Brod Ted Topacio ’49, one of the Torch Bearers at the U.P. Centennial Launch Celebration

(The following is the personal account of U.P. Professor Emeritus and UPBSFI Elder, Brod Ted Topacio’49 on being chosen as one of the 100 Torch Bearers for the lighting of the Centennial Flame, to kick off the U.P. Centennial year-long celebration).

I was formally invited to be one of the 12 UPLB torch bearers for the centennial ceremony last Jan 8. I was told that we were selected as the well known figures in UPLB and I represented the College of Veterinary Medicine being one of its surviving Professor Emeritus.

On the day of the ceremony, I was requested to go to the Administration building and the Oblation Plaza for assembly at 3pm. However after lunch I went to the office of Brod Frank Cornejo, UPLB Betan and Director of the Bahay ng Alumni, to get my polo shirt as a UPLB torch bearer. His office was full of UPLB alumni buying the centennial T-shirts and jackets. There were four of us Beta Sigmans there: Frank, Fel Calora, Angie Angliongto and me, and only one Upsilonian, prompting, Fel, to jokingly say “the Upsilonians are outnumbered…”

At 2:00 pm, we were called to assemble at the Admin Building. There, I met two other torch bearers who I personally know. Former Chancellor Villareal and a lady, a National Scientist in agriculture. They assigned young student torch bearer guides for each one of us and we were given our respective torches with a number. Mine was no. 54. Then, I met a Forestry Brod, Roberto V. Oliva, a relative of the late Brod Eto Oliva, and I believe a batch mate of Brod Del Ganapin. His torch was no. 53. So there were actually two Beta Sigma torch bearers.

The student guide assigned to each of us was made to carry our “monobloc” chair. I thought all the while that we will just sit on our chair and wait for our number to be called. I was wrong! From the admin building, I walked the academic oval leading to the School of Economics which is quite a long walk. I said to myself it is good that I walked everyday and it was not hard for me at all.

I arrived at my designated number by 3pm. This time I sat down on my chair and waited, a long wait to watch the parade of all UP units which was noisy and boisterous complete with brass bands, “ati-atihan”  and the “Igorot” dancers from U.P. Baguio, singing and shouting. It was nearly dusk when the torch parade started commencing with Number 1 torch bearer, 100-year old Eng'g alumnus, Class 1933, who lighted the No.2 torch.

I waited patiently until my torch was finally lighted by Brod Oliva. By this time we were marching abreast with all the lighted torches. It was really an impressive sight to behold as the streets were deliberately darkened with the street lights turned off. It was still a long walk to the Oblation Plaza and I was still thankful that my daily walking exercise paid off. By this time there were thousands watching the torch parade. Shouting, clapping, singing. The guides formed a human chain to prevent the by-standers from joining our parade because by then, the torch bearers were already followed by a big mass of marchers.

Finally we made it to the Oblation Plaza and the last torch bearer, number 99, a 6-year old UP Elementary student lighted the Number 100 torch of President Emer Roman, the first woman president of the University and wife of our very own Brod Pat Roman. The symbolism is very appropriate, a representative from UP’s glorious past and a representative of a bright and outstanding future of UP.

President Roman then lighted the centennial cauldron to the thunderous applause of more than 6,000 people watching as the UPLB Chorale sang the UP Naming Mahal with the audience participating. It was indeed a hair tingling experience. This was then followed by the performance of the UP Pep Squad, an unbeatable champion bar none. A concert at the amphitheater followed and a grand fireworks display culminated the historic launch.

That night, I was able to personally congratulate President Roman for a very successful UP Centennial Kick-Off Ceremony. That night, I was one of the many very proud alumni of our beloved University of the Philippines.

Teodulo “Ted” M. Topacio, Jr.

U.P. DVM’51

U.P. Beta Sigma’49