“Ikulong na yan, Mga Kurakot!” The chant reverberated for four days across the Sunken Garden of the University of the Philippines Diliman during the 2026 UP Fair.
The stage at the UP Fair is never just a stage. This week-long event serves as a platform where artists combine music with social activism, calling for action against corruption and injustice. The theme for 2026, “Rak Kontra Korap,” aimed to raise awareness for specific social issues each day: Kalye Tunes on Wednesday focused on urban struggles and the rights of the marginalized; Quest on Thursday centered on queer empowerment and women's rights; Elements on Friday advocated for peasant rights and agrarian reform; and Rev on Saturday championed ancestral land defense.
Originally held in September, the UP Fair started in the early 1980s as an avenue for dissent against the Martial Law era of dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. In 1984, it was institutionalized as a fundraising activity by student organizations led by the University Student Council (USC). Today, it is considered the largest student-initiated activity in UP Diliman. What began as a simple “perya-like” event moved to February and evolved into a full-blown celebration of Philippine art, music, and culture—and a potent platform for change.
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The Fair has promoted countless talents, both homegrown and non-UP alike. The roster includes The Jerks, The Dawn, Buklod, Moonstar88, Yano, Sinaglahi, Patatag, Ebe Dancel, Lola Amour, Sponge Cola, and Morissette. The Eraserheads remain the most famous among them, making their debut performance at the Fair in February 1991—just two years after Ely Buendia, Buddy Zabala, Marcus Adoro, and Raymund Marasigan formed the band in 1989.
They performed again in 1992, with a setlist that included covers of The Knack’s “My Sharona” and John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey.” On a personal note, Buddy and Raymund were my roommates for two years (1989 to 1991) at the Molave dorm during my final college years.
The final night, Rev, was hosted by the Sigma Kappa Pi Fraternity and Sigma Delta Pi Sorority. It called for the defense of ancestral lands and the recognition of indigenous people’s struggles. Performers included The Ridleys, Moonstar88, Apo Hiking Society, Over October, Shirebound, Hey June!, and Any Name’s Okay.
The event coincided with the celebration of the 42nd Cordillera Day at the Quezon Memorial Circle, held in honor of the slain tribal leader Macli-ing Dulag. It was on the evening of April 24, 1980, when soldiers fired at two houses in the village of Bugnay, Tinglayan, Kalinga, leading to Macli-ing’s death. He was a prominent leader of the Kalinga tribes opposing the World Bank-funded 1,010-megawatt Chico River Basin Hydroelectric Dam Project under the Marcos dictatorship.
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Despite his lack of formal education, Macli-ing knew the project would displace thousands of his people and destroy millions of pesos worth of crops. While government forces killed him in an attempt to silence the movement, his murder became the catalyst that united the peoples of the Cordillera against the dam.
One of his most famous quotes affirms the people's right to their land:
“You ask if we own the land and mock us saying, ‘Where is your title?’... Such arrogance to speak of owning the land when we instead are owned by it. How can you own that which will outlive you? Only the race owns the land because the race lives forever.”
The Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) notes that Cordillera Day is more than a gathering; it is a political statement on present realities. It is an affirmation of the struggle for self-determination that martyrs like Macli-ing fought for. In the 1990s, I joined three Cordillera Day celebrations: two in Benguet (Itogon and Mankayan) and another in Sagada, Mountain Province.
The music festival during the UP Fair makes one cherish the concept of academic freedom. These performances are manifestations of a culture of resistance, proving that UP remains a safe haven for civilized, intelligent discourse and democratic expression. The rhythm of resistance roars louder than ever. More than a festival, it is a week where art and advocacy collide, bringing people together not just to revel in melodies, but to rise in solidarity.
