Revisit the 1971 Diliman Commune in UP's Arts and Culture Festival 2021

The University of the Philippines Diliman has launched "Engkwentro," the UPD Arts and Culture Festival 2021.

Aside from continuing its annual celebration, the event will also commemorate the Diliman Commune's 50th anniversary and the 500 years since the Philippines' first brush against Spain.

"Ginugunita po natin ang Diliman Commune upang hindi makaligtaan kailanman ang ipinuhunang dugo ng mga iskolar ng bayan upang ipaglaban ang academic freedom at kalayaan ng buong sambayanan," said UP President Danilo Concepcion on Monday.

"Ginugunita naman natin ang ika-500 taon ng pagtatagpo ng Pilipinas at Espanya upang kailanman ay hindi rin natin malimutan ang ating ugat na pinagmulan," he added.

The Diliman Commune is a 1971 protest held by the UP community in solidarity with jeepney drivers who were affected by the oil price hike. Students barricaded the campus and the standoff with the Metrocom lasted for nine days.

"Malaki na ang ipinagbago ng UP Diliman (pero) hindi kailanman magbabago ang alab sa puso ng mga taga-UP," said UP Diliman chancellor Fidel Nemenzo. "Husay, dangal, at kalayaan ng prinsipyo ang paninindigan natin dito sa pamantasang ito."

The chancellor also stands firm in his belief that UP's activism is a good thing that stems from fighting for what is right.

"Ang aktibismong ito ay bunga ng paniniwalang ang edukasyon ay hindi dapat ikinukulong sa apat na sulok ng silid-aralan. Walang saysay ang kaalaman kung hindi ito gagamitin para sa tao at sa bayan," he said.

The public art installation, "enKWENTrO" by Toym Imao, was also launched on Monday, making the memories of the Diliman Commune come alive visually.

"It will tell a story about that particular time, pivotal period in the history of this UP student movement in which much of what happened will be represented by different images integrated in the installation," Imao said.

"Engkwentro" will run from February to April. Activities include webinars, conferences, virtual exhibitions, digital and multimedia performances, and art installations from different colleges.

—Franchesca Viernes/MGP, GMA News