I myself is a graduate of the premier state university and I dearly miss my college a lot. The days when brewing ideas clash with personal perspectives. Liberty was our battlecry and being “iskolars ng bayan” we did fight for our right to be educated fair and square. Yeah, I am a UP alumnus, but not in this campus, but down south.
I had a chance to take my summer courses in UP Diliman in 2004. Called by some of our professors as “Imperial Diliman,” this is the flagship campus of the University of the Philippines, the country’s premiere state university, after they’ve transfered majority of their schools from the old Manila campus (still houses College of Medicine, College of Nursing and others) sometime after World War II.
The first thing you’ll ever encounter in every UP campus is the symbol of “the iskolars ng bayan”, the Oblation. Well, we were taught once that it is a symbol of the “isko’s” selfless service and sacrifice towards humanity and his countrymen. Popularly they’ve said that Oblé as we call it, was the father of the late movie actor Fernando Poe Jr., but some it was believed to be that of a certain Fernando (?) Caido…more or less still it was an obra maestra of Guillermo Tolentino. The original statue is now housed at the Main Library (at the 4th floor ba yun, its in the Institute of Library Sciences).
The campus is popular among the Sunday health buffs as it is one of Metro Manila’s last bunch of greeneries. The temperatures are said to drop here by at least 2 degrees celcius as compared to the surrounding communities due to abundance of trees, especially the acacia trees that line up Acad Oval.
The major buildings here such as Quezon Hall (Administration Bldg), Main Library, Palma Hall (CAS) & Melchor Hall (Engineering) exhibits a post-war “international style” architecture. Malcolm Hall (home of UP Law School) exhibits its European architecture…nakuw, if we discuss architecture here it would take another post as the campus itself exhibits varying styles.
The famous Sunken Garden, where sports and concerts collide. This ground becomes a dustbowl during UP fair. Most of the outdoor activities of the school are being done here. Sarap din tumambay kung minsan. It was notorious/famous before for being the “lover’s lane” (now it was transferred to “The Lagoon” yet wala na daw wild lover’s lane ngayon).
I had my share in loitering the Vinzon’s Hall and the Philippine Collegian office where my colleagues at student publication base themselves. I had my chances to stay at one of their dorms, Yakal Residence Hall, which (no offense to Diliman peeps) is so left unkempt for centuries as compared to the dorms of UP VIsayas! No wonder the UP D
iliman people would complain that they are being deprived by the government in maintenance…the popular cry back then (or maybe until now) “Increase State Subsidy” by the activists.
I had my chance to listen to the carillion bells which were being played few times during my two months stay there. And yet, the best way to get around of the humongous campus is thru the UP Ikot jeepneys.
It’s been 2 years since I worn the sablay (UP’s equivalent to the graduation toga/hat), I frequently pass by UP Diliman. The atmosphere of the passionate dreams and ideas of the young students still gives this distinct feeling over the campus. Yeah, I’m a proud Maroon. I wouldn’t prefer to sulk and remember my college days, but I have to learn from what my alma mater gave me in preparation for life outside of the halls of the verdant and the passionate red. Isang Daang taon na po tayo Iskolars ng Bayan!
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