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The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) celebrated the achievements of its graduating students during the Recognition and Thanksgiving 2025 ceremony held on 5 December 2025 at the UPOU International Convention Center, Los Baños, Laguna.

The ceremony brought together graduates, faculty members, and families to mark the end of the Class of 2025’s academic journey at UPOU.

The program opened with a warm welcome from UPOU Chancellor Prof. Joane V. Serrano, who congratulated the graduates on their remarkable achievements and emphasized the vital role of the FICS in advancing UPOU’s mission to lead innovation in information and communication in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. In celebrating the graduates’ accomplishments, Chancellor Serrano shared an encouraging message: “As you take the next steps in your journey, carry with you the confidence that comes from knowing you can handle whatever comes your way. You’ve faced challenges, kept learning, and grown stronger because of it.” She concluded by reminding the graduates that they will always remain part of the UPOU family.

FICS alumna Faye Anjeli Lopez Sanchez shared an inspiring message on how her education at UPOU prepared her for her current work at a prestigious design company, making the transition both manageable and rewarding. Encouraging the graduating class, she said, “If you’re struggling, or just trying to keep up, trust that you are exactly where you need to be. Keep learning. Keep creating. Keep believing—even on the hardest days, because those are the days that teach you consistency, resilience, and growth.”

A central highlight of the ceremony was the awarding of Certificates of Completion, acknowledging 237 graduates who successfully fulfilled their program requirements–20 from the Associate of Arts in Digital Design and Art (AADDA), 3 from the Associate of Science in Information Technology (ASIT), 122 from the Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS), 32 from the Diploma in Computer Science (DCS), 28 from the Master of Development Communication (MDC), 15 from the Master of Information Systems (MIS), and 17 from the Doctor of Communication (DComm).  This was followed by the Pinning of Pahinungod Graduate Volunteers, honoring students who dedicated their time and expertise to community service through the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod. This year, the UPOU Pahinungod recognized Phoebe May Apostol, Cathleen Kayley Basaca, Sannie Agnes Genito, Maria Rachel Saluna, and Jana Denise Tomacruz.

The awarding of Certificates of Excellence formally recognized students for their outstanding academic performance and exceptional contributions to the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) community. A total of 99 recipients were conferred the award, including 64 from BAMS, 10 from DCOMM, 7 from DCS, 12 from MDC, and 6 from MIS.

The Top Graduates were Anna Porsche Gutierrez (BAMS); Van Alistair Faeldon, Dyane Rachel Fulgencio, and Sannie Agnes Genito (DCS); Ram Idelbert Hilario (MDC); Joy Christine Dacara (MIS); and Dante Perez (DCOMM).

Representing the graduating class, Ram Idelbert A. Hilario delivered a heartfelt response that reflected on UPOU’s theme–Constancy, Change, and Co-existence. He urged the FICS graduates to remember the people who have made their UP education possible–those who stood up for students’ rights and privileges. In his speech, Mr. Hilario said, “As FICS students, we hold a unique responsibility: to guard truth in a world drowning in misinformation, and to use our expertise to amplify voices that are often ignored.”

In his closing remarks, Dean Roberto B. Figueroa Jr. emphasized the impact of connections, however small, both to students and faculty members alike. “None of us grows alone. Every achievement we celebrate today was strengthened by small human connections–those gentle, often invisible threads that held you up when things were heavy,” he said. He reminded the graduates to carry the fact that each one left an imprint in another’s life just as much as others have left a mark in theirs. In closing his message, Dean Figueroa serenaded the graduates with a line from a song.

The 2025 FICS Recognition and Thanksgiving Program embodied the spirit of gratitude, perseverance, and community. The event marked both an academic milestone and a moment of reflection for the FICS community, as the graduates prepare to take their next steps beyond the University. As the graduates step forward into new endeavors, they carry with them the hallmark values of UP—excellence, integrity, and service to the Filipino people.

Written by: Joy Abigail Rebulanan| Edited by: Shari Eunice San Pablo