Going Beyond Borders: UA&P CAS Celebrates 35th Anniversary

The University of Asia and the Pacific College of Arts and Sciences (UA&P CAS) commemorated its 35th anniversary on April 12, 2024, with a grand celebration highlighted by the 4th CAS Bahandi Awards. The joyous occasion, held at UA&P’s iconic ALB Pond Area, featured the “CAS Then and Now” video featuring remarkable photos from the CAS archives, a virtual art exhibit by Humanities Program alumna and renowned multi-talented artist Ms. Maxine Syjuco, musical performances by UA&P alumna and UA&P Corporate Communications Office & Public and International Affairs Office Managing Director Mrs. Beng Calma-Alcazaren and her son Leon, as well as by the student organization Reverb. Around a hundred guests attended the event: current members of the UA&P CAS community together with former Deans and Operations Committee members, faculty, staff, and alumni.

The event was a celebration of CAS’s journey through the decades and underscored the relentless pursuit of academic excellence and holistic development championed by UA&P.

The beginnings of CAS

CAS Dean Dr. Ma. Asuncion L. Magsino recalled that on August 15, 1968, Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas and Dr. Jesus P. Estanislao inaugurated the Center for Research and Communications (CRC), which offered the Masters in Industrial Economics (MSIE) program.

It was trailblazing in many ways, according to Fr. Javier de Pedro’s book The Pearl of the Orient, a memoir of the first years of Opus Dei. MSIE was a stand-alone master’s course offered without a conventional educational institution, be it a college or a university, backing it up. Back then, according to the author, when presented with very good reasons, flexibility triumphs over the law. And so, UA&P’s mother institution, CRC, was born.

For 21 years, CRC’s Industrial Economics program drew the best people from business and economics who later became pillars in their own right in the government and private sectors. CRC established its niche as an independent and trustworthy economic think tank that contributed to the nation’s economic and social development in the 1970s-1980s and was esteemed both in the local and international arena.

Founded in 1989, CAS has been at the forefront of providing quality education anchored in the liberal arts tradition. Over the past three and a half decades, it has continually evolved, adapting to the changing landscape of education while staying true to its goals as encapsulated in its three pillars: wisdom, solidarity, and professional competence. 

Little wonder that as soon as the CRC-CAS was launched for the school year 1989-1990, or 35 years ago, it only took six years for it to be transformed into what is now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). 

CAS: Going Beyond Borders

In 2017, UA&P was granted autonomous status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and in 2023, the Liberal Arts Program, also known as the CAS core curriculum, received its PACUCOA Level IV accreditation. All these were achieved within less than 35 years. Many of the present members of UA&P and CAS, who have poured the best years of their lives into the institution, are living witnesses to these developments.

Dr. Magsino cited that this year’s CAS anniversary theme, “Going Beyond Borders,” highlights the direction the University in general and CAS in particular has been moving in the past years. UA&P has been actively seeking the establishment of partnerships and expanding its networks both locally and internationally. UA&P CAS now has partners in Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Its faculty members have been to conferences in Australia, the United States, Canada, and various countries in Europe. A few have had engagements in Mexico and Peru. The Dean herself spent 15 days in Chile in 2023 to forge possible collaborations with the Universidad de los Andes.

(Photos of CAS faculty and staff and other members of the UA&P community)

 

All of these are efforts to give credence to UA&P’s name by giving its Liberal Arts Education the flavors of Asia and the Pacific. 

With a steadfast commitment to academic excellence and holistic development, CAS continues to nurture the next generation of leaders and innovators who will make a positive difference in the world. As CAS looks toward the future, it remains dedicated to upholding its values and fostering a culture of excellence, integrity, and service for generations to come.

The 4th CAS Bahandi Awards

The CAS Bahandi Award, inaugurated in 2019 during CAS’ 30th anniversary, serves as a platform to honor the remarkable contributions of students, faculty, administrative staff, and alumni who have exemplified excellence in various fields. The term Bahandi encapsulates the legacy, wealth, and fortune that they bring to the college community and the University in general. From academic achievements to leadership initiatives, the awards showcase their diverse talents and accomplishments.

The 2024 CAS Bahandi Awards acknowledged the importance of holistic development beyond the classroom by honoring outstanding alumni from the different UA&P Schools, all of them CAS students in their undergraduate years, who exhibited exemplary leadership, service, and involvement in extracurricular activities, and their contributions to campus life and the wider community. These individuals not only excelled academically but more importantly, as professionals,  consistently demonstrating a commitment to making a positive impact on society. From business leaders to social entrepreneurs, UA&P alumni continue to make a mark in various industries, embodying the University’s mission of producing principled and competent leaders.

In his speech, UA&P President Dr. Winston Conrad B. Padojinog expressed his appreciation for the people behind the scenes who have supported our awardees – their professors and mentors, the administrative staff who have helped them as students, their families, and more. Dr. Padojinog rallied everyone to embrace the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning, as the University moves toward the future.

The 2024 CAS Bahandi Awardees

 

HON. JOSE ENRIQUE “JOET” GARCIA III

 

Honorable Garcia holds a Bachelor of Arts in General Humanities degree with specialization in Political Economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific. He is the son of the late Bataan Governor and 2nd District Representative Enrique “Tet” Garcia, Jr. Gov. Joet, as Hon. Jose Enrique Garcia III is fondly called, is married to Maria Isabel F. Garcia. They have three sons: Diego Enrique, Paolo Jose, and Nicolo Javier.

Pursuing the advocacies that he championed as then Mayor of Balanga City in the Province of Bataan and as Representative of the 2nd District of Bataan, Governor Joet Garcia focuses on delivering quality education, providing health care services, and creating opportunities for economic development for his constituents.

Through his astute and strong leadership as Mayor of Balanga City for three consecutive terms (2007 to 2016), Balanga City has been bestowed three Hall of Fame Awards – Red Orchid for 100% Tobacco Free Environment (2013), Best Barangay Justice System (2012), and Most Business-Friendly LGU (2011). During the same period, Balanga City also received the 2013 Outstanding Health Lifestyle Advocacy Award and the 2012 National Literacy Award. Rep. Garcia’s passion for genuine and unstinted public service earned him the CSC Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award in 2012. (Source: https://lpp.gov.ph/profile-of-gov-jose-enrique-joet-s-garcia-iii-bataan/)

 

MS. KINNA MAE G. KWAN

 

Ms. Kwan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Major in Humanities with a Professional Certificate in Humanities in 2010. She is presently the Municipal Administrator of the Local Government of Guiuan, Samar. 

She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Cultural Heritage Studies (UST, 2017) and a Diploma in Urban, Community, and Regional Planning (UP Diliman, 2021). Her thesis, which earned a meritissimus (highest merit) recognition, focused on the social value of historic sites hinged on community memories and attachment to places.

Ms. Kwan is a researcher and heritage practitioner. She worked as a project-based researcher at the UST Graduate School–Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics. Her work at the center involved cultural mapping, drafting of conservation management plans, and providing technical assistance to local government units and heritage managers across the country. As an advocate of heritage and culture in the public sector, she has worked with government institutions such as the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (PCEP), Department of Tourism, Philippine Postal Corp., and served as a consultant in her hometown, Guiuan. She previously worked for the Lopez Museum and Library and the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation.

She is also active in refugee research and has been collaborating with UNHCR in studying the Philippines’ history of refugee assistance. Her focus is on the 5th Wave when the Philippines became a transit country for White Russian refugees in 1949. Her research led her to major archives in Australia, USA and France, and was published in The Journal of History. (Source: https://philippines.icomos.org/2020/06/05/icomos-philippines-new-members-2020/)

 

PROF. RONILO M. BALBIERAN

 

Dr. Balbieran holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from the University of Asia and the Pacific (2003). He is currently taking his Doctorate Degree in Philosophy from the School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines. 

He is a senior economist, environmental planner, and infrastructure specialist, with 18 years of strong record in delivering high-impact reforms through large infrastructure project development and budgeting,  design and advocacy of public-private partnerships (PPP) projects and policies, political economy reform, fiscal policy, and national budget analysis, multi-sectoral coalition-building, inter-agency collaboration, electronic commerce, and technical assistance and capacity building for all types of organizations including MSMEs. He is also well-known at making economic lectures that are both creative and fun on his Prof. Ronilo Facebook page. (Source: https://www.reid.ph/balbieran)

He is currently the Team Leader for the Infrastructure Component for the USAID Delivering Effective Government for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth (DELIVER) Project. 

Under several projects co-implemented by Research, Education, and Institutional Development (REID) Foundation, where he is the VP, he led a team of experts in assisting government agencies such as the DPWH, DOT, DTI, and many others including LGUs in the planning and implementation of priority projects.

He is married to fellow UA&P graduate and economist Mrs. Richelle Hernandez-Balbieran, and they are blessed with five children. 

 

ATTY. NICOLETTE S. BAMBAO

 

Atty. Bambao, who graduated in 2004 with a Master of Science in Management degree, is currently the People Experience Director of Globe Telecom. She is also a graduate of the Arellano University School of Law and passed the Philippine Bar examinations in 2016.

She was recognized as Employee of the Year in 2020 for her pivotal role in Globe’s COVID-19 response. Her team’s campaign and project, Alagang Globe, solidified the life-enabling ways employees can count on the organization. She has continually ensured the overall operational efficiency of HR services to create game-changing employee experiences and programs. More importantly, she has helped redefine the organization’s culture and purpose, inspiring every employee to treat people right to create a Globe of Good.

She was a recipient of the  UA&P-SMN Helm (Alumni Achievement) Award for Professional Achievement in 2022.

 

DR. BRIAN VINCENT L. BELEN

 

Dr. Belen completed his bachelor’s degree in Humanities (cum laude) and Master of Arts degree in Political Economy in 2002 in U&P, where he was hired as a faculty member after graduation. 

He obtained a second master’s degree and a doctoral degree in Economics from the Jesuit University of New York, Fordham University, USA.

He was appointed as the second School President of FAITH Colleges (First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities) in 2021. Founded in 2000 in Tanauan, Batangas,  Faith Colleges’ brand of education is known to be anchored on values and character formation. 

Dr. Belen is concurrently the president of Diwa, AFreight, and Bato Balani Foundation, Inc. (BBFI), the social development arm of Team First Asia. He serves on the board of advisors of the Association of Foundations (AF) and was recently appointed as one of the regional directors for CAR and Region 4B by the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC). He is also a trustee of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJEC) since 2019.  (Source: https://www.firstasia.edu.ph/our-school/)

 

MS. GLADYS CO-CHAN

 

Ms. Chan graduated with a Master of Arts in Communication Major in Integrated Marketing Communications in 2004 with a second Master in Business Administration from De La Salle University. She was the Marketing Director of Visa Philippines and Guam from 2016 to 2023 and is currently the Regional Head of Marketing of VISA Southeast Asia. Her marketing leadership role is responsible for overseeing emerging markets in the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia – the most exciting set of countries for digital payments. 

Ms. Chan is described by industry colleagues as “very analytical in her approach to subscriber retention and have made significant contributions beyond that…. She has a strong pulse for the consumer and has used this to generate insights that feed into communications and portfolio development. She can also convert these insights into action, and is able to operationalize into relevant programs.” (Source:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gladysco/?originalSubdomain=ph)

Ms. Chan won the Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards (YMMA) in 2013.

A natural leader with experience in macro-level business planning and corporate strategy, she continues to impart her expertise to young students as a part-time faculty member teaching  Marketing Management and Branding Strategy at UA&P.

 

MR. JOHN BRYLLE L. BAE

 

Mr. Bae graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics degree from the UA&P School of Sciences and Engineering in 2016.

He is a specialist in the fields of macroeconomic, market, and behavioral research. He has a background in actuarial science, time series analysis, finance, capital budgeting, basic retirement concepts, and retirement pension valuation. He is experienced in corporate strategic and operational planning research and is proficient in industry structure analysis as well as project management, peer mentoring, and tutorials.

He is currently the Research Director at  The Fourth Wall, an organization that provides research and analysis through the Filipino sociocultural lens, offering clear insights and practical, actionable solutions tailored to the Philippines. (Source: https://www.fourthwallglobal.com/)

He also serves as a part-time Committee Chair for Research at the Philippine Society for Talent Development, is a member of the UA&P Dragons Alumni Association, and is a part-time faculty member of UA&P.

 

MS. VANESSA R. VALDEZ

 

Ms. Valdez graduated with a Master of Arts in Education major in Development Education from the UA&P School of Education and Human Development (SED) in 2002, where she also served as a faculty member for some years.

Presently, she is a Creative Director at ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema). Prior to this, she held various roles as Content Development Officer, Creative Manager, and Screenwriter.

An award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director, she won the Star Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2008 for the movie A Love Story (2007), which also received the Best Screenplay award from the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) in the same year. She also won the Best Screenplay award in 2013 for the movie The Mistress (2012) and the Best Screenplay Award from the Philippine Academy of Film Arts and Sciences Awards in 2017 for the movie The Unmarried Wife (2016). (Source: https://elcinema.com/en/person/2061031/)

Some of her other notable movies include Seven Sundays, Unbreakable, and Four Sisters Before the Wedding.

 

More photos from the Corporate Communications Office:

 

By Ms. Agnes Clarizza S. Enriquez, CAS Operations Committee Secretary.