They're Mapuans, Not Malayans!

PERSONAL STORY:
It has come to my attention that the Yuchengco Group of Comapanies, the new owners of the Mapua Institute of Technology, has just changed the name of the school to Malayan University, effective next academic year. The "new" university would offer new programs, such as Psychology and Business courses. The name "Mapua Institute of Technology" would still remain as the engineering college of the said university.

The students and alumni vehemently oppose the move, saying that the school would lose its luster as one of the premier engineering schools in the country. Mapua has the reputation of producing some of the best and finest engineering practitioners in the Philippines. Imagine this conversation:

A: Tol, saan ka nag-graduate?
B: Sa Malayan University!
A: Malayan ano? Saan iyon? Akala ko ba engineer ka, baka insurance agent ka!

Clearly, the old students of Mapua, are striving really hard to pass the board exams with flying colors. However, with the recent move of the new administration, all of their hard work would futile, since no one really knows what Malayan university is. They might know that Malayan is a name of an insurance agency. The name simply doesn't correspond to the institution

The incoming freshmen had been duped on thinking that they would study at Mapua, yet when they go to thier first day of school. Akala ko ba Mapua itong pinasukan ko, e bakit Malayan University ang nandito?

The alumni, ten years from now would have to contend with this kind of conversion:

A: Tol, saan ka nag-graduate?
B: Sa Mapua
A: Mapua? May ganoon pa ba?

And imagine what would Don Tomas Mapua (the original founder of Mapua Tech), who used to cheer for his Cardinals on the NCAA, beating the likes of Ateneo, La Salle, Letran and San Beda, would do if he finds out about this travesty? If it is possible to rise from the grave and scare the hell out of the new owners of his proud school, he could have done that.

Clearly the new administration has missed the point. However, they can still change their minds. All is not lost. Mapuans are Mapuans, they can never be Malayans or even Yuchengonites. The proud engineering school along Muralla can never be known by another name.

Bring the name back to Mapua. Bring it back what it is supposed to be.

POSTSCRIPT: As of this moment, Mapuans, old and new, are currently demonstrating along Muralla Street. The Walled City is full of people wearing black t-shirts as a symbol for their disgust on what their school administration's despicable acts. Let us all hope and pray that the school administration would come to its senses and revert to the revered name of Mapua Institute of Technology.