Rolando de la Rosa

Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P. (born June 27, 1953) is the Provincial Archivist of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

Formerly, he served as the Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the oldest and the largest Catholic university in Asia. A religious leader and a seasoned educator, he was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the chair of the Commission on Higher Education in 2004.

Early years and education De la Rosa was born on June 27, 1953 in Legazpi, Albay. He completed his basic education courses at the Aquinas University (Legazpi city and subsequently at the Dominican House of Studies (Washington, D.C.) where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree magna cum laude in Philosophy.

He held various positions in the Dominican Province of the Philippines like Master of Novices, Diffinitor of the Provincial Chapter, Provincial Councilor, as well as Rector of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba.

In 2008, he was again appointed by the Master of the Dominican Order as Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas (2008–2012).

In 2019, he was appointed president of the Historical Commission for the Cause for Canonization of the Servant of God Darwin Ramos in the Diocese of Cubao by Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco.

He had received numerous awards for his professional and civic achievements, like the National Book Award in History, the Catholic Authors Award, the Outstanding Manilan Award (1995 and 2011), Kyung Hee University (Korea) Medal of Highest Honor, and the 2012 Outstanding CEO Award in Education.

Fr. de la Rosa has written hundreds of articles and scholarly treatises, some of which has been translated into German and French, or anthologized in international publications. His book "Beginnings of the Filipino Dominicans" won the National Book Award in History in 1991.