University of the Philippines

UP logotype.png
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.png
Seal

Motto: Honor and Excellence
Established: June 18, 1908
Type: National university
Endowment: PHP 6.23 billion (2008 budget)[1]
President: Dr. Emerlinda R. Román
Faculty: 4,135[2]
Staff: 10,044[2]
Students: 53,285[2]
Location: Diliman, Quezon City (Main Campus), Philippines
Campus: 11 Campuses, 1 Open University
University Hymn: U.P. Naming Mahal
Colors: UP colors.PNG Maroon and Forest Green
Nickname: UP Fighting Maroons
Affiliations: Association of Pacific Rim Universities
ASEAN-European University Network
ASEAN University Network
UAAP
Website: http://www.up.edu.ph
UP Centennial Logo....jpg
U.P. Centennial Year Emblem

The University of the Philippines (or Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as U.P.) is the national university of the Philippines.[3][4] Founded in 1908 through Act No. 1870 of the first Philippine Legislature, known as the "University Act" by authority of the United States, the University provides tertiary-level education in almost every field, from law, medicine, engineering, political science and other social sciences to nursing, public health, natural sciences, agriculture and the humanities.

The University is considered as the premier institution of higher learning in the Philippines, and has educated some of the country's most popular political and social leaders, economists, scientists, lawyers, medical doctors, engineers, creative artists, educators, and entrepreneurs.[5][6][7] Several (7) Philippine Presidents have attended courses in the University either as undergraduates or as postgraduate students, while 12 chief justices of the Supreme Court, 36 out of the 57 National Artists and 30 out of the 31 National Scientists are affiliated with the University.[3][5][8]

U.P. has the most number of National Centers of Excellence and Development among all higher education institutions in the country[9] and one of only three schools in Asia that have received institutional recognition in the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.[10]

U.P. is partly subsidized by the Philippine government, [11] making its students essentially scholars of the national government. Students of University of the Philippines and its graduates are popularly referred to as "Iskolar ng Bayan" ("Scholars of the Nation"). [12][13][14] This makes admission into the University extremely competitive. In 2006 alone, 70,000 applicants flocked to test centers nationwide to take the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for undergraduate admission (Around 11,000 of the applicants were admitted for the year 2006, an acceptance rate of about 18%). [15]

The foremost symbol of U.P. is the Oblation. This is a figure of a naked man, with arms outstretched and face pointed upwards. The Oblation is based on the second stanza of Jose Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios, which is replete with references of selfless dedication and service to the nation.[16][17]

In line with the celebration of the University's centenary, the year 2008 has been proclaimed as the "UP Centennial Year" and the years 1998-2008 as the "University of the Philippines Decade."[18][19]

Contents

History

U.P. Diliman - Extension Program in Pampanga Temporary Campus
U.P. Los Baños
U.P. Manila

The University of the Philippines was established in June 18, 1908, as the American University of the Philippines by an act of the First Philippine Legislature. Act No. 1870, otherwise known as the "University Act", specified the function of the University, which is to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and arts, and to give professional and technical training. The University began with the establishment of the Philippine Medical School (later incorporated into the University as the College of Medicine and Surgery) in 1905, which started operating in 1907, a year ahead of the rest of the UP System. Together with the College of Fine Arts and the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Medicine occupied buildings distributed along Padre Faura (Ermita district) and R. Hidalgo (Quiapo district) in Manila, the School of Agriculture was in Los Baños. A few years later, the university opened the College of Law and the College of Engineering in Manila, as well as academic units under the College of Agriculture and Forestry in Los Baños. It became necessary to establish more academic programs, as well as to expand its facilities. The Board of Regents approved the need to look for a larger site, and a 493-hectare lot was acquired by the university in Diliman, then a town in the province of Rizal. Construction of the new campus began in 1939.

During World War II, most of its colleges had to be closed except the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering. Meanwhile, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied two Diliman campus buildings: the College of Liberal Arts Building (now Benitez Hall) and the Colleges of Law (now Malcolm Hall) and Business Administration Building. U.P. President Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez sought a grant of PhP 13 million from the US-Philippines War Damage Commission. A massive rehabilitation and construction effort was executed during the post war years. For the first time, an extensive Diliman campus master plan and map were created in 1949. More buildings were built across the Diliman campus' landscape: the University Library (Gonzalez Hall), the College of Engineering (Melchor Hall), the Women's Residence Hall (now Kamia Residence Hall), the Conservatory of Music (Abelardo Hall), the Administration Building (Quezon Hall), and the U.P. President's Residence. Most colleges and administration offices were temporarily housed in huts and shelters made of sawali and galvanized iron.

