This 2024, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) celebrates the 77th year of UP presence in Iloilo with a simple opening activity during the 2024 International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) to be held in Arevalo this coming 21 September, together with several volunteer organizations. The UPV Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, a volunteer service program directly under the Office of the Chancellor, and its volunteers will represent UPV during the cleanup.
Chancellor Clement C. Camposano will also announce the opening of the Chancellor’s Awards for Outstanding Performance during the ICC activity, which will mark the start of the submission of nominations. UPV will recognize the awardees in December during the Service Awards as part of the Paskua celebration, an annual Christmas activity of the University.
The Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) is slated to mount an exhibit at the UPV Iloilo City campus, which will highlight UP’s presence in Iloilo over the years.
The UP Iloilo College (UPIC) opened on 01 July 1947 with Dr. Tomas Fonacier as its first dean. Sixteen faculty members were hired to teach the initial preparatory courses offered, which included Pre-Business, Pre-Education, Pre-Engineering, Pre-Law, and Pre-Medicine. There were 222 pioneer students who registered in an integrated curriculum, a distinctive offering back then in the Philippines.
In 1967, UPIC was renamed UP in Iloilo (UPI), which was initiated by Dean Pedro Abelarde. In 1976, during the time of Dr. Dionisia A. Rola’s term as dean, UPI was officially changed to UP College Iloilo (UPCI). On 21 September 1977, President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. signed Presidential Decree 1200, also known as the Philippine Five-Year Development Plan (1978-1982), which identified Region 6 as the site of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV), focused on fisheries and marine sciences education.
Finally, on 22 August 2007, the name UP in the Visayas was changed to UP Visayas by the Board of Regents in its 1223rd meeting.
UP’s presence in Iloilo and the entirety of the region will continue to be felt in the succeeding years as it maintains its commitment to provide relevant instruction, research, and extension programs that will uplift the way of life of people in various communities. The University has worked closely with local government units in support of their various programs on fisheries, health, food safety, and good governance, among others. Empowering local communities through technology and knowledge transfer has made for a more publicly engaged University.
In solidarity with the community, it will continue to offer exceptional public service in the coming years with honor and excellence.
