Text and photos by Martin R. Racza

The Dr. Alegria C. Zita (ACZ) Professorial Chair in Dentistry was formally established on Mar. 5, 2025, through the signing of a Deed of Donation and Acceptance (DODA) at the College of Dentistry (CD) Auditorium.

Zenaida Zita Reichert, younger sister of the late Dr. Zita, and Alexander Philippe Zita Reichert signed on behalf of the donors, while Chancellor Michael Tee and CD Dean Michelle Segarra inked the DODA on behalf of the university.

In her message, Reichert extolled the virtues of Dr. Zita, an alumna of CD Class 1950, who, despite already being in the United States, decided to return to serve her fellow Filipinos. Dr. Zita practiced dentistry in her clinics in Paco and Pasig for many decades, treating many patients with gentle and competent hands. Reichert said that her sister “was one of the sweetest and most generous persons” as she recalled the doctor’s calm and confident demeanor.

Chancellor Tee thanked Dr. Zita’s family, stating that it “reflects your trust in our ability to use the resources, your donation, to further education. It is an investment in our efforts to pursue academic excellence, ensuring that we are able to innovate and deliver quality education.”

The Chancellor also used the example of Dr. Zita to encourage future generations of dentists, saying that “she pursued excellence; her generation pushed the boundaries” at a time when technology was not as advanced as it is today.

He also expressed hope that CD “will assign [the chair] to a grantee who will be able to complement the innovation and vision of this college.”

“And now, aside from the contribution of Dr. Zita in the past, even now, she is contributing to the future professorial chair graduates.”

The ACZ Chair will be awarded to a CD faculty member. The monetary award, which will be interest earned from the principal fund, will be used towards a research project of the recipient or as partial subsidy for undertaking a postgraduate program.#