UP President Danilo Concepcion, UPAA President Reynaldo Laserna and other officers of the UPAA, fellow awardees and friends.

On behalf of all the awardees, may I express our profuse gratitude to the UP Alumni Association/ for the recognition given us.

This dinner tendered by the UP President reminds me of the several occasions when then UP President Gen. Carlos P. Romulo/ invited Collegian staffers for lunch or dinner at the UP Executive House after we had published criticisms of his actuations and programs.

We enjoyed the food and appreciated his diplomacy. Nonetheless, we continued to be critical of many of his policies because freedom of expression knows no patronage.

I am sharing this with you because of its relevance to our recognition. All of us have responsibly exercised our freedom of expression and dissent in our respective endeavors, whether in public service, the academe, professional life or culture and the arts.

The University of the Philippines has taught us to be critical citizens in a free society or a society which must be free.

Thank you.