UPY2KRD200M CAMPUS
by Nat Dueñas, President, UPAA San Francisco

University of the Philippines Year 2000 Research and Development $200 Million Campus (A Joint Venture between Commonwealth Development Corp. (Philippines) and the Commonwealth Development (USA) LLC.

The Graduate Program of the UP is in dire need of financial assistance. President Emil Javier during his fund solicitation campaign last year has brought the attention of alumni all over the world to the resolution of the Board of Regents of utilizing the 94 hectare UP property across Commonwealth Avenue as a possible source of funds. The intent was to explore the ‘best use’ of the land that will conform to the basic functions of an academic community. To generate a revenue-stream supportive of various academic programs is a difficult task, especially in a volatile Asian economy, a fluctuating Dollar exchange rate, and scarcity of infrastructure capital to prime-start a project. The best use must adhere to advancement of the academe, the perpetuation of an institutional structure supportive of educational programs, and the human resources development that creates the superior minds and leadership essential to the nations progress.

The R&D Campus Project infrastructure will encourage R&D investors, hotel & convention operators wholesalers and other businesses to further infuse capital in the project. The seed capital of $200 million for the infrastructure development will be paid off from revenue generated by these investors from their long-term lease. The Lease Program can be structured in a manner that would be beneficial to the University and the Joint Venture. Grants, scholarship funds and donations generated by the company and its investors will be given to the Friends of the University of the Philippines Foundation in America. Joint Venture & R&D with specific Colleges and local business counterparts will directly benefit scholars selected for the program and a continuing opportunity for the 200 or more Ph.D.’s and thousands of Masters degree holders. UPY2KRD200M will be a golden achievement of the UP Alumni investors and a bold start secure the progress of the nation in the next millennium.

The Commonwealth Development (USA) LLC and Investment Trust Company (US Registered) shall enlist, safeguard and guarantee this foreign investment in our beloved Alma Mater with earnings in US dollars. The Board of Directors of the Friends of UP Foundation in America with leadership of Dr. Tony Racela is supporting the development of R&D Center on the Commonwealth property, and it will explore possibilities of involvement at its annual meeting in July, 1998.

Last June 1997 after soliciting the benevolence of Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) CEO Ed McCracken, and a product presentation by its Singapore office and Infoman (Manila authorized representative) Vic Lautchang, SGI entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with UP to establish the "High Performance Computing Center" and donated a $2 million super computer. SGI, which bought Cray Research, the maker of the fastest computers in the world, can provide the backbone of all R&D activities. This initiative through the UPAA San Francisco started off the ‘best use’ of the 94-hectare property. Presently, negotiations with Hornberger + Worstell, Inc. Architects-Planners of San Francisco, a Hotel and Resort consultant, to explore possibilities of getting REIT Hotel developers and operators to invest in the project. A more detailed description of the UPY2KRD200M Campus shall be made available I the near futures such as plans and programs from Manila and input of various consultants and prospective R&D investors.

We would like to appeal to all UP Alumni to assist in this quest and enlist potential investors to this project, organize and disseminate information on ways we can help out through a solid investment opportunity and better future for UP and our nation. It’s ‘payback time’. Make UPY2KRD200M Campus the Start of the Golden Era of the University of the Philippines.

For further information, please call Nat Dueñas at Phone #650-348-0364.