THE CHANT “Ikulong na ‘yan, mga kurakot!” reverberated during the 115th Commencement Exercises of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman on July 5, 2026, at the University Amphitheater.
Graduation ceremonies across the university’s eight constituent units and 17 campuses often reflect UP’s long tradition of student activism through lightning rallies, speeches, placards, and chants.
Instead of serving as a purely formal departure from university life, graduation becomes a final public demonstration where Iskolars ng Bayan fulfill their mandate to “Serve the People” by amplifying pressing national issues.
Graduates of the UP College of Law raised umbrellas bearing the slogan “Mga kurakot, panagutin!”
This year’s commencement carried the theme “Gumagalang,” grounded in the idea that “the foundation of a truly equal and compassionate society rests on the openness of its citizens and leaders to diverse traditions of knowledge.”
“In a world increasingly divided by arrogance, intolerance, and indifference, the call to gumalang (respect) is not merely timely, but urgent,” said former Ombudsman and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who delivered the commencement address in Diliman.
Carpio-Morales called on the graduates to uphold the rule of law and remain committed to serving the people.
“There is little paggalang (respect) for those who have limited or no voice at all. The powerless have become dispensable,” Carpio-Morales said, reminding the graduates that the country’s democratic future depends on citizens who remain committed to truth and accountability.
Speaking at UP Baguio, veteran broadcast journalist Atom Araullo challenged graduates to become “the right kind of difficult” as they navigate life beyond the university.
Araullo said the country needs people who are “difficult to fool, difficult to buy, difficult to discourage, and difficult to turn indifferent.”
He urged graduates to remain critical thinkers in an age of misinformation and propaganda.
“We live in a time when truth has begun to feel optional,” he said, warning that repeated falsehoods can eventually be mistaken for facts.
At the UP College of Media and Communication, TV personality Vice Ganda implored graduates to use their knowledge responsibly while remaining true to their values.
For Vice Ganda, being a celebrity goes beyond entertaining audiences; it also carries the responsibility to inform the public and hold those in authority accountable for their shortcomings.
“You are expected to spark change, not chaos. You are expected to share your education, not disinformation,” Vice Ganda said.
For the graduates of the UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP), Prof. Cielo Magno advised them to use their UP education to champion social justice, economic equity, and integrity in their respective fields.
“Above all, remember this — being an Iskolar ng Bayan is not merely a title. It is a duty: to lead change, to stand up against corruption, and to be the voice of Filipinos who have long gone unheard,” Magno said.
Magno added: “Expect the unexpected. Be prepared for surprises. As long as your foundation is solid and your principles are clear, you will know the right course of action. Remember: honor, excellence, service.”
At the UP Los Baños (UPLB) College of Arts and Sciences, former Social Welfare secretary and activist Judy Taguiwalo encouraged graduates to pursue their respective careers with integrity, compassion, and competence.
“We must ensure that amidst the festivities, we do not lose sight of our obligation to serve the public. We must continue to pursue not only our personal advancement but also the progress of the people and our nation with steadfast resolve; these goals are inextricably linked,” Taguiwalo said.
For graduates of the UPLB College of Public Affairs, Atty. Angela Consuelo Ibay of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines emphasized the importance of wielding authority with wisdom, humility, and integrity.
“Leadership means many things… but the times we live in ask for more; we ask for stewardship,” Atty. Ibay said. She is my batchmate from the UP College of Law.
Of the 5,022 graduates in Diliman, 1,995 received Latin honors: 154 summa cum laude, 927 magna cum laude, and 914 cum laude.
The Diliman campus was my solace for a decade — first as a student at the UP School of Economics from 1987 to 1991, and later at the UP College of Law from 1992 to 1998.
The university teaches what textbooks cannot capture, what the state education curriculum avoids, and what state authorities censor, erase, or prohibit.
UP molded us to fight for the causes we believe in and trained us in the skills needed to communicate ideas and rally others to effect change in society.
UP shall continue to cast a critical eye on social and historical issues.
To the new UP graduates, savor the brightness of the sunflowers and remain true to the lyrics: “Humayo’t itanghal, giting at tapang. Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan!”
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“Peyups” is a moniker for the University of the Philippines.
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Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com or call 0908-8665786./PN
