On the undulating stretch of Krus na Ligas rests a history of contentions and compromise. Founded in 1630, it is quartered off by UP Campus in the north, Sikatuna Village down south, and Loyola Heights in the east, and Teacher’s village to the west, spanning 22.467 hectares and houses an estimated population of 21,513.

Last September 2019, Republic Act 11454 was passed allowing the administration of UP to sell Krus na Ligas land parcels to the Quezon City government. The bustling economic activity in Krus na Ligas has long since supported faculty and students alike. The site itself is at the crux of Philippine history. The combined area of Balara and Krus na Ligas, formerly known as Gulod, is comprised of thick foliage and rugged terrain that once was a place of refuge and a strategic vantage point for the Katipuneros during their battles against the Spaniards. Katipuneros took shelter in the area called Hanyang Gipit, where the covered court now stands. Accounts say that Andres Bonifacio and the rest of the revolutionaries conducted meetings in a house adjacent to the old local church and plaza, and that the actual tearing of cedula was done at the house of one Apolonio Samson.

Later on, it is said that the Tuazons, descendants of a Chinese merchant Son Tua, acquired Krus na Ligas as a reward from the Spanish royal family. Upon the imposition of the American form of proprietary governance, the Tuazons were forced to register their owned land parcels; Krus na Ligas was merged as part of the Mariquina estate. The title was later on sold to the People’s Homesite Corporation and the University of the Philippines. Apart from the sale, the Tuazons donated an additional 493 hectares to cover the relocation area of UP.

During the Martial Law, Krus Na Ligas was considered a hot area for allegedly cradling activists. The university administration dismantled farmer houses and permitted the ruin of remaining arable land to pave the construction of the Bliss Housing project and Camp Caringal. In the same period, migrants from Bicol, Pampanga, and the Visayas began resettling in the area. Following the People Power Revolution of 1986, the university administration issued a document formalizing the conditional transfer of 15.8-hectare parcel to the residents. The implementation was coursed through the local government of Quezon City. It was rescinded, however, upon an ocular conducted by then UP-president Abueva, citing failure to deliver the conditionalities in the transfer document.

To this day, Krus Na Ligas stands as one of the formidable pillar communities of the university.

Brgy. UP Campus was a product of a geopolitical move by the state to transform all remaining barrios and zones into barangays. It was established on June 25, 1975, pursuant to Executive Order No. 24 of issued by then Quezon City Mayor Hon. Norberto S. Amoranto. Composed of 7 pooks, Brgy. UP Campus spans 493 hectares and is home to 45,520-strong population. It stands adjacent to Krus Na Ligas, Teacher’s Village, Old Balara, Pansol, and Loyola Heights.

It was under the leadership of the late captain Manuel Advincula that the ambit of the barangay expanded. Village C, Pook Malinis, Pook Amorsolo, Pook Libis, and Pook C.P. Garcia became part of the barangay territory during his term.

Being a pillar community, Brgy. UP Campus responds to the concerns of the university, from security needs to administrative collaborations. Brgy. UP Campus has enjoined the university campus in several of its programs, such as pruning and fumigation. Likewise, the university campus administration partnered with the local government unit when they conducted household and property surveys in 1992, 2000, 2011.

Situated within the campus, Pook Sumakwel covers a swath of land more popularly known as Areas 1, 2, and 3. It ensconced the first “sawali” houses, where US Army servicemen temporarily settled. The eventual growth of the Diliman population saw the reconfiguration of these houses into residences for faculty members; residents cultivated a sense of belongingness through communal activities and festive gatherings.

Pook Sumakwel was once home to several notable people, including National Artists Dr. Jose Maceda, Jovita Fuentes, NVM Gonzalez, Guillermo Tolentino, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, and former UP President Francisco “Dodong” Nemenzo, Jr. Currently, a portion of the area is considered “idle”. A total of 35.76 hectares is being eyed for joint development ventures, which include Pook Ricarte, Dagohoy, and Palaris. This bore fruit to long-standing contention between the residents and UP administration.

Pook Daan Tubo is located at the west of Brgy. UP Campus and is comprised of so-called “self-built houses.” The area derived its name from the large underground water pipeline that delivers water to Sta. Mesa. Houses were built upon these grounds by settlers who were said to be not connected with the university.

With the advent of large-scale development projects, residents face consistent threats of eviction alongside those living in the Old Capitol Site. In 1988, a major demolition activity ravaged several blocks of houses, the residents of which were transferred to Pook Libis. It was only recently that they became recipients of infrastructural projects such as road improvements and electricity.

Considered another highly-contended site is RIPADA, which stands for Pook Ricarte, Palaris, and Dagohoy. It is located at the far end of the university grounds, along Balay Kalinaw and Ilang-ilang dormitory, and bordered by C-5 extension and Old Balara. Consisting of self-built houses, RIPADA grew when there was a need for additional housing units for campus residents. It further sprawled as relatives of first settlers built upon the original structures.

Based on oral history, long-term residents have long struggled against the aggressions of university administration with regards to ownership of their land. The site saw the agony of economic depression in the 70s, and the violence exacted during Martial Law. One of the turning points in its history was the so-called “Battle of Ricarte” in 1985, when its residents put up barricades to resist the demolitions.

Villages A & B contain low-cost housing intended for university employees. The site hosted a tenement structure called Adjutant General Records Division when Diliman was occupied by the Americans. The University eventually refurbished the infrastructure and built the first rowhouses of Village A. These structures were commonly called “white houses” due to its plain white paint. Each rowhouse consisted of ten units and were awarded to applicants on a lottery basis. The increase in the number of employees in the University prompted the administration to create another quadrangle of houses, appropriately named as Village B.

Assimilating under the formal governance of Brgy. UP Campus allowed for spaces of cooperation among tenants to flourish. They participate in volunteer programs, organize groups (e.g. Thorns and Roses) for general village upkeep, and join in parochial activities such as Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan.

A man-made forest in the middle of the metro, Arboretum is located beside UP-Ayala Technohub. It was a forest nursery for the now-defunct Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Reforestation Administration until 1962. It is haven to a diverse species of flora and fauna. In recent years, informal settlers have also built in the area.

The university administration is attempting to revive the area through the implementation of a 10-year master plan, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Beta Sigma Fraternity.

Pook Libis was formed during the 1980s under the leadership of former captains Antonette and Amena. Its population grew as residents from Area 11 and Daan Tubo resettled there. Some time in its history, residents of Pook Libis suffered from a big fire, prompting another wave of rebuilding.

Pook Libis was considered as a relocation area in negotiations with residents of RIPADA. The talks fell through when the university administration realized that they could not cover the amount of infrastructural support necessary for the relocation.

Pook Malinis was formed in 1989, following the resettlement of households from Pook Libis.