On the evening of 30 July 2016, about a thousand people assembled at the headquarters of UP Open University, expectant of the glorious evening that was about to unfold – UPOU's fourth Chancellor will be invested by the UP President, in time with the 20th Commencement Exercises of the University.Three hundred sixty-one graduates were conferred degrees with 9 graduates on the Chancellor's list and 12 making it to the Dean's list. Fifty-three undergraduate students and 308 graduate students were conferred their degrees, 11 of which were doctoral program graduates.
Honorable Alfredo E. Pascual, the President of the University of the Philippines, was the event's commencement speaker, to address both the graduates and the new Chancellor. He applauded the graduates' choice to study and finish via distance education through the UP Open University, while juggling between work, family and personal development. "Open distance education is not an easy option," he stated, "Your graduation today is not just a celebration of your success but a testament of your hard work, resolve and perseverance." He exhorted the graduates to transcend ideological impulse and social vigilance. "Instead of simply being critical voices, I urge you to work instead to make change possible."
To the 4th Chancellor of UPOU, Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, his message was continued success in the performance of her responsibilities. He assured her the support of the entire UP Administration as she leads UPOU to higher levels of achievement. "We count on you, Dr. Bandalaria, to give full commitment to your important role to further stimulating and promoting open and distance e-learning."
In her investiture speech, Dr. Bandalaria's call was to break the boundaries instead of just democratizing access to UP education and to make UP inclusive, instead of exclusive, through OpenUP – a direction that UPOU has started to take even before her term. She also emphasized the need to strengthen the internal organization to be able to lead effectively and to provide service to the country as the ultimate articulation of open and distance e-learning (ODeL). "UPOU is in the position to take on the leadership in ODeL in the region. The stage has been set and all that is left for us to do is claim this space and seize opportunities." In the end, she did not ask for the support of everyone, but said "Rather, I am requesting that we be PARTNERS in the various undertakings that we had identified."
Senen Niño Pineda II, a graduate of the Diploma in Social Studies Education program, was chosen to deliver the message to represent the graduating class of 2016. He shared experiences in being a UPOU student and the survival "amidst the superhuman challenge of juggling work, school, family, friends and socio-civic pursuits." "We are now bolder, more knowledgeable, and readier than ever to share to the country and the rest of the world the insights, comprehensions and awareness we gained after several semesters in UPOU," he stated. "We are sons and daughters of the premier state university that values honor and excellence, love and service to our country." His call to his fellow graduates is to continue on the trails blazed in UP.
Fireworks punctuated the twin events after the ardent singing of UP Naming Mahal. (Anna Cañas-Llamas)

📢 NOW OPENThe MOOC "𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗢𝗗𝗲𝗟)" is being offered for the second time, running from 7 July to 1 August 2025.Ready to lead and innovate in ODeL? This free online course will discuss the recent global developments and their implications to higher education, and ODeL as a system.🗓️ Start learning today—at your own pace, anytime, anywhere!✅ Existing MODeL users can self-enroll today!✅ New to MODeL? Here's how to join:1. Go to model.upou.edu.ph/ 2. Click “LOG IN” to create a new account.3. Fill out the form with your details. (𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴.)4. Check your email account to see your confirmation link. (𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 3 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴.)5. Confirm and log in.6. Browse through our website homepage, and select the course you want to enroll in. (𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦.)⚠️ Important reminder that we no longer use Google Forms for registration. Please be guided accordingly and follow the steps above for self-registration. Need help? Chat with "Openg" on model.upou.edu.ph.Don’t miss this opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere—enroll today and be part of the future of education!#UPOUMODeL #UPOpenUniversity #MOOCs #elearning #UniversityOfTheFuture #SDG4 #SDG9 #UPOUSDG4 #UPOUSDG9 #upoupublicservice📢 NOW OPENThe MOOC "𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗢𝗗𝗲𝗟)" is being offered for the second time, running from 7 July to 1 August 2025.Ready to lead and innovate in ODeL? This free online course will discuss the recent global developments and their implications to higher education, and ODeL as a system.🗓️ Start learning today—at your own pace, anytime, anywhere!✅ Existing MODeL users can self-enroll today!✅ New to MODeL? Here's how to join:1. Go to model.upou.edu.ph/ 2. Click “LOG IN” to create a new account.3. Fill out the form with your details. (𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴.)4. Check your email account to see your confirmation link. (𝘋𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 3 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴.)5. Confirm and log in.6. Browse through our website homepage, and select the course you want to enroll in. (𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦.)⚠️ Important reminder that we no longer use Google Forms for registration. Please be guided accordingly and follow the steps above for self-registration. Need help? Chat with "Openg" on model.upou.edu.ph.Don’t miss this opportunity to learn anytime, anywhere—enroll today and be part of the future of education!#UPOUMODeL #UPOpenUniversity #MOOCs #elearning #UniversityOfTheFuture #SDG4 #SDG9 #UPOUSDG4 #UPOUSDG9 #upoupublicservice ... See MoreSee Less
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