Why is the University of the Philippines essential to nation-building?

Is the university a den for communist recruitment?

- DR. EDSEL MAURICE T. SALVANA

UNIVERSITY FOR FILIPINOS Since 1908, the University of the Philippines has served as the country's national university. (Photo: Misael Bacani/UP MPRO)

(Misael Bacani/UP MPRO)

The University of the Philippines (UP) has been in the news lately because of a deadly encounter between the Philippine Army and the communist New People's Army (NPA), which left 19 people dead. Among these fatalities were two UP students: UP Diliman student and student councilor Alyssa Alano and UP Open University student Maureen Keil Santuyo. Social media quickly blew up with those who accused the military of violating human rights versus those who accused UP of producing NPA leaders and corrupting students.

As a UP faculty member (I am a research professor at the National Institutes of Health) and alumnus (BS Biology in UP Diliman and Doctor of Medicine in UP Manila), I mourn the loss of life, especially the two students who were among the best and brightest in our country. UP has a long tradition of academic freedom, and we welcome people from all walks of life and across the entire spectrum of political persuasions. The idea is that to be truly educated, you need to be exposed to all sorts of ideas, and you should be able to come to your own conclusions without coercion, propaganda, or undue influence.

On the other hand, I am also a military brat. My father is a retired Philippine Air Force colonel. Growing up, I got to know a lot of soldiers, and for the most part, they are highly professional and very skilled. Several of my uncles were in the military, and two of them are retired PNP generals. I've always had a soft spot for veterans, and I appreciate their war stories and the adventures they had during their campaigns.