SAAI lays time capsule for new Silliman University Alumni Hall

The Silliman Alumni Association, Inc. (SAAI) hosted the Time Capsule Laying Ceremony for the Silliman University Alumni Hall on August 27, 2026, marking the beginning of the rebuilding of the historic structure and a new chapter for generations of Sillimanian alumni.

Newly elected SAAI President Eric Samuel P. Joven said the project is being funded through the generosity of alumni, friends, and supporters. He reported that more than 50 percent of the pledges needed to complete the building had already been secured and encouraged members of the Silliman community to contribute to the project through pledge cards distributed during the ceremony.

Joven described the new Alumni Hall as a testament to the generosity and commitment of Sillimanians and envisioned it as “a bridge between our past and our future, a place where memories are honored, friendships are renewed, and new generations are inspired to carry forward the values and traditions” of the University.

Immediate past SAAI President Adlai C. Amor, meanwhile, opened his remarks with a land acknowledgment recognizing the original peoples and communities associated with the land on which the Alumni Hall and Silliman University campus stand. He also acknowledged those who came before the present Silliman community and emphasized the responsibility of present generations to steward the campus and its heritage.

Amor said the rebuilding project had undergone a detailed process of documentation and coordination with the appropriate authorities. He announced that the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) had formally granted Silliman University an exemption on August 26, 2026, allowing the University to proceed with the removal of the existing Alumni Hall.

He credited the University’s Facilities Management and Administrative Services (FMAS), legal team, and project partners for working on the requirements necessary to secure the exemption.

The proposed building will include guest rooms for alumni returning to campus, including an accessible room for persons with disabilities, as well as an elevator. It will also house the offices of SAAI and the University’s Office of Alumni and External Affairs.

He also appealed for continued support from alumni chapters, classes, and individual donors, emphasizing that the project is intended to benefit the entire Silliman community.

Engr. Oliver Sobere Yu of Sobere Yu Construction likewise emphasized that the rebuilding project seeks to preserve the Alumni Hall’s identity while addressing the structural requirements of a new building.

“For many Sillimanians, the Alumni Hall is not simply a building. It is a place filled with memories,” Yu said.

Read Yu’s complete speech here: https://su.edu.ph/rebuilding-without-forgetting-a-new…/

PHOTOS: Aaron Jalalon for the Office of Media and Public Affairs