Unibersidad ng Pilipinas
200px Seal
Latin: Universitas Philippinarum
Motto	Honor and Excellence
Established	18 June 1908
Type	National, Research university
Endowment	PH₱ 5.55 billion or US$ 132 million (for 2011)[1][2]
President	Alfredo E. Pascual, MBA
Academic staff	4,571 (36% with Master's; 26% with Doctoral)[3]
Admin. staff	6,491 non-medical 3,553 medical (PGH) [4]
Students	52,405 (system-wide for 2011-2012)[3]
Undergraduates	41,991 (system-wide)
Location	Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Campus	7 Universities in 11 Campuses and 1 Virtual Campus (Open University)
Hymn	U.P. Naming Mahal (U.P. Beloved)
Colors	U.P. Maroon and U.P. Forest Green
Nickname	Fighting Maroons
Mascot	U.P. Oblation
Affiliations	Association of Pacific Rim Universities ASEAN-European University Network ASEAN University Network University Athletic Association of the Philippines Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning
Website	up.edu.ph

The University of the Philippines (Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino, commonly abbreviated as U.P. and colloquially referred to as Peyups) is the national university of the Philippines.^[5][6] Founded in 1908 through Act No. 1870 of the First Philippine Legislature, known as the "University Act" by authority of the United States, the University currently provides the largest number of degree programs in the country.^[5] Senate Resolution No. 276 of the Senate of the Philippines recognizes the University as "the nation’s premier university".^[7][8][9]

Seven (7) of fifteen (15) Philippine Presidents have attended courses in the University either as undergraduates or as postgraduate students, while 12 Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, 36 out of the 57 National Artists and 34 out of the 35 National Scientists are affiliated with the University.^[5][7][10]

U.P. has the most National Centers of Excellence and Development among higher education institutions in the country^[11] and one of only three schools in Asia that have received institutional recognition in the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.^[12]

U.P. is partly subsidized by the Philippine government.^[13] Students of the university and its graduates are referred to as “[Mga] Iskolar ng Bayan” (“Scholars of the Nation”).^[14] This makes admission into the University extremely competitive. In 2006, about 70,000 applicants flocked to test centers to take the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for undergraduate admission. Around 11,000 of the applicants were admitted for the year 2006, an acceptance rate of about 18% for the whole of the U.P. System.^[15]

The 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.^[16][17]

The year 2008 was proclaimed as the "U.P. Centennial Year" and the years 1998-2008 as the "University of the Philippines Decade."^[18][19] The U.P. System is ranked as the top university in the country by the QS World University Rankings.^[20]

History[link]

Diliman, the flagship campus of the U.P. system

Visayas (Iloilo Campus)

The University of the Philippines was established on June 18, 1908 as an act of the First Philippine Legislature. Act No. 1870, otherwise known as the "University Act", 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.^[21]

The University began with the establishment of the Philippine Medical School (later incorporated into the University as the College of Medicine and Surgery) in 1905, which started operating in 1907, a year ahead of the rest of the U.P. System. Together with the College of Fine Arts and the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Medicine occupied buildings distributed along Padre Faura Street (Ermita district) and R. Hidalgo Street (Quiapo district) in Manila, while the School of Agriculture was in Los Baños, Laguna. A few years later, 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, Laguna. 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 in the province of Rizal. Construction of the new campus began in 1939.

During World War II, most of its colleges had to be closed 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 (now Malcolm Hall) and Business Administration Building. U.P. President Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez sought a grant of ₱ 13 million from the US-Philippines War Damage Commission. A massive rehabilitation and construction effort was executed during the post war years. For the first time, an extensive Diliman campus master plan and map were created in 1949. More buildings were 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 and now the College of Music), 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 pentium dual core and galvanized geforce iron.

During U.P.'s 40th anniversary in February 1949, central administrative offices of U.P. were moved from Manila to Diliman together with the transfer of the U.P. Oblation. Administrative offices 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, new academic units and degree programs were established. 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 then College of Liberal Arts. As a result, U.P. 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 U.P. President 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 Communication, 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. During that period of activism, U.P. Diliman was called the Diliman Republic and elements of the police and the Metrocom stormed the campus during Martial Law. In November 1972, the Los Baños campus was the first to be declared an autonomous unit under a chancellor. A ₱ 150 million grant from the national budget boosted U.P.'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.

U.P. President 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 in 1983. In the same spirit, a U.P. Extension Program in Olongapo was also established in 1984.

Edgardo Angara's Diamond Jubilee project raised ₱ 80 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 (CS), the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP).

