Ruby memories

The University of the Philippines was a preview of greater things to come when the Ruby Class enrolled in 1958.

By then, UP Diliman was 10 years old with leafy acacia trees already lining the Academic Oval. The quonset huts left by former war-time occupants had been replaced by new buildings and dormitories. The UP faculty, however, continued to happily reside in sawali cottages in garden lots.

The initially controversial Carillon Tower had become a beloved landmark, its musical bells tingling music in the fresh Quezon City air. The UP Parish Church of the Holy Sacrifice, designed by Lindy Locsin, with its stunning Way of the Cross murals by Manansala, was now four years while the multi-denominational Church of the Risen Lord stood across the street. Both provided a spiritual haven from the campus hubbub.

It was a peaceful kingdom that Guillermo’s iconic Oblation stretched his arms over, greeting visitors as they passed through the Napoleon Abueva-designed slant-roofed gate. In 1958, the UP had its ninth president, Vicente Sinco. It was Sinco who introduced the General Education Program, which all students were required to take during their first two years in school. Also emphasized in the following years was research in the social and natural sciences and in technology, and extension services that made available the faculty’s professional expertise to government agencies.

Memories

For many members of the Ruby Class that will attend the grand reunion of UP alumni this June 15, this broadening of academic functions to involve not only teaching but a more active participation in local and national concerns was significant. Equally important were the celebration of old traditions such as the Lantern Parade every December as well as the short-lived Euthenics class, which were supposed to polish or teach social graces to female students.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, who lists his present position as "government employee", recalls "the huge storage of books at the main library, fraternity initiations and the Lantern Parade" among his UP memories.

Elena Palafox-Yu and Carmelita Abaquin both ended up as nurses, with Abaquin scoring 100% in the Nursing Board exams.

"UP taught me to be competitive, assertive, and able to work wherever, whenever," said Palafox-Yu, a chief nurse who helped develop the UP-Philippine General Hospital Cooperative To that, Abaquin, who currently teaches at the UP-Manila College of Nursing, added: "UP’s holistic perspective in life brought out my love of country and service to country."

Eunice Vargas, a BSBA degree holder who is currently secretary-treasurer of a glass company, remembers dancing the boogie in school socials and going to the UP chapel after taking tests.

UP’s strict professors and classmates who came from different provinces are among the memories of Felipe Nazario, the only Filipino geologist at the Oman Ministry of Petroleum Minerals from 1991 to 1993. Nazario has since turned entrepreneur and is now engaged in soft drink distribution.

One of the out-of-towners was Florido Casuela, who founded the Asingan Micro Credit Corp. after his retirement as president of Land Bank of the Philippines. Casuela, who is currently a senior adviser of the Bangko Sentral for the rehabilitation of the Philippine National Bank, cited UP’s academic freedom.

"UP gave us a wide latitude to teach ourselves and to discover our potential," said Edwin Acoba, who keeps busy with his work in agricultural extension and in assisting communities to be productive in their farms.

Such memories will become more precious when these are shared with other fellow UP alumni.