ILOILO City – West Visayas State University (WVSU) conferred Latin honors on a record-breaking 1,130 graduates during its University Recognition Program on June 9, the largest number of honor recipients in the university’s history.
This year’s Latin honor awardees account for 74.58% of the Class of 2025, up from 992 the previous year. The distinction was awarded to 57 Summa Cum Laude, 677 Magna Cum Laude, and 396 Cum Laude graduates, reflecting what university officials describe as “a triumph of perseverance” amid the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
These graduates began their academic journey at a time of great uncertainty, said Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “They are made of strong fiber, a fiber of perseverance greater than most people thought.”
The recognition rites, held at the WVSU Cultural Center, were divided into two parts: the morning session honored academic excellence, while the afternoon was devoted to leadership and non-academic achievements. Newly elected University Student Council (USC) officers for Academic Year 2025–2026 also took their oath during the event, administered by Dr. Ma. Pilar S. Malata, Dean of the Office of Student Affairs.
In a keynote address, Dr. Hilda C. Montaño, chair of the Socio-Behavioral Science Research Ethics Review Committee, urged graduates to match their honors with purpose.
“Your award is a call for responsibility and relevance. Use your knowledge and skills to uplift others; use your talents to create change; use your voice to speak for those who cannot,” she told the graduates. “What you do with it is your gift back to our fellow Filipinos.”
Officials noted that the ceremony not only recognized academic excellence but also honored the sacrifices, setbacks, and struggles faced by students from various colleges during the pandemic years. Many graduates navigated online learning, mental health challenges, and family hardships.
As the program drew to a close, Dr. Alona M. Belarga, Director of Instruction, reminded the graduates that the awards were not an endpoint but a stepping stone: “Our dear awardees, your journey does not end with an award. You are being called to participate in something much larger than yourselves.”/PN
