Marian Illinon, Louisse Parado, Shann Pasion, and Mark Genesis Topinio joined the commemoration of UPLB’s 101st Loyalty Day, as they dove in to the excitement, as well as interviewing the Alumni Homecomers.
On every 10th of October, the University of the Philippines, Los Banos celebrates the Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming. But, do you know exactly why UPLB celebrates it? It all goes back in the year 1918 when the world was experiencing the detrimental effects of World War I during its fifth year in Europe. Four years after the occurrence of WWI, the USA called for additional military manpower to fight along with the Allies side against the Central Powers. Thus, when the Philippine National Guard called for volunteers, the UP College of Agriculture (UPCA) did not hesitate to lend their service and fight in ‘one of the world’s most historic clashes’. On October 10, 1983, it was reported that 193 of the 300 UPCA students and 27 out of the 33 professors from the college had joined and had taken an oath to the Philippine National Guard. However, due to an agreement signed on November 11, 1918, between the two countries, the UPCA volunteers were not able to fight because it brought an end to the war. Their courage, however, was deemed noteworthy that even the late Senate President Manuel L. Quezon appreciated the heroic spirit of the UPCA community. As such, Loyalty Day had become the venue for reconnecting the UPLB administration, staff, faculty, students, and alumni as they cast into our minds the essence of the spirit of volunteerism and the honored battlecry “Serve the People”.
As UPLB community celebrated its 101st Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming through colorful and unique presentations and activities such as the Loyalty Day Parade. The event will not be completed without our ‘kababayan’ and our alumni.
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