Charlie Building: The What, Who, and Why

Gearing up for face-to-face classes, freshies and other Iskolar ng Bayan who haven't yet set foot on the main campus should be familiar with the buildings and known spots inside the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). It is essential to know the culture and interesting facts about the Sintang Paaralan, and of course, it's one way to avoid getting lost on the wide campus.

PUP was founded on the 19th of October, 1904, and originally started as the Manila Business School. The buildings and infrastructure inside the campus tell the long history of why it has made a name for itself for more than a century. That is why PUPians must know every nook and cranny of the campus and associate themselves with it, as they will become part of another history in the making.

Setting foot on campus, many isko and iska actually have no clue why certain buildings are named as they are. For instance, the Charlie Del Rosario Building often raises questions starting with "what," "who," and "why."

What is the Charlie Building?

The Charlie Del Rosario Building is not just a mere place inside the Sintang Paaralan. The building is not just a "tambayan" but a constant reminder to every Iskolar ng Bayan of the horrors of the Marcos regime. It is also known as “Unyon,” from its former name, “Unyon ng Mag-aaral Building.” This is where the Office of Student Services is located, providing services and programs related to student welfare and development.

It is also a place for all student organizations, including publications and the student council. It saw how student leaders molded themselves to serve the studentry and the broad masses of the people.

Who is Charlie Del Rosario?

The building is dedicated to the first victim of the Marcos regime. An activist and desaparecido, he advocated for the rights of the oppressed. Even though he was never found again, he has already found his home in PUP. In 1971, Carlos “Charlie” del Rosario, aged 27, was an instructor of Political Science and History at the Philippine College of Commerce, now known as PUP. He was a ranking member of the Movement for a Democratic Philippines (MDP) secretariat and a former general secretary of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM).

The MDP was one of the few national democratic organizations that were the only legitimate opposition to the Marcos regime. On March 19, 1971, Charlie mysteriously disappeared. He was last seen around 10 pm, putting up posters at the PCC campus for the upcoming MDP congress.

More than 50 years have passed, yet Charlie is still missing. He was one of the first victims of involuntary disappearances, and the question that continues to reverberate even in the minds of new Isko and Iska is, “Where is Charlie?”

Why is it a home for student organizations?

Charlie Del Rosario dreamed of achieving a free, democratic, and just society through the ouster of the Marcos repressive administration. However, Charlie’s dreams have not yet materialized as we enter a new Marcos regime in the face of the dictator's son.

The struggle continues with a new breed of student leaders who will collectively fight the oppressive administration and the prevailing historical revisionism with a principled defense of the truth. The building has become the home of student organizations as student leaders progressively lead the studentry and community with militancy, continuing the struggle of the first desaparecido for freedom, democracy, and justice.

To this day, Charlie has never been found, and he is just one of the thousands of desaparecidos under the Marcos regime. But he has found his home inside PUP, and his fight lives in the minds and hearts of the Iskolar ng Bayan.

As PUPians learn the what, who, and why surrounding the Charlie Building, it is now their duty to tell the tale. It is also their purpose to be part of the collective struggle to end tyranny and to fight for a just and humane society.