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This article is about the University of the Philippines System. For other meanings, see University of the Philippines (disambiguation).

The University of the Philippines (or Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as U.P.) is the only national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through an act of Philippine Legislature, the University provides tertiary-level education in almost every field, from agriculture, medicine, and law, to the natural and social sciences, engineering, creative writing, and fine arts.

The University is a highly reputable school for tertiary, graduate, and postgraduate studies. U.P. is partly subsidized by the Philippine government, making its fees the lowest among comparable universities in the country. This makes admission into the University very competitive. In 2006, a record 70,000 students flocked to UP campuses and test centers nationwide to take the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for undergraduate admission.

The University is noted for its highly politicized student leaders who promote various causes as well as positions on pressing national issues. U.P. has educated some of the country's most popular political and social leaders, economists, lawyers, medical doctors, creative artists and entrepreneurs. Several Philippine Presidents have attended courses in the University either as undergraduates or as postgraduate students, while 30 out of the 50 National Artists and 28 out of the 29 National Scientists of the Philippines are affiliated with the University. U.P. has the most number of National Centers of Excellence and Development among all higher education institutions in the country and one of only three schools in Asia that have received institutional recognition in the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

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.

U.P. students and graduates are popularly referred to as "Iskolar ng Bayan" ("Scholars of the Nation").

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."

History

The University of the Philippines was established in 1908 as the American University of the Philippines by an act of the First Philippine Legislature Act No. 1870, otherwise known as the University Charter, 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 College of Fine Arts, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Medicine and Surgery occupying buildings distributed along Padre Faura (Ermita district) and R. Hidalgo (Quiapo district) in Manila as well as a School of Agriculture in Los Baños, Laguna. A few years after, 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 for U.P. 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 under the province of Rizal. Construction of the new campus immediately began in 1939.

During World War II, U.P. had to close most of its colleges 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 and Business Administration Building (now Malcolm Hall). After the war, the new Diliman buildings were devastated. U.P. President Bienvenido Gonzales sought a grant of Php13 million from the US-Philippines War Damage Commission. A massive rehabilitation and construction effort was executed by the university during the post war years. For the first time, an extensive Diliman campus master plan and map were created in 1949. The map created what became visions for Diliman’s expansion projects. More buildings were to be 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 of U.P. 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, UP reformulated its approaches to tertiary education by establishing new academic units and degree programs. 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 Communications, 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.

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 in sheer size. 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 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.

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 over 10 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.

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.

1. Founded as a unit of the University (Not as a full autonumous unit).
2. See pages of specific Constituent University for more information. Not officially cited by the University.
3. Also includes an Extension Program in Pampanga.

Basic education

• University of the Philippines Integrated School in U.P. Diliman
• University of the Philippines Laboratory High School in U.P. Visayas - U.P. Cebu College
• University of the Philippines Rural High School in U.P. Los Baños

Organization

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. 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 will lead the university in the celebration of its centennial in 2008.

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

Board of Regents

The Board of Regents (or Lupon ng mga Rehente in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as B.O.R.) is the highest decision-making body of the University of the Philippines. It is composed of 12 members. The Board was constituted by the University's charter and has exclusive powers over the University's exercise of its corporate and administrative powers.

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 Vice 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.

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 and by a Faculty Regent. The remaining members of the Board of Regents are nominated into the position by the President of the Philippines.

As of 2007, the members of the U.P. Board of Regents are as follows:

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 University offers 246 undergraduate degree programs and 362 graduate degree programs, more than any other university in the country. The flagship campus in Diliman offers the largest number of degree programs, and other campuses are known for specific programs. 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. The University has 4,135 faculty, trained locally and abroad with 75% having graduate degrees. The University is one of the two 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. The University is ranked 299 on the Times Higher Education Supplement Rankings in 2006 and 48 in the Asiaweek's Best Universities in Asia last published in 2000, making it the highest ranked Philippine university in both lists, but ranking poorly in research and financial resources. The University, through President Emerlinda Román, has expressed that it does not want to participate in the THES Ranking.

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. Opponents of the RGEP, however, say that the RGEP courses will be subject to demand, like products in a market, and that it would be possible for students to avoid taking History, Philippine Literature and Language and Mathematics subjects. Despite the criticism, the Program has been adopted by most constituent units of the University, and has led to the offering of courses otherwise unavailable to students. It has likewise 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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." 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 admisssion rate of about 18%. 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." The UPCAT also allows students to enter INTARMED, the University's accelerated medicine curriculum, one of the only 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.

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. 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. The STFAP is 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. 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. 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. 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. Go UP!!!!!

