Vice President Leni Robredo receives the Doctor of Humanities Honoris Causa during the 70th Commencement Exercises at the University of Saint Anthony at San Miguel, Iriga City, Camarines Sur on April 19, 2017. PHOTO FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
While the University of the Philippines is drawing flak for planning to offer an honorary doctor of laws degree to President Duterte, a university in Camarines Sur conferred an honorary doctorate on Vice President Leni Robredo.
The University of Saint Anthony conferred the Doctorate Degree in Humanities, Honoris Causa on Robredo during the 70th Commencement Exercises in San Miguel, Iriga City on Wednesday. Camarines Sur is the Vice President’s home province.
“It is with deep gratitude and humility that I accept the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities that this University has conferred on me,” Robredo said in her speech.
“My prayer is to be worthy of the honor in all that I do and in all that I am,” Robredo, a UP Economics alumna, said.
The UP community has slammed the decision of the university’s Board of Regents to grant a doctor of laws degree to President Duterte.
UP students, faculty and alumnus were protesting the plan because Duterte should be called to account for thousands of extrajudicial killings in his bloody drug war.
But Duterte said he will decline the award.
READ: Duterte says no to UP honorary degree
“With due respect to the University of the Philippines, I do not accept, even when I was mayor,” he said in an interview while in Bohol province on Wednesday.
“As a matter of personal and official policy, I do not accept awards. It’s not in my nature,” he said. JE/rga