UP to confer honorary degree on Sen. Mark Villar

MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines will confer an honorary doctorate degree on Sen. Mark Villar.

UP vice president for public affairs Elena Pernia confirmed that Villar, former secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, will be conferred with a degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, during a ceremony at the UP College of Law on Jan. 27.

The university has yet to release details regarding the decision to confer an honorary degree, described as the “highest academic recognition of an individual’s contributions” to his or her respective field.

In a letter to outgoing university president Danilo Concepcion, UP student regent Siegfred Severino dissented on the conferment of an honorary degree to Villar.

Severino said that when the conferment of honoris causa was tackled in the Board of Regents, the university’s highest policy-making body, they were informed that the decision was not yet final and that they have to wait on whether Villar would accept it.

“I was hoping that once Sen. Mark Villar gave his answer, the Board will be duly informed and a final decision will be made and entered into the minutes of a Board meeting. However, this has not been the case. It was also not reflected in any minutes of the meeting of the Board of Regents,” Severino said.

“Moreover, despite his contributions to several infrastructure projects in the university as the secretary of public works and highways, we must also look into the character of him as part of the Villar family,” he added, citing issues that hound the Villar businesses.

Severino said the conferment of an honorary degree “seemingly swept all these issues under the rug.”

“I believe that the character of those we confer an honorary degree will be based not only on their contribution to the university, but also the public character that they have outside and to the people we are mandated to serve,” he added.