Trip Down South of Manila

          If one is stressed out and only has a couple of spare time to escape from his monotonous urban life, a quick tour down south of Manila could possibly and, more often than not, makes a difference.  A two-hour ride from Manila heading Laguna one could reach the mystical town of Los Banos. Aside from the typical local delicacies and hot springs, the place also caters to the science and academic communities. Lies on the foothill of the legendary Mt. Makiling is the University of the Philippines Los Banos. One of the autonomous campus in the UP System, this academic institution serves as the center of academic excellence in the fields of agriculture, natural sciences and engineering.    

Sometime in September this year, I got the chance to see the place and experienced the breathtaking views of this campus. Just like at UP Diliman, anyone could enter the campus since it does not have gate, but make sure that you have a valid ID just in case a university police approaches you for identity verification purposes.

Facade 

The carabao and farmer monument found near the entrance of the campus symbolizes UPLB's dedication and excellence in the field of agriculture not here in the Philippines but also among its neighboring South East Asian countries.  

                                                                    The Oblation

It is a concrete statue by Filipino Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino which serves as the emblem of the entire UP System. It shows a man facing upward with arms outstretched, symbolizing selfless offering of oneself to his country.  I think the statue looks like me, or if ever, UP needs another model for their statue I would volunteer. Hehe.

                                                                        Freedom Park

This vast field is located near the dormitories and some school buildings inside the campus. Circling the field are trees which they called "The Fertility." It said that these trees serve as a dating place, and sometime, "motel freestyle" for lovers. The graduation ceremonies are being held here in April every year and other important university outdoor functions.

There are still a lot to see here, but due to time constraints and the bad weather, I was not able to roam around the campus. Definitely, if time permits, I would love to visit this place again and make sure to allot ample time to get the chance to see the entire campus and capture them with my handy and reliable camera.