Abayon Is ASU’s 3rd President

by SALLY R. VILLASIS

"I am very much overwhelmed by the faculty and staff who welcomed me. I was very elated and I cannot express my happiness seeing you with us this morning." Dr. Danilo E. Abayon said before the Aklan State University (ASU) Community during the welcome program held on March 16, 2011 at the ASU Amphitheater.

President Abayon took his oath of office on March 15, 2011 as the third ASU President before the members of ASU Board of Regents (BOR) led by Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan, Commission on Higher Education Chairperson and ASU Governing Board Chair.

The new President envisions a "Sustained development through greater leverage of the University’s pillars of excellence for progressive leadership towards the Centennial."

Likewise, he has the 10-point agenda dubbed as "GEAR HIGHER," which stands for governance architecture, excellent human capital, academic and entrepreneurial excellence of students, rationalized curriculum and instruction, healthy physical environment, Integrated laboratories, geared up research, hub library, extension launch pad for community development, and resource corporatization and generation of income. The agenda focus on the implementation of strategic actions that span until the University’s Centennial in 2018.

Before his appointment as president, Abayon was the Executive Director of ASU-College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences in New Washington, Aklan for the last three years. He also served as Dean, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Sciences for five years, and 17 years administrative work. He was Acting Supply Officer in 1985. Currently, his academic rank is Professor V. Dr. Abayon started as Secondary School Teacher in 1978.

A native of Balete, Aklan, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture major in Agricultural Education and Masters degree in Agricultural Education from Aklan Agricultural College (now ASU). Moreover, he completed his Masters degree in Agricultural Science major in Animal Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science major in Animal Science, cognate in Horticulture from Central Mindanao University. He finished a Diplomate in Tropical Animal Production from Van Hall Larenstein University for Professional Education in the Netherlands and completed academic requirements in Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management from the University of San Agustin.

He trained on Filipinos for Leadership and Management Excellence (FLaME Elite) conducted by the Development Academy of the Philippines; Junior Executives’ Training conducted by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges; and Value chain analysis and development conducted by Larenstein University for Professional Education and Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Shanghai, China.

He participated in various educational travels in Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, England, France, Switzerland and Austria.

Abayon’s term as ASU president will end on March 15, 2015. /MP