The J MAG

19/09/2025

𝐂𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫

The first Capping and Candle-Lighting Ceremony of the Nursing Department of Saint Joseph College was a well-grounded stride for the institutional facility that was held in the closed confinements of the Cantabo Canticum Novum Mini Theatre (CCN-MT) located on the first floor of the College Grounds. The momentous event was attended by the honorable sophomores along with their parents, freshmen as ushers and usherettes, and the faculty and staff of the Nursing Department.

The Batch Curanova 2025 was the first ever to enroll in the Nursing Program—the first ever to secure its offered opportunities, to inherit its honors, and to witness the pioneering growth of a newly formed legacy, holding the remarkable memories that will forever be etched in the history of the school.

The program was inaugurated with a reverent mass, presided over by Father Johnrey Sibi. In his words of welcome before the mass, he honored the leadership of Father Flax Bagares, MAN-M, the Dean of the Nursing Department.

It was during the mass when the caps and candles were blessed—a sacred sign that asks for God’s protection from both the harmful doing of the tempted heart and the peril that lies within inaction when duty calls. The mass would not be as earnest as it was without the active participation of the SJC Chorale with their mellifluous voices.

After the mass ended, a 30-minute break was given for the preparation of the sacred ceremony. Thereafter, it began with a processional march, guided by the Criminology Students. Came the Nursing Faculty, followed by the esteemed Batch Curanova, escorted by their proud parents, sauntering over the red carpet with grace and pride.

No event should start without opening a prayer; Ms. Cheryl Antoinette Ticod delivered her solemn devotion to the Lord, asking for guidance for the success of the afternoon’s occasion. The next to stand on the lectern was the emcee, Ms. Gwyneth Napuli, who warmly welcomed everyone and started the event forthwith.

Mrs. Xiaomara Hanesa T. Paco, MAN, stated the opening remarks with words that left an echo in the hearts of the aspiring nurses: “Let the world see you not just in uniform, but as warriors of compassion, knowledge, and faith.”

One of the highlights was the entrance of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, also known as the “Lady with the Lamp,” which symbolizes her compassion for her patients. Represented by Ms. Vinci Arbiol, Nightingale was depicted as a nursing lady who was donned in an all-black robe, leaving no sight of her arms and legs, a white cap that hid the strands of her hair, and a distinctive lamp in her hand. When the light was stolen, she walked in the aisle where everyone kept their eyes on her, carefully watching her walk to the stage and light the candle with her lamp—the first flame of the candle to burn was finally ignited, the fervid fire lighting within the pot of compassion and dedication.

After the impressive presentation, the list of the 8 sophomores who’d earned their cap and lit their candles was as follows:

Auguis, Goldee Rose
Cortes, Faith Nicole
Custinar, Dzehlaj Bridget
Dipay, Anne Dominique
Egido, Normelyn
Luzon, Roanne Mae
Orit, Donna Krizel
Arbiol, Vinci

Father Flax Aldwin Bagares, MAN-M, led the Nightingale’s Pledge to be repeated by the sophomores—a special pledge of ethics and commitment, promising a well-dedicated service and the prioritizing of the patients’ welfare.

After, a few awards for the deserving students were given in their respective categories.

Best in Theory:
Dzehlaj Bridget Custinar (Bronze)
Roanne Mae Luzon (Silver)
Vinci Arbiol (Gold)

Best in Related Learning Experience:
Donna Krizel Orit (Bronze)
Vinci Arbiol (Silver)
Roanne Mae Luzon (Gold)

Leadership Award:
Roanne Mae Luzon

As the event drew to a close, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jhoanne Costillas, delivered the closing remarks with words that gently touched the soul of the listening ears: “This ceremony is not just a tradition; it is a rite of passage, a symbolic moment where you, our students, step into a new chapter of your journey.”

A montage of memories of fun and hardships of the sophomores was displayed on the LED screen, the eight of them softly singing and dancing to a song that spoke to them with motivation and inspiration, while swaying and snapping their hands to the rhythm of the music.

