Quality education not UP’s monopoly

THIS HAS reference to Michael L. Tan’s column “Dare to dream (2).” (Inquirer, 5/6/11)

He’s one of the three good writers I admire most, the other two are Neal Cruz and Conrado de Quiros. Their columns are easy to understand for an ordinary reader like me.

I believe Tan is a very loyal UP professor, judging from his past columns glorifying his beloved institution. Well, why not? UP is a pride of our country, producing leaders in various fields of endeavors. In a sense, I agree with Tan, but UP is not all that matters in the academic world. His memoirs of the commencement exercises and recognition rites he had attended in different UP campuses clearly reflect how much he truly loves this school.

But Tan’s statements about UP is for me discriminatory. Take this one: “For years now, attending these ceremonies, I’ve gotten to meet the parents of our UP graduates. Many are clearly from very humble origins. This became even clearer this year as I attended the commencement exercises in Cebu and in Tacloban, and this convinces me even more that without UP, so many bright young people would have no access not just to quality education, but to the diversity of course offerings that only UP has.”

There are a lot of good schools all over the country offering quality, if not excellent, education. UP does not have the monopoly over good education, or does it? Just look at our so-called high-caliber UP alumni who are presently holding top government positions. Most of them, if not all, have been involved in graft and corruption. Something must be wrong with their kind of “quality education.”

I understand Tan’s opinion. It’s not surprising if he keeps it forever.

—PAT D. GONZALO,

Diamond Crest Village,

San Jose del Monte, Bulacan