As the flagship campus, U.P. Diliman led the rest of the units. 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 U.P. Administration, the campus was not immediately constituted after 1972 although it was administered, along with the Manila unit prior to the organization of the Health Sciences Center, as a de facto university.

U.P. President Jose Abueva introduced the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program (STFAP) in 1987. Abueva also institutionalized a Filipino language policy within the university. U.P. President Emil Javier established the creation of U.P. Mindanao at Silicon Gulf, Southern Mindanao, and the U.P. Open University in 1995. U.P. 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.

U.P. President Emerlinda Roman, from the College of Business Administration (CBA), has led a Centennial Campaign Fund to upgrade the university’s services and facilities. Her term of office has been noted for the ascension of several key professors from the CBA to positions of power within the university. Notable among them is U.P. Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, Assistant Vice President for Planning and Development, Prof. Arthur S. Cayanan, Director of the U.P. System Budget Office, Prof. Joselito G. Florendo, Dr. Lina J. Valcarcel Executive Director, U.P. Provident Fund, Inc. and U.P Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Gerardo B. Agulto.

Centennial celebration[link]

U.P. Diliman Corps Commander Ronald Cardema (left) and then Commission on Higher Education chair Romulo Neri (right) assist former University of the Philippines President Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman as she descends from the staircase that led to the lighting of the Centennial Flame during the kickoff of the U.P. Centennial Celebration at the Oblation Plaza, Quezon Hall.

On January 8, 2008, the University of the Philippines began its centennial celebration. The opening ceremony featured a 100-torch relay^[22] to light the eternal flame on the Centennial Cauldron at Quezon Hall. Torches were carried by, among others, Fernando Javier, 100, of Baguio City, the oldest U.P. alumnus (Civil Engineering from University of the Philippines Manila, 1933), a 6th-grader from the University of the Philippines Integrated School in U.P. Diliman and U.P. President Emerlinda Roman, the first woman president of the university.^[23] The Centennial Cauldron features three pillars to represent the three core values, and seven flowers representing the seven constituent universities, i.e. U.P. Manila, U.P. Diliman (together with U.P. Pampanga, its extension campus), U.P. Los Baños, U.P. Baguio, U.P. Visayas, U.P. Mindanao, and U.P. Open University.^[24]

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and U.P. issued commemorative ₱ 100 U.P. Centennial notes at the BSP Security Plant Complex in Quezon City. The notes appear as four-outs (four uncut pieces) in a folder featuring the signatures of all U.P. presidents including Roman.^[25]

Inspired by the U.P. Oblation, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) launched an art exhibit, "100 Nudes/100 Years" featuring the works of nine (9) U.P. alumni national artists.^[26]

U.P.A.A. 2008 centennial yearbook[link]

The University of the Philippines Alumni Association announced its launching of a three-volume U.P.A.A. 2008 Centennial Yearbook on June 21, 2008 at the U.P.A.A. Grand Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion at the Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City. The theme is “U.P. Alumni: Excellence, Leadership and Service in the Next 100 Years,” with the three cover designs showing the works of National Artists Napoleon Abueva, Abdul Imao, and BenCab, respectively. Chief Justice Reynato Puno is the Yearbook's most distinguished alumnus awardee (among 46 other awardees).^[27]

U.P. Charter of 2008[link]

The U.P. Charter of 2008, Republic Act No. 9500, was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo into law on April 29, 2008, at the U.P. Library Conference Hall in Lahug, Cebu. It aims "to provide both institutional and fiscal autonomy to U.P., specifically, to protect student's democratic access and strengthen administration through the recognition of U.P. System's Board of Regents and U.P. Council."^[28] The new charter declared U.P. as the Philippines' national university, giving it "the enhanced capability to fulfill its mission and spread the benefits of knowledge."^[29] The new charter will help improve its competitiveness. The newly crowned “national university” however, needs ₱ 3.6 billion to be at par with other universities in the region.^[30]

UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub[link]

The centennial ₱ 6 billion, 20 hectares (49 acres) UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub, a complex of low-rise buildings along Commonwealth Avenue, within the 37.5 hectares (93 acres) of the U.P. North Science and Technology Park, was constructed on February 16, 2006, and inaugurated on November 22, 2008. It was developed by the Ayala Land Property company into an information technology and IT-enabled services community to host business process outsourcing (BPO) and technology firms.^[31][32]

Constituent Universities[link]

At present, the University of the Philippines System is composed of seven (7) constituent universities (CU) located in 12 campuses around the country.

