What seemed an unreachable dream hidden behind steep mountain passes and financial hardships in the past became true for young Dabawenyos in Paquibato District as they have earned college degrees on July 1, 2026.
At least 100 pioneering graduates of the University of Southeastern Philippines–Malabog Extension Campus (USeP-MEC) proudly raised their hard earned diplomas during the campus’ first commencement exercises.
Established in 2022 as a partnership between the City Government of Davao through the Peace 911 program under then Mayor Sara Duterte, the initiative was further strengthened under the leadership of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte in collaboration with USeP. The extension campus was created to bring free, quality tertiary education closer to residents of Paquibato, one of the city’s identified Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs).
The campus offers Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship, empowering indigenous youth and other residents to pursue higher education despite the challenges of distance and history of peace and development issues in the area.
City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, in a message delivered by Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, lauded the graduates for paving a new path for their families and peers and emphasized that this milestone also belongs to the entire community that refused to give up on its youth.
“To the graduates, Congratulations. Know that we take great pride in your accomplishments and we look forward to witnessing your continued success in your future endeavors. It is with your hope that you will continue to pursue your dreams and seal the optimism for more excellent and fruitful tomorrow,” he said.
“May your victory be a source of inspiration for our youth, especially for our IP communities to dream bigger, strive harder and believe that education can truly transformed lives,” Duterte furthered.
Out of the 100 pioneering batch, 57 students graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship degree, while 43 finished their Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness with 16 graduates from various Indigenous Peoples communities.
Speaking on behalf of the pioneering batch, Jendie Rose Bontilao Cuizon, a Cum Laude graduate of the BS Entrepreneurship program urged her fellow graduates to view their awards and diplomas not merely a badge of honor, but as a lifelong mission to inspire and uplift their communities.
“We are making a history today. We may be the first graduate to walk across the stage, but we hope we will not simply be remembered as the first. Rather, may we remember as a batch that embodied resilience, excellence, compassion and hope. May our journey inspire the future generations to dream bigger, persevere through challenges and believe that education has the power to transformed lives,” she added.
Among these graduates, the inaugural batch also proudly honored eight Cum Laude graduates and seven Non-Academic Awardees. CIO
Written by: N. Malasado
Edited by: A. Nawal
Photo by: J. Faelnar