One hundred years ago, a one-of-its-kind university was founded in the Philippines that would later be recognized as the top university in the country, one of the leading universities in asia and the world by international academic standards, and the pride of the Filipino nation.

That institution of higher learning is of course the University of the Philippines, the only national university in the country.

Founded in 1908 through an act of Philippine Legislature, the University provides tertiary-level education in almost every field, from agriculture, medicine and public helath, law, to the natural and social sciences, engineering and the humanities.

UP graduates frequently top the professional board examinations administered by the Philippine Professional Regulation Commission in nearly all professional fields, and its College of law has produced 49 out of the 107 of all topnothcers in the Bar exmaninations administered by the Philippine Supreme Court.

The UP has educated some of the country's most popular political, social leaders, economists, lawyers, medical doctors, creative artists and entrepreneurs.

It has produced seven out of the 14 presidents, 12 chief justices of the Supreme Court, 30 of 31 national scientists and 36 of 56 national artists.

These are some of the 100 facts about the university as it celebrated it centennial year.

Here are the 100 bits of information on UP:

1. The University was established through the delibeartions and discussions of Philippine Commission Bill No. 33 or the "Philippine University Bill" in February 1908. The bill was enacted on June 18, 1908 and printed as Act no. 1870.

2. At the executive session of the Philippine Commission on Octo. 7, 1908, in search for a suitable site fot an "eduactional center' in Manila , Commissioner Benito Legarda offered 100,00 suare meters of land in Sta. Mesa, manila for the University.

Another place "more prominently" mentioned was the Exposition grounds in Ermita, Manila which was a government property that housed the Philippine General Hospital, the Philippine Medical School building, and some other government buildings. However, neither of the two places were chosen. Also taken into consideration was the "Insular property" at the back of the present Manila City Hall. However, it was not big enough to provide room for the Universityand the Philippine Normal School.

Instead, they entered into negotiation for the purchase of a 10-hectare lot located between Calle Isaac Peral and padre Faura "extending westward to the bay as far as Calle San Antonio, now Maria Y. Ororsa".

3. The transaction was considered to be the biggest real estate deal in Manila at that time since the American occupation, which was worth P206,000.00.

FIRST BUILDING
4. The University Hallis the first UP building built on padre faura St. Manila in 1913. It now houses the Department of Justice.

5. The main library orGonzalez hall in UP Diliman was the first building to be constructed on campus as part of the University's transfer to Diliman in 1948.

6. College Folio is one of the first publications in the country and forerunner of the Philippine Collegian. It is also the first student paper in English in the Philippines published in 1910.

7. College Folio sold for 30 centavos which came quarterly from the Colleges of Philosophy, Science and Letters, and Engineering. Its first editor was Victoriano Yamzon.

8. College Folio was revived under the name varsity News on August 2, 1917 with Carlos P. Romulo as first editor-in-chief.

9. The Varsity News was renamed The Philippine Collegian in 1921. Its first editor was Paulino Ybañez.


OLDEST UNIT
10 The College of Medicine is the oldest unit of UP. It antedated UP which was founded in 1908. The college was known then as the Philippine Medical School. The school opened on June 10, 1907, occupying the old structure of the School for the Deaf and Blind on Malecon Drive, now Bonifacio Drive, while its own building n Herran St, now Pedro Gil St., was being constructed. It was a little over three years of independent existence that its control and management was transferred to the UP under the name College of Medicine and Surgery. The name was shortened to College of Medicine.

11. During World War II, UP had to close down most of its colleges. However, the Schools of Dentistry, Forestry and Hygiene, and the Colleges of Agriculture, Medicine, and Veterinary Sciences continue to hold classes.

12. The first president of UP was an American anmed Murray bartlett. He served until April 1, 1915.

13. The First Annual University Commencement was held in 1911 with 10 degress conferred.

14. The first honorary Doctor of Laws degree was given to former Supreme Court Justice Cayetano S. Arellano in 1911.

15. Maria Paz Mendoza, the first Filipino woman doctor, graduated from the College of Medicine and Surgery in 1912.

16. Dr, Maria Paz mendoza-Guazon was the first woman to serve on the Up Board of Regents.

1954 COLLEGIAN EDITOR

17. Manila Bulletin editor-in-chief Crispulo Icban Jr. was the first Philippine Collegian editor in 1954.

18. Ignacio Villamor was the first Filipino UP presidet in 1915. He served until June 7, 1920.

19. Guy Potter Benton was the last American president of UP who served from 1920 to 1923.

20. The cadena de Amor, introduced by Dean of Women Ursula U. Clemente and inspired by the Daisy Chain Rite of Vassar College was first held in 1934 and symbolized the turn over of responsibilities from seniors to juniors. The Cadena de Amor was held in 1968.

21. The first annual Lantern Parade was held in 1934. The tradition is still being observed at the the present.

22. The Oblation, made of cement and painted to look like bronze, was completed by Guillermo Tolentino in 1930s. It was unveiled in 1939 on Padre Faura St.

23. Tolentino's model of the Oblation was Fernando Poe Sr.

24. After World War II, UP re-opened on Padre Faura St. in 1945.

'MOVING SPIRIT'

25. Former UP President Bienvinido M. Gonzalez was the "moving spirit" behind the transfer of of the UP campus to the new site in Diliman, Quezon City.

26. The University transferred to its new 493-hectare campus in Diliman, which took place in Dec. 16, 1948 to jan. 11, 1949.

27. Likewise, the Oblation was transferred to Diliman during Up's 40th anniversary in 1949.

28. On Aug. 1, 1952, the Carillon Tower de Bajo las Campañas was dedicated as memorial to the spirit of the alumni, which was designed by the architect Juan Nakpil. It was the first of its kind to be constructed in the country. The bells, all 46 of them, were made of bronze, cast by Van Bergen Bell, Chimes and Carillon Foundry of Holand in 1952.


'IKOT' in 1955

29. The "Ikot" or trip around the campus jeepney was established in 1955.

30. Th eChapel of the Holy Sacrifice designed by architect Leandro mendoza was inauguarted on Dec. 21, 1955. Other national artists who helped in the construction were painter Vicente Silva Manansala, sculptor Napolean Abuev, and painter Arturo Dimayuga Luz.

More on our website's 2009 edition.