UP Tacloban celebrates 51st founding anniversary with vow to serve, empower Eastern Visayas communities in journey to become a CU

Philip Jamilla

May 28

(From left to right) UPTC Research Coordinator and Mussel Glycogen Upscaling Project Leader Dr. Rolly Fuentes, DOST Regional Office VIII Supervising Science Research Specialist Dr. Ramil Uy, UPTC Dean Patricia Arinto, UP President Angelo Jimenez, UPTC Associate Dean for Administration Arvin de Veyra, UP Executive Vice President Jose Fernando Alcantara, UP Vice President for Public Affairs Rolando Tolentino, and Brgy. 101 New Kawayan Captain Rafael Manjuyod prepare to bury a time capsule as they break ground for the mussel glycogen production plant in UPTC's future campus in Brgy. Sta. Elena, Tacloban City, Leyte. Photo by Al Nikko John M. Nagutom, UP MPRO.

University of the Philippines (UP) President Angelo Jimenez attended the activities held in celebration of the 51st anniversary of UP Tacloban College (UPTC) on May 23. The celebratory activities were a renewal of UPTC's commitment to serve and empower communities in the Eastern Visayas region as the autonomous college laid down its roadmap towards becoming the ninth constituent university (CU) of the UP System.

UPTC, formerly a campus of UP Visayas, became an autonomous college in 2023, and aims to be elevated to a full UP CU within the next few years.

"We are here to underscore the national university's commitment for further growth and development in UP Tacloban in lockstep with the aspirations of Region 8, and to serve Region 8," Jimenez declared in a press conference with local media.

Jimenez and UPTC Dean Patricia Arinto kickstarted the celebration with the groundbreaking of a mussel glycogen production plant in the future campus of UPTC in Brgy. Sta. Elena, northern Tacloban.

"What we're doing is groundbreaking not only in the literal sense, because we will construct the production plant here, but it's groundbreaking because, in fact, this will be the first in the Philippines," Arinto said.

The plant, the result of innovative UPTC research led by Dr. Rolly Fuentes, is not only expected to upscale the production and commercialization of food-grade and laboratory-grade glycogen extracted from green mussels (Perna viridis) or tahong; it also aims to aid farmers and fisherfolk communities in the area whose tahong harvests may not be sold during harmful algal blooms or red tides.

The future Sta. Elena campus is also envisioned to be a smart and green campus where UPTC's future Science and Technology Park is set to rise.

Jimenez likewise inaugurated new and refurbished facilities in UPTC's city campus, such as the Arts and Sciences Gate, the Campus Development and Maintenance Office, and Supply and Property Management Office Complex, and the College Library.

UP President Angelo Jimenez and UPTC Dean Patricia Arinto face local media to showcase UPTC's vision and accomplishments one year since it became an autonomous unit, and its roadmap towards becoming the ninth constituent university of the UP System. Photo by Al Nikko M. John Nagutom, UP MPRO.

The journey to becoming a constituent university

For the UPTC community, their journey from autonomous college to full-fledged UP CU is not merely in the construction of a new campus or the refurbishment of facilities, but in the realization of UP's thrust towards a transformative education in service of the nation.

During the press conference in the morning, Jimenez and Arinto bared plans to expand UPTC's academic, research, and public service programs, to empower local communities through partnerships with the city and municipal governments throughout Eastern Visayas, and to intensify efforts in cultural preservation and enrichment, as well as sustainable development in the region.

In harmony with the UP System's thrust to make University admissions more inclusive, Jimenez and Arinto also expressed their goal of increasing UPTC's student population by reaching out to potential applicants from underrepresented sectors, and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

"Much is expected of us as a unit. It's taken us a bit of time to be autonomous—and really, we don't have much time to waste because the region needs us to step up and help achieve sustainable regional development," Arinto urged.

Jimenez further underscored the importance of UP's duty to serve the nation as he spoke the UPTC community in a town hall meeting, where he discussed the UP System Strategic Plan 2023-2029.

UPTC Dean Patricia Arinto and UP President Angelo Jimenez lead a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate UPTC's refurbished Arts and Sciences Gate along Sto. Niño Street. Photo by Al Nikko M. John Nagutom, UP MPRO.

Representatives from UPTC's student body, faculty, administrative staff, and REPS also engaged with Jimenez as they shared their sectors' concerns, such as the impending transition to the future Sta. Elena campus, the lack of infrastructure and academic spaces for student organizations, regularization and incentives for workers, issues on academic freedom, as well as efforts and funding to promote culture and the arts.

UPTC Associate Dean for Administration Arvin De Veyra thanked the UP System for its guidance in UPTC's bid to become a constituent university as he pledged the UPTC community's support for Jimenez's flagship programs and his call to fulfill UP's public service mandate.

"The destination is to transform UP Tacloban to become a comprehensive university, catering to the needs of students all over Region 8 and the country, especially those from underrepresented communities. The destination is becoming a more relevant educational institution in the region, actively engaging communities and being a partner of development of our local government units. All this we need to see UP Tacloban as a full-fledged constituent university of the UP System," de Veyra stated.