Barely two weeks before the UP Board of Regents (BOR) selects the 22nd UP President, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed private lawyer and UP alumni Gladys S.J. Tiongco to become a member of the university’s highest policymaking body. 

In an oath-taking ceremony earlier at Quezon Hall, President Danilo Concepcion sworn in Tiongco to replace former Regent Francis Laurel who served as a regent since 2016. Tiongco completes the three regents appointed by Malacañang.

Tiongco served as the President of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) from 2010 to 2011 and concurrently served as the alumni regent. She assumed the position of alumni regent after Alfredo Pascual was selected to become the 20th UP president. She was the first female president of the UPAA.

In 2010, she was one of the regents who took part in the vetting and approval of the development of the Diliman East Campus Property project along Katipunan Avenue. Tiangco was one of the members of the BOR committee to study the project and eventually recommended its approval. Ultimately, it was Ayala Land Incorporated which was chosen by the BOR to be the project’s lessee.

Tiongco also contributed to the continued commercialization of UP Visayas Miag-ao land in 2011. The LoveNature Park was authorized on the grounds of being an income-generating source for UP Visayas. 

As a member of the BOR, Tiongco can now take part in the deliberation and selection process of the 22nd UP president who is slated to be selected at a special BOR meeting on December 9.

Eleven members comprise the BOR, the highest governing and policy-making body in the UP System. Currently, the two other members appointed by the palace are Gregorio B. Pastorfide and Raul C. Pagdanganan–both of whom were appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Each Malacañang regent serves for a term of two years with possible reappointment. ●