Bohol Chronicle Articles
November 14, 2022
Thank you, Tito Pepe
August 29, 2021
I have fond memories of Tito Pepe, Tita Coring, and the Abueva family as a close family friend and neighbor in Beverly. Tito Pepe is a gracious and kind person, a gentleman, fatherly, a highly accomplished professional, truly down-to-earth, a talented singer with a calm voice, a man of integrity ….in other words, a Renaissance man! He is much loved in our family.
Thinking of Tito Pepe brings to mind some of my cherished memories, especially in my teenage and growing up years in Beverly.
… In the early ’80s, he invited our family to travel to Japan, where their family was residing at the time. For my parents’ graduation gift, I had the opportunity to visit them on a holiday trip with mom and my older brother, Caccus. We stayed at their place for a few days then. Before going on that trip, I only knew the “Abuevas” as our next-door neighbor who lives abroad. I had the impression that our visit to Japan might end up a “formal” experience with a high-level UN executive and his family. To my pleasant surprise, Tito Pepe, Tita Coring, Rossana, and Jonas were all so welcoming, and their family just made us feel at home, as though we were relatives. I still recall in one of those days, after a day trip within Tokyo, we were on our way back to their residence with Tito Pepe, and at some point, he called Tita Coring on the phone, “Chica, is there anything you need from the supermarket now”? There were many other details he had as a family man.
… One of the events we look forward to within Beverly is the singing sessions at the Tower of the Abueva house, overlooking a scenic view of Manila, e.g., on a Kapihan breakfast on a Sunday, as it has been a tradition in our subdivision. Those were enjoyable get-togethers where everyone shared stories and sang away in a relaxed mood. Tito Pepe and Tito Cornie were the singers in the group, as I recall.
… On another occasion, one Sunday morning, on my first or 2nd year in college (Tito Pepe was already our UP President then), he learned that I had some close friends from UP visiting our home. We were thrilled as he invited us over to their house for morning coffee, and we all had a very engaging conversation with him, our President!
… I also could never forget how in my last year in college, he wrote me a letter inviting me to join a group of UP students going for a 10-day educational tour to Japan, hosted by Soka University. I’m very grateful for this experience, and I recall how our group bonded very well and became good friends.
… I’m also grateful for his trust, confidence, and support in some stages of my professional life, one of which is his being one of my referees in my joining the UP NCPAG as an adjunct faculty member.
These are but a glimpse of the happy memories I have of Tito Pepe.
Thank you so much, Tito! You will always be in my prayers, and I know that God is rewarding you now with His abundant graces for your fruitful life, well-lived.
"Let me be imprudent."
August 25, 2021
Pres. Abueva, as junior faculty members have addressed him in the early 1990s, has been the partner of UP's junior faculty at large in establishing in everyone's mind the concept of "junior faculty." It is now a concept embedded in the UP community's mind, in use both officially and elsewhere. This has not been the case before his term.
Our school, Batangas Eastern Colleges, now enjoys his thoughts that have very much influenced my own thinking.
The following is from my blog that I write for our school. (https://www.pinoytoolbox.org/post/obedience-not-everything.)
"“Let me be imprudent,” has been said by a junior faculty member addressing Dr. Jose V. Abueva, then UP president. The occasion has been a meeting between the president and his executive committee, on one hand, and over 50 members of the Junior Faculty Caucus, on the other hand.
I recall now Pres. Abueva calmly replying and saying he welcomes and encourages all such imprudent responses from the junior faculty throughout his term as president.
Cut the story short, under his term, thanks to the imprudent responses of the junior faculty at large on many occasions, Pres. Abueva has left the university the following by the end of this term.
Our school, Batangas Eastern Colleges, now enjoys his thoughts that have very much influenced my own thinking.
The following is from my blog that I write for our school. (https://www.pinoytoolbox.org/post/obedience-not-everything.)
"“Let me be imprudent,” has been said by a junior faculty member addressing Dr. Jose V. Abueva, then UP president. The occasion has been a meeting between the president and his executive committee, on one hand, and over 50 members of the Junior Faculty Caucus, on the other hand.
