Lectures in Honor of President Jose V. Abueva Fifteenth President (1987-1993) Universlly of the PHILIPPINES
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Lectures in honor of President Jose V. Abueva Fifteenth President (1987-1993) UNIVERSllY OF THE PHILIPPINES Gamino H. Abad Pacifico A. Agabin Gella T. Castillo Onofre D. Corpuz Emesto O. Domingo Jose Encamaclon. Jr. Edgardo D. Gomez Flor Lacanilao Francisco Nemenzo Alit Singh Rye Jaime B. Veneracion Ruben L. Villareal Jose V. Abueva u.P. In Search of Academic Excellence Lectures in honor of Jose V. Abueva Fifteenth President 0987-1993) University of the Philippines u.P. In search of Academic Excellence Lectures in honor of Jose V. Abueva Fifteenth President (1987-1993) UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES Gamino H. Abad Pacifico A. Agabin Gelia T. Castillo Onofre D. Corpuz Ernesto O. Domingo Jose Encarnacion, Jr. Edgardo D. Gomez Flor Lacanilao Francisco Nemenzo Ajit Singh Rye Jaime B. Veneracion Ruben L. Villareal Jose V. Abueva Published by Center for Integrative and Development Studies University of the Philippines UP College of Public Administration Diliman, Quezon City and University of the Philippines Press Philippine Copyright, 1994 UP ClDS and UP CPA ISBN No. 971-8797-49-1 Layout and Book Design Rosa Ledesma Xerxes Nitafan Victoria Tinio CSSP Publications FOREWORD This book compiles the lectures delivered by eminent mentors and colleagues in honor of Jose V. Abueva, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, and the fifteenth President of the University of the Philippines. TheJVA Lecture Series, held from July to September 1993, was organized jointly by the College of Public Administration, the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, the Department of Political Science, and the Balay Kalinaw International House at the initiative of Professor Ajit Singh Rye. Providing a venue for intellectual discourse was deemed a fitting tribute to the man who steered the University through the democratic space opened up by the EDSA uprising. While the organizers gave the lecturers the freedom to develop the topic of their choice, the papers presented reflect the University's gains and the obstacles it has struggled to surmount in the search for academic excellence. The lectures are grouped into three clusters. The ftrst shares the reflections of some of UP's academic leaders on the achievements, problems and prospects of the University as an institution. Francisco Nemenzo's lecture challenges the UP community to recapture its intellectual life in the face of many critical problems. Cognizant of the differences in the thrust of the programs in the UP campuses, Gelia Castillo discusses the imperatives for the future development of the social sciences in the University. Edgardo Gomez demonstrates how the Marine Science Institute was built from two sheets of paper to being one of the top notch institutions in the country while Flor Lacanilao stresses the need to achieve academic excellence in UP Visayas through vigorous research and publication activities. The second group of lectures reflects on substantive concerns within the disciplines of the lecturers.Onofre Corpuz shared his ftndings on government corporations of 1916 to 1940, and from these lessons can be drawn for understanding today's economy. By making a footnote in the classical work of John Maynard Keynes problematic, Jose Encarnacion's lecture exemplifted the pasSion with which academics pursue the life of the mind. The lecture of Pacillco Agabin critiques the case method in Law and argues for the view of Law as a social science discipline. That it is possible to create a space for the Filipino mind within the English language is a point eloquently developed in Gemino Abad's lecture. The third set of lectures demonstrates the concrete contributions of academic work to society. In the spirit of nationalism, Jaime Veneracion outlines the celebration of the Centennial of the Philippine Revolution, detailing the cultural activities within and outside the University. Ernesto Domingo's lecture is an exciting account of policy formulation based on continuing medical research. Just as the studies of medical speCialists led to health intervention measures, Ruben Villareal's paper reveals how UP's agricultural scientists have helped Filipino farmers. The last lecture in the Series was delivered by Ajit Singh Rye. The organizers put his lecture at the end for a reason. By discussing the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi's ideas to the current concern for peace, conflict resolution and social transformation Ajit Rye touches on a theme close to the heart and mind of the honoree. The final lecture by Jose Abueva on his reflections as UP preSident from 1987 to 1993 was his response during the closing ceremonies of the Series. The UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP-CIDS) and