(Left to Right): Dr. Diego S. Maranan, Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies; Asst. Prof. Charisse T. Reyes, Dean of the Faculty of Education; Dr. Myra C. Almodiel, Director of the Office of Public Affairs; Hon. Victoria Canape Belegal, UP Staff Regent; Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, UPOU Chancellor; Dr. Jean A. Saludadez, UPOU Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration; Asst. Prof. Luisa A. Gelisan, UPOU University Registrar; and Dr. Joane V. Serrano, Dean of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies
The UP Open University (UPOU) Officials attended the investiture of UP System’s President, Hon. Angelo A. Jimenez at the UP Mindanao Campus in Mintal, Tugbok, Davao City, last 14 September 2023. Hon. Jimenez is the 22nd President of the UP System, the University’s first Manobo president.
Hon. Jimenez, hails from Butuan City in the Caraga region, is the first Mindawon President of the UP. His investiture in Mindanao is also a first in 115 years. A former regent, Hon. Jimenez, was chosen by UP’s 11-member Board of Regents (BOR) among five other candidates to replace UP President Danilo Concepcion, who ended his six-year term in February 2023.
Hon. Jimenez was a student leader who earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 1987 and his law degree in 1994 from UP Diliman. He also passed the bar on the same year, and earned his Masters in Public Management from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. He was also a Lee Kuan Yew fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
In his investiture speech, Hon. Jimenez honored his birthplace in Davao City and his Manobo roots. He also shared some anecdotes about his experience as a hostage negotiator in war-torn Iraw, and brought home then Filipino hostage, Robert Tarongoy, in safety from the bloodies streets of Baghdad, and welcoming a new daughter who was left at their doorstep, who he considered as one of his blessings.
As a lawyer, Hon. Jimenez devoted himself to advancing the welfare of the working class. He shared that his appointment was unexpected as he came full circle from being a student to president.
Hon. Jimenez pledged to be fair, to be transparent, to be accountable, and to serve the UP community to the best of his ability. He is open to feedback and constructive criticism and he do encourage these so he knows how he can set things straight and move forward. As the new UP President doing the right thing, he will stay strong and firm, and above all, humbled.
To grace and formally blessed the ceremony and officially welcome Hon. Jimenez as the newest president of UP, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Prospero De Vera hands over to President Jimenez the University Menace, symbolizing the authority and the responsibility vested in the University Presidency.
UPOU welcomes the leadership of President Jimenez and supports his plans and shares his vision and mission in research, equality, an active learner, resourcefulness, advancement, and synergy.
Sources:
UP Media and Public Relations Office. (2023). Investitute Speech of UP President Angelo A. Jimenez. Retrieved from https://up.edu.ph/investiture-speech-of-up-president-angelo-a-jimenez/
Gomez, H. (2023). UP’s first Manobo president to take oath on Mindanao campus. Rappler. [News] Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/up-first-manobo-president-angelo-jimenez-investiture-davao-september-2023/
Magsambol, B. (2022). Who is Angelo Jimenez, the new UP President? Rappler. [News] Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/angelo-jimenez-university-philippines-president/?cx_testId=2&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=1&cx_experienceId=EX4CPN0G1RJL#cxrecs_s
Written by Alessa Shainne Hostalero • Edited by Myra C. Almodiel and Anna Cañas-Llamas
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