University of the Philippines Cebu College

The University of the Philippines Cebu College (also U.P. Cebu or U.P.C.C.) is an autonomous unit of the University of the Philippines System located in Cebu City. It was founded in 1918, ten years after the founding of U.P. in 1908.

U.P.C.C. was formerly under the University of the Philippines Visayas, together with three other satellite campuses, namely Miag-ao, Iloilo City and Tacloban. On September 24, 2010, the U.P. Board of Regents elevated the status of U.P. Cebu as an autonomous unit, in preparation for its constituent university status after five to seven years.^[1]

The campus is located in Gorordo Avenue, Brgy. Camputhaw, Lahug District, Cebu City. It occupies a 12-hectare site which was donated by the Cebu Provincial Government in 1929. The campus is within parts of three barangays: Barangay Lahug, Barangay Camputhaw and Barangay Kamagong. The U.P. Oblation serves as the political boundary for Barangay Lahug and Camputhaw.

In 2007, the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized U.P. Cebu as a National Center of Excellence (COE) on Information Technology.

History

The college was originally located in Leon Kilat Street. For a time, the college was also based in the historic Fort San Pedro (the smallest fort in the Philippines; among the major landmarks in Cebu City). It has also an extension campus in Mandaue City.

Due to lack of government financial support (a perennial U.P. problem), the school was closed for about 10 years until it reopened in 1963. During the years it was closed, the site was used by the Jesuits as a school called Berchmans College.

Autonomous Unit Status

During its 1,260th meeting on September 24, 2010, the U.P. Board of Regents approved the proposal for the elevation of U.P. Visayas Cebu College to an autonomous unit under the Office of the U.P. President. This gave U.P. Cebu "more freedom and flexibility to prepare for a constituent university status in the next five (5) to seven (7) years."^[2]

During this transition, U.P. Cebu was tasked to focus on the following 10-point agenda:

1. Formulate strategic directions for U.P. Cebu focusing on its role as an institution of higher learning in the region within the framework of the U.P. System
2. Formulate a desired faculty development profile including strategies for achieving the profile
3. Tighten faculty recruitment policies and procedures consistent with the desired faculty development profile
4. Improve the quality of undergraduate programs, at the same time emphasize quality graduate education
5. Formulate mid- and long-term research agenda that will lead to a strong research culture in U.P. Cebu
6. Nurture an IT culture in U.P. Cebu
7. Create and develop a program to promote the cultural heritage of the region
8. Formulate resource generation framework and program specifying strategies and mechanisms for sustainable fund-raising and income generation
9. Formulate physical campus development program
10. Undertake all the above activities under and autonomous set-up of the U.P. System

Programs and Degrees

The college offers graduate and undergraduate degrees. The degree programs are offered by the following college divisions and department:

• Department of Computer Science (DCS) for computer science programs;
• Humanities Division (HD) for mass communications, fine arts, and industrial design programs;
• Management Division (MD) for management programs;
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division (NSMD) for mathematics and biology programs;
• Professional Education Division (PED) for professional education and high school programs; and
• Social Sciences Division (SSD) for political science and psychology programs

In 2007, the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized U.P. Cebu as a National Center of Excellence (COE) on Information Technology.

The college also has a High School program which began in 1972. Commonly known as the University of the Philippines – Cebu High School, the high school program is run by the college's Professional Education Division. Owing to funding issues, the high school program's enrollment has been sized down from 3 sections in the past to 2 sections currently for each year level. Each high school class has a maximum of 35 students.

Admission Requirements

High School Program

• need to pass the U.P. High School Admission Test (UP HSAT)
• need to pass the family income status requirements of U.P. High School
• must have an average of 85% in Math, Science, English/Reading, Civics/Social Studies, and Filipino subjects at the time of filing of application
• must have a conduct grade of at least B or its equivalent

Undergraduate Division

• need to pass the U.P. College Admission Test (UPCAT)
• Certificate of Fine Arts students only need to take a talent test

Graduate Division

• need to pass the U.P. Graduate School Admission Test
• at least 2 years work experience

Notable Buildings/Structures

Current

• The Administration Building houses the offices of the College Secretary, the Dean, the Associate Dean, Student Affairs, Accounting, the Cashier, and the Interactive Learning Center.
• The Undergraduate Building is the main building for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division and the Humanities Division.
• The Management Building is the main building for the Management Program.
• The Library Building also houses the Conference Room and Audio-Visual Room.
• The High School Buildings have classrooms named after the first nine presidents of U.P.
• The Arts and Sciences Building is home to the Social Sciences Division and the Computer Science program. It also houses the Mathematics Department of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division.
• The Student Dormitory has a capacity of 50 students.
• The Guest House is a place for official U.P. guests.
• The U.P. Oblation marks the boundary between Barangay Camputhaw and Barangay Lahug.

