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UP Sarô
SARÔ was a provincial organization of students who hail from Camarines Norte based in the University of the Philippines - Diliman. It was founded on July 7, 2000 by 54 pioneer members.

OVERVIEW
UP SARÔ (University of the Philippines - SARÔ) was founded on July 7, 2000 by 54 pioneer members from Camarines Norte. The founding members consisted of students from different colleges and collegiate levels at UP-Diliman, and from different high school and family backgrounds. It was first recognized by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) on August 2, 2000.

Sarô is a word from the regional Bicolano language; it means "one" in English (Tagalog: "isa"). The student organization's name signifies unity among members and being one with the members' common roots and history. The goal of the student organization is to create an environment for UP-Diliman students from Camarines Norte where excellence in leadership and academics, socio-cultural consciousness, and nationalistic ideals will be nurtured.


 * The province of Camarines Norte produced three national heroes: Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, Jose Maria Panganiban and Gen. Vicente Lukba n. It is also home to the first ever monument built for Jose P. Rizal, the "Bantayog ," which was built in 1892 by the masons.
 * Bantayog and Bintao (Wenceslao Q. Vinzons' pseudonym) were among the considerations for the student organization's name. The name SARÔ won the majority vote of the founding  members.

HISTORY
Early in the first semester of SY 2000-2001, two friends and high school classmates, who come from La Consolacion College of Daet, initiated the birth of the organization that will later become UP Sarô. Teasers bearing the words "Taga Camarines Norte ka ba?" were posted all over the UP-Diliman campus. The initial wave of recruitment spread through word-of-mouth, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The first meeting was held on the hallways of Vinzons Hall, which was chosen for obvious reasons: the late national hero Wenceslao Q. Vinzons as the ideal for CamNorteño pride and nationalism-- a natural aptitude of most UP students. At the time, they did not really know who the other colleges and buildings were named after, Vinzons Hall was a clear choice to build the organization's foundation. "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."

- Eleanor Roosevelt Obviously, Eleanor Roosevelt never met any of the core founding members. They were great minds and average minds and small minds all at the same time. They talked about ideas and programs and people and all of the little things in between. Everyone had something to prove and say, and everyone had an idea as to where the organization's direction should go. They had a set of officers, but some people seemed to be both president and committee heads at the same time. Some members even seemed to think they had the right to veto everything until they make a vote on it, but until there was clear "quorum," nothing was written on stone. They talked, argued, bickered, fought, walked out of meetings, got yelled at, and got their lives threatened because of some words that became all too familiar during meetings even to neighboring student organizations: "quorum, consti, and by-laws." They were great minds and average minds and small minds, but, at the end of each meeting, where heads always seemed to collide, they were still driven by what brought them together in the first place: SARÔ and why they built it.

PIONEER YEAR

 * On August 4, 2000, Sarô held its first acquaintance party and induction of officers in Barangay Krus na Ligas, Diliman, Quezon City. It also served as the first informal assembly of all the founding members.
 * On August 23, 2000, the first Team Building Activity was held at Orosa Hall, MWSS, Old Balara, Quezon City.
 * On August 28, 2000, the winner of the first fund-raising project of Sarô (Cellphone Raffle) was drawn, a resident of Kalayaan Residence Hall. The organization earned PhP 1,000.00 from the activity.
 * On October 11 to 18, another fund-raising activity was held, Pili Sale, which promoted the popularity of the product from Camarines Norte.
 * On October 24 to 28, Sarông Orolay and local radio station visits were done to promote UP education and other organization's projects.
 * At the end of October, 2000, the members held another team-building activity at Mangcamagong Beach, Basud, Camarines Norte.
 * On December 28, 2000, Sarông Pagtabang, a medical-dental mission, was the organization's first major project. It was conducted in the town of Mercedes. UP Sarô worked with the University of the Philippines Alumni Association - Camarines Norte Chapter (UPAA-CNC), the Offices of the Congressman and Governor, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), pharmaceutical companies, THEA Foundation, CN Doctor's Association, LGU-Mercedes, and Mercedes Rural Health Unit (RHU).  This project prompted the organization's registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
 * On December 30, 2000, the organization was invited to the Christmas party of the UPAA-CNC.
 * On January 2001, the organization participated in a Road Painting Activity spearheaded by the University Student Council (USC) in connection with the ongoing clamor for the ouster of then President Joseph Estrada.
 * On March 2001, a new set of officers were elected to assume their roles in the next school year.
 * On May 9, 2001, "Boses ng Bayan: A Citizens Assembly" was held with the help of UPAA-CNC and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).

BATCH NAMES
The organization existed for 11 years, was ran by 11 presidents (there were two who won the election but were replaced quickly), and had batch names derived from the Bicolano language (except the pioneers) as follows:

NATIONALISM
If there is anything that paints a picture of what most UP students are, it is their demonstrable bearing. In 2001, during the impeachment trial of then President Joseph 'Erap' Estrada, UP Sarô went to EDSA to join the collective call for his ouster. There were no contentions or doubts, no mention of things they would always bicker about; they just went there, as one.

