone. This, infact, is a unique experience - a very fascinating and interesting one.
I thank youallfor sharing a part of yourselves with me. I thank the rest of the faculty for giving me this opportunity. And, to the new faculty regent my congratulations and best wishes!
Regent OscarM.Alfonso
HAIL TO ALL THAT AND FAREWELL
The University of the Philippines is one of the most valuable institutions of the country. Thisis not idle boast nor easily-dismissed self-toast. Ifthis is the view of doting U.P. alumni, itis not just out of loving.Itis the view also of discerning others, out of respecting, though their alma mater UP. is not.
Keeping the notion and the reality of U.P.'s worth alive and kicking has been the privilege and pleasure of the faculty, students, and alumni.
The faculty by their informed teaching, their pioneering and milestone research, and their expert extension service. The students by their demonstrations, inside the classroom and out, of the worthiness of their admission to the university and of their gutsy stand on burning issues U.P.-local and national. The alumni, by the glory reflecting on the university by their achievements in their professional life and their active participation in the national struggle for a placeinthe sun.
The Board of Regents and the President of the university, each in their respective spheres under the U.P. Charter, do no less for the university's standing in the academic community, national and international. The President proposes, the Board of Regents disposes.
what the President proposes, with very few exceptions through the years, the Board affirmatively acts upon concludingly. VVhat the President and the Board each in turn approve, largely have the previous endorsement of the appropriate lower-level officials or bodies or at least their foreknowledge.
The last thirty years or so have brought forth a growing phenomenon in U.P. that has evolved from demands from the constituencies to acceptance by administration, from limited practice to multi-unit and multi-level observance, from experimental device to practically irreversible rule. The phenomenon, welcome to all and beneficial to everyone and now become commonplace, may easily be taken for granted though of great importinU.P.'s quest for excellence.
V.P.has taken the lead among universitiesinpractidngcollegiality in decision-making. Over the years, the Board of Regents moved from sufferanceto acceptance to furtherance as the demand for democratic participation developed from nascent to presentment to entitlement stage.
Overall, there have been much delegation and sharing of powers by the Board of Regentsto and with lower levels of decision-making.
This has been as much due to the Board's keen understanding of empowerment and the temper of the times, as it has been out of practical necessity.
The U.P. faculty thus enjoy democratic consultation and democratic participation not granted to their counterparts in perhaps most other universities. This means they are consulted about and participate in(1) personnel actions such as hiring and promotion, and (2) choosing department chairs, deans and chancellors. The first, through academic personnel committees, and the second,by search committees.
The reality also is that academic matters acted upon by the Board had,ineffect, been decided upon at the level of the department. the
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January - March 2002 V.P. GAZETIE
37
MESSAGES OF PRESIDENT FRANCISCO NEMENZO
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college, and the University Council through studies, consultations, and deliberations byoperation of the pertinent provisionsin the D.P.
Charter. This-is why the Board accords fullfaith and credence to proposals emanating from the various University Councils.
Make no bones aboutit,however. Where the Board has the duty and power of decision, the Board acts accordingly when called for.
What bears remembering is that the Board's approach, to decision- making over the years conduces to initiative and enthusiasm belowin academic pursuits.
The privilege of membershipinthe Board of Regentsisgiven to but a few. I am thankful toPresident Abueva and President Aquino for my original appointmentinthe Board. I am thankful to President Javier and President Ramos for my renewal, although I did not vote for Dr. Javier forV.P.president. I voted forDr.Nemenzo.I
am
thankfulto President Nemenzo and President Estrada for another renewal, although I did not vote forDr.Nemenzobut for Dr. Carino. I thought
THE MAKING OF SOlJJ1IEASTASIA Keynote address, Confereltce-Workshop 011
"Southeast Asian Studies in Asia,I f8JamUlTlJ 2002
The University of the Philippinesishonoredtohost thisconference.
Onbehalf of the University,Iwelcome the scholars from other Asian universities and from other universitiesinthe Philippines.Iam really glad to see a number of overseas participants here. I know thatit takes some courage to come to a country that has gained the reputation of being very dangerous. But we have seen on September11 that New Yorkis more frightening than Manila.Ifyou wanttobe kidnapped by AbuSayyaf,you have to fly to southwest Mindanao-that's quite a distance and rather inconvenient.
To welcome you, let me tell you a bit about your host. The University of the Philippines (orV.P.)isthe second oldest university in the Philippines. Wewill becelebrating our IOOth anniversary a few years from now,in2008. It isquite large.U.P.is larger than what you can see. We have altogether 52,000 studentsin11 campuses. You are now in our main campus.Onthis campus alone we have more than 27,000students.
