CEU Names Loyal Employees and Alumni

Centro Escolar University recognized the present-day exemplars of loyalty among the teaching and non-teaching employees who have served the University for 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 and 15 years during the Loyalty Awards Day held at the CEU Librada Avelino Auditorium with live streaming on its official Facebook and Youtube accounts on September 12, 2022.

In the test of time and difficulties, teaching and non-teaching employees have proven their loyalty in years and service. Thirty parentalumni were also awarded for manifesting their allegiance to the University in choosing CEU to be their children’s home for tertiary learning.

“Today, we celebrate another CEU tradition, this time to recognize and give credit to loyalty and service. Today, we honor those who have put their faith in CEU as an institution of higher learning,” said Dr. Ma. Cristina Padolina in her welcome message as she believes that the angels from the “Acknowledgment Section” would be busy receiving messages of appreciation since it is CEU Loyalty Day.

September 11, set as the CEU Loyalty Day, is the birth anniversary of Dr. Concepcion Aguila, CEU’s icon of fidelity who served as Dean of the Graduate School, Dean of the College of Education, Moderator of Extracurricular Activities, and as Executive Director. Since September 11 falls on a Sunday,the celebration was held on September 12, 2022.

Dr. Olivia M. Limuaco, Vice President for CEU Makati delivered her heartfelt message as the lone 45-year service awardee.

“These figures are not just numbers for me, but milestones that surely make me smile, every time I take a trip down memory lane. To all the people whom I had the opportunity to work with for 45 years, my heartfelt gratitude to all of you; the times we shared, the friendship we developed and the incredible successes we achieved,” said Dr. Limuaco.

The 40-year Service Awardees include Dr. Elena C. Borromeo, Ms. Rosario P. Caudal, Dr. Felipe Wilfredo M. Espineli, Ms. Aleli V. Lozano,

Dr. Teresa R. Perez, and Mrs. Emelda J. Rivera. Recipients of the 35-year Service Awards are Dr. Epifanio M. Abarro, Jr., Mrs. Cirila H. Agno, Ms. Maria Hidelisa B. Apostol, Dr. Rosemarievic A. Bustamante, Mrs. Edna C. Guerrero, Dr. Maria Wanda I. Martinez, Dr. Consuelo C. Reyes, Mrs. Nelia PL. Sapocon, Mrs. Cynthia SD. Sarmiento, Mrs. Shiela Fidelia F. Sevilla, and Dr. Elvira L. Urgel.

For 30 years of service, the awardees are Dr. Alden M. Aguilar, Dr. Marissa D. Aguilar, Dr. Ma. Adalia P. Amoyo, Mrs. Maria Hedley

A. Basco, Dr. Peter Y. Bonilla, Dr. Maria Luisa

R. Clemente, Dr. Flordeliza E. Coquia, Dr. Nadine D. Duad, Dr. Fresnida D. Ebreo, Dr. Jim L. Fernandez, Dr. Frederick J. Guanzon, Dr. Joann F. Joven, Dr. Fides F. Masanga, Ms. Carmiluz C. Melo, Mr. Ricardo M. Pineda, Jr. , Ms. Jessica B. Santos, Ms. Ruth R. Santos, Dr. Antonio E. Sarmiento, Mr. Banjo D. Serrano, Dr. Marie Elizabeth Y. Solidum, Mr. Lamberto

J. Tobias, Dr. Marlene C. Torres, and Mr. Daniel S. Villanueva.

Mr. Noel V. Aguilar, Dr. Vivian C. Carlos, Mr. Julius D. Cortez, Ms. Laura T. Crisostomo, Dr. Irene L. Cruz, Mrs. Leslie Mae A. De Ramos, Mrs. Juanita G. Flores, Mrs. Maricel S. Gabriel, Mr. Richard S. Guevarra, Mr. Apolinario E. Laxamana, Mr. Jaime L. Lopez, Mrs. Roselle E. Lopez, Mrs. Aida L. Mamorno, Mrs. Melanie E. Mijares, Mrs. Eleanor C. Reyes, Dr. Cresencia M. Santos, Mrs. Vivian C. Tobias, and Mr. Til C. Villa have served the university for 25 years. Mrs. Maan Rose T. Bartolome, Ms. Rowena P. Malig and Mr. Noel T. Panganiban were recognized for their 20 years of service.

The 15 years of service awardees were Mr. Rouella M. Baluyut, Mr. Jean Paul G. Bundalian, Ms. Enicar B. Caga, Mr. Michael G. Catacutan, Mr. Eugene Marc D. Cera, III, Mr. Joey O. Chua, Mrs. Maria Victoria S. Coloma, Mrs. Marian Gigi C. Cusi, Mr. Arnel A. De Guia, Mr. Edward P. Ogayre, Mr. Joener A. Porras, Ms. Richel D. Punzalan, Ms. Charmaine M. Sanchez, and Ms. Jean Marie I. Villanueva.

Apart from the service and parent-alumni awardees, the Sampaguita recipients, Dr.

Olivia Limuaco and Dr. Teresa Perez, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs were presented plaque of recognition.

The guest speaker was Judge Rowena Nieves Tan, the Vice Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 118 of Pasay City. The president of CEU Alumni Foundation Inc., Dr. Paz I. Lucido, introduced Judge Rowena Nieves Tan and described her as a daisy (a flower symbol of loyalty) among Escolarian graduates of the CEU Girls High School, General Secondary Course in 1982.

“Being here 40 years later is like walking down memory lane. Being on campus brings back a lot of beautiful and wonderful memories of my high school life in CEU. High School in CEU was one of the best years of my life. I met brilliant and competent teachers who taught us well and inspired us to become better versions of ourselves,” shared Judge Nieves Tan.

“You might think that the work that you do over and over again in the past several years and decades isn’t significant. You might not see the results immediately. There might have been times when you questioned the meaning of what you are doing. You might have been tempted to work abroad in search of a better life. But you persevered. And for that, we salute you and celebrate you. CEU will not have the graduates that it has now if it were not for your hard work and sacrifices, for your perseverance and loyalty,” she added.

She also paid tribute to Dr. Aguila whom she considered as an inspiration and as a woman worth emulating for her loyalty, patriotism and her life of service to the Filipino people and to the world.

This annual gathering was made possible through the steering of the overall chairpersons, Dr. Paz I. Lucido, the president of CEU Alumni Foundation, Inc. (CEU-AFI) and Dr. Rhoda C. Aguilar, the University Registrar. The overall co-chairpersons were Ms. Ma. Modesto M. Mercado and Ms. Eleonor I. Manalo, and the program director was Prof. Angelito Ayran, Jr.

Greetings of happiness, love, and peace to all. I wish that you are all well and healthy.

My first time in CEU was in November 1972 when I transferred to the College of Pharmacy immediately after the Martial Law declaration. I was an irregular student from 1st year to 5th year and became a regular student only in my 5th year 2nd semester. All of my classmates thought we were batchmates and they didn’t know that my friends were from the first year to the 5th year. In June 1977 after graduation, I started teaching .

I cherish all the good memories and experiences I have had as faculty of the School of Pharmacy and Graduate School for 45 years. I served for 10 years as head of Science Laboratories, 22 years as Dean of the School of Pharmacy Manila, Malolos, and Makati, 9 years as Vice President and Dean of Studies of CEU Makati, and along those years as a committed member and officer of different professional organizations on national and international levels. These figures are not just numbers for me. These are milestones that will surely make me smile every time I take a trip down memory lane.

To all people whom I have had the opportunity to work with for 45 years, my heartfelt gratitude to all of you. The times we shared, the friendships we developed and the incredible successes we achieved in every activity like PACUCOA, ISO, PQA and AUN visits. All of them have been an extraordinary part of my journey in life at CEU. Faced with so many challenges and opportunities, I see to it that I give my best to make a difference and be a blessing to my beloved institution, Centro Escolar University specificaly to my students, alumni, staff, faculty, SOP, MCC, management group, administrative council, and the national and international professional organizations to which I am affiliated.

Having stayed for a total of 50 years in CEU (including my 5 years of study in BS Pharmacy), I was privileged to be part of many celebrations and anniversaries namely, the CEU Centennial Celebration in 2012, the SOP (School of Pharmacy) Centennial Celebration in 2022 and the 15th Anniversary of CEU Makati in 2021. Accordingly, I have been fortunate to have worked closely with four CEU presidents with different leadership styles, namely, Pres.