UP Mindanao honors FVR, who signed law creating autonomous campus

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 1 Aug) – The University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao honored the late former President Fidel V. Ramos, who signed Republic Act 7889 which created the autonomous campus, in a statement on August 1.

_{The Philippine flag flown at half-mast at the UP Mindanao campus to honor former President Fidel V. Ramos. Photo courtesy of UP Mindanao}

RA 7889, or the University of the Philippines in Mindanao Act, was approved on February 20, 1995 during the term of UP President Emil Q. Javier.

Chancellor Lyre Anni E. Murao said the flag at the campus will be flown at half-mast starting August 1 for 10 days. In the Philippines, the national flag is flown half-mast for 10 days as a sign of mourning when the death of a president or former president is announced.

The former president died last July 31 at the age of 94. He was the 12th president of the Philippines.

“President Ramos’s contribution to the establishment of UP Mindanao has led this UP constituent university to produce several generations of leaders and experts in Mindanao and beyond. We are forever grateful,” Murao said.

In the statement, the university recalled the former president’s contributions to the creation and development of UP Mindanao.

Ramos personally attended the reenactment of the signing of RA 7889 in Davao City on February 21, 1995, and returned years later on February 22, 2008 to receive a certificate of appreciation from the constituents of UP Mindanao.

_{Former President Fidel V. Ramos returns to the UP Mindanao campus in 2008 at the kickoff of the UP Centennial celebration. Photo courtesy of UP Mindanao}

He also signed Proclamation 822, which appropriated 204 hectares of land in Bago Oshiro and Mintal, Davao City, for the Mindanao campus.

Furthermore, he signed Proclamation 1252 and 1253, creating the land reservations in Laak, Davao de Oro and Marilog, Davao City for UP Mindanao’s research, instruction, forest rehabilitation and protection, biodiversity conservation, crops and livestock production and management, and upland communities training and development.

“FVR will be remembered for his immense contributions and programs for national development,” the UP Mindanao statement added. (Veda Sachi Daliling / MindaNews intern)