The University of the Philippines Tacloban () is a public research university located in Tacloban, Philippines. Established on May 23, 1973, it was officially elevated to a constituent university within the University of the Philippines System on May 27, 2026. It serves as the system's ninth constituent unit, focusing on higher education, research, and public service in the Eastern Visayas region.
History In its 833rd meeting, the University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents established the UP College Tacloban. It was recognized as a regional unit of the System on May 23, 1973 and inaugurated on July 2, 1973.
Ten years later, Executive Order No. 4 placed UP College Tacloban under the administrative supervision of University of the Philippines Visayas.
A new campus will be constructed in Barangay Santa Elena in Tacloban City after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the funding for the construction of the access road from the national highway to the campus site recently.
On November 8, 2013, the college sustained severe damage and lost one employee and four of its students due to Typhoon Yolanda. Due to the extent of the damage incurred by the college, its students were forced to enroll in other University of the Philippines campuses such as UP Cebu. University of the Philippines Visayas sent cash aid to support UP Tacloban's faculty members a few days after the typhoon hit.
On April 17, 2023, during his opening remarks at the Climate Talks Philippines forum at the UP Tacloban Multi-Purpose Building, UP President Angelo A. Jimenez announced the approval of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) to elevate UP Tacloban as an autonomous college of the UP System. In its 1380th meeting, held on 27 April 2023, the UP Board of Regents approved the elevation of UP Tacloban College from being one of the campuses of UP Visayas to an autonomous unit of the University under the Office of the UP President.
On May 27, 2026, the UP Board of Regents officially elevated UP Tacloban as the 9th constituent university of the UP System.
Admissions UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) Admission into the University of the Philippines' undergraduate programs is very competitive, with over 100,000 students taking the exam every year, with about 11,000 being accepted. To maintain its high standard of education and to maximize its limited resources, UP has had to limit slots for undergraduate admission to each campus and to its various degree programs by means of qualification through the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT).
Organization Name Tenure of office Alejandro M. Fernandez (acting) 1973 Nestor M. Nisperos 1973–1975 Benjamin M. Catane 1975–1986 Albino C. Lumen 1986–1988 Antonio A. Abilar 1988–1991 Zosimo E. Lee 1991–1994 Viola C. Siozon 1994–2000 Diana S. Aure (OIC) 2000 Marieta B. Sumagaysay 2000–2006 Virgildo E. Sabalo 2006–2009 Margarita T. De La Cruz 2009–2012 Anita G. Cular 2012–2016 Virgildo E. Sabalo 2016–2019 Patricia B. Arinto 2019–2026 Name Tenure of office Patricia B. Arinto (acting) 2026 John Paul T. Yusiong 2026–present Unit Foundation School of Humanities (SoH) 2026 College of Social Sciences and Management (CSSM) 2026 College of Sciences 2026
UP Tacloban is organized into:
School of Humanities (SoH) Department of Literature and Media Arts (DLMA) Department of Human Kinetics (DHK) College of Social Sciences and Management (CSSM) Department of Economics and Political Science (DEPS) Department of Psychology (DPsych) Department of Accountancy and Management (DAME) College of Sciences (CS) Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences (DBES) Department of Computer Science and Mathematics (DCSM) The college is also home to three research and public service offices: the Leyte Samar Heritage Center (LSHC), the Regional Environmental Information Systems (REIS), and the Office of Continuing Education and Pahinungod (OCEP).
Academic programs Undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts Bachelor of Arts in Literature Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Bachelor of Science in Economics Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Bachelor of Science in Accountancy Bachelor of Science in Biology Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Bachelor of Science in Management Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics
Graduate Master of Management (Business Management) Master of Management (Public Management) Master of Science (Environmental Science) Master of Science in Computer Science
Research centers Leyte Samar Heritage Center Regional Environmental Information System
Notable alumni Tiff Ronato, actress, beauty queen, and Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 teen housemate.
See also University of the Philippines Baguio University of the Philippines Cebu University of the Philippines Diliman University of the Philippines Los Baños University of the Philippines Manila University of the Philippines Mindanao University of the Philippines Open University University of the Philippines Visayas
References