‘No need to line up’

Photo by. http://blog.anvilpublishing.com “UP is expecting another crowd this coming Friday, 3 August.

“The crowd was unprecedented, but not entirely unexpected,” University of the Philippines (UP) vice president for Public Affairs Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr. told the Daily Tribune.

In a phone interview, Dalisay noted that applications to the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) rose from about 103,000 last year to 167,000-plus this year. This, he added, was “largely because of the free tuition and the K to 12 program.”

Dalisay said UP is expecting another crowd this coming Friday, 3 August, which is the deadline for submission of applications from public school students of senior high school.

“There is no need to line up. Use a courier or the dropbox at the Office of Admissions. Save yourself the trouble and heartache of lining up,” he advised.

“Of course, we will take the best care of the people in the crowd. We understand their hopes and aspirations,” Dalisay added.

Lack of sleep, hunger and getting soaked from the early morning rain.

Such was the situation of public senior high school students who queued overnight at the UP Diliman grounds to get ahead in the submission of requirements for the UPCAT.

This comes at the heels of the more than 10,000 private senior high school students who tried to beat the deadline on the submission of requirements last 30 July.

A slight commotion occurred at around 8 a.m. when students jostled for position to get ahead.

The line reached almost half a kilometer.

UP administration representatives repeatedly announced that applicants may send their applications by courier, but students said they preferred to hand-carry them.