During UP's 40th anniversary in February 1949, central administrative offices of U.P. were moved from Manila to Diliman together with the transfer of the Oblation. Administrative offices and its regional units in Manila, Los Baños, Baguio, and Cebu were all housed in the Diliman campus. General commencement exercises were also held in Diliman for the first time in 1949.

In the 1950s, new academic units and degree programs were established. Another major reform, the General Education (G.E.) Program, was introduced in 1959. The G.E. program became a series of core courses prescribed for all students at the undergraduate level. Most of these courses were being taught at the old College of Liberal Arts. As a result, UP President Vicente Sinco saw fit to reorganize the college into a University College, which would offer the core subjects to be taken during the first two years of the undergraduate program. The College of Arts and Sciences and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, on the other hand, offered major courses in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. During President Sinco's term, more institutes and colleges were established. These institutes and colleges include the Institute of Public Administration (1952), the Statistical Center (1953), the Labor Education Center (now the School of Labor and Industrial Relations, established in 1954), the Asian Studies Institute (now the Asian Center, established in 1955), the Institute of Library Science (1961), and the College of Home Economics (1961).

The administration of Carlos P. Romulo was marked by the founding of the Population Institute, the Law Center and the Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry Training Center in 1964, the Institute of Mass Communication, the College of Business Administration, and the Institute of Planning in 1965, the Computer Center, the Institute for Small-Scale Industries in 1966, the Institute of Social Work and Community Development in 1967 and the Asian Center in 1968.

During the Martial Law period, U.P.'s administrators tried to sustain the university's educational priorities and institutional autonomy. At the height of activism in the university, U.P. President Salvador P. Lopez established a system of democratic consultation in which decisions such as promotions and appointments were made through greater participation by the faculty and administrative personnel. Lopez also reorganized U.P. into the U.P. System. In November 1972, the Los Baños campus was the first to be declared an autonomous unit under a chancellor. A Php150 million grant from the national budget boosted UP's Infrastructure Development Program. In Diliman, it funded the construction of buildings for the Colleges of Business Administration and Zoology, the Institute of Small-Scale Industries, the Transport Training Center, and the Coral Laboratory of the Marine Sciences Institute. Kalayaan Residence Hall and housing for low-income employees were also built around this time.

Onofre D. Corpuz declared U.P. Manila, then known as the Health Sciences Center, and U.P. Visayas as autonomous units. At the same time, the Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT) was established in light of the prioritization of tourism as a national industry. New centers for research and degree-granting units such as the Third World Studies Center (1977), Creative Writing Center, National Engineering Center (1978), U.P. Extension Program in San Fernando, Pampanga (1979), which is now in Clark Field, Angeles City, Institute of Islamic Studies (1973), U.P. Film Center, National Center for Transportation Studies (1976) were also established. U.P. celebrated its 75th year 1983. In the same spirit, a U.P. Extension Program in Olongapo was also established in 1984.

Edgardo Angara's Diamond Jubilee project raised P80 million which was earmarked for the creation of new professorial chairs and faculty grants. Angara also organized the Management Review Committee (MRC) and the Committee to Review Academic Programs (CRAP) to evaluate and recommend measures for improving university operations. The MRC report led to a wide-ranging reorganization of the U.P. System, the further decentralization of U.P. administration, and the declaration of U.P. Diliman as an autonomous unit on March 23, 1983. U.P. Baguio was then placed under the supervision of U.P. Diliman. Meanwhile, the College of Arts and Sciences also underwent a reorganization to become three separate colleges: the College of Science, the College of Arts and Letters, and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

As the flagship university, U.P. Diliman leads the rest of the units. On April 26, 1982, it was formally designated as a constituent university, almost a decade after the reorganization.

Even if Diliman was the seat of the UP Administration, the campus was not immediately constituted after 1972 although it was administered, along with the Manila units prior to the organization of the Health Sciences Center, as a de facto university.

President Jose Abueva introduced the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program (STFAP) in 1987. Abueva also institutionalized a Filipino language policy within the university. President Emil Javier established the creation of U.P. Mindanao at Silicon Gulf, Southern Mindanao, and the U.P. Open University in 1995. President Francisco Nemenzo’s legacy includes the Revitalized General Education Program (RGEP) and the institutionalization of more incentives for research and creative achievements by U.P, faculty members.

