THE University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao will mark its 20th anniversary next month.
UP Mindanao public relations officer Rene Estremera, speaking during the recent Kapehan sa Dabaw, said that the month-long celebration will commence on February 2 which will be the UP Fiesta wherein their milestones exhibit will be opened to the public together with various presentations open to the public.
With the theme: “Ika-baynte saulugon! UPMin, Padayon!” the highlight events, according to Estremera, are the Science for Society Symposium with Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Amelia P. Guevara as keynote speaker on the 16th; Grand Alumni Homecoming on the 21st; and the UP Alumni Association: Oblation Plaza Project on the 28th.
For the Oblation Plaza Project, Lawyer Glenn Sorila, head of publicity committee, also in the same event, said that their main purpose is to spread “awareness” by gathering 1,000 alumni who would help in building the plaza.
“The oblation symbolizes openness, symbolizes selflessness, symbolizes service to others so 20 years na ang UP Mindanao and we want to bring awareness to other areas in the Philippines that there is a University of the Philippines in Mindanao,” Sorila said.
“The oblation in the UP Mindanao campus has been erected in 2011, however, the plaza around it is not really finished and so the plan is to make an inner ring made out of pavers, made out of recycled materials and cement,” head of UPAA Oblation project Dr. Roberto Puentespina Jr., said.
“It’s a green architecture plan for a plaza wherein alumni and visitors in our city will be able to enjoy to be looking at a very beautiful work of art,” Puentespina added.
With a P4 million budget, he said that they are targeting to finish Oblation plaza before May 2015.