At UP School of Economics

Colleagues at the academe take their turn

at honoring late Chairman

The late DAP Chairman Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. had a vision of a reinvented DAP reviving its significant role in the 1970s.

This was revealed by Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Maria Cynthia Rose Bautista, who was among colleagues and personalities in the academe who paid tribute to Paderanga last February 12 during necrological rites held by the University of the Philippines School of Economics for one of its most  respected and beloved faculty members, who died January 29 after a delicate heart procedure.

Bautista said Paderanga had many plans for the Academy before a serious heart ailment cut short those plans at 67.  She recalled that among these plans was the establishment of the Higher  Education Career System in collaboration with the CHED.

 “When he was new at the Academy,  Dondon talked incessantly about his vision of a reinvented DAP that would revive its significant role in the 1970s – that of training the country’s leaders, updating them on development theories, perspectives and practices while carving out a niche for (the) DAP in strategic studies,” Bautista revealed.

Last meeting

Recalling his last meeting with Paderanga three weeks before his death, Bautista related the late Chairman was at the CHED for a meeting with Alex Brillantes, Nap Imperial and their team to “flesh out” the details of the Higher Education  Career System that he thought “would facilitate the recruitment, selection, appointment, preparation and assessment of the best leaders in public higher education.”

Bautista said the HECS ultimately hoped to “lead to the composition of a roster of eligible executives – with the academic merit and managerial competence for leadership positions.

 “A collaborative CHED-DAP project, (the) HECS was among the many projects Dondon envisioned the DAP to be passionately engaged in,” the CHED commissioner related.  “He had hoped to interest myself and some of the convenors of the UP Center of Integrative and Development Studies in the 1990s in doing what we did then, (but) this time in (the) DAP.

Very serious’

 “I must say he took his work in (the) DAP very seriously and (President) Tony Kalaw could attest to Dondon’s attention even to operational details.  In fact, in my last interaction with him last month, Dondon was in an operational meeting, proudly wearing his DAP hat.”

Bautista was just among the many figures who spoke about Paderanga at the rites held at a fullhouse UPSE Auditorium. Other speakers included Agustin Arcenas, a UPSE professor who hosted the program and also shared a few nuggets about the late Chairman, whom he said helped produce seven doctorate and 24 masters degree graduates from the school and once said: “When you go, you make sure that you have given more than you received.”

Also paying tribute to the late Chairman were UPSE Dean Orville Solon, UP-Diliman Chancellor and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Michael Tan, Paolo Antonio Azurin, director of CLSA Exchange Capital, retired UPSE professor Dante Canlas, retired UPSE staff employee Brando Saulo, Calixto Chikiamco, president of the Foundation for Economic Freedom, and Guillermo Parayno Jr., president of the Center for Reform and Development.

Eulogy sent

UP President Alfredo Pascual could not attend the ceremonies but he sent his eulogy honoring Paderanga.  In his eulogy, Pascual cited Paderanga for “(exemplifying) all that the University stood for – honor and excellence in the service of the Filipino people.”  He said the two-time National Economic and  Development  Authority chief endeared himself to his students and the media with “his ability to explain thorny economic issues in a simple manner.”

The State University’s top official added that Paderanga’s record has “rightfully garnered him respect and praise for his sense of honor and integrity, his astuteness, his consideration for the people who worked under him, and his commitment to the country’s  greatest good.

“Indeed, Dr. Paderanga’s life and work (have) made a lasting impact upon the organizations, institutions and agencies he has touched,” Pascual stressed.  “He had made his mark upon the country’s history.  His legacy in UP and the School of Economics – as educator and researcher – will always be a source of pride and inspiration for the UP community.”

Response

Paderanga’s family led by his widow Delia and sons Paolo and Marco was present at the ceremonies.

Marco, the younger of the two, responded on behalf of their family.  The younger Paderanga, in an emotional recollection that left a few in tears at the end of his talk, recalled his personal relationship with his late father.  He recounted his last moment with him at his bedside while he was still alive, relating how his dad admonished him for not enrolling for his postgraduate course at the UP but eventually     relenting in a show of affection to his younger son.

Marco expressed his regrets at not hugging his father longer at that time, saying that even that last moment with his old man brought to him a lesson he wanted to share with the audience: “When somebody means so much to you, you’ve got to show that person how much you love him.  You can’t hold back as you might not have another chance to do it, just as I learned.” – Bert A. Ramirez