President Emerlinda Roman, from the College of Business Administration (CBA), is spearheading a Centennial Campaign Fund envisioned to upgrade the university’s services and facilities in time for U.P.’s 100th year in 2008. Her term of office has been noted for the ascension of several key professors from the CBA to positions of power within the university. Notable among them is U.P. Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, Assistant Vice President for Planning and Development, Prof. Arthur S. Cayanan, Director of the UP System Budget Office, Prof. Joselito G. Florendo, Dr. Lina J. Valcarcel Executive Director, UP Provident Fund, Inc. and U.P Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Gerardo B. Agulto.

Centennial Celebration

UP Diliman Corps Commander Ronald Cardema (left) and Commission on Higher Education chair Romulo Neri (right) assist University of the Philippines President Emerlinda Roman as she descends from the staircase that led to the lighting of the Centennial Flame during the kickoff of the UP Centennial Celebration at the Oblation Plaza, Quezon Hall.

On January 8, 2008, the University of the Philippines began its centennial celebration. The opening ceremony featured a 100-torch relay[20] to light the eternal flame on the Centennial Cauldron at Quezon Hall. Torches were carried by, among others, Fernando Javier, 100, of Baguio City, the oldest UP alumnus (Civil Engineering from University of the Philippines, Manila, 1933), a 6th-grader from the University of the Philippines Integrated School in U.P. Diliman and UP president Emerlinda Roman, the first woman president of the university[21]. The Centennial Cauldron features three pillars to represent the three core values, and seven flowers representing the seven constituent universities, to wit, UP Manila, UP Diliman (together with UP Pampanga, its extension campus), UP Los Baños, UP Baguio, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, and UP Open University.[22]

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and UP issued commemorative P 100 UP Centennial notes, as collector’s item, at the BSP Security Plant Complex in Quezon City. The notes appear as four-outs (4 uncut pieces) in an especially designed folder (P1,000 each) featuring the signatures of all UP presidents including Roman.[23]

Inspired by the UP Oblation, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) launched an art exhibit, "100 Nudes/100 Years" featuring the works of 9 UP alumni national artists.[24]

UPAA 2008 Centennial Yearbook

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association announced its launching of a special 3-volume (P 500 for all 3 volumes) UPAA 2008 Centennial Yearbook on June 21, 2008, the UPAA Grand Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion at the Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City. The theme is “UP Alumni: Excellence, Leadership and Service in the Next 100 Years,” with the 3 cover designs showing the works of National Artists Napoleon Abueva, Abdul Imao, and BenCab, respectively.Chief Justice Reynato Puno is the Yearbook's most distinguished alumnus awardee (among 46 other awardees).[25]

UP Charter of 2008

UP Charter of 2008, Republic Act No. 9500, was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo into law on April 29, 2008, at the UP Library Conference Hall in Lahug, Cebu. It principally aims "to provide both institutional and fiscal autonomy to UP, specifically, to protect student's democratic access and strengthen administration through the recognition of UP system's board of regents and UP Council."[26] The new charter declared UP as the Philippines national university, giving it "the enhanced capability to fulfill its mission and spread the benefits of knowledge."[27] The new charter will help improve it's competitiveness. The newly crowned “national university,” however, needs P 3.6 billion to be at par with other universities in the area.[28]

Centennial UP-Ayala TechnoHub

The centennial P 6 billion 37.5-hectare UP-Ayala TechnoHub, a complex of low-rise buildings, at Commonwealth Avenue, within the 98-hectare UP campus, was contructed on February 16, 2006 and inagurated on November 22, 2008. It is being developed by the Ayala property company into a fully integrated information technology and IT-enabled services community to host business process outsourcing (BPO) and technology firms. It fulfils UP’s goal of becoming a hub of education, research and training excellence.[29][30]

Constituent Universities

At present, the University of the Philippines System (U.P.) is composed of seven Constituent Universities (Commonly abbreviated as C.U.) located in 12 campuses around the country.

U.P. Diliman is the flagship campus of the university and offers the most number of courses. The University is also negotiating with the Makati City government for the use of one building in the University of Makati.[18]

Each constituent university of UP is headed by a chancellor, who is elected on a three-year term by the Board of Regents. Unlike the president, who is elected on a single six-year term without re-election, the chancellor maybe re-elected for another three-year term but it is upon the discretion of the members of the Board of Regents.

