Polytechnic University of the Philippines System

Business school

The Organic Act, which established the Civil Government in the Philippines in 1901, made provision for the establishment of the Philippine School of Commerce. The Manila Business School (MBS, also referred as the Manila School of Commerce) was founded on October 19, 1904 to meet the demands of needed businessmen and businesswomen for government service and private employment. The school was a part of the city school system of Manila and was under the superintendence of Gabriel A. O’Reilly. It held its first classes at a small two-storey building in No. 38 Gunao Street corner Arlegui in Quiapo.

The school was made into an Insular (or national) school because the majority of its students came from the province and was renamed as Philippine School of Commerce in 1908. The school moved out from its Arlegui building and continued its operation on Goldenberg Mansion located on Gen. Solano Street in San Miguel which was formerly occupied by the Bureau of Audits and the Philippine Senate. Its faculty was composed of Filipino and American teachers. For administrative purposes, the school was placed under the administration of the Superintendent of City Schools but kept its status as a national school.

In 1933, the school was merged with the Philippine Normal School and the Philippine School of Arts and Trades. During the merger that lasted 12 years, PSC was administered by the PNS Superintendent and its students who completed their courses were considered graduates of Philippine Normal School. The existence of the Philippine School of Commerce caught the attention of President Manuel L. Quezon. In his graduation address in March 26, 1940 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, he promised a new building for the school where its graduates can be recognized. Two years later, Congressman Manuel A. Alazarte together with the Department Head of the Philippine School of Commerce Luis F. Reyes, formulated a bill to this effect and present it to the Congress. Unfortunately, the plan was not carried out because of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines that occurred between 1942 and 1945 during World War II.

Shortly after Philippine liberation, Superintendent Luis F. Reyes resumed the task for the re-establishment and rehabilitation of the school. The Bureau of Public Works released more than ₱8,000 for the repairs and maintenance of public buildings of which the school is a beneficiary. The ruins of the Normal Hall was reconstructed and the college resumed classes on August 4, 1946. In 1947, the Philippine Normal School converted the Normal Hall into a dormitory and the Philippine School of Commerce resigned to its lot as it operates humbly with overcrowded rooms.

Because of its unbearable condition, the school made representations in the Philippine Alien Property Administrator, through Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs, for the acquisition of the Lepanto site in Sampaloc. By August 4, 1947 the school transferred to its new campus and Luis F. Reyes was appointed as its superintendent.

Elevation into a college

The Philippine School of Commerce was elevated into a college and was renamed as the Philippine College of Commerce on 1952 by virtue of Republic Act 778. Superintendent Luis F. Reyes became the President of the college. It broadened its course offerings and the Annex Building, which had housed the Congress of the Philippines, was turned over to the college. The Business Writers Association of the Philippines awarded the college the title of "Business College of the Year” in 1955.

In 1962, Dr. Nemesio E. Prudente was appointed as President. He implemented numerous initiatives that greatly benefits the students such as student loans, and the inclusion of the student council in the policy-making body of the college. Three years later, President Diosdado Macapagal proclaimed that the Pandacan site of the Bureau of Animal Industry be reserved for the use of the college, which is in fact, a former slaughterhouse.

In 1968, the college offered social science courses related to business education. Also, the college was granted to use and dispose the A. Mabini Campus in Santa Mesa, Manila adjoining the former site of National Development Corporation, which will eventually become the main and flagship campus of the institution. It was also awarded the title lot for its S.H. Loyola (Lepanto) Campus. As a hotbed of student activism, a handful of its students participated in the First Quarter Storm, one of the factors leading up to the declaration of Martial Law in 1972.

The college moved out from its Lepanto campus and completed its transfer to the A. Mabini Campus in 1971. From 1972-1977, the college has established several branches, broadened its course offerings, and has restructured its offices and academic units from time to time.

Elevation into a State University

The Philippine College of Commerce became a chartered state university and was accordingly renamed as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, through Presidential Decree 1341 on April 1, 1978. Dr. Pablo T. Mateo served as the first President of PUP and the University further broadened its course offerings and its administrative organization was restructured.

In 1979, the construction of the Main Library, the University Canteen (Sampaguita Building), the Interfaith Chapel, and the addition of 3rd-5th floors of the Main Academic Building was completed (although the 5th floor finished its construction in 1984). It also created the Institute of Technology, which was later known as the College of Engineering and Architecture. Because of the addition of more technical, undergrad and postgraduate programs, PUP adopted the "cluster colleges" setup in 1984, where each college prepared the program and supervise all the subjects required in the degree program offered in the college.