On September 24, 2010, the U.P. Board of Regents approved the elevation of the status of U.P. Visayas Cebu College as an autonomous unit, in preparation for its constituent university status in the next five to seven years.^[33]

U.P. Diliman is the flagship campus of the university and offers the most number of courses. On July 19, 2011, the BCDA (Bases Conversion Development Authority) donated to U.P. a 4,300-square meter (1 acre) lot at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig for the U.P. Professional Schools, which will initially include the College of Law, College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, School of Statistics and the U.P. Open University.^[34]

Each constituent university of U.P. 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.

Satellite Campuses[link]

The satellite campuses of the different constituent universities of the University of the Philippines do not have autonomous status. They are considered extension colleges of their mother unit. However, the Commission on Higher Education considers these campuses as separate units (HEIs) of the UP System.

• University of the Philippines Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga
• University of the Philippines Diliman Extension Program in Olongapo
• University of the Philippines Cebu College
• University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College
• University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences in Leyte
• University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences in Aurora
• University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences in Koronadal City, South Cotabato

Basic education[link]

• University of the Philippines Rural High School in U.P. Los Baños
• University of the Philippines Integrated School in U.P. Diliman
• University of the Philippines Visayas – Cebu High School
• University of the Philippines Visayas – Iloilo High School

Organization[link]

Presidents of the University of the Philippines[link]

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.^[6] As of 2011, two Americans and 17 Filipinos served as President of the University of the Philippines.

The current president of U.P. is Hon. Alfredo E. Pascual, MBA, a former Infrastructure Finance Director at the Asian Development Bank and Professor of Financial Management at the Asian Institute of Management. Just before he was appointed as U.P. President, he served as President of the U.P. Alumni Association and as Alumni Regent on the Board of Regents. Pascual assumed his office, replacing the outgoing President Dr. Emerlinda Roman, on February 10, 2011, and his six-year term expires in 2017.

Board of Regents[link]

The governance of the University is vested in the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines System (or Lupon ng mga Rehente in Filipino) and commonly abbreviated as BOR.^[6] The board, with its 12 members, is the highest decision-making body of the U.P. system.

The Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) serves as the Board's Chairperson while the President of the University of the Philippines is the Co-Chairperson. The Chairpersons of the Committees of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives are members of the U.P. Board of Regents which are concurrent with their functions as committee chairpersons.^[6]

U.P. 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. A Staff Regent, representing professional and administrative personnel, was included with the passage of the new U.P. Charter in 2008. The remaining members of the Board of Regents are nominated into the position by the President of the Philippines.

As of 2010, the members of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines System are:^[38]:

The Secretary of the University and the Board of Regents is Dr. Lilian A. de las Llagas, Professor of Parasitology in the Department of Parasitology at the College of Public Health, U.P. Manila.

Academics[link]

The Main Library (Gonzalez Hall) in U.P. Diliman

The University of the Philippines System offers 248 undergraduate degree programs and 409 graduate degree programs, more than any other university in the country.^[3] The flagship campus in Diliman offers the largest number of degree programs, and other campuses are known to lead and specialize in specific programs.^[39] 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.^[40] The College of Public Health at the Manila campus has a collaboration with Boston University School of Public Health. This program allows students from Boston University to do a semester of coursework at U.P. Manila as well as an international field practicum in the Philippines. The University has 4,571 faculty, trained locally and abroad with 36% having graduate degrees.^[4][41] The University is one of the three 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.^[42][43]

Budget[link]

The University has the highest financial endowment of all educational institutions in the Philippines. In 2008, the entire U.P. System received a financial subsidy from the national government of ₱ 5.7 billion. The total expenditure for the same year, however, is ₱ 7.2 billion, or approximately ₱ 135,000 per student.^[44] In the recent budget deliberations for 2011, the University will be slashed ₱ 1.3 billion of its total budget due to austerity and re-allotment.

Rankings[link]

The University was ranked 62nd in the 2011 QS Asian University Rankings, the highest ranked Philippine university. It was ranked 332nd (2011), 314th (2010), 262nd (2009), 276th (2008), 398th (2007), and 299th (2006) in the QS World University Rankings. In the Asiaweek's Best Universities in Asia last published in 2000, it was ranked 48th.^[41][45][46] In 2006, the University, through President Emerlinda R. Roman, has expressed that it does not want to participate in the THES Ranking, but was included in 2007, 2008, and 2009 with an incomplete academic profile.^[41] In the national rankings based on cumulative data from 1991-2001 of average passing rates in all courses of all Philippine colleges and universities in the licensure examinations, U.P. Diliman, U.P. Los Baños and U.P. Manila emerged as numbers one, two and three respectively.^[47] The study was done by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Commission on Higher Education.

