Tanghalang Bayan
17 & 18 April 2009
The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), the country’s premiere local university situated in Intramuros, Manila, held its 41st Commencement Exercises with two of the most formidable leaders of the country as commencement speakers.
Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero addressed a total of 1,898 graduates of the first city-funded university in the country on April 17 and 18, respectively.
Both speakers delivered gainful insights on the imperatives of the real state of affairs on the domestic front and in the world-wide arena in consonance with the theme “Rising Above the Challenges of the Times.”
PLM President Atty. Adel A. Tamano introduced the commencement speakers. He conferred the degrees to the candidates for graduation from the 12 colleges, two professional schools – College of Law and the College of Medicine, and five graduate schools.
Tamano, who is also president of the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), led this year’s graduation rites along with other university officials such as Atty. Ernesto P. Maceda, Jr., executive vice president; and the PLM Board of Regents headed by its chairman, retired Supreme Court Justice Justo P. Torres, Jr.
Hon. Justice Artemio Tuquero, President of the Universidad de Manila, represented the honorable Mayor of Manila, Atty. Alfredo S. Lim, in this year’s graduation rites held at the University’s Tanghalang Bayan.
Earlier last April 15, the Baccalaureate Program was held with an inter-faith ceremony featuring reflections and prayer offerings by leaders of various religious sects and denominations such as the following: Mr. Macapanton P. Macalanggan (Islam), Rev. Fr. Wency Serafica (Roman Catholic), Bro. Nicanor P. Tiosen (Iglesia ni Cristo), and Bishop Amor Cordova (Christian).
President Tamano exhorted this year’s crop of graduating students to “do something good for the country. This is, after all, the real challenge of the times.” Tamano also recalled how he himself had to struggle and rise above the challenges he encountered as a student in the country and in the United States. He was the first Muslim Filipino at the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Masachusetts, USA where he was conferred honors as a Graduate Program Scholar. He completed his master of laws degree in 2005 and was commencement speaker of the graduating class.
Cited by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) for its impressive performance and passing rate in various licensure examinations, PLM has produced board placers and outstanding alumni since its establishment on June 19, 1965. Only recently, Richard Peñamante and Fernando del Mundo placed 2nd and 7th in the last licensure examinations for electrical and civil engineers, respectively. In 2007, Zandra Mae Bongco was no. 1 in the nursing board examinations. Last year, Erycar Manaois placed 3rd.
The following colleges have showed consistently impressive track record of exemplary passing rate in the latest licensure examinations for their respective areas: College of Architecture & Urban Planning, ranked 1st; College of Accountancy, ranked 2nd (2007); College of Engineering & Technology – mechanical engineering, ranked 3rd; College of Nursing, ranked 5th; College of Physical Therapy, ranked 8th; College of Medicine, ranked 8th.
Starting with the first enrollees of 556 high school graduates from the City of Manila in July 1967, the University enrollment averages 10,000 and boasts of relevant curricular offerings in accountancy, economics, architecture, business administration, computer studies, teacher education, engineering, law, mass communication, mathematics, medicine, nursing, physical education, physical therapy, psychology, sciences, social work, tourism, management, and public governance.
(Ludz R. Labagnoy)