The organization took part in EDSA Dos, the second time a peaceful revolution happened in the country. They helped oust a corrupt president who was manipulating an impeachment hearing through party politics. They made the first family flee the grounds of Malacañang on a barge. They humbled the first family, which was facing multiple allegations of corruption, and they were proud of it,no matter what the eventual result in the succeeding few years came to be. Wenceslao Q. Vinzons would have been beaming with pride.

On May 09, 2001, UP Sarô, with the UP Alumni Association - Camarines  Norte Chapter, spearheaded "Boses ng Bayan: A Citizens' Assembly," which was conducted to promote awareness on national political issues and democratic processes and to engage the youth in nation-building ahead of the May 2001 national elections.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
While they made themselves busy with Sarô and other student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and nationalist activism, academics was never neglected. They would have study groups and helped each other out on papers, class reports, and reviews. They talked in detail about general education courses they hated but were required to take, and they talked about professors to avoid and those who are worthy of "prerog" no matter the risk of being made to sing in front of a whole class, or going on a long queue just to be told "no" in the end. They went to the Main Library together for research, and stared at the black and white screen for hours of then newly launched online catalogue system, which was just as difficult as physical card catalogues. They endured nights of staying up late, whether it was cramming or just plain aiming for a perfect quiz, on one of their members' boarding house or dormitory. They were one.

From those youthful days in college, they have become functioning members of society who are making a difference. The UP Sarô alumni now has entrepreneurs, lawyers, medical professionals, scientists, architects, engineers, educators, public servants, peace and order officers, flight attendants, foreign language experts, artists, bankers, HR professionals, marketing and IT experts. They even have an alumna who became a nun. The UP Sarô alumni are self-made young men and women who have made their mark in their field of profession or community.

SARÔNG PAGTABANG & SARÔNG OROLAY
UP SARÔ launched two flagship programs in October 2000.

Sarông Pagtabang, a medical-dental mission, was launched with the aim of providing medical and dental assistance to remote areas in Camarines Norte. Since its launch, Sarông Pagtabang has been conducted in various municipalities and remote areas in Camarines Norte, including Daet and Labo.

Sarông Orolay, which became a yearly tradition of visits to various high schools in Camarines Norte prior to the annual University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), was also launched, with the purpose of encouraging top local high school students to take the test and, eventually, get them recruited to the organization so they may continue the Sarô tradition.

In connection with these projects, regular visits to local radio stations with the help of the local government were done to promote the organization's programs in Camarines Norte.

OTHER PROJECTS

 * With the purpose of promoting nutrition in local street children, thereby giving them a better fighting chance, a Feeding Program was launched with the help of Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte.
 * Distribution of school bags and school supplies in a day care center in Barangay Camambugan, Daet.
 * A Quiz Bee was held in Camarines Norte in December 2006.
 * Other fund-raising events were held to support the organization's programs including rummage sale, fashion shows, and cellphone raffle.
 * The organization also conducted regular team-building activities to promote teamwork and to learn concepts and principles that lead to team success.

UP COMMUNITY
UP SARÔ regularly participated at possibly the most popular annual event in UP, the UP Fair, by co-sponsoring concerts and thru concession booths.

The organization also participated regularly in Bicol Karawat, an annual sportsfest among provincial student organizations from Bicol. In 2004, Sarô was the overall champion and also won the Jologs Quiz Show.

The organization also sponsored movie premieres and screenings.

LASTING BOND
While all of the student organization's projects are noble albeit challenging, the gift of friendship between members amidst all the bickering and finger-pointing is quite priceless and something that even time cannot erase. Since the conception of the organization in July 2000, members have made friends that will last a lifetime.

Some of the members of Sarô have travelld together. They have done spelunking in Cagayan, pottery-making in Vigan, and whitewater rafting in Cagayan de Oro. They have been to the underground river in Puerto Princesa, island-hopping in El Nido, and people-watching in Boracay. They have even done some soul-searching in Phuket, and went on a short road trip around the volcanic island of Camiguin. And they have been picked up by a police mobile in Pagudpud as suspected left extremists, but were sent back to their hotel, unscathed. The following day, they went kayaking, some of them oblivious to why they were on a police mobile the previous day.

On ordinary days at their tambayan, it would be normal to see members eating ice cream together, another simple tradition. Sometimes, someone would decide to celebrate their birthday party there, with some food, drinks, and a simple cake. If they were feeling a little adventurous, they would decide to go out-of-town, to a nearby private pool or some resort, and spend the night there.

These were the simple things that happen while members of UP Sarô try to hustle through academics and everything that had been going on with the organization. These were the things that will never be forgotten.

They shared stories and heartaches. They traded words of both appreciation and contempt. They were not just a student organization; they were a huge group of friends composed of completely different people who made actual difference in each other's lives.

The organization, while it was organized for other purposes, built bridges that are never going to be broken. Without the organization, and if not for those two high school friends from LaCo, those bridges would not have ever been built.

FUTURE
Revive.

Recruit.

Guide.