University of the Philippines System

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

University of the Philippines System Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Sistema
Established	1908 (System) 1949 (Campus)
Motto	Honor and Excellence
Type	National University (officially Degree-Granting Unit)
President	Dr. Emerlinda T. Roman
Nickname	UP Fighting Maroons
Students	53, 285
Faculty	4, 135
Staff	10, 044
Campus	11 Campuses 1 Open University 2 Extension Programs 4 Satellite Campuses
Hymn	UP Naming Mahal
Location	Quezon City, Philippines
Website	UP System Home Page

The University of the Philippines is the national university of the country.

Constituent Universities

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

Board of Regents

Presidents of the University of the Philippines

1911-1915 Murray S. Bartlett

1915-1921 Ignacio B. Villamor

1921-1925 Guy Potter Wharton Benton

1925-1933 Rafael V. Palma

1934-1939 Jorge Bocobo

1939-1943 Bienvenido Gonzales

1943-1945 Antonio Sison

1945-1951 Bienvenido Gonzales

1951-1956 Vidal A. Tan

1956-1958 Enrique Virata

1958-1962 Vicente G. Sinco

1962-1968 Carlos P. Romulo

1969-1975 Salvador P. Lopez

1975-1979 Onofre D. Corpuz

1979-1981 Emmanuel V. Soriano

1981-1987 Edgardo J. Angara

1987-1993 Jose V. Abueva

1993-1999 Emil Q. Javier

1999-2005 Francisco Nemenzo, Jr.

2005-present Emerlinda R. Román

At the onset of 1908, there was a clear goal: to establish an institution for higher learning that would provide advance instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and arts, and to give professional, and technical training.

By that time, there were already a number of schools in the country which were set up during Spanish rule, including the University of Santo Tomas, which was initially called the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario when it was established in 1611.

But the decision to establish the University of the Philippines (UP) was to provide "an adequate, secularized, and free" public school system shortly after the defeat of Spain by American forces in 1898, transferring the Philippines to the rule of the US government.

Upon the instructions of then US President William McKinley, free primary instruction was enforced, training the people for the duties of citizenship and avocation. Chaplains, and non-commissioned officers were assigned to teach using English as the medium of instruction. Later, due to the heavy shortage of teachers, the Philippine Commission authorized 509 teachers from the US to enter the country. They were the Thomasites, named after the ship that carried them across the ocean to the archipelago.[1]

With this backdrop, the First Philippine Legislature approved Act. 1870, which established UP in 1908, then called the University of the Philippine Islands. 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 in the Ermita district, and R. Hidalgo in the Quiapo District in Manila, as well as a School of Agriculture in Los Baños in Laguna.The university, under its first president, American Murray S. Bartlett, initially had 67 students.

Following the outbreak of World War II, and the invasion of the Japanese in 1942, the university had to close some of its colleges, while keeping only the Colleges of Medicine, Engineering and Pharmacy operational.

After the war ended in 1946, UP sought a grant of P13 million from the US-Philippines War Damage Commission. The university used the amount for an intensive rehabilitation and construction effort during the postwar years.

On Feb. 12, 1949, a motorcade made its way from Padre Faura all the way to Diliman, Quezon City. The ceremony marked UP’s transfer from its original site in Manila, to its 493-hectare campus in Diliman, which would have more room for the University’s expansion as it fulfilled its role as educator to the nation.

UP currently has more than 53,000 students and more than 4,100 faculty members in 12 campuses and seven constituent universities nationwide. The university takes pride in its academic excellence, outstanding research, and public service. It currently offers a total of 258 undergraduate, and 438 graduate programs.

The university had educated some of the country’s most popular political and social leaders, medical doctors, creative artists, economists, lawyers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs.

The university has been the Alma Mater of 14 Philippine Presidents, and has been home to 32 of the country’s 57 National Artists, 30 out of the 31 National Scientists, and 49 out of the 107 topnotchers of the Bar examinations.

As a state university, UP receives a partial subsidy from the national government. Hence, UP students, and graduates are popularly referred to as "Iskolar ng Bayan" (Scholars of the Nation).

With its liberal policies that allow students to think what they wish, UP also became noted for students and faculty members who promote various political and social causes, as well as positions on pressing national issues.

Students took part in the "Diliman Commune" and the "First Quarter Storm" of the 1960s and ’70s, two protest activities in the campus which echoed the nation’s anger over unceasing government corruption.

UP students have also been active in challenging the status quo, including, protesting against the perceived American influence on Philippine affairs. This is interesting to note, considering that UP was first conceived as an institution of higher learning that would promote American ideals and world-views.

See Also

• University of the Philippines System
• 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, Mindanao
• University of the Philippines in the Visayas
• University of the Philippines, Open University

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, SYSTEM
	Campuses	System BaguioDiliman Los BanosManila Mindanao Visayas Open University
	Extensions	OlongapoPampangaUPSHS-LeyteUPSHS-AuroraCebu CollegeTacloban CollegeUP Philippine General Hospital
	Administration	UP Board of RegentsUP CharterPresidents of the University of the Philippines
	Basic Education	University of the Philippines Integrated SchoolUniversity of the Philippines Rural High SchoolUniversity of the Philippines Iloilo High SchoolUniversity of the Philippines Cebu High School
	UP Life	RGEPOblation PlazaUP Naming MahalUP College Admission TestUP CentennialOverheard at UP