DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines?Cebu?s Southwestern University (SWU) has decided to confer an honorary doctorate on boxing champion Manny Pacquiao on Feb. 18, but at least two educators here are resisting the idea.

Dr. Aparicio Mequi, dean of the graduate school of Foundation University and a former chair of the Philippine Sports Commission, said on Friday that while Pacquiao had brought honor to the country through his victories in boxing, the planned conferment on him of a doctorate in human kinetics (honoris causa) might be a violation of a policy of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

?No entity can award an honorary doctorate in human kinetics,? said Mequi, who was also a dean of the University of the Philippines? College of Human Kinetics.

He cited CHEd Memorandum Order 52 series of 1996, which limits the conferment of honorary doctorates to law, humanities, music, pedagogy and science.

Human kinetics is a study of sports, fitness and health.

Science and discipline

But SWU president Dr. Eldigario Gonzales on Saturday said the university had submitted a letter to the CHEd seeking exemption from the policy.

Gonzales told the Inquirer on the phone that the university had appealed to the CHEd to allow the conferment of the degree on Pacquiao in recognition of the dynamism and evolution of various disciplines in education.

?Human kinetics is a science, a discipline and a recent development in tertiary education,? Gonzales said.

He said that even UP had set up a College of Human Kinetics, proving that the discipline had become an important field in education.

Gonzales said the SWU, through its board of directors, decided to confer the honorary degree on Pacquiao to recognize his achievements unequalled by any other Asian.

?I hope the CHEd would be able to see it in that light,? he said, adding that the educational system should evolve and accept contemporary developments.

?It cheapens degree?

But former CHEd Commissioner Angel Alcala, who is now the director for the Silliman University?s Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management, said the SWU?s decision ?cheapens the degree.?

It was under Alcala?s term as CHEd chair that MO 52 series of 1996 was issued.

Gonzales said that while he had much respect for Alcala, he did not share the latter?s opinion on the matter.

?I don?t agree. It?s too much for [Alcala] to say,? Gonzales said, adding:

?Pacquiao has become the world?s No. 1 boxer and has been recognized as a Filipino icon. Conferring an honorary degree on him would be a fitting recognition of his achievement.?

Gonzales also said that despite his achievement, Pacquiao had pursued his studies, thus giving importance to education as a way of improving one?s status in life.

Pursuing studies

Pacquiao, who did not have the opportunity to complete early studies, took qualifying examinations from the Department of Education and passed.

He was awarded a high school diploma and is now pursuing a college degree in one of the country?s leading schools.

Earlier, Pacquiao was made a model by the Department of Education and Culture for inspiring poor out-of-school youth to get proper education.