The University of the Philippines Press is the official publishing house of the University of the Philippines System. Established in 1965, its primary function is to publish and disseminate scientific, scholarly and creative works that represent distinct contributions to knowledge in various academic disciplines.

 As the publishing arm of the University, the U.P. Press is expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic publishing and to carry out a scholarly publishing program that will serve to enhance the status and reputation of the University of the Philippines as an academic center.

 Through the years, the U.P. Press has been publishing books and monographs, usually based on research undertaken by faculty members who have gained recognition in their respective fields.

 As of April 1999, the U.P. Press has published 291 books and about 60 monographs covering various disciplines in the natural and social sciences, humanities and the arts, as well as important works in Philippine Literature and Philippine Studies (See U.P. Press Titles by Year, 1965-1999).

 Now more than 30 years old, the U.P. Press is one of the oldest and the more established among University Presses in the country. For many years, however, the U.P. Press was generally perceived as lagging behind Ateneo University Press and De La Salle University Press in terms of publishing output. After an initial period of growth up to the mid 1970s, the U.P. Press suffered major setbacks in both its publishing and printing operations, and went into a deep plunge by the mid-1980’s. As noted by the previous U.P. Press Director: “By 1987, manuscripts submitted and published has dwindled to almost nothing. In effect, the University as publisher was moribund.”

 In 1995, the U.P. Press was reorganized into one integrated unit assuming multiple functions—serving as the official publishing arm of the University of the Philippines System, maintaining its own printery that also services the printing needs of other U.P. units, and expanding its marketing operations to include the sale and distribution of the other U.P. publications.

 With reorganization, the U.P. Press was given full funding and logistical support by the U.P. administration. Annual subsidy for its publishing, marketing and promotions activities was increased ten-fold, from P300,000 in 1994 to P3 million beginning 1995. Additional support came in the form of capital outlay for machines and equipments. In 1995, the U.P. Press acquired a brand new printing machine worth P1.3 million, four new computer units, two laser printers, one scanner, a photocopier and a fax machine.

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