Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños

UPLB celebrates its foundation day annually in March by conducting a series of activities that commemorate its beginnings, celebrate excellence, and highlight milestones “in partnership-making and in fortifying its research capability”.

Historically, the university has been celebrating this event since it was founded by a renowned American botanist Edwin Copeland on 6 March 1909 as the UP College of Agriculture (Arana, 2022; OSU, 2009).

Source: UPLB Perspective

The UPLB Commencement Exercises is an event wherein graduates are conferred their degrees and recognized for successfully completing their respective academic programs (Arana, 2022).

The hooding ceremony at the university is an event wherein master's or doctoral degree candidates receive special recognition (UNMC, n.d.).

The traditional placement of the doctoral hood over the shoulders of the graduates is done by faculty advisers, who are wearing their full academic regalia. This marks the graduates’ successful completion of the PhD program (Araguas, 2021).

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños

The Freshie Convocation is an event that is meant to officially welcome the freshies of the university each year. It also educates freshies regarding some significant services provided by UPLB offices, including, but not limited to, scholarships and financial assistance, and psychosocial and emotional support.

This also officially marks not only the beginning of the first semester of an academic year, but also the freshies’ life in the university as college students in the same way that commencement exercises serve as the completion of a degree (FAU, 2022).

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños

UPLB Loyalty Day is celebrated annually every October 10 to commemorate the spirit of volunteerism demonstrated by the UP College of Agriculture in the year 1918 when more manpower was needed by the Allies, including the United States of America, during World War I, against the Central Powers. Specifically, on 10 October 1918, 193 students and 27 faculty members volunteered to serve in the Philippines National Guard.

Currently, this event includes a series of activities, including, but not limited to, awarding ceremonies for UPLB distinguished alumni, exhibits, contests, trade fairs, parades, and fun runs (UPLB OAR, 2022).

Source: UPLB Perspective

With its various Christmas decorations, including a life-sized nativity scene and festive display of lights, the Christmas Lighting is an event that celebrates the yuletide spirit in UPLB (Gloria, 2018).

This event has been a part of the University’s annual traditions since the early-2000s; specifically, it started under the leadership of the sixth UPLB Chancellor Dr. Wilfredo P. David who served from 1999 to 2005. In 2003, the Christmas season at the University featured a floating nativity tableau, as well as trees in the Alumni Park that were illuminated with lights.

In 2004, the “Pasko sa Park 2004” celebration involved talent shows, including Christmas carols from University choral groups, and dance and musical performances (e.g. band show).

Lastly, among the most noteworthy Christmas Lighting celebrations in UPLB was in the year 2006 when Typhoon “Milenyo” (International name: Xangsane) struck the country with average wind speeds of up to 185 kilometers. When the typhoon left the country, several casualties, including death, injuries, and missing persons cases, were reported.

In the University, the pieces of wood and twigs from the trees felled or destroyed by the typhoon were used to construct the so-called “UPLB’s Milenyo Belen”, an artwork that is said to have brought the UPLB community together when it glimmered. An article from the UPLB Horizon cited that “it symbolized the indomitable spirit of UPLB constituents who rose from the destruction wrought by the typhoon and the spirit of hope that each celebration of Christmas brings.”

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños

UPLB has been celebrating its anniversary (i.e. foundation day) for more than a hundred years since it was founded during the early 20th Century; however, being established at a later date already, numerous offices, departments, colleges, and units under the University have their own anniversary celebrations, with their own themes, sets of activities, and traditions.

For instance, in 2022, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and UPLB Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) celebrated their 62nd, 50th, and 15th anniversary celebrations, respectively (Dalangin, 2022; Miranda, Maneja, & Panuelos, 2022; UPLB, 2022).

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB Welcomes its 10th Chancellor)

The investiture ceremonies in UPLB are formal academic ceremonies wherein new university leaders, including the UP president and chancellors of the respective campuses, are “conferred with the authority of the office” (KSU, n.d.).

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB IPB Introduces new crop hybrid)

The presentation of ornamentals is an event conducted by the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), an institute known as the “lead agency for crop biotechnology research” in the country (UPLB CAFS, n.d.), that demonstrates the institute’s plant breeding research and applications initiatives.

By showcasing new plant varieties and hybrids (e.g. crops and ornamentals) that could improve the lives of the Filipino people, especially in the agricultural sector, this event highlights the University’s contribution to food security and biodiversity.

