Press Release
April 27, 2008

KIKO EXTOLS PASSAGE OF NEW UP CHARTER; HIGHER FACULTY PAY TO PREVENT EXODUS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The new University of the Philippines (UP) charter is a necessary ingredient in our nation's push towards modernization and full economic growth, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan said. If we are to join the ranks of the highly developed nations in the next decade we must invest heavily on education. We cannot become competitive without quality and affordable education for all.

"The new UP charter provides for alternative sources of funds for the researches and facilities of our Iskolar ng Bayan without compromising access by poor and deserving students. Our UP professors will be properly compensated, so that they do not have to leave UP and seek greener pastures. The law will allow the UP to augment the salaries of its faculty which is now pegged at one third that of schools like Ateneo and La Salle. These people, the students as well as the professors, are patriotic, and with enough financial support, they will be able to contribute even more to our nation's progress," said Kiko, principal author and sponsor of the New UP Charter Law.

The former UP Charter has remained unrevised for the past100 years.

Said law, which Kiko defended on the floor in the 12th, 13th and 14th Congress as principal author and sponsor will be signed on Monday.

"The new UP charter addresses long-term solutions to our nation's challenges, since we are supporting the education of our future leaders. Hindi lamang ito pagpapasa ng isang batas. Ito ay isa sa mga tugon sa mithiin natin ng pagbabago at pag-asa,' quipped Kiko, himself a UP alumnus and a former UP student council president and student regent. He has been pushing for Charter revision since he first became senator 7 years ago. Senator Kiko was chairman of the Senate Education committee in the 12th Congress when he first sponsored the bill on the floor. He was also a member of the Board of Regents twice as student regent in 1986 and then again ex officio member in 2002 up to 2004 representing the Senate. Senator Kiko had been a staunch advocate of the revision of the UP charter since his college days or nearly 20 years now.

"This measure will not solve all the ills of the UP in particular and public tertiary level education in general but it is a first step in the journey for reforms. In the final analysis, the effort to bring the University to face the challenges of 21st education is a matter that the entire UP community will have to face together." Kiko ended.

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