Founded by the American colonial government to train a corps of natives who could help them exploit our people, U.P. has also produced the leaders of the struggle against USimperialism. Indeed, several presidents and cabinet ministers, corporate executives and the top practitioners of the various professions arealumni of our university.
But our university has also produced the leaders of the communist and Moro secessionist movements. That is how a university ought to be: it begets all kinds, but in whatever they do, they excel.
With the exception of Thailand, all Southeast Asia countries share a common colorual experience. Unfortunately we were colonized by different Western powers who kept us apart. Foras long as we were under colonial rule, our contacts with each other were minimal.
Itwas the Japanese who inadvertently brought us together. In the process of subjugating us and weaningusfrom t~e ~est, ~e Japanese were the first to make us conscious of our ASianidentity.
The Western allies coined the term "Southeast Asia" to designate a theatre of war, the area under Japanese occupation. . .
Even then, the Philippines was excluded from this gee-military configuration because the Americansinsisted.on keeping us out of Lord Mountbatten's Southeast Asia command. After World War II, the Western scholars adopted the concept of Southeast Asia. None~eless in the first edition ofG.D.E. Hall's classicHistonJ of Soutileast Astathe Philippines was excluded. He thought we properly belong to South America.
itwas time V.P.had a woman president and a capable one at that.
Again, I am thankful to President Nemenzo for recommending my renewal recently, notwithstanding that we had some differences over the Revitalized General Education Program.
There is a saying in Spanish:mala yerbammca InJlerc. "Bad grass or weed never dies." Recently,Ibumped at Philcoa into a fellow retiree, a formerprofessorat the Collegeof Engineering.Iteasedhim by saying,
"mala yerba tayo?" Smiling, he replied, "Hindi bale na, kahit mala yerba." Clearly, he was implying that being "mala yerba" and continuing to live was doing him good.
Icould have toldhimby way of agreeing with him: "Hindi na baleng malayerba,Regentnaman." Icould have told him that, because my five 2-year appointments as Regent coincided with the ten years immediately after my retirement fromV.P.in1991.
It was good-while it lasted.
The Western scholars regarded Southeast Asia as nothing more than a "geographicexpression," as indeeditwas until very recently.
They highlighted our ethnic,cultural, religious,and hnguistic diversity.
Since the neo-colonial regimes in this region retained the political and administrative institutions even after our countries became independent, there were serious doubts as to whether Southeast Asiais a meaningful unit for comparative study as Europe and South America were.
The Cold War warped the numerous attempts to form alliances among governmentsinSoutheast Asia. After the fall of Sukarno in Indonesia and Sihanouk in Cambodia, we were polarized along ideological lines. Even the capitalist governments - the original ASEAN members - could not form an economic bloc because our economies were competitive rather than complementary. Ittook half a century of internal transformations and changing global ahgnments for Southeast Asia to transcend the differences. But once these differences were transcended, consolidation followed at incredible speed. Now, with the ASEAN embracing all ten countries, it is more meaningful to think of Southeast Asiaas a region.
But-we are still far from the level of solidarity attained by Europe and Latin America. Even theAFTA (or ASEAN Free Trade Association) that was formally launched last week has yet to prove itself as a viable economic bloc. Southeast Asia is still a region in the process of becoming, which makes it more interesting for scholars. We should not only study the region, wecanplaya role in its consolidation.
It is in this context thatIappreciate the value of this conference. Its purpose is not only to examine the state of Southeast Asian studies but also (andI thinkmore importantly) to explore new areas for collaborative action in teaching and research. Thisgathering is a great opportunity for individual scholars and academic institutions to establish linkages, and plan out joint projects. Thanks to the email and the Internet, it is now possible to work together by long distance, in cyberspace.
Iremember a big conference on Southeast Asian studiesinKota Kinabalu, sponsored by the University of Malaya. There were more than ahundred of us. We were distributed among ten workshops to discuss a wide range of topics from linguistics to nutrition, from insurgencies to witchcraft. Irealized after the first day that I would be wasting my time in the formal sessions.Itherefore sought out the more interesting participants and we had good discussions. in~ebar.
Unku Abdul Aziz, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya at that time, was outraged to learn ofhis Malay professors. gulping hiskeyinpublicwiththe infidels. So we retreated to thesuiteof the
w . til infonnal
conference organizer, Professor Tunku Shamsul Bahrin. In ese gatherings, we actually forged somecollabora~veprojects while the formal sessions only produced an inanecommll1llqlle.