The idea for the Oblation was conceived during the presidency of Rafael Palma, who was the one to commission Tolentino to make the sculpture. Palma requested that the statue be based on the second verse of Rizal's
Mi Ultimo Adios: The concrete sculpture, painted to look like bronze, measures 3.5 meters in height, symbolizing the 333 years of
Spanish rule in the Philippines. The sculpture is replete with references to selfless dedication and service to the nation, and as Tolentino himself describes it, Initially, the statue was completely naked, but for reasons of decency, it was modified by U.P. President Jorge Bocobo, 5th President of UP, adding a
fig leaf to cover the genitals. The sculpture was funded by the U.P. students of 1935–36. It was presented by Potenciano Illusorio and
Jose B. Laurel, Jr., presidents of the student council during the first and second semesters, respectively. The statue was dedicated in March 1939 at the
University's Manila campus, the main campus then, where it stayed until February 1949, when the main administrative offices of the university moved to the new
University of the Philippines Diliman campus in
Quezon City. The transfer of the Oblation to its new home served as the highlight of the move from Manila, which is historically referred to as the
Exodus. The sculpture in front of the
Quezon Hall at UP Diliman was installed facing west, purportedly a tribute to the American roots of the university. Today, that sculpture is only a bronze replica (which was recast from the original in Italy in 1950, under the supervision of Tolentino himself) dedicated during the Golden Jubilee of U.P. on November 29, 1958. The original sculpture is kept at the Main Library (Gonzalez Hall), the former site of the U.P. College of Fine Arts. Several replicas of the Oblation were made for the various campuses of the University of the Philippines, some by National Artist
Napoleon Abueva. The Oblation at the
University of the Philippines Visayas campus in Iloilo City was made by Professor
Anastacio Caedo. Likewise, 2005 National Artist-nominee Glenn Bautista did his celebrated version of the Oblation in pen and ink as part of his schoolplates at the
University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts under Professor Rebillon. The sculpture was registered at the
Intellectual Property Office in 2004. Being the main symbol of the university, the Oblation is the centrepiece of many U.P.-related logos, like those of the
Philippine Collegian and other official student publications, the U.P. Cooperative, and the U.P. Centennial emblem. The
University of the Philippines Open University Oblation sculpture is unique for its ribbon-like flag swirling around the pedestal and the replica of Guillermo Tolentino's U.P. Oblation. This gives an effect of the flag lifting the Oblation to greater heights and rendering it the boundless reach that is symbolic of U.P.O.U.'s prime objective of widening access to U.P. quality education. Completed in 2005, it was designed and executed by University Artist and U.P.O.U. Chancellor Dr. Grace J. Alfonso. ==Locations==