As part of its efforts to highlight the achievements and contributions of the country’s leaders to national development, the Upsilon Sigma Phi of the University of the Philippines, Los Baños (UPLB) is sponsoring the UPLB Presidential Lecture Series. This project is was organized by the Upsilon as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the University of the Philippines. On September 1, 2008, the presidency of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo will be featured. The guest of honor and speaker will be the Hon. Cesar E. A. Virata, former prime minister of the Republic of the Philippines. This will be held DL Umali Hall, UP Los Baños, at 1:00 pm. The public is cordially invited.

This is the third lecture in the series. The inaugural lecture which was held on January 12, 2008 highlighted the presidency of Honorary Fellow Jose P. Laurel. Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno was the guest of honor and speaker. The second lecture was delivered by former Senator Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr. on June 30, 2008. He discussed the legacy and relevance of the presidency of his father, the late President Ramon Magsaysay.

The lecture series, which will run until 2011, is envisioned to be an actual learning experience for public administrators, local government officials, history scholars, and college and high school students alike. The UPLB Presidential Lecture Series will be complemented with an exhibit showcasing presidential memorabilia and other historical documents at various strategic venues in the university. It also hopes to collect and assemble a compendium of presidential papers and related reference materials for donation to a prospective “Presidential Archives” specific to the UPLB Library. Aside from the academic community and national and local government officials, the lecture series hopes to gather also relatives/family members of former presidents, representatives of the diplomatic community and non-government organizations.