University of the Philippines Los Baños

Fernando A. Bernardo, PhD

Alumni Association, Inc.2007

Pictorial History of UPLB

C E N T E N N I A LPANORAMAC E N T E N N I A LPANORAMA

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Writer and Production ManagerFernando A. Bernardo

Assistant Production ManagerDonna Bella T. Depositario

EditorsEmiliana N. BernardoDennis T. Depositario

Graphic ArtistsDelfin R. LafortezaSimeon R. Manahan, Jr.

Assistant Graphic ArtistAl A. Benavente

SecretaryNida E. Reyes

Support StaffLilia T. TolentinoMa. Lourdes M. Rebulanan

PhotographersFernando A. BernardoAl A. BenaventeCris QuintanaPol Q. Veluz

Cover DesignersDelfin R. LafortezaSimeon R. Manahan, Jr.

ISBN: 978-971-547-252-4Copyright 2007Published by the UPLB Alumni Association, Inc.College, Laguna, Philippines

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

Second Printing, 2009Printed by Jetstar Printers Inc.

Production Staff

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University of the PhilippinesLos Baños Alumni Association, Inc.

Preface

UP Los Baños Alumni Association (UPLBAA) takes pride in publishing two booksin commemoration of UPLB’s Centennial – UPLB Centennial Panorama and theaccompanying volume, UPLB: A Century of Challenges and Achievements. Thesetwo books provide the most exhaustive and complete documentation of the richhistory of UP Los Baños and are hence a very fitting tribute to commemorate our AlmaMater’s Centennial.

For a long time, the officers of the Association have been preparing for this coffeetable book. It finally took off when Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo agreed to undertakethe daunting task even with the very limited resources that the Association was ableto provide. There is no one in a better position to undertake this very significant taskother than Dr. Bernardo. Not only is he an acclaimed scientist, prolific writer, and anartist; but as an administrator, he has witnessed the significant milestones and chal-lenges of UPLB’s growth and development.

The accompanying volume came about as we felt it just necessary to share with allUPLB alumni the unexpected vastness of materials and information resulting fromDr. Bernardo’s painstaking research work.

This book would not have been made possible without the gratis services of Dr.Bernardo together with the unequivocal help of alumni who assisted him includingMssrs. Frank C. Cornejo, Sim Cuyson and Ms. Bernie Quimpo. The valuableassistance they extended has made these books possible.

This two-volume book is a treasure to own and it is with pride and pleasure to havegiven each and every UPLB alumni this rare opportunity to have these memorabiliaof UPLB’s Centennial.

ELPIDIO L. ROSARIOPresident

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IntroductionNot a task but an exciting adventure! That was how I welcomed the suggestion of theUPLB Alumni Association president, Dr. Elpidio Rosario, that I produce a coffee tablebook (CTB) on the colorful history of UPLB. An exciting adventure, because I have neverdone this kind of work before. It is like venturing into an entirely different, unfamiliarworld.

As it turned out, this adventure had a lot of twists, turns, and surprises as well asdisappointments, frustrations, and challenges. Why? CTBs usually consist of less narrativesand a lot of pictures even without captions. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth athousand words.” So why should one write captions? But this CTB is much differentbecause it is a pictorial history of UPLB – and the history of UPLB is not a simple story. Itconsists of over 300 milestones, research breakthroughs, surprising stories, events, andanecdotes many of which could not be easily communicated in pictures, or pictures weresimply not available in the annals of UP and the numerous publications one can find inlibraries and archives. In this case, we have many stories without pictures, but we tried ourbest to observe a ratio of at most 30 percent narrative and 70 percent pictures, spacewise.

Unlike writing the history of UPLB, preparing a CTB is not a one man’s job. Theauthor had to organize a production team, with him as writer and production manager, Ms.Donna T. Depositario, as assistant production manager, and some support staff. Donna andthe support staff helped in collecting pictures from different colleges, institutes and centers ofUPLB, a task that required written and personal requests and many follow-ups. In manycases, the different UPLB units had many outstanding achievements, such as research break-throughs and improved technologies, all written up and even published, but without pictures.How could we take pictures of past events? Impossible if the field experiments are gone.But whenever possible and desirable, we have to ask professors or scientists to reenactwhat they did in the laboratories or out in the field – not an easy task because they are nottrained as actors, neither are we trained as directors.

