UPLB
Renames Its Streets
If you’re coming over for a quick
visit to UPLB any tine you’ll see something new on campus. Street names have been changed. They have been renamed after old alumni –
those who have gone on to the next dimension.
This, however, isn’t really a new thing, though. Still, I was pleasantly surprised when I
began seeing those new street names during the last couple of weeks.
Yesterday, I decided to pay a visit to
the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development to find out how
the changes in street names came about.
On the steps going up the UPLB Admin Bldg, I ran into UPLB Chancellor
Rex Victor Cruz. Yes, there was no
better person to ask than the Chancellor himself. We had a quick exchange of information right
on the steps.
Chancellor Cruz informed me that the
naming of UPLB Streets was not a unilateral action on his part. In fact, he said, this project started way
back during the term of Chancellor Rey Velasco.
This effort was part of the System project of renaming buildings and
streets under the System Centennial Program of former UP President Emer Roman. The initial effort at UPLB began in
2008. There was a Committee to study the
renaming of UPLB Streets. It was decided
that the streets be renamed after old Alumni of UPCA, hence you’ll find names
like Victoria M. Ella Street (from the Main Gate to the 
east, formerly Silangan
Street), Jose R. Velasco Street (from the Gate to the West and going up until
the UPCO Housing Area, formerly Kanluran Street), Andres P. Aglibut Street
(from engineering all the way to intersect with JR Velasco across from the
Church Among the Palms), Gen. Romeo
Espino Street (from Baker Hall to YMCA Dorm), Mariano Mondoñedo Street (from the Animal
Science Compound to the UPLB Auditorium), Domingo M. Lantican Street (from JR
Velasco near the Library moving all the way up to the College of Forestry and
natural Resources), and so on and so forth.
I have no problem with renaming the
streets after well known alumni. For
example, Professor Victoria M. Ella was the first Filipina plant pathologist, Professor
Andres F. Aglibut was known as the “father” of Philippine agricultural
engineering, Gen. Romeo Espenio, a member of the UP Vanguards, was the first and,
so far, only ROTC graduate to become Chief of Staff of the AFP, and, of course,
who doesn’t know Dr. Domingo M. Lantican, long-time Dean of the College of
Forestry, and former UPLB Vice Chancellor for Administration and, for a time,
Chancellor of UPLB.
Streets in the compound of the College
of Veterinary Medicine were renamed after known pioneers of the UP College of
Veterinary Medicine. Streets in the College of Forestry, after
known alumni of the College of Forestry.
In my conversation with UPLB Chancellor
Cruz, I learned that the renaming of the UPLB Streets was approved by the UP
Board of Regents sometime back.
Chancellor Cruz was telling me that when the signs began going up, there
were people commenting “What’s this?
We’ve made many unilateral decisions in the past, are we still doing so?” Chancellor Cruz explained that the project
didn’t originate from him. In fact, when
he came in the BOR had already approved the proposal to rename streets and
buildings at UPLB.
Chancellor Cruz said that they’re now
preparing to rename major buildings on the UPLB campus. I understand that the names also have been
approved by the BOR. One of the popular
buildings on campus that now exhibit a new name is the Continuing Education Center,
which is now called the Obdulia F. Sison Hall, a known extension expert and the
first woman summa cum laude graduate
of UPCA and UP itself. Question is, what
happens to some buildings already sporting names of known alumni and past UPLB
administrators?
I don’t know if those current building
names will be retained, but one thing is sure, there’s an existing BOR-approved
policy of renaming buildings after deceased individuals; that buildings or
streets can’t be renamed after living individuals, except naming of a building
after the individual who provided at least 50% of the funds to construct the
building. Now, if this is followed, does
it mean that the building tentatively called the Rural Development and Environment
Center under construction with funds provided from the PDF of former Senator
Migz Zubiri be named Migz Zubiri Hall?
Well, Zubiri is UPLB alumnus (Bachelor of Agribusiness Management), and
UPOU alumnus (Master in Environment and Natural Resources Management), and he’s
still very much alive. In fact, he’s
running again for the Senate.
The Chancellor mentioned to me that
there seems to be a little problem changing the name of the Alumni Plaza to
Manuel L. Roxas Plaza. Apparently, there
are many alumni asking why Roxas? Well,
Manuel L. Roxas is one of the first three graduates of UPCA, which is fine by
me, although it doesn’t sound as if the name is representative of all UPLB
alumni. Besides, what happens with the
names of the two other guys? In past
UPLB Loyalty Day celebrations, all names of the three first UPCA graduates have
been normally announced to the public.
Apparently, there’s a continuing
dialogue on this one to determine what might be done to resolve the issue. If renaming of buildings and streets is based
on specific criteria that have been approved by the community, why should there
be any problem at all? Question is, what
was the process that was followed?
I was not invited to voice my personal
opinion in the meetings of the Committee that discussed the renaming of UPLB
streets and buildings (frankly, I don’t think I have the K to be invited in
such discussion), but I certainly would be interested to know how the name of
the current College of Development Communication building has been arrived at. As far as
I know only one past professor has died (and he wasn’t an alumnus) and
all alumni are still alive.
***
Speaking of buildings on the UPLB
Campus, there’s one rising in front of the YMCA dormitory. Its’ the YMCA Centennial Condominium building. It’s a big one. People say, it’s also expensive. By the way, the case of the YMCA Dormitory
has never ceased amazing me. As far as I
know, the lot on which the YMCA Dorm stands has a titled to it, and it’s owned
by the YMCA, a private organization. Now,
that intrigues me because we have here a private property right in the middle
of a public land. How about the right of
way? And I miss understanding the logic
here.
***
In the past I have already commented
on the current conditions of UPLB buildings – all in various stages of
disrepair. Most buildings are
dilapidated. I wonder if it’s possible
to undertake a massive renovation project for UPLB. To me, it’s not only buildings that need to
be renovated; some curricular programs need to be reconstructed --
reconceptualized. I leave that to the
younger administrators, academics, and institutional planners of UPLB.
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