UP Centennial: "The next century has just begun"

Since I am practically stuck with the upcoming issue of the PJR Reports, I wasn't able to go to last night's opening ceremonies for the year-long centennial celebration of the University of the Philippines. Yes, yes, I know. All day long, especially towards the afternoon, fellow Iskos and Iskas -- dear friends some of which I haven't seen for a long time -- sent me messages (through phone, Friendster, Twitter, Yahoo messenger, what have you) asking me if I'm going. Well. At least I still have 364 more days to make it up for it.

Here's a blog entry on last night's activity from Malaya reporter and proud UP Los Baños alumnus Anthony Ian Cruz aka Tonyo:

Oblation rocks as UP kicks off centennial celebration
By Anthony Ian Cruz
Malaya
January 9, 2008

TENS of thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of the Philippines kicked off yesterday the national university’s year-long centennial celebration with a parade, a torch relay, a 100-gun salute and a concert by alumni.

Contingents from UP campuses in Manila, Los Baños, Mindanao, Pampanga and Baguio, and the Open University marched through University Avenue and around the Academic Oval.

A helicopter from the Air Force, flown by alumni, showered confetti on parade participants and onlookers.

One of the most applauded parade contingents was from the UP Diliman-based College of Fine Arts.

Read more here.

The centennial theme, according to a site UP provided for the centennial celebration, is: "UP: Excellence, Service, and Leadership in the Next 100 Years". "(The) kinetic dash into the next century involves rationalizing UP’s program offerings, strengthening its position as the leading research university, firming up its science and technology programs, and developing a community of scholars with academic credentials comparable to their counterparts in the best universities in the world," the site explained. "For UP, the next century has just begun." For more about the UP centennial theme, read more here. For complete news about the year-long celebration, visit the UP centennial website. An explanation of the centennial logo (photo above) can also be read there.

Below is a photo album posted in Youtube by user baniaguirre on the UP Carillon Tower before and after restoration (with new bells installed) in time for the 2008 UP Centennial.