Campus Chancellor Campus Land Area

(Hectares)

Founded[31] Focus Areas[32]
(Non-exhaustive)
National Centers of Excellence and Development[9] Note
University of the Philippines, Baguio Dr. Priscilla Supnet-Macansantos 6 1961 Anthropology, Cordillera Studies, Ethnicity and Cultural studies, Social and Development Studies Biology, Mathematics, Physics U.P. System's flag-bearer in Northern Luzon
University of the Philippines, Diliman[32] with an Extension Program in Pampanga and Extension Program in Olongapo Dr. Sergio S. Cao 493 1949 Law, Architecture, Education, Fine Arts, Film and Communication Arts, Home Economics, Information Science and Technology, Language and Literature, Library Studies, Marine Science, Music and Performing Arts, Public Administration, Social Sciences and Philosophy, Sports Science, Tourism, (offers most academic programs) Anthropology, Architecture, Business, Chemistry, Communication Arts, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Electronics and Communications Engineering, English, Filipino, Foreign Languages, Geodetic Engineering, Geology, History, Information Technology, Journalism, Literature, Marine Science, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Music, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology Represents U.P. in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines
University of the Philippines, Los Baños Dr. Luis Rey I. Velasco 15,000 1909 Agriculture and related fields, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Development Communication, Veterinary Medicine, Rural Sociology, Mathematics Agriculture, Biology, Communication, Mathematics, Forestry, Agricultural Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Veterinary Medicine, Statistics Houses the International Rice Research Institute, headquarters of the UP National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and other research institutions.
University of the Philippines, Manila Dr. Ramon L. Arcadio 14 1905 Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing, Public Health, Allied Medical Professions, Biomedical Sciences Biology, Medicine, Nursing Operates the Philippine General Hospital, houses the National Institutes of Health.
University of the Philippines, Visayas Dr. Glenn D. Aguilar (Multiple campuses) 1918
(Cebu)
1973
(Tacloban)
1979
(Miagao)
1981
(Iloilo City)
Aquaculture, Fisheries, Marine Science Biology, Fisheries, Marine Science, Information Technology U.P. System's flagship unit in the Visayas
University of the Philippines, Mindanao Dr. Gilda C. Rivero 204 1995 Information Technology, Natural Sciences, Management Information Technology U.P. System's regional unit in Mindanao
University of the Philippines, Open University Dr. Grace J. Alfonso (Headquartered in UP Los Baños, Laguna) 1995 Distance learning Distance Education Mandated to provide quality education through distance learning

Basic education

Organization

Presidents of the
University of the Philippines
Murray S. Bartlett, 1911-1915
Ignacio B. Villamor, 1915-1921
Guy Potter Wharton Benton, 1921-1925
Rafael V. Palma, 1925-1933
Jorge Bocobo, 1934-1939
Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez, 1939-1943, 1945-1951
Antonio Sison, 1943-1945
Vidal A. Tan, 1951-1956
Enrique Virata, 1956-1958
Vicente G. Sinco, 1958-1962
Carlos P. Romulo, 1962-1968
Salvador P. Lopez, 1969-1975
Onofre D. Corpuz, 1975-1979
Emmanuel V. Soriano, 1979-1981
Edgardo J. Angara, 1981-1987
Jose V. Abueva, 1987-1993
Emil Q. Javier, 1993-1999
Francisco Nemenzo, Jr., 1999-2005
Emerlinda R. Román, 2005-Present

Presidents of the University of the Philippines

The President of the University of the Philippines is elected for a single six-year term by the University's twelve-member Board of Regents.[4] As of 2005, two Americans and 17 Filipinos served as President of the University of the Philippines.

The current president of U.P. is Dr. Emerlinda R. Román , a professor of business administration and the chancellor of U.P. Diliman prior to her election as president. Roman is the first female president of the University of the Philippines. She led the university in the celebration of its centennial in 2008.[33]

Edgardo Angara and Jose V. Abueva were concurrent Presidents of the University.

Board of Regents

The governance of the University is vested in the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines System (or Lupon ng mga Rehente in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as B.O.R.).[4] The board, with its 12 members, is the highest decision-making body of the whole of the UP system. The board and its constitution was defined by the University charter.

The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) serves as the Board's acting Chairperson while the President of the University of the Philippines is the Co-Chairperson. The Chairpersons of the Committees of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives are members of the UP Board of Regents which are concurrent with their functions as committee chairpersons.[4]

UP students, represented by the General Assembly of Student Councils, nominate a Student Regent. While the Faculty Regent is likewise nominated by the faculty members of the whole University. Alumni are represented by the President of the U.P. Alumni Association. A Staff Regent, representing professional and administrative personnel, was included with the passage of the new UP charter in 2008. The remaining members of the Board of Regents (two of whom are alumni of the University) are nominated into the position by the President of the Philippines.

As of 2008, the members of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines System are as follows[34]:

Board Member
Chairperson Hon. Emmanuel Y. Angeles, Ll.B. Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education
Co-Chairperson Hon. Emerlinda R. Román President of the University of the Philippines
Member Hon. Alan Peter S. Cayetano Chairperson, Senate Committee on Higher Education
Member Hon. Cynthia A. Villar Chairperson, House Committee on Higher Education
Member Hon. Ponciano E. Rivera, Jr. Acting President, UP Alumni Association; Alumni Regent
Member Hon. Felix D. Librero Faculty Regent
Member Hon. Shahana E. Abdulwahid Student Regent
Member Hon. Gari M. Tiongco Nominated by the President of the Philippines
Member Hon. Francis C. Chua Nominated by the President of the Philippines
Member Hon. Nelia T. Gonzalez Nominated by the President of the Philippines
Member Hon. Romulo G. Davide Nominated by the President of the Philippines
Member Hon. Abraham F. Sarmiento Nominated by the President of the Philippines

The Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents is Dr. Lourdes E. Abadingo, professor of Political Science in the Department of Social Sciences at U.P. Manila.

Academics

The Main Library (Gonzalez Hall) in UP Diliman

The University offers 246 undergraduate degree programs and 362 graduate degree programs, more than any other university in the country.[35] The flagship campus in Diliman offers the largest number of degree programs, and other campuses are known for specific programs.[36] The University has 57 Degree-Granting Units throughout the system, which may be a College, School or Institute that offers an undergraduate or a graduate program. In the Los Baños campus, a separate Graduate School administers the graduate programs in agriculture, forestry, the basic sciences, mathematics and statistics, development economics and management, agrarian studies and human ecology.[37] The School of Public Health at UP Manila has a collaboration with Boston University School of Public Health. This program allows several students from Boston University to do a semester of coursework at UP Manila as well as an international field practicum in the Philippines. The University has 4,135 faculty, trained locally and abroad with 75% having graduate degrees.[2][38] The University is one of the three Universities in the Philippines affiliated with the ASEAN University Network, and the only Philippine university to be affiliated with the ASEAN-European University Network and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.[39][40]

Budget

The University has the highest financial endowment of all educational institutions in the country. In 2008, the entire University system has a financial subsidy from the national government of about PHP 6 billion. The total expenditure for the same year, however, is PHP 7.2 billion, or approximately PHP 135,000 per student.[41]

Rankings

The University was ranked 276, 398, and 299 in the Times Higher Education Supplement Rankings for the years 2008, 2007, and 2006 respectively. In the Asiaweek's Best Universities in Asia last published in 2000, it was ranked 48.[38][42][43] In 2006, the University, through President Emerlinda Román, has expressed that it does not want to participate in the THES Ranking, but was included in 2007 and 2008 with an incomplete academic profile.[38] In the national rankings based on cumulative data from 1991-2001 of average passing rates in all courses of all Philippine colleges and universities in the Board tests, UP Diliman, UP Los Baños and UP Manila emerged as numbers one, two and three respectively.[44] The study was done by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Commission on Higher Education.

General Education Program

The General Education Program, was first introduced in 1959 and formed core courses prescribed for all students at the undergraduate level. The current General Education Program is the Revitalized General Education Program (abbreviated as RGEP), which was approved by the Board of Regents in 2001. The RGEP offers courses in three domains (Arts and Humanities, Mathematics Science and Technology and Social Sciences and Philosophy) and gives students the freedom to choose the general education subjects in these domains that they would like to take.[45] It has led to the development of courses unique to the campuses. Examples of these courses include NASC 10 (Forests as Source of Life) in Los Baños and History 3 (History of Philippine Ethnic Minorities) in Baguio.

Library System

The University library system has a comprehensive collection, containing the largest collections of agricultural, medical, veterinary and animal science materials in the Philippines.[46][47][48] The library system, in general, has a large collection of Filipiniana material, serials and journals in both electronic and physical forms and UPIANA materials in its archives. It also has acquired a collection of documents of student, political, and religious organizations advocating political, economic, and social changes during the Marcos administration in the Diliman library.[49] The University is one of the five governmental agencies involved with the Philippine eLib, a nation-wide information resource-sharing consortium, to which it provides access to 758,649 of its bibliographic records.[50] The University Library was established in 1922 in the Manila campus and was considered as one of the best in Asia prior to the Second World War. [51] The collection, containing almost 150,000 volumes, was destroyed when Japanese troops stormed the library during the war, leaving only a handful of books intact. Gabriel Bernardo, the Librarian of the University who built the collection, described the loss as "intellectual famine." Bernardo would later rebuild the library in the Diliman campus. [52] The University has likewise been one of the pioneers in library science education in the country. Library courses were first offered under the College of Liberal Arts under James Alexander Robertson in 1914. In 1961, the Institute of Library Science was established in Diliman and a year later, the institute established the country's first graduate program in Library Science.[53]

