University of the Philippines, Diliman, to those who lived or studied there will be glad to know that it continues to exude the old calm and unhurried pace befitting a university campus. At night you could see flitting shadows of joggers desparately trying to lose weight although right across the Carillon, a handful of balut vendors are encamped to provide the necessary nutrients for a protein starved runner. But it too has not escaped the malaise of kidnappings and murder that contributes to a growing paranoia about personal safety. For good measure, at 10 pm the main road is closed and passage to Katipunan Rd. will have to be on foot or a long detour across Cruz na Ligas. The boundaries of UP remain porous but at least it would be less accessible to incidental criminals.

I had the opportunity to listen to a fomer student give a presentation on Ilokano nursery rhymes. Accustomed to the embarassment of technology-rich Stanford, the Palma Hall classrooms (“AS” to old-timers) in contrast, was clearly showing its age. There is less grafitti and the lobby remains vibrant and loud as ever – student organizations advertising their programs and posters calling for some action or the other. The students are spilled-over the front steps waiting for mates, boy/girl friends, or for the more fortunate, a chauffered car to pick them up after class.

In the 4th Floor by the corner stairwell, the Linguistics Department has been able to fund an airconditioned multimedia classroom. Guide panels have been installed for an impending Ethernet connection and on one side of the room stood an impressive rack-mounted AV and network wiring. My student’s presentation went well, LCD projector and all that, just as it would have been in a Stanford classroom. It gave me a sense of pride that UP is not so far behind and across the digital divide. Nevermind the 18:1 computer-to-student ratio, at least the library catalog is now on-line. President Nemenzo has pushed hard to get UP onto the Internet, a remarkable feat considering the niggardly budget it receives and the many competing priorities that has to be contended with.

Part 2