UPOU 29th Commencement Exercises Poster
The UP Open University (UPOU) will hold the last UP Commencement Exercises of the year on 6 December 2025. More than 700 students from across the Philippines and around the world will gather at UPOU’s headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, marking a milestone that is both personal for the graduates and historic for the university.
For many in the Class of 2025—from the associate to doctoral programs—this event will be their first time stepping onto the UPOU campus. Among them are learners earning their first UP degree, as well as alumni completing their second or third, reflecting UPOU’s longstanding commitment to open, flexible, and lifelong learning.
Adding to the significance of this year’s ceremony, UPOU will hold commencement at the UPOU International Convention Center (ICC) for the very first time. Designed as a hub for global conferences on open and distance e-learning, the 700-seat, 4,500-square-meter venue will finally fulfill its vision as it opens its doors for UPOU’s culminating event of the year.
Of the more than 700 graduates, about 200 will receive undergraduate degrees, while the rest will be recognized as completers of Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Master’s, and Doctoral programs. UPOU continues to be a leader in graduate education, with 31 of its 38 academic programs offered at the postgraduate level.
Carrying the theme “Constancy, Change, and Co-existence,” the 2025 closing commencement exercises will feature DSWD Assistant Secretary Janet P. Armas as guest speaker. A dedicated advocate for inclusive and sustainable development, ASec. Armas has championed education-driven social empowerment through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Family Development Sessions (FDS), and the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). Her work reflects UPOU’s own mission of advancing accessible and transformative education for all.
Before the main ceremony, UPOU’s three Faculties of Studies will hold their Recognition Rites on 5 December 2025, honoring graduates and celebrating academic excellence.
As the final UP commencement of 2025, UPOU’s ceremonies serve not only as the culmination of the year’s academic achievements across the UP System but also as a reaffirmation of the university’s commitment to widening access to quality higher education.
Congratulations to the UPOU Class of 2025! Padayon Para sa Bayan!
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas | Edited by Primo G. Garcia | Graphics by Anna Mhari Duria
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