University of the Philippines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of the Philippines

Unibersidad ng Pilipinas
Latin: Universitas Philippinensis
Motto	“Honor, Excellence, Service”
Type	Public coeducational non-profit research higher education institution and national university system
Established	June 18, 1908 (June 18, 1908)
Academic affiliations	Association of Pacific Rim Universities Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning ASEAN University Network ASEAN-European University Network
Budget	₱24.392 billion (US$ 477 million) (2022)
Chairman	J. Prospero E. De Vera III
President	Angelo Jimenez
Academic staff	4,172 (2022)
Students	64,144 (2022)
Undergraduates	44,861 (2022)
Postgraduates	19,283 (2022)
Other students	2,757 (basic level) (2022)
Location	Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines (main campus) 14°40′N 121°04′E / 14.667°N 121.067°E / 14.667; 121.067
Campus	Multiple sites, 26,304.5416 ha (64,999.938 acres)
Alma Mater song	"U.P. Naming Mahal" ("U.P. Beloved")
Colors	Maroon and green
Nickname	Fighting Maroons
Sporting affiliations	UAAP
Mascot	Oble
UP Naming Mahal
Choral version arranged by Nhick Pacis and performed by the UP Concert Chorus file help

The University of the Philippines (UP) is a large public university system in the Philippines. It is known as the country's national university. This means it has a special role in education, as set by a law called the UP Charter of 2008.

UP was started on June 18, 1908, by the American government at that time. Its goal was to offer advanced learning in many subjects. These included literature, philosophy, sciences, and arts. It also aimed to provide professional training for students. Anyone could join, no matter their age, gender, or beliefs.

Today, the UP system has 8 main universities and 1 special college. These are spread across 17 campuses. UP Diliman is the main campus.

Many people consider UP the best university system in the Philippines. Its former students include a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Seven Philippine presidents also studied here. Many national scientists and artists are also UP alumni. UP has produced more senators and representatives than any other university. Thousands of doctors, engineers, and teachers have graduated from UP. It has the most "National Centers of Excellence" in the country. This means many of its programs are top-notch.

History of the University of the Philippines

UP Baguio campus

UP Diliman's Quezon Hall

The main gate of UP Los Baños

The Philippine General Hospital in UP Manila

The Administration Building at UP Mindanao

UP Visayas in Iloilo City

Early Years: 1900s–1940s

The University of the Philippines began on June 18, 1908. It was created by a law called the "University Act." This law said the university would teach advanced subjects. It would also train students for jobs.

Before the main university opened, the Philippine Medical School started in 1905. It became part of UP later. Early UP colleges were in Manila. These included Fine Arts and Liberal Arts. The School of Agriculture was in Los Baños, Laguna. Later, the College of Law and College of Engineering opened in Manila.

The university needed more space. So, it bought a large piece of land in Diliman, Quezon City. Building the Quezon City campus started in 1939.

During World War II, most UP colleges closed. Only Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering stayed open. The Japanese army used some buildings on the Diliman campus. After the war, UP got money to rebuild. A big plan for the Diliman campus was made in 1949. Many new buildings were constructed.

In February 1949, UP's main offices moved from Manila to Diliman. The famous U.P. Oblation statue also moved there. This made Diliman the central campus.

Growth and Changes: 1950s–1960s

In the 1950s, UP added new courses and departments. A big change was the General Education (G.E.) Program in 1959. This program made sure all students took core subjects. These subjects were taught in the College of Liberal Arts. This college was then reorganized into a University College. It offered the basic courses for the first two years of study.

Many new institutes and colleges were also created. These included the Institute of Public Administration (1952) and the Asian Studies Institute (1955). The College of Home Economics also opened in 1961.

More new centers were founded in the 1960s. These included the Population Institute (1964) and the Institute of Mass Communication (1965). The Computer Center also started in 1966.

Martial Law Era and Decentralization

During the time of Martial Law, UP leaders worked to protect the university's freedom. They wanted to keep its focus on education. UP President Salvador P. Lopez allowed more people to help make decisions. He also reorganized UP into the "U.P. System." During this period, UP Diliman was sometimes called the Diliman Republic.

In 1972, the Los Baños campus became an independent unit. It got its own leader, called a chancellor. The government also gave UP money for new buildings. This helped build facilities for Business Administration and Zoology.

Later, U.P. Manila and U.P. Visayas also became independent units. New research centers were also set up. These included the Third World Studies Center (1977) and the National Engineering Center (1978).

In 1983, U.P. Diliman officially became an independent unit. The College of Arts and Sciences was split into three separate colleges. These were the College of Science, the College of Arts and Letters, and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

Modern Era: 1980s to 1990s

In 1987, UP President José Abueva started the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program (STFAP). This program helped students from lower-income families. He also made Filipino the official language policy in the university.

