CEU GRAND ALUMNI REUNION: Truly Memorable Homecoming

BALIK CEU: Tuloy Na!Tara Na! That’s the theme of the latest Grand Alumni Reunion of the CEU Alumni Foundation Inc. (CEU AFI).

Yes, Tuloy Na!

Since our founding way back in 1907, we’ve held our alumni reunions every two years. We held our 109th reunion-- 2019-2020—at the Manila Hotel on January 18, 2020, with the theme Balik CEU.

Then, we started preparing for our 110th—2021-2022— Grand Alumni Reunion. But it was postponed because of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID) Pandemic which prompted the government to prohibit live gatherings.

By mid 2022, the Pandemic subsided, and the government already allowed live gatherings.

end of their song, they reenacted the Interlude inviting guests onstage and presenting to them the sweet smelling Sampaguita garlands.

Stars of the Sampaguita Interlude reenactment are no less than Dr. Basilio C. Yap, chairman of the CEU Board of Directors, as well as chairman of the Manila Bulletin; Dr. Ma. Cristina D. Padolina, CEU president, and chief academic officer; and Dr. Sonny Coloma, president of the Manila Bulletin which kindly featured the event on its January 30, 2023 issue.

Jubilarian Awards

We honored the Jubilarians receiving the following awards:

The Award may be traced to the Excelencia honor given annually during the days of our founders, Dona Librada Avelino and Doña Carmen de Luna to graduates who excelled in their academic ratings.

CEU presented the first Excelencia award during the Grand Alumni Reunion on January 18, 2020. The Awardees, from left:

SELMA P. ALARAS, Icon of Philippine Jurisprudence; MARIANO S. YUPITUN, Advocate of Human Enlightenment; MIRIAM L. AZUPARDO, Global Entrepreneur; and JESUS ‘JESS’ DIAZ, Stalwart Figure in Australian Governance.

Promptly, we set our 2021-2022 Grand Alumni Reunion at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel on January 28, 2023 with the theme BALIK CEU: Tuloy Na!Tara Na! Yes, Tuloy Na! It’s already a Go, Go, Go!

WELCOME

CEU AFI President Paz I. Lucido greets alumni and guests.

MESSAGES

Making the Grand Alumni Reunion grand are tributes from:

• Stellar Jubilarian Alumni Award honors a Jubilarian who has shown stellar or star qualities as an Escolarian graduate, exemplifying the University core principle of Ciencia y Virtud.

• Distinguished Jubilarian Award honors a Jubilarian who has exemplary achievements, particularly in the national and global arena manifesting that the nominee is an exemplar of the University core principle of Ciencia y Virtud.

• Milestone Jubilarian Award honors a Jubilarian who has longtime exemplary achievements manifesting that the nominee has well lived the University core principle of Ciencia y Virtud and thus may be presented as The Model Escolarian worth the respect, admiration, and emulation of alumni, young Escolarians, and the public in general.

During our CEU Grand Alumni Reunion on January 28, 2023, we proudly presented the Librada Avelino Excelencia Award to Dr. Rosita Navarro, the sixth president of Centro Escolar University.

Presenting the award from left: CEU President, Dr. Maria Cristina D. Padolina, Dr. Rosita L. Navarro, CEU AFI Former President, Arch. Ana Mangalino-Ling and CEU AFI President, Dr. Paz I. Lucido.

DENIM REUNION

In deference to the economic crisis brought about by the COVID Pandemic, we changed the reunion attire from the usual formal gown to working denims. Still, everyone came in fancy denim versions.

And we honored the best of the best in Denim attire as the Balik-CEU King and Queen of the Night. The winners were Frances Trinidad from CEU Malolos and Maria Olivia B. Pascual from MEHSAC.

GRAND RAFFLE

No CEU Grand Alumni Reunion is complete without the Raffles and yes, the Grand Raffle! The winners were Willen Ma, Bohol Tour Package and Consocia Perez Zamora, Boracay Tour Package

GRAND TOAST!

SAMPAGUITA INTERLUDE

Months before the Reunion, CEU AFI officers and Chapter Presidents recorded songs we sing during our Sampaguita Interlude—a poignant, memorable turnover of duties and responsibilities from the graduating seniors to the juniors or third year students.

During the program, the video plays while onstage, the participants, acting as “seniors” each was holding a Sampaguita garland and singing the songs live. By the

We cap the Grand Reunion, with a Grand Toast, from left: Mrs. Maria Roscelli PauleChua, Atty. Jesus ‘Jess’ Diaz and Dr. Jane Erica P. Acosta

Gloria a Ti Noble Centro Escolar!