MANILA – Dr. Lourdes Reynes Quisumbing, former Secretary of Education, Culture, and Sports under former president Corazon Aquino and Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2017. She was 96, according to an announcement by Miriam College, where she had served as President when it was known as Maryknoll.
A news release from Miriam College traced Dr. Quisumbing’s remarkable career in education, starting with a teaching stint in the 40s at St. Theresa’s College (STC) in Cebu, where she had to balance her profession with parenting nine children.
She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Education, summa cum laude at St. Theresa’s College (STC), Manila; her Master’s Degree in Education, summa cum laude, at the University of San Carlos (USC); and her PhD in Education, benemeritus, at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. She taught in the graduate schools of USC, the University of the Visayas, and Cebu Institute of Technology (now Cebu Institute of Technology – University).
From 1966 to 1986 she served as Dean of the College of STC, Chair of Graduate Education at USC, Dean of the Graduate School of Education at De La Salle University Manila, and President of Maryknoll College (now Miriam College) in Quezon City.
In between these duties, she was active in many national educational organizations among them, president of the Philippines Accrediting Association of Schools and Vice-president of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP)
Leadership at the national level
Eight years into her term as President of Maryknoll College, Dr. Quisumbing joined government service 1986. She was appointed by then President Corazon C. Aquino and became the first female Secretary of Education, Culture, and Sports. Her tenure marked the expansion of free public education to the secondary level, an increase in the share of education in the national budget, rationalization of higher education, and an emphasis on values education.
In 1990, she was appointed Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, with the rank of Ambassador in the Department of Foreign Affairs, which she held until her retirement from public service in 1998.
Educator and leader for life
Dr. Quisumbing remained professionally active after retirement, continuing as chairperson of the Board of STC, Cebu, the first lay person to serve that position. She was also chairperson of the Board of Trustees as well as a professor emeritus of Miriam College. She was the president of UNESCO-APNEIVE (Asia Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education) and APNIEVE Philippines, of which she was the Founding President.
The Cebu-born Quisumbing, fondly called ‘Dr. Q’ by all, was the widow of Engr. Carlos C Quisumbing, Sr. and is survived by eight of her 10 children, 27 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and three great-great grand children. She was the matriarch of a family whose number almost matched her age.
Dr. Q, will truly be missed by the many institutions she has led and helped establish, Miriam College said.