General education program[link]

The General Education Program, was introduced in 1959 and formed core courses prescribed for all students at the undergraduate level. The 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.^[48] It has 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, Geography 1^[49] (Places and Landscapes in a Changing World) in Diliman, and History 3 (History of Philippine Ethnic Minorities) in Baguio.

Library system[link]

The University library system contains the largest collections of agricultural, medical, veterinary and animal science materials in the Philippines.^[50][51][52] The library system has a collection of Filipiniana material, serials and journals in both electronic and physical forms and UPIANA materials in its archives. It also has a collection of documents of student, political, and religious organizations advocating political, economic, and social changes during the Marcos administration in the Diliman library.^[53]

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.^[54]

The 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.^[55] 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.^[56] 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.^[57]

Admissions and financial aid[link]

Undergraduate admissions[link]

Being a state university, "selection is based on intellectual and personal preparedness of the applicant irrespective of sex, religious belief and political affiliation."^[58] 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 admission rate of about 18%.^[15][59] Admission to a program is usually based on the result of the UPCAT, University Predicted Grade (UPG), 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 U.P. studentry more representative of the nation's population."^[39] The UPCAT also allows students to enter Intarmed, the University's accelerated 7-year medicine curriculum, one of the 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.^[39]

Socialized tuition and financial assistance program[link]

The Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (also referred to as the “Iskolar ng Bayan” Program) (STFAP) was implemented in response to the increase in tuition in 1989.^[13] 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 Filipino students.^[60] The STFAP is divided into four basic components; Subsidized Education, Socialized Tuition, Scholarships and Student Assistantships. In the 1989 STFAP, income groups are divided into nine brackets, with one having the full benefits.^[60] 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.^[61]

The Revised STFAP reduces the brackets from nine (9) to five (5), and will supposedly increase the number of students receiving tuition subsidy and increase stipend rates and coverage.^[13] 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.^[62]

Culture, sports and traditions[link]

University Symbols[link]

Maroon and Green are the official colors of U.P.

The University's colors are maroon and forest 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.^[63] The colors are also immortalized in the University's hymn;

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.^[64] The centennial logo was used in visual materials and presentations of the centennial activities and events of the University. The logo, which was designed by Ringer Manalang, is composed of the Oblation, the sablay and a highlighted Philippine map.^[65][66]

Official Seal[link]

The Seal of the University of the Philippines is the official device used by the university as its official symbol and mark for its legal and public documents and publications. The current seal in use was approved by the Board of Regents on February 25, 1913 during its 77th Meeting.^[67][68] It has two versions: a one-color and a full-color version, using the prescribed tones of Maroon and Forest Green, the official colors of the University as set by the University Brand Book released in 2007. The seal was registered in the Philippine Intellectual Property Office and was approved in the year 2006 to prevent unauthorized use in time for U.P.'s Centennial Celebration in 2008.

The Bald Eagle ^[67][68] in the official seal holds a shield that carries a lamp, a cogwheel and; a volcano and tree (sometimes rendered erroneously as a star and the planet Saturn). These symbols represent science and medicine, engineering and agriculture respectively. Until today, the University takes pride in these three areas of knowledge as these degree programs in U.P. are acknowledged as Centers of Excellence in the Philippines by the Commission on Higher Education. A myth persists that the bird in the seal is in fact, a parrot, as stated in some Freshmen orientation materials. The University's varsity team was also once called the Parrots, adding to the confusion about the species of the bird in question. An explanation for the use of the eagle in the seal is that it was derived from the coat of arms of the City of Manila and the Great Seal of the United States of America.^[68]

Starting with the reorganization of the U.P. System in 1972, in order to signify their newly gained autonomy and specialization, most constituent universities of the System have adopted their own seals. These logos are either variations of the official seal, by changing the colors and adding elements, or are entirely new designs. These are sometimes used in place of the official University seal in official documents, such as transcripts and markers. Distinct seals or logos are sometimes produced, such as those for the U.P. System and UPLB Centennial Celebrations. A notable use of the System seal can be seen in the official seal of the U.P. Alumni Association, which features the Oblation, the Diliman Carillon, the Bahay ng Alumni facade and the University seal in its entirety.

