The University of the Philippines Manila community mourns the passing of Prof. Josefina “Jojo” G. Tayag, (December 19, 1944 – March 13, 2026) a respected educator, administrator, and mentor who devoted decades of her life to shaping generations of students and strengthening the role of the social sciences in the university.
A pioneer of the BA Political Science program in UP Manila and longtime faculty member of the Department of Social Sciences at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Prof. Tayag dedicated her career to teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership. Even after her retirement, she continued to serve the university as a professorial lecturer, teaching research courses and remaining engaged in academic work and writing.
Prof. Tayag graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1960. She later earned a master’s degree in international studies from the University of Denver on a fellowship and completed her Doctorate in Public Administration in 1989, focusing her dissertation on ideology and public administration in the Philippine context.
After finishing her graduate studies in the United States, Prof. Tayag taught at other universities before joining UP Manila soon after the declaration of Martial Law in 1972. She remained with the university for decades, recalling that she stayed in part to repay a debt of gratitude to a former professor who welcomed her to the institution during that difficult time.
Throughout her career, Prof. Tayag held several key leadership positions in the university. She served as chairperson of then the Division of Social Sciences from 1974 to 1976, Director of the Information, Publication and Public Affairs Office (IPPAO) (1993-1996), Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1997 to 2000, and later as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (2005-2011).
In these roles, she helped strengthen academic programs and supported the publication of books, manuals, and journal articles within the university. She believed that encouraging faculty members to publish their work was essential in advancing scholarship and academic growth.
Prof. Tayag also played an important role in highlighting the relevance of social sciences in a health sciences campus. She helped promote the concept of Health Social Science, emphasizing the relationship between health and the social and cultural contexts in which people live. This perspective fostered collaboration between social scientists and health professionals, including early research and community engagement efforts related to HIV/AIDS prevention.
Despite her extensive administrative responsibilities, Prof. Tayag remained deeply committed to her students. She maintained close relationships with them and often kept in touch long after they had graduated.
For Prof. Tayag, education carried a deeper purpose. She believed that teaching should nurture not only academic excellence but also a strong sense of history, patriotism, and service to the Filipino people. In her own words, shared during an email interview on 2019 she explained:
“All throughout my life as an educator, that was what I aimed at—teaching my students a sense of history, patriotism, nationalism, and love for country.”
Tributes from colleagues reflect the lasting impact she had on the UP community.
Prof. Carl Marc Ramota, a former UP Faculty Regent and Prof. Tayag’s student-turned-colleague in the BA Political Science program at the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Manila, fondly recalls her as a principled and compassionate administrator:
“You exemplified integrity and humility in public service, ascending from Chairperson of the Division of Social Sciences in its early days to leading the College of Arts and Sciences in the 90s, and ultimately serving as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs before your retirement. Even while wielding the reins of power at the university, you demonstrated profound compassion and understanding. You passionately advocated that rules are not merely about regulation and punishment; they are essential tools to enhance processes, ensuring that both employees and students achieve their utmost potential.”
Former IPPAO Supervising Administrative Officer Cynthia Villamor remembered Prof. Tayag not only as an effective leader but also as a caring mentor:
“Prof. Jojo Tayag was more than a competent IPPAO director. She was a nurturing leader and inspiring mentor who worked beyond her tasks, always on her toes amid her busy schedule as a professor at CAS UPM and other administrative posts and personal advocacies. She was more than a leader to us—she was a friend, a mother, and a spiritual adviser.”
In a poem dedicated to her, National Service Training Program (NSTP) Director Prof. Josephine Agapito also remembered Tayag as a respected social scientist and leader who remained active even after retirement:
“Taong 1990 nang kayo ay aking makilala
Bilang Social Scientist sa UP Manila.
Sa Departamento ng Panlipunang Agham ay kilala,
Nagsilbi kayong Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs bago nagretiro na.”
Agapito also reflected on Tayag’s leadership among retired faculty members and her dedication to their community:
“Kaya naman hanggang sa kasalukuyan
Pangulo kayo ng UP Retirees na samahan,
Pagkakaisa ng grupo ay inyong tinutukan.”
Looking back on her career, Prof. Tayag once described the greatest joy of her work as the opportunity to serve and to be remembered by the students she mentored.
“Being able to serve and being remembered by students with kind thoughts,” she said, reflecting on the legacy she hoped to leave behind.
For the UP Manila community, Prof. Josefina “Jojo” Tayag will be remembered for her dedication to education, her leadership in the university, and her unwavering belief that learning must ultimately serve the Filipino people.
Text by Charmaine Lingdas
