College of Pharmacy holds Pinning and White Coat Ceremony

“If you cannