‘Sangdaan Tungong Vinzons: The Vinzons UPgrade Launch

Dear Isko/ Iska,

Greetings!

You are cordially invited to ‘Sangdaan Tungong Vinzons: The Vinzons UPgrade Launch on 18 June 2008, 10:00 AM at the Vinzons Hall Front Lawn.

We hope that you can be a part of this groundbreaking centennial event. See you there!

In service,
UPD University Student Council Vinzons Hall Committee

For questions/ concerns, please contact Joseph Gutierrez at 0917-8247893

UP@100: Vinzons UPgrade

Known far and wide as an icon of student leadership, activism and involvement, Vinzons Hall was established as the university’s premiere student center. Through the course of its existence, it has been a leadership training ground for the Iskolars para sa bayan. However, over the past few years, the physical structure of Vinzons Hall has rapidly been deteriorating. The downgrade of its physical condition has greatly affected its image as a student center. Hence, this centennial year, the university student council recognizes the need to re-establish its true essence as a premiere student center.

 

Spearheaded by the USC Vinzons Hall Committee, the Vinzons UPgrade renovation project is a joint effort with various UP students and organizations. The aim is to tap into the skills of various students from their respective fields of expertise. The entire restoration project encompasses a long term plan involving four key phases. The first phases focus on the renovation and restoration of its existing facilities. The goal of this phase is to preserve the architectural heritage of Vinzons by applying modern day designs to further emphasize its historical features. This renovation phase shall then be followed by the integration of relevant student services into these facilities. All these are geared towards the establishment of a true student union. Funds for the restoration shall be raised through alumni solicitations and corporate marketing. We aim to complete the first phase before the end of 2008.

 

Vinzons Upgrade Team:

Project Heads

Councilor Joseph Miguel Gutierrez/ Arki Rep Marc Angelo Virtucio

Publicity Head

Music Rep Marianna Achacoso

Alumni Relations Head

Councilor Stephen Larcia

Corporate Relations Head

BA Rep Norberto Geraldez

 

Partner Organizations (as of Summer 2008):

1. UP Circle of Landscape Architecture Students (UPCLAS)
2. UP Architecture Forum (AF)
3. UP Adcore
4. UP Junior Marketing Association (UP JMA)

 

Do you or your organization wanna be part of this groundbreaking centennial event? Email us at vinzonsupgrade@yahoo.com or text JOSEPH at 09178247893

Crisis on food and education not isolated

The University Student Council (USC) of the University of the Philippines (UP) today held a press conference and forum at Vinzons Hall, the university’s main student union building, regarding the rice crisis the country is currently facing. Together with representatives from residents of the UP’s residential communities and transport groups in campus and a representative from the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the student council demanded that the government take immediate, sustainable and pro-people solutions to the crisis.

According to its statement, the student council demanded that the government “increase its support to the National Food Authority (NFA) in its procurement of palay, dismantle the rice cartels and impose a crack down on illegal acts of price manipulation, implement a moratorium on the land-use conversion of agricultural land, and increase its investment in the agricultural sector.”

USC Councilor Fahima Tajar, chairperson of the student council’s People’s Struggle Committee, said that the meager budget and subsidy of the government for the agriculture sector is not dissimilar from the meager budget allocation of the government for its state colleges and universities such as the University of the Philippines, which pushes and forces such institutions to raise tuition and other such fees. In the USC’s statement, it claims that, “the increasing inaccessibility of our basic staple and of education has made the lives of many Filipino youths and their families harder and the opportunity to make their lives better difficult to reach.”

The student council related the crisis in basic commodities and social services to the failure in leadership under the administration of President Gloria Arroyo. The student council’s statement added that, “if such demands and solutions to the rice crisis are not met immediately, it is only imperative for the youth and the rest of the Filipino people to continue the people’s urgent call for the removal of Gloria Arroyo from office.” #