UP official resigns after backlash on tweet

MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines System announced yesterday that its executive vice president, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, has resigned from his post.

Herbosa’s resignation came shortly after causing social media furor over his comment on the death of an elderly man lining up at the community pantry set up by actress Angel Locsin last Friday.

In his tweet, Herbosa had remarked seemingly in jest that the cause of the man’s demise was “death by community pantry” – which immediately drew flak from the online UP community and other netizens.

On the same day, Herbosa issued a public apology on his Facebook page: “I sincerely apologize for my tweet earlier today, tagging as ‘death by community pantry’ news of a senior citizen’s death at a community pantry of a celebrity. It may have sounded like a criticism but was ill-judged, when many are facing hardships & being helped by these kind hearted souls.”

“I support community pantries as acts of kindness. What I had intended to say was I object to violations of public health standards, which increase transmission of COVID-19,” added Herbosa, who is also a special adviser of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF).

Expounding further, he said: “I suggested ways to do community pantries without risk to senior citizens. I felt angry over a preventable death and ended up issuing the tweet when I could have expressed it in a better way.”

“I apologize to sincere organizers of community pantries who were hurt. I continue to reflect on the impact of my behavior. I assure you this has nothing to do with the institution that I serve, the University of the Philippines, I have filed a leave of absence while I reflect on my actions & this misstep,” he added.

Yesterday, UP said in its statement that Herbosa had tendered his resignation, citing “personal reasons.”

“UP President Danilo L. Concepcion has accepted his resignation, expressing his regret from the fact that Herbosa had served the University with great dedication,” the statement said.

Herbosa had served as EVP of UP since the start of Concepcion’s presidency of the state university in 2017.

“In your service as Executive Vice President, you have shown how vital this position can be to the governance of the University,” Concepcion had said in his response to Herbosa’s resignation letter.

“President Concepcion, however, noted that ‘it is imperative that there be consistency and harmony in our relationship as administrators, as well as in our public pronouncements, given that we both represent the larger University community, its spirit, and its interests,’” read the UP statement.