UP graduates to rate fellow alumni in gov’t

Graduates of the University of the Philippines will rate their fellow graduates who are working in government.

The public issues committee of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) said yesterday that score cards on the performance of UP alumni would be out before the May 2007 elections.

Lawyer Rita Linda Jimeno, chairman of UPAA, said focus-group meetings and consultations are now being conducted to draw up the final criteria for the performance rating of former students of the premier state university now holding public office.

But instead of naming the worst performers, Jimeno said the committee would be looking out for the best performers.

"There’s too much negativism already in the country today so we decided that we would look instead for the best ones," Jimeno told reporters during a press conference for UP’s centennial celebration in June 2008.

Jimeno explained that the performance rating project is meant to primarily show that UP graduates would not tolerate corruption or incompetence in government. 

She said the Senate would be the pilot-test for the project as 12 lawmakers in the incumbent legislature are UP graduates.

"We are very hopeful that this will make an impact, especially that elections are coming," Jimeno said.