STATEMENT OF DR.

HELENA Z BENITEZ
ON MR. EUGENIO “BOY” ABUNDA, JR.

I am making this statement both in my capacity as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the
Philippine Women’s University and as a person who has known Mr. Abunda in his
professional capacity as media practitioner.

Mr. Abunda holds the degree of bachelor of arts, major in communication arts, from
PWU. He earned the degree under the CHED ETEEAP program which means Expanded
Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program. Under this program, we
evaluated college credits he earned from the Ateneo de Manila, the quality of his work
experience and achievements in mass communication, and required him to take
enrichment courses to qualify him for the degree under the rules and requirements of the
Commission on Higher Education. He more than fulfilled the requirements and
specifications of the program and was thus awarded the degree.

Not content with earning his undergraduate degree, he has gone on to pursue post-
graduate studies. He has earned a certificate from a seminar course in international
relations and diplomacy from the PWU HZB School of International Relations and
Diplomacy. He is currently working on his master of arts in communication. These are
serious courses of study and his being a media personality does not give Mr. Abunda any
preferential status. He has to earn his grades. He has to take his studies seriously. And
he does. Perhaps more seriously than his peers because he well realizes that being in
show business, some quarters may be skeptical of both his motivation and his ability.

Mr. Abunda has also interviewed me in some of his programs, particularly Private
Conversations which airs on television. He has impressed me with his insights and the
quality of the research he undertakes to prepare for the program. He does not just show
up and ask questions. He does his homework. He takes his job seriously. This may be
why he is such a great success in media.

People might tend to dismiss his ideas and work achievements lightly by virtue of his
being a show business personality. They would be mistaken.

Perhaps an indication of the kind of insight and appreciation that Mr. Abunda has about
our society and its values is his declining to accept the position he is said to be being
groomed for. By any standard, he is more than qualified. But, sensitive and sensible as
he is, he may have realized that some people might raise a ruckus over the matter. He,
therefore, wisely decided to decline. In declining, Mr. Abunda may have realized that
incoming President Benigno Aquino III has more important issues and problems to attend
to. The President-elect’s energies should be devoted to these; not to defending Mr.
Abunda’s proposed appointment to the cabinet. The controversy over his appointment is
therefore one problem or situation that presumptive President Aquino will not have to
deal with. By that much Mr. Abunda has shown how sincere he is about helping the
incoming administration succeed. And he is all the more admirable because of it.

DR. HELENA Z BENITEZ

Board Chairperson
The Philippine Women’s University