"Victor M. Ordonez: Our Man in UNESCO"
Published in Mr. And Ms. Magazine, 1990
Upgrading global literacy is no mean task, not when you're dealing with 900 milllion people. But a Filipino now takes inn that responsibility
One of the more intriguing question asked of a man in his mid-forties who hasn't plunged into the wonderful but unpredictable state of matrimony, is: "How come?".
But if the man happens to be affluent talented and brilliant, not to mention good looking - his father is Filipino and his mother, a British mestiza ( see How They Met & Married, page 15 ) - then, the question become; "What's keeping him?"
The person referred to happens to be Dr. Victor M. Ordonez, former Undersecretary of the Department of Education, Culture & Sports (DECS); former executive director of the Educational development Project Implementing Task Force (EDIPITAF); former commissioner, executive director, and vice-chairman of the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts (PCCA); and former chairman of the Board of higher Education.
If his credentials have all been proceeded by 'former' it's only because Dr. Ordonez has given them up to assume an even greater responsibility - that of Senior Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. As a matter of fact, right after this interview he was off to Paris where UNESCO headquarters are based.
"I should have left a long time ago," explained this 1976 TOYM awardee for Educational Management, "but, originally, I was being considered by UNICEF. Then, just when we were about to finalize things, UNESCO's offer came. So, in a manner of speaking, I was 'pirated' before getting hired. In fact, I've already exchange my Philippine passport for a US Passport."
His position as Senior Director, considered to be the highest ever offered to a Filipino in the history of UNESCO, was specially created by its Director-General, Federico Mayor, as a result of the global initiative and renewed emphasis on education for all' by the United Nations for the coming decade. The position is next in rank to the Assistant Director General for Education and directly above the program directors in basic education; it will coordinate UNESCO programs of UNICEF, UNDP, and intergovernmental organizations. Actually, taking charge of foreign assignment is nothing new to this fellow who has academically equipped himself with seven degrees; AB summacum laude, Ph.L. cum laude, Ph.D. (oriental Philosophy) magnacum laude; he also has to his credit three postdoctoral scholarships: Management Development Program, Asian Institute of Management; International Education management, Harvard Business School ; and U.A.O from the University of Wisconsin .
As UNESCO Senior Director, he is a member of the board of advisers of the International institute for Education Planning in Paris , where he provides direction on overall policy and specific research designs for multi-country studies of higher education administration and finance. He tackles his multi-faceted job well prepared: he used to be a professional lecture on doctoral courses in comparative educational and university management system in Asia at the University of California , Los Angeles .
He was our representative to the UNCTAD and UNIDO Panel trail Collaboration in Vienna . He has co-authored textbooks and reference books on natural system management and the management of development project at the East West Center in Honolulu .
Having analyzed senior policy decision on political and economic interrelationship among Pacific rim governments, he went and to developed and design training packages for use in corporate, government and NGO setting worldwide for Exxon Foundation , New York .
Also, he has worked with the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin and his planning staff as acting administrative assistant on WICHE Cost Estimation Model initial implementation on faculty-administrator dialogues, and on designing an evaluative review mechanism for graduate programs.
Basically an academician, Dr. Ordonez pursues his personal interest in the arts as avidly as his work goals. Whenever he finds time away from his hectic work schedule, he plays the piano, sculpts, as well as build model ships. On top of these, due to his insatiable thirst for arts he has for so many years been a stage performer of the repertory Philippines PETA, Manila Theatre Guild and Summer Repertory Theater in California .
Not contented with the stage, he moved on to television and directed shows such as: Straight From The Heart, The Little Prince, The Lou Rawls Special Interview , and was day shift operations manager during the Channel 4 February takeover. On screen, he has credits as co-director, associate producer and producer of several films which included named stars like Chuck Norris, Sho Kusugi, Richard Hatch and Martin Landau. He has also played bit roles in Hawaii Five-O and in several local and foreign films. His friends five us a more intimate glimpse of this Renaissance man.
Says Dr. Frederick So. Pada, erstwhile president of the Philippine Associations of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and current president of the Technology University of the Philippines (TUP), who's been an friend and colleague for many year. "He is multi-talented. Prior to his joining the DECS as undersecretary, he was a cinema producer. He is a brilliant writer and deep thinker."
"We are together in several symposia seminars, workshops educators' congress," Dr. Pada adds, "and he was always assigned to synthesize these events. I know him to be a person of the arts, someone who's always fascinated with beautiful things. He is an intelligent person in every sense of the work and a real good speaker.
Sprightly and cheerful Erna Aganon, Dr. Ordonez's former secretary at the DECS, like wise finds him praiseworthy. "He is a talented and smart boss," she confessed in between subdued excitement, "as a manager, he is not bossy. In fact, he even lenient, but of course, only to certain limit. He's also got good human relations I never had problems with him."
"He is moody, kalog and mabait," blurted Linda Del Rosario, of the library staff of the De La Salle University, 'but one thing sure, he always lends a helping hand to students beset with both academic and personal problems."
Dr. Ordonez's job is a heavy one. Putting is succinctly, it is to eradicate illiteracy among 900 million people all over the world in 10 years time. The 70s was referred to as the Population Decade, the 80s as Environment Deterioration Decade, and now the 90s as the Decade of Education.
"In Iraq alone," he said, to stress the need, "the rate of literacy for men is only 65 percent and the rate for women only 25 per cent."
His first assignment as UNESCO director is to attend a meeting of educators throughout the world to map out vital educational program thrust in theme of the decade which is education for all'.
Getting ready for the new tasks ahead kept him busy during the months prior to his department, working on the master plan of action for combating adult illiteracy for the United Nations Economic, Social Committee for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) composed of 41 countries.
DECS sources say the choice of Ordonez over UNESCO directors and other distinguished education experts from around the world was first proposed at the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All, which was attend by 157 countries early this year in Bangkok Thailand.
But isn't his expertise needed here more acutely than elsewhere?
In a letter to President Aquino recommending his transfer, DECS Secretary Isidro Carino wrote, "While he will be a real loss to DECS, he will be able to service many of our education requirement from UNESCO headquarter and will bring genuine pride and honor to out country."
Apparently, this man has been destined to totally commit himself to public service. As for the moment, his ultimate concern is the eradication of illiteracy among 900 million all over the world.
As for the lucky girl who will supplant these concerns, she'll just have to wait.