In 1986, Dr. Nemesio E. Prudente re-assumed the presidency of PUP. Under his presidency, PUP developed its physical facilities in Manila and in other campuses. He also formulated a new PUP logo, hymn and philosophy and had the University's organization restructured. PUP experience enhancement in its academic and co-curricular programs, upsurge in cultural activities, and maintains a dynamic physical education and sports program during his term. Because of what Prudente did, he was credited with revitalizing public education in the Philippines by institutionalizing much-needed changes in the state university he led, which will eventually become the largest state university.

In the 1990s, PUP had its first lady president appointed, Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan. It also modernized its technological facilities to keep up pace in the fast-changing condition. Before the decade was over, in 1999, PUP created its Information and Technology Center (ICTC). It started its operations a year later in 2000. By February 2000, PUP was conferred by the Commission on Higher Education as a Center of Development for Excellence (CODE) in Information Technology. PUP was also recognized as a Virtual Center for Technology Innovation in Information Technology by the Department of Science and Technology.

Centennial Year

PUP celebrated its Centennial Year in 2004. The countdown for the Centennial started in 1999. In 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo proclaimed 2004 as the "PUP Centennial Year". She also declared that the PUP Mabini Campus be the official and permanent home of the Mabini Shrine. The Diosdado P. Magapagal Law Center (College of Law Building) in Lepanto Campus and the Freedom Plaza were all constructed for this purpose.

PUP made the world's largest human rainbow during its centennial celebration held in Rizal Park to highlight the signing of the Declaration of Peace to be put before the United Nations. PUP's largest human rainbow is made of 30,365 students, faculty, staff and alumni.

21st century

In 2005, Dr. Dante G. Guevarra was appointed as the Officer-in-Charge of PUP. A year later, he became the Acting President. Notable achievements during his term include the creation of the web-based application system PUP iApply, the designation of PUP as Southeast Asia's first railway academy in 2007, and PUP becoming as one of the sites for the entire nation's commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Philippine Independence. Among the notable structures built during this time include the Mabini Obelisk, Freedom Plaza, and the Fort Santiago replica walls of the Luntiang Pilipinas Forest Park.

In 2010, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared PUP as the official and permanent home of the Mabini Shrine, the third site on which the Shrine is relocated. It was transferred to PUP to protect it from the flood control project of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Despite these achievements, however, Dr. Guevarra's tenure was also controversial due to allegations of graft and corruption, which was linked to the assassination of the Vice President for Administration during his term, Augustus Cezar. Because of his unsatisfactory performance after the recent events, he was suspended from his duty as the President of PUP along with other University officials that are believed to be involved in the aforementioned the scandals.

In March 2012, Emanuel de Guzman was appointed as the new President of PUP after a painstaking transition period. PUP participated in a successful attempt to set a world record for most organ donation pledges in 2014, a project spearheaded by the Department of Health. It broke the record for most organ donation pledges in one hour. 3,548 people signed up in the span of 30 minutes, beating India's 2,755 pledged organ donors.

PUP placed 3rd in the "Go Green in the City" contest held at Paris, France in June 2015, representing the Philippines. Engineering students John Paul Santos and Christian Santa Romana won the award for their invention, the ELECTRIFILTER (Electricity Generation from Filthy Water). It generates electricity from waste water, has the capability to filter and cleanse water and is portable so that it can be delivered to places where clean water and electricity are short in supply.

Administration

The PUP System is governed by a Board of Regents that responsible for the appointment of the President of PUP and the approval of institutional policies. The current board consists of fourteen people and members of the board include the President of PUP, the Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education and the Chairpersons of the Committees of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The current President of PUP is Emanuel de Guzman, who is popularly known as "Dekong" to the PUP community.

Allowances and salaries

Emanuel de Guzman is the highest-paid state university president whose basic annual salary was ₱3.09 million in 2013, according to the Commission on Audit. Other executive officials of PUP also receive huge salaries and allowances. PUP Vice Presidents Samuel Salvador and Joseph Mercado received ₱2.7 million each; while Manuel Muhi, the Executive Vice President, was paid ₱2.4 million according to the Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio Abad. Their high allowances is somewhat controversial as state universities in the country are known to operate on a tight budget.

Branches and Campuses

The PUP System maintains 22 campuses and is grouped into two: the Branches and Campuses. Branches are those campuses that are funded by PUP, while Campuses are established through a Memorandum of Agreement on the city or municipality on which the campus is located and is funded by the municipal government. However, some municipal government remits to PUP a certain amount for the maintenance and operating expenses of certain branches.

Open University System

The PUP System is known for its distance learning education programs. The Open University System is conceptualized as a "university within a university". It is composed of the PUP Institute of Open and Distance Education/Transnational Education, PUP Institute of Non-Traditional Studies Program and ETEEAP, and the PUP Center for Continuing and Professional Development. The PUP OU System is also known as the "Pamantasang Bayan" and established in the 1970s which offers vocational courses.

