José Veloso Abueva (1928–2021) was born in Cebu, Philippines in 1928. Before establishing Kalayaan College in 2000, Dr. Abueva headed the United Nations University at its headquarters in Tokyo and then served as president of the University of the Philippines. He was also visiting professor at the City University of New York, Yale University and Tribhuvan University in Nepal. As Chairman of the Legislative-Executive (Military) Bases Council in former Philippine President Corazon Aquino’s administration, he aided facilitation of peace talks between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front. He also served as Chairman of the Consultative Commission on the revision of the Philippine Constitution under former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was a member of the Governing Council of the Center for Global Nonkilling based in Hawaii and chaired by Professor Glenn D. Paige.