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From Bohol’s Pride Magazine - Online Edition
By anyajulia • Jun 8th, 2009 •

He traces his roots in Duero , a town 73 kms. Away from the capital city of Tagbilaran . He strikes me as a simple man. An impression I thought otherwise before meeting him in person.

When I entered the inner sanctum of his quite elegant and very spacious office at the UP Dilliman campus for an afternoon interview (an appointment I had to haggle with his very hectic schedule) I wondered if indeed a Boholano of his stature still retains the rare traits of simplicity and humility.

The man, JOSE VELOSO ABUEVA, undoubtedly, is still very much a Bol-anon. His impressive career achievements make one realize that he rightfully deserves to be where he is now. As president of the country’s prestigious state university, the University of the Philippines (UP)

Known as Pepe, to family and friends, he spent his formative and growing years in the then congenial town of Tagbilaran and Duero, the hometown of his parents, Teodoro, Sr. and Purificacion Abueva (nee Veloso of Tuburan, Cebu ) who were both public school teachers. His grandfather, Manuel Abueva, was a “presidente” (equivalent to mayor today) in Duero who commanded a very high respect from his townspeople. It was in those years that Jose imbibed the Visayan culture and values of hard work, perseverance in the face of adversities, determination to get a good education and make an honest living. Evidently, public service was a legacy the young Abueva inherited from his elders.

“It is important to have a hometown. Bohol gave me my roots,” Abueva avers. In the town of Duero which to him has not changed much, he nurtures both fond and sad memories of his childhood and adolescent years. The best time were spent under the loving and caring care of his devotedly religious parents and in the playful company of his three sisters and three brothers (including the equally prominent Filipino sculptor Billy Abueva). But those times were killed during the war by Japanese guerillas in October 1944.

The tragedy needless to say brought a great deal of suffering to the orphaned Abueva children. Their eldest brother (Teodoro, Sr.), then 21 years old and still finishing college owing to the three-year war interruption, acted as the head of the family. It was a very painful experience for the young Pepe who worked his way to get an education by being a working student. After finishing his elementary ( Tagbilaran Elementary School ) and his high school (Central Visayas Institute, Jagna), he proceeded to the UP, Manila where he was a student assistant receiving P0.50 an hour. Then he was promoted as graduate assistant with a monthly pay of P100.00.

Despite his meager earnings then, Abueva was persistent and dedicated to his studies where he graduated cum laude. He became a scholar in political science and public administration, unknowingly courses that would eventually propel him to the presidency of the UP. His stint now with the university is actually a homecoming for him. For 20 years (1950-1970), he served at the UP faculty member, a good part of the time in directing research, academic instruction and the training of public officials.

As he continued to reap a number of scholarships, honors and awards, he authored several books and articles published in the Philippines , the United States , and in other countries. Before re-joining the UP, he has also served the Philippine Government in various capabilities. He worked with the Ford Foundation in Nepal (1973-1974) and in Southeast Asia, while based in Thailand (1975) and the Philippines (1976-1977). And from 1977 to August 1987 his career as a scholar and educational administrator was directed on his work with the United Nations University – a global university and international community of scholars and an integral part of the United Nation System.

Now going on his third year by September at the UP (with three remaining years to go), he can very well claim some hallmarks in his administration that even when he leaves the service, his name will forever be carved in the history of the university.

Going over his “First Sixteen Months” report, I chose to highlight some of his more dramatic reforms introduced to the university. For one, he put a stop to the practice of presidential discretion in allowing non-qualified students to enter the UP. He is a firm advocate of maintaining high standard of admission, for the sole intention of upholding the university’s image and integrity and even strives for enhancing academic excellence and relevance.

To democratize admission to the university he implemented the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFA) nicknamed Iskolar ng Bayan Program. Simply put, the program means UP students from the middle and upper income families shall pay more, while the lower income students shall pay less. In fact, in the last 30 years admission to UP favored students from the higher economic bracket who often come from superior high schools located mostly in urban areas, especially Metro Manila. In effect, UP was providing heavy direct subsidies ( about P10,400 per student per year on the average) to more higher income families while denying admission to many students from lower income families living in Mindanao and the Visayas, and STFA, therefore, changed the old scenario under Abueva’s stewardship.

Abueva considers his other achievement the institutionalizing of Filipino as medium of instruction in the university (now implemented in UP Diliman, Manila and Los Baños). He is vigorously supporting Filipino as the nation’s common language to foster national unity, identity, equality and development, while preserving our pluralistic society and cultures.

Medium in built and quite balding (a trademark of intellectual people they say) and simple dressed in casual polo shirt during the interview, Jose Abueva believes that his stints abroad gave him a wider perspective of the national situation.

“You can have a better view of the nation when you have good grasp of the different situations prevailing in various towns and provinces,” Abueva said. Thus, he thinks Tagbilaran has “grown a great deal.” He lamented though that his hometown has lost many migrants to Mindanao, Manila and abroad as probable reason for its rather slow development.

When asked if he be given a chance to be involved on Bohol ’s development, what priorities will he push. I was surprised for the man has been helping the province in his current capacity as president of the UP. As part of the university’s extension work, he closely coordinated with Gov. Constancio Torralba in bringing to the province five scientists to look into areas of assistance in marine horticulture, geology, fisheries and aquaculture. The project is a continuing one.

Likewise, he keeps in touch with the Kadugong Bol-anon, an organization of Boholano students at the UP, not merely for social occasions but mobilizes the group for more relevant and substantial pursuits. When UP added five more testing centers in 1989 for taking the UP College Admission Test, (UPCAT), he definitely included Tagbilaran City . A tremendous opportunity for qualified Boholanos to pursue a college education in the country’s premiere state university without having to travel to Cebu City . It was on this project that he tapped the Kadugong Bol-anon to help administer the UPCAT in Tagbilaran.

With the limited time for further interaction, a glimpse on the present private person of Jose Abueva could not be revealed. Except, of course that he is happily married to Ma. Socorro Fortich-Encarnacion who hails from Mindanao and Laguna. They have four children, two to whom are now residing in the United States , and the eldest daughter alresdy married. Their youngest boy is still schooling at the UP, Los Baños.

The proud Boholano achiever said that all his children considers Bohol as the “warmest part of the world” since they are showered with love, care and affection by relatives and friends whenever they pay a visit to their hometown. Duero . He too, believes that he has imbibed in his children the culture and values he cherished during his years in Bohol . For him, Bohol will always be where the roots of the Abueva remain for the old and young generations alike.

And wherever fame and fortune will continue to lead Jose Abueva and his family, the little province of Bohol will also continue to share in his success and glory.




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