6 vying to be next UP president

MANILA, Philippines — Six nominees are vying to be the next president of the University of the Philippines.

They are Catanduanes State University president Patrick Alain Azanza, former 1-Edukasyon party-list representative Salvador Belaro Jr., former faculty regent Angelo Jimenez, UP Diliman chancellor Fidel Nemenzo, former UP Diliman vice chancellor for research and development Benito Pacheco and former UP Los Baños chancellor Fernando Sanchez Jr.

The university released the list of the official candidates for the next UP president yesterday, a day after the Board of Regents (BOR) conducted a preliminary screening and evaluation of the nominations received.

Only six nominations were received by the university during the nomination period that ended on Oct. 14, according to a memorandum signed by Roberto Lara, secretary to the university and the BOR.

A public forum with the nominees will be held on Nov. 11 at Cine Adarna at the UP Diliman campus.

“All nominees are expected to present their plans and programs and to respond to questions from the UP constituency,” the memorandum read.

The next UP president will be appointed by the 11-member BOR, headed by Commission on Higher Education chairman J. Prospero de Vera III and co-chaired by outgoing president Danilo Concepcion.

Concepcion’s six-year term will end on Feb. 9, 2023.

Based on Republic Act 9500 or the UP Charter of 2008, the UP president serves as the university’s chief academic officer, head of the faculty and chief executive officer.