Law dean is new UP president

UNIVERSITY OF the Philippines College of Law Dean Danilo L. Concepcion is the new president of the state university.

Mr. Concepcion is the 21st president of UP. He was selected by the Board of Regents over five other nominees.

Mr. Concepcion graduated summa cum laude at the De La Salle-Araneta University, earning a degree in agricultural engineering. He completed his law studies at the University of the Philippines where he graduated cum laude in 1983 and topped the bar that year. He then went to the University of London in 1986 for his masters of laws degree as a British government scholar.

Mr. Concepcion was also Associate Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission from 1996 to 2002. Thereafter he served as president of De La Salle-Araneta University.

The other nominees were UP Vice-President for Academic Affairs Professor Gisela Concepcion, Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Professor J. Prospero De Vera III, Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary for Scientific and Technological Services Professor Rowena Cristina Guevara, UP Diliman Chancellor for Academic Affairs Professor Benito Pacheco, and Former UP Diliman Chancellor Caesar Saloma.

Current UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan was originally among the nominees but did not meet the age requirement.

In a statement posted on the UP Office of the Student Regent Facebook, the Board of Regents issued a challenge to the university’s president-elect: “The next UP President must also realize the significance of the university in a national scale. It is expected to be the voice of the people and should be at the forefront of the struggle for genuine social change.”

In his statement, Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said the election of Mr. Concepcion is “well-deserved.”

Senator Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV said in his statement: “Inaasahan ko na kami’y magkatuwang sa pagpapaunlad ng kinabukasan ng mga estudyanteng Pilipino at Iskolar ng Bayan. (I hope we will be partners in creating a better future for Filipino students and UP students.)”

Mr. Concepcion will succeed Alfredo E. Pascual who ends his term on Feb. 9, 2017. —