The University of the East-Manila delegation to this year’s 46th YMCA National Congress of College Students and 26th YMCA National Club Advisers Seminar-Workshop scored the event’s Outstanding Delegation Award, UE Manila’s 11th such award in a row!

Held last November 2 to 5 at the historic Teachers’ Camp in Baguio City, with the theme of “YOUnited Leaders: Bridging a Sustainable Society for Everyone,” the 2024 YMCA National Congress was attended by 339 student delegates and 72 faculty advisers from 43 public and private universities from all over the Philippines.

Leading the charge for UE was College of Arts and Sciences-Manila (CAS) BA International Studies senior Charlemaine Angelique H. Lopez, the incumbent President of UE Manila’s University Student Council (USC), who served as UE Manila Delegation’s Head Delegate. Miss Lopez was awarded Outstanding Delegate, duplicating her award from last year’s national congress. She was also elected as Deputy Speaker for NCR during the election for plenary officers, which consisted of all head delegates from colleges and universities who attended the national congress, and was likewise elected as Commission Chair.

Also featured in the national congress are the different national interschool contests featuring some of the national congress student delegates. UE Manila delegates participated in these contests, and these are the warrior delegates who won their respective contests:

Marianne V. Alla (4th Year BA Broadcasting; Member, Association of Broadcasting Students and UE Debate and Speech Society), 1st Runner-Up and Best Speaker, Debate Competition

Alessandra M. Topico [3rd Yr. BSBA major in Marketing Management; President, UE Zenith Esports, and Business Manager, UE College of Business Administration-Manila (CBA) Student Council], 2nd Place, Tuklas Talino Quiz Bee

Raiden Joseph B. Ebanculla (4th Yr. BSBA Financial Management; Executive Vice President, Junior Financial Executives and Deputy Minister of Operations and Documentation, Beta Sigma Omicron), 2nd Place, Spoken Word Poetry Contest

Marcus Gabrielle L. Taduran (3rd Yr. BA Broadcasting; Staffer, USC Education and Research Committee), 2nd Place, Essay Writing Competition

John Lloyd S. Parungao [3rd Yr. BS Computer Science; Business Manager, UE College of Computer Studies and Systems (CCSS) Student Council], 2nd Place, Photography Contest Mobile Phone Category

Aside from Miss Lopez, who was elected as Commission Chair, the following were also elected to their respective commission and cluster positions:

Jade Danrev Panerio (4th Yr. BA International Studies; President, UE Debate and Speech Society, and Attaché, International Studies Society), Commission Chair

Eugero Vincent G. Liberato (4th Yr. BA International Studies; Chairperson, USC Education and Research Committee), Commission Co-Chair

Alessandra M. Topico, Commission Co-Chair

Mark Anthony C. Dorado (4th Yr. BSBA Financial Management; President, CBA Student Council; Deputy Minister of Finance and Auditor, Beta Sigma Omicron; Executive Auditor, Junior Financial Executives; and Auditor, College Y Club), Commission Rapporteur

Roman Paulo B. Baet (3rd Yr. BS Data Science; President, College Y Club), Commission Rapporteur

Clarise S. Gesmundo (3rd Yr. BA Political Science; Member, UE Red Cross Youth Council, and Member, Political Science Society), Commission Rapporteur

Carla Mae E. Ablog (2nd Yr. BA Political Science; Minister of External Affairs, Political Science Society), Commission Rapporteur

Timothy Angelo E. Ramas (4th Yr. BSBA Financial Management; Minister of Audit and Finance, Beta Sigma Omicron and Executive President, Junior Financial Executives), Commission Marshal

Carl Bennedict C. Cudiamat (2nd Yr., BSBA major in Marketing Management; President, Junior Marketing Association and Deputy for Propaganda, Beta Sigma Omicron), Commission Marshal

Jasmine D. Inciong (2nd Yr. BS Psychology; Internal Vice President, UE Psychology Society and Chairperson, USC Student Welfare Committee), Commission Marshal

Phoebe Vernice Cheng (3rd Yr., BA International Studies; Vice President for Debate, UE Debate and Speech Society, and Senior Writer, UE Dawn), Commission Marshal

Mr. Liberato and Miss Cheng were also active contributors to the Congress Patrol, the official Congress News Video Platform.

Miguel V. Fernandez [3rd Yr. Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English; Vice President for Academics, Akademia; 3rd-year Representative, UE College of Education (CEduc) Student Council; Secretary-General, UE Debate and Speech Society; and CEduc Representative, UE College Y Club], Arbli M. Go (4th Yr., BSBA Financial Management; PRO, University Student Council), Reggie Mo T. Simon (3rd Yr., BSEMC-Game Development; Executive Assistant, UE EMCSS and Cartoonist, UE Dawn), Mr. Ramas, Mr. Baet, Miss Ablog, Miss Gesmundo, Mr. Taduran, Mr. Parungao, and Miss Inciong were key contributors to the Gabay and Tanglaw Advisers Group Newsletter.

Mr. Fernandez also served as photographer for Congress Balita, the official Congress Newsletter.

Day 1 of the student congress began with an orientation for all delegates, followed by an inter-faith prayer and ceremony. Later in the night, the entrance of delegates and formal opening of the congress were held, with a keynote address made by Ms. Karren Joy S. Fetalvero, a key YMCA official representing the Philippines to the Executive Committee of the World Alliance of YMCAs.

Day 2 of the student congress saw the presentation of important platform topics that were delivered by expert resource persons. Dr. Ronaldo A. Motilla of the Miriam College Department of Psychology talked about “Empowering Leaders to be Catalysts of Mental Wellness.” National Poverty Commission Secretary Lope B. Santos III focused on “Education as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation,” while Environment Advocate Metodio John Maraguinot explained the importance of “Amplifying Voices for Environmental and Climate Justice.”

UE SAO Manila Campus Organizations Coordinator Dexter A. Villanueva discussed the finer points of parliamentary law and procedure to the congress’ student delegates. Mr. Villanueva later presided over the congress head delegates’ caucus, where the congress plenary officers were elected. He also served as Congress Parliamentarian and one of the Program Directors for Students. He has been a Congress Parliamentarian for the last 10 congresses and is a longtime Congress Executive Committee member.

Prof. Reynalyn Elon-Tolentino, a CCSS faculty member and UE Manila CYC Faculty Adviser, served as Delegation Adviser alongside Mr. Villanueva. Prof. Elon-Tolentino was part of the National Congress Executive Committee, serving as Committee Head for the Gabay and Tanglaw Advisers Group Newsletter and Committee Chair for the Photography contest.

Both Mr. Villanueva and Prof. Elon-Tolentino are YMCA National Congress alumni. Mr. Villanueva was UE Manila Head Delegate during its 2002 and 2003 congresses, while Prof. Elon-Tolentino was UE Manila student delegate for the 2010 and 2011 congresses.

The string of successive outstanding delegation awards started in 2011 with then Head Delegate Mark Anthony D. Uy, now a UE CCSS professor.

Congratulations and kudos, UE Manila Warriors!

Report by and photo courtesy of Mr. Villanueva

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