SO THE PUBLIC MAY KNOW: On the appointment of new CBSUA president

IT will be recalled that Dr. Georgina J. Bordado (henceforth, Dr. Bordado for brevity) was first appointed as CBSUA President on April 3, 2014 with a term of four (4) years. Thus, her first term expired on April 2, 2018. However, Dr. Bordado expressed her intention to apply for a second term. Thus, an evaluation committee was formed to determine Dr. Bordado’s qualification for a second term. In the evaluation committee’s report to the CBSUA Board of Regents, and which was discussed in the Board Meeting held March 22, 2018, Dr. Bordado was given the rating of OUTSTANDING so that majority of the evaluation committee endorsed her for a second term. Thus, Resolution No. 21, Series of 2018, was passed by the BOR of CBSUA accepting the result of the evaluation for President Bordado. In the same Board Meeting of March 22, 2018, Resolution No. 22, Series of 2018 was passed, which reads: “Declaring that by votes of Five (5) Yes and Two (2) No, Dr. Georgina Bordado is not entitled to Re-Appointment as president of CBSUA on the basis of CMO No. 16, Series of 2009 but without prejudice to elevate to the Commission en banc for clarification as to the validity and legality of CMO No. 16, Series of 2009 and its application to the case of Dr. Georgina J. Bordado.” In accordance with said Board Resolution No. 22, Series of 2018, Dr. Bordado through counsel, sent a letter dated March 26, 2018 to the members of the Commission on Higher Education questioning the applicability and the legality of CHED Memorandum Order No. 16 Series of 2009. In the letter dated April 2, 2018 and released by CHED Central Office Records Section on May 25, 2018 and received by Dr. Bordado’s counsel on June 8, 2018, the CHED OIC J. Prospero E. De Vera III, opined that there is nothing on record that indicates the Governing Board of CBSUA had adopted the terms and conditions in CMO 16, Series of 2009. Further, the letter said that Section 28 of the Implementing Rules of RA 8292 that the CBSUA Governing Board may prescribe terms and conditions on the re-appointment of Dr. Bordado. Thus, said letter by the CHED, in relation to the CBSUA Board Resolution No. 22, Series of 2018 should be taken to mean that the reason for her not being re-appointed, CMO No. 16, Series of 2009, is no longer applicable to Dr. Bordado for failure of the GB of CBSUA to adopt it prior to the start of the process of evaluation of Dr. Bordado for her re-appointment. Thus, the 5-2 voting in her favor made last March 22, 2018 should stand because there is no reason to overturn it, much more to conduct a new round of voting. The provisions of RA 9717 creating the CBSUA and RA 8292 and its implementing rules have already been complied with. It does not require the observance of the provisions of CMO No. 16, Series of 2009 because the Governing Board of CBSUA did not adopt it prior to the start of the process of re-appointing Dr. Bordado. In an unfortunate turn of events, the CBSUA Governing Board made a highly astounding act in its Board Meeting on June 4, 2018 by voting again on the re-appointment of Dr. Bordado. This act by the Governing Board totally disregarded its own Board Resolution that anchored its non-reappointment of Dr. Bordado on the applicability or non-applicability of said CMO No. 16, Series of 2009. The Governing Board seemed to have ignored the natural and logical consequence of CHED’s letter dated April 2, 2018 vis-a-vis CBSUA Board Resolution No. 22, Series of 2018 that the condition in this resolution is removed because of the failure of the Governing Board to formally adopt CMO No. 16, Series of 2009. Hence, the majority of 5-2 in favor of Dr. Bordado formalized in a resolution last March 22, 2018 should prevail and stand without any qualification. For reasons unknown, legally and factually, the Governing Board disregarded the processes of appointing a SUC president. As a matter of principle, Dr. Bordado declined to accept her continued appointment as OIC President of CBSUA in the said Board Meeting on June 14, 2018. Thus, another person was appointed OIC President of CBSUA.