A delegation from UP Visayas headed by Chancellor Clement C. Camposano attended the investiture of the 22nd President of the University of the Philippines in UP Mindanao on September 15, 2023.
“I humbly accept the honor and the challenge of serving as the 22nd President of the University of the Philippines,” said Jimenez. “The desire to serve and make a difference in the lives of our people is with me. Beyond our much molded talents, this is the true hallmark of a UP native. Service is rooted and hard-wired into our DNA,” said Jimenez who earned his education from UP. He was also student leader and a former member of the UP Board of Regents. He emphasized that service should be part of the University’s virtue alongside honor and excellence.
In his investiture, President Angelo Jimenez promises that UP will carry out its mission to serve the Philippines "by sharing its knowledge and resources" with other state universities and colleges (SUCs). As the first president from Mindanao, Jimenez, who was born in Butuan, opted to have the ceremony conducted outside of Metro Manila for the first time. Jimenez said he seeks to highlight the view from the margins and the peripheries and present a distinctive perspective on how UP may further contribute to national development, drawing inspiration from and being inspired by his indigenous heritage. He is the first Manobo to hold the highest post in UP.
He was given the title "Datu Mankalagan" by the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Council of Elders, which means a great spirit that protects the indigenous peoples of the country, during the investiture reception on the evening of September 15. The attendees of the event were entertained by performances by Mindanao talents and performers.
The investiture ceremony was attended by the UP Board of Regents, headed by Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera, Sen. Cynthia Villar, and other top government officials, the members of the Diplomatic Corps, officials of the various constituent universities, and representatives of private and public entities, as well as the heads of Mindanao’s indigenous communities.
As part of the side events of the investiture, the UP-Bangsamoro Development Program Summit Consultation was held on September 13 at the Dusit Thani Residences in Davao City, attended by the top officials of Bangsamoro and UP.
Pagtutulay, Pagtutuloy: The 1st UP-SUC Summit, which goes with the theme "Strengthening Partnerships in Philippine Public Higher Education," was held at the Dusit Thani Grand Ballroom in Davao on September 15, 2023. Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go attended the event and addressed SUC presidents and representatives. The highlight of the event was the ceremonial signing of the Mindanao Declaration on Excellence and Equity in Public Higher Education by the SUC presidents and heads.
