University of the Philippines

Famous people

• Nicanor Abelardo, musician, former professor of music and the composer of "U.P. Naming Mahal" ("U.P. Beloved"), the hymn of the University of the Philippines
• Eric Altamirano, basketball coach and former player of the U.P. Fighting Maroons basketball team
• Edgardo Angara, Senator of the Philippines and President of the University of the Philippines from 1981 to 1987.
• Virgilio S. Almario, National Artist, director of the U.P. Institute of Creative Writing
• Fernando Amorsolo, painter and National Artist
• Angel Aquino, film and television actress and fashion model
• Benigno Aquino Jr., popular opposition senator
• Francisca Reyes Aquino, "The Mother of Philippine Dancing"
• Ishmael Bernal, film director
• Jerome Bailen, professor of anthropology and well-known forensic expert
• Henry Otley Beyer, professor of anthropology and one of the founding faculty members of the U.P. Department of Anthropology
• Lino Brocka, film director
• Edwin Copeland, founder of the agricultural college (now U.P. Los Baños) and its first dean
• Cristeta Comerford, first female White House executive chef
• Randy David, professor of sociology and newspaper columnist
• Michael Defensor, Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources and a political adviser of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Senator of the Philippines
• Franklin Drilon, Senator of the Philippines and current Senate President
• Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator of the Philippines
• Eraserheads members Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro and Buddy Zabala
• Francis Escudero, opposition politician and Member of the Philippine House of Representatives
• Salvador Escudero, former Member of the Philippine House of Represenatatives and Agriculture Secretary and the father of Francis Escudero
• Marcelo Fernan, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Senator of the Philippines
• Juan Flavier, medical doctor, Senator of the Philippines and former Secretary of the Philippine Department of Health
• Raquel Fortun, medical doctor, professor of medicine and a well-known forensic pathologist
• Juan R. Francisco, indologist and professor
• Lyndon Gregorio, creator of Beerkada
• Jose Laurel, President of the Philippines
• Salvador H. Laurel, Vice President of the Philippines
• Cheche Lazaro, broadcast journalist
• Loren Legarda, broadcast journalist and former Senator of the Philippines
• Salvador P. Lopez, writer-journalist, diplomat; the 11th U.P. president (1969-1975)
• Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines (took her Ph. D in Economics from U.P. Diliman)
• Ronnie Magsanoc, basketball coach and former player of the U.P. Fighting Maroons basketball team and the Philippine Basketball Association
• Malou Mangahas, print journalist and co-director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
• Ferdinand Marcos, President of the Philippines
• Chito Miranda, lead vocalist of Parokya ni Edgar
• Solita Monsod, professor of economics, former Secretary of Economic Planning, newspaper columnist and broadcast journalist
• Nur Misuari, former leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
• Benjie Paras, film and television actor and former player of the U.P. Fighting Maroons basketball team and the Philippine Basketball Association
• Emmanuel Pelaez, Vice President of the Philippines
• Raymundo Punongbayan, professor of geology and director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS)
• Elpidio Quirino, President of the Philippines
• Carlos P. Romulo, Filipino diplomat and President of the University of the Philippines from 1962 to 1968
• Manuel Roxas, President of the Philippines
• Jovito Salonga, Senator of the Philippines
• Giselle Sanchez, film and television actress
• Darius Semana, lead guitarist of Parokya ni Edgar
• Jose Maria Sison, exiled communist leader and founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines
• Jessica Soho, broadcast journalist
• Arturo Tolentino, Senator of the Philippines
• Tessie Tomas, film and television actress and writer
• Ruben D. Torres, former Labor and Executive Secretary
• Tuesday Vargas, film and television actress
• Manuel Villar, billionaire businessman, former Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives and current Senator of the Philippines
• Cesar Virata, former Prime Minister of the Philippines
• Haydee Yorac, professor of law, former commissioner of the Philippine Commission of Elections and chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG)
• Jessica Zafra, writer
• Juan Miguel Zubiri, Member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a close ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo