The Shield - Letran Bataan

28/02/2026

𝗔 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗞𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹.

Collegiate students of Letran Bataan, along with their faculty members, celebrate the much-anticipated day for Arriba Social with the theme of 𝗔 𝗞𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁’𝘀 𝗢𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵, held at Villa Ohana, Balanga, Bataan, on February 27, 2026.

Students from all departments arrived at 8:00 in the morning, with their best “Greek Island Getaway” attire that signified the day’s theme. The event, prepared by the Letran Bataan Collegiate Student Council (LCSC) and the Collegiate faculty, aims to build a platform where Knights can socialize and interact with other students that they're curious to know more about, thus the name Arriba Social. The event itself was hosted by Mr. Daryl Salvador and Ms. Genica Talavera of the LCSC. The day featured special performances that included singing performances and a dance number from the students, along with a “Best Attire" portion, which saw selected Knights walk down the aisle of Villa Ohana once again to flaunt their Greek island getaway-inspired outfits.

After enjoying their lunch provided by the respective courses of the Collegiate department, the students were invited outside to the garden area, where team activities, karaoke, and the pool party commenced. Students, and even the faculty, exchanged laughs, stories, and most importantly, memories, as they bonded throughout the afternoon under the shade of the beautiful trees beside the pool. The successful occurrence of Arriba Social, despite numerous delays and planning challenges, demonstrates how Letranites persevere through adversity and their eagerness to socialize with other Knights to strengthen their relationships both on and off campus.

The event concluded at 5:00 PM after a round of giveaways that was determined by a random draw to serve as a thank you for participating in the event. The day achieved its goal, with Letranites leaving the venue packed with memories that they’ll cherish even until their stint in Letran is over.

✍️: Jimren Alonzo
📸: Alyssa Labrador, John Cedric Guce, Jimren Alonzo

13/02/2026

Congratulations to our Sandra Escurial Bongolto for punching her ticket to the Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference 2026!!! Your Shield family is proud of you ❤️💙

29/01/2026

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗢𝗪 | Junior High School and Senior High School students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan compete in the much anticipated, annual pageantry “Letran Teen Personality” held at the Plaza de San Miguel de Aozaraza of the campus.

The 2026 edition of the pageant, with the theme “CONSTELLATION: Charting 20 Years of Legacy”, aims to be the most eventful version of the show yet as this year marks the 20th annual contest in the Colegio's history. The community of Letran Bataan gathers around the Plaza to cheer on their candidate in their journey in trying to become the next Letran Teen Personality.

✍️: Jimren Alonzo
📸: Alyssa Labrador

29/01/2026

𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗦 | 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮 - 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 27, 2026

📸: Rhass Angelo Bantog

29/01/2026

𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 3 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 2026.

SkilLetran, the annual cooking competition held during Colegio week, was successfully held on January 28, 2026 on Road 1 of the campus with the participation of the elementary, high school, and senior high school departments. Along with the college students, faculty members, and parents, creating a lively and inclusive atmosphere for the entire Letran community. The event was hosted by Colegiate students Daryl Salvador and Nicole Pidlaoan, who kept the program engaging and energetic from the beginning to end.
The program officially began at 1:50 PM, featuring four competing teams: Team Arriba, Team Letran, Team Deus, and Team Patria.

Before the main challenges, each team showcased their creativity and school spirit by performing their group yells/chants, aiming to boost team spirit and audience engagement. This was followed by the second challenge, a question and answer segment that tested the participants’ knowledge about cuisine and Letran. Team Patria started as the winner of this round, earning the advantage of choosing their mystery box first for the next challenge.

The third and main challenge, the Mystery Cooking Challenge, required teams to prepare assigned dishes while incorporating surprise ingredients hidden inside mystery boxes. The cook-off officially started at 2:30 PM, with teams given 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete their dishes. While the teams were cooking, the hosts entertained the audience by asking about their favorite foods, keeping the energy high throughout the event.

