Former UP alumni regent elected new UP president

MANILA, Philippines - The board of regents (BOR) of the University of the Philippines elected a new president for the state university yesterday.

The 11-member board announced that former alumni regent Alfredo Pascual would serve for six years as UP president starting Feb. 9, 2011.

Staff regent Clodualdo Cabrera said Pascual garnered six out of the 11 votes cast through secret balloting by the board during a closed-door session.

Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricia Licuanan, also a member of the BOR, said it did not take long for the board to pick the next UP president.

“Incumbent UP president Emerlinda Roman was deputized to head a transition committee that will take care of preparations before the turnover,” Licuanan said.

Other members of the BOR, the highest-decision making body of UP, are faculty regent Judy Taguiwalo, alumni regent Gladys Tiongo, student regent Jaqueline Eroles, Sen. Edgardo Angara as head of the Senate Education Committee, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara as head of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, and Malacañang appointees Reynato Puno, Elizabeth Siguion-Reyna and Magdaleno Albarracin Jr.

Students and faculty members earlier gathered while waiting for the results of the selection of the new UP president.

Most of them were happy over the selection of Pascual, hoping that his administration will stand for the rights of the students, faculty and employees.

The 62-year-old Pascual said he was elated after learning he was elected as the new UP president. Pascual said he was at home when he was informed of the results of the selection.

“This is a big challenge for me. Once I officially assume office, I will look into the issue of budget cut that involves UP. We will seek audience with concerned government officials so that we can seek for appropriate solutions. We need to work together and we will see what can be done,” Pascual told the gathering of students, teachers and university officials.

Pascual said he would aim for a zero tuition increase under his administration.

A BS Chemistry graduate, Pascual took his masters in Business Administration also at UP.

Referred to as an accomplished finance professional, Pascual made significant contributions to progress in the Asia-Pacific region as an international development banker and educator.

Working in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 19 years until 2008, Pascual excelled as a Filipino and UP alumnus.

Prior to becoming an international development banker, Pascual was an academic and an investment banker in the Philippines.

He contributed to education by serving as an instructor at the UP Department of Chemistry for about a year.

Right after his MBA, Pascual served as a lecturer on a part-time basis for four years at the Department of Management Engineering and Department of Business in the Ateneo de Manila University.

After retiring from ADB in late 2008, Pascual has continued to be productively engaged by taking on international consulting and advisory assignments. In addition, he has devoted time to voluntary public service.

Pascual also served as lead convener of the Automated Election System Watch, an independent, broad-based and multi-sector coalition that sought to monitor the preparation for and conduct of the country’s historic nationwide poll automation.