New Maroons logo draws flak; UP says it’s still evolving

The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons will have a new logo as it hosts the 78th Season of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines.

A university official, however, indicated that the logo already posted in some news sites and social media will still undergo some changes

The new logo, which circulated online Tuesday, features a warrior holding a shield with Baybayin characters spelling UP and a spear. The Oblation, the main symbol of the university, is not in the logo.

The new logo has drawn flak from some social media users, who found the design similar with that of the University of the East Warriors and even with the label of a liquid condiments brand.

One of the critics is UP alumni and longtime faculty member Atty Theodore Te, the spokesman of the Supreme Court.

"We're still developing the logo," Dr. Gonzalo Campoamor II told GMA News Online.

Campoamor is the director of the UP Research Dissemination and Utilization Office and is part of the team on the new UP symbol.

UP planned to reveal the new logo on a later date, Campoamor said.



"There is a reason why there is an Oblation in every UP campus. And so many clenched fists too. That is the spirit behind the oblation: service and sacrifice; the giving of self. It is the same spirit that moves every UP student and alum to raise a fist or offer a hand and not see any contradiction," Te said in his Facebook post.

"That spirit is gone from the UE Fighting Maroon logo. It's a free country, call that logo anything you like, just don't call it a UP logo," he added.

"I'll say it straight. UP athletes need something to rally around. This confused and confusing logo with nothing UP about it is certainly not it," Te said.

Te said there was "room for improvement" and even gave a mock suggestion.

"Give the UE warrior on the logo the DLSU bow and arrow and put an Ateneo eagle on one shoulder, an Adamson falcon on his arm, and an SM-NU bulldog at his feet--it has the FEU/UST colors already. All UAAP teams covered, except, oh wait--UP! Darn, how could we forget what identifies UP in a UP logo?" Te said.

"Everyone in the planet (and I am sure the first Filipino out of the planet would be from UP) knows UP is the oblation and the oblation is UP; but if you want a shorthand, try a simple clenched fist--you know, the one every one who has ever been to UP raises at the last line of the national anthem and the last two lines of UP Naming Mahal? What could be more UP than that? Certainly not this logo," he added. -NB, GMA News