UP Community Mourns Loss of Shopping Center to Fire

(SPOT.ph) The University Shopping Center at the University of the Philippines - Diliman suffered damage as fire broke out in the building past 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 8. The fire immediately progressed to second alarm at 7:36 a.m. before it was declared fire out around 8:53 a.m.

FIRE ALERT : As of 7:36 AM at UP Shopping Center UP Diliman , Quezon City involving canteen now on 2nd alarm. BFP on site. #mmda

— Official MMDA (@MMDA) March 7, 2018

UP Shopping Center is on fire. Landbank and PNB safe so far but fire has spread throughout the main building itself. Very thick smoke. Am afraid the place is basically lost. It had been newly renovated. pic.twitter.com/3LSRSKzGNw

— Butch Dalisay (@penmanila) March 8, 2018

JUST NOW: UP Shopping Center is on fire!!! More fire trucks kept on coming! pic.twitter.com/vWrRNJaeZ5

— Lotte (@charlottemrcd) March 8, 2018

Videos and photos by students and teachers on campus show a massive column of smoke coming from the one-level building that houses computer shops and food stalls. The University Shopping Center (SC) was also the first home of Rodic's, which has been serving tasty tapsilog since it opened in 1949. Another popular store is the ever-dependable Blessings, which had been mass-producing a lot (and we mean a lot!) of readings assigned by UP professors since time immemorial.

Nasusunog ang Shopping Center pic.twitter.com/bDLEi1JM3e

— nikole (@nikolekoleta) March 7, 2018

UP Shopping Center is currently on fire. View from Quezon Hall. ???? pic.twitter.com/ftJ28FSRbw

— ? L I L I P U T ? (@daryyyyyll) March 7, 2018

Fire at the UP Shopping Center #UPDiliman pic.twitter.com/6qLsf2JQ4F

— Eloi Hernandez (@badassprof) March 7, 2018

There was an outpouring of emotions as photocopied papers, low-priced books, and UP souvenir items went up in flames. Not to mention the heartbroken store owners of the cooperative who depended on SC for their day-to-day expenses.

RODICS
'D HOLY BOOK
PHOTOCOPYING MACHINES
TRANSFORMED WASHROOMS
ZAGU and ARKI VICKIE SHAKE
BULLETIN BOARDS
THAT JAPANESE RESTO
BARBER SHOPS
SMART PADALA STALLS
EVEN THAT WESTERN UNION STALL

IM NOT READY TO MISS THEM YET
Good bye UP Shopping Center. You served us well.

— The Diliman Files (@kwentongupd) March 8, 2018

Wala yatang makaka-graduate na UP student kapag walang Shopping Center. Dahil diyan nagpapa-photocopy at book bind ng thesis, mga reading materials, diyan din ako bumili ng ‘sablay’, etc. Basta hindi mo masusurvive ang UP life kung walang Shopping Center. Plus, the memories!!! ????

— jomar yap (@jumarjomar) March 8, 2018

I just bought this sweetcorn yesterday sa UP Shopping Center and decided not to eat it muna. Now I don't wanna eat it na talaga 'cause I realized it may have been the last. pic.twitter.com/PMft3iBxpo

— Carl Caluag (@caluag_reaction) March 8, 2018

Nasunog ang CASAA - ang sakit
Nasunog ang FC - ang sakit sakit
Nasusunog ang Shopping Center - sobrang sakit

UP, wag mo naman kaming iwan. #UPNamingMahal

— Ralph Ferolino (@feroliwalf) March 8, 2018

I had my thesis printed and bookbound in the UP Shopping Center. I also did my JEEP there and worked as a cashier for UP Blessings :( had a lot of good memories there

— Joachim Mendoza (@thejoewah) March 8, 2018

It feels like an old friend suddenly passed away. thank you, UP Shopping Center. You served the community well for decades????

— charm! (@charmanalo) March 8, 2018

The last time I went to the UP Shopping Center was months back when I was looking for a musical sheet notebook. Sucks that it went on fire since an hour ago because I've been there a lot of times.

— Benji (@nep_neps) March 8, 2018

two years in senior high, i had three individual thesis papers and three group thesis papers which were all printed and hardbounded at the shopping center. i cant imagine how things wouldve gone if wala yung sc ?? Hindi pa man ako mag-aaral sa UP, apektado na ako.

— Diana Mae Carlos Fan Page (@Totsyyy18FP) March 8, 2018

Isa sa mga unang alaala ko sa UP Shopping Center ay ang beef caldereta ng Rodic's. May pagkain naman kami sa Kalay (na maaaring brown, red, o orange ang kulay), pero kapag ayaw ko ng ulam sa dorm, sa Rodic's ang punta ko para bumili ng beef caldereta. Laging beef caldereta.

— Also who cares I just 3 mimosas (@highreaching) March 8, 2018

My fondest (and latest) memory of this place was printing and carrying the materials for the @asean_peace to the University Hotel. Of course, I also remember the many times I ate tapsilog at Rodic’s during college. Thank you, UP Shopping Center! ???? https://t.co/ryUcl4MNX5

— Ferth Manaysay (@FerthManaysay) March 8, 2018

Yung hindi kompleto bisita mo sa UP Diliman kung hindi ka dumaan sa UP Shopping Center para kumain sa Rodic's at mag fruit shake.. yung avocado ????

— BenRaq (@RandomBreaks) March 8, 2018

Sabi ko pa naman babalik ako ng next sweldo para bumili ulet ng ice cream sa FIC. So many memories of UP Shopping Center. ???? pic.twitter.com/QUimVevit4

— Topia Alonzo-Wurtzbach (@topitipiti) March 8, 2018

Huhuhu UP Shopping Center. Yung 10-peso lugaw sa likod kapag ubos na allowance ko. The shake-an. Yung UP merch shop na hanggang tingin lang ako. The xerox shops na paglabas mo, amoy toner ka na rin. Yung Rodic's (kahit ayoko siya).

— Brij Bautista (@brijbautista) March 8, 2018

4 years din akong tambay ng UP Shopping Center. Hindi ko na mabilang ilang papers, syllabus, reviewers, readings etc. ang napa- print/ photox ko sa SC. Bilihan ng UP merch, supplies, kainan atbp.

Para akong nasunugan ng bahay kahit di naman ako dormer. Sana last na 'to ????????

— Mikeee (@mikebreadpan) March 8, 2018

This is the seventh time that the state university has been hit by a major fire in the last decade. The Narra Residence Hall, an abandoned dormitory for men, caught fire in November 2008. Palma Hall Pavilion II of the UP Institute of Chemistry was heavily damaged by fire in June 2010. The south wing of Quezon Hall suffered minor damage when fire broke in August 2010. The June 2015 fire in the university completely ravaged the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Association food center. Faulty electrical wiring at the Alumni Center behind UP's Bahay ng Alumni caused fire in July 2015. The biggest fire prior to the SC incident was in April 2016 when fire razed the three-storey Faculty Center to the ground.