University of Northern Philippines

History

The university began as the Vigan High School (present-day Ilocos Sur National High School) in 1906. Its shop department was converted into a separate intermediate level school, named the Vigan Trade School in 1910. It opened its high school in 1927 and produced its first graduates in 1931, when it evolved as the Ilocos Sur Trade School. They were both in Vigan town. Two of the buildings still exist: one being used as a warehouse for a construction supply firm, the other is the location of the Vigan City Trade Center.

President Manuel Luis Quezon converted the Ilocos Sur Trade School in 1941 through the help of Assemblyman Benito T. Soliven and Governor Pedro Singson Reyes. However, World War II halted its implementation.

In 1951 the Ilocos Sur Trade School became the Northern Luzon School of Arts and Trades (NLSAT) by virtue of Republic Act 547. However, Republic Act 2700, or the General Appropriations Act of 1960, converted it back to Ilocos Sur School of Arts and Trades (ISSAT).

It proved temporary: In June 19, 1965, then-Congressman Floro S. Crisologo authored Republic Act 4449. It was signed into law at the Philippine Embassy in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan,converting ISSAT into the University of Northern Philippines. It then began implementing its Charter on October 14, 1965. Crisologo is recognized as the founder of the university.

The Candon Community College (CCC) was incorporated into the university in 1989 through Republic Act 6744, through the efforts of then-Congressman Eric D. Singson. It acted as a semi-autonomous unit. Despite this semi-autonomous status, CCC was split from the university by virtue of Republic Act 10085, also by Singson, to become the Northern Luzon Polytechnic State College in 2010.

In the late 1980s the commitment of the university to the new Stepladder Nursing Curriculum pioneered in Palo, Leyte was marked by the construction of the College of Health Sciences building, the tallest building in the university and one of the tallest in Ilocos Sur, finished in 1997. It currently houses all of its nursing and health-related courses and, later, the university-owned radio station dwNP, with its radio mast making the building taller than the new Student Council Building, finished in 2008-2009.

In 2008 the university's FM radio station, dwNP Campus Radio, was relaunched. It occupies the 100.5 MHz frequency, moving from its old, weak 88.5 MHz frequency.

In 2009 two devastating fires struck the university, part of the Father Jose Burgos Hall, which houses the College of Arts and Sciences and the Elpidio Quirino Hall, which houses the University Administration. Despite these setbacks, especially to the Administration Building, the university fully recovered in a few months and construction of a bigger three-story Administration Building was started to replace it. Offices once occupying the burned Administration Building has been temporarily transferred to the Graduate School's E-Library Building, while the President's Office occupied three rooms in the Lauro B. Tacbas (Criminology) Building. The new Administration building has been inaugurated in 2014 and it now houses all administration offices.

The University Infirmary was due for completion in 2009 but was delayed to give priority to the construction of the Administration Building. It was inaugurated on July 4, 2011. The fully operational hospital now houses the College of Medicine, which was spun off from the College of Health Sciences starting SY 2014-2015.

Campuses

Graduate School

Open University

College of Law

College of Architecture

College of Engineering

College of Arts and Sciences

College of Business Administration and Accountancy

College of Information and Communication Technology

College of Criminology

College of Social Work

College of Fine Arts

College of Health Sciences

This college originally intended to lead students into Medicine (as Level V) through a Step-Ladder version of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing curriculum as a Department of Health pilot project. The BSN program of the College has been absorbed by the College of Nursing, and Level V has been spun off as the College of Medicine.

The College is currently offering the following courses:

College of Medicine

College of Nursing

College of Teacher Education

College of Tourism & Hospitality Management

College of Public Administration & Governance

College of Technology

Laboratory Schools Basic Education

Presidents

Student Council Presidents/Student Regents

The UNP University Student Council (UNP - USC) had always been the forefront of student governing bodies in Northern Luzon. With its autonomy and governing power given by the UNP Board of Regents, the UNP - USC has been an active workforce and influence on other educational institutions in Luzon and the entire country. This includes outside participation of the council on local and national issues and its outstanding stand on issues affecting the students.

