F. Benitez is new PWU president

MANILA, Philippines - Francisco B. Benitez, a Ph.D. holder in Comparative Literature from the University Wisconsin, USA will be installed as the 9th president of the Philippine Women’s University on Feb. 21, 2011, 2 p.m. at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City.

Chief Justice Renato Corona will administer the oath with PWU Board vice-chairman Dr. Manuel Alba reading the appointment. Board chairperson Dr. Helena Benitez will do the honors of passing the PWU legacy, now on its 92nd foundation anniversary, to the new president.

Invited to officiate in the investiture is Education Secretary Armin Luistro to be assisted by Charlotte, wife of the incoming president.

Invited to serve as witnesses are TESDA Chairman Joel Villanueva and Dr. Patricia Licuanan, chairman of Commission on Higher Education.

The invocation will be presided by Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches, Metro Manila.

The 41 year-old summa cum laude graduate in Corporate Literature and cum laude in English from Cornell University, New York brings with him 18 years of teaching experience as a faculty at the University of Washington-Seattle and at PWU.

Belonging to a fourth generation family of educators, Benitez likewise taught at the University of Asia and the Pacific, University of Wisconsin-Madison and at Cornell University.

He is married to Singaporean Charlotte Kuo with whom he has three children: Chiara, Nuria and Ariana.