The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) is set to hold its first virtual graduation on Sunday, July 26, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has restricted mass gatherings.
UPD announced on July 22 the staging of the commencement exercises to confer academic degrees for 3,789 candidates for graduation.
The UP Class of 2020 is led by 28 summa cum laude, an academic distinction for graduates who earned a weighted average grade (WAG) of 1.20 or better.
The Office of the University Registrar record as of July 22 indicates that 302 will receive the Latin distinction of magna cum laude (WAG of 1.4 or higher) while 683 will graduate with the honors cum laude (WAG of 1.75 or higher).
Of the total candidates for graduation, 2,892 will receive a baccalaureate degree and 897 will be conferred graduate degrees in the diploma, master’s and doctoral levels.
The state university’s flagship campus in Quezon City said it is also limiting participants to abide by the health and safety protocols set by the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force.
Dr. Michael L. Tan, UPD immediate past chancellor, is this year’s commencement speaker.
The 109th UP Diliman graduation ceremony carries the theme “Maglingkod, Magmalasakit, Manindigan” as “It calls on the graduating class, particularly in these challenging times, to serve the country with empathy and conviction so that excellence, rights, and justice may prevail.”
Consistent with its tradition of addressing societal concerns during the graduation ceremony, the state university said it will also pay tribute to frontliners and those who lost their lives to COVID-19 and is also a protest against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and Congress’ vote to not renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.
The UP Diliman graduation ceremony backdrop is an installation art by faculty artist Toym Imao titled “Dalunduyan,” a triptych of arches depicting portals.
The work is described as “a portmanteau of three vernacular terms namely Daluyan meaning a channel or portal; Lunduyan or center; and Duyan or cradle. The artist uses the cradle to symbolize the graduates as vessels of compassion or malasakit”.
Dalunduyan will remain at the Quezon Hall until December, marking the duration of the University’s lockdown because of the pandemic.
Following are the top students in the UP Diliman Class of 2020:
Summa cum laude
- Joshua Raphael N. Ambrosio, BS Economics (BS Econ), leads the top honors with a WAG of 1.049
- Martin Alexander F. Cruz, BS Business Administration and Accountancy (BSBAA,) 1.086
- Jose Antonio C. Buencamino, Bachelor of Music (Composition), 1.098
- John Lawrence E. Mallanao, BSBAA, 1.100
- Gabriela Angela Nicole T. Durian, BA European Languages (Italian), 1.103
- Nina Patricia G. Morales, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Industrial Design), 1.107
- Simon Alec J. Askin, BSBAA, 1.139
- Aaron Jordan R. Sta. Maria, BA European Languages (Spanish), 1.141
- Paolo Miguel T. Tablante, Bachelor of Music (Piano), 1.141
- James Allen E. Dy, BSBAA, 1.145
- Ryan Kendrick U. Lim, BS Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology (BSMBB), 1.145
- Kate Chrisgracen Y. Au, BS Architecture, 1.147
- Beatrice Hope G. Reyes, BS Biology, 1.156
- Chloe B. Borromeo, BSMBB, 1.171
- Kouji T. Tomas, BSElectrical Engineering, 1.172
- Jo Adrian P. Del Mundo, BS Industrial Engineering, 1.173
- William T. Lara, Bachelor of Sports Science, 1.178
- Nicole Charis M. Pontanilla, BA Linguistics, 1.178
- Michael T. Castro, BS Chemical Engineering, 1.180
- Seth Kelvin E. Escobedo, BS Electronics and Communications Engineering (BSECE), 1.183
- Janella Meara L. Chan, BS Econ, 1.185
- Lorenz D.L. Nalica, BSBAA, 1.185
- Enrique Lorenzo L. Martinez, BS Psychology, 1.188
- Steffi Eunice S. Ramos, BA Broadcast Communication, 1.192
- Kirsten Rae C. Hipolito, BSECE, 1.193
- Stephaenie Natalie C. Gan, BS Business Economics (BSBE), 1.197
- Corinne Mariel T. Wong, BSBE, 1.197
- Adrian L. Patricio, BS Computer Engineering, 1.199
Ramos, the class representative, will speak on behalf of the graduating class.
The full UP virtual graduation may be viewed at this link starting 7:00 a.m. on Jul. 26, 2020.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to the graduates and the UP community for its first virtual graduation!
Want to know how to be a Proud Pinoy? Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com, and our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, for new story notifications, and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.
