Math professor named UP Diliman chancellor

MANILA, Philippines — Mathematics professor and incumbent University of the Philippines Diliman vice chancellor for research and development Fidel Nemenzo will be the next chancellor of UP’s flagship campus in Quezon City.

Nemenzo son of former UP president Francisco Nemenzo Jr. was selected by the Board of Regents (BOR), the university’s highest policymaking body, to succeed Michael Tan. He was chosen over College of Engineering dean Ferdinand Manegdeg.

The incoming chancellor, whose three-year term will begin next month, expressed gratitude to the university community for supporting his bid for the top Diliman post.

“I know that you are here not to fight for me but to fight for UP. You are here to fight for academic freedom, you are here for democratic governance,” Nemenzo said in Filipino.

His priorities, according to him, include strengthening campus security and preparedness for disasters.

Nemenzo also vowed to take into account the sentiments of the different sectors within the university community.

“I will assure you that there will be proper venues for this. One of the things that I want to do is to make every sector in UP feel that they are empowered and part of every decision,” he said. “Every decision will take into consideration your sentiments.”

Nemenzo’s bid for UP Diliman chancellor was endorsed by various organizations from the university, including that of students, faculty and alumni.

Cheers greeted the announcement of his selection, which was made by UP president Danilo Concepcion, co-chair of the 11-member BOR.

Student Regent Isaac Punzalan lauded the UP community for asserting its voice to the UP BOR.

“The campaign for the next Chancellor of UP Diliman was grounded on our bigger campaign for the attainment of our democratic rights, inside and outside the university,” he said in a statement.

Sen. Joel Villanueva and Baguio Rep. Mark Go, also members of the BOR, as they chair the respective committees on higher education of the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively, also expressed support to the university community.

Commission on Higher Education chairman J. Prospero De Vera III, who co-chairs the board, declined to comment on Nemenzo’s selection.

He said the vote breakdown would not be released as it was made during an executive session.

Tan described Nemenzo’s selection as a victory for the UP community.

“He won on a platform of nurturance, of caring for students, of upholding principles of democratic governance, which has been assaulted time and time again in the last few months,” he said of his successor.

“We will have to change that kind of governance back to what UP stands for. I am optimistic,” he added.

Nemenzo, in his vision paper, projected UP as a modern research university with a public mission.

He said the diversity of the different stakeholders of the university provides a fertile ground for critical and innovative thinking, as well as cross-cultural understanding.

“If given the opportunity and privilege to lead, I will promote and strategically position UP Diliman as an inter-disciplinary hub that will work with government, industry, small producers and labor, as well as communities to identify and draw up integrated practical responses to policy questions and technology gaps in our country’s progress into the 21st century,” Nemenzo said.

“This means bringing together the best minds in different disciplinal clusters to produce innovative and integrated solutions to development challenges,” he added.

The incoming chancellor vowed to pursue academic excellence and protect academic freedom and integrity and democratic governance.

Nemenzo also committed to promote the wellbeing and dignity of the academic community, and establish a safe, smart, resilient and sustainable campus.