Tropical storm Crising and heavy monsoon rains tore through the College of Fine Arts (CFA) and College of Media and Communication (CMC) late July. But for students, the storm only laid bare issues that had long been ignored.
On July 23, CMC, through its official Facebook page, showed the conditions of its facilities after torrential rain exposed leaks and damaged roofing in its buildings.
Two days later, CFA Dean Toym Imao appealed for community support in a separate post showing termite infestations, water intrusion, and failing mechanical systems weakening the 40-year-old complex and causing parts of it to be abandoned.
Termite infestation and torn ceilings have left parts of the CFA Complex unsafe and exposed to elements. (Alexa Antoinette P. Sambale/Philippine Collegian)
Moisture seeps through the walls of CMC facilities, highlighting structural issues made worse by recent rains. (Alexa Antoinette P. Sambale/Philippine Collegian)
Even before the storms, CFA and CMC students have spent years dealing with leaking ceilings, poor ventilation, unusable restrooms, and mold buildup that have now become a staple of their campus life.
“The old building, nanggigitata na talaga siya. And especially during noong heat wave noong freshman year ko, sobrang init doon. Kinailangan pang i-suspend yung classes kasi hindi talaga namin kinaya,” said Rebekah Vigilancia, an incoming third-year visual communication student.
As the opening of classes looms, both the CFA and CMC are taking immediate steps to recover. Imao noted in his post his pledge to personally fund emergency repairs while the college identifies which spaces are safe to use.
Meanwhile, CMC Dean Diosa Labiste has been working with the student council in forwarding urgent concerns to the Office of the Chancellor for immediate action, according to CMC Representative to the USC Alyanna Avergonzado.
For students, the longstanding infrastructure challenges in UP Diliman reflect a much larger systemic issue: the mishandling of the national budget, chronic underfunding, and neglect of the education sector in the country.
“Sintomas yan ng education not being run as a public service, it's more being run as a business. So when you're doing the business model ng education, siyempre yung unang i-ka-cut mong cost ay sahod ng mga teachers, units na i-o-offer, buildings na i-ko-construct—all para magkalap ng dagdag profit,” said incoming CFA Student Council Councilor Gaia Mauricio in an interview with the Collegian.
In recent years, state universities including UP have suffered from repeated budget cuts, with the recent P2.08-billion cut in 2025 being the largest, while commercial projects like DiliMall have progressed faster than necessary infrastructure projects.
“It can build very quickly, these new projects like private eateries or entities in the campus. And yet, parang nagmamakaawa na lang yung mga student at mga teachers para magkaroon ng matiwasay na classrooms,” said Mauricio.
The 2026 UP Budget Proposal attempts to catch up with rrenovations of CFA’s Bartlett Hall and parts of the CMC Complex. However, as construction and renovation of key buildings like the Faculty Center and Main Library remain stalled, the proposal is likely to face similar delays in approval and implementation.
In response, CFA’s student council demanded not only increased funding, but also more student spaces and more dialogues with the administration. Avergonzado also urged the government to prioritize student needs so that no one gets left behind in times of disasters.
“Na-u-urge tayo to produce something better pero paano nga tayo makakapag-produce ng mga bagay na world class kung sa ultimong infrastructure pa lang hindi na tayo mabigyan kaagad ng pondo,” said Avergonzado. ●
