The Office of the Chancellor serves as the principal executive and administrative arm of the university, responsible for leading its overall academic and operational direction. It oversees the implementation of policies set by the Board of Regents while supervising the university’s vice chancellors, colleges, and administrative units. The office drives strategic planning, institutional budgeting, and campus development to ensure academic excellence and efficient governance.
Dr. Clement C. Camposano
Chancellor
The 11th Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas, Dr. Clement C. Camposano, is a prominent educator, anthropologist, and administrator. Following his initial appointment by the UP Board of Regents in September 2020, he entered a historic third term in September 2026, marking a period of sustained vision and institutional continuity for the university.
A progressive five-point operational agenda guides his leadership of UPV:
- Building on foundational strengths in teaching, research, and public service
- Deepening institutional engagement with local and regional communities
- Leading meaningful transformation and innovation in higher education
- Promoting and anchoring diversity and inclusive practices across campuses
- Reinvigorating democratic governance and transparency within the university
Major operational milestones have defined his tenure, including securing UPV’s first-ever ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) certification for the Bachelor of Science in Fisheries program. His administration also oversaw the establishment of the independent UPV Graduate School in 2022 alongside extensive regional research initiatives and campus infrastructure upgrades.
Dr. Camposano’s academic career spans several decades and multiple respected institutions. Before assuming the chancellorship, he was a senior faculty member at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), where he designed curricula in political dynamics, social research, and Philippine history. He also brought his expertise to the UP Diliman College of Education, lecturing on the anthropology and sociology of education. His dedication to teaching began in the immediate post-EDSA era, with early faculty appointments at West Visayas State University in 1986 and later at UP Visayas in 1997.
Outside of administrative duties, Dr. Camposano maintains an active role in national professional organizations and civil society. He currently serves as the President of the Philippine Studies Association and sits on the board of the Philippine Anthropological Association. Reflecting his commitment to grassroots civic empowerment, he also chairs the Philippine Center for Civic Education and Democracy (PCCED), a non-profit dedicated to fostering active citizenship across the country.
As a scholar, Dr. Camposano focuses his research on the anthropology of migration, specifically exploring how transnational dynamics reshape contemporary Filipino households. His academic contributions include numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and presentations at major international conferences.
Dr. Camposano is a native of Leon, Iloilo, and a proud alumnus of the institution he now leads. He completed his secondary education at the UP High School in Iloilo (UPHSI) before earning his Bachelor of Arts from UP Visayas in 1986, where he double-majored in Political Science and History. He later pursued advanced studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman, obtaining a Master of Arts in Political Science in 1992 and a Ph.D. in Philippine Studies, with a specialization in Anthropology, in 2009.
Dr. Clement C. Camposano
Chancellor
The 11th Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas, Dr. Clement C. Camposano, is a prominent educator, anthropologist, and administrator. Following his initial appointment by the UP Board of Regents in September 2020, he entered a historic third term in September 2026, marking a period of sustained vision and institutional continuity for the university.
A progressive five-point operational agenda guides his leadership of UPV:
- Building on foundational strengths in teaching, research, and public service
- Deepening institutional engagement with local and regional communities
- Leading meaningful transformation and innovation in higher education
- Promoting and anchoring diversity and inclusive practices across campuses
- Reinvigorating democratic governance and transparency within the university
Major operational milestones have defined his tenure, including securing UPV’s first-ever ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) certification for the Bachelor of Science in Fisheries program. His administration also oversaw the establishment of the independent UPV Graduate School in 2022 alongside extensive regional research initiatives and campus infrastructure upgrades.
Dr. Camposano’s academic career spans several decades and multiple respected institutions. Before assuming the chancellorship, he was a senior faculty member at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), where he designed curricula in political dynamics, social research, and Philippine history. He also brought his expertise to the UP Diliman College of Education, lecturing on the anthropology and sociology of education. His dedication to teaching began in the immediate post-EDSA era, with early faculty appointments at West Visayas State University in 1986 and later at UP Visayas in 1997.
Outside of administrative duties, Dr. Camposano maintains an active role in national professional organizations and civil society. He currently serves as the President of the Philippine Studies Association and sits on the board of the Philippine Anthropological Association. Reflecting his commitment to grassroots civic empowerment, he also chairs the Philippine Center for Civic Education and Democracy (PCCED), a non-profit dedicated to fostering active citizenship across the country.
As a scholar, Dr. Camposano focuses his research on the anthropology of migration, specifically exploring how transnational dynamics reshape contemporary Filipino households. His academic contributions include numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and presentations at major international conferences.
