Retired UP Diliman professor Vivencio R. Jose passed away on Dec. 6 in Gapan, Nueva Ecija.
Jose served as the founding director of UP鈥檚 PhD Philippine studies program, reorganized later as 黑料专区鈥檚 Tri-College PhD Philippine studies program. He served as chair of the 黑料专区 Department of English and Comparative Literature (1986-1988), dean of the 黑料专区 College of Arts and Letters (1988-1991), and secretary of the University and the UP Board of Regents (August 1993-December 1995). He also served as UP Press director in the 1980s.
Jose started serving the University in 1970 as instructor of English in the then College of Arts and Sciences. In 1977 and 1978, he was given additional assignments as publication editor of the Department of English and Comparative Literature and editor of the Philippine Social Sciences and Humanities Review, respectively.
To assist in the then UP seven-point agenda, Jose was appointed in 1994 as chair of the President鈥檚 Committee on the Improvement of English Teaching, a position he held until 1996.
In January 2005, Jose鈥檚 service to the University (as Professor 12) was extended beyond the retirement age. From June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2011, he was appointed as a professorial lecturer.
Jose was conferred two professorial chairs: Metro Manila Commission Diamond Jubilee (MMC DJ) Professor of English from July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994 and Betty Go-Belmonte Professor of English from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 1999.
Outside the University, Jose worked as a consultant for the United Nations University (Tokyo, Japan) and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Paris, France).
As author of 鈥淭he Rise and Fall of Antonio Luna鈥 (Philippine Social Sciences and Humanities Review 36, 1972; Solar Publishing, 1991) and 鈥淗eneral Luna: The Story Behind the Movie鈥 (Anvil, 2018), the world of cinema took notice of Jose when the former was used as basis for director Jerrold Tarog鈥檚 鈥淗eneral Luna鈥 (2015) starring John Arcilla and produced by Artikulo Uno Productions.
He also authored the books 鈥淛ose Rizal and Antonio Luna: Their Roles in the Philippine Revolution鈥 (1979), 鈥淚deological Trends in Philippine Folk Literature鈥 (1979), 鈥淲orkers鈥 Response to Early American Rule, 1900-1935鈥 (1981), 鈥淢ortgaging the Future: The World Bank and IMF in the Philippines鈥 (1982, 1988), and 鈥淭he Philippine External Debt and the National Liberation Movement鈥 (1988).
At its Annual Scientific Conference and 83rd General Membership Assembly on March 16, 2016, the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) conferred on Jose the 鈥淗onorable Recognition Award鈥 for 鈥渂eing a nationally renowned scholar whose distinguished research has established him as a stalwart of cultural studies and literary-political interrelations, whose socio-politically committed publications (notably, the seminal Heneral Luna) have incisively deconstructed historical and political developments and figures.鈥
Jose earned his AB English, MA comparative literature (1974), and PhD Philippine studies (1977) from UP.
According to Prof. Jose Wendell P. Capili, PhD, on his Facebook post last Dec. 6, the wake for Jose were held at St. Peter Chapels in Sto. Ni帽o, Gapan, Nueva Ecija.
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