07/06/2026
๐จ๐ก๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ก ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ-๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
๐,๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ข๐ฅ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ
Today, June 7, 2026 - The University of San Agustin (USA) held its Commencement Exercise for the Academic Year 2025-2026 on Sunday afternoon, Jun 7, 2026, at the Iloilo Convention Center. A total of 1,150 candidates received their degrees from successfully accomplishing their Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Requirements. Across four colleges - the College of Law (COL), the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLASE), the College of Business (COB), and the College of Technology (COT), marking another chapter in the universityโs storied tradition of upholding academic excellence rooted in Agustininan Values.
The ceremony opened with an Invocation led by Rev. Fr. Glenn A. Macorol, OSA, followed by the singing of the National Anthem and the Agustinian Hymn.
This yearโs commencement speaker was delivered by Engineer Rowan R. Helonga, a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of San Agustin, Class of 1988. A distinguished alumnus, Engr. Helonga holds a Masterโs degree in Business Administration from the International Academy of Management Economics, a Masterโs degree in Agricultural Culture majoring in Agribusiness from Western Visayas State University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Packaging and Technology from the Central Philippine University, and fellowships granted by the Swine Burn Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, and the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.
As an alumni, he was honored to be part of the special occasion. Engr. Helonga opened his address with heartfelt words: โ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ.โ In his speech, he acknowledged the diverse journeys of the graduating class. From students who balanced studies with work and family obligations, to those who quietly battled anxiety and self-doubt, to those who hailed from remote barangays and island communities across Western Visayas and beyond.
He even told the graduates that โ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐โ. It reflects that success is never entirely personal, it is always social. And that there will always be somebody who made that success possible. He even added the concept of VUCA World - defined as Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. Engr. Helonga challenged graduates that after this, life won't be any less easy. He is teaching them to face a rapidly changing landscape shaped by artificial intelligence and technological transformation with courage and adaptability. โ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐บ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ - ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.โ - ๐ฌ๐๐๐. ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
Central to his address was the Universityโs guiding motto, Virtus et Scientia. He explained that โScience without virtue can lead to progress without purpose. Virtue without knowledge or science can lead to good intentions without impact. Your task as graduates is not to choose between virtue and science, but to unite them in service of humanity.โ It reminds us that true progress is not measured by what we can achieve, but by the wisdom and integrity with which we choose to act.
Closing his message, Engr. Helonga addressed with a message that drew an impact for the graduates; โ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง, ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ, ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ. ๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ: ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐. ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฒ๐จ ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ง.โ
The University of San Agustin awarded medals, cash gifts, and certificates of commendation to its top achievers. Latin honors were awarded for their hard work. The strong and resilient College of Business (COB) awardees;
๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ ๐๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐.
Master of Business Administration, Specialization in Financial Management
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐.
Master of Business Administration
๐๐๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ
๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurial Management
๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Financial Management
The College of Business awarded degrees across the following programs:
Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration Specialization in Financial Management
Master of Business Administration Specialization in Marketing Management
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
Bachelor of Science in Management Accounting
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Financial Management
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management
Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management
The Pledge of Loyalty was led by Julia Marie Dacudao on behalf of the loyalty awardees, while MS. Ramonita V. Pico administered the Oath of Membership to the Alumni Association on behalf of the Alumni Association President Dr. Asun Faro, formally welcoming the new graduates into the growing family of Agustinian Alumni.
To conclude this joyous event, the program ended with the Agustinian March, followed by a joyful send-off with the playing of โHawak Mo ang Beatโ. In a deeply moving finale, the graduates rose together and sang their graduation song. โSan Agustin, This Is Our Homeโ, a heartfelt tribute to the institution that shaped them, and a promise to continue living with the spirit of San Agustin wherever life would take them.
Remember the teachings that this institution had instilled in us, relive the Agustininan Values, and live a fulfilling andd happy life. Once again, congratulations dear graduate students of Class 2026!
via Nicole Villarina
| Photos by Rhea Mae Manucay and Ma. Felyn Celino
| Contributor: Justin Tumagan
