Dishonoring Don Honorio

What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

NO RECORD of the Honorable Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales of the 3^rd District of Pampanga making the Bard’s famous quote as justification in “pushing for a proposed bill” to rename the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University (DHVTSU) to Pampanga State University (PamSU).

Neither is it to simply shorten the rather longish appellation of the esteemed institution.

We are led to believe, from what we read in a Sun-Star Pampanga story, that Gonzales’ intent is nothing short of an act of liberation. We will be quoting from the story frequently here, it being our only reference.

The paper reported Gonzales as having said that the “renaming of the university will bring about the modification of restrictive provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9832 and elevate the status of this higher education institution from a technological to a comprehensive university.”

As provided in Section 3 of RA 9832, per the story, DHVTSU’s current curricular offerings are limited to “education, engineering, science and technology, arts and humanities, computer education and other programs within its areas of specialization and capabilities.” 

Gonzales noted: "This restriction hinders the university in fully attaining its foremost objective of enhancing access to education by providing affordable but quality instruction and training to the youth of Pampanga and nearby provinces, especially those from the underprivileged sector of society." 

Freed of the restrictions, Gonzales sees the full flowering of the university, so to speak, coming from additional courses in the liberal arts, medical and allied medical fields on top of those RA 9832 specified. These include BS in Nursing, BS in Pharmacy, BS in Medical Technology, BS in Physical Therapy, AB Political Science, AB Philosophy, and AB Mass Communication – courses that Gonzales believes to be “responsive to the needs of both the society and industry.”

Furthered what sounded like Gonzales’ sponsoring speech for the as yet unnumbered bill: “It is foreseen that advancement into a comprehensive state university will greatly benefit the people in its service area through upgraded instruction; enhanced access to quality education; intensified knowledge-generation; modernized facilities and equipment; intensified social responsibility through extension, manpower and skills development training and community outreach services.

"It will likewise help the university in realizing its aspiration of nurturing individuals who will possess the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in gainful work and be productive, and the values and abilities to coexist in prolific harmony with local and global communities. Most importantly, the institution shall contribute beneficially to the government’s essential strategy to fight poverty and foster national competitiveness by accomplishing its mission of lifting economically and socially marginalized Filipinos out of indigence."

Reading the Sun-Star Pampanga story, I almost rose to my feet in thunderous ovation for the Honorable Congressman. Taken to the clouds as much by the rhetorical eloquence as by the noblest of intention, the greatest of purpose, the strongest of dedication to the patrimony of the nation inhering in the once-maligned solon...    

…But, as quickly, crashing on the grounds of jaded journalism.

Pray, tell, Honorable Sir, where lies the compelling need to rename DHVTSU to PamSU, if only to modify the “restrictive provisions” of RA 9832?

Indeed, to use your very words, “to elevate the status of this higher education institution from a technological to a comprehensive university” requires – to our simple mind – not an altogether grand change of name but a simple dropping of the “technological” in DHVTSU to effect a Don Honorio Ventura State University.

But then, maybe, simple as our mind is, the dynamics and ramifications of legislation which the Honorable Congressman has long achieved mastery of are way outside the ambit of our comprehension.

Still, we discern in the Honorable Gonzales’ eloquent peroration the very negation of all his arguments for the renaming of DHVTSU to PamSU.  

To re-paste: "It will likewise help the university in realizing its aspiration of nurturing individuals who will possess the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in gainful work and be productive, and the values and abilities to coexist in prolific harmony with local and global communities. Most importantly, the institution shall contribute beneficially to the government’s essential strategy to fight poverty and foster national competitiveness by accomplishing its mission of lifting economically and socially marginalized Filipinos out of indigence."

There, the strongest affirmation for the status quo.

Right there, Don Honorio Ventura is brought back to life: Nurturing Lubao’s poor boy Diosdado Macapagal in the possession of the foundations of learning…the competence to engage in the gainful work of public service…and the values and abilities in a Presidency respected and admired in the global community…

Aye, Don Honorio, by the beneficence he extended to the young Dadong contributed beneficially to the government’s essential strategy to fight poverty – the express policy of the elder Macapagal administration.

And what greater accomplishment than of Don Honorio making good in his mission of lifting the economically and marginalized Dadong out of indigence, catapulting him to national prominence as president of the Republic?

To expunge Don Honorio Ventura then from the institution precisely re-named after him by the grateful President Diosdado Macapagal himself is to dishonor both men, disrespect their memory, desecrate the greatness of the life they lived.

Please reconsider, Honorable Sir.