The entrepreneur, the economist, the agriculturist: Who are UPLB’s three chancellor nominees?

In light of the upcoming chancellor selection, the Perspective performed a background check on each nominee vying to be UPLB’s next chancellor. Here’s what we found out about them so far.

Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza

Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza is a human resource specialist with 30 years of experience where he has had various consultancy works in the public and private sector inside and outside of the country. He is considered an expert in ICT-based education and ISO-certified learning environment. He is an advocate of science and technology,  Information technology, and  “eLearning.” His branding is centered around the use of science  technology as a critical part of his programs. 

Dr. Azanza is currently President and Chief Operations Officer of Eclaro Solutions, Inc., a business process outsourcing company and IT firm in the Philippines and a board member of the Eclaro Academy. Prior to that he was the Chief Operations Officer (COO), SVP for Academic Affairs, and Graduate School Dean at the AMA Computer University. He also became the President/CEO of Winsource Business Solutions, Inc. and an Environmental Sociologist at the Manila Observatory. He was able to take part in corporate governing boards in different sectors and industries such  as real estate, banking, power distribution, construction, agricultural services, environment, education, and IT. Dr. Azanza was also able to establish the Cosmotec Contact Centre which is a BPO company.

His stint in the public sector started in UP Diliman where he became a researcher and instructor in which he became one of charter members of the All UP Workers Union. He served as the Chief of Staff under President Emil Q. Javier’s term and was appointed as the first HR Director of the entire UP system. He also became OIC-UPD Vice-Chancellor for Administration, professor and college secretary at the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations, and Senior Lecturer at the UP College of Education.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, his Master of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and his Doctorate from UP Diliman. He also finished his Post Doctoral Leadership Program in Education in Harvard University. After coming back to the country, he earned his Juris Doctor degree at the UP College of Law. He also has a certificate in Human Resources Management in an International Education Program.

Dr. Azanza was previously nominated for the position of UP president in 2010, UP Diliman chancellor in 2014, UP Los Baños chancellor in 2017 and the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) president in 2019 but was not selected.

Dr. Jose V. Camacho Jr.

Dr. Jose V. Camacho Jr. is currently the dean of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Graduate School (GS) and the former Associate Dean of the College of Economics and Management (CEM). Aside from that he has also occupied various academic and administrative positions in UPLB, UPOU, South East Asian Regional Center for Graduate Studies in Agriculture (SEARCA), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) . His field of expertise focuses on the economics of education,labor and human resource, institutions, and political economy.

As Dean of Graduate School, degree programs were institutionalized such as the 3-UP Campus Professional Master’s in Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management, Master in Veterinary Epidemiology, and PhD in Development Studies. Revisions were approved for degree programs including the PhD/MS program in Development Communication, MS Math, Master of Management in Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship, & Cooperatives Management, and MS/PhD in Genetics.

His involvement in public service programs include the UPLB K-12 Training Management Committee Chair, UPLB Committee Chair of the UP System-wide Eleksyon 2013, he established the conduct of teachers training on economic citizenship and economic literacy. He proposed the establishment of a DOST PhD/MS thesis grant in interdisciplinary Social Science which was approved by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). He initiated funds to renovate facilities in the campus  and promote national and international programs. 

Dr. Camacho, as an expert in the field of economics, established and institutionalized courses and degree programs such as ECON-10 which is a GE course about Economics in Social Issues. He also initiated the MS Econ program for the department of Economics.The institutionalization DVST 301 – Development Theories and DVST 30 – Development Practice courses for the proposed UPLB PhD Development Studies interdisciplinary program was done with him as lead proponent. He also helped develop the ASEAN Business and Economic Development course for the program Master in ASEAN Studies of  UPOU. He became vice president and president of the Philippine Agricultural Economics and Development Authority (PAEDA, Inc.) and a board member of the Philippine Economic Society. 

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, a Master of Arts in a 12 units-coursework in Economics and Political Science in University of the Philippines Diliman, a Master of Arts in Economic Development, Graduate School of Development Studies International Institute Studies in The Hague, Netherlands, and a Doctorate in Economics from the Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University, Japan. 

He was previously nominated as one of the UPLB chancellor candidates in 2014 prior to his candidacy this year.

Dr. Fernando E. Sanchez

Hoping for a third term, Dr. Fernando E. Sanchez hopes to continue the legacy of a globally competitive university. His branding of “unity in diversity” gives emphasis on continuing the culture of academic excellence and leadership through research. 

He was assistant to the vice-chancellor for planning and development in 2005 to 2011 and later became the vice-chancellor for planning and development from 2011 to 2014 before becoming Chancellor in 2014. Dr. Sanchez headed the Crop Production and Management Division and Crop Science Cluster. Landscape Horticulture Research & Propagation Facility for students and researchers of UPLB units and other schools was one of his most notable works in which he planned and constructed.

Chancellor Sanchez is a professor of landscape horticulture at the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), a licensed agriculturist, and a certified arborist. He finished his BS Agriculture and MS Environmental Science from UPLB in 1987 and 1994, respectively. He earned his PhD Landscape Architecture from the Tokyo University of Agriculture in 1998. Chancellor Sanchez, as a professor, taught ten undergraduate and graduate courses on Ornamental and Landscape Horticulture. He led various activities and supervised various projects related to design, site planning, and construction such as the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Centennial Marker in Tokyo, Japan, and the UP Mindanao, Bago Oshiro Campus, Davao City among others.

Dr. Sanchez’s vision paper focuses on creating a research intensive university and collaboration of the administration with its constituents who are the students, faculty, and staff.  However, his term was bombarded by issues regarding the Maximum Residence Rule (MRR) and readmission appeals. Students highly criticized his actions, deeming him anti-student, when dealing with the MRR and readmission cases. [P]