Three national artists, three national scientists, a former UP president, former chancellors of UP Baguio, UP Visayas, and UP Open University and over 40 UP professors emeriti issued late Wednesday evening a statement supporting the candidacy of Dr. Fidel Nemenzo for the UP presidency.
“It is our most informed and judicious view,” declares the statement, “that, among the current aspirants for UP President, only UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo fulfills all of our criteria for an idealand exemplary academic leader.”
The signatories are well-respected, highly accomplished members of the Philippines’s academic, artistic, and scientific communities. They come from a diverse range of disciplines and UP campuses, such as Baguio, Cebu, Diliman, Los Baños, Manila, Visayas and Open University.
Growing up in UP and coming from a family of academics, Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo, a mathematician, rose through the ranks, from instructor to professor, and eventually became chancellor of UP Diliman in March 2020.
National artists and national scientists have made “significant contributions to the arts and letters,” and to science and technology, respectively. Two signatories are “academicians,” a label that refers to membership in the prestigious National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). “Professor emeritus” is a title conferred on select retired faculty members for their “exceptional achievement and exemplary service to the University.”
The UP Board of Regents, the university’s highest policy-making body, will vote on the next UP president on December 9, 2022. The other nominees are Patrick Alain T. Azanza; Salvador B. Belaro Jr.; Angelo A. Jimenez; Benito M. Pacheco and Fernando C. Sanchez Jr.
Below is the complete list of signatories endorsing Nemenzo’s appointment to the UP presidency:
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)
