Founded in 1947, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is the world’s oldest and largest educational and scientific computing society. It is a major force in advancing the skills of computing professionals and students in more than 100 countries in all areas of industry, academia, and government worldwide.

Supporting ACM’s ideals to advance and promote the sciences and arts of information processing, a group of UP Diliman graduate students formed a local chapter. Master in Technology Management student John Paul Petines and Master of Science in Computer Science students Joyce Avestro, Ben-Hur “Harv” Viray, and Louella Tiongson-Javier, petitioned the University of the Philippines Association for Computing Machinery Student Chapter (UP ACM). The four acted as the interim officers – chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, and treasurer, respectively. With the support of their adviser, Prof. Rommel Feria, UP ACM was officially chartered in 19 June 2003 as the first and only ACM student chapter in the country.

The chapter is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes to promote:

1. an increased knowledge of and greater interest in the science, design, development, construction, languages, management and applications of modern computing;
2. greater interest in computing and its applications;
3. a means of communication between persons having an interest in computing; and
4. a channel for the promotion of general interests in the field of Computer Science.

UP ACM initially involved graduate students, focusing on academics and research. However, undergraduate students were invited when the scientific organization was reestablished through a general assembly organized by Harvey Viray (former Chair), Joyce Avestro (former Vice-Chair), and Prof. Rommel Feria (Chapter Sponsor). Around fifty graduate and undergraduate students attended, and an election of the next Executive Council was held.