Admissions and Financial Aid

See also University of the Philippines College Admission Test

Undergraduate Admissions

Being a state university, "selection is based on intellectual and personal preparedness of the applicant irrespective of sex, religious belief and political affiliation."[54] Admission into the University's undergraduate programs is very competitive, with over 60,000 students taking the exam every year, with about 11,000 being accepted, an admission rate of about 18%.[15] [55] Admission to a program is usually based on the result of the UPCAT, University Predicted Grade, which is an average of grades obtained during high school and sometimes, a quota set by the unit offering the program. The University also maintains a Policy of Democratization which aims to "make the UP studentry more representative of the nation's population." [36] The UPCAT also allows students to enter INTARMED, the University's accelerated medicine curriculum, one of the two entry points into the program. Transferring to the University from other constituent units or schools outside the system are determined by the degree-granting unit that offers the program or the course, not by the university's Office of Admissions.[36]

Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program

The Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (also referred to as the "Iskolar ng Bayan" Program, and more commonly abbreviated and referred to as STFAP) was implemented in response to the increase in tuition in 1989.[11] The program, proposed in 1988 by U.P. President Jose Abueva and mandated by the President and Congress of the Philippines, called for a radical departure from the old fee and scholarship structure of UP, resulting in tremendous benefits for low-income and disadvantaged students.[56] The STFAP is divided into four basic components; Subsidized Education, Socialized Tuition, Scholarships and Student Assistantships. In the 1989 STFAP, income groups are divided into 9 brackets, with 1 having the full benefits.[56] In December 2006, the Board of Regents approved a restructured STFAP, along with the increase in tuition and other fees that will apply for incoming freshmen.[57] The Revised STFAP reduces the brackets from nine to five, and will supposedly increase the number of students receiving tuition subsidy and increase stipend rates and coverage.[11] However, critics of the restructured STFAP argue that the data used in the formulation of the revised program is not an acceptable prediction of a student’s family income, that some of the bracket assignments are flawed and that the program fails to address or revise student assistantship programs.[58]

Culture, Sports and Traditions

University Symbols

See also University of the Philippines Official Seal, U.P. Oblation and U.P. Naming Mahal
Maroon and Green are the official colors of U.P.
The official seal as depicted at the entrance to the UP Diliman Main Library

The University's colors are maroon and forest green. Maroon was chosen to represent the fight for freedom, as Maroon is also a name of a Jamaican tribe who were successful in defending their freedom from slavery and their independence from English conquerors for more than 100 years.[59] The colors are also immortalized in the University's hymn;

Luntian at pula, Sagisag magpakailanman....

In 2004, the University's seal and the Oblation were registered in the Philippine Intellectual Property Office to prevent unauthorized use and multiplication of the symbols for the centennial of the University in 2008.[60] The University has also released the centennial logo in 2006, which will be used in all visual materials and presentations of the various centennial activities and events of the University System. The logo, which was designed by Ringer Manalang, is composed of the Oblation, the sablay and a highlighted Philippine map.[61][62]

UP Naming Mahal

U.P. Naming Mahal, or UP Our Beloved is the university's hymn. The melody for the song was written by Nicanor Abelardo, an alumnus and former faculty member of the U.P. College of Music. Abelardo is considered to be one of the Philippines' greatest musicians. Because of the original scale of the hymn in B flat major, which is too high for the usual voice, UP Conservatory of Music (now UP College of Music) professors Hilarion Rubio and Tomas Aguirre reset the music in G major.

The original English lyrics (entitled as "U.P. Beloved") was taken from a poem by Teogenes Velez, a Liberal Arts student. The translation to Filipino was a composite from seven entries in a contest held by the University. The judges did not find any of the seven translations as fully satisfactory.

