The sudden downpour in the middle of the processional did not deter the roughly 4,000 graduates of UP Diliman (UPD) who attended the 114th General Commencement Exercises at the University Amphitheater on July 6.
The theme for the 2025 celebrations was Lunas, reminding the UPD community and the public that “reflexivity and a holistic perspective are key to harnessing the collective knowledge within and outside the University to find sustainable and humane solutions” to society’s problems.
Livestreamed on the UPD website and YouTube channel, this year’s commencement speaker was celebrated broadcast journalist Maria Jessica Soho, who encouraged the graduating class to reach out to more people and get out of their own social circles to enrich their own lives.
Her message was followed by the rite of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Maria Vanessa Lusung-Oyzon presenting the graduating class to UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II.
According to data from the UPD Office of the University Registrar, the University conferred academic degrees on 5,017 graduates.
Among the 3,876 bachelor’s degrees holders, some 61% or 2,369 finished with Latin honors. Two hundred forty-one graduated summa cum laude, 1,143 graduated magna cum laude, and 985 graduated cum laude. The honor of summa cum laude is granted to students who graduated with a weighted average grade of at least 1.20.
Graduates from the College of Engineering, the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, and the College of Science comprised 1,617 or 41% of the total bachelor’s degrees holders.
Vistan, in turn, presented the graduates to UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, who conferred to the graduates their respective academic degrees and titles.
This was symbolized by the traditional ceremonial shifting of their Sablay from the right shoulder to the left shoulder, signifying the completion of their degrees.
Speaking for the graduating class was Mark Andy Pedere, a graduate of Philippine Studies from the College of Arts and Letters.
Providing welcome breaks from the ceremonies were three performances held throughout the program. Acapella group ConChords and Banda 24 sang Jai Salajeno’s arrangements of the song Ako Naman Muna by Angela Ken, Huling Sayaw by Led Tuyay, Allan Burdeos, Jomal Linao, Jason Astete, and Jay Contreras, and MAPA by John Paulo “Pablo” Nase.
Serving as emcees were College of Media and Communications (CMC) assistant professor Kara Patria c. David-Cancio and CMC alumnus Ivan Rameses P. Mayrina.
After the recessional, many of the newly minted UPD alumni and their families took commemorative group photographs with Soho.