Exclusive - Paula Defensor-Knack Thinks Previous Presidents Who Were Offered Honoris Causa by UP Weren’t ‘Very Honorable.’

The University of the Philippines recently offered President Rodrigo Duterte a doctorate honoris causa on Tuesday. This move caused quite a stir as numerous UP alumni voiced their displeasure over it.

Duterte's critics made jokes about it, claiming he deserves a “doctor of loss, honoris cursing”.

The doctorate honoris causa is an award given to someone to acknowledge his or her attainments. The UP Board of Regents (BOR), which serves as the university's policy-making body, upholds this tradition by offering an honorary Doctor of Law degree to the head of state during his or her first year in office.

President Duterte eventually declined due to “a matter of personal and official policy.”

“With due respect to the University of the Philippines, I do not accept (awards). Even when I was mayor, I do not accept (awards). It goes against my personality,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, Paula Defensor-Knack posted her insight regarding the backlash that Duterte's honorary degree earned. Her post garnered 25,000 reactions, 9,800 shares, and 1,500 comments.

Her post reads:

I DONT LIKE THIS ARROGANCE about doctorates honoris causa AT ALL.

I have 2 academic degrees from UP. I studied with 3 honor scholarships and thank UP for them. I was also awarded the Presidential Medal for Academic Excellence in my undergraduate degree. In all the rallies and protest actions during martial law, I was always there and was elected student leader many, many times sometimes in absentia.

Aquino and his mother were conferred doctorates honoris causa by UP. I have nothing against it because UP, being the state university, always confers doctorates honoris causa to elected presidents.

But both administrations were plagued by issues of corruption, plunder, oppression of farmers, massacres (crimes against humanity), subservienece to a former colonial power, and cronyism by oligarchs - everything UP is against. And tada... Fidel Ramos, the cheater from hell, also has honorary doctorates! Yuck.

Now here comes Duterte who didnt ask for a doctorate but there is an alleged offer to confer one to him as head of state. He is not a UP graduate. Will UP graduates act arrogantly again ? Who conferred doctorates to the 2 Aquinos anyway?

I dont get it. Remember, the dictator Marcos is our alumni too, whom you strongly condemn. So whats the criteria now? FRIENDSHIP? PLEASING PERSONALITY? STAGE APPEARANCE? SWIMSUIT and EVENING GOWN? :) Honestly, I dont think Duterte is the type who craves for a doctorate honoris causa. Honoris causa?! Were the previous presidents very honorable? Sen. Miriam said : "Mga tiga UP ang yabang yabang! Akala mo kung sino..." Let's be fair. UP is not just for rich oligarchs. Its for everyone. Lets be fair. We studied through taxpayers money. Iskolar ng bayan. Yet some of us act like WE OWN people's taxes.