the College of Public Administration are indebted to a number of people and institutions, without whom this publication would not have been possible. Our eminent lecturers gave life to the Series while the Ford Foundation provided additional funding support. Ana Jhorie Perez and Vicente Antonio Garcia painstakingly transcribed all the tapes. Ellen Cometa and Mike Arciga encoded the manuscripts, while Joy Aparis and Josephine Padolina helped Maybelle Guzman coordinate the pre-publication activities. Laura Samson, Jocelyn de Jesus, Arnold Azurin and Maybelle Guzman provided invaluable editoral assistance. With Laura Samson in command, the staff and friends of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) Publications Office - Xerxes Nitafan, Zenaida Ebalan, Apollo Cortes, Arnold Azurin, Victoria 'finio and Ma. Corazon Ledesma spent sleepless nights preparing the camera-ready version of the manuscript. Finally, the indefatigable Joy Aparis of up-cms and the 'miracle workers'of CSSP Publications - Xerxes, Zeny, Apol, Bibi and Rosa - moved heaven and earth to see this publication through. Ma. Cynthia Rose Banzon Bautista, Ph.D. Executive Director UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies Proserpina Domingo Tapales, Ph.D. Dean UP College of Public Administration TABLE OF CONTENTS The University of the Philippines Today: An Assessment Francisco Nen1enzo ....................................................................... l The Social Sciences in the U.P. System: A Commentary on its Mission, Vision Goals and Objectives Gelia T. Castillo ................................................................................... 15 The Marine Science Institute: Center of Excellence Edgardo D. Gotnez............................................................................. 31 Improving Teaching and Scientific Research in U .P. Visayas Flor Lacanilao.................................................................................... .49 The Government Corporations of 1916-1940 Onofre D. Corpuz............................................................................ 71 On Keynes' Aggregate Supply Function jose Encarnacion, jr..................................................................... 87 Teaching Law as a Social Science Pacifico A. Agabin...................................................... .................. 95 Towards a 'Poetic' History of Filipinas: The Theme of the Lost Country Gemino H. Abad........................................................................ 113 Masterplan sa Pagdiriwang ng Sentenaryo ng Rebolusyon 1896 jaime B. Veneracion ... ............................................................... 127 Farm Size and Agricultural Development in the Philippines Ruben L. Villareal... .................................................................. 139 Crafting Health Policy by Medical Researchers Ernesto O. Domingo. ................................................................ 153 Reflections on Peace and the Gandhian Way of Social Transformation Ajit Singh Rye ............................................................................ 167 Leadership, Innovation and Reform in the University of the Philippines (1987-1993) Jose V. Abueva.............•............................................................. 189 THE SOCIAL SCIENCES IN THE U.P. SYSTEM: GEUA T. CASTILLO A COMMENTARY ON University Professor University of the Philippines ITS MISSION, VISION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Although it is a truism, this statement is an apt point of departure: "If we know where we want to go, we may be able to figure out how to get there." But there is no rationale in life which stipulates that we have to continue taking the same paths to reach the same goals. Both may change. Nevertheless, persistence of purpose carries its own virtues. It is with this persistence that we have examined the articulated mission, vision, goals and objectives of the different social science units in the University of the Philippines CU .P.) System in order to identify trends and emerging issues. Some of these issues are discussed in the following sections of this paper. FROM BROAD VISION TO SPECIfiC-TASK ORIENTATION The directions in which the social science units want to go range from the lofty, complex, broad societal vision - characterized by "transformed economic, political and cultural structures through the sustained collective participation of all sectors toward a humane, democratic sovereign Filipino society where people ~.re empowered and free to realize their potential" - to the single and more specific task of "improving statistical services both in the public and private sectors." There is nothing inherently wrong with either a broad or a narrow vision, but every concept in the broad vision requires 16 GEliA T. CAsTILLO creative and intensive operationalization if it is