“I promised it, I will defend academic freedom. I will defend the independence of the institutions according to the law. It’s one of my most ardent devotions, to protect our freedoms.”

Speaking before a crowd of UP community, newly-appointed president Atty. Angelo “Jijil” Jimenez vows protection of academic freedom and stresses the importance of ideas as the lifeblood of the university and academic freedom being the cardiovascular system.

“We have to protect the cardiovascular system so that ideas can flow and make a very healthy university, a very healthy institution. And we only respect one force, and that is the force of superior idea.”

A former UP Board of Regents (BOR), Jimenez also took note of the struggles of students in the right to education, freedom of expression, the right to do research without fear.

“We will protect that because that is the essence of our academic freedom. The right to teach, to do research, to express or publish your opinions without fear or pause because of fear of retribution. Pero mas madami pa tayong alam. Alam nyo naman andami-daming utang ng Pilipinas ngayon. We will simply just have to be smarter about our ways of doing things — the UP way.”

The incoming president talks of a vision paper. About research power, digital transformation and increase in access in UP system of education.

“We really have to adjust to realities na pagpasok ng digital age we have to look at our teaching methods.”

When asked for his position on the issue of the arboretum and UP’s urban poor community:

“Ito lang sinasabi ko, susundin natin ang batas. Kung meron mang relocation, it has to be in accordance with the law. Ang sabi ko po we have to be firm. Kasi napakalaki ng UP and if we are not firm, we cannot put this institutions together and move forward.”

On the proposed ROTC and other citizens training program:

“Ang citizens training nasa constitution yan kasi we have to defend the country. Hindi po sya masama per se. But most important lang talaga is that its properly done. Hindi pwedeng magkakaroon ng ideological orientation and training. Purely defense of the country. That’s the duty of every citizen naman talaga di ba, self-defense.”

On the UP-DND accord:

“I fought for the DECS-DILG accord. I fought for that and I signed it as a Student Regent in 1991. What happened was, in 1989 the police was part of the Department of National Defense. But when they created the Department of Local Government, na-transfer po ang National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police sa DILG. Ang pulis po ang mga laman is talking about arrest inside the campus. The DND has nothing to do with arrests. It’s a military organization. Arrests is a police function. It’s a civilian function.”I fought for the DECS-DILG accord. I fought for that and I signed it as a Student Regent in 1991. What happened was, in 1989 the police was part of the Department of National Defense. But when they created the Department of Local Government, na-transfer po ang National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police sa DILG. Ang pulis po ang mga laman is talking about arrest inside the campus. The DND has nothing to do with arrests. It’s a military organization. Arrests is a police function. It’s a civilian function.”

“I was part and I pushed for the DECS-DILG accord. Pero ang sinabi ko sa presence ng military ganito: pag presence ng military hindi sya pulis e. Hindi sya police function. We have to apply international humanitarian law. Sa international humanitarian law, pag military organization, combat zone ba yan bakit kayo pumasok? May combatants ba diyan bakit kayo pumasok? Under the new international humanitarian law, even combatants resting or operating is not a lawful subject of attack. You were stuck with the term DND. Ang sama naman, I dont want to call it DND accord cause why should the military deal with us.”

“I would like to let you know na yung tatak bilang sa sektor ng magaaral nakarating dito sa Quezon Hall. At babalikan at babalikan ko po kayo. Gusto ko po kung maaari first opportunity ko po gusto ko magkaroon ng face to face sa mga leader estudyante sa lalong madaling panahon kung gusto nyo Monday pupunta na agad ako.”

Jimenez – once Associate Editor of the Philippine Collegian and national president of College Editors Guild of the Philippines – is the first Student Regent to become UP President. The 22nd on year 2022. He became councilor for Student Council in Diliman and eventually became its Chairman.