On December 18, 2007, after almost two decades, the UP Diliman (UPD) campus was once again ringing with musical pieces played by 36 new carillon bells. Through the efforts of the UP Alumni Association (UPAA), the bells were imported from The Netherlands, the old clavier keyboard was replaced with a new heavy-duty oakwood one, a hook-up with a master clock, and synthesizer; and the steel frames, bolts, cables, walls, and ceilings were refurbished.

The restoration of the Carillon was the main UP Centennial project of the UPAA. Past and present UPAA officials and other influential alumni and donors gathered at the Carillon site to witness the turnover of the bells to UP, and the lowering of a time capsule for the next phase of the UPAA Carillon project, the establishment of the Carillon Plaza.

Former UPAA President Lt. Gen. Jaime S. Delos Santos and current Alumni Regent and UPAA President Ponciano E. Rivera Jr. formally turned over the bells to UPD Chancellor Sergio S. Cao, and earlier in the day to President Emerlinda R. Roman.

Gen. Delos Santos recounted the story of the restoration of the UP Carillon. It was during his term as UPAA president, during the 92nd Annual Homecoming in June 2005, when the restoration of the Carillon was named the UPAA centerpiece Centennial project. He said that the UPAA will raise more funds to complete the project this year, which means having the Carillon Plaza landscaped and transformed into a venue for the arts. Regent Rivera then presented plaques of appreciation to the main donors of the project. Among them were Engineer Manuel Yu Agustinez, Atty. Loida Nicolas-Lewis, the CASAA Foundation, Dr. Mario and Eva Labadan, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Evangelista, and the late Betty Go Belmonte. Other major donors were Atty. Estelito Mendoza, Mayor Jejomar Binay, and the San Miguel Corp.; plus, Atty. Ed Hernandez, Bimbo Salazar, Victor Ramos, Susana Guerrero, Loretta Cadavillo-Galang, Mayor Marides Fernando, Vicente Quimbo, Francis Laurel, Francis Chua, the Capitol Medical Center, BSBA ’67, UPCM (Medicine) ’67, UP Law ’67, UPCA (Agriculture) ’67, UP Inter-college Class ’58, and UPCA (Architecture) ‘67.

Arranged and played with much vigor by Prof. Antonio Regalario, a UP carilloneur in the 1960s, the musical pieces were met with resounding applause. On the ground, performances were rendered by the UP Singing Ambassadors and the Andres Bonifacio Group conducted by Prof. Jerry Dadap, another UP carilloneur. Another phase of the UPAA project is the establishment of a scholarship to train new carilloneurs.

The occasion was also attended by Senator Richard Gordon, who promised to start the groundwork for the Oblation Plaza with a donation of half of the cost, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, who highlighted UP’s physical role as locus for the city’s development. (Jo. Florendo B. Lontoc)

From the UP Newsletter website