Later, President Emil Javier helped create U.P. Mindanao and the U.P. Open University in 1995. President Francisco Nemenzo introduced the Revitalized General Education Program (RGEP). This program gave students more choices for their general education subjects. He also gave more rewards for research by UP teachers.

President Emerlinda Roman led a big fundraising effort. This was to improve the university's services and facilities.

Centennial Celebration

On January 8, 2008, UP started celebrating its 100th birthday. The event began with a torch relay. A 100-year-old alumnus and a 6th-grader carried torches. They lit the Centennial Cauldron at Quezon Hall. The cauldron has three pillars for UP's core values. It also has seven flowers for the seven main universities.

The central bank of the Philippines made special ₱100 bills. These bills celebrated UP's 100th year.

UP Charter of 2008

The UP Charter of 2008 became law on April 29, 2008. This law made UP the national university of the Philippines. It gave UP more freedom and money to do its job. This new charter helps UP compete with other universities.

UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub

The UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub was built near the Diliman campus. It opened in 2008. This complex has buildings for technology and IT companies. It helps create jobs and connects the university with industries.

New Logo and Motto

On May 14, 2024, UP got a new logo and motto. The new motto is “Honor, Excellence, Service.”

Campuses and Colleges

The University of the Philippines has eight main universities. These are called constituent universities (CUs). They are located in 15 campuses across the country.

UP Diliman is the largest campus. It offers the most courses. In 2011, UP received land in Bonifacio Global City. This land is for UP Diliman's professional schools.

Each main university has a leader called a chancellor. The Board of Regents chooses the chancellor for a three-year term. A chancellor can be chosen again for another term.

Autonomous College: UP Tacloban

On April 27, 2023, UP Tacloban became an independent college. Before this, it was part of UP Visayas. This change helps UP Tacloban better serve the Eastern Visayas Region. It might become a full university within the UP system in the future.

Satellite Campuses

These campuses are extensions of their main universities. They do not have their own independent status.

• UP Diliman:

* UPD Bonifacio Global City Professional Schools (Taguig City) * UPD Extension Program in Olongapo (Olongapo City) * UPD Extension Program in Pampanga (Clark Freeport Zone)

• UP Los Baños:

* UPLB Professional School for Agriculture and the Environment (Panabo City)

• UP Manila:

* UPM School of Health Sciences in Baler (Baler, Aurora) * UPM School of Health Sciences in Koronadal (Koronadal City) * UPM School of Health Sciences in Palo (Palo, Leyte) * UPM School of Health Sciences in Tarlac (Tarlac City)

• UP Visayas:

* UPV Iloilo City Campus (Iloilo City)

• UP Open University:

* Seven learning centers across the country

Basic Education Schools

UP also has schools for younger students:

• University of the Philippines High School Cebu (in UP Cebu)
• University of the Philippines High School Iloilo (in UP Visayas)
• University of the Philippines Integrated School (in UP Diliman)
• University of the Philippines Rural High School (in UP Los Baños)

How UP is Organized

Presidents of the University of the Philippines

The President of the University of the Philippines is chosen for a six-year term. The university's Board of Regents makes this decision. As of 2023, 22 people have served as UP President.

The current president is Angelo Jimenez. He started his term on February 10, 2023.

Board of Regents: UP's Decision-Makers

The Board of Regents (BOR) is the highest decision-making group for the UP system. It has 11 members.

The head of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) leads the Board. The President of the University of the Philippines is the co-leader. Important members from the Senate and House of Representatives are also on the Board.

Students, teachers, and alumni also have representatives on the Board. The President of the Philippines appoints other members.

As of 2023, here are some of the Board members:

Academics at UP

The Main Library (Gonzalez Hall) in UP Diliman

The University of the Philippines offers many degree programs. It has 246 undergraduate programs and 362 graduate programs. This is more than any other university in the country.

UP Diliman offers the most programs. Other campuses are known for special subjects. For example, Los Baños is strong in agriculture. Manila is known for health sciences.

UP has 4,571 teachers. Many of them have advanced degrees. UP is part of important university networks in Asia and Europe.

University Budget

UP has the most money set aside for education in the Philippines. In 2008, the government gave UP ₱5.7 billion. However, the university spent ₱7.2 billion that year. This means it spent about ₱135,000 per student. State universities often face budget cuts. In 2019, UP asked for ₱44.9 billion but received only ₱15.5 billion.

Rankings and Reputation

UP is consistently ranked as the top university in the Philippines.

