Sixth JVO Annual Memorial Lecture
Senator Edgardo Angara, public servant, legislator, lawyer, environmentalist and patron of the arts, spoke on the future of education at the Sixth Jaime V. Ongpin (JVO) Annual Memorial Lecture on Public Service in Business and Government. The lecture was held last January 16, 2008 at the Veritas Room, Ateneo Professional Schools, Rockwell campus.
Together with a panel of reactors composed of Dr. Mahar K. Mangahas, president of Social Weather Stations; Ambeth Ocampo, chairman of the National Historical Institute; and Manuel L. Quezon III, columnist of Philippine Daily Inquirer, the future of our country through education was discussed and fleshed out.
The welcome and opening address were given by Dr. Antonio La Viña, JSD, dean of the Ateneo School of Government. The closing remarks, meanwhile, was delivered by Maria Isabel G. Ongpin. Atty. Fina De La Cuesta-Tantuico, chair of the Committee on Legal Education, Philippine Bar Association, was the master of ceremonies and moderator.
Senator Angara has extensive experience in the field of education. From 1981-1987, Angara steered to higher levels of excellence the University of the Philippines as its president, gaining the respect of the academe and the recognition of his countrymen. He also served in the Estrada Cabinet as secretary of the Department of Agriculture from 1999-2001 and executive secretary in 2001.
As a legislator, he has authored and pushed for significant laws in education such as the Free High School Education Act; the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education or GASTPE; and Acts Creating the Commission on Higher Education or CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA. He also authored and filed the resolution creating the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering or COMSTE, which shall review the country's education system to encourage students to go into science, technology and engineering, and provide the master plan to promote research and development.
The JVO Annual Memorial Lecture was conceived to help raise the awareness of the business sector about national development issues so that the business community can actively participate as a partner in nation building. The lecture helps to keep alive the spirit which characterized the life of Jimmy Ongpin. In all his endeavors, as public servant and business leader, the former Finance Minister showed his willingness to risk comfort and safety, wealth and personal security for the sake of freedom and democracy, and the greater good of our people and country.
Speech of Senator Edgardo Angara