U.P. Naming Mahal[link]

U.P. Naming Mahal, or U.P. Our Beloved, is the University's hymn. The melody for the song was written by Nicanor Abelardo, an alumnus and former faculty member of the U.P. College of Music. Abelardo is considered to be one of the Philippines' greatest musicians. Because of the original scale of the hymn in B flat major, which is too high for the usual voice, U.P. Conservatory of Music (now U.P. College of Music) professors Hilarion Rubio and Tomas Aguirre reset the music in G major.

The English lyrics (entitled as "U.P. Beloved") was taken from a poem by Teogenes Velez, a Liberal Arts student. The translation to Filipino was a composite from seven entries in a contest held by the University. The judges did not find any of the seven translations as fully satisfactory.

Sablay[link]

The University uses 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 Baybayin script and running geometric motifs of indigenous Philippine ethnic groups. It is traditionally worn over a white or ecru dress for females or an ecru barong Tagalog and black pants for males, although there has been instances wherein the Sablay is worn over other indigenous clothing.^[69] 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.^[70]

U.P. ROTC[link]

Vanguard Ferdinand Marcos, 1937, leading the U.P. Vanguard Fraternity Homecoming Parade at the U.P. Sunken Garden

The University of the Philippines ROTC Unit is the pioneer of the Reserve Officer Training Corps in the Philippines. It was the idea of Field Marshal Douglas MacArthur. With the activation of the U.P. ROTC Unit in 1912, several State and Private Universities-Colleges soon followed, activating ROTC units under the Army of the Philippine Commonwealth.

Although the Philippines had no significant military involvement during World War I, the conflagration made the Philippine Government realize the need for a good reserve force of able-bodied Filipinos trained in the art of war. With the formal organization of the U.P. DMST on March 17, 1922, military drill was superseded by the term "military science and tactics".

Military training in the University of the Philippines started at the old Padre Faura Campus when it was made a required subject for all able-bodied male students in all colleges, institutes, and schools of the University. During the early years after its inception, military training in the University was mainly an infantry unit. After a few years, specialized units were established that made U.P. ROTC distinct for its military proficiency. U.P. produced precision FA Gunners through its Field Artillery Unit. Another distinguished U.P. ROTC Unit is the Rayadillo Honor Guard Battalion. It was created by Carlos P. Romulo (U.P.ROTC/U.P. Vanguard Class 1918) during his term as U.P. President. The Rayadillo unit is famous for its patriotic Katipunero uniforms, silent drill exhibitions, arrival honors and formal military ceremonies rendered for visiting foreign heads of states and military officers.^[71]

Notable alumni[link]

• See List of University of the Philippines people

Notes and references[link]

External links[link]

• University of the Philippines System
• The University Act - Act No. 1870 providing for the founding and organization of the University of the Philippines
• University of the Philippines Charter of 2008 - Republic Act No. 9500 declaring the University of the Philippines as the national university

v t e Philippine National Universities and Colleges University of the Philippines • Polytechnic University of the Philippines • Philippine Normal University • Technological University of the Philippines • Philippine Merchant Marine Academy • Philippine Military Academy • Philippine National Police Academy • Philippine State College of Aeronautics

Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa[1] ("For God, People, Nature, and Country")
Anthem:  Lupang Hinirang
Capital		Manila[2] 14°35′N 121°0′E / 14.583°N 121°E / 14.583; 121
Largest city		Quezon City
Official language(s)		Filipino (Tagalog) English
Recognised regional languages		Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Pampango, Pangasinense, Tagalog, Waray[3]
Optional languagesa		Spanish and Arabic[4]
National language		Filipino
Ethnic groups		30.1 % Visayans 28.1 % Tagalog 10.1 % Ilocano 9.1 % Moro 6.9 % Bicolano 3.3 % Kapampangan 1.75 % Pangasinense 1.30 % indigenous and non-indigenous.
Demonym		Filipino
Government		Unitary presidential constitutional republic
-	President	Benigno Aquino III (LP)
-	Vice President	Jejomar Binay (PDP-Laban)
-	Senate President	Juan Ponce Enrile (PMP)
-	House Speaker	Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. (LP)
-	Supreme Court Chief Justice	Vacant
Legislature		Congress
-	Upper house	Senate
-	Lower house	House of Representatives
Independence		from Spainb from United States
-	Established	April 27, 1565
-	Declared	June 12, 1898
-	Self-government	March 24, 1934
-	Recognized	July 4, 1946
-	Current constitution	February 2, 1987
Area
-	Land	299,764 km2 [3](73rd) 115,831 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.61%[5] (inland waters)
Population
-	2010 census	92,337,852[6]
-	Density	308.0/km2 (43rd) 797.2/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$390.408 billion[7]
-	Per capita	$4,073[7]
GDP (nominal)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$213.129 billion[7]
-	Per capita	$2,223[7]
Gini (2006)		45.8[5] (medium) (44th)
HDI (2011)		0.644[8] (medium) (112th)
Currency		Peso (Filipino: piso) ₱ (PHP)
Time zone		PST (UTC+8)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+8)
Drives on the		right[9]
Internet TLD		.ph
Calling code		+63
1	^a The 1987 Philippine constitution specifies, "Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis."
2	^b Philippine revolutionaries declared independence from Spain on June 12, 1898, but the Spanish claim of sovereignty was passed from Spain to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. This led to the Philippine–American War.
3	^c Rankings above were taken from associated Wikipedia pages as of October 2010 and may be based on data or data sources other than those appearing here.

