Last June 8, 2024, we attended the graduation of our second son, PBM Fred Benedict T. Gianan, at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila where he earned his diploma in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, major in Entrepreneurship.
During the Solemn Investiture of candidates form degrees of the College of Commerce and Business Administration (UST holds separate graduation rites for each college, due to high student population), one thing that stood out was the relative simplicity of the ceremony.
The event was held at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, a three-level, airconditioned gymnasium with a big stage that accommodated all of the ticket holders, with the parents of those with Latin honors seated at the ground level as they accompanied their sons and daughters up the stage.
The other non-honor graduates went up the stage alone.
There was one guest of honor, Sta. Elena Construction CEO and Entrep 1986 alumnus Alice Eduardo, but she did not have a speaking part and only shared the stage when the time for special awards came up.
Only three university officials were in front to congratulate each graduate on stage: Acting Rector Very Rev, Fr. Isaias Antonio Tiongco, CCBA Regent Rev. Fr. Senen Ecleo, and CCBA Dean Associate Professor Al Faithrich Navarette.
Only three had lengthy speeches: the Acting Rector in his address of concession and two Summa Cum Laude graduates who delivered the Address of Petition and Address of Thanks.
The new graduates were inducted into the alumni association by the president of the College of Commerce Alumni Foundation, Inc.
No choir sang the national anthem or the UST Hymn, the videos of which were projected on four big screens in each corner of the gym.
Parents were likewise not allowed to bring young children inside; food and plastic mineral water bottles were prohibited, perhaps so there would not be so much trash left behind.
Another simple aspect of the graduation rite was the program, printed in black and white on plain A4 bond paper that listed only the ceremony, the candidates, special awardees, the Thomasian Pledge, alumni induction oath, the UST Hymn and the color code for the graduates of different colleges.
There were no list of faculty members and university officials or messages from top UST officials or politicians like what we have here.
Copies of the program were placed on the chairs of the graduates before the processional, with no advance copies provided to the parents.
Perhaps, schools here can emulate the example set by UST Manila and reserve the expense for the year book, which is usually asked by employers as proof of an applicant’s graduation.
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Our apologies to loyal Tribune readers for the advertisement-heavy issue this week.
We were not able to anticipate that many legal notices would come in. As the printer had already advanced printing of the inside pages, it was not possible to add two more pages to accommodate just over a half page worth of ads.
We will do better next time.
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THE ROOKIE. A rookie police officer was assigned to ride in a cruiser with an experienced partner. A call came over the car’s radio telling them to disperse some people who were loitering. The officers drove to the street and observed a small crowd standing on a corner. The rookie rolled down his window and said, ‘Let’s get off the corner.’
No-one moved, so he resorted to the loudspeaker. ‘Let’s get off the corner!’ it boomed. Still, no-one seemed to take any notice.
‘Alright folks, if you don’t move after I count to three, I’m breaking out my baton!’ the rookie cried.
Intimidated, the group of people began to leave in a hurry, casting puzzled glances in his direction.
Proud of his first official act, the young policeman turned to his partner and asked, ‘Well, how did I do?’ ‘Pretty good,’ replied the veteran, ‘especially since this is a bus stop.’