New UP Visayas chancellor named

ILOILO CITY—The University of the Philippines (UP) has announced the appointment of Dr. Rommel Espinosa as the ninth chancellor of the UP Visayas (UPV) effective Nov. 1.

Espinosa, dean of the UPV’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in Miag-ao, Iloilo, will succeed Chancellor Minda Formacion.

In a statement, Lilian de las Llagas, secretary of the UP Board of Regents, the university’s highest policymaking body, also announced the appointment of  Dr. Ma. Luisa Mabunay, director of the UPV graduate program office, as the new CAS dean.

Espinosa was one of the four nominees to the chancellorship. The others were Dr. Rex Baleña, faculty member of the Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS); Dr. Carlos Baylon, dean of the CFOS; and Dr. Alice Joan Ferrer, vice chancellor for planning and development.

An associate professor of physics and faculty member of the CAS Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Espinosa graduated valedictorian from the UP College Iloilo High School Department in 1978, earned his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from UP Diliman in 1983 and his master of science degree in physics from Pittsburg State University in 1992, and his doctoral degree in computational science and informatics from George Mason University in 2007.

The UPV has some 3,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students with campuses in Miag-ao town, Iloilo City and Tacloban City. Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas