Three of UP Diliman’s faculty members and two of its administrative staff passed away in June.

Armando Lao, former lecturer at the UP Film Institute (UPFI), passed on June 18; Virgilio U. Manzano, PhD, a retired professor of the College of Education (CEd), passed on June 15; Edwin M. Varona, retired professor of the College of Mass Communication (CMC), passed on June 12; Dr. Claro R. Baluis, former director of the UP Health Service (UPHS), passed on June 4; and Orlando S. Natividad, former Campus Maintenance Office (CMO) staff, passed away on June 2.

Lao, also known as “Bing” to close friends and colleagues, was “a cherished mentor and lecturer at the UPFI. Bing’s profound impact on generations of filmmakers as UPFI’s workshop mentor for scriptwriting will forever resonate within our community,” the UPFI posted on its Facebook page.

A post on the Facebook page of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division stated “Lao pioneered the Found Story School of filmmaking, a scriptwriting approach that he believes best captures the essence of Filipino reality by drawing inspiration from real-life objects and phenomena.

According to the online version of the UP Gazette, Varona also served in several administrative posts such as associate project leader of the UP Commission on Population Project in 1976 under the then Institute of Mass Communication, acting director of the UP Press, and concurrent secretary of the editorial board of the UP Gazette from 1976 to 1977. Retiring in 2002, Varona still served as professorial lecturer in CMC until 2007.

The CEd, in its Facebook page, posted Manzano “served with dedication as a professor of curriculum studies, chair of the Division of Curriculum and Instruction (2016-2019), cluster coordinator of the EDFD-EDCS-NFE Cluster (Educational Curriculum Studies–Educational Foundations–Non-formal Education, (2015-2016), college secretary (2008-2009), and director of the UP Center for International Studies (2006-2007).”

Papang Claro, as how Baluis was referred in UPHS, was appointed with a permanent status in 1980 as a physician (rank of Instructor II), and became its director in 2011.

Natividad, called Amang by his CMO colleagues, was described by co-workers as a cooperative, helpful, and reliable staff in the office’s daily operations.

UPD expresses its gratitude for the years of service rendered by these community members.