Sablay

The University uses unique academic regalia. Instead of the traditional academic dress composed of a cap, hood and gown, some constituent units prescribe the Sablay. The Sablay is a sash joined in front by an ornament and embroidered or printed with the University's initials in Alibata and running geometric motifs of indigenous Philippine tribes. It is traditionally worn over a white or ecru dress for females or an ecru barong and black pants for males, although there has been instances wherein the Sablay is worn over other indigenous clothing.[63] Candidates for graduation wear the sablay at the right shoulder, and is then moved to the left shoulder after the President of the University confers their degree, similar to the moving of the tassel of the academic cap. Not all units have adopted the Sablay, the Manila and Los Baños campuses still prescribe the usual cap and gown.[64]

Oblation Run

The Oblation Run is an annual tradition of the members of the Alpha Phi Omega, one of the prominent U.P. fraternities. Members of the fraternity run around the campus naked (a concept known as streaking) to protest their sentiments about a current political or economic situation. The run started in 1977 to protest the banning of the movie, “Hubad na Bayani,” which depicted human rights abuses in the martial law era. Today, the Oblation Run is held on or about December 16th, in honor of the international founding of Alpha Phi Omega.[65]

"The Great Centennial Run"

Exactly, on UP's 100th anniversary day, and in the “UP Oblation Run," 100 UP-based Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity and several UP alumni on June 18, at 11:00 a.m., ran naked along the University of the Philippines (UP) campus to commemorate the centennial anniversary. Men Chien Ali sprinted from the Vinzon’s Hall and stopped at Palma Hall, for short photo opportunity.[66] Jejomar Binay, alumnus and former prime chancellor of APO fraternity led the event.[67][68] Runners called "Scholars of the People" carried placards, "Serve the People," to petition for the state subsidies to their education.[69][70]

UP ROTC

Main article: University of the Philippines ROTC Unit
Vanguard Ferdinand Marcos '37 (future dictator) leading the UP Vanguard Fraternity Homecoming Parade at the UP Sunken Garden

The University of the Philippines ROTC Unit is the pioneer of the Reserve Officer Training Corps in the Philippines. One of the brainchilds at that time of Field Marshall Douglas MacArthur. With the activation of the UP ROTC Unit in 1912, several State and Private Universities-Colleges soon followed, activating various ROTC units under the Army of the Philippine Commonwealth.

Although the Philippines had no significant military involvement during World War I, the conflagration made the Philippine Government realize the need for a good reserve force of able-bodied Filipinos trained in the art of war capable of resisting foreign aggression. With the formal organization of the UP DMST on March 17, 1922, military drill was superseded by the term "military science and tactics".

Organized military training in the University of the Philippines started at the old Padre Faura Campus when it was made a required subject for all able-bodied male students in all colleges, institutes, and schools of the University. During the early years after its inception, military training in the University was mainly an infantry unit. After a few years, specialized units were established that made UP ROTC distinct for its military proficiency. UP produced precision FA Gunners through its Field Artillery Unit. Another distinguished UP ROTC Unit is the Rayadillo Honor Guard Battalion. It was created by Carlos P. Romulo'18 during his term as UP President. The Rayadillo unit is famous for its patriotic Katipunero uniforms, silent drill exhibitions, snappy arrival honors & formal military ceremonies rendered for visiting foreign heads of states and military officers.[71]

