I'm a very proud UP Graduate, and "Oble" was one of the great symbols of pride of this very proud, high-quality school.
The Oblation is the main symbol of the University of the Philippines, represented by a man with arms wide-stretched and face facing up, symbolizing selfless offering of one's self to his country.
The original statue was made by sculptor Guillermo Tolentino. Although it was rumored that Fernando Poe, Sr., father of the Philippines' "King" of Action Movies, Fernando Poe, Jr., modeled for the effigy, the book tribute to Tolentino mentions that it was Anastacio Caedo. The current Oblation located at the end of University Avenue in the U.P. Diliman campus is not the original sculpture. The original Oblation is now being kept in U.P. Diliman's Main Library.
Today, the Oblation is commemorated annually during the Oblation Run held during December. Members of the Alpha Phi Omega, one of the leading fraternities in the country, run around the campus naked (a concept known as streaking). This is also done to protest their sentiments about a current political or economic situation.
Contrary to popular notion, neophytes are not allowed to run. "All those who run are full-fledged members who have volunteered, explains Ojie Santillan, the fraternity's Auxiliary Chancellor. There is a misconception that the Oblation Run is something our neophytes have to undergo as part of their initiation. That’s not true. We never allow our applicants to join."
History of the Oblation Run
The Oblation Run is a tradition started by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity in 1977 as a protest to the Martial law regime of then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. It then evolved into a venue for the fraternity’s voicing out on various social and political issues, which had been changing along the years.
From the UP Carillon newsletter:
Every year, the Oblation Run serves as a venue for the fraternity to highlight social and political issues that beset the country in the current year. It also serves as a vehicle for fraternity members to express their stand and position on these issues.
More on the Oblation
Michael Tan muses on the social significance and symbolism of the Oblation:
One might react to the almost warlike symbolism used in the statue and the inscriptions, but we have to remember the Oblation was made in 1935, when Spanish colonialism was still fresh in people’s minds even as we remained under American rule. Now in the 21st century, the metaphors change, as we see with the Oblation Run. But the original spirit of the Oblation endures, the call for valor and selflessness even more urgent in these difficult times.
If you’re really interested to see the original Oblation statue, pay a visit to the top floor of the UP Diliman main library, where he is housed. The statue at the UP entrance is actually only a replica—UP could not stand to see its original Oblation wear and tear under the sun and rain.<a href="http://jangelo.racoma.com.ph/archives/more-on-the-oblation-run">
Check out this video from www.dailymotion.com
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjxmy_oblation-run
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