Among the most prominent examples of plant hybrids presented in these events are the mussaenda and hibiscus. Locally known as Kahoy-dalaga, the former pertains to the “hardy flowering shrub belonging to the Family Rubiaceae”. The development of the hybrids, which started in 1948, is considered as “the country’s most important contribution to the world of ornamental horticulture”. Traditionally, addressed as Doña (e.g. Doña Aurora), these hybrids were named after the First Ladies of the country. This initiated the UP College of Agriculture’s practice of dedicating flowers to the finest women in the country, even after it became the autonomous UPLB. After 1986, they were also provided Filipino names such as M. Diwata, M. Lakambini, and M. Maria Clara (Taylo & Beltran, 2018; Torrevillas, 2006).

The hibiscus hybrid, on the other hand, was developed by Dr. Pablito Magdalita, a professor and UP Scientist at the Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Food Science. The practice of naming these hybrids after distinguished Filipinas, including heroes, scientists, artists, and leaders, has been done for more than 20 years (Gloria, 2020).

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños (LRC Turnover Ceremony)

In the University, a turnover ceremony is conducted so that the current or former officials can formally bestow the responsibilities involved in supervising an office, unit, department, college, project or organization to newly designated leaders. In other words, it signals the transition or transfer of leadership from one official or group to another.

Source: University of the Philippines Los Baños (University of the Philippines confers honorary doctorate degree on East-Wes)

An honorary degree, (honoris causa in Latin), based on the Memorandum Order No. 19, Series of 2014 of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), “shall be awarded in recognition of an individual’s meritorious contributions to the advancement of a field in a particular discipline, through exemplary accomplishments in instruction, research, and practice, and his personal humanitarian accomplishments and contribution to the institution and society, rather than as a result of academic matriculation and study”. An individual who is given this award does not have to be an alumnus of the University.

Groundbreaking ceremonies and inauguration initiatives both signify the opening of new infrastructure projects (e.g. renovation and establishment of new facilities) that are related to the University.

Similarly, program launching is done to officially introduce a new program or project, including its rationale, benefits, and history, to the stakeholders of the University.

The Collins English Dictionary (n.d.) defined a seminar as a meeting where a group of people discusses a problem or topic. On the other hand, a webinar pertains to a seminar that takes place over the internet.

In UPLB, this may be done to share the knowledge and skills of the university with the largest possible audience or communities possible, including internal stakeholders (e.g., students and faculty members).

Conferences can occur in various locations and ideally involves like-minded people who are aspiring to share their latest research findings (Edelheim, Thomar, Aberg, & Phi, 2017).

Faculty and Research, Extension, and Professional Staff (REPS) are permitted to participate or attend in such “activities that promote exchange of knowledge and scientific information”. They may serve as the following: resource speakers, poster paper presenters, and paper presenters (OVCRE, 2018).

In the University, these two can be done hand-in-hand as training-workshop events.

Training programs are events that teach participants the skills, knowledge, and strategies that are necessary to do a particular job (Rabinowitz, n.d.). Participants are exposed to unfamiliar ideas to provide them with the opportunity to practice their craft and receive feedback on particular techniques or styles of working with people.

Workshops, on the other hand, are educational programs that provide participants with a chance to increase their hands-on experience through practical application of their craft (KSU, n.d.). These workshops are often designed for people “who are working together, or working in the same field” (CTB, n.d.).

Event: UPLB Christmas Lighting 2019

• • Theme: “Paskuhan sa Barrio"

  • Motif

    • The motif of this event was represented through the concept of the decorations, which helped in realizing the overarching theme of the event. Natural colors and used materials usually seen in barrios were used to achieve the desired effect of the decorations.

      • The 80-feet tall Christmas tree was dressed in "generally muted, natural colors interspersed with spots of red, green, yellow, and silver from ornaments made of woven native abaca twice".

      • The #UPLB sign at the bottom of the tree was inspired by handcrafted holiday decors from Pampanga, the Christmas capital of the country.

      • A ruralized Christmas village "formed of swaying bahay kubos and bamboo poles decorated with traditional lanterns or parol. It was also "interspersed with blue and green colors and decorated with water fountains" to represent the Philippines' rich natural resources.

      • Santa Claus and reindeers display were designed with colored lights and lush plants.

      • The traditional belen was designed with lighted life-size carved wooden figures that formed the Nativity scene.