UP Through Years of    Education, Struggle    and Making History

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   Isang Daan

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Just as the grammatically-challenged theme song “UP Ang Galing Mo” cannot fully embody the University of the Philippines's celebration of its one hundred years of meaningful existence and tradition of excellence, no single phrase can sufficiently describe the eighty-six years of tradition and reputation of one of its most important institutions, the Philippine Collegian.

One of the few weekly student publications in the country and considered as one of the most prestigious given its history, the Collegian or Kulę has been recognized as an exemplar of the kind of journalism that does not just passively observe the issues of the day but actively participates in them, with social critique and change as its thrust.

The Collegian traces its roots from the College Folio which was first published in 1910. In 1917, the Varsity News replaced the College Folio with Carlos Romulo as its editor. Eventually, in 1922, the Philippine Collegian was born with Wenceslao Vinzons as the first editor in chief.

Former editors and staff of the Collegian would distinguish themselves in different fields like art, business, journalism, literature and even politics. Some, however, chose the path of anonymity and joined the struggle for national democracy in the countryside.

Regarded by some as the soul of the University, the Collegian stands as a steadfast sentinel of academic freedom. In the 1950s, when nationalist ideals were deemed as communist threats, it fiercely fought for academic freedom and rallied the students to protect their rights. The Collegian also serves as a symbol of press freedom. Under the repressive Marcos regime, its radical content contended with those of the state-controlled mouthpieces. It published what the mainstream newspapers could not publish. Today, the Collegian operates without the intervention of a faculty adviser and, unlike mainstream newspapers, is not indebted to any commercial or corporate entity. Within its pages, there is no such thing as taboo. Topics ranging from sexuality to armed revolution are freely discussed.

Despite the Collegian's consistent tradition of upholding of and fighting for democratic rights, there has never been a single Collegian. Each term tries to assert its own character and at the same time, live up to the publication's tradition.

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