The inception of the College of Nursing Program, and of the other new programs at large, was a stairway to a greater procurement for the school, not just as a mere institutional facility but as an inclusive and welcoming public space for more incoming college students to come.





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Words: Ma. Contesa Ronariese Rufin | The Josephinian
Photos: Manuel Francis Corollo | The Josephinian

17/09/2025

𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐒 | Josephinian takers of the upcoming September 2025 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) gathered for a Holy Mass earlier this morning at the Maasin Cathedral-Shrine.

They were accompanied by the students, faculty, and dean of the College of Teacher Education, with the purpose of uplifting their morale and praying for their success through God’s grace.




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Words: Alexa Arañez | The Josephinian
Photos: Mark Calucin | The Josephinian

16/09/2025

15/09/2025

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 | 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲.

While the roads of EDSA were charged with a swarm of Filipinos in February of 1986, at the Palacio de Malacañan, a dictator was packing up his things because he couldn’t bear the nation’s indignation. It was not an unsolvable entanglement in his political milieu alone, it was the hatred of a nation towards a supposed guardian of their rights and privileges, who turned into an instigator and violator of the things he should have protected.

Before the Marcos downfall, the Philippines was already a nation that held the shield of democracy. The February Revolution was not the birth of democracy, but it was an awakening of a nation to the realities of the violation of the chosen form of governance. It was an awakening that started with a climactic event, our awakening did not start with a gentle tap on the shoulder.

Democracy, a form of governance that places the participation of the populace above selected involvement requires a mandate for it to function. The mandate comes from the people themselves, who decides for their future, and not just a future for an individual but a collective future for the whole nation. This may seem very good for a country who desires the good of the common good, but it also hides flaws and defects when unchecked and unbalanced.

The Philippines is proud of its democratic policy in governance, but is still pestered, now more than anytime in history by corruption, and not just simple surface level corruption, but a deeply seated one. This is the problem when democratic policies are poisoned. This problem is just one in a vast expanse of aberrations in the system. Politicians elected by misinformed and sorry for the word “uneducated” citizens, government officials who shift money to their pockets thinking that the little they take does not contribute to the great amount of corruptible and corrupted funds. Departments who, by procuring ghost materials for ghost projects and appropriating benefices for ghost personages add up to the already piled-up debt of the nation. A horrible sight indeed! The supposed people-centered rule, because of the people’s desperation and complacent attitude towards corruption due to its seemingly impossible to solve nature enables these corrupt men to use the very positions they hold to trample ordinary citizens and bypass laws. This threat to democracy comes from the lack of education – true education; it is where one is led out of ignorance into the light of truth, and the truth being the light of the eyes, enables us to see the reality of things, to take action, and to resolve the problem, however impossible it may look like. This mission to true education is a hard one, it requires democracy for it to be functional, for its functionality lies in the concerted efforts of individuals to build up a nation that they love, a nation worthy to be called home.

Corruption has existed since the temptation of our first parents, but this does not mean that we cannot solve this. Democracy is at stake, that is the truth as of today. The first thing we must do is to recognize the problem, be courageous, be resilient, but not glorify resiliency, but instead, to have the strength to call out the names of those that need reproaching. We need to awaken sentiments of patriotism once more, because we have only one nation that Almighty God gave, one nation to cherish and love.

Public office is a public trust, and the duty that is to be performed for the nation is sacred. The nation is sacred. Every bit of it. It is our duty to uphold this nation, its values, culture, our very identity. Though battered and violated, Democracy is still alive.

Mabuhi ang Filipinas!
Mabuhi ang Demokrasya!




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Words: John Russel Manlangit | The Josephinian
Art: Denver John Cinco | The Josephinian

14/09/2025

𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭.

And it's a wrap, Josephinians! May the memories of this year's celebration be ones you will remember fondly.






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Art: Zeira Nicole Pasayan | The Josephinian

14/09/2025

Here are the key takeaways from Day 3 of the SJC Educative Family Day II: Intramurals 2025
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