Note: This photo-essay appeared in the 03-09 July 2015 issue of the FilAm Star, the weekly 'newspaper for Filipinos in mainstream America' published in San Francisco, CA, where this writer/blogger is the Manila-based special news/photo correspondent.
Applause & cheers upon presentation for graduation. |
For the first time, the University of the Philippines Diliman
(UPD) held its graduation rites in June, following the shift of the university
academic calendar from June to August last year. The University Avenue still blazed
with the golden yellow blooms of the iconic sunflower, this time of the species
that can tolerate rain.
Class 2015 comprising 4,439 graduates from the 27
degree-granting units in the Diliman campus received their degrees under the
burning morning sun during the 104th
General Commencement Exercises on 28 June. 3,499 received undergraduate degrees
while 940 received graduate degrees, of which 84 were conferred their doctoral
degrees. They were alerted that if it
rains, they would be confirmed graduates by text.
The four summa cum laude graduates of engineering with theirDean Aura Matias,
Vice Chacellor Benito Pacheco, Chancellor Michael Tan and UP President Alfredo Pascual |
Summa cum laudes. Twenty nine undergraduates who
earned a weighted average grade (WAG) of 1.20 or better were bestowed with the
highest academic distinction: summa cum laude (“with the greatest honors. They
were led by Tiffany Grace C. Uy, BS Biology with a WAG of 1.004. She surpassed
that of John Gabriel P. Pelias, BS Mathematics, graduated with a WAG of 1.016
in 2011.
Chancellor Tan congratulates Tiffany Uy and her proud parents. |
In the Diliman Files, a Facebook community group, Uy is listed
second, and Pelias third, among the top five summa cum laude graduates in UP
history. Number one is Exequiel Sevilla, who had a flat 1.0 WAG in 1927. The
fourth and fifth are Emerenciana Yuvienco-Arcellana, 1.020 WAG in 1948, and Gertrude
Gwendale Baron-Reinoso, 1.030 WAG in 1982. Among the post-war Diliman campus
summa graduates though, Uy would be on top.
Mikaela Irene D. Fudolig was barely noticed during graduation
rites. She was one of the 84 who received doctoral degrees. If her name rings a
bell, she was this physics prodigy, who at 16 in 2007, graduated summa cum
laude, with 1.099 WAG. She was the girl
of 11 who entered the university without a high school diploma and without
taking the UP College Admission Test or UPCAT.
After her BS and MS in 2007 and 2013, respectively, she is now PhD, all in
physics.
High school buddies Junji & Mike graduate as engineers. |
Based on the university records, there were only one or two
summa cum laude graduates or none at all, from 1919 to 1959, although there
were five in 1929, and three in 1952. In the 1960s, there were only two. During
the years of student ferment, from 1964 to 1972, there was none at all. The
double-digit number of summas started in 2005 although there were only eight in
2007.
Many alumni wonder why it was so difficult to earn the
highest Latin honor in their time although they had magna cum laudes in their
classes.
Chancellor Michael Tan attributed the seeming phenomenon to
change, citing factors such as easier access to information from various
sources, improvement in the teaching methodologies (the ‘terrors’ are
disappearing, he quipped), among others.
Tiffany Uy was more down-to-earth with regard to her grade.
To her, it just a number, only a circumstantial evidence of what [she] has
learned. “A true measure of what you’ve
learned,” she averred, “is (its) application toward serving the country.”
Muslim Filipinos are integral part of the academic community & the nation. |
Pag-uugat, Pag-uugnay,
Pagyabong. “This theme,” said UP President Alfredo
Pascual in his message to Class 2015, “mirrors your transformation from
idealistic young freshmen to accomplished graduates.” He reminded that they
were nurtured in integrity so they can proudly stand as “the best and the
brightest in the country.”
He emphasized on “pag-uugnay” in the process of growth as
true iskolar ng bayan, in the practice of excellence to achieve honorable ends.
“Many of our graduates
like you,” he said, “have seen how each individual is connected to the
whole—that the nation’s issues are your issues. You have been witness to how
one can, under the banner of truth, improve the world through strength of mind
and will. And this is done through building networks, cooperation, and
interconnections.”
The iconic clenched fist in UP rites. |
Secretary Armin A. Luistro of the Department of Education, the
ceremony’s guest speaker, urged the members of Class 2015 to become living heroes, “mga
buhay na Oblation.”
In good humor, Luistro said that he was told he would become
a rock star if rallyistas appear
while he is speaking. Placards were
flashed while he spoke, and the mass action, which was quite expected, came before
the formal closing of the program. The protest principally focused on the K-12
program.
Luistro hurled challenges to the graduates focusing on his
turf: the state of public schools in the country. He asked for who can help
install solar or micro-hydro power in schools that still do not have electricity.
There are also more than 6,000 schools that have no access to clean water, and
thus, rain catchment facilities are needed to be constructed.
He cited the Brigada Eskwela program, and he challenged the
engineering graduates to volunteer in constructing around 40,000 new classrooms
in far-flung areas and islands. He assured that the locations are the most
beautiful in the country.
The Colleg of Law contingent singing the UP Naming Mahal with passion. |
Luistro would also like the graduates to look at the
out-of-school youth. According to him,
there were 2.9 million of them in 2008, and this reduced to 1.2 million in
2013. “If you see a child who is not in
school,” he said, “text or email us at DepEd and we will take care.”
He called attention to other challenges that graduates cannot
evade: the turmoil at the West Philippine Sea, the issues on the Bangsamoro
Law, which is deemed to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao, and the election of
right government officials in 2016.
Response on behalf of Class '15. |
Summa cum laude graduate Ma. Patricia Riego De Dios (BS
Psychology, 1.139 WAG) spoke on behalf of the graduating class with “Mga
Katanungan ng Payabong na Iskolar ng Bayan” vis-a-vis the graduation theme.
She recalled that their growth as iskolar ng bayan was
nurtured in the university by information, friendships, experience, failures
and interconnections.
“Mga kasama kong nagsipagtapos, tayo ay magiging ganap lamang
na mga iskolar ng bayan sa ating pag-angat sa lupa,” she implored. “Magiging
ganap tayo na mga isko at iska kapag yumabong na ang ating mga tangkay, mga
sanga, at mga dahon sa kanya-kanyang propesyon at karera sa buhay: paghanap ng
trabaho, ng boyfriend, girlfriend, asawa, pagpasok sa med school, law school o
graduate school, at pagpapalawak ng ating kaalaman.
“At dahil nga tayo ay naka-ugat sa UP, sisikapin nating
maging pinakamataas na sanga, pinakaluntiang dahon, at higit sa lahat,
pinakamatibay at pinakamayabong na puno na nakapagbibigay ng silong sa
nakararami.”
Strung across the front of the stage for all Class 2015 is a giant streamer, a reminder that they should go and serve the people: 'Paglingkuran ang sambayanan.'
The lightning protest demonstration toward the end of the graduation rites. |
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