Dr. Camposano is a native of Leon, Iloilo, and a proud alumnus of the institution he now leads. He completed his secondary education at the UP High School in Iloilo (UPHSI) before earning his Bachelor of Arts from UP Visayas in 1986, where he double-majored in Political Science and History. He later pursued advanced studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman, obtaining a Master of Arts in Political Science in 1992 and a Ph.D. in Philippine Studies, with a specialization in Anthropology, in 2009.
The Chancellors of UPV (1980 – Present)
2020 – Present
Dr. Clement C. Camposano
11th Chancellor (Current)
2020 – Present
Successfully steered university operations through global pandemic adjustments and advanced institutional heritage preservation.
Historical Milestone: On September 24, 2026, Dr. Camposano secured a historic third consecutive term (effective Nov 1, 2026), becoming the first Chancellor in UP Visayas history to do so.
2017 – 2020
Dr. Ricardo P. Babaran
10th Chancellor
2017 – 2020
Prominent expert in fisheries technology who dramatically scaled UPV’s international publication presence and global technical research outputs.
2011 – 2017
Dr. Rommel A. Espinosa
9th Chancellor
2011 – 2017
Initiated the highly ambitious P360-million modern library hub and systematically pushed through major architectural and facility campus renovations.
2008 – 2011
Dr. Minda J. Formacion
8th Chancellor
2008 – 2011
Highly recognized biologist who strictly elevated local eco-preservation campaigns, scientific research funding, and comprehensive academic staff welfare programs.
2005 – 2008
Dr. Glenn D. Aguilar
7th Chancellor
2005 – 2008
Modernized the university system by overhauling digital technology access, internal local networks, and advanced engineering computer laboratories.
1998 – 2005
Dr. Ida M. Siason
6th Chancellor
1998 – 2005
Championed infrastructure maturity by funding the modern Miagao Administration Building and the Iloilo City Graduate Building, while institutionalizing the pioneering “Women in Fisheries” initiative.
1993 – 1998
Dr. Arsenio S. Camacho
5th Chancellor
1993 – 1998
Greatly broadened local community extension programs and fostered strategic partnerships across multiple regional development units.
1992 – 1993
Dr. Flor J. Lacanilao
4th Chancellor
1992 – 1993
A world-class marine scientist who dedicated his tenure to heavily intensifying regional laboratory research standards and peer-reviewed aquatic publications.
1989 – 1992
Dr. Francisco A. Nemenzo Jr.
3rd Chancellor
1989 – 1992
Transferred core academic divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences to Miagao. He would later rise to lead the system as the 18th President of the UP System.
1987 – 1989
Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano
2nd Chancellor
1987 – 1989
Orchestrated the monumental physical and logistical relocation of the renowned College of Fisheries from UP Diliman to its modern flagship home in Miagao in 1987.
1980 – 1987 (Chancellor)
1973 – 1980 (Dean)
Dr. Dionisia A. Rola
Dean &1st Chancellor
1980 – 1987
1973-1980 (Dean)
The definitive historical bridge. As the final Dean of the UP College Iloilo, she secured massive World Bank funding and negotiated the landmark land acquisition in Miagao, paving the path to complete system autonomy. Later earned distinction as the first-ever female chancellor across the entire UP System. Organized the structural foundation of the newly formed autonomous UP Visayas unit.
The Deans of UP Iloilo College (1947–1980)
1968 – 1973
Prof. Emmanuel T. Santos
Dean
1968 – 1973
Successfully navigated volatile social movements, political turbulence, and institutional shifts during the early Martial Law years.
1959 – 1968
Dr. Pedro E. Abelarde
Dean
1959 – 1968
The longest-serving Dean before UPV obtained autonomy; spearheaded expansion programs and re-titled the unit to “UP in Iloilo” (UPI) in 1967.
1957 – 1959
Prof. David G. Wico
Dean
1957 – 1959
Stabilized the institution’s operations during late-1950s economic transitions and successfully protected the local regional curriculum.
1954 – 1957
Dr. Domingo F. Nolasco
Dean
1954 – 1957
Formally supervised the administrative transition of the unit into a full-fledged college and aggressively broadened early undergraduate courses.
1950 – 1954
Prof. Jose D. Ambrosio
Dean
1950 – 1954
Efficiently steered the campus through critical post-war infrastructure rehabilitation, utilizing vital building grants provided by the War Damage Commission.
1947 – 1950
Dr. Tomas S. Fonacier
Dean
1947 – 1950
The pioneer Dean who successfully managed the historic official opening of UPIC on July 1, 1947, personally welcoming the first batch of 222 foundational students.
