University of the Philippines Diliman - UPD (reviews)

The University of the Philippines-Diliman is a top university in the Philippines, where students who have great talents, skills, and intelligence are given opportunities to be scholars. The university itself provides high quality education to the students. Apart from that, there are various activities where they can join to. It provides mental health support for students as well. However, nowadays, the university accepts more advantaged students rather than those who have limited opportunities due to financial difficulty.

Our college was still not as progressive as other departments in the university that time so equipments and classrooms were still old but recently it transformed to a newly ennovative status. Facilities are new and the prorams evolved as well. The quality of education is definitely top notch as it is the country’s top university. The professors are great and the program itself is great. I would definitely recommend studying in my University as not everyone are lucky enough to be accepted.

I spent one year in another UP campus (Los Banos) before transferring to UP Diliman. As someone from a province that’s 3 hours away from the University, I found it quite fun living in the campus. Compared to the other UP constituents, this main one—Diliman—has a hustle and bustle kind of student life. It is situated in the largest city in Metro Manila.

Many say that UP is a microcosm of the Filipino society. Well, it is true. You can practically live there—food stalls, convenience stores, domitories, hotel, gym, football field, oval, notary public, ATMs, own transportation system, fruit and vegetable stands, etc. However, it also means that you can find students and employees from different economic backgrounds. UP is a State university, meaning, students enjoy free tuition.

The University takes pride in having been abe to produce prominent figures since the last century—artists, engineers, inventors, scientists, researchers, educators, lawyers, doctors, architects, accountants, athletes, politicians, and many more. However, some of the corrupt and questionable officials also came from UP. This only means that it will always depend on the morality and decisions of the student, no matter how much the University life had tried to open their eyes on societal issues.

The administration has also failed to answer to the problems and calls of students, employees, and vendors. It has been focused on industrialization, that the small vendors and students from the lower classes of society, find it hard to get by. The campus that was known for really cheap and good food for students, is now unfortunately taking pride in having commercial food stalls and fast food chains found in malls.

My program is also dependent on in-person learning, thus the administration’s decisions on the pandemic’s online learning was also questionable. I spent 2 years practically learning only theoretically, and the use of gadgets was crucial. It was really hard for less fortunate students, for they had to raise fund for their own gadgets.

Yes, the best professors in different fields are in UP, but there also work the most condescending ones. I believe that if you get into UP, it is your full decision on how you will carry the university’s name with you. Will you be the know-it-all UP graduate, or the compassionate and inclusive one?

I qwould still recommend getting into UP, because it will not only shape you into an academically-inclined individual, but also a street-smart and critical one.

UP Diliman is home to more than 25,000 enrolled students annually coming from diverse backgrounds and identities. The University initiates projects and initiatives to ensure gender sensitivity and gender inclusivity such as the Anti-Sexual Harassment Code of 2017 and the Guidelines on Affirming Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) Names, Pronouns, Titles issued in 2021. Pride month is also celebrated in this University not just once but twice a year. The first one is every June for the UPD Pride and the second one is every October for the UP Pride. Your rights as gender-diverse individuals will be upheld and I assure you that you have a safe space on campus.