JANUARY 2011
U.P. Newsletter 9
UP confers honoris causa on former Chief Justice Puno (Continued from page 2)
socio-economic provisions; and judicial reforms and budget. Tracing the growth of the country’s republican democracy, Puno said that the representation to the country’s policy-making bodies has left much to be desired. He said that there are sectors which are underrepresented and those which are not represented at all. Among those sectors he identified are indigenous people and Muslims. He proposed that a better allotment of seats in the legislature be enacted to ensure that the voice of every Filipino be heard in the formulation of the country’s policies. The problem of representation also goes hand in hand with the conduct of the country’s elections. “Our elections are not issue-oriented. They are more like popularity contests,” he said. Unless better regulations governing political parties and candidates are enacted, only those who are able to fund effective campaigns in the newspapers, radio stations and TV chan-nels will always get the seats in government. Puno also underscored the need to “empower the many by improving their economic ground.” Unless this is done, “we will always be ruled by a few,” he said. With the country’s worsening social and economic inequality, the former
Chief Magistrate said that it is important to address the needs of the majority of the country if it wants to improve the lives of the majority of its population. Being an advocate of judicial reform, Puno also highlighted the need to change the manner of appointments in the Judiciary, as well provisions governing its funds. He said that “the judiciary should have an allotment which will be available for automatic release,” ensuring the inde-pendence of its funds from the legislative and the executive branches of govern-ment. This would insulate
members of the judiciary from partisan practices involved in the business of securing appointments and funds from Congress. “Unless we can remove this virus of parti-san politics, molecule by molecule, to dis-infect appointments to our judiciary, our system of checks and balances will never fully work,” he said. In closing Puno said that his decision to speak on charter change can be likened to a drop in a pond and that he was merely entertaining a thought which, if consi-dered, would have very significant
UP Law kicks off Centennial celebration this year (Continued from page 2)
new Faculty Regent Ida Dalmacio, UP System and UP Diliman officials, past and present officials of the College of Law, faculty members, students, and alumni. The year 2011 has been declared by President Benigno Aquino III as “Univer-sity of the Philippines College of Law Cen-tennial Year” by virtue of Presidential Proc-lamation No. 32 on September 9, 2010. Jan-uary 2011 was the College’s centennial month. The celebration explores the theme, “The College of Law and the Challenges to Phi-lippine Law at
the Beginning of the Second Century.” In the words of Dean Leonen, the college “not only celebrate[s] UP Law’s distinctive history, but also… renew[s] the institution’s commitment as the country’s bastion of legal education.” Leonen also reiterated the faculty’s role as legal acade-mics and public intellectuals. Presidential Proclamation No. 32 autho-rizes the creation of the Centennial Com-mission to assist Dean Leonen in planning centennial programs and activities. The members were appointed
UP Law Class 1985 President J. Conrado Castro, Dean Marvic Leonen, and President Roman cut the ribbon to inaugurate the refurbished Office of the Dean at Malcolm Hall.
by President Roman. Sen. Angara serves as chair, Dean Leonen as convenor, and Associate Dean Patricia Salvador Daway as head of the secretariat. The members include Sen. Franklin Drilon, Sen. Richard Gordon, Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Chief Justice Puno, Justice Ameurfina Melencio Herrera, Justice Flerida Ruth P. Romero, Justice Antonio Carpio, and student government President Guanzon. The Commission has held seven meetings and has approved the adoption of a UP Law centennial logo, the issuance of commemorative stamps, legal tender and coins, as well as fundraising activities for the UP Law Fund, among others, for 2011. According to its schedule, UP Law will have a full year, including a massive Law Centennial textbook project, more books, a new website, lecture series and conferences, a triathlon, a musical presenta-tion, and a grand alumni homecoming on November 11, 2011. Also scheduled in April is the groundbreaking of a UP satellite campus in Taguig. UP Law will be a major sponsor of the project through funds sourced from government and donations. According to President Roman, the campus will also house professional schools in Business Administration, Engineering, and Statistics. Sen. Angara said the campus is expected to produce interdisciplinary experts or new “Filipino renaissance men”, well-versed in the sciences, management, and law. Dean Leonen described the campus as sitting on a 4,000 square meter
UP, DOST sign MOU for Diliman AGT prototype (Continued from page 1)
coaches that can accommodate 60 passengers each. The transit system will be powered by direct electric current and will be grade-separated, which means that it will be elevated and will not interfere with surface traffic. In an interview with the UP Newsletter, Vice President for Development Armin B. Sarthou Jr. revealed that the prototype will run on a two-kilometer test track from the National Science Complex to the Shopping Center. UP’s objective in undertaking this pro-ject, according to Sarthou, is to preserve the integrity of the academic core of the campus. By constructing an alternative mode of transport that is environment-friendly, situated away from the Academic Oval, and less noisy, it is hoped that this will result in a more pedestrian-friendly academic core and will create an atmo-sphere that is more conducive to learning. In the memoranda, the University is expected to, among others, make all pertinent data available to the DOST; provide technical assistance through the College of Engineering, the College of Architecture, the National Center for Transportation Studies, and the National Institute of Geological Sciences; secure documents and conduct studies required by government agencies, such as the environmental compliance certificate and environmental impact assessment, etc.; and designate the project site. On the other hand, among DOST’s obligations are: the formulation of the framework and timetable, subject to UP’s approval; the funding of all requisite research and development activities as well as maintenance and operating expenses for the first three years of operation, excluding energy costs; and the development and design of a detailed engineering plan that is in harmony with UP’s existing plans and programs.