Notable people

UP Colleges and Institutes

University of the Philippines Baguio


University of the Philippines Diliman


University of the Philippines Los Baños


University of the Philippines Manila


University of the Philippines Mindanao


University of the Philippines Visayas

Notes and References

  1. GMA NEWS.TV, RP universities get low rankings; La Salle, UST dropped out of Top 500. Accessed August 19, 2008.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 In the Know: University of the Philippines, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  3. 3.0 3.1 About UP, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 27, 2007.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Republic Act 9500 An Act to Strengthen the University of the Philippines as the National University. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  5. 5.0 5.1 UP in next 100 years, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Editorial). Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  6. Senate Resolution 278 A Resolution Expressing the Sense of the Senate to Honor the University of the Philippines in its Centennial Year as the nation's premier university..., Senate of the 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  7. Hawaii legislature congratulates UP, University of the Philippines System Website. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  8. List of National Scientists, DOST - National Academy of Science and Technology. Accessed April 27, 2007.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Statistics : CHED’s Centers of Excellence/Development, Commission on Higher Education. Accessed April 27, 2007.
  10. List of Magsaysay Awardees, Wikipedia. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Primer on the Proposal to Adjust Tuition and Other Fees, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 27, 2007.
  12. Basic Student Information, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  13. Iskolar ng Bayan Estudyante...Iskolar... Makabayan..., Iskolarngbayan.com. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  14. Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa mga Isko at Iska ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Iskolar.net. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  15. 15.0 15.1 70,000 HS seniors take UP entrance test, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online. Accessed April 27, 2007.
  16. Mi Ultimo Adios, Wikipedia. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  17. Michael Tan, The Oblation, Pinoy Kasi. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  18. 18.0 18.1 All Systems Go University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  19. U.P. Decade 1998-2008, UP System Centennial Year Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  20. Inquirer.net, UP passes torch: 100-yr-old to 6th grader
  21. Abs-Cbn Interactive, UP alumnus, 100, lights Centennial Cauldron
  22. www.mb.com.ph, UP alumni light perpetual flame at centennial rites
  23. Inquirer.net, UP centennial P100 notes launched
  24. newsinfo.inquirer.net, 100 NUDES/100 YEARS, Exhibit showcases UP's best artists in last 100 years
  25. newsinfo.inquirer.net, UP to launch Centennial Yearbook at June 21 homecoming
  26. www.pia.gov.ph, New charter reinforces UP's institutional, fiscal grip
  27. gmanews.tv, Arroyo signs UP Charter of 2008 into law
  28. abs-cbnnews.com, New charter to improve UP’s competitiveness but more funds needed
  29. Arroyo wants ICT hub in every province
  30. PGMA inaugurates UP-Ayala Techno Hub
  31. Founded as a unit of the University (Not as a full autonomous unit).
  32. 32.0 32.1 See pages of specific Constituent University for more information. Not officially cited by the University.
  33. Administration President Emerlinda R. Roman “The Centennial President”, University of the Philippines System Website. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  34. Administration Board of Regents, University of the Philippines System Website. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  35. Academic Programs, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 UPCAT General Information, University of the Philippines College Admission Test Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
  37. The Graduate School, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 Leticia Peñano-Ho, Who Should Tell Us Who We Are?, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  39. ASEA-UNINET Universities, ASEA-UNINET Website. Accessed May 7, 2007.
  40. Member Universities, Association of Pacific Rim Universities Website. Accessed May 7, 2007.
  41. GMA NEWS.TV, RP universities get low rankings; La Salle, UST dropped out of Top 500
  42. THES - QS World University Rankings 2007 - Top 400 Universities, Top Universities. Accessed December 15, 2007.
  43. Overall Ranking Multi-Disciplinary Schools, Asiaweek.com. Accessed May 7, 2007.
  44. "UP is no. 1 based on PRC exams". UP Newsletter, Vol. XXVIII, No. 09. September 01, 2007.
  45. General Academic Information, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  46. CUs recover from Milenyo, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
  47. CVM-IAS-DTRI Library, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
  48. University Library, University of the Philippines Manila Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
  49. Philippine Radical Papers in the University of the Philippines Diliman Main Library, The University Library Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 8, 2007.
  50. Organizational Structure, Philippine eLib Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 8, 2007.
  51. Brief History, The University Library Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 8, 2007.
  52. Mary Sue Coleman, Google, the Khmer Rouge and the Public Good , Office of the President Website, University of Michigan. Accessed May 8, 2007.
  53. History Institute of Library and Information Science Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman. Accessed May 8, 2007.
  54. Admission Information, University of the Philippines College of Medicine. Accessed April 30, 2007.
  55. 3,822 make it to UPD!University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 12, 2007.
  56. 56.0 56.1 Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP), University of the Philippines Manila Office of Student Affairs. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  57. STFAP Bulletin for the Alphabetic Bracketing Scheme, University of the Philippines Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program Page. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  58. Points of (dis)order, Philippine Collegian. Accessed May 6, 2007.
  59. The Maroons, The history of Jamaica website. Accessed May 12, 2007.
  60. Official Signs for Prohibited Registration under SEC. 123 PAR (b) of Republic Act No. 8293 and Article 6ter of the Paris Convention, Intellectual Property Office website. Accessed May 12, 2007.
  61. All Systems Go, University of the Philippines System Website, Accessed May 12, 2007.
  62. Description of the UP Centennial Logo, University of the Philippines System Website, Accessed May 12, 2007.
  63. Instruction to Candidates of Graduation, College of Science Website, University of the Philippines Diliman. Accessed May 12, 2007.
  64. Rights at a glance, University of the Philippines, Diliman Website. Accessed May 12, 2007.
  65. Nude runners on UP campus call for Arroyo ouster, Inquirer.net. Accessed December 15, 2007.
  66. www.gmanews.tv, 100 UP fratmen, alumni join Oblation Run for centennial celebration
  67. inquirer.net, ‘Great Centennial Run’ in UP
  68. Inquirer.net, ‘Oblation Run’ steals show in UP Centennial activities
  69. Afp.google.com, 100 Philippine students run naked at university
  70. dispatch.co.za, In brief.......
  71. http://home.earthlink.net/~upmrotc/coc/id64.html

External links