Interview Questions for Chancellor Carmencita Padilla MD, FPPS, MAHPS 1.
What inspired or motivated you to take on the challenge of chancellorship? I believe that my leadership can make a difference in influencing change in UP Manila to ensure its pivotal role as the National Center of Health Research and Development for the Filipino people. Of my 27 years as faculty member of the Department of Pediatrics, I have spent 20 years as an administrator in various capacities: -
Director, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Manila, the volunteer program of UP Manila; Chair, Department of Pediatrics Philippine General Hospital;
I believe that my past experiences and challenging positions have prepared me for this post – polishing my managerial skills; developing unique people-skills in forging partnerships with both government and non-government agencies; strengthening workstyle with limited resources and yet emerge successful; enhancing my time management skills; improving my fund sourcing skills from both government and private sector; and refining policy making skills to the university’s advantage as well as the Filipinos in general. 2.
What is your stand on student activism? Student activism should assume a positive force to effect change.
3.
How will you collaborate with and support the student councils? The campus press? I encourage student councils and the campus press to be the link between the students and administration. As I have shared with the student leaders during our dialogues, my administration is committed to listen and to respond to the issues raised by students and other sectors. Give our administration the opportunity to analyze and prioritize the responses. For instance, one of the problems raised by the USC in our dialogue last week is the security along Padre Faura and Pedro Gil. Recognizing that this will entail the cooperation of the City of Manila, Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Michael Tee and I had an audience with Mayor Joseph Estrada last Friday. In the middle of our meeting, Mayor Estrada called and instructed the city electrician to immediately address our request. That was easy. I also raised the issue of flooding but Mayor Estrada said, he cannot immediately solve the problem. Another issue is the food security/supply, which is a major concern that cannot be solved overnight. This was already raised during the fora during the Search Process. On my first day at work, my team already addressed this problem and we hope to have the solution ready for implementation by January 2015. The other issue is the Student Center. Let me just say, that was a difficult one. The important thing is that‌..work has resumed and the Center will be completed soon.
4.
How will you ensure genuine and transparent student consultations?
I am committed to regular dialogues. 5. How will you maintain UP’s public character and prevent the commercialization of education? My administration is committed to providing the highest form of education without compromising our principles and ideals as being the premier state university. UP Manila will always be a public university with the responsibility of shaping the students who will be well-rounded, globally-oriented graduates, imbued with social responsibility, equipped to succeed in our rapidly changing complex world and ready for leadership roles in Philippine society for the service of the Filipino people. There will be extra efforts to reach out to qualified students especially from remote communities. 6. Give three problems that you think the UP Manila Community is experiencing and state your solutions/responses on how you will deal with them. Food security/supply The provision of affordable meals is a clamor common to students, staff and faculty. UP Manila unfortunately has not been able to respond to this need. My team has transition plans and more permanent plans. As for the transition, the UP Manila Food Committee has identified the PGH dietary and some concessioners to provide P50 meal boxes from 10:30 to 1pm. The payment mechanics are currently being finalized and hopefully will be ready by the opening of the next semester. The more permanent plans include the provision of food concessioners at the Student Center at CAS. This will be ready by March 2015. A cafeteria will be opened at the new Naitonal Institutes of Health Building but this will be availble by 2017. Operational Efficiency The very slow transaction of documents has been a bottleneck for many offices. Vice Chancellor for Administration Arlene Samaniego is aggressively addressing this problem. With technology support, we are looking forward to a more efficient management of documents, funds and people. Connectivity Connectivity is no longer a luxury but a tool for better educational strategies and a more efficient implementation of both administrative and hospital operations. Investment on connectivity responds to the needs of all sectors. The bandwidth will be increased to at least 1GB. There will be additional hotspots in the campus. The team of Professor Ariel Betan, Director of UPM Information Management Service is also working on remote access to the electronic subscriptions of the University. 7.
What projects headed by the past administration will still continue on your term? The Activity Center and Sports Wellness Center (SWC) are priority student-centered projects that were planned by the previous administration. I am committed to overcome
the obstacles causing the delay in their construction. The Student Center is now under construction. The bidding process for the SWC has started. What projects will you put into halt? The previous administration endorsed the transfer of SHS Palo to Sta Elena, north of Palo and located about 30 minutes from the current location. During my visit on 12-13 November 2014, I brought 2 architects to evaluate the buidlings in the original site while I was conducting dialogues with the faculty, students and staff. Having seen the sites (original and the proposed site), I recommended to UP President Pascual the immediate rehabilitation of the original site. Transfer to Sta Elena should be postponed when the Sta Elena campus is ready. Sta Elena is still raw land. We have funds to rehabilitate the current site. This will be ready by the first semester of 2015-2016, hopefully earlier. 8. Are you quite satisfied by what is left or done by your predecessor? How about his performance? Chancellor Agulto’s team did their best. 9.
What are your advocacies in the past? My advocacies in the past were: policy developments specifically the drafting of the Rare Disease Act and Newborn Screening Act of 2004 and the founding of the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health Philippines (VYLHP) – a network of 111 university basedorganizations 67 community-based organizations.
10.
Given the large number of complaints regarding the Socialized Tuition Scheme
(STS), what concrete steps will you take to resolve them? We will work with both ends – the students and the UP System administration. We will get feedback from the student councils and bring the feedback to the UP System administration, esp on the bracketing of students. We will work closely with the UP System administration in finding ways in making education more accessible to all. We are securing additional scholarships. 11.
How will you ensure genuine and transparent student consultations? Regular dialogues will be conducted.
12.
What is your take in the issue of RPHER? I would like to study this further. UP must work on increasing budget allocation to education.
13.
What is your message for the UP Community? The leadership style of my administration will be collegial, creative, innovative, participative and transparent. I will give emphasis on public trust and accountability. The past Chancellors have worked and built on many of the good things for UP Manila. We shall continue best practices but we must also recognize and work on our
deficiencies and weaknesses. I am confident that with teamwork, we can reach our goals. I envision UP Manila to be a haven of Excellence, Scholarship, Collegiality and Service. My administration will be known for Protecting the rights of the students, faculty and administrative personnel. It will be known for Partnerships and Professionalized Services. It will be an administration that puts the People first before personal gains. To realize this vision, we need to harmoniously work together. SOURCE: http://www.upm.edu.ph/announcement/chancellorship_nomination_2014/