Students from the University of the Philippines launched a new dating app called “UPdate” exclusively made for the student body.

The app was launched on November 7 with the objective to help students “build meaningful relationships” with each other.

UPdate is now out on Play Store! UPdate is a dating app exclusive to students of University of the Philippines. Join UPdate now and build meaningful relationships! Download now at https://t.co/nwAJYcWgtj

For more updates, like our FB page: https://t.co/ngyjA8zMVY pic.twitter.com/X50ZXStQur — UPdate (@_UPdateApp) November 7, 2018

The app has “Anonchat” which is an anonymous chat service that connects an individual to someone who will “fit” their respective preferences.

Based on its app description in the Google Play Store, UPdate was created by “UPboiz.”

It is currently on its open alpha stage and is only available to students of UP Diliman and UP Los Baños for the meantime.

‘Para sa mga nangangailangan diyan’

While there are no known reasons why the app was created in the first place, its Facebook page shared a particular post that was featured on another page called “UPD Freedom Wall.”

A post dated October 28 reads:

Wala bang Bumble o dating app solely for UP students? Paimbento naman diyan o. Hindi naman sa pagiging elitist, gusto ko lang talaga ma-expi (experience) magka-jowa na taga-UP rin.

‘Yung jowang maihahatid ako sa classes ko, makakasama kumain sa Area 2, mabibisita sa org (organization) tambayan niya, ta’s mang-iinggit kami ng mga single, and most of all, makakasama sa pag-discover ng momol spots sa campus.

So pagawa na ng app, pls. Thanks in advance.

The page allows students to anonymously submit confessions of any kind, most particularly related to their love lives.

The popularity of dating apps

UPdate is the latest dating app to become available in the Philippines. Some of the ones already popular among Filipinos are Tinder, Grindr, Bumble and OKCupid.

In a series of interviews conducted by a local media outlet, it was discovered that hectic working schedules were what prompted young people to download and try a dating app.

A report done by two experts on social media in October 2014 revealed that people prefer dating apps since it effectively reduces an “emotionally exhausting and time-consuming practice (dating) to mere minutes of pick-and-choose.”

“The main lure of online dating apps is the relative simplicity of use. As opposed to manually scouring the dating pool through trial and error, a list of ideal candidates is delivered right to the user’s mobile,” the study continued.

On the downside, it can lead people to “commoditize potential partners” due to the volume of profiles found in the database, according to a March 2012 study done on online dating.

A lawyer also noted that dating apps allow people to “engage in risky sexual practices” which are considered a major factor in the rise of sexually-transmitted diseases in the Asia-Pacific region.