As the 18th President of the University of the Philippines, Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo Jr. was one of a kind. He left a legacy that gave a new color to dissent and learning at the University of the Philippines as a premier institution.
Patricio Abinales (retired UH professor), who knows him well, describes Dodong as the “last Filipino Marxist” or “father of Visayan Marxism.”
This monicker was uncommon among the middle class. However, it was a favorite phrase among hardline student activists touted as iskolar ng bayan (country scholars), who loved his lectures delivered with a “thick Visayan accent.”
Nemenzo was born on February 9, 1935, in Cebu City, into a family of intellectuals. His father, Francisco Nemenzo Sr., was a famous marine zoologist known as the “Father of Philippine Coral Taxonomy.”
His mother, Catalina Alfafara, served as a senior librarian at UP Diliman. From the start, Dodong’s life was steeped in academic rigor, a value deeply instilled by his parents.
As the eldest of three siblings, Dodong’s parents envisioned him pursuing a life in service to the Church. He entered a seminary in Cebu, where he became curious about philosophical and social questions.
However, his clerical life was short-lived. He would soon engage in a lifelong journey of ideological exploration.
Dodong transferred to the University of San Carlos in Cebu for his college education. Later, he moved to UP Diliman, where he completed his Bachelor of Public Administration (1957) and earned his Master’s in the same field (1959).
His thirst for a deeper understanding of Philippine society drove him to pursue a Ph.D. in Political History at the University of Manchester, England.
There, he was introduced to Marxist thought and broadened his perspective on global systems of inequality. This intellectual exposure defined his life.
The Scholar and Leader Upon his return home, Nemenzo began his academic career at UP, dedicating himself to political science and governance studies. His commitment to education and activism was already evident in his lifestyle.
He was not merely an academic but a mentor and a “leading leftist intellectual who practiced his ideals,” according to his family.
He also developed amity with Joma Sison, the current head of the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas, who invited him to join the movement.
Eduardo Tadem (retired UP Professor) says: “Their families bonded together and Dodong and Joma would have joint birthday celebrations, their natal days being a day apart.”
These actions put him and his wife Princess at odds with Ferdinand Marcos’s Martial Law regime. He was “arrested in January 1973 and incarcerated for about two years,” and later joined by his wife, added Tadem.
In 1976, he became the dean of the UP College of Arts and Sciences. Recognizing the need for critical engagement with the socio-political climate of the time, he founded the Third World Studies Center in 1977.
The Center became “a focal point for radical thinking and studies…a refuge for activists (and) recently released political detainees” during the Martial Law era, reveals Filomeno Sta. Ana III, UP student leader-turned-activist.
From 1989 to 1992, Nemenzo served as the third chancellor of UP Visayas, further cementing his reputation as a transformative leader.
Known for his analytical thinking, he ensured that UP remained a bastion of academic freedom and progressive thought following the two decades of Martial Law and a turbulent political landscape.
He was joined in this struggle by a “comrade-in-pen,” Belinda A. Aquino (Emeritus faculty at UH), then the UP Vice-President for Public Affairs (1989-1991). Aquino, herself a victim of the despised Marcos regime, has also dedicated her life to institutional reforms, fighting against oppression and corruption while in exile.
Her book, Politics of Plunder: The Philippines Under Marcos (1987) portrays the magnitude of cronyism and atrocities prevalent during that period.
In 1999, Nemenzo was elected the 18th president of the University of the Philippines. His tenure as president provided a deep commitment to education reform.
One of his most significant achievements was institutionalizing the Revised General Education Program (RGEP), which provided students with a more flexible and holistic curriculum. RGEP prepared students to think logically and navigate a rapidly changing world.
His leadership transformed UP into a more “modernized university…that fostered critical thought and academic excellence,” daughter Lian proudly admits.
Committed Marxist and Nationalist Outside the confines of the university, Nemenzo was a towering figure in Philippine intellectual and political circles. He was a committed Marxist who believed in the power of collective action to dismantle systems of oppression.
His writings, “Marxism in the Philippines: Marx Centennial Lectures” (1984) and “Questioning Marx, Critiquing Marxism: Reflections on the Ideological Crisis on the Left” (1992), criticized the rigid Marxist theory and adapted it to the specific socio-political context of the Philippines.
For him, Marxism was not an abstract theory but a lens through which to address the onerous inequalities in Philippine society.
He was cool to the Left, and contributed his intellect and leadership to movements, such as Laban ng Masa, advocating for systemic change.
Nemenzo was a pragmatist who essentialized revolutionary thought in the realities of the Philippine struggle.
Randy David, a former UP professor and campus neighbor, declares: “Having distanced himself from dogmatic Marxism, he sought to establish a broader political movement grounded in a uniquely Filipino socialist.”
Throughout his life, he balanced his academic and political commitments with his personal life. He was married to Ana Maria “Princess” Ronquillo, a feminist and anti-poverty activist.
They raised three children: Fidel, who would become the 11th chancellor of UP Diliman; Leonid, a physician; and Lian, a preschool teacher. The family upheld the value of intellectual discourse and activism as a way of life.
Lasting Legacy Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo Jr. died on December 19, 2024, at 89. His passing marked the end of an era, but his imprint continually motivates others. His life was a testament to the power of ideas and the importance of standing firm in one’s principles.
At UP, his contributions as a scholar, administrator, and leader remain deeply ingrained in the institution’s fabric. The Third World Studies Center still thrives, carrying forward his vision of informed scholarship. His efforts to instill progressive education reforms have shaped generations of UP graduates nationwide.
Beyond the university, his impact on the Philippine Left and his contributions to Marxist thought resonate with activists and scholars alike. His writings inspire those seeking to unravel the complexities of Philippine society and social justice.
About the Authors:
DR. MAGDALENAis an Associate Specialist at the Center for Philippine Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and was a UP graduate student on the eve of Martial Law in 1971.
DR. AQUINO(UH Professor Emeritus), herself a UP alumna, is the founding Director of the Center established in 1975 at UH Mānoa. Magdalena is a Contributing Writer, while Aquino is a Contributing Editor, at the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. They acknowledge Generative AI (ChatGPT) as a useful source of information but assume responsibility for any error this article may contain.
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