FACT-CHECK: Former VP Leni Robredo did not buy her honorary degrees

Jun 29, 2023 | Fact Checked by PressOnePH

 A Twitter user falsely claimed that former vice president Leni Robredo bought her honorary degrees.

CLAIM: Former vice president Leni Robredo bought her honorary degrees

RATING: FALSE

 

A Twitter user named Mr. Montero made the false claim on June 24 that former vice president Leni Robredo bought her honorary doctorate degrees.

He tweeted, “Sanay na sanay mga ganyan kalakaran. Kaya pala ang daming nakuha ni Aleng Len Len. ????”

Attached to his erroneous post is a screenshot of Google search links where one can allegedly buy honorary degrees.

The tweet has been viewed more than 30,000 times as of posting.

An honorary degree (honoris causa in Latin) is given to selected individuals who have made notable contributions to their respective fields. 

Memorandum Order No. 19 Series of 2014 from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) states, “The honorary doctorate degree shall be awarded in recognition of an individual’s meritorious contributions to the advancement of a field in a particular discipline, through exemplary accomplishments in instruction, research, and practice, and his personal humanitarian accomplishments and contribution to the institution and society, rather than as a result of academic matriculation and study”.

An honorary degree can be awarded to either an alumnus of the higher education institution (HEI) or someone who is not connected to the conferring institution.

According to CHEd, however, not all universities can award honorary degrees. Academic institutions planning to award honorary doctorates should be established as an HEI for at least 25 years and must have a solid academic reputation.

A request for authority to confer an honorary degree must be filed with CHEd at least three months before the scheduled awarding. 

Along with the written request, higher institutions should also submit the following requirements to CHEd for evaluation:

  • Copy of the candidate’s curriculum vitae and accomplishments
  • Justifications for the conferment of an honorary degree
  • In the case of state universities and colleges (SUCs), a copy of the resolution of the Governing Board 

CHEd will deliberate as a collegial body on the proposal.

An exception to this rule are private HEIs with autonomous or deregulated status and SUCs with at least Level III accreditation status. 

These HEIs and SUCs are allowed to award honorary degrees without securing the approval of CHEd provided that they inform the commission, through its regional office, at least one month before the conferment.

Robredo holds five honorary doctorate degrees which are the following:

Not one of these institutions sell honorary doctorates nor did Robredo pay these institutions to award the degrees to her. – Xander Lauren Cipriano

 

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