INSTEAD of last year’s rain-soaked send-off, more than 7,000 graduating Thomasians marked the end of their stay in the University under scorching heat during the 2026 Baccalaureate Mass and send-off rites on Friday, May 29.
Metro Manila experienced a danger-level heat index, ranging from 42 to 47 degrees Celsius during the ceremonies, as forecasted by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
Based on a partial record, the University announced 7,329 graduates from higher education and 3,634 graduates from the basic education departments.
UST Education High School recorded 77 graduates, while the Junior High School tallied 389 graduates. The Senior High School recorded a total of 3,168 graduates.
The number of Class of 2026 graduates from the tertiary programs was 5.26% higher than the 6,963 graduates in AY 2024-2025.
The tally of graduates per academic units is as follows:
- Conservatory of Music – 65
- College of Nursing – 140
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences – 240
- UST Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy – 401
- College of Fine Arts and Design – 426
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – 526
- College of Commerce and Business Administration – 583
- College of Information and Computing Sciences – 600
- Faculty of Arts and Letters – 774
- Graduate School of Law – 17
- Ecclesiastical Faculties – 87
- Institute of Physical Education and Athletics – 97
- Faculty of Civil Law – 120
- Graduate School – 250
- College of Education – 257
- College of Architecture – 272
- College of Tourism and Hospitality Management – 442
- College of Science – 559
- Faculty of Engineering – 634
- Faculty of Pharmacy – 839
Graduating students participated in the Baccalaureate Mass, which was divided into morning and afternoon batches, both held in the Quadricentennial Pavilion for the second consecutive year as a precautionary measure from last year’s postponement due to heavy rains.
The send-off rites for the graduating students were capped by an eight-minute pyromusical display featuring pop songs such as “Beauty and a Beat,” “Never Say Never,” and “Karera.”
Bittersweet farewells from seniors
For many graduating students, the send-off rites carried mixed emotions as they prepared to officially mark the culmination of their years in the University.
“Parehong masaya at malungkot. Masaya kasi alam mong lahat ng ginawa mong hard work is nag-pay off na,” Shawn Guevara, a graduating student of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, told the Varsitarian.
“Kaya siya malungkot din is syempre, mawala na rin ‘yung nagpapasaya sa school life mo,” he added.
For Kalel Joson of the College of Commerce, crossing the Arch of Centuries brought a “complex” feeling of both relief and accomplishment.
“There’s a sense of finality of like, you’re only supposed to cross back out through the Arch when it’s all over. And I was like, ‘Wow, it’s done. We got to the other side,’” she said.
“And it was like, relief. There was a sense of accomplishment. But it was like, it came all at once like a full package,” she added.
Maria Kaela Torres of the Faculty of Pharmacy, said she initially expected heavy rains, but was instead met with clear skies that turned pink during the 6 p.m. post-Mass activities at the UST Open Field.
“Hinihintay ko rin po sanang umulan kasi blessing din po ‘yun ni God. More opportunities po, kahit po mababasa po kami. Kaso hindi po dumating,” she said.
“Pero, thankfully naman po, maganda po ‘yung pink skies po today. Good ‘yung weather,” she added.
During the post-Mass rites, incumbent Central Student Council President Annie Agon and outgoing treasurer Kojie Uy, a graduating student from the Faculty of Engineering, delivered a message for the Class of 2026.
“Carry forward the invaluable lessons cultivated beyond the classroom, the bonds of fellowship, the adversities that refined your purpose, and the shared convictions that remind us why our highest aspirations are a duty to pursue,” Agon said.
“The ideal circumstances may not have been handed to us, yet look at us now, we were able to pull through all that and open the next chapter of our lives,” Uy said.
UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. led the blessing and imposition of the Thomasian mission cross together with student representatives and deans of the colleges and faculties.
The solemn investitures of the academic units began on May 8 and will last until June 30.