Culture, Sports and Traditions

University Symbols

See also University of the Philippines Official Seal, U.P. Oblation and U.P. Naming Mahal

The University's colors are maroon and 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. 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. 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. The University has a 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. 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.

Notable people

See List of University of the Philippines people

Notes and References

1. ^ In the Know: University of the Philippines, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online. Accessed April 28, 2007.
2. ^ About UP, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 27, 2007.
3. ^ Primer on the Proposal to Adjust Tuition and Other Fees, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 27, 2007.
4. ^ 70,000 HS seniors take UP entrance test, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online. Accessed April 27, 2007.
5. List of National Scientists, DOST - National Academy of Science and Technology. Accessed April 27, 2007.
6. ^ Statistics : CHED’s Centers of Excellence/Development, Commission on Higher Education. Accessed April 27, 2007.
7. List of Magsaysay Awardees, Misplaced Pages. Accessed April 28, 2007.
8. Michael Tan, Mi Ultimo Adios, Misplaced Pages. Accessed April 28, 2007.
9. The Oblation, Pinoy Kasi. Accessed April 28, 2007.
10. Basic Student Information, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
11. Iskolar ng Bayan Estudyante...Iskolar... Makabayan..., Iskolarngbayan.com. Accessed April 28, 2007.
12. Iskolar ng Bayan Para sa mga Isko at Iska ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Iskolar.net. Accessed April 28, 2007.
13. ^ All Systems Go University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
14. U.P. Decade 1998-2008, UP System Centennial Year Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
15. Academic Programs, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
16. ^ UPCAT General Information, University of the Philippines College Admission Test Website. Accessed April 28, 2007.
17. The Graduate School, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
18. ^ Leticia Peñano-Ho, Who Should Tell Us Who We Are?, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
19. ASEA-UNINET Universities, ASEA-UNINET Website. Accessed May 7, 2007.
20. Member Universities, Association of Pacific Rim Universities Website. Accessed May 7, 2007.
21. Overall Ranking Multi-Disciplinary Schools, Asiaweek.com. Accessed May 7, 2007.
22. General Academic Information, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 6, 2007.
23. Modern Thomasites Charting RP's Future Again, Bulatlat.com. Accessed May 8, 2007.
24. UP Diliman Approves `Revitalized’ General Education Program, Bulatlat.com. Accessed May 8, 2007.
25. CUs recover from Milenyo, University of the Philippines System Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
26. CVM-IAS-DTRI Library, University of the Philippines Los Baños Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
27. University Library, University of the Philippines Manila Website. Accessed May 8, 2007.
28. 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.
29. Organizational Structure, Philippine eLib Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 8, 2007.
30. Brief History, The University Library Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 8, 2007.
31. Mary Sue Coleman, Google, the Khmer Rouge and the Public Good , Office of the President Website, University of Michigan. Accessed May 8, 2007.
32. History Institute of Library and Information Science Website, University of the Philippines, Diliman. Accessed May 8, 2007.
33. Admission Information, University of the Philippines College of Medicine. Accessed April 30, 2007.
34. 3,822 make it to UPD!University of the Philippines, Diliman . Accessed May 12, 2007.
35. ^ Scholarship and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP), University of the Philippines Manila Office of Student Affairs. Accessed May 6, 2007.
36. STFAP Bulletin for the Alphabetic Bracketing Scheme, University of the Philippines Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program Page. Accessed May 6, 2007.
37. Points of (dis)order, Philippine Collegian. Accessed May 6, 2007.
38. The Maroons, The history of Jamaica website. Accessed May 12, 2007.
39. 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.
40. All Systems Go, University of the Philippines System Website, Accessed May 12, 2007.
41. Description of the UP Centennial Logo, University of the Philippines System Website, Accessed May 12, 2007.
42. Instruction to Candidates of Graduation, College of Sceince Website, University of the Philippines Diliman. Accessed May 12, 2007.
43. Rights at a glance, University of the Philippines, Diliman Website. Accessed May 12, 2007.

See also

• Diliman
  • University of the Philippines College of Engineering
  • University of the Philippines College of Law
  • University of the Philippines College of Science
  • University of the Philippines School of Library and Information Studies
  • List of UP Diliman student organizations

External links

• University of the Philippines, Baguio
• University of the Philippines, Diliman
• University of the Philippines, Los Banos
• University of the Philippines, Manila
• University of the Philippines, Visayas
• University of the Philippines, Mindanao
• University of the Philippines System
• University of the Philippines Open University

Template:AUN

• ASEAN University Network
• Educational institutions established in 1908
• State universities and colleges in the Philippines
• University of the Philippines
• National universities
• Educational institutions in Quezon City