57 nat’l artists, scientists, other academics endorse Nemenzo for UP presidency

UP Diliman chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo. Photo from UP Diliman’s website.

MANILA, Philippines — No less than 57 National Artists and Scientists of the Philippines, as well as known academics, endorsed current University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo as the next president of the entire UP system.

On Wednesday, the artists, scientists and academics released a joint statement announcing their endorsement. These signatories include former Education Secretary Leonor Briones and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

“It is our most informed and judicious view that, among the current aspirants for UP President, only UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo fulfills all our criteria for an ideal and exemplary academic leader.

We are certain that, as UP President, Chancellor Nemenzo will lead the UP community into path breaking horizons to enhance and solidify UP’s status as the country’s premier institution of higher learning in the service of the nation and beyond,” said the endorsement letter.

According to the group’s statement, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven the need for a leader who can handle changing instruction methods.

“The university needs a leader with a vision that will uphold UP’s strong commitment to knowledge generation and public service. UP’s President must be an exemplary scholar with a lengthy teaching experience, a deep-thinking intellectual, a competent administrator and committed public servant,” the group stated.

They also said that the next UP president must have “an extensive regional and global network,” as well as “an intricate grasp of data and analytics overlayed with the ability to link and apply these to the hard sciences, the social sciences, humanities, gender, philosophy, ecology, and the arts.”

“Moreover, the UP President must appreciate and treasure the intellectual and socio-political responsibilities of defending UP’s singular status as a safe haven and secure refuge for the pursuit of an empowering truth and the nurturing of critical thinking,” they said.

Nemenzo is a mathematics professor at UP Diliman and currently serves as the University’s 11th chancellor. His fellow nominees include Patrick Alain T. Azanza, Salvador B. Belaro Jr.,  Angelo A. Jimenez, Benito M. Pacheco, and Fernando C. Sanchez Jr.

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