I recall now Pres. Abueva calmly replying and saying he welcomes and encourages all such imprudent responses from the junior faculty throughout his term as president.
Cut the story short, under his term, thanks to the imprudent responses of the junior faculty at large on many occasions, Pres. Abueva has left the university the following by the end of this term.
- Walk-up housing and split-type housing units in three locations within the campus
- Faculty Manual, published for the first time
- Grievance committee, established for the first time
- Junior faculty grants and fellowships in so many forms, formerly mostly available only to senior faculty
- Day care facility
- Committee representation of junior faculty in all policy making committees
Maraming salamat po, Dr. Jose V. Abueva.
Pepe - boss, colleague and friend
August 22, 2021
I can't put into words how much I miss him. He was not only a very good friend, he was my boss for a time at the United Nations University in Tokyo and we also lived in the same neighborhood. He was the one who opened the door for me to moved up in the organization by taking me on as assistant secretary of the governing council when he was secretary.
Several of his disgruntled fellow senior officers bristled at the ideal of a Filipino taking another Filipino as an assistant when he already had a Filipina administrative assistant. Pepe stood his ground and said, "I select only the most capable and qualified. My choices are not based on ethnicity. It happened that the most capable candidates are Filipino." The university rector agreed with him.
The story that I remember best about my time with Pepe is about the time we were at Oxford University in the 1980s for a week-long meeting of the governing council. Pepe and I arrived at St. John's College of Oxford about a week ahead of the council to set up. We were housed in the student dormitory on the campus. At the gate, we were met by the warden who, with a heavy, definitely non-Oxford accent, asked our names. Pepe said his name, Jose Abueva, and I said mine, Amadio Arboleda. The warden looked at his list and shook his head. "I'm sorry sirs," he said, "I cannot find those names on my list." I said, "They must be there. This gentleman is the secretary of the council and I am the assistant secretary. Please check again." I verbally spelled our names for him. The warden looked again and once more shook his head. "Sorry gentlemen," he said, "The two names I have listed for arrival today are Mr. Abul Eba and Mr. Arbul Eda." Pepe smiled and said, "That's us!"
That was Pepe. And, I miss him so much
Several of his disgruntled fellow senior officers bristled at the ideal of a Filipino taking another Filipino as an assistant when he already had a Filipina administrative assistant. Pepe stood his ground and said, "I select only the most capable and qualified. My choices are not based on ethnicity. It happened that the most capable candidates are Filipino." The university rector agreed with him.
The story that I remember best about my time with Pepe is about the time we were at Oxford University in the 1980s for a week-long meeting of the governing council. Pepe and I arrived at St. John's College of Oxford about a week ahead of the council to set up. We were housed in the student dormitory on the campus. At the gate, we were met by the warden who, with a heavy, definitely non-Oxford accent, asked our names. Pepe said his name, Jose Abueva, and I said mine, Amadio Arboleda. The warden looked at his list and shook his head. "I'm sorry sirs," he said, "I cannot find those names on my list." I said, "They must be there. This gentleman is the secretary of the council and I am the assistant secretary. Please check again." I verbally spelled our names for him. The warden looked again and once more shook his head. "Sorry gentlemen," he said, "The two names I have listed for arrival today are Mr. Abul Eba and Mr. Arbul Eda." Pepe smiled and said, "That's us!"
That was Pepe. And, I miss him so much
August 21, 2021
Tito Pepe always had a sweet smile. I remember how very loving he was to Tita Coring, Chica, as he fondly called her. My fondest memory of him was seeing how he loved to sing. Back when karaoke was not yet common to most households, he already had a set up at his tower where he would entertain his guests with his favorite songs. I remember asking Rossana lately if he still loved to do so, happily, she said yes, daily infact. Glad to know he was still singing his favorite classic hits until the end. Matudnila was one of them. I will always remember him everytime I hear that song. Always have, always will.
Via con Dios Tito! May you rest in love and peace at the bosom of your Creator.
Via con Dios Tito! May you rest in love and peace at the bosom of your Creator.