The UP Diliman Department of History documents UP’s recent history as a contribution to the UP Centennial. In a forum held on August 27, 2008 titled “The University of the Philippines in the Time of People Power” held at the Claro M. Recto Conference Room at Rizal Hall in UP Diliman, professors presented an overview of their works that will constitute the sequel to the book University of the Philippines: The First 75 Years, edited by Dr. Oscar Alfonso and published during UP’s Diamond Anniversary in 1983.
In her message, UP President Emerlinda Roman said this history project came into being with the endorsement of Centennial Commission Chair Senator Edgardo Angara, whose UP presidency saw the publication of The First 75 Years. She described the book as an important project because “without history… the scientist, the artist, the scholar… would be proceeding to the next hundred years blindly.”
History Department Chair Dr. Ferdinand Llanes said that, given only a year to research, the professors were able to come up with a sequel that views UP in the context of the People Power Revolution. During the forum, professors assigned to write about each presidency gave a sketch of their output.
Llanes
“Steering the University Amidst Difficulty: The Presidency of Edgardo Angara” by Dr. Maria Luisa Camagay narrated the way Angara faced a lot of difficulties being an “outsider” and coming into office immediately after Martial Law when UP constituents were testing the limits of freedom. Angara’s term was rocked by rallies and barricades on issues such as tuition and other fee increases and the demolition of informal settlers. Camagay said that one of Angara’s legacies was the institutionalization of alumni support to the university.
Dr. Jaime Veneracion’s “Romancing with People Power: Jose Abueva’s Innovations and Experiments” credited Abueva for the establishment of a number of programs and structures such as the Language Policy, the Balay Kalinaw; the Balay Chanselor; the STFAP or the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program; the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino; the Center for Women’s Studies; and the use of the Sablay instead of the usual cap and toga.
Dr. Maria Bernadette L. Abrera’s “A Vision for the Future: UP in the Time of Emil Javier” stated that Javier had planned for the university to be declared a National University in 2008. Javier focused on service to the country and this was why the Pahinungod program flourished. His administration saw the release of the KAVS or Knowledge, Attitudes, and Values of Students Report, which further drove his administration to reinforce among UP students the values of nationalism, service, and pride in the university. Service was also invoked for the establishment of UP Open University and UP Mindanao.
Dr. Ricardo T. Jose “Accelerating into the 21st Century: The University at the Helm of Francisco Nemenzo” said that the lowered ranking of UP in surveys such as those conducted by Asiaweek magazine played an important factor in the policies of the Nemenzo administration. Nemenzo tried to revitalize the General Education Program for the students and improve faculty performance by instituting new faculty development programs and offering new incentives. Nemenzo also saw to the completion of major infrastructure projects, including information technology facilities. The development of Science and Technology (S & T) Parks in UP campuses was realized and leases for university property were reviewed.
The professors are currently refining their work.
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