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The University of the Philippines bade farewell to one of its sons, Edgardo Javier Angara, in necrological rites on May 18 at UP Diliman. It was the last stop of the 16th Senate President’s remains before he was laid to rest in his hometown of Baler, Aurora on May 22.
Before becoming “SEJA” at the Philippine Senate, where he served from 1987 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2013, Angara was the 15th president of the University from 1981 to 1987. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the UP College of Law in 1958.
Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines carry the casket from the hearse as the UP Rayadillo stand guard by the Oblation. The Philippine and UP flags were flown at half mast. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Arrival honors
The welcome ceremony began at Quezon Hall, the administration building, where Angara held office as president. The UP community led by President Danilo Concepcion received and gave its condolences to the Angara family. A floral wreath was also offered when Angara’s casket was placed in the lobby.
A procession was then held around Quezon Hall and the Academic Oval before proceeding to Malcolm Hall, the UP College of Law building, where the second part of UP’s tribute to Angara continued. The Carillon played the University Hymn, “UP Naming Mahal,” from the time his casket was at the Quezon Hall lobby until it reached the College. (Arlyn VCD Romualdo, UP MPRO)
UP President Danilo Concepcion shows Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara the scale model of the Diliman campus as Atty. Gabriela Concepcion looks on. The younger Angara is a member of the College of Law Class of 2000. He was the first of the Angara family to arrive. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
SEJA’s widow, Gloria Manalang Angara, is welcomed by UP President Danilo Concepcion at the steps of Quezon Hall. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
The soldiers carry Angara’s casket to the Quezon Hall lobby. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
UP honors its former leader with “Pamamaalam, Pagpupugay at Pakikidalamhati.” (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
UP President Danilo Concepcion, assisted by a member of the UP Rayadillo, offers a wreath of white flowers beside Angara’s casket. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
The hearse carrying Angara’s remains begins its procession around the Academic Oval. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
SEJA’s portrait stands in front of the Malcolm Theater before his remains arrive. In the background is a quote by former United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. inscribed in marble, greeting all who enter Malcolm Hall. “The business of a law school is not sufficiently described when you merely say it is to teach law or to make lawyers. It is to teach law in the grand manner, and to make great lawyers.” This is the principle that has guided every faculty member, student, and alumnus of the College. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Angara’s casket in front of the Malcolm Theater (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
A visitor signs the guest book. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
People lining up to pay their last respects to the former Senate and UP President at the lobby of Malcolm Hall (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
Mass and necrological service
Angara’s remains were transferred from the lobby to Malcolm Theater for the mass and necrological service. It was where his remains laid before being transported to Baler the next morning.
Mrs. Gloria Manalang Angara talks to Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, Ateneo de Manila University President (left) and Fr. Aloysius Maranan, OSB, San Beda College President before mass was held. Fr. Villarin led the celebration of mass. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan talks to Mrs. Angara before mass begins. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Fr. Maranan reads the gospel as co-celebrants, Fr. Onofre Inocencio Jr., SDB, president of the Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education, Inc. (left) and Fr. Villarin, remain at the altar. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
Malcolm Theater packed with people attending mass in honor of SEJA (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
Fr. Villarin delivers the homily. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Fr. Villarin (middle) leads the consecration. With him are Fr. Inocencio (left) and Fr. Maranan. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
SEJA’s daughter, Alexandra Leia Angara Cole, blesses his remains with holy water before the mass ends. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
President Concepcion talks about SEJA’s unlikely rise to the UP presidency as he was an “outsider” despite being an alumnus and one-time lecturer. Angara’s leadership was marked by “sweeping reforms” like the creation of the University System, that were initially unpopular but later on proved beneficial to UP—something that Concepcion realized during his brief stint as UP Vice President for Legal Affairs in 2011. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
“He remained connected to UP,” says President Concepcion, enumerating the many ways by which SEJA continued to participate in University affairs after his presidency ended in 1987—as a member of the Board of the Regents, chair of the UP Centennial Commission, and benefactor of the single largest grant available to UP professors, among others. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
Dr. Emerlinda Roman, who was UP president from 2005 to 2011, recalls how she never hesitated to ask Angara to head the UP Centennial Commission. She describes him as an intuitive person with a deep sense of urgency for getting things done and who never settled for complacency. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Dr. Francisco Nemenzo, who was UP president from 1999 to 2005, remembers how he, when he was dean of the then College of Arts and Sciences, was leery about Angara’s leadership of UP at first, but then grew to respect him as they worked together. Nemenzo says he was shocked by the news of SEJA’s passing as they had just seen each other during the UP Cebu Centennial celebrations earlier this month. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Officer-in-Charge J. Prospero de Vera III talks about SEJA’s educational reforms that changed the landscape of Philippine higher education such as the commission that paved the way for the creation of CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
Former UP Visayas Chancellor Dionisia Rola admits not knowing who Angara was when he was nominated to the UP presidency. Their working relationship back then had since turned into a deep friendship, with her becoming one of his go-to advisers on the issue of education, long after his University leadership has ended. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Dr. Rola asks everyone at the necrological service to stand and applaud SEJA. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Former CHED Chair Ester Garcia, who was College of Science dean during Angara’s presidency, talks about how he supported the creation of the UP Science Complex (now National Science Complex). Along with Rola, Garcia’s working relationship with SEJA had also evolved into one of friendship. She was also one of his go-to advisers. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
One of the many performances of the UP Singing Ambassadors throughout the necrological service. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Atty. Teodoro Regala, one of the founding partners of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW) and Angara’s close friend and former classmate at the College of Law, says Angara always believed in the practice of law as public service. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Atty. Victor Lazatin, chair of the UP Law Alumni Association, of counsel of ACCRALAW, and Angara’s Sigma Rho Fraternity brother and close friend, recalls their last moments together—which was the night before SEJA passed away. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
National Artist for Literature Vilgirio Almario tells of Angara’s support for the arts and shares “Ang Araw ng Aurora,” a poem he wrote for and about SEJA in 2010. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
UP Singing Ambassadors founder and conductor Edgardo Manguiat reveals SEJA was a supporter of the group, making it a staple performer in many different occasions. (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
“A wise man once said, ‘There are two ways to achieve immortality. One is to enter politics because you would be written in the history books. The second way is to teach because you would live on in the lives of your students.’ I will add a third. And that’s to create institutions, which my father has done. In fact, he has done all three. There were institutions he still planned to create but time has unfortunately caught up with him.”—Senator Sonny Angara in his response on behalf of their family. (Photo by Abraham Arboleda, UP MPRO)
Senator Angara thanks the University where his father spent “one-seventh of his life” but whose relationship and connection with him ran for far longer. “Thank you for working with him, bearing with him, and loving him. Because for sure he loved you, he loved UP.” (Photo by Arlyn Romualdo, UP MPRO)
