Fighting MAROONS or MORONS?

Columnist Jojo Robles opines "that there was a time when people believed UP was hard-wired to oppose any President simply because it had been doing so for so long. If Mother Teresa had become President, UP would find a way to oppose her, the thinking went.… We recall that Joseph Estrada, when he was in Malacñnang, was also offered such an honor—but Erap, even if he never finished college, wisely declined his honorary UP degree."

Fighting maroons or morons?

"The University of the Philippines has decided to give President Noynoy Aquino a doctor of laws degree, honoris causa. Old hands at Diliman wryly commented that perhaps UP wanted to be first again—or at least to beat Noynoy’s beloved Ateneo to the “honor” of giving the President an award that not even his old school has given him yet.

There was a time when people believed UP was hard-wired to oppose any President simply because it had been doing so for so long. If Mother Teresa had become President, UP would find a way to oppose her, the thinking went.

Well, not anymore, apparently. The premiere university, we’ve been told, is now on full mendicancy mode and will do anything to get more funds from the state—and a doctorate degree does seem a small price to pay for that.

On the other hand, it’s not the first time UP has tried to confer academic awards to Presidents with such callow motives. We recall that Joseph Estrada, when he was in Malacñnang, was also offered such an honor—but Erap, even if he never finished college, wisely declined his honorary UP degree.

The official Diliman UPDate Online site said the award will be given to Aquino “for providing leadership in rallying the people to stamp out corruption, campaigning for institutional reforms and creating an environment for agencies, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to act with dispatch on malfeasance in government, promote the rule of law, and respect people’s constitutional rights.” Law Dean Marvic Leonen, an Aquino booster who has joined the administration, could not have written a better citation." by: Jojo Robles