The Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity formally launched the ten “Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs on Liberty and Prosperity” on September 18, 2012 at the Metrobank Auditorium, Metrobank Plaza, Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati, with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno as guest of honor and speaker.
Seven of the ten recipients received their “Certificates of Entitlement” and “Plaques of Recognition” from Chief Justice Sereno, Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, Dr. George S. K, Ty (Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Metrobank Foundation which co-sponsored the project) and Mr. Jose Maria Lim (President, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, the other co-sponsor).
The recipients are (alphabetically arranged) retired Supreme Court Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna (Chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy), Dean Andres D. Bautista (Far Eastern University Institute of Law), Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria (Ateneo De Manila School of Law), Dean Danilo L. Concepcion (University of the Philippines College of Law), Dean Jose Manuel I. Diokno (De La Salle University College of Law), Dean Nilo T. Divina (University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law), and retired Supreme Court Justice Eduardo B. Nachura (Chairman, Arellano University Law Foundation).
Soon, three others will be chosen from the top law schools in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
In her keynote address, Chief Justice Sereno said that, by sponsoring the professorial chair program, the FLP “aims to enhance the dialogue on the very complex relationship between an individual’s right to liberty and the concomitant value of prosperity under the rule of law.”
“The underlying pillar of our economic system must depend on the rule of law. When the courts decide on issues involving the allocation of resources, they basically assume the predictability of their outcome. At least this is in the sense that if a person buys an object through legal means, his or her ownership will be upheld by the law,” she added.
In his response on behalf of the recipients, Ateneo de Manila Law Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria expressed “our hope that the lectures and activities in the subsequent months and years will create a ripple effect and promote a paradigm that will find its way to judicial service, continuing legal education, but more importantly, with the concomitant impact on the daily lives of our citizens.”
Chief Justice Panganiban, FLP Chair, introduced Chief Justice Sereno while former Cabinet Secretary (during the term of President Corazon Aquino) Aniceto M. Sobrepena welcomed the guests and explained the many educational projects of the Metrobank Foundation, which co-sponsored the project.
Three FLP Trustees, namely, Retired Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr., Business Icon Washington Z. Sycip and Former Secretary of Education Edilberto C. de Jesus, formally launched this FLP Website to the delight of the audience.
The launch ceremonies were began with an invocation by Attorney Joel Emerson G. Gregorio, FLP Trustee and Corporate Secretary while Professor Maria Theresa P. Manalac, another FLP Trustee, delivered the Opening Remarks.
The Kilyawan Boys Choir provided two intermission numbers by singing “The Newsboy,” composed by maestro Ryan Cayabyab especially for the 75th birthday celebrations of Chief Justice Panganiban last December at the Meralco Theater, and “May Bukas Pa.”
FLP Executive Vice President and Asian Development Bank Consultant Evelyn T. Dumdum and FLP Trustee and Professional Regulations Commissioner Jennifer J. Manalili were the Masters of Ceremonies.
The Metrobank Foundation hosted snacks and drinks after the program.
Chief Justice Panganiban’s column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on September 23, 2012, titled “Sereno’s four reform pillars” and the Inquirer’s front page report of the event on September 20, 2012, titled “CJ Sereno vows ‘judicial bliss’ with 18 years in office,” are reprinted here. The original speeches delivered during the launch, the bio-data of the seven recipients’ and a facsimile of their “Certificates of Entitlement” and “Plaque of Recognition” can be downloaded from this website.
Formal Launching Ceremonies for the Ten Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs on Liberty and Prosperity in video, 18 September 2012
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