Rica G. Panganiban, 1935 – 2023

The Institute of Mathematics mourns the passing of beloved former faculty member, Rica G. Panganiban, on August 26, 2023.

Professor Panganiban joined UP as Assistant Instructor in 1955 upon graduation from the BS Mathematics program and was appointed Professor in 1993. She dedicated her whole professional life of 46 years to the University until retirement in 2001.

Described as the compleat and consummate teacher, Professor Panganiban had skill and flair for the craft and knew how to motivate and challenge her students. She taught all the GE, service and majors’ courses of the department and handled courses for the MA Math program. She also taught PE (Bridge) for CHK, Quantitative Methods for CBA (now VSB), and Social Orientation I and II courses at CHE. Many students remember her with fondness and appreciation despite a reputation for being strict. She was always approachable and showed genuine interest in their concerns. These traits served her well as Facilitator-Counselor for the Guidance and Counselling Section of the Office of Student Affairs for many years.

Professor Panganiban served as Chair of important department committees for many years,  notably the Service Courses, Undergraduate, Examination, Faculty-Alumni Relations, and Seminars and Lectures Committees. She was active in extension work that included teaching during certain summers at UP Baguio, UP Iloilo, and in outreach programs for the University of Southeastern Philippines and Isabela State University,  Mathematical Society of the Philippines and the UP Diliman Math Foundation. She was also tapped by the UPCAT, the UP College of Medicine Admissions as member of the Test Committees and as Program Development Associate for the Office of the UP President. Her research work on graphs from finite groups was published in Matimyás Matematika.

Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers our dear teacher and colleague.