1) The U.P. Charter. Dr. Roman said that Act 1870 (1908) was amended as An Act to Strengthen the University of the Philippines as the National University (R.A. 9500) in 2008 and that it took five terms of U.P. Presidents spanning 25 years to get R.A. 9500 passed, officially making U.P. the country's national university and creating an information dissemination campaign. She said the passage of the R.A. 9500 into law was one of her administration's major accomplishments.
2) The 2008 U.P. Centennial Celebrations. Dr. Roman said that she had been variously described as the First Woman President in U.P. and the U.P. Centennial President. Both descriptions intimidated her, she said as they raised a lot of expectations of her from various constituents.
She said the U.P. Centennial Lecture Series was a major accomplishment as through this project U.P. was able to present what its scholars and distinguished speakers had to say about U.P., the country and the world.
She said fund raising from the Centennial hit PhP 6.2 billion pesos from 2005 to 2009 which exceeded the working target of PhP 5 billion
She said the Centennial was able to provide for 197 professorial chairs and these do not include centennial chairs.
In other developments, she said in 2010 20% of 10,000 undergraduates are enjoying scholarships through STFAP. Private funds from private sources lead to the construction of 15 new buildings in U.P. Diliman, which are not yet finished, she said.
The Centennial also caused people associated with U.P. to feel pride in place such that there was an outpouring of support which made everybody even more aware of U.P. as a National University, she said.
3) U.P. was able to create a large scientific manpower base during her term. Dr. Roman said a critical mass of scientists and engineers was developed under her watch. In other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the norm is for these SUCs to produce education and business graduates; but in the case of U.P. more than one half of students were in science and engineering courses.
U.P. also developed a research agenda for scientists. This has been dubbed as the Emerging Fields Initiative. She said that there was an efficient utilization of funds in research thrusts.PhP 1.2 billion was raised from DOST for research, in addition to funds generated from the National Government for the establishment of the National Science Complex and PhP 1.7 billion was raised for the Engineering Research for Development and Technology project (ERDT).
Dr. Roman also pointed out that additional funds raised for infrastructure and development amounted to PhP 3 billion and that U.P. was able to develop a scientific productivity program and an incentive program. However, she said U.P. did not foget the artists who are world-class. This is called the Artists Productivity System.
As another achievement, Dr. Roman pointed to the U.P. AyalaLand Technohub which was conceptualized during President Nemenzo's term but realized under her atch.
4) Faculty, Student and Staff privileges. Dr. Roman said that despite U.P.'s exemption from the Salary Standardization Law (SSL), the National Government has agreed to involve U.P. in all government salary increases.
When she took over, the highest faculty compensation was PhP 31,000.00 a month. Now this year it is PhP 57.000.00 a month and by 2012 it will be PhP 80,000.00 a month, she said.
There are also increases in lecturer's honoraria, honoraria for professors emeritus and a program for hospital expenses, she added
As for Students, there has been an increase in the number of scholarship grants as well as an increase in stipends/financial assistance.
She pointed out that U.P. Diliman, UPLB and U.P. Manila now have new dorms
She said that from 2005 to 2010 U.P.'s assets inmproved from Php 27.3 billion to PhP 34 billion with an existing cash balance as of September 2010 of PhP 13.5 billion
"There were times when I was sorely tried but I received the assurances from the board from the most humble to the most distinguished people from U.P.," she said.
“It has been my unique privilege and responsibility to serve as its first and so far only woman Centenial President, and only Centennial President.”
To return to the first part of the story, please click on this link: http://diliman-diary.blogspot.com/2011/02/19th-up-president-defends-record-while.html
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