The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) held its 26th Commencement Exercises on 10 December 2022, at 5:00 p.m. at the UPOU Oblation Plaza. The momentous occasion marked the return of UPOU’s annual tradition of holding face-to-face graduation rites for its graduates. The theme for this year’s send-off celebration was “University of the Future: Reimaginations, Reconfigurations, Realizations.”
The much-anticipated ceremony opened with the graduates taking the traditional graduation procession that started near the UPOU Gate, passing along the UPOU Oblation, and settling down in their respective designated seats.
Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion, UP President, was the UPOU 26th Commencement Exercises speaker.
Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion, UP President, was the Commencement Exercises speaker this year. The UP President congratulated the families and loved ones of the graduates as well as the UPOU faculty and staff. “They were the ones who opened new vistas for you and who helped you overcome the challenges of academic life at UPOU and thrive in an environment of purely digital and online learning,” he said.
President Concepcion conferred a total of 535 degrees and titles to the graduates of UPOU’s three faculties: the Faculty of Education (FEd), the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), and the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS). The graduates cheered after they executed the symbolic transfer of their Sablay from the right shoulder to the left.
Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, UPOU Chancellor, along with Dr. Primo G. Garcia, UPOU Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Ms. Rita C. Ramos, University Registrar, awarded the graduates with their hard-earned diplomas. The Hooding Ceremony was also administered to those who completed their doctoral studies.
Dr. Melinda Bandalaria (center), UPOU Chancellor, and Dr. Primo G. Garcia (left), UPOU Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, awarded the graduates their diplomas during the UPOU 26th Commencement Exercises.
Ms. Andrea V. Sangco, who graduated magna cum laude from the Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) program, was the representative of the UPOU Class of 2022. In her message to her fellow graduates, Ms. Sangco shared the highlights and challenges of her UPOU journey. “May the dreams we continue to craft and achieve reflect the values and ideals inculcated in us here, and I hope we never lose sight of it all as people of principles that UPOU has molded us to be,” she said.
Atty. Concepcion led the graduates in declaring their oath of loyalty to the university. Representatives from the UP Alumni Association (UPAA) and the UPOU Alumni Foundation, Inc. (UPOUAFI) assisted the graduates as they took their oaths as new members of the UPAA and UPOUAFI, respectively. The historic celebration culminated with the graduates singing UP’s official hymn, UP Naming Mahal, which was followed by a dazzling fireworks display.
Congratulations to the UPOU Class of 2022! Padayon!
Written by Jaime P O. Guimbao
Edited by Myra C. Almodiel and Anna Cañas-Llamas
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