The first week of September not only brought torrential rain, but heartbreaking tears as well, to UP Diliman (UPD).
Heralding the passing of Patricio B. Lazaro, PhD, of the UPD Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts (DSCTA) on Sept. 7 was a huge blow to the UPD community, all the more to the DSCTA.
Lazaro was assistant professor in the UP College of Arts and Sciences Department of Speech and Drama in the 1970s and later a professor at CAL.
Over the airwaves, he was a familiar voice as a news anchor for RPN 9 in the 1980s. A staunch supporter of the UP Men’s Basketball Team, his passionate presence court-side endeared him deeply to the university community—most notably to the UPD College of Arts and Letters (CAL), where senior faculty and former colleagues still remember him with immense fondness.
In 1985, Lazaro was one of 10 appointive members of the President’s Committee on Culture and the Arts under UP President Edgardo J. Angara. His appointment ran from 1 Jan. 1985 to 31 Dec. 1987.
The UP Board of Regents (BOR) at its 978th meeting on 24 June 1985 appointed him as dean of the UP College Baguio from 1 July 1985 to 30 April 1991. His deanship was renewed at the BOR’s 1040th meeting on 4 April 1991, and his term ran from 1 May 1991 to 30 April 1994.
It was under his deanship that construction of the new UP Baguio Library finally resumed. Putting up a new library on campus had come to a halt in 1983 due to lack of funds. It was resumed in 1985 and saw its inauguration on 25 March 1988, with UP President Jose V. Abueva and UPD Chancellor Ernesto G. Tabujara in attendance.
He later assumed the position of UP Vice President for Public Affairs in 1993. He first served the post under Angara, which he later continued under UP President Emil Q. Javier until June 1996.
Well after his retirement, Lazaro’s services was still sought after by the University. At its 1288th meeting, the BOR on 20 June 2013 appointed him as professorial lecturer from June 2013 to May 2014.
The University is also grateful to Lazaro for his article Performance Activities in the Philippines found in the journal Text and Performance Quarterly, Vol. 10, 1990.
In honor and in celebration of his life, Lazaro’s family invites the public to join them from Sept. 9 to 11 at the Saint Peter’s Chapel Las Piñas City, located at 1349 Fruto Santos Ave., Barangay Zapote, Las Piñas City.
Thank you very much for sharing your life and mind to the University, Dr. Lazaro.
Farewell.