Obviously, we have to hire good photographers, but even good photographers cannotturn back the hands of time to capture in their cameras past events. They had to make dowith whatever is available at present, and we have to coach them to focus on objects of realinterest in UPLB’s history.

In some cases, UPLB units gave us old pictures from their files, but in most casesthere was a lot to be desired in terms of quality. We have to observe high standards ofquality for a CTB.

In the beginning, the author hired an experienced layout artist, Mr. Delfin “Toti”Laforteza. He encountered quality problems with photocopies of pictures from various old

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publications. In fact, he had to go to the libraries to take pictures of the originals. Heslowed down, perhaps because of the depressing and time-consuming task of improvingmany of the 650 old pictures for Chapters 1 to 12 of the book. To beat the deadline forprinting in July, the author had to hire another layout artist, Mr. Simeon Manahan, Jr., tohandle the pictures for Chapters 13 to 19.

Altogether, this book of 19 chapters has over 1,000 pictures! A thousand picturessounds too many, but in truth, we should have added more to complete our story aboutthe colorful past of UPLB, and its numerous contributions to nation building, but wehad time constraints.

Producing a CTB covering a hundred years of interesting and exciting events,from the pioneering days in the wilderness at the foot of Mt. Makiling to the presentchallenges and continuing activities of a great university, is by no means an easy task.To paraphrase the entomologists, “You don’t have to be crazy to do this kind of work,but it helps.”

To the members of the Production Team, and all those who, in one way oranother, helped in the production of this CTB, goes my heartfelt and everlastinggratitude. Without their support, it would have been impossible to achieve what wedid in less than six months.

For the names of those who helped the author in producing this book, pleaseturn to the list of members of the Production Team and the Acknowledgement.

May all of you, readers, enjoy the colorful pages of UPLB’s history.

Fernando A. Bernardo

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Contents

CHAPTER 1Agriculture and Forestry During Colonial Times 3

Filipinas During the Spanish Regime 4Aftermath of the Filipino-American War 8

CHAPTER 2Copeland’s Pioneering Years 1907-1917 11

The Bureau of Education Conceived the School 12UP’s First Born: The College of Agriculture 12

The Bureau Served as Foster Mother 14Classes Were Held in Tents 14

A Forest School Created as a Branch of the College of Agriculture 16Division of Forest Investigation Transferred to Los Baños 16

The College Grew Despite Limited Support from UP 18Student Thesis Became a Requirement for Graduation 21

Students Gave Birth to a Scientific Journal: The Philippine Agriculturist and Forester 22Dr. Charles Fuller Baker, an Outstanding Scientist Arrived 25

First Commencement Day Held Before the Inauguration of a Permanent School Building 26First Batch of 15 Forest Rangers Graduated Under the Bureau 27

The “First School” Became Independent with the Bureau Director as Dean 27Dean Copeland Retired at Age 44 Due to Political Problems 28

CHAPTER 3Historic Developments Under Baker 1917-1927 31

First World War: Overwhelming Response to the Call for Volunteers to the National Guard 32Successful Lobbying for the Central Agricultural Experiment Station 33

Campus Development and Planting of Royal Palms 34Strengthening of the Socio-economic Dimension of College Programs 35

The College of Veterinary Science Transferred from Pandacan to Los Baños 36Glorious Victories of Los Baños in University Athletic Competitions 38

Offering of BS Sugar Technology in 1920 39Unexpected Large Enrolments in 1920-1921 with Students from China, Siam, Java, India, Japan, and Guam 40

College Extension Function Highlighted: First Laguna Farmers Day (1922) and First Laguna Provincial Fair (1924) Held on the Campus 41Release of High-Yielding Sugar Cane Varieties Resistant to Diseases 42

Other Research Outputs and Breakthroughs 43Dean Charles Fuller Baker Passed Away 44

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CHAPTER 4Growth and Beauty Under the Bureau of Forestry 1917-1936 47

Filipinos Trained as Forestry Pensionados in US Universities 48Choice of Narra as the National Tree 49

