The University of the Philippines started its celebration of UP’s 100th founding anniversary on the morning of June 18, 2008 with festive ceremonies at the UP Diliman campus.

Officials, information officers, as well as representatives from student councils and workers’ unions from all UP campuses and units in Luzon gathered at the National College of Public Administration (NCPAG) Assembly Hall in Diliman on June 4 to attend the first leg of the UP Charter Information Dissemination Workshop.

How has the University served the nation in the past one hundred years?

During its 1233nd meeting on June 19, 2008, the UP Board of Regents approved the appointment of Prof. Theodore O. Te as vice president for legal affairs, effective June 23, 2008, who will serve at the pleasure of the President.

To celebrate UP’s 100th year, the university’s community of officials, faculty members, staff members, and students flocked to the Cultural Center of the Philippines to watch the “Pamantasang Hirang: The Centennial Concert.” This commemorative event was shown on June 18, 19, and 20, 2008.

During its centennial, UP captures the UP of today in a book of photographs and literary excerpts and an updated DVD audio-visual presentation.

“You now belong to the national university and you come at a time when we are celebrating an important milestone in the life of UP—its centenary,” UP President Emerlinda R. Roman said in her message to the incoming freshmen.

Are there German literary and cultural influences in the literary works of Dr. Jose Rizal, and if so why has there been little scholarship on this subject? Is the course on the life and work of Rizal mandated by law effective in introducing the national hero and his novels to today’s students, and are those teaching the course doing it right?

Two distinguished UP professors were among the 70 international writers who participated in this year’s Sydney Writer’s Festival held in Sydney, Australia on May 19-25.

A number of Filipino poets and poets of Philippine descent are featured in a recently published Norton anthology of poetry, titled Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond. Among those in the anthology are poets connected to the University, namely, Luis Cabalquinto, Cesar Ruiz Aquino, National Artist Jose Garcia Villa, Professor Ricardo de Ungria of UP Mindanao, Marne L. Kilates, Luisa Igloria, Edgar Maranan, University Professor Emeritus Gemino Abad, and Professor Merlie Alunan of UP Visayas Tacloban College.

The University of the Philippines (UP) and the National Museum (NM) celebrated the centennial of the University by gathering the works of nine National Artists in the Visual Arts who come from UP in an exhibit and a picture book launched during a well-attended event on June 11, 2008 at the National Arts Gallery of the National Museum in Manila.

On June 19, 2008, in commemoration of the UP Centennial, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the University of the Philippines launched the 100-peso UP Centennial Notes at the BSP Security Plant Complex on East Avenue, Quezon City.

On June 16, UP once again received a significant boost from its alumni as members of the Vea Family, represented by Mapua Institute of Technology President Prof. Reynaldo Vea, Mr. Orlando Vea, Mr. Aniceto Vea, and Mrs. Agnes Banzon-Vea, and university officials led by President Emerlinda R. Roman, signed a deed of donation to establish two new professorial chairs for the University: one for the College of Engineering (COE) and the other for the School of Economics (UPSE).

On June 19, members of the UPAA Centennial Memoirs project led by its editor and UP Centennial Commission member Dr. Carmencita Quesada-Fulgado presented a copy of Memoirs of UP Alumni Abroad to UP President Emerlinda R. Roman at the Board of Regents Room in Quezon Hall.

The University of the Philippines recently paid tribute to its past 17 presidents and its 64 scientists and artists who earned the highest honors in the country, thus bringing honor to the University. In her address, President Emerlinda R. Roman said that she hoped the “Parangal Sentenyal,” held on the evening of June 16, 2008 at the UP Theater in UP Diliman, would present to UP students examples of people they can measure themselves against and even aspire toward becoming.

On June 9, 2008, in ceremonies held in Malacañang, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recognized several UP professors and alumni for their contributions to the growth and development of various fields in science and technology. Named among the “50 Men and Women of Science” by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), their recognition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the country’s lead scientific agency.

The UP Visayas Cebu High School (UPVCHS) added another feather to its cap as it won a Gold Award for its entry to the International Cyberfair Competition 2008. They won the award for “Tuba: A Toast to Life,” a website devoted to tuba, a beverage made from the sap of coconut flower buds. UPVCHS submitted the website as its official entry to the Local Specialties Category of the competition.

It was a star-studded extravaganza and a day of recognition for UP alumni who held a grand general homecoming at the Araneta Coliseum on June 21, 2008.

On June 19, the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) paid homage to the University’s beloved symbol, the Oblation, with an exhibit titled, “100 Nudes, 100 Years” at the Mandarin Suites, Gateway Mall.