PUP is also known as one of three universities that were able to institutionalize and implement the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program or ETEEAP, despite the absence of budgetary support from CHED. The ETEEAP program focus on people who's been working for 5 years or more without a college degree and wants to acquire one faster than the traditional way of studying. As of 2014, the cost of the tuition fee is ₱4,800 per a 3-unit subject for a bachelor's degree and ₱6,750 per a 3-unit subject for a master's degree. PUP is also known for its Non-Traditional Study Program or NTSP, which evaluates the student's educational background, work experiences and achievements through a rating system that leads to the completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree. The ETEEAP and the NTSP are handled by the PUP Institute of Non-Traditional Studies Program and ETEEAP.

Faculty

PUP has 2,747 employees as of the year-end 2013. For the academic year of 2012/13, PUP has 1,828 faculty. Its faculty-student ratio is 1:37. The faculty spends two-thirds of their time in teaching and one-third for research and extension activities.

Research

Research is a major function of the university. The Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension, Planning and Development is the official research and planning agency of the PUP. It was established as the Department of Research and Statistics in November 1951. PUP is a member of the De La Salle University–Commission on Higher Education Zonal Research Center. It is also a member institution of the Higher Education Research Consortium Philippines. Three of its research publications are accredited by the Commission on Higher Education, these are the Mabini Review, PUP Journal Science and Technology and the Social Sciences and Development Review. PUP organized the 2011 and hosted the 2013 International Research Conference in Higher Education.

Funding

In 2014, PUP released ₱1.7 million to finance 11 researches. 3 of the approved research proposals came from the College of Science, 3 from the College of Education, 2 from the College of Communication, 1 each for the College of Arts and Letters and the South Cluster I of PUP Taguig. The research grant was given in 3 tranches. In 2015, the Approved Institutional Research amounts to ₱2,280,947.00.

People

Persons affiliated to the university, either as students, faculty members, or administrators, are called as "PUPians". Like in all Philippine state universities, students and graduates are also called "Iskolar ng Bayan" (Scholars of the Nation).

Alumni

PUP has produced remarkable alumni in their respective fields. In a Jobstreet.com Philippines survey that surveyed more than 450 companies in 2015, PUP ranked 4th among the schools where employers sought out perspective employee from fresh graduates. The salary range of the graduates of PUP is ₱152,271 – ₱656,178 according to The Manila Times although this data is subjective because of the probability that only graduates of PUP Manila are surveyed.

Filipino political leaders and public servants that are graduates of PUP include Satur Ocampo, a member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Celia Capadocia-Yango, who once served as the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, and Ted Failon a former politician and a broadcast journalist. Other legal figures include Antonieta Fortuna-Ibe, the Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner and former Chairperson of the Professional Regulation Commission, and Diosdado N. Silva, the Assistant General Manager of the Philippine National Railways and a lawyer.

PUP alumni serving as CEOs or company presidents and executives include Fernando L. Martinez, the founder and CEO of Eastern Petroleum, Joey Bermudez, the former President of the Philippine Veterans Bank, Olive Ramos, the CEO of South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) (now called Tigerair Philippines), Henry M. Tan, a Certified Public Accountant and the President of the PICPA Eastern Metro Manila Chapter, the former President and CEO of Chowking.

PUP alumni in the academia include Galcoso C. Alburo, one of Metrobank Foundation's Outstanding Teachers in the field of Filipino literature, Ed Teovisio, one of Metrobank Foundation's Outstanding Teachers for 2012, Francisco Dalupan, Sr., the founder of the University of the East and Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, the Rector Magnificus of the University of Santo Tomas. Maridol Tadeo an alumnus of this school whose now a successful CPA in SGV & Co.

In the area of religion and theology, PUP alumni includes Eddie Villanueva, the founder and Spiritual Director of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide.

In film, entertainment, television, PUP is represented by 2006 Binibining Pilipinas-International titleholder Denille Lou Valmonte; actors Bayani Agbayani, and Tado Jimenez; singer Liezel Garcia; comedians such as Micheal "Pekto" Nacua, Albert Sumaya Jr., popularly known as Betong, and James Ronald and Rodfil Obeso, the duo brothers who are better known as Moymoy Palaboy. Filipino TV hosts that are graduates of PUP include Love Añover, and broadcaster and former politician Mario Teodoro Failon Etong. Notable reporters that are graduates of PUP includes Steve Dailisan, Maricel Halili, Marc Logan and Maan Macapagal and radio disc jockey John Gemperle, better known as Papa Jack. Nationally known remarkable alumni include Dr. Rustica Carpio, who was entitled to the Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Awardee.