In 2020, UP was ranked 65th in Asia by Times Higher Education. It was 69th in Asia by QS Asia University Rankings for 2021. It is the highest-ranked Philippine university in these lists. In Southeast Asia, UP is among the top universities.

UP also ranks well in specific subjects worldwide. For example, it is 51-100th in Development Studies. It is also highly ranked in English Language, Geography, and Politics.

A study from 1991 to 2001 showed that U.P. Diliman, U.P. Los Baños, and U.P. Manila had the best passing rates in national exams.

General Education Program

The General Education (G.E.) Program started in 1959. It makes sure all undergraduate students take core courses. The current program is called the Revitalized General Education Program (RGEP). It was approved in 2001.

The RGEP lets students choose G.E. subjects from three areas. These are Arts and Humanities, Math, Science, and Technology, and Social Sciences and Philosophy. This program has led to unique courses in different campuses.

Library System

UP's library system has the largest collections in the Philippines. It has many books and journals on agriculture, medicine, and animal science. It also has a special collection of Filipino materials.

The main library was built in Manila in 1922. It was one of the best in Asia. But during World War II, most of its books were destroyed. The librarian, Gabriel Bernardo, rebuilt the library in Diliman. UP was also a pioneer in teaching library science in the country.

Admissions and Financial Help

How to Get In: Undergraduate Admissions

Getting into UP's undergraduate programs is very competitive. Over 70,000 students take the entrance exam each year. Only about 11,000 are accepted. This means only about 18% of applicants get in.

Admission depends on your score on the UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test). It also considers your high school grades. Sometimes, a program has a limited number of slots. UP also has a "Policy of Democratization." This aims to make sure students from all backgrounds can join.

Socialized Tuition System (STS)

The Socialized Tuition System (STS) helps students pay for their education. It is also called the “Iskolar ng Bayan" Program. This program started in 1987. It helps students from low-income families.

The STS has four parts: Subsidized Education, Socialized Tuition, Scholarships, and Student Assistantships. It aims to give more students tuition help and better financial support.

Culture and Traditions

University Symbols

UP Maroon and UP Forest Green are the official university colors of UP

UP's official colors are maroon and forest green. Maroon stands for the fight for freedom. It is named after a Jamaican tribe that fought for their freedom. The colors are mentioned in the university's hymn:

Luntian at pula, Sagisag magpakailanman....

In 2004, UP registered its seal and the Oblation statue. This was to protect them from being used without permission. The centennial logo for UP's 100th year had the Oblation, the sablay, and a map of the Philippines.

Official Seal

The official seal of the University of the Philippines is its main symbol. It is used on official documents. The current seal was approved in 1913. It comes in one color or full color, using maroon and forest green. The seal was registered in 2006 to protect it.

The bald eagle on the seal holds a shield. The shield has a lamp, a cogwheel, a volcano, and a coconut tree. These symbols represent science, medicine, engineering, and agriculture. UP is proud of these fields. Some people mistakenly think the bird is a parrot. But it is an eagle, inspired by the seals of Manila and the United States.

Many UP universities have their own seals now. These seals often use elements from the main UP seal.

U.P. Naming Mahal: The University Hymn

U.P. Naming Mahal (U.P. Our Beloved) is the university's official song. The music was written by Nicanor Abelardo, a famous Filipino musician. The original music was too high, so it was adjusted.

The English words for the hymn came from a poem by Teogenes Velez. The Filipino version is a mix of different entries from a contest.

Lyrics of the Hymn

Sablay: The Graduation Sash

Sablay, a ceremonial sash worn by graduates in the Philippines

UP graduates wear a special sash called the "Sablay." It is like the sashes worn in Scandinavian universities. The Sablay has the university's initials in Baybayin script. It also has designs from Filipino ethnic groups.

Graduates usually wear the Sablay over a white dress or a traditional Filipino shirt called a barong Tagalog. They wear it on their right shoulder. After their degree is given, they move the Sablay to their left shoulder. This is similar to moving the tassel on a graduation cap.

Famous People from UP

Many famous people have graduated from the University of the Philippines. These include leaders, artists, and scientists.

UP has produced several former Philippine presidents. These include José P. Laurel. Many senators, like Lorenzo Tañada and Ninoy Aquino, also studied at UP. The 14th Vice President, Leni Robredo, is also a UP alumna.

In business, Jorge L. Araneta, a billionaire, is a UP graduate. Antonio Quirino, who started the first TV station in the Philippines, also went to UP. Marla Rausch, who founded an animation company, is another notable alumna.

In 2021, Maria Ressa, a UP alumna, won the Nobel Peace Prize. She was the first Filipina to receive this award.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Filipinas para niños

• DZUP 1602
• Higher Education In The Philippines