The Philippines ⁱ/ˈfɪlɨpiːnz/ FI-lə-peenz (Filipino: Pilipinas [ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas) is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.

With an estimated population of about 98 million people^[10], the Philippines is the 7th most populated Asian country and the 12th most populated country in the world. An additional 12.5 million Filipinos live overseas.^[11] Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic societies. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences which remain to this day.

The Philippines has been part of several empires: the Spanish Empire during the age of Imperialism, the United States after the Spanish-American War of 1898, and the Japanese Empire during World War II, until the official Philippine independence in 1945.

The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventual colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in the Philippines in 1565 and consolidated Spanish rule in the islands, which remained a colony of Spain for more than 300 years.

Manila became the Asian hub of the Manila–Acapulco galleon fleet. Christianity was widely adopted. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the Philippine Revolution, which spawned the short-lived First Philippine Republic; the Spanish-American War; and the Philippine–American War. In the aftermath, the United States emerged as the dominant power. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and a stronger affinity for Western culture. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "people power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.

Etymology[link]

The name Philippines is derived from that of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos during his expedition in 1542 named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias. Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago. Before it became commonplace, other names such as Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands San Lázaro were also used by the Spanish to refer to the islands.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

The official name of the Philippines has changed several times in the course of the country's history. During the Philippine Revolution, the Malolos Congress proclaimed the establishment of the República Filipina or the Philippine Republic. From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine–American War until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the Spanish name. During the American period the name Philippines began to appear and it has since become the country's common name.^[17] Since independence the official name of the country has been the Republic of the Philippines.

History[link]

A page from the Boxer Codex. Left, is a general from the Rajahnate of Butuan and to the right is a princess of Tondo.

The metatarsal of Callao Man is reported to have been reliably dated by uranium-series dating to 67,000 years ago^[18] thereby replacing the Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon-dated to around 24,000 years ago^[19][20] as the oldest human remains found in the archipelago. Negritos were among the archipelago's earliest inhabitants but their appearance in the Philippines has not been reliably dated.^[21] There are several opposing theories regarding the origins of ancient Filipinos. F. Landa Jocano theorizes that the ancestors of the Filipinos evolved locally. Wilhelm Solheim's Island Origin Theory^[22] postulates that the peopling of the archipelago transpired via trade networks originating in the antediluvian Sundaland area around 48000 to 5000 BCE rather than by wide-scale migration. The Austronesian Expansion Theory states that Malayo-Polynesians coming from Taiwan began migrating to the Philippines around 4000 BCE, displacing earlier arrivals.^[23][24] Whatever the case, by 1000 BCE the inhabitants of the archipelago had developed into four kinds of social groups: hunter-gathering tribes, warrior societies, petty plutocracies, and maritime-centered harbor principalities.^[25]

Trade between the maritime-oriented peoples and other Asian countries during the subsequent period brought influences from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. During this time there was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine Archipelago. Instead, the islands were divided among competing thalassocracies ruled by various datus, rajahs, or sultans. These thalassocracies were composed of autonomous barangays which were independent to or allied with larger nations. Among them were the kingdoms of Maynila, Namayan, and Tondo, the confederation of Madyaas, the state of Ma-i, the rajahnates of Butuan and Cebu, and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu.^{[26][27][28][29]} Some of these societies were part of the Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit, and Brunei.^[30][31] Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia.^[32] By the 15th century, Islam was established in the Sulu Archipelago and by 1565 had reached Mindanao, the Visayas, and Luzon.^[33]

Ferdinand Magellan, the first European colonizer who claimed the Philippines for Spain

In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain.^[34] Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, after dealing with the local royal families in the wake of the Tondo Conspiracy and defeating the Chinese pirate warlord Limahong, the Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.^[35][36]