The teams presented the following dishes:

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮 – Chicken Afritada
Mystery Ingredient: Coffee

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝘂𝘀 – Pork Hamonado
Mystery Ingredient: Maple Syrup

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 – Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet
Mystery Ingredient: Cotton Candy

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮 – Binagoongan Pork
Mystery Ingredient: Chocolate

After careful deliberation, Team Arriba, with their Binagoongan Pork with a hint of chocolate, was declared the Champion of SkilLetran. The winning team members were Calix Domingo, Johan Dela Cruz, Ms. Angela Ungos, and Ms. Mary Joy Angeles.

✍️: Nadine Hortilano
📸: Francesca Eunice Ramos

29/01/2026

𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗷𝗼𝗯-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 3 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸

For the 3rd day of the Colegio de San Juan De Letran Bataan’s Colegio Week, students of the Senior High School Department and Collegiate Department participated in the Sustainability sessions held in the College AVR on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Rev. Fr. Jesus M. Miranda, Jr., O.P. Headstarted the event by sharing their opening remarks about how college students and senior high school students of Letran Bataan should level up and hone their skills to get a career. He shared that these sessions will inspire students to build their profile, upskill themselves, and be ready for the start of their career with the help of Colegio's teachings.

For the first guest speaker, Mr. James Ronald Mesina, the current Vice president for external relations and global linkages of MAPUA Malayan Colleges, shared his insights on the seminar with the theme “ArriBrand: A development framework for personal branding, career preparedness and continuous learning”. He shared that it is important to have a sustainability mindset for the future and what we do should be impactful. According to Mr. Mesina, the industries value Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude (KSA), and in those industries where it is competitive and rigid, enhancing skills is non-negotiable. He encouraged students to create an e-portfolio, such as LinkedIn, to have a glimpse of their skills and their microcredentials, like badges, certificates, and training. After that, they can post it on LinkedIn to showcase them. He also stated that students should concentrate on programs and upskill themselves through available resources. Having these credentials is helpful for students in the future.

The next session was with one of Letran Bataan’s partners, Wadhwani, a nonprofit organization known for their dedication to social good, which impacts individuals across multiple countries using its four core initiatives: entrepreneurship, skilling, innovation and research, and government digital transformation. Although they were not able to join the session, Sir John Ian Seeckts, LPT, MAComm filled in on their position. Wadhwani is in partnership with Letran Bataan, with initiatives to fill in the skills gap and what candidates are lacking, such as problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills, using A.I. powered upskilling platforms. Sir Seeckts stated that it is not about the degree, but about how students sell themselves after they graduate. They note that, to strengthen students’ brands, as early as now, they enhance their experience and skills.

for the last session, speaker Mr. Jerry Vicente S. Catabijan explained the Sustainability Development Goals’ (SDG) 3, 7, 11, and 17, which focuses on climate action and environment, in his seminar titled “Climate Change Explained: The role of Today’s Youth To Achieve Sustainability For Climate Action”. Climate change will inevitably impact people at present and also in the future; therefore, as Letranites, we need to understand the impact of it and learn how we take care of the environment and the people and preserve our resources. He stated that we should lessen our carbon footprint by doing small changes, such as lowering energy consumption in our daily life.

As the event came to a close, Rev. Fr. Reynor E. Munsayac, O.P., with his closing remarks, encouraged everyone to join organizations that focus on taking action on environmental issues and become good stewards for the students.

✍️: Erin Capuli
📸: Erin Capuli, Alyssa Labrador

28/01/2026

𝗗𝗮𝘆 2 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Students from Pre-K to Grade 11 showcased their talents during the 20th Colegio Week at Letran-Bataan as part of promoting the arriba spirit and campus unity. Viewers and particpants for the event are welcomed by Rev. Fr. Jesus Jay Miranda O.P., the Vice President for Academics and Research, with the event itself being hosted by Ma’am Francesca Clare Blanco. The activity gathered members of the school community, both parents and students.

In his opening remarks, Sir Erlindo Sevilla described the field demonstration as a “heartfelt expression of who we are as Letranites.”

The second half of the field demonstration was a Bataan festivals-themed competition composed of students from Grades 7 to 11. Each year level presented different festivals famously known within the province of Bataan. The routines were reviewed and scored by judges Dr. Edessa Flordeliz, Ms. Maria Cristina Mirania, and Ms. Hanna Almazan.

The results of the competition were as follows:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻: Grade 10
𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽: Grade 11
𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽: Grade 8
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽: Grade 9
𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽: Grade 7

The performances showcased by students from varying levels of the Colegio shows that the age of oneself, doesn’t matter when it comes to having teamwork, camaraderie, and possessing real talent.

✍️: Marvy Bongolto
📸: Alyssa Labrador

27/01/2026

𝗗𝗮𝘆 1 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

On January 25, 2026, the community of Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan gathered at St. Dominic de Guzman Parish Church in Abucay, Bataan, at 8:00 in the morning to celebrate the opening of their 20th Colegio week, with the theme 𝗘𝗣𝗜20𝗗𝗘; 2 𝗱𝗲𝗸𝗮𝗱𝗮, 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮. The Mass was presided over by Rev. Fr. Jesus M. Miranda, Jr., O.P., the Vice President for Academics and Research, and Rev. Fr. Raymund Fernando P. Jose, O.P., the Rector and President. Following this, a “Foot and Float” parade commenced, which led the students and employees back on their way to the halls of Letran Bataan, right in time for the opening of the signature “ArriBazaar” booths.

ArriBazaar officially opened at 11:00 in the morning on Road 1 of the campus, led by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mari La Ja, O.P., Vice President of Religious Affairs of Letran Bataan, along with Rev. Fr. Reynor Munsayac, O.P., Executive Vice President of Letran Bataan, who headed the ribbon-cutting ceremony. ArriBazaar highlights different kinds of booths for the students, faculty, and visitors to enjoy and ensures that their stay in Letran Bataan is as comfortable and enjoyable as it can be during the 20th Colegio week. Along with this, a history exhibit is opened inside the main lobby of the campus. The exhibit highlights the evolution of the two decades in which Letran Bataan has stood as one of the leading Dominican schools in Region III.

After admiring the history of Letran Bataan and getting their fix of food from the Arribazaar booths, students and faculty members were invited to the school’s Gymbahan to formally open the Colegiolympics 2026. A pledge was made by students along with faculty members, that was led by Rev. Fr. Reynor Munsayac O.P., that pledged to practice true camaraderie and embodying sportsmanship whilst participating in the games, as Miguel Fonseca, a 4th-year student from Communication Arts, leads the way as he lights up the ceremonial torch to signify the start of the games.

Day 1 of Colegiolympics started off with a plethora of games, including 3 vs. 3 basketball matches, traditional volleyball games, 5 vs. 5 basketball games, a table tennis tournament, knockout badminton matches, chess tournaments, a darts tournament, and 100 m and 400 m relay and dash contests, respectively. The winners of said games will be announced/decided on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Day 1 of Colegio week 2026 has officially come to a close, with Day 2 looking as promising as the previous, with a Field Demo showcasing the talents of the Letranites, the continuous opening of the ArriBazaar, and the much-anticipated EcoRampa 2026, all scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

✍️: Nadine Hortilano, Jimren Alonzo
📸: Alyssa Labrador, Lei Cervantes, Francis Bucaling.

26/01/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 20𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

The annual tradition of “ARRIBIKE LETRUN” 2026 was held on January 25, 2026, at Plaza de Mayor, Balanga City, where, at 4:00 in the morning, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan gathered and welcomed the participation of students, runners, bikers, and even people who just wanted to experience the community of Letran Bataan.

Before the event proper, participants actively joined a Zumba session as a group warm-up activity that began at 5:00 am. At approximately 5:20 a.m., the Arribike officially started, followed shortly by the 10 km race at 5:25 a.m., then the 5 km race at 5:30 a.m., and the 3 km race at 5:35 in the morning.
After the participants' races were over, everyone returned to Plaza de Mayor for breakfast before gathering once again in the center point of the Plaza for the award ceremony. Rev. Fr. Reynor Munsayac, O.P. and college faculty member Sir Erlindo Sevilla, Jr., led the awards ceremony. After this, a photoshoot took place that also recognized the Family Runners who received special awards.

The following are the winners for 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗞𝗘/𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗡 2026:

3𝗞𝗠 𝗥𝗨𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Macalinao, Michael Vito
2ND PLACE: Triñanes, Liam Ryan
3RD PLACE: Langaman, Denver
𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Lorena Caracas
2ND PLACE: Vernice Guttierez
3RD PLACE: Dia Horton

5𝗞𝗠 𝗥𝗨𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Aaron Manalang
2ND PLACE: Edward Escalada
3RD PLACE: Joshua Gatbonton
𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Gina Juanta
2ND PLACE: Charlene Shine Nendiza
3RD PLACE: Zoe Moises

10 𝗞𝗠 𝗥𝗨𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦
𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Francis Ashley Ramos
2ND PLACE: Joshua Cabico
3RD PLACE: Brixell Linsangan
𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Zeophia Real
2ND PLACE: Genica Talavera
3RD PLACE: Charina Cuasol

𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦:
𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Rhol Espinosa
2ND PLACE: Sengig Morris
3RD PLACE: Jayper Morales
𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥𝗬
1ST PLACE: Frances Marie Ellamil
2ND PLACE: Bella Marfori
3RD PLACE: Del Rosario, Romina

At 8:00 a.m., the event came to an end as the community of Letran Bataan gathered around the Plaza de Mayor with the Letran Hymn, marking the successful and meaningful end for the first day of Letran Bataan's 20th anniversary, “ARRIBIKE, LETRUN” 2026. Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan will continue its two-decade-long escapade on Monday, January 26, 2026, as it formally opens its campus doors for alumni and visitors alike for the opening of the Arribazaar, followed by a week-long celebration for this year's Colegio Week.

✍️: Nadine Hortilano, Jimren Alonzo
📸: Alyssa Labrador, Rhass Angelo Bantog, Christopher Ongoco Jr.

15/01/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗴𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗸 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗮 2026.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan's Collegiate Department attends the leadership seminar held at the College Audio Visual Room, conducted by the Office of Student Services and Development (OSSD) with the theme: "Leading Today, Sustaining Tomorrow: Empowering Student Leaders for a Greener Future" and the “Balik Arriba” Orientation for the start of the 2nd semester this January 15, 2026.

The host for the "IgKnight" 2026 event, Mr. Christian Daryl Salvador conducts the welcome remarks as he then introduces Asst. Prof. Hazel F. Nisay, ECE, MEM. Ms. Nisay greets everyone and starts her talk by emphasizing that student leaders must lead with integrity and must be good role models not only to the community they serve but also the environment. Following this, guest speaker; Kurt Cobain P. De Belen, President of Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) - Balanga Campus Student Government, is invited on stage to discuss what it means to be a true student leader. "How are you going to involve and motivate others if you don't include the students in the decision making?" said Mr. De Belen during his lecture about sustainable leadership with the theme; "Not Just Today, But Always: Leadership That Sustains".

After the lecture, the collegiate students participated in collaborative and thought-provoking games centered on the topic, How to make the campus more eco-friendly? and Leaving a legacy even after one’s stint in the Colegio has ended. These discussions lead to more proactive student leadership that is sustainable, innovative, and collaborative. Following this, Mr. Aljon Torno of the College faculty discussed the importance of having a presentable portfolio and advices the students to work on their career, early on. After the career talk with Mr. Torno, Letran Collegiate Student Council (LCSC) President, Hanz King Samos, discusses the upcoming activities and ongoing outputs in collaboration with the collegiate student councils.

