The University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) community mourns the passing of 14th University President Emanuel Valdez Soriano, who passed away on April 22, 2023. The Philippine Flag and the UP Flag in the UPMin campus have been lowered to half-mast in his honor. 

The sad news was conveyed in a memorandum from incumbent (22nd) University President Angelo A. Jimenez.

As a student, Soriano earned his BS Mechanical Engineering and MS Industrial Management from UP. He also served as vice-president and acting president of the University Student Council under the UP Student Catholic Action (UPSCA) Party.

Soriano became a pioneer faculty member of the UP Business Administration program upon his graduation, and earned his Doctor of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. In his academic career, he published numerous books and papers on Asian business management and policy.

Soriano served as UP Executive Vice President during the term of President Onofre D. Corpuz. He eventually succeeded Dr. Corpuz when the latter was appointed Education Minister. Soriano  served as University President in 1979-1981. 

During the succeeding terms of Corpuz and Soriano, the Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, the Transport Training Center, the National Institute of Biotechnology and Microbiology, and the Third World Studies Program were established at UP.  

Afterwards, Soriano also joined the political opposition and supported the candidacy Corazon Aquino and also served as her National Security Adviser. 

Soriano remained in active service at UP after his term as UP President. 

He was recognized as one of the 100 Outstanding Engineers by the UP College of Engineering and the UP Alumni Engineers.