Dr. J. Prospero ‘Popoy’ E. de Vera III, whose family has roots in Brgy. San Vicente, Bayambang, currently holds the position of Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education. He serves as an academician who has used his technical expertise to help policymakers and educate the public. He is a professor of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines and served as its Vice-President for Public Affairs. He is also a popular public figure. Thanks to him as the “father of Unifast,” the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education is now successfully rolling out, providing free college education to more than 1.5 million students in state colleges and universities. He is also the man behind the massive internationalization program of SUCs, thus allowing a greater number of Philippine universities to be ranked and rated in international rating systems
Dr. De Vera is not just an academician and administrator, but also a legislative staff, policy expert, political adviser, and technocrat in the executive and legislative branches of government in the Philippines and in the US, particularly in California State Legislature.
