In the sun-drenched streets of Butuan City, where the Agusan River winds its way through lands steeped in Manobo heritage, a young boy once walked to school with a worn satchel and a dream as vast as the Mindanao sky. Born on May 5, 1966, Angelo Azura Jimenez grew up in a household that taught him two truths: that education is the bridge out of hardship, and that leadership means lifting others as you climb. Today, as the 22nd President of the University of the Philippines (UP) System—the first from Mindanao to hold the post—he carries these lessons forward, turning a life of service into a testament to the resilience and greatness of the Filipino people.
Roots That Anchor, Wings That Soar
Jimenez’s childhood in Agusan del Norte was shaped by the rhythms of Mindanao: the warmth of community, the struggle for opportunity, and the deep pride of indigenous heritage. He attended Urios College (now Father Saturnino Urios University, named after its founder, a pioneering Spanish Jesuit missionary) where teachers recognized his sharp mind and unwavering drive. Even then, he understood that his story was not his own—it was tied to the fate of his region, where talent often went untapped due to distance and disadvantage.
When he arrived at UP Diliman in the 1980s, Jimenez stepped into a cauldron of change. The country was grappling with political upheaval, and the university stood at the forefront of calls for justice and reform. He threw himself into student life, rising to become Chairman of the UP Diliman Student Council in 1991 and, a year later, the Student Regent of the UP Board of Regents—appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino. As Associate Editor of The Philippine Collegian and National President of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), he used his voice to amplify the concerns of the marginalized, proving that student leadership could move mountains.
His academic achievements were equally remarkable: a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (1987) and a Bachelor of Laws (1994), with honors in debate and moot court. In 1990, he was part of the UP-Law team that won the national championship in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, representing the Philippines in Washington, D.C. Yet for Jimenez, excellence was never an end in itself. “What use are honor and excellence without sympathy and solidarity?” he would later ask in his inaugural address as UP President. It was a question rooted in his Mindanao upbringing, where community survival depends on bayanihan.
A Life of Service: From War Zones to OFW Advocacy
After passing the bar in 1994, Jimenez turned his attention to one of the Philippines’ most pressing challenges: the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). From 1993 to 2007, he served in key roles at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), becoming a lifeline for millions of Filipinos building lives abroad.
As Labor Attache to Tokyo, Kuwait, and Iraq, he faced danger head-on. In 2003, when war erupted in Iraq, he was stationed in Baghdad, coordinating rescue operations and negotiating the release of hostages, including Roberto Tarongoy, whose freedom he secured in 2005, earning him a Presidential Citation. When conflict broke out in Lebanon in 2006, he served as Home Front Crisis Manager, leading efforts to evacuate thousands of OFWs from war-torn cities. For his courage, he received a second Presidential Citation, but he never saw these acts as heroic. “I was just doing my job,” he would later say. “These are our kababayan—they deserve to come home safe.”
His work as Deputy Administrator of OWWA solidified his reputation as a champion of migrant rights. He pushed for better wages, safer working conditions, and stronger support systems for families left behind. Even now, as UP President, he draws on this experience to shape policies that serve the nation’s most vulnerable. “OFWs are the backbone of our economy,” he often says. “We owe them not just gratitude, but opportunity.”
Leading the Nation’s University: A Vision for All Filipinos
In December 2022, the UP Board of Regents named Atty. Angelo Jimenez as the university’s 22nd president, and he assumed office on February 10, 2023. His vision was bold: to transform UP into a “global university” that serves as a beacon of hope for the Philippines and the world. Central to this mission is UP Vinta flagship program that brings UP-quality education to OFWs and their families through fully online courses and degree programs.
Launched in Japan in March 2024 and expanded to Singapore in October of the same year, UP Vinta is more than an academic initiative—it is a promise. “This is a message of hope,” Jimenez said at the Tokyo launch, addressing hundreds of Filipino workers. “No matter where you are in the world, UP is with you.” The program offers courses in fields like financial literacy, gender sensitivity, and business management, empowering OFWs to build better lives for themselves and their communities back home. By 2025, registration for UP Vinta will open to Filipinos across Asia and the Pacific, ensuring that distance is no longer a barrier to education.
Jimenez is also deeply committed to uplifting his home region. He has strengthened partnerships with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), working to expand access to UP’s resources in agriculture, healthcare, and youth development. He believes that Mindanao’s potential is key to the nation’s future, and he has made it a priority to ensure that the university’s doors are wide open to students from the south. “UP is not just in Diliman,” he insists. “It is in every corner of the Philippines— especially in Mindanao.”
His leadership has also focused on protecting UP’s core values. When the UP-DND Accord, an agreement governing military and police operations on campus, was violated in 2023, Jimenez moved swiftly to defend academic freedom and institutional integrity. “Trust is the foundation of strong institutions,” he said, vowing to work with government leaders to uphold the accord. For him, UP’s role as a “bulwagan ng dangal” (hall of honor) is non-negotiable.
Inspiring a Nation: The Filipino Spirit in Action
Today, as Jimenez leads UP into its second century, his journey stands as a reminder of what Filipinos can achieve when they dare to dream big. From a small boy in Butuan to a leader on the world stage, he has never forgotten where he came from or who he serves. His life embodies the values he holds dear: honor, excellence, and above all, malasakit, compassion, or service for others.
In a time of uncertainty, Jimenez’s story is an inspiring guide. It tells us that leadership is not about power; it is about service. It reminds us that our roots are our strength, and that our future is bound to the fate of our neighbors. Most of all, it shows us that the Filipino spirit, resilient, generous, and unbreakable, can move mountains.
As he often tells students, “We don’t lose, we just choose the fight.” For Angelo Jimenez, the fight has always been for a better Philippines, a nation where every child, no matter how far from Manila, can reach for the stars. And in his journey, we see our own: a story of hope, hard work, and the unwavering belief that tomorrow can be brighter than today.
The header shows Angelo A. Jimenez among the Lumad children of Sitio Mahayahay, a mountainous region in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, when he took his symbolical oath on February 1, 2023, ten days before he assumed office as UP President. (credit: Father Saturnino Urios University Strategic Communications Office)
About the author
ABEL C. ICATLO is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Studies, Major in Political Science and Philosophy, and holds his Master’s degree in Public Administration from the Philippine Christian University. A former faculty member at the University of the Philippines and the University of Asia and the Pacific. A 2025 UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awardee in Culture and Arts in Cultural Heritage Preservation and Promotion. He is the Curator of Museo Bulawan in Daet, Camarines Norte.