Spanish rule contributed significantly to bringing political unity to the archipelago. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and then was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican War of Independence. The Manila galleons linking Manila to Acapulco traveled once or twice a year between the 16th and 19th centuries. Trade introduced foods such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, and pineapples from the Americas.^[36] Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity and founded schools, a university, and hospitals. While a Spanish decree introduced free public schooling in 1863, efforts in mass public education mainly came to fruition during the American period.^[37]

During its rule, the Spanish fought off various indigenous revolts and several external colonial challenges from Chinese pirates, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. In an extension of the fighting of the Seven Years' War, British forces under the command of Brigadier General William Draper and Rear-Admiral Samuel Cornish briefly occupied Manila. They found local allies like Diego and Gabriela Silang who took the opportunity to lead a revolt, but Spanish rule was eventually restored following the 1763 Treaty of Paris.^[32][38][39]

In the 19th century, Philippine ports were opened to world trade and shifts were occurring within Philippine society. Many Spaniards born in the Philippines (criollos) and those of mixed ancestry (mestizos) became wealthy. The influx of Spanish and Latino settlers secularized churches and opened up government positions traditionally held by Spaniards born in the Iberian Peninsula (peninsulares). The ideals of revolution also began to spread through the islands. Criollo dissatisfaction resulted in the revolt in Cavite El Viejo in 1872 that was a precursor to the Philippine Revolution.^{[32][40][41][42][43]}

José Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce: leaders of the Propaganda Movement

Revolutionary sentiments were stoked in 1872 after three priests—Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza)—were accused of sedition by colonial authorities and executed.^[40][41] This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. Rizal was eventually executed on December 30, 1896, on charges of rebellion.^[44] As attempts at reform were meeting with resistance, Andrés Bonifacio in 1892 established the secret society called the Katipunan, a society along the lines of the freemasons, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt.^[42] Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution and Emilio Aguinaldo took over. In 1898, the Spanish-American War began in Cuba and reached the Philippines. Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 and the First Philippine Republic was established the following year. Meanwhile, the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States for US$20 million in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.^[45] As it became increasingly clear the United States would not recognize the First Philippine Republic, the Philippine–American War broke out. It ended with American control over the islands which were then administered as an insular area.^[46]

In 1935, the Philippines was granted Commonwealth status. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when the Japanese Empire invaded and established a puppet government. Many atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war such as the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre that culminated during the Battle of Manila.^[47] Allied troops defeated the Japanese in 1945. By the end of the war it is estimated over a million Filipinos had died.^[48]

On July 4, 1946, the Philippines attained its independence.^[5] Immediately after World War II, the Philippines faced a number of challenges. The country had to be rebuilt from the ravages of war. It also had to come to terms with Japanese collaborators. Meanwhile, disgruntled remnants of the Hukbalahap communist rebel army that had previously fought against and resisted the Japanese continued to roam the rural regions. This threat to the government was dealt with by Secretary of National Defense and later President Ramon Magsaysay, but sporadic cases of communist insurgency continued to flare up long afterward.^[49][50] In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected president. Nearing the end of his second term and constitutionally barred from seeking a third, he declared martial law on September 21, 1972. By using political divisions, the tension of the Cold War, and the specter of communist rebellion and Islamic insurgency as justifications, he governed by decree.^[51]

A statue of the Virgin Mary built at the EDSA Shrine after the People Power Revolution

On August 21, 1983, Marcos' chief rival opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. ignored warnings and returned from exile in the United States. He was assassinated as he was taken off the plane at the Manila International Airport (now called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his memory). With political pressure building, Marcos eventually called for snap presidential elections in 1986.^[49] Corazon Aquino, Benigno's widow, was persuaded to become the presidential candidate and standard bearer of the opposition. The elections were widely considered rigged when Marcos was proclaimed the winner. This led to the People Power Revolution, instigated when two long-time Marcos allies—Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos and Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile—resigned and barricaded themselves in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. Exhorted by the Cardinal Archbishop of Manila Jaime Sin, people gathered in support of the rebel leaders and protested on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA). In the face of mass protests and military defections, Marcos and his allies fled to Hawaii and into exile. Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.^[50][52]

The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a persistent communist insurgency, and Islamic separatists. The economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected president in 1992.^[53] However, the economic improvements were negated with the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. In 2001, amid charges of corruption and a stalled impeachment process, Ramos' successor Joseph Estrada was ousted from the presidency by the 2001 EDSA Revolution and replaced by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Her administration that lasted 9 years was tied with graft and corruption and numerous political scandals.^[54][55][56] As a result of the May 2010 elections, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III was elected president.