Ending this part of the whole-day event, Mr. Robert Lorenz Angelo Ramos introduces the elected student officers of the various Registered School Organizations (RSO) of the Colegio, to give their certificates of leadership, followed by their pledge of oath to serve the campus and their fellow Letranites, all with the guidance of our God above.

After a lunch break, the orientation for “Balik Arriba” starts with an ice breaker from a popular trend, “Say on Beat,” led by Ms. Cielo Oliveros. Following this, a welcome message from OSSD Coordinator Asst. Prof. Donna Rodriguez, CHP, MSHTM greets the crowd before a discussion which focuses on RSO Activities, while also highlighting important reminders on the use of office forms and proper procedures in conducting student organization activities. The event also features a presentation by Asst. Prof. Hazel F. Nisay, ECE , MEM, discussing updates for the collegiate department, enrollment processes, as well as policy updates and the calendar of activities for the second semester. Ms. Nisay also opens the floor for students to ask questions and suggest ways on how to better improve the relationship of the faculty and the students alike.

IgKnight and the Balik Arriba orientation provides a way for both students and faculty members of the Colegio, to prepare and reconnect for the upcoming 2nd semester of the collegiate department.

✍️: Francesca Eunice Ramos, Nadine Hortilano, Jimren Alonzo
📸: Alyssa Labrador, John Cedric Guce, Marwell Moreno

03/12/2025

𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞: 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 2025 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻

Christmas officially returns to the campus of Letran Bataan during the joyous evening of December 2, 2025. The academic community, together with dedicated students, alumni, parents, esteemed professors, campus administrators, revered priests, and invited guests from Gabon Hacienda, gathers to witness the annual Christmas lighting ceremony.

The annual lighting ceremony has been a staple of Letran Bataan, with this year's celebration being hels along with the release of the much-anticipated 2025 edition of the campus' Christmas music video, titled "Pagbalik ng Pasko." The annual tradition of releasing a music video during Christmas season has been a legacy of sorts for the campus, as "Pagbalik ng Pasko" marks the 15th continuous year of Letran Bataan spreading the spirit of Christmas through the use of harmony, real-life stories, and togetherness.

Before the lighting ceremony can properly start, the first-year NSTP students remarkably commence the event as they perform a doxology, spearheaded by Ms. Necereeh Jane Julaton and Ms. Ro-anne Cielo Oliveros, in honor of the Christmas season and the anticipation for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The community of Letran Bataan is welcomed by Rev. Fr. Stephen Mari La Ja, O.P., Vice President of Religious Affairs of Letran Bataan, as his opening remarks welcomed everyone present and expressed the importance of “Love, Joy, and Hope” this upcoming Christmas.

Following this, Rev. Fr. Patrico Hiwatig, O.P., Executive Vice President from Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila, delivers a heartwarming speech revolving around this year’s theme, “Pagbalik ng Pasko,” where he talks about his journey at Letran Bataan from 2017 to 2021. Moreover, Rev. Fr. Patricio Hiwatig, O.P., along with Rev. Fr. Beejay Namuag, O.P., Vice President of Financial Affairs, visits Letran Bataan to attend and show support towards the said event. After this, the St. Dominic Youth Choir showcases their awe-inspiring skills as they perform in front of the community to uplift the campus spirit.

Mr. Melvin Gallano, LPT, then calls for Rev. Fr. Reynor Munsayac, O.P., Executive Vice President of Letran Bataan, to join him in the countdown for the lighting itself, with Rev. Fr. Reynor Munsayac, O.P. ending the event by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas as he thanks those who attended.

The Christmas season officially starts for Colegio de San Juan de Letran Bataan as students, staff, and the community celebrate the cold breeze of the night with the warmth of Christmas and the Arriba Spirit.

✍️: Jimren Alonzo, Samantha Carbungco
📸: Christopher Ongoco Jr., Francis Bucaling, John Cedric Guce, Rhass Angelo Bantog

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03/12/2025