“It’s time to shine UDM!”
This was the challenge posed by Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Moreno Domagoso to the students and faculty members of the capital city’s Universidad de Manila (UDM).
Domagoso issued the challenge during the kick-off ceremony held on October 17 at the historic Mehan Gardens for the upcoming 25th Founding Anniversary of UDM on April 2020.
In his speech, Domagoso said that today is the right time to prove that UDM is at par or even better than its predecessor the city-subsidized Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, which was founded in 1965.
“Let this be our time to show the future generation that everybody wanted to enroll in UDM because of its academic excellence,” he added.
UDM which was established as the City College of Manila in 1995, has long been under the shadow of PLM. The Mayor mentioned that it is now UDM’s time to shine and move out of the shadow cast by PLM and prove that it be can be at par or even be better than the latter.
Since its inception, Domagoso said, UDM faced a lot of challenges, failures and successes but these were just part of the University’s growing up pains, which he attributed to the inevitable politicization of its academic ranks.
The Mayor revealed how hard it was for him to convince the newly-appointed University President, Ma. Lourdes N. Tiquia, to agree to take on the challenge of implementing his vision for UDM under her guidance and leadership.
Moreno also made public the announcement of the impending grant of fiscal autonomy to the University as soon as the City Council passes the proposed ordinance amending the previous two which created the City College of Manila and its renaming to UDM.
The Mayor also extolled former Mayor Alfredo Lim, who is recognized as the father of UDM, along with then Councilor Bernardito Ang, who is now the Secretary to the Mayor. He asked the students to thank Mayor Lim because if not for him, there would be no UDM today.
The occasion also marked the turnover of Mehan Garden to the University for use of the students. The park will eventually be opened to the public on a limited basis in the near future.