IN MEMORIAM: CDE. DR. FRANCISCO NEMENZO, JR.
With profound grief, this note honor the life of Cde. Dr. Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo Jr., a Marxist scholar, political scientist, and stalwart of the Filipino struggle, who passed away on December 19, 2024, at the age of 89.
Born in Cebu City on February 9, 1935, Dodong loved a life defined by commitment to the ideals of freedom and justice. He was more than an academic, he was a thinker who stood on the frontlines in the battle for ideas. As the 18th President of the University of the Philippines, he reshaped the institution into a dynamic arena of intellectual struggle involving various ideas.
He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of the Philippines and his PhD from the University of Manchester. Dodong joined the UP faculty in 1957, rising through the ranks to become full Professor and Professor Emeritus of political science. He also served as UP Faculty Regent, Chancellor of UP Visayas, and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UP Diliman.
His Marxist roots ran deep. A prolific scholar and staunch critic of foreign intervention and social injustice, Dodong saw the University not as a mere educational institution but an ideological battleground. Upon his release from the prison during Martial Law, UP President Onofre Corpuz urged for him to return to the academia, but true to his commitment, especially after his appointment as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, he refused to capitulate to the whims of the establishment as to declare the university a battleground of ideas-left, centre, and right would confront to sharpen the minds of the youth.
In his later years, he remained a steadfast advocate for Marxist principles, even as the world around him underwent significant transformation. Despite the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and China's shift toward market reforms, he refused to accept the notion that 'Marx is dead.' Illness limited his ability to engage in active political work, but his wisdom and insight continued to be sought after by political groups, former students, and close friends. In his weakened state, his counsel remained invaluable, a testament to the enduring relevance of his ideas.
Comrade Francisco Nemenzo was more than a revolutionary leader; he was an embodiment of revolutionary dignity and the uncompromising will of the people. His life’s work—spanning decades of intellectual and political struggle—remains a guiding light for future generations of communists, activists, and revolutionaries. His legacy will forever be etched in the annals of Philippine history as a true champion of the working class and an esteemed elder statesman.
Comrade Dodong’s passing is not a defeat, but a call to action. The struggle continues, and his revolutionary spirit will live on in the hearts of all those who continue the fight for a just, socialist Philippines.