Dr. Cicero D. CalderonDirector, UP LEC1954 – 1958Herran, Manila

Cicero D. Calderon

A native of Candon, Ilocos Sur, he studied at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, USA in 1950 as a Methodist Church scholar.

He later enrolled at the Vanderbilt University Law School.

A union Organizer

With a Master's degree in Law from Yale University, Calderon organized taxi drivers and other workers in the Philippines from 1952 to 1954. Aside from union organizing, he negotiated collective agreements and supported strikes.

Director of UP LEC

The Philippine-US Agreement implemented a Labor Education Center Project at the University of the Philippines with Calderon serving as Director in April 1954.

He was assisted by four American advisers who had experience in labor education in the US. The UP Labor Education Center (LEC) conducted union leadership training courses in various parts of the Philippines and a two-month residential program for selected labor leaders in Manila.

Advisory Staff

Dr. Thomas Posey Acting Director

Mr. David LevintowAdvisor

Mr. Sol DavisonSenior Advisor

Government delegate to the ILO

In 1955, Dr. Calderon was elected Secretary-General of the First Labor-Management Congress. He represented the Philippine government as a delegate to the 38th session of the International Labor Organization at Geneva, Switzerland.

Doctorate from Yale University

In 1956, the Yale Law School awarded Calderon a Doctor of Juridical Science. His doctoral thesis was titled From Compulsory Arbitration to Collective Bargaining: The Development of Labor Policy in the Philippines.

A voluntary arbitrator

As a voluntary arbitrator, Dr. Calderon promoted voluntary arbitration in the settling labor disputes instead of the more lengthy compulsory arbitration.

University President and ConCon Delegate

Dr. Calderon became the second Filipino President of Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

He became a Delegate for the Constitutional Convention in 1971 where he served as the Committee on Labor Chairperson.

An ILO Adviser

In 1973, Dr. Calderon was the regional adviser on Workers' Population Education of the International Labor Organization regional office in Bangkok, Thailand; regional adviser on Labor Relations for Asia and the South Pacific until he retired in 1982; and the senior adviser to the ASEAN Program on Industrial Relations for Development from 1984-1989.

President of PAVA

Organized the Philippine Association on Voluntary Arbitration (PAVA) in Cebu City in 1990 and became President for three terms until 1996. He was voted president emeritus thereafter.

A Preacher

Dr. Calderon served as Elder of the Silliman University Church and later, chairperson of the Church Council from 1991 until 2001.

The Original UP-LEC Staff

1954