The University of the Philippines’ Campus in Diliman, Quezon City boasts of so many details from being the largest constituent university and offers the largest number of graduate and undergraduate courses among all the universities in the Philippines. It is also the only university in Metro Manila that has its own extensive system of jeepney transportation owing to its huge size. When one traverses the campus through one of the jeepney’s taking its daily route around the campus, one would not miss the Sunken Garden; located within the Academic Oval, the Sunken Garden is surrounded by the Main Library Building, the College of Law, the Student Activity Center, and the College of Education.

The Sunken Garden’s official name is Gen. Antonio Luna Parade Grounds. It belonged to the UP ROTC way back when the campus was installed in Diliman in 1949. The field has then been used for training, parades and clubs like football and Frisbee use it regularly, too. Of course as so many will know today, it is also the venue of many other activities like concerts and the U.P Annual Fair.

The moniker Sunken Garden came from the noticeable sinking of the field. It is being said to sink at ten centimeters to an inch every year. The sinking of the ground is being attributed to the Marikina Fault Line which is being said to pass right under it. According to many the Marikina Fault Line is located east of Metro Manila that passes from Rizal, Marikina City, Quezon City (where the campus is), Pasig City, Laguna de Bay, leading to the Taal Volcano… Although the fault has had no activity for more than 50 years now, many fear for what it will do next should it become active again.