Yesterday, tens of thousands of UP students, alumni and staff from all the campuses of UP flocked to the kick-off celebration of the university’s centennial year in Diliman. As would any other UP student, I welcomed our hundredth year with much pride. Seeing a great many thousands of fellow iskolars ng bayan marching with their own contingents felt glorious. I, myself, marched with my fellow UP Diliman students in a contingent lead by STAND-UP. In fact, despite my desire to play the role of photographer at the side-line, I eventually found myself at the front-line with a huge “Iskolar ng Bayan” banner. [Photo below, however, is of students from UP Los Banos, with a very apt "Serve the People" banner]

As many of us know (or not), despite its reputation of being a bastion of activism, the University of the Philippines was founded during the American occupation period on a very colonial and pro-government orientation. It was created by the Americans to produce bureaucrats and technocrats to serve the government. True enough, all these decades up until today, the university functions largely to reproduce and to strengthen the prevailing social order. A survey of our past and present political and economic leaders will show that a great many came from UP.

However, it cannot be denied that from this same university also comes forces that seek to change society, and to challenge the many ills of the status quo. Many recall and say that the height of this radical reputation came during the 60′s and 70′s during the Marcos regime. Interestingly, when we were marching, some alumni, who appear to be on their 40′s and 50′s, were cheering us on, and were chanting just the same, as if they were reliving their militant days in UP.

Despite the very minor concern that we might get the ire of some students, our participation is, at the very least, a reminder of our great university’s militant tradition, and as a tribute to all the activists that came before. Moreso, as our alternative slogan goes [Sang(an)daang Taon: Ang UP Patungo sa Sentenaryo ng Tunay na Paglilingkod sa Bayan], it is a resounding call for us to tread the path of genuine service to the people in the next century.

[Topmost photo grabbed from here]