The UP - Manila, College of Nursing suffered a fire on April 7, 1997. Dean Cecilia M. Laurente wrote to UPCN Alumni and Friends of the College, “...The fire gutted the third floor of the old NEDA building on the morning of April 7. Yes, it caught us all unaware. The fire was contained to the offices of Letty Kuan and Meng Abaquin where our teaching and research programs keep important documents. Plus materials used by the administrative staff such as student records, most of the computers, and too many other things to mention were destroyed. All of the place was damaged with water and soot - more so when the ceiling came tumbling down.... We have always considered you, our alumni as our best asset. You have always been so generous in the past. Could we come knocking once more to ask you to help restore the College of Nursing to what it used to be? We will welcome anything that you can send us - money, computers and other teaching aids, books, magazines, annuals (if you can spare them), souvenir programs of college and alumni activities, duplicates of pictures taken during your years in college, a duplicate copy of your clinical experience record (should you still have one). We welcome anything that you feel would help us piece together the history and the legacy of the college, past and present, for the generations to come. Help us remember the college that once was, the college that all of us can always be proud of. This is the time when your alma mater needs you most. We trust that you will not fail it. We are not asking for more than you can give, but we want to believe that whatever you give, comes as a wholehearted response to the pressing needs of the college.”
