Former University of the Philippines (UP) president Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo passed away on Thursday at the age of 89, as confirmed by award-winning UP professor Emerita Aida F. Santos on social media.
Serving as the 18th UP president from 1999 to 2005, Nemenzo was also a political scientist, professor, and “radical educator.
UP’s official page described him as being “known for his strong nationalist and anti-imperialist views, as well as his lifelong commitment to the University.”
Nemenzo was born in Cebu City on February 9, 1935.
He is survived by his wife, Ana Maria “Princess” Nemenzo, their children and their spouses—Dr. Fidel Nemenzo and Dr. Marivic Raquiza, Dr. Leonid Nemenzo and Ruvelyn Lim Nemenzo, Lian Nemenzo-Hernandez, and Von Hernandez—their six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his youngest sister, Gemma Nemenzo-Ver.
According to Santos, a memorial service will be held for Nemenzo’s family, friends, and comrades at a date and venue to be announced later.
Among his key reforms and achievements were encouraging UP faculty to pursue postgraduate and PhD studies, streamlining the university bureaucracy to improve efficiency, raising funds to support modernization efforts, renovating facilities across UP campuses, launching new buildings, improving faculty and staff welfare through salary increases and merit promotions, pushing for the expansion of UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) centers, and introducing new awards to encourage academic excellence.
“Nemenzo’s term saw the revival of the UP Newsletter and the launch of the Forum, a broadsheet for the UP community, where he would also regularly publish his ideas on national and local issues. He also institutionalized the use of the UP Sablay in graduation ceremonies starting in 2003, replacing the traditional toga to reflect UP’s unique identity and nationalism,” UP wrote of Nemenzo’s legacy.
“His administration supported a new UP Charter to strengthen the University’s role as the premier national institution. Nemenzo also implemented the Revised General Education Program (RGEP) to foster critical thinking, nationalism, and skills necessary for the globalized world. He promoted industry-academia partnerships through the Science and Technology Parks program; and he elevated UP College Baguio to a full constituent university,” it added.