Birth of the Makiling Echo in 1922 50Glorious Celebration of the School’s 20th Anniversary 50

Discovery of Doña Aurora, Mount Makiling’s Legacy to the World of Ornamentals 54About 4,000 Hectares Converted to the Makiling Forest Reserve and National Park 54

Beginning of Traditions: Celebrations of Forestry Day and Moving-Up Day 56Tamesis Rose to the Top Positions in the Bureau and the School 57

CHAPTER 5Landmarks in Agriculture Under B. M. Gonzalez 1927-1938 59

Bienvenido M. Gonzalez, the First Filipino at the Helm of the College 60The New Dean Expected No Less Than Excellent Outputs from the Faculty and Students 61

Creation of a Department of Agricultural Education and a Rural High School 63Laboratory Research Facilities and Other Buildings Constructed 64

Construction of the College of Agriculture Campus Gate-the Most Symbolic Landmark of the College for Decades 68“Hail College Dear” Sung Publicly for the First Time During the 1934 Loyalty Day 69

The College of Agriculture Recognized Nationally and Internationally as a Scientific Center 69UPCA-Generated Technologies in the 1930s 70

Gonzalez Elected UP President 72

CHAPTER 6Devastation During World War II 1941-1945 75

Leopoldo B. Uichanco Appointed Dean 76World War II Broke Out 77Classes Continued... 78

Under the Scorching Rising Sun 78War Prisoners Liberated 80

Decades of Setback 82The Schools Begun Rising from the Ashes 83

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CHAPTER 8Milestones on the Lower Campus During

the Uichanco Years 1945-1959 99Reconstruction and Rehabilitation After the War 100

Graduation of the First Summa Cum Laudes 100Of Culture and Social Graces 100Meteoric Rise in Enrolment 102

Reliable But Aging Professors Had to Train Over a Hundred Young Assistant Instructors and Research Assistants 104Physical Facilities Development 106

ICA-NEC and Rockefeller Scholarship Grants Resulted in Massive Staff Development 108Colorful Mussaenda Varieties Bloomed and Beautified Ornamental Gardens 110

UPCA-Cornell University Contract Accelerated Improvements in Instruction, Research and Extension 111A Breakthrough in Inter-Agency Collaboration Increased National Rice and Corn Production 114

Expansion and Strengthening of Extension Programs 116Novel Approach in Farm and Home Development 119

Establishment of the Agricultural Credit and Cooperatives Institute (ACCI) to Serve Southeast Asian Countries 120

CHAPTER 9Milestones on the Upper Campus During

the Zamuco and Lantican Years 1958-1971 123Many Pursued PhD Studies Abroad 125

National Impact of the Makiling National Park and Botanic Gardens 126Construction of the Forestry Technology Building 128

Zamuco Retired and Lantican Took Over 129A Comprehensive Campus Development Plan Implemented 130

Forestry Graduate Program Approved 131Launching of a Well-Organized Long-Term Forestry Extension Program 131

Establishment of the Forest Products Research Institute 133

CHAPTER 7Changes and Challenges in Forestry Under Tamesis,

Amos and Mabesa 1945-1957 85The UP and Bureau of Forestry Teaching Staff 87

Local Training with International Programs 88Women’s Invasion of Forestry Begun 90

Honoring Those Who Gave Their Lives to the Cause of Forestry 92Construction of the Forest Products Laboratory, the Largest and Best Equipped in the Eastern Hemisphere 93

Tamesis Retired and Amos Took Over 94Successful Lobbying for a New College of Forestry Building 95

The College of Forestry Separated from the Bureau 96Massive Staff Development Program Under the ICA-NEC Training Grants 96

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CHAPTER 10Cascading Developments in Umali’s Decade 1959-1970 137

Birth of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños 138Launching of the UP-Cornell Graduate Education Program 142Birth of the Department of Food Science and Technology 144

Organization of the Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (ACAP) 146Massive Staff Development Under Rockefeller Foundation 147

Birth of the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI) 148UPCA Launched a Massive Facilities Development Program 150

Establishment of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) 154Creation of the UPLB Graduate School 156

Breakthroughs in Research and National Awards 157UPCA at the Helm of the National Rice and Corn Program: The Country Exported Rice for the First Time in History 158

