January 1957: Lualhati Unveiled
On January 27, 1957, the statue representing the University of the East as an alma mater was officially unveiled. The bronze statue, made by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino, was then located in front of the Dalupan Building [now the Santiago F. Dela Cruz (SFC) Building], facing Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue). The unveiling was led by then First Lady Luz B. Magsaysay, with members of the UE Administration headed by UE President Francisco T. Dalupan Sr., and members of the UE Alumni Association, including Ms. Ofelia S. Salas, whose image and likeness served as the model for the statue.
Today, the UE Alma Mater statue, affectionately known as “Lualhati,” serves as the University’s most enduring symbol, or as UE Alumnus Arsenio D. Narciso stated: “a spiritual force among the alumni [that] may act as a spark which will kindle a more lasting feeling of affection for their Alma Mater.”
