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By Emerlinda R. Roman, President,
University of the Philippines System
THE historic signing into law of
Republic Act No. 9500, “An Act to Strengthen the University of the
Philippines as the National University,” by President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo took place in the Library Conference Hall of the
Library Building at UP College Cebu. The new UP Charter’s most
significant provision is the recognition of UP as the country’s
National University. We now have the flexibility to meet the
challenges of the 21st century.
Before affixing her signature to
the document, President Macapagal-Arroyo said: “May the minds
produced by UP become modern-day exemplars of the famed Oblation,
that enduring symbol of the University’s offering of itself to the
Filipino people.” That this should happen as we celebrate our
centennial year is most fortunate.
Earlier, on September 5, 2005,
the President had issued Proclamation No. 913 declaring 2008 the UP
Centennial Year and providing for the creation of a Centennial
Commission to steer UP through the year 2008 and oversee the grand
celebration. The Centennial theme—“UP: Excellence, Leadership
and Service in the Next 100 Years!”—signifies that our
centennial is more than a commemoration of the university’s
founding. It is a tribute to a sterling record of academic
excellence, outstanding research, and dedicated public service. And
it is a promise to do even better in the next century.
The UP Centennial Commission has
been at the helm of preparations for the year’s activities. Chair
and vice chair respectively are Senator Edgardo Angara and Dr.
Magdaleno B. Albarracin Jr. The other members are: (from the Board
of Regents) President Emerlinda R. Roman, Regent Nelia T. Gonzales,
Regent Abraham F. Sarmiento, Regent Gari M. Tiongco; (from
government) Romulo L. Neri, Chair, Commission of Higher Education
and former NEDA Director General; Nestor A. Espenilla, Deputy
Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; (from the private sector) Dr.
Gregorio T. Alvior, Ms. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Atty. Gizela M.
Gonzalez-Montinola, Atty. Eduardo F. Hernandez, Mr. Menardo G.
Jimenez Jr., Mr. Jose “Pitoy” R. Moreno, Dr. Angelita T. Reyes;
(from abroad) Mr. Theodore B.M. Aquino, (California), Dr. Diosdado
P. Banatao (California), Dr. Carmencita C. Quesada-Fulgado (New
York), Dr. Bienvenido R. Jongco (New Jersey), and Dr. Roberto S.
Mariano (Singapore).
The centerpiece of our
celebrations is the UP Centennial Lecture Series. We see our
centennial not just as an occasion for celebration, but as an
opportunity for self-assessment and for putting in place a roadmap
for the University’s next 100 years.
Twelve distinguished UP faculty
members have been named UP Centennial Fellows and tasked with
guiding us in this self-reflection, what we refer to as “the
insiders’ view,” the first of the four sets. Four Fellows have
already delivered their lectures.
The second set is “the view
from outside.” Persons who are not connected to UP but who take an
interest in it, have been invited to share with us their insights on
how the university is perceived by the general public and what
directions UP might explore in the future. The first such lecture
was delivered by Mr. Ramon del Rosario Jr.
The third set features prominent
international scholars, speaking on their respective areas of
expertise. Thus far, three have delivered their lectures: Nobel
Laureate for Physics (2004) Dr. David Jonathan Gross, Dr. Baldomero
Olivera, Harvard Foundation 2007 Scientist of the Year, and Nobel
Laureate for Economics (1993) Dr. Douglass C. North.
The fourth set features experts
from different fields discussing burning issues of the day. Three of
these “conversations” have been held so far: on poverty, on
women and fundamentalisms, and on global warming.
Our centennial celebrations began
on the morning of January 8 with a long and lively motorcade from UP
Manila, the oldest of our campuses, to UP Diliman, led by UP Manila
Chancellor Ramon Arcadio. The motorcade was met by the UP Diliman
Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, and proceeded into the campus where a huge
crowd of faculty, students, staff and alumni were waiting. It was a
festive affair organized by the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), and
included a parade with a contingent from each constituent university
led by its chancellor, skydivers with banners, a torch relay around
the academic oval, the lighting of the centennial cauldron by the UP
President, and a fireworks display. All to the infectious beat of
“UP Ang Galing Mo! ” a song commissioned by the UPAA. The
evening was capped by a concert held in the amphitheatre. Each
constituent university had its own launching and are conducting
their own Centennial activities and projects.
Over the past three years, I have
been doing a “road show” within the country and overseas, to
update UP alumni on the University’s programs and activities, and
invite them to be a part of the centennial celebrations. Aside from
attending fellowship dinners and meetings with UPAA chapters where a
UP campus is located (Baguio, Pampanga, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cebu,
Davao, Los Baños, Manila), I visited the following places: General
Santos City; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Bacolod
City, Negros Occidental; Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Zamboanga
City; Cagayan de Oro City; Pangasinan; La Union, Naga and Legaspi. I
have also visited with the alumni in the US, in Vancouver and
Victoria, British Columbia, and in Toronto, Canada.
June is a high point in our
yearlong celebrations. On June 16, the University will hold a gala
evening to present the UP Centennial Awards to former UP presidents
for their leadership and dedicated service to the University; and to
UP alumni and faculty members who have received the title of
National Artist or National Scientist and have thus brought singular
honor to the University.
The UP Centennial Concert, a
collaborative effort between award-winning playwright Floy Quintos
and distinguished stage director Professor Alex Cortes of the UP
Diliman College of Arts and Letters, will be held at the Cultural
Center of the Philippines on June 18 to 20. UP artists will perform
UP’s history as a tribute in song and dance.
The grand alumni homecoming will
be held on June 21 starting at 9 in the morning at the Araneta
Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. The affair will be managed by the UP
Alumni Association.
Ongoing are several arts
contests, and a history-of-UP project. Finally we have produced some
memorabilia for sale to the general public—an audio-visual
presentation titled “The University of the Philippines: Our 21st
Century National University” (available in DVD format; a
coffee-table book titled Our University After a Hundred Years; the
series of uncut 100-peso notes bearing the UP logo, issued by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; the UP commemorative postage stamps to
be issued by the Philippine Postal Corporation; and an address book
featuring famous art works to be found inside the UP Diliman campus.
Finally, the UP Centennial Fund
Campaign’s target is P5 billion pesos—half to come from national
government, over and above UP’s regular budget; and half to be
raised by UP. This campaign is on track, and we are grateful to all
who have supported us and continue to support us.
We see this as a sign that all
Filipinos feel that UP is their own, whether or not they went to
school there. UP belongs to the country.
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