Published on November 6, 2010Philippine Daily Inquirer's 2bU
Campus treasures
We are going on a hunt for campus treasures. Luckily, there’s no need to search far and dig deep to find these.
Far Eastern University
The FEU campus shows no sign that just a step away, in the world outside, is the chaos of Recto and España, Manila. “Going inside the campus is like being suddenly transported to a different world,” says FEU senior, Justine Ignacio.
The FEU campus is an art mecca, no less. In 2005, FEU was given an Asia Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco). The university abounds with works of national artists.
Five of its buildings were designed by National Artist for Architecture, Pablo Antonio. At FEU’s Nicanor Reyes Memorial Square stands a collection of bronze sculptures by Vicente Manansala.
The FEU also houses the artworks of National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Carlos “Botong” Francisco.
University of Santo Tomas
Perhaps the most prominent structure at UST, the Arch of the Centuries, has recently been declared a National Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.
From 1611 to 1941, the Arch of the Centuries served as the main entrance to the university in its original campus in Intramuros.
What makes this historic structure even more exceptional are the superstitions and various stories linked to it.
One superstitious belief is that undergraduate students should not pass under the arch before their graduation. Doing so would result in an event that would hinder their graduating.
Another National Treasure on the UST campus is the main building—the first earthquake-proof structure built in the Philippines.
The building is also known for its paranormal stories. Several ghosts are said to roam this building as it was used by the Japanese as an internment camp for American civilian prisoners during World War II.
University of the Philippines-Tacloban
Doesn’t studying in a school situated close to the beach sound lovely?
For most of us, it’s something we could only dream of during hell weeks and slow class hours. But this is not the case for UP Tacloban students—their school is built close to the beach.
“You can see the beach from your classroom,” says UP Tacloban senior, Gabriella Pontejos.
“You can think of summer all the time by just closing your eyes and smelling the ocean saltwater,” she adds.
As if the location of their campus isn’t wonderful enough, UP Tacloban is also a butterfly and bird sanctuary. Now, what’s not to treasure about that?
view the article here.
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