MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 2:30 p.m.) — A top official of the University of the Philippines (UP) was appointed commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and adviser of the government peace panel on the negotiations with the National Democratic Front.
Prospero “Popoy” de Vera III, who served until last week as UP vice president for public affairs, assumed office Tuesday after taking his oath before President Duterte on Monday.
“Joining the Duterte administration is my way of giving back to the country that has given me an education and allowed me to develop my capabilities,” said De Vera, a well-known political analyst and professor of public administration at the university.
“My task in CHED is to ensure the realization of the commitments given by the president during the election campaign such as free higher education, bringing back ROTC (Reserved Officers’ Training Corps), and promoting the discussion on charter change/federalism and the peace process in the higher education sector,” he added.
The commission is currently headed by Chairperson Patricia Licuanan, who is serving a fixed term until 2018.
De Vera will replace fellow UP professor Cynthia Bautista, and will join Minella Alarcon and Alex Brillantes as commissioners.
It is still unclear if Ruperto Sangalang, whose term ended in July, will be re-appointed to a second term or will be replaced by the president.
Meanwhile, De Vera said his selection as adviser to the peace panel was in recognition of his policy expertise in the legislative and executive branches of government in the Philippines and the United States, particularly on social development.
He served as executive assistant, chief of staff, senior consultant and senior adviser to at least eight senators, including former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and former Senate President Pro-tempore Leticia Ramos-Shahani.
As adviser to the peace panel, De Vera will be providing technical inputs on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Rights.
De Vera finished BA History and Doctor of Public Administration degrees in UP, and specialized in higher education administration at the Rossier School of Education of the University of Southern California as a Fulbright-Hays Visiting Scholar.
He is a member of the faculty of UP National College of Public Administration and Governance for more than two decades, teaching courses in policy analysis, administrative systems, social development and legislative studies.