UPLB returned to face-to-face ceremonies for its 50th commencement exercise since the pandemic began in 2020.
A total of 1,549 graduates were officially conferred their degrees on Aug. 6 at the Copeland Gymnasium, 1,233 of whom received their undergraduate degree, 245 their master’s degree, while 71 were conferred their doctorate degree.
The Class of 2022 has 9 summa cum laudes, 176 magna cum laudes, and 345 cum laudes.
The event was streamed live on UPLB’s official Facebook Page and Youtube Channel.
UP President Danilo L. Concepcion served as this year’s commencement speaker. He will be ending his term as UP president in 2023.
In his message, President Concepcion called upon the graduates to use their knowledge and skills in the service of the people as they pursue their careers.
“Intelligence means little if it does not create positive social value,” he said.
He added that more than achieving high grades and academic honors, they can better demonstrate their dedication to the country through service.
In view of the impending conclusion of his term, President Concepcion said that he hoped that the next to take UP’s leadership will remember and respect UP’s historic role as a bastion of critical thinking in society and as a constructive, creative, and consistent contributor to the country’s development. He also emphasized the importance of safeguarding UP’s academic freedom, which he said is the lifeblood of the university.
“Marami pa tayong hamon na hinaharap. Ang pagtataguyod ng katotohanan, ng demokrasya, at ng karapatang pantao ay patuloy na pananagutan ng ating Unibersidad at ng bawat Iskolar ng Bayan,” he said.
(We still have many challenges to face. Advocating truth, democracy, and human rights is one that the university and every scholar will continue to uphold.)
He ended his speech by imploring the graduates to live out what the Oblation symbolizes: the offering of oneself, wholly, to the country and the people.
Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. presented the candidates for graduation to President Concepcion, who confirmed their completion and graduation.
This was followed by the graduates’ shifting of the Sablay, UP’s official academic costume, to signify their graduation. They were led by Jickerson P. Lado, assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs and director of the Office of Scholarships and Grants.
Angelamae Morales, class valedictorian and summa cum laude, addressed the Class of 2022 as its top graduate.
Morales emphasized the call for public service, buoyed by a continuous striving for excellence and directed by a deep sense of empathy for the poor and the marginalized.
She encouraged the graduates to always strive for consistency rather than perfection and to value the process more than results.
Most of all, she highlighted the value of empathy and how it should inform their life perspective moving forward.
“Empathy allows us to take a wider perspective, understand diverse experiences, and relate their personal troubles to the bigger social issues in society,” she said.
More than just being life tips, Morales said that these also reflect UP’s foundational values.
“When we value the process, we uphold honor and maintain integrity. When we make consistent efforts, we strive for excellence. And when we have empathy, we become better equipped to serve others,” she said.
As they go on their own paths, Morales encouraged her fellow graduates to uphold honor, excellence, service, and truth amidst current events and issues of misinformation and historical distortion.
The UPLB 50th Commencement Exercise can be rewatched online on UPLB’s social media platforms. (Jessa Jael S. Arana)