Politics and government[link]

Benigno S. Aquino III, the current and 15th president of the Republic of the Philippines

The Philippines has a democratic government.^[57] It is a constitutional republic with a presidential system. It is governed as a unitary state with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which is largely free from the national government. The President functions as both head of state and head of government and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president is elected by popular vote for a single six-year term, during which he or she appoints and presides over the cabinet.^[3]

The bicameral Congress is composed of the Senate, serving as the upper house, with members elected to a six-year term, and the House of Representatives, serving as the lower house, with members elected to a three-year term. The senators are elected at large while the representatives are elected from both legislative districts and through sectoral representation.^[3]

The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice as its presiding officer and fourteen associate justices, all of whom are appointed by the President from nominations submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.^[3]

There have been attempts to change the government to a federal, unicameral, or parliamentary government since the Ramos administration.^[58][59]

Security and defense[link]

Philippine defense is handled by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and is composed of three branches: the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). Civilian security is handled by Philippine National Police under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the largest separatist organization, the Moro National Liberation Front, is now engaging the government politically. Other more militant groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the communist New People's Army, and the Abu Sayyaf still roam the provinces, but their presence has decreased in recent years due to successful security provided by the Philippine government.^[60][61]

The Philippines has been an ally of the United States since World War II. A mutual defense treaty between the two countries was signed in 1951. The Philippines supported American policies during the Cold War and participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars. It was a member of the now dissolved SEATO, a group that was intended to serve a role similar to NATO and that included Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.^[62] After the start of the War on Terror, the Philippines was part of the coalition that gave support to the United States in Iraq.^[63] The United States designated the country a major non-NATO ally. The Philippines is currently working to end its domestic insurgency with help from the United States.

International relations[link]

The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., United States.

The Philippines' international relations are based on trade with other nations and the well-being of the 11 million overseas Filipinos living outside the country.^[64] As a founding and active member of the United Nations, the Philippines has been elected several times into the Security Council. Carlos P. Romulo was a former President of the United Nations General Assembly. The country is an active participant in the Human Rights Council as well as in peacekeeping missions, particularly in East Timor.^{[65][66][67][68]}

In addition to membership in the United Nations, the country is also a founding and active member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), an organization designed to strengthen relations and promote economic and cultural growth among states in the Southeast Asian region.^[69] It has hosted several summits and is an active contributor to the direction and policies of the bloc.^[70] The relations it currently enjoys with other Southeast Asian states are in contrast to its relations with them before the 1970s when it was at war with Vietnam and was heavily disputing Sabah with Malaysia; although, disagreements continue to exist due to the Spratly Islands.^[71]

The Philippines values its relations with the United States.^[64] It supported the United States during the Cold War and the War on Terror and is a major non-NATO ally. Despite this history of goodwill, controversies related to the presence of the now former U.S. military bases in Subic Bay and Clark and the current Visiting Forces Agreement have flared up from time to time.^[64] Japan, the biggest contributor of official development assistance to the country,^[72] is thought of as a friend. Although historical tensions still exist on issues such as the plight of comfort women much of the animosity inspired by memories of World War II have faded.^[73]

Relations with other nations are generally positive. Shared democratic values ease relations with Western and European countries while similar economic concerns help in relations with other developing countries. Historical ties and cultural similarities also serve as a bridge in relations with Spain and Latin America. Despite issues such as domestic abuse and war affecting overseas Filipino workers and obstacles posed by Islamic insurgency in Mindanao, relations with Middle Eastern countries (including Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) are friendly as seen in the continuous employment of more than two million overseas Filipinos living there.

With communism no longer the threat it once was, once hostile relations in the 1950s between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China have improved greatly. Issues involving Taiwan, the Spratly Islands, and concerns of expanding Chinese influence, however, still encourage a degree of carefulness.^[73] Recent foreign policy has been mostly about economic relations with its Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific neighbors.^[64]

The Philippines is a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Latin Union, the Group of 24, and the Non-Aligned Movement.^[3] It is also seeking to strengthen relations with Islamic countries by campaigning for observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.^[74][75]

Administrative divisions[link]

The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. As of March 2010^[update], these were divided into 17 regions, 80 provinces, 138 cities, 1,496 municipalities, and 42,025 barangays.^[76] In addition, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the definition of the territorial sea around the Philippine archipelago does not affect the claim over Sabah.^[77]