Citing his wealth of experience in UP and progressive stances, groups from all sectors of the UP Community endorsed Former UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo’s bid for a second term as UP Diliman Chancellor, prompting an unprecedented public show of support by the three sectoral regents and Malacañang-appointed regent Raul Pagdanganan.
With Nemenzo being two votes away from the chancellorship after the regents’ show of support, the community also hopes that their sectoral support will actually materialize into a win, urging the Board of Regents to heed their calls and ensure a democratic selectio process.
Sectors back “pro-student, pro-community” Nemenzo
Much like his presidential bid last year, and even his first run for the chancellorship in 2020, Nemenzo received the backing of various sectors: students, teachers, employees, and even various issue-based alliances.
“The USC stands firm in its principles and objectives to defend and promote the rights and general welfare of the University studentry and various sectors within the UP Diliman community, and basing on the UP Diliman Student Agenda, the Council shall be uncompromising in campaigning Dr. Nemenzo as the 12th UP Diliman Chancellor.” said the UP Diliman University Student Council
They said that upon assessing the nominees for chancellorship during the KILATIS: student forum “Kilatis”, as well as listening to their stances in other forums and interviews, Nemenzo’s vision, mission, programs of action, and responses were the most in line with the Diliman Student Agenda.
READ: https://sinag.press/news/2023/03/30/kilatis-in-context-fast-talk-2/
Several local councils have followed suit, such as the student councils of the College of Arts Letters, College of Education, College of Home Economics, College of Mass Communication, College of Science, and National College of Public Administration and Governance.
Other councils such as the University Freshie Council and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy’s Freshie, Shiftee, and Transferee Student Council also backed Nemenzo’s chancellorship bid.
Not every council endorsed Nemenzo, however. The Law Student Government, in a statement posted on Sunday, April 2, endorsed their Dean, Atty. Edgardo Carlo Vistan II.
Congress of Teachers/Educatiors for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND) Vice Chairperson Monfred Sy, meanwhile, in an interview with SINAG, said that their endorsement of Nemenzo came after a series of deliberations where they concluded that Nemenzo is one with them in terms of forwarding their calls for academic freedom.
Citing the recent arrest of Dr. Melania Flores, a professor and union leader of the university, they said that former Chancellor Nemenzo was quick to act, immediately reaching out to the Philippine National Police to defend Dr. Flores and ask for her release.
READ: https://twitter.com/PahayagangKAPP/status/1622453301798408192?s=20
They also said that Nemenzo, more than the other candidates, was critical of neoliberal policies such as reducing the number of required units for general education.
“Hindi matining ang ganitong mga usapin sa iba pang nominado. Para sa amin, kailangan ng isang militanteng unibersidad ang militanteng tsanselor,” said Sy.
The UP Workers’ Alliance, likewise, supported Nemenzo, saying that he has been a valuable ally for their sector.
“Sinuportahan ni Dr. Nemenzo ang mga panawagan ng mga kawani para sa karagdagang benepisyo, “sagad award”, seguridad sa trabaho, at kakampi natin siya sa mga isyu ng regularisasyon sa mga kontraktwal nating kawani at guro,” their endorsement read.
The Diliman Women’s Alliance also supported Nemenzo, saying that, under his term, Nemenzo was able to strengthen the Anti-Sexual Harassment Code, expand the Gender and Development Offices, and implement the six-year Gender and Development Agenda.
Even the athlete’s sector, despite criticisms about the Women’s Volleyball Team hounding Nemenzo’s chancellorship, said that only Nemenzo has shown concrete plans and commitment to support our varsity teams.
“We recognize his lapses as Chancellor and would be remiss not to acknowledge these, but these do not reflect his overall willingness to coordinate and consult with and support the varsity teams. Nonetheless, our endorsement of his bid also comes with the responsibility to challenge him and hold him accountable for his missteps,” the scholar-athletes said in their endorsement.
This broad base of supported prompted the sectoral regents – Student Regent Siegfred Severino, Faculty Regent Carl Ramota, and Staff Regent Victoria Canape-Benegal – to collectively endorse Nemenzo as well, with Regent Raul Pagdanganan also expressing support.
Heed our calls and uphold democracy and transparency
But while the general consensus seems evident, the groups say that these endorsements will be useless if the Board of Regents does not heed its constituents’ calls.
Groups have lambasted the historically secretive BOR, saying that without a transparent and democratic selection process, it fails to fulfill its mandate.
The criticism reached new heights when, without consultation, the BOR moved the selection meeting from April 27 to 18, then subsequently to April 3, thereby shortening the selection process to less than a month.
When the groups tried to oppose this, they were met with total silence.
READ: https://sinag.press/news/2023/03/31/komunidad-ng-up-hindi-kuntento-sa-pure-silence-ng-bor-2/
In his interview with SINAG, CONTEND Vice Chairperson Sy slammed the Board of Regents for their undisclosed selection process, saying that their lack of accountability towards their constituents is a problem.
“Malinaw para sa amin na si Dr. Nemenzo ang nababagay na tsanselor. Ito ang tindig ng maraming guro sa pamantasan. Hinihiling namin na makinig sa amin ang BOR. Kaninong interes ba ang mas mahalaga–ang kinikilingan ng 11, o ang napupusuan ng 30,000 constituent sa pamantasan?”
Kasama sa UP (KSUP) Chairperson Andrew Ronquillo also called on the Board of Regents to have an open ballot to reveal their votes on Monday, saying that with four votes already available publicly,
“It’s the least the UP Diliman community can expect after [the BOR] railroaded the selection process,” Ronquillo said.
Further, Ronquillo lambasted the kinship ties that fratmen have long been known for, claiming that “BOR politics remain reactionary because reactionary formations dominate it.
“BOR, vote on the basis of principles and vision for the community, not merely from frat ties or influence. You have [a] much larger constituency than these formations. Be truly representative!” Ronquillo said in a tweet.
But whether or not the BOR wants to listen to them, the community says that it will continue to assert its calls, and will be waiting in front of Palma Hall as the regents meet to select the next Diliman chancellor.
