Friday, February 25, 2022

The Doctorate Degree (May 2, 2017)


Prior to the graduation ceremony of the University of the Philippines, some idiots proposed to award the sitting president the prefix of a Dr.  A howl of protest was heard from the entire strata of the university that the office of the president had to come up with the statement that even though such is not yet awarded, they are already declining the honoris causa.

The usual justification is that such is a tradition for the university – to award a doctorate degree to a sitting president.  The ploy however exposes the attempt of some UP echelon to curry favor from the president.  The thing is that this is just a cheap attempt to sanitize the president, since there is an inevitable smell of decaying flesh that will surely surface once the pendulum swing of history judges the sitting president.

The refusal came from the president, from the office of the president and even from some of the family member of the president.

Historically, a honoris causa (for honor’s sake) is placed in the resume under the category of awards received, a honoris causa is never placed in the academic qualifications of an individual.  The context here is that a prefix of a Dr. is given as an honor and never as an academic accomplishment.

That which was not officially offered was officially refused.  Besides, such an honor does not fit the sitting president.  The ICC holds that distinction for possible awarding.

 

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