Threat of defunding UP.

 BREAKING: From the official page of Governor Jonvic Remulla 

“HONOR AND EXCELLENCE”

“Matatapang, matatalino,

Walang takot kahit kanino,

Hindi, hindi, magpapahuli,

Ganyan kaming mga taga UP…”

- UP Pep Squad

I've lived a very privileged life.  

Apat kaming lalaki sa pamilya ang nag De La Salle para sa elementarya; Ateneo de Manila sa sekondarya at UP Diliman nag-kolehiyo.

Ang aking mga magulang ay nag-aral sa UP. Pito kaming magkakapatid na nag-aral at nagtapos sa UP. Anim sa pito naming mga napangasawa ay produkto rin ng UP. Ang aking tatlong anak ay kasalukuyang nasa UP din.  

In other words: Diehard UP family kaming mga Remulla.

Akala ng karamihan, ang UP ay pugad ng puro mga “tibak” o aktibista. Malayo po sa katotohanan yun. I, for example, was furthest away from being an activist. Elitista pa nga ang tingin sa akin noong araw.  

Ako po ay sumali sa Upsilon Sigma Phi Fraternity na kinikilala sa UP bilang isang “soshal” na kapatiran. Naging Pangulo naman ako ng AIESEC-UP na kilala rin bilang paboritong tambayan ng mga may kaya. Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat, UP ang nagturo sa akin ng napakaraming leksyon para harapin ang totoo at praktikal na buhay.

UP taught me to be street smart and to be grounded.

Marami sa mga kasabay ko ay naging tanyag sa larangan ng pulitika. Ka-batch ko noon sila Kiko Pangilinan, Senator Migz Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Pia Cayetano at si Grace Poe. 

Naroon din po sina Governor Chiz Escudero, Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano, Vic Yap, Bondoc, Quimbo, Romulo, Romualdez, Fuentabella, Belmonte at Gasataya. 

Di ko man ka-batch at mas bata po ako sa kanila pero UP din galing sina Congresswoman Loren Legarda, Franklin Drilon, Dick Gordon, Senator Imee R. Marcos and Cynthia A. Villar.

Marami din taga-UP ang namundok at naging mga komunista. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko sila kilala o na-encounter man lang noong panahon ko sa Diliman. Di nila ako type.

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Dear President Rody Duterte:

I pray that you reconsider the threat of defunding UP. It has 24,000 students many of which will contribute to society, the same way as the leaders we have today. Surely their dissent is loud and noticeable but you have to understand: That is the beauty of the University. It brings together great minds and imbeds in them a burning spirit wanting the country to be their version of a better and most progressive society. 

They may be considered as “radicals” but 99% of them are well aware that the fire in their spirit which made them seek change burns brighter as they face the burdens of leadership.  

I believe that UP produces the BEST and the BRIGHTEST. It also produces the most radical, the most “woke” and the most creative. 

It remains one of the few bastions of critical thinking and liberalism not just in the country, but in the world. 

That said, the Philippines needs UP. UP also needs the Philippines.

I am forever indebted to the University of the Philippines. 

The institution made me a better person. It made me want a better Philippines."

#GoCavite