CHAPTER 11Years of Instability 1970-1972 161Proposed Phasing Out of Vice-President for UPLB 162Proposed UPLB Development Plans for the 1970s 162

UPLB’s Movement for Independence 163Lopez Maneuvers to Keep UPLB Under UP 164

P.D. No. 58 Grants UPLB Full and Complete Autonomy 165Birth of the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR) 166

CHAPTER 12Giant Strides as an Autonomous University Under Samonte 1973-1978 171

Birth of the College of Basic Sciences and Humanities 172Reorganization and Strengthening of Growth Points in UPLB 174

Birth of Postharvest HorticultureTraining and Research Center (PHTRC) 179Birth of the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) 180

Birth of the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC) 182Separation of the Department of Horticulture from Agronomy 184

UP College of Agriculture Wins the 1977 Ramon Magsaysay Award 185

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CHAPTER 13Birth of National Centers of Excellence: The Javier Years 1979-1985 187

Birth of BIOTECH 188Birth of the Forestry Development Center 192

Birth of the Centre for Forestry Education, Research and Development and Institute of Forest Conservation 194Research Breakthroughs in Forestry 194

Creation of the Research Management Center 194Chancellor Javier Appointed Chairman of the National Science Development Board (NSDB) 194

Completion of Constructions Under the World Bank Education Loan 195Creation of Three New Institutes in the College of Agriculture 196

Creation of Institutes of Basic Sciences as National Centers of Excellence 202Birth of the National and Regional Training Centers for Rural Development 207

Complete Transfer of the College of Veterinary Medicine to Los Baños 208

CHAPTER 14UPLB in Clear and Placid Waters: The de Guzman Years 1985-1991 211

Improvement of UPLB Organization and Its Administrative Affairs 212Academic Reforms 213

Creation of Two UPLB Institutes 214Birth of Philrice 218

Creation of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) 220Creation of the Southern Tagalog Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (STARRDEC) 222

Successful Implementation of the Diamond Jubillee Housing Project 223Completion of Vital Infrastructures 224

CHAPTER 15Pursuing Dreams in a Short Term: The Aspiras Years 1991-1993 227

Task Force Pinatubo 228Flower and Garden Shows 230

Birth of the UPLB Agroforestry Program (UAP), Now the Institute of Agroforestry (IAF) 232Record Achievements in Extension and Promotion of Technologies 234

Books Published 235Awards and Honors Reaped by UPLB Staff and Students 236

Planning for the Future 237

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CHAPTER 16UPLB on the Wings: The Villareal Years 1993-1999 239

Milestones in Strengthening the Physical Sciences 240Milestones in Strengthening UPLB’s Capacity in Socio-economics and Communication 245

Research Breakthroughs 251Breakthroughs in Extension and Community Development 252

Lifting the Morale of UPLB Staff and Students 255Reorganization of the College of Forestry and Renaming It College of Forestry and Natural Resources 256

Implementation of a Massive Physical Development Program 260

CHAPTER 17Milestones in Controversial Times: The David Years 1999-2005 263

Reforms and Fruitful Changes in Financial Management 264Streamlining Academic Programs 266

Improvements in Research and Extension Management 267Reorganization of the College of Agriculture 268

Birth of the Philippine Forestry Education Network 269Research Outputs and Breakthroughs 270

Extension and Public Service 273Improving Services for the Welfare of Staff and Students 275

Modernization/Improvement of Facilities 276

CHAPTER 18Recent Developments Under Chancellor Velasco 279

Development of a 3-Year Plan 280Unprecedented Devastation by a Typhoon 281

Sustaining UPLB’s Contribution to Nation Building 282Improvements in Student Services 283

Online Administrative Services and Online Student Registration System 284Building and Strengthening Partnerships 284

Addressing the Frequent Brownouts in UPLB 284Strengthening UPLB’s Role in the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI) 285

Development of the CA Agripark 285Gearing Up for the UP Centennial 286

CHAPTER 19UPLB: Major Achievements and Challenges Beyond 100 289

UPLB’s Impact in Education and Nation Building 290Major Concerns and Challenges Beyond 100 308