UP Associate in Arts (1955, with honors) and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (1957, cum laude) alumnus Manuel S. Alba passed away past midnight on Sunday, 19 March 2023 in Iloilo City.
He served as Executive Director of the Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education (1971-1973); Founding Executive Director of the Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force and Deputy Director-General (undersecretary), of the National Economic Development Authority (1975-1981); Deputy Minister of Budget (1979-1981); and Minister of Budget and Chair of the Cabinet Development Budget Coordinating Committee (1981-1986).
According to UP Professor Emerita Erlinda S. Echanis, Alba pushed for the fiscal control and management of UP’s funds through Executive Order (EO) 714 when he was Budget Minister. Malacañang officially approved the EO on 1 August 1981.
After his stint as Budget Minister, he returned to the UP College of Business Administration (renamed Virata School of Business), where he taught Business, Finance, and Accountancy courses until his retirement at 70.
Later, he became Quezon City administrator and consultant under Mayor Ismael A. Mathay, Jr. (30 June 1992-30 June 2001) and Mayor Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. (30 June 2001-30 June 2010).
Before his death, Alba received a “Centenary Award of Excellence” during the celebration of the Centenary Year of the Accountancy Profession in the Philippines, led by the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on 17 March 2023 at the Manila Hotel. Earlier, the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) recognized Alba with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the UP general alumni-faculty homecoming and reunion on 21 June 2014 at the Bahay ng Alumni.
Retired UP Professor of English and former Alumni Relations Director (1996-2003) Carmelita Caparros Ramirez remembers Alba as her blockmate during her early student years at UP. “He was my classmate in English, Spanish, and History. Former UP Visayas Chancellor Dionisia A. Rola was one of our teachers,” says Ramirez. For Ramirez, Alba is brilliant but very warm and accessible to his block mates and friends. “He has a sense of humor…at first, he looks formal, but he is very warm.”
“He is also culturally literate. He was very fond of literature, especially poetry. He bought me books for my classes from his trips overseas. Most of all, he is very generous. He sent many of his nephews and nieces to school,” adds Ramirez.
Source: Jose Wendell Capili I Facebook
