Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

Araw ng Pagkilala 2025 | Sunlag: Alay na Liwanag

Details

The UP Asian Center and the TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program will be holding their joint Recognition Ceremonies on 6 July 2025, 2:00 PM, Philippine Standard Time (GMT+8), at the GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center Auditorium. The on-site event is exclusive to graduates and their guests.

SUNLAG: ALAY NA LIWANAG

The theme of the 2025 Recognition Ceremonies of the Asian Center and the Tri-College Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program is Sunlag: Alay na Liwanag. Sunlag is a Kapampangan term that means to give light. Usually involving the self, light symbolizes intellectual awakening and enlightenment. However, the term sunlag goes beyond the self. As an action word, it embodies the spirit of sharing understanding, knowledge, and truth with others. The theme then is a call to illuminate not only one’s mind and path but also the minds and paths of others serving as our alay or offering. The theme serves as a reminder of our greater purpose, as an Iskolar ng Bayan, offering our knowledge, our learning, our light, in service of the Filipino people. In a world filled with uncertainty and complexity, the light that we share and offer becomes more vital than ever. These recognition ceremonies are an affirmation that the journey does not end at graduation, as it is the beginning of our fulfillment of our greater responsibility to serve and to shine wherever one is called. As the Asian Center and the TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program honors its graduates in 2025, this theme reflects the institution’s hope: that its scholars will not only pursue excellence, but also become beacons of understanding, truth, and service in an ever-changing multipolar world. 

ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Sr. ELIZABETH V. PEDERNAL, MSCS
Delegate Superior, Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo - Scalabrinians, Asia

Sister Elizabeth V. Pedernal currently serves as Delegate Superior for the Scalabrinian Delegation in Asia. Drawn to the congregation's service to refugees in Africa, she dedicated her life to social work. Sister Elizabeth earned her Master of Arts in Education with a specialization in Guidance and Counseling from MS Enverga University, while her Diploma in Special Education from St. Joseph College. She also holds Certificates in Leadership from The Pontifical Antonianum University of Rome and Tangaza University College of Nairobi.

As a passionate advocate for migrants, Sister Elizabeth provides pastoral care to seafarers, victims of human trafficking, and OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers), while promoting their rights and educating them about migration. Her dedication to the welfare of migrants was further demonstrated in her past roles as Executive Secretary of the Pastoral Office and Coordinator of Pastoral Care of Migrants and the Family Left Behind in the Diocese of Novaliches.

Sister Elizabeth also published an article titled "The Filipino International Labor Migration, their Families and the Pastoral Care: Issues, Concerns and Challenges" in the journal Revista Interdisciplinar da Mobilidade Humana.

Her missionary work has taken her to various parts of the world, providing opportunities to serve diverse migrant populations. From 2008 to 2013, she was assigned to missions in Illinois, USA, and from 2013 to 2020 in Rome, Italy, to perform administrative and missionary work for Latina and Mexican migrants (in the USA) and Filipino migrants (in Rome). This also included establishing and networking for the promotion and protection of the dignity and rights of migrants, both local and international, regarding emergency response and intervention.

Sister Elizabeth is also one of the signatories of the "One Faith. One Nation. One Voice" statement, which opposes charter change and other significant issues contrary to democracy. Currently, Sister Elizabeth is actively involved with Talitha Kum – Philippines and Asia, the Center for Migrants Concern (a mission partner of CMSP), VIVAT Philippines, International, and Anawim Mission (as a board member).

THE GRADUATES

In total, 22 graduates from the UP Asian Center and the TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program will march for this year’s commencement exercises. Von Albert Sumergido of the UP Asian Center and Io Jularbal of the TriCollege Program were selected to deliver the responses on behalf of the graduates.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

SOLAIMAN JAMISOLAMIN
College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman

Solaiman Jamisolamin earned a Bachelor of Music in classical guitar performance from the University of the Philippines College of Music. He then completed his Master of Music in Classical Guitar Performance at Illinois State University (ISU), where he also served as a full-time graduate teaching assistant. During his studies, he was president of the Classical Guitar Society at ISU and was invited to join the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda National Honor Society by the Epsilon Chi Chapter.

Jamisolamin founded the Guitar Guild (GuiGuil), an ensemble for guitar minors, concentrations, extensions, and enthusiasts. He is also the project leader of the Haplos, Ugoy, at Musika (HUM): Panimulang Klase sa Ukulele para sa mga Kababayang may Kapansanan at Pangangailangan, and co-proponent of the Gitara at Awit: Panimulang Klase sa Paggigitara para sa mga Manggagawa ng UP. Currently, Jamisolamin is pursuing a Ph.D. in Music at the UP College of Music and serves as the Department Chair of the Strings and Chamber Music Department.

MADELINE JANE BANTA
College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman

Madeline Jane Banta is a dual harpist and pianist, performing with Philippine orchestras including the Philippine Philharmonic, Manila Symphony, Manila Philharmonic, UP Symphony, Filharmonika, and UST Symphony. She performed in Tokyo at the Asia Orchestra Festival twice, and with the Philippine Philharmonic in 2019 and the Manila Symphony in 2022. She joined the UP Symphony at the 2023 China-ASEAN Music Festival. She has also played in operas and ballets. Starting piano at age four, she earned her Piano Performance degree from St. Scholastica’s College (Magna cum laude) and later studied harp with Lourdes de Leon Gregorio, guesting with the Philippine Philharmonic after a year in 2005. She further studied at SUNY with Sonja Inglefield, receiving scholarships, and graduated with a Master of Music in 2017. Her first solo harp recital was at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines in 2018. She has been featured on the radio and represented the Philippines at the World Expo 2020. She teaches harp at UP College of Music and is active as a piano instructor and musical theatre keyboardist, playing in major productions including ‘Wicked,’ ‘Spamalot,’ ‘Rent,’ and ‘Beauty: the Carole King Musical.’ Recently, she performed at the Harry Potter film concert and the Music of Hollywood season with the Manila Symphony Orchestra

HARRAH KAY D. CASTILLO
College of Music, University of the Philippines Diliman

Harrah Kay D. Castillo, a soprano currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Music program, majoring in Voice at the University of the Philippines, has demonstrated significant accomplishments in the field of performance. In 2017, she was awarded seven medals at the World Championships of Performing Arts. Her participation in Asia's Got Talent Season 3 resulted in a recognition plaque from the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, following a well-received performance with her sister as "HK Sisters, " which garnered positive feedback from both the audience and the judging panel, including David Foster. She also contributed to the President's Star Charity 2019 in Singapore, helping to raise a record-breaking 10.57 million Singaporean dollars for charitable causes. Her recent performances, both as a solo artist and as part of the duo "HK Sisters" with her sister, consistently receive high praise from audiences.

PAUL ALEXANDER MORALES
Student, TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program, University of the Philippines Diliman

Paul Alexander Morales is a dancer, choreographer, theatre director, writer, and independent filmmaker. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines’ - Theatre Arts program (BA and MA) and was a scholar at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance in London where he earned a Diploma in Dance Theatre. Currently, he is a student at the Tri-College Philippine Studies PhD program. Paul has served as artistic director for Dulaang Talyer, Airdance and Ballet Philippines.      

For inquiries, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The UP Asian Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. It also offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. As an area studies institution, the Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website. For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here.