Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand 
why the old poets of China went so far
and high 
into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver



  • The UP Asian Center supports efforts to foster dialogue between the government and the University, as evidenced by the meeting between UP President Danilo Concepcion and DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and by the mutual commitment of DILG and UP to review the DILG-UP accord.
    Inasmuch as this accord is still in effect, we are thus shocked by the recent incident affecting one of our colleagues, who has shown exemplary dedication to his tasks over the years.
    On the evening of 21 February 2021, without coordinating with the officials of the University, UP Police, or even Barangay UP Campus, armed PNP personnel barged into our colleague’s house, arrested him and his companions, and brought them to Camp Karingal on allegations of off-track betting.
    While they were later released, the incident caused undue panic and fear to his family and the community. The operation may have also exposed his household to the threat of COVID-19.
    More alarmingly, the police officers deployed excessive use of force—reminiscent of the now-terminated Oplan Tokhang—which could have exacerbated the life-threatening medical condition of our colleague, who recently underwent an operation. His and his companions’ warrantless arrest, and the brazen disregard of their constitutionally guaranteed rights exemplify the long record of wanton human rights violations in the country.
    We denounce in no uncertain terms the manner in which our colleague was arrested. Amidst the on-going dialogues between the University and the government, this incident has no place in the UP community. We thus call on the concerned government agencies, particularly the DILG and the PNP, to coordinate with UP officials, investigate the incident, and hold accountable those responsible for the arrest, which was made in haste, and without any proper coordination or any arrest warrant.
    We are in the middle of a pandemic, and an incident like this only stirs mistrust, suspicion, and contempt between the government and the University; and it needlessly diverts our attention from addressing the urgent needs of the country, which we, as University and government employees, remain firmly committed to serve.
    Lastly, we also take exception to the inclusion of the UP Asian Center in unverified posts in social media, which unduly and unfairly link the staff's institutional affiliation to the issue, and besmirch its highly distinctive performance as an academic unit of the University.

  • Nakikiisa ang UP Asian Center sa mga hakbangin tungo sa pagkakaunawaan sa pagitan ng unibersidad at pamahalaan. Ilan sa mga hakbanging iyon ay ang pagpupulong sa pagitan nina Pangulong Danilo Concepcion at Kalihim ng DND, Delfin Lorenzana pati na rin ang usapan sa pagitan ng DILG at UP upang suriin ang kasunduang DILG-UP.
    Nakababahala na kahit na may bisa pa ang nasabing kasunduan, naganap ang isang insidenteng kinasasangkutan ng isa sa aming mga nakatatanda at huwarang kasamang empleyado.
    Noong gabi ng 21 February 2021, ilang armadong miyembro ng PNP ang nanghimasok sa kanyang tahanan at umaresto sa kanya at kanyang mga kasama nang walang koordinasyon sa mga lider ng Unibersidad, UP Police o Barangay UP Campus. Ang pag-aresto ay bunga diumano ng kanilang pagkakasangkot sa off-track betting.
    Bagamat pinalaya kinalaunan, nagdulot ito ng matinding takot sa kanyang pamilya at komunidad. Dagdag pa ang pangamba na dala ng banta ng COVID-19 na maaaring idulot ng panghihimasok na ito.
    Lubhang nakababahala ang marahas na pag-aresto—tila ba may bahid ng Oplan Tokhang—na maaari pang nakapagdulot ng paglala ng iniindang malalang sakit ng aming kasamahan. Patunay ang pag-aresto sa kanya nang walang warrant of arrest at ang pagyurak sa mga karapatang konstitusyonal sa patuloy at matagal na kasaysayan ng pagwawalang-halaga sa karapatang pantao sa ating bansa.
    Mariin naming kinokondena ang paraan ng pag-aresto sa aming kasama. Hindi nakatutulong ang insidenteng ito sa positibong talakayan sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at Unibersidad. Nananawagan kami sa kinauukulan, partikular sa DILG at PNP, na makipag-ugnayan sa mga namumuno sa UP upang maimbestigahan ang insidente at managot ang mga nagsagawa ng pag-aresto nang walang koordinasyon o arrest warrant. 
    Nakalulungkot na sa gitna ng pandemya, nalilihis ang ating atensyon sa mga pinakamahahalagang isyu ng ating bayang buong puso naming pinagsisilbihan bilang mga empleyado ng Unibersidad. Ang mga insidenteng tulad nito ay nakakapagdulot lamang ng di-pagkakaunawan at kawalang tiwala sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at unibersidad.
    Panghuli, nais naming punahin ang hindi makatarungang pag-uugnay sa pangalan ng UP Asian Center sa partikular na isyung kinasasangkutan ng aming kasama. Aming tinututulan ang pagpapakalat ng mga ito sa social media.

The UP Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D.  program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. The Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website. For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here