The Student Life at PLM

Students of PLM have access to a variety of activities while not attending class. The campus' proximity to several attractions in Manila makes excursions to local museums, theaters, or other entertainment venues relatively quick and easy.

The PLM Campus offers intramural sports, cultural shows, 60 free Internet stations, campus-wide wireless fidelity facilities, official communication services like email and mobile infoboard, highly-subsidized printing services, and over 50 student and employee organizations.

Fraternities and sororities play a role in the university's social life. Youth for Christ and Bible Readers' Society are some of the well-known religious groups. There are also engineering projects teams, including the Microcontrollers and Robotics Society, which have earned a number of recognition in national-level competitions. There are special interest groups such as the Speech and Debate Society and the Red Cross Youth Council. The University also showcases many community service organizations and charitable projects, including the PLM Samaritans, the Brotherhood of Medical Scholars, and the Legal Aid and Youth Advocacy (LAYA), among others.

Local student chapters of national professional organizations integrate the scholars to their more mature colleagues, such as the Junior Philippine Computer Society, the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants, the Junior Institute of Electrical Engineers, and the United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary, among others.

The University sponsors and implements a comprehensive student services program coordinated by the Office of Student Development & Services. The President's Committee on Arts and Culture (PCAC) is responsible for building up the artistry and craft of the PLM students through its different cultural organizations, such as the Hiyas ng Maynilad Dance Troupe, PLM Rondalla, PLM Chorale Society, and the Mabuhay Marching Band. The Magwayen Creative Scholars' Guild, recently renamed into Marulaya, is the pioneer student theater arts group of PLM established in 1998. In recent years, the PLM Iskolars Dance, Inc. has joined the bandwagon and became a premier dance group for inclined scholars, representing PLM in various inter-university tilts.

The Student Intramurals Council oversees the year-round inter-college sportsfest. The various colleges also conduct inter-department intramurals during or as a precursor to their respective college foundation days. Eco-friendly-themed fashion shows, advocacy-oriented beauty pageants, dance mania, leadership training-seminars and many other worthwhile events line up the university and college foundation days where scholars participate actively -- a great reprieve from the gruelling and exacting university education.

A total of 18 concrete gazebos dotting the horizon provide comforting shelter to students during their break time. They usually connect with friends or review for quizzes.

STUDENT LIFE

“Let no youth have any anxiety
About the upshot of his education.
Whatever the line it may be,
If he keeps faithfully busy
Each hour of the working day,
He may safely live the result itself.

He can with the perfect certainty
Count on waking up some fine morning
To find himself one of the
Competent ones of his generation,
In whatever pursuit he may have singled out.”

The statement rings true for all students of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. Their lives are not on the pursuit of academic excellence alone. Indeed, they keep themselves busy each hour of the working day, not just the day-to-day preparation to achieve academic excellence but to prepare them to be spiritually, physically, emotionally, morally, and socially fit to face the challenges of the global village.

The students are continually blessed in achieving honors and awards. They actively participate in various activities initiated by each college. PLM students are honored for their exemplary performance inside and outside the university. To mention a few, they got a sweeping victory in the four categories of national competition in Balagtasan, Pagsulat ng Sanaysay, Talumpati and Isahang Awit. They hold the much coveted trophy “The Bedan Grail” as the best debaters, extemporaneous speakers, oral interpreters and essay writers for three consecutive years.

Students faithfully participate in varied activities which give them the chance to mingle with other students, hence, bridging cultural gap. These activities allow them to see the values and their worth as truly the outstanding scholars of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Days of the Pamantasan
Things were a little different in this school, choosing its official name in Filipino. Even the signage for the different offices and rooms were also in Filipino, e.g., Silid Aklatan for the library; Silid Pagamutan for the clinic, and Silid Tuusan for accounting, among others. The inaugural plaque commemorating the establishment of the PLM was also in Pilipino. Apparently, prospective students were initially not used to the ways of the Pamantasan.

The first graduates of the University received their diplomas for the 2nd-year degree program. Associate in Arts. To help the students decide on their future majors, the guidance office assisted the graduates in identifying their interests and potentials vis-a-vis the course offerings in the five colleges of Business Economics & Public Administrations; Nursing; Engineering; City College for education courses; and the University College for liberal arts courses.

There was something else about this educational institution. And it is in its intrinsic character that students who succeed in entering the Pamantasan do not pay tuition fees for them to avail of quality tertiary education. The poor people of Manila dream of getting their children to a good school, for them to prepare for their future. Having a diploma would be like getting a ticket to a golden future, a dream to be pursued, a way to a better life.

The realization of this dream of many of Manila’s marginalized but talented youth lay in the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. But it is not easy to follow the path to PLM, because to enter the University, one must be an outstanding student. And those who want to pursue this dream, preparation starts very early.

Recognizing that earning a degree would remain just a dream for their children, parents of PLM scholars and alumni who belong to the marginalized sector have been grateful for the establishment and operation of PLM. Street vendors and minimum wage earners alike openly express their gratitude to PLM for providing their children access to quality education and opportunities to rise above their plight.


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