CAFA Produces 1st Cum Laude
Archt. Ted Villamor G. Inocencio, PUP News, Volume 7, Issue No. 9, May 1-15, 2010The long wait was not in vain for the College of Architecture and Fine Arts as it poised to send one of its graduates onstage come commencement day on the 14th of May this year with honors. We finally belong now to the league of other colleges in the university. The first batch of Architecture graduates that our university has produced was way back in 1992, that batch had 17 candidates and through the years, it has increased tremendously as numerous hopefuls to the profession have recognized the quality of students we produced a s exemplified by the number of Board Topnotchers we have. Not to mention PUP's landing among the Top Performing Schools of Architecture in the country. It is the only Architecture Program among the chartered state universities which achieved Level II Re-Accredited Status by AACCUP.
The CAFA faculty members have been longing for more than two decades now to produce an honor graduate to march among the ranks of PUP honor students. We persevere doing our duties in the belief that the time will surely come.
From small unsure steps, in the year 2005 as he entered our university, Mr. Michael John M. Manalo, a high school salutatorian graduate from San Pascual, Batangas aimed his goal to do his best and to become a successful Architect in the future unmindful that his efforts would, at the end of his academic preparation would earn him to be come the first honor graduate from CAFA after 19 batches and a 23-year history of the Architecture program in PUP.
The faculty noticed even in his early years in Architecture his exemplary skills and leadership among the students belonging to batch 2010 as he made himself always at the forefront of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. His sacrifices and determination paid-off well up on graduation. He is now being offered employment in the architecture/development arm of a big group of companies in Greenhills, San Juan City.
This truly marks a milestone in our college and indeed a source of pride and joy not only for CAFA but the single-most significant honor belongs to the whole Polytechnic University of the Philippines, as it truly played its mission and vision by taking the role of nurturing the country's deserving and talented youths to realize their dreams, inspire others, and earn their rightful place in our society. Congratulations to Mr. Manalo as we chorus, Mabuhay ang PUP, ang ating Sintang Paaralan!!!