The freshman class of 2018-2019, also the first to graduate under the K-12 Basic Education Program, officially joined the country’s health sciences center during the welcome ceremony held at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, on August 6, 2018.

This year’s batch of iskolar ng bayan was greeted by the university officials, deans, faculty, and staff, along with dance and song presentations performed by the UP Medicine Choir, PHAC Choir, CAMP Synergy, SINAG, and UP Manila Indayog Varsity.

“I encourage you to seize opportunities, study hard, make new friends, join clubs, and take part in as many campus activities as you can,” UPM Chancellor Carmencita Padilla suggested during her welcome remarks. “These experiences, and many others you will have during your time here will prepare you to make your mark on the world,” she continued.

The Chancellor acquainted the students with the University’s momentous past and addressed the upcoming state-of-the-art facilities in the campus that will excite and attract the students to engage early in research. “We have new and additional facilities in the campus: the Sports and Wellness Center, the 8-storey dorm, and renovated academic support offices such as the Office of the University Registrar and Cash Office,” she announced.

Executive Vice President Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, representing UP President Danilo Concepcion, remarked, “We recognize that as new members of the university, you are now our main responsibility. You are here to be honed and shaped into persons and professionals that you want to be. As new UP students, you must draw from yourselves the best so that this best may be shared with the rest of the Philippines.”

The ceremony’s guest speaker and UP Diliman Chancellor, Dr. Michael Tan, called on to all the millennial scholars to be socially connected, face to face, in the age of instant communications. “Have friends in and out of UP with shared interests, but be open to celebrate diversity. Now, more than ever, develop psychosocial support with compassion – a combination of empathy and Metta (loving-kindness),” he added.

Among the top 50 qualifiers of UPCAT were Charles Jerome R. Bartolo, Katrina G. Escario, and Faith D. Villahermosa who are all enrolled in the seven-year Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine (INTARMED) program of the UP College of Medicine. They were awarded the Oblation Scholar certificates and shall enjoy special privileges and allowance for the duration of their course.