Major accomplishments includes major infrastructure projects on Rallojay, de Vera and Torricer's incumbency as presidents and Student Regents for the University's Board of Regents. Ragunton's term made an immediate action on the issues being equaled to the council to return its reputation after a scandalous money laundering issue on Alegre's incumbency. In 2001, Student Council President Julio Alegre, then a junior Mass Communications student, laundered close to half a million pesos in Student Council Funds. He was not able to continue his studies and is currently at large.

Erwin Rallojay has formed a strong set of council officers and has set new implementing guidelines on student governance.

De Vera's term introduced the Student Council Volunteer Corp. He also became the Region I Chairperson of the National Confederation of Student Regents of the Philippines (NCSRT). The UNP - USC were able to sponsor a National Seminar on Environmental Summit and was the first to stage the Miss Earth UNP which is different from the Miss UNP Beauty and Brains Pageant held every year. The referendum for the Student Council's Constitution and By Laws was also conducted. Majority of the almost 13,000 student population for 2003 of the University voted for "YES" with the said referendum.

Torricer's term marks another milestone on the Student Council achievements. After the referendum, Emilio Arnold Torricer became the first president under the New SC Constitution and By Laws and having three vice presidents namely; Vice President for Operations, Student Concerns and UNP - Candon City Campus. He also became the Regional Commissioner of the National League of Student Regents and Trustees of State Universities and Colleges of the Philippines (NLSRTP) as mandated by CHED, PASUC and the National Youth Commission (NYC).

Additional working umbrella organizations under the University Student Council has been conceived because of the New Constitution and by Laws. The Council of Students Interest Groups (CSIG) which is composed of 42 Accredited Organizations of the University, the Mandated Organizations (includes mother organizations of each 14 Colleges) and the PROFRAT (Peaceful, Responsible and Organized Fraternities) which has 17 member fraternities and sororities.

The Student Council has undergone several changes and adjustment with the new constitution. During the year, they first staged the Student Fair and the first ever Mr. and Miss UNP.

A new strong blood emerges at the College of Nursing, Warren Rafal visualize a service-oriented Student Council that caters pro-student activities and projects. He acknowledges the importance of student facility improvement and provide LCD projectors for medical and nursing colleges, machinery for hands-on in technology colleges and educational material in instruction colleges.

During Rafal’s term, the Student Fair was transformed to Student Festival which highlights all activities of the student council like Body painting, Street painting, Larong Pinoy, Dance Craze, Battle of the Bands, SYMBO game (Bingo type game which uses chemical symbols), and Student’s cocktail street party.

Aside from quizzes, student development programs, career sponsorships, leadership seminars, the dependability of the UNP - USC has been proven worthy by time.

The present administration of the USC has been affected with other much difficult issues and was believed to have lost in track in serving the students. It stands by this motto: "The Students' Voice is OUR Voice."

The last Student Council elections became controversial when a disqualification case was filed against Cesar Borillo Jr. But the students' voice had prevailed. Winning an overwhelming votes from those who believe in him had become his vindication. At the end, Borillo was declared as the new Student Regent. The said election controversy was even discussed by a national television station through its regional bureaus' local newscast.

However, Borillo has proven them that he is worthy of the position. He has been consistently showing good performances during Board meetings.

The 44th foundation celebrations were made remarkable because of the activities that the Student Council conducted. For now, the present UNP Student Council with the undying support of the UNP administration paved way in the building of the Students' Study Haven and boats were also stationed at the UNP lagoon for the use of every UNPian.

University student publications

College departments in the university have their own publications. These are the Rabbi (College of Teacher Education), Rx Ladder (College of Health Sciences), Nightingale (College of Nursing), Edifice (College of Engineering), The Bud (Laboratory School / High School), "The Seed" (Laboratory School Elemenrary),"CPAG Perspective" (College of Public Administration), The Defender (College of Criminology), Perspective (College of Architecture), Newscas (College of Arts and Sciences), Biznews (College of Business Administration and Accountancy) and the "iTech" (College of Communication and Information Technology).

The Graduate School publishes the New Vision, which is a journal publishing abstracts and portions of theses and dissertations made by its students.

Further, the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants has its own publication, "The Ledger." It basically caters to the need of the accountancy students, presenting the latest developments in the world of accounting and auditing.

The university's main school publication is the New Tandem," and it also has its literary folio which is the "Layap."