UPM CAS Manila Studies Program

20/06/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐏 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚 🌻

As part of the activities for the 118th Foundation Celebration of the University of the Philippines, the UPM CAS Manila Studies Program conducted a historical walking tour with the UP Community. The tour highlighted important institutions in UP's history while tracing the changes and growth of the university throughout the years.

The tour started with a discussion of the Government Medical Center in Manila, comprising the Philippine Medical School established in 1905 (now the UP Manila College of Medicine), the Bureau of Science established in 1901 (currently the UP Manila National Institutes of Health), and the Philippine General Hospital established in 1907. Furthermore, the tour also stopped at Rizal Hall to discuss the expansion of the campus to Padre Faura and the growth of the university, as well as the impact of WWII and the transfer of UP to Diliman in Quezon City. The tour concluded with a visit to the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas and a discussion of the "Mapping Honor and Excellence: UP's First Campus" exhibit on display.

Thank you very much to our MSP volunteers that served as assistant guides for the tour, Ms. Fatimah Talingdan and Ms. Sophia Linguis! ❤️

We would also like to thank all those who actively participated in and joined the historical walking tour.

Happy 118th Foundation Anniversary, University of the Philippines! ✨🎉

Photos from: Ms. Sarah Pulumbarit (UPM IPPAO)

20/06/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫: 𝐔𝐏’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 🗺️✨

The UPM CAS Manila Studies Program would like to thank everyone who visited our exhibit at the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas from June 16-19, 2026. We hope that you were able to learn more about the history of our campus alongside the journey of growth and transformation of the University of the Philippines.

This exhibit was a collaboration between the UPM CAS Manila Studies Program and the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas, and was done in partnership with the 2026 UP Manila Foundation Celebration Committee, Campus Planning, Development, and Maintenance Office (CPDMO), and the UP Manila Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office (IPPAO). It was curated by Dr. Honey Libertine Achanzar-Labor (MHI Director) and Co-curated by Dr. Wensley M. Reyes (MSP Convenor).

We also thank the following for the success of the exhibit:
- Trisha Anne Mataac (MSP Junior Research Associate)
- Ana Mercado
- Marc Lester Racelis
- Mark Christian Fidelino
- Other MHI Staff
- Ehcel Hurna (IPPAO Layout Artist)
- Spencer Sese (CPDMO)

Maraming Salamat po! 🌻

Photos from: Elaissa Bautista (UPM Museum of a History of Ideas)

19/06/2026

𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐳 𝐧𝐢 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥?: 𝐒𝐢 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢

In celebration of the 165th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal, MSP Convenor Dr. Wensley Reyes presented a lecture about the "rizz" (charisma) of Jose Rizal and his continuing relevance in Philippine society and education. The lecture was held earlier today, June 19, 2026, at the NHCP Museo ni Jose Rizal - Fort Santiago and was attended by NHCP officials and relatives of the National Hero.

𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑦𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑘𝑎-165 𝑛𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑜 𝑛𝑔 𝐾𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑛, 𝐽𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑅𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑙! 🎉✨

19/06/2026

Pagbati kay Dr. Wensley M. Reyes sa kanyang naging presentasyon na pinamagatang "Nasaan ang Rizz ni Rizal?: Si Jose Rizal sa Banta ng Pagkalimot at Pagsasantabi," para sa pagdiriwang ng ika-165 na anibersaryo ng kapanganakan ni Dr. Jose Rizal ngayong Hunyo 19, 2026 sa NHCP Museo ni Jose Rizal - Fort Santiago. ✨

19/06/2026

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒
𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 🏅✨

The UPM CAS Manila Studies Program is once again calling for nominations for this year's Manila Studies Research Award (MRSA). This award recognizes the most outstanding undergraduate research in the field of Manila Studies. 🌻

Kindly read carefully the guidelines regarding the requirements and criteria for the award. Submit your entries here: https://forms.gle/vyy39kJCkqMKqEdj7

❗DEADLINE: June 29, 2026

Good luck! ✨

19/06/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐥 🎉

Ngayong Hunyo 19, ating ipinagdiriwang ang ika-165 na anibersaryo ng kapanganakan ni Dr. Jose Rizal. Makikita sa larawan ang Rizal Hall, gusali ng Kolehiyo ng Agham at Sining na ipinangalan at inialay sa alala ng buhay ni Rizal at sa kaniyang dedikasyon sa pag-aaral ng agham, progresibong pag-iisip, at pagmamahal sa bayan.

Sa isang mensaheng pinamagatang “Rizal as a Patriot, Author, and Scientist,” binigyang pagkilala ni Governor General Francis Burton Harrison ang buhay ni Rizal at ang kahalagahan ng pagpapangalan ng gusali sa kanya. Ngayon, patuloy na nabubuhay ang mga pangarap at mithiin ni Rizal sa loob ng bulwagang inialay sa kanyang alaala.

18/06/2026

Pagbati kay Dr. Wensley M. Reyes sa kanyang naging gampanin bilang Commencement Speaker sa Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig-College of Education Graduation Ceremony ngayong Hunyo 18, 2026. ✨

18/06/2026

𝟏𝟏𝟖𝐓𝐇 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 🌻

Today, June 18 marks the 118th anniversary of the establishment of the University of the Philippines. By virtue of Act No. 1870, the university was created to "provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and arts, and to give professional and technical training."

The featured photo shows the university campus in Padre Faura, Manila, where the first colleges in the university began. This campus witnessed several historical events, such as the Battle of Manila (1945) and the transfer of UP to Diliman in Quezon City (1949). Learn more about UP's first campus at our ongoing exhibit, "Mapping Excellence and Honor" at the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas, open until June 19, 2026. ✨

17/06/2026

𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍: 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫: 𝐔𝐏’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭✨

Check out the week-long exhibition at the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas dedicated to the establishment and growth of the University of the Philippines. Through a presentation of historical maps and photographs, learn more about UP's continuing journey in providing excellence, honor, and service to our country.

This exhibit was a collaboration between the UPM CAS Manila Studies Program and the UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas, and was done in partnership with the 2026 UP Manila Foundation Celebration Committee, Campus Planning, Development, and Maintenance Office (CPDMO), and the UP Manila Information, Publication, and Public Affairs Office (IPPAO).

See you there! 🤩

15/06/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐚'𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞

𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑙𝑎'𝑠 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚?

As we celebrate Manila's founding anniversary this month, check out this article written by MSP Convenor Dr. Wensley Reyes and Junior Research Associate Trisha Anne Mataac. This article talks about the surrounding debates about Manila's name, and confirms that the toponym originates from the geographic phrase may nilad, meaning “there is [an abundance of] nilad.”

As Manila celebrates another year of its history, the return of the nilad offers a timely opportunity to reconnect with those roots. In bringing back a plant once associated with the city’s name, we are also recovering a part of Manila’s environmental memory—one that reminds us that before it became a colonial capital, it was first a place defined by the natural world around it.

Learn more about our city's toponym and what it can tell about the early history of Manila!

✨ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞: https://www.philstar.com/news-commentary/2026/06/13/2534956/return-nilad-and-debate-over-manilas-name

Let us know what you think about the article! 🤔

More than an ecological project, the return of the nilad invites us to reconsider how nature, language and memory intersect in the making of place identities.