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NATIONAL CITY, Calif. -- University of the Philippines (UP) president, Dr. Emerlinda Roman will join the local alumni association in San Diego to celebrate the 100th founding anniversary of the Philippines’ premier state university.
Plans are underway to hold the UP Centennial Celebration on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the Anchors Catering and Conference Center, U.S. Naval Base, Yama Street corner Main Street, San Diego, CA 92113. Aside from Dr. Emerlinda Roman’s inspirational address to the alumni and their friends, a mini-concert will be presented by the Prof. Ramon “Montet” Acoymo, a tenor par excellence and Dean of the U.P. Conservatory of Music, for everyone’s enjoyment.
Florfina “Boodgie” Arce, president of UPAA San Diego said, “We are honored to have no less than the president of the University of the Philippines as our guest of honor during our centennial celebration. I hope all UP alumni residing in San Diego will attend.”
This special occasion will be an opportunity for the alumni to raise funds and to give back to their alma mater through the UP Centennial Fund Campaign.
Since its founding in 1908, the University of the Philippines has evolved into a nation-wide system of seven constituent universities which are home to 36 centers of excellence and 16 centers of development. As the only national university in the country, UP offers 246 undergraduate degrees and 362 graduate degrees and is at the forefront of research and development with ten times as many international publications as other Philippine universities. Graduates of U.P. dominate licensure exams in virtually all disciplines. The alumni have distinguished themselves as leaders in their respective fields.
This is markedly true in San Diego where most of the trail blazers in various fields are graduates of the University of the Philippines. Cited on several occasions are Dr. Lolita Dinoso Carter, founder of the Samahan Dance Company, Cecilia Lopez, pioneer in nutrition services for seniors, Dr. Ofelia Dirige, co-founder of the Kalusugan Community Services, Rita Buencamino Andrews, founder of the City of San Diego Filipino American Employees Association and current president of the Council of Philippine American Organizations of San Diego County, Inc., Susan delos Santos, publisher and marketing director of The Filipino Press, Sim and Gennie Silverio, owners and publishers of the Asian Journal, Dr. Juanita Santos Nacu, founder of Project Heart-to-Heart, Dr. Zeny Garcia Oades in the field of medical research, Dr. Juanita Caccam, founder of the UPAA of San Diego, Philip Pinpin, the first Filipino in the insurance business to be a Hall of Fame awardee, Winlove A. Cudal, first Filipino member of the California Senior Legislature, Rufino “Pie” Roque, multi-awarded hotel owner and business entrepreneur, Conrad and Emi Bautista, real estate business owners, Dr. Irineo Tiangco in the field of medicine, Dina Barros Ellorin in the field of environmental health, and many others who have made a difference in the San Diego community.
In 2008, UP will enter a new century. The journey will be complicated by the rapid pace of digital and scientific breakthroughs in a world becoming increasingly borderless and a diminishing government subsidy which imposes constraints on the full pursuit of U.P.’s academic projects.
Hopefully, the local alumni will be able to contribute to the UP Centennial Fund to augment the University’s income so that UP may become a truly national university as envisioned by President Emerlinda Roman, and takes its rightful place in the international academic community.
The celebration of the UP Centennial in San Diego is geared towards the attainment of the above goals. Those interested to attend the celebration may call (619) 941-1318 or (619) 470-6024. (ASC)
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