ILOILO City — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) used this year’s Western Visayas Scholars’ Congress not merely to celebrate academic achievement but to issue a call for scholars to convert their government-funded education into measurable progress for their communities.
Held at the University of San Agustin’s Urdaneta Hall and drawing 500 to 700 participants, the 2025 congress centered on how CHED scholars should channel publicly supported learning into leadership, social responsibility, and regional development — ideals captured in its theme, “Kinaadman kag Kauswagan” (Wisdom and Progress).
Outgoing CHED Region 6 director Raul Alvarez Jr. underscored this message in his keynote, warning scholars that knowledge without service fails its purpose.
“This is wisdom for progress. My message today focuses on the platform for achieving wisdom. You need to strive for knowledge, as knowledge without achievement remains redundant and fails to produce equity or results. Knowledge should be used to improve your life. This is a celebration of excellence,” Alvarez said.
“Excellence is not merely an achievement; it is a continuous process. When you graduate, your journey does not end there — graduation, with the support of the government, is just the beginning of your life. It represents less than 10% of what lies ahead. The pursuit of excellence in all things is an ongoing journey,” he added.
Scholars urged to lead development
CHED said the annual gathering was designed to strengthen engagement and leadership skills among beneficiaries of UniFAST and StuFAP programs and to reinforce values of integrity, service, and civic duty.
Officials emphasized that scholars — many of whom come from underserved communities — are expected to become “ambassadors of scholarship” in local and national development efforts.
The event also served as a venue where scholars exchanged insights and discussed how education can be directly linked to solving social problems across Western Visayas.
Inspiring stories from CHED beneficiaries
A highlight of the congress was the afternoon session featuring graduates from both state and private universities who shared testimonies of perseverance and transformation.
Many credited CHED scholarships for enabling them to overcome economic hardship and pursue careers aimed at community upliftment.
Their stories, organizers said, showed how “kinaadman” — when paired with determination — ultimately leads to “kauswagan” for families and communities.
National leaders, experts deliver key messages
Top CHED officials — including Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro, and UniFAST OIC Atty. Septon De La Cruz — led discussions on the evolving role of scholars in nation-building.
Resource speakers tackled topics ranging from ASEAN labor trends (Dr. Arlyn E. Siaotong), global competitiveness (Dr. Donne Jone P. Sodusta), and communication skills for career growth (Hazel P. Villa, PhD) to emotional intelligence (Rev. Fr. Eugene D. Lucerna II, PhD).
Another talk by Arnold Ancheta, representing Corrina Francesca O. Cabanilla, highlighted the theme “Empowering Scholars, Shaping Futures.”
The event closed with a collective pledge from scholars to uphold the ideals of “Kinaadman kag Kauswagan” and to become agents of change in their respective localities./PN