Demolished/Destroyed

• Practical Arts Building: Built by the U.S. government in 1946; initially destroyed by neglect, termites and student vandalism in the 1980s; completely demolished in 1992.
• Multi-Purpose Hall: Venue for indoor P.E. classes and student activities (most notably the annual High School Dramafest and the High School Christmas Dance); demolished in 1994 to give way to the still unfinished Cebu Center for Performing Arts.
• Virata Court: Basketball/volleyball court which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Virata; demolished in 1994; now used as a parking space
• College Gazeebos: Favorite hangout among college students; completely destroyed by Typhoon Ruping in 1990
• Unnamed Rock (in front of the Library Building): slowly destroyed by U.P. students and the U.P. auxiliary staff; completely destroyed in 1996. Its destruction paved way for the field to be playable for softball and football competitions.
• U.P. Tennis Court (High School side): This clay court was the former home of the U.P. Tennis Club; demolished in the late 1990s; now houses a basketball court.

Student Attire

Undergraduate Students

• no uniform required

For High School Students

• khaki pants and white polo sleeves (with the U.P. logo) for boys; maroon-checkered skirt and white round-necked blouse with a necktie for girls
• from 1972 until 1992, the uniform used to be a sky blue polo shirt and jeans for boys and white blouse with fuchsia checkered skirts for girls

Student Organizations

For undergraduate students of U.P. Cebu, holistic learning also means participating in student organizations. Many students are members of at least three student organizations. At any given time, U.P. Cebu has at least 25 active student organizations recognized by the university.

Among the more enduring and time-tested of these organizations are as follows:

1. Political
   • Union of Progressive Students (UPS)
   • Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante (NKE)
2. School Paper
   • U.P. Tug-Ani (which means "To Tell")
   • U.P. Tambuli (official school paper for the high school)
3. International Affiliates
   • AIESEC
4. International and National Affiliates
   • Metropolitan Cebu Junior Jaycees - U.P. Cebu Commission
5. Interest-based
   • Lantugi: debating team and club
6. Course-based
   • University of the Philippines Computer Science Guild (UPCSG)
   • University of the Philippines Psychology Majors Association (UPPSYMA)
   • University of the Philippines Ecological Society (UPECS)
   • Fine Arts Students Organization (FASO)
   • Management Circle (MC)
   • University of the Philippines Political Science Society (UPPSS)
   • Comm-U.P. (Communicators of U.P.)
   • Math Majors Circle
7. Year-level organizations
   • Higala: fourth year (Batch 2010)
   • Hugpong: third year (Batch 2011)
   • Siglo: second year (Batch 2012)
   • Sugod: first year (Batch 2013)
8. Regional Groups
   • Katilingbang Leyteno han Samareno (KALESA)
   • U.P. Kadugong Bol-Anon (U.P. KADBOL)
   • AMIHAN (wrongfully named by its founders; should have been named Habagat (Southern Wind))
9. Fraternities
   • Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Fraternity & Sorority: Zeta Omega Chapter
   • U.P. Latagaw Brotherhood and U.P. Lamdag Sisterhood: Latagaw Brotherhood
   • Beta Epsilon Lambda "βελ"
10. Performing Arts
    • University of the Philippines Students' Theater Arts Guild for Education (UPSTAGE)
    • ANDRES cultural organization U.P. chapter
    • Amateur Creative Thespians of the University of the Philippines (ACT-UP): an avant-garde film and theater organization
    • U.P. SERENATA
11. Socio-civic
    • U.P. Tsinelas
    • U.P. TAO Brotherhood and Sisterhood
    • UP SAGABAY
12. Religious Organizations/others
    • Every Nation Campus Ministry (ENCM): students advocating for leadership, integrity, faith, and excellence
    • Liberation for Gays Advocates (LIGAYA): composed of members from the third sex and supporters
    • Partido Erotica: composed of selected alpha-male U.P. students; founded in 1992
    • Bamkwan: composed of U.P. Mass Communication students batch 2010. Visit http://bamkwan.multiply.com/ http://msupcebu09.multiply.com/ and http://upcookout09.multiply.com/
    • U.P. Campus Ministry
    • U.P. YFC
    • U.P. FIAT
    • U.P. La Juventud
    • U.P. Psalms
    • U.P. Dormers Association (UPDA)
    • U.P. Football Club-Ladies

Special Events

Some of the most popular events among undergraduate students are as follows :

1. Freshies' Night (first Friday of July) --- an event welcoming the first year students to UP (organized by UP SAGABAY)
2. Student Council Elections (July) --- the most divisive activity among students (next to the intramurals)
3. Cook Out (July/August)
4. Intramurals --- the most divisive activity among students (followed by the SC elections)
5. Miss U.P. Cebu - annually organized by the Third Year MassComm students -2008: Initiated by the third year Masscomm students on February 2008.-2009: Developed by the Third year MassComm students (Bamkwan♥ - 2009 organizers). Check out http://msupcebu09.multiply.com/
6. U.P. Otaku Fest - an anime and hobby convention founded and first organized by Bagsik (2005–2009) batch organization. Check out http://upofest.net/ for updates.
7. MINDWORKS (organized by The Fine Arts Students Organization, running since 1986)
8. Human Rights Week (organized by the Political Science Society)
9. College days
10. Crazy Day
11. Komzion day (established by ComSci students batch 2007)
12. Holi Day
13. APO Oblation Run

List of U.P. Cebu College Deans

• Dr. Primitivo Cal (late 1980s)
• Dr. Socorro Villalobos (1990s)
• Dr. Jesus Juario (late 1990s)
• Dr. Enrique Avila (present)

References

External links

• Official Website of the UP Cebu High School
• UP Cebu College Department of Computer Science
• University of the Philippines Cebu College