UP Alumni Association names 2025 top awardees

Sixty-four alumni of the University of the Philippines were recognized during this year’s UP Alumni Association (UPAA) Awards, joining a list of distinguished individuals, groups, and families who were selected based on honor, excellence, and service.

This year’s awardees include 47 individual awardees, three outstanding UP alumni chapters, four recipients of the Presidential Service Award, and 10 awardees of the Multigenerational Alumni Family Award.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree of Political Science in 1968, was awarded this year’s UPAA Most Distinguished Alumni. He previously served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The UPAA also awarded five Distinguished Achievement Awards, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez.

Distinguished Alumni Awards were also given to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Secretary Ernesto Perez, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Angelene Mary Quimpo-Sale, and Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres.

Unang Hirit host and Kapuso sa Batas Atty. Gaby Concepcion was also named the 2025 UPAA Distinguished Alumni Awardee in Community Empowerment in Legal Journalism.

UPAA Presidential Awards were given to Solicitor General Darlene Marie Basco Berberabe, former Baguio Representative Marquez Go, and Ambassador Rosario Gonzales-Manalo.

“Beyond professional excellence, we looked for the strength of their leadership, the depth of their service, and the magnitude of their impact. These awardees reflect the very best of what it means to be an Iskolar ng Bayan,” UPAA president and Alumni Regent Robert Lester Aranton said.

The UPAA Awards ceremony was held at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni inside the UP Diliman campus in Quezon City on Saturday.

Jubilarian alumni

Alumni celebrating their respective jubilee anniversaries were also recognized during the UP General Alumni Homecoming held Sunday also at the Bahay ng Alumni, according to a report by EJ Gomez on Unang Balita on Monday.

The Class of 1959 was recognized as Golden Diamond Jubilarians, while the Class of 1965 celebrated their Diamond Jubilee. The Class of 1975 joined as Golden Jubilarians, followed by the Ruby Jubilarians from the Class of 1985 and the Silver Jubilarians from the Class of 2000.

Other speeches were made on stage by UPAA First Vice President Roel Casto and UP alumna and Professor Emeritus at the UP School of Economics Winnie Monsod. 

"UP is not just an institution, this is our home. A home that embraces us, challenges us and inspires us to make a meaningful difference in the world. Thank you for returning to your home and for being part of this vibrant community," said Castro. 

"We can show you that even though we are 65, 66 years, going on 70, may asim pa kami (we still have it)). Meron pang laban kami (We still have it in us), and we show you what it is to fight and to fight clean for this university and for our country," Monsod highlighted. 

The festive program featured special performances from UPeepz and the UP Concert Chorus, delighting the crowd with world-class talent that highlighted the university’s legacy of excellence not only in academics but also in the arts. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas and Sherylin Untalan/BM/KG, GMA Integrated News