Welcome Freshies!

You are joining the university on its second academic year of remote learning. This means we are not able to welcome you physically and show you around your UP Diliman campus. In the meantime, we have to meet through online platforms and use learning management systems—but this doesn’t mean that you are missing out on the essence of a UP education.

Your experience is still being challenged by the disruptions of this pandemic, but there are valuable lessons to be gained even beyond this crisis. I hope that your stay here in UP will show you how your education takes place not only during class hours or in front of your devices, but that it’s very much alive everywhere on campus, particularly in your interactions with other people, may that be virtual or otherwise.

Take advantage of opportunities for learning and immerse yourselves in the UP experience. While this pandemic has definitely changed the way we learn and engage with others, your UP lives need not be limited to your screens and course requirements. Join organizations, pursue other interests, mingle with others safely, especially those outside your discipline and comfort zones.

More importantly, I encourage you to get involved in concerns outside your own education. This pandemic has proven how much our country can benefit from not just great minds to solve its problems, but compassionate leaders and members of society who can reach out to one another. Because as UP students, you are ultimately shaped to live by the core values of service to the people and to the nation.

Sa gitna ng mga hamon na patuloy nating pinagdadaanan, inaasahan naming mananatili kayong tapat sa pagiging Iskolar ng Bayan, Iskolar para sa Bayan, na handang magbahagi ng kaalaman, kasanayan at panahon para sa kabutihan ng nakararami.

I hope to see you all soon. Congratulations and welcome to UP Diliman!