CHED welcomes new commissioners

President Benigno S. Aquino III has recently appointed two new Commissioners to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) namely Dr. Minella C. Alarcon and Dr. Alex B. Brillantes, Jr. Both of their terms will expire on July 21, 2017. They are replacing Dr. Nenalyn P. Defensor and Dr. Nona S. Ricafort respectively as both have served the maximum allowable two terms as commissioner.

Dr. Minella C. Alarcon has a Ph.D. and B.S. in Physics from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and an M.S. in Physics from the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU). She spent 20 years as faculty member of the Physics Department of the ADMU where she eventually served as associate professor and chair. She has a respectable list of scholarly publications and papers, receiving grants and awards from various funding agencies here and abroad.

Dr. Alarcon’s long established work in the field of Physics led to her appointment as Science Programme Specialiast in the UNESCO Regional Office in Jakarta and in the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris where she was Senior Programme Specialist working in Science and Technology Education and Technical Capacity-Building until her retirement in 2010.

CHED Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan stressed the timely appointment of Dr. Alarcon, “With the importance placed on Science and Technology Education in Philippine Higher Education, her extensive background and experience will assist CHED in its efforts to develop S&T programs necessary to produce technologically oriented professionals and increase the research and development capacity of Philippine higher education institutions in anticipation of ASEAN 2015.”

Dr. Alex B. Brillantes, Jr. on the other hand, is a political scientist, professor and former dean of the University of the Philippines - National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG). He obtained his Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and his B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Public Administration from the U.P. Diliman.

Having served in various government and non-government posts, Dr. Brillantes brings to CHED his proven track record in networking with local and national government, as well as academic and professional organizations. “He will be instrumental in overseeing the alignment of state universities and colleges with the Public Higher Education Roadmap of the Aquino administration,” emphasizes Dr. Licuanan.

The CHED family welcomes the appointment of the new commissioners, adding to the highly competent, honest and performing governing team who are deeply committed to public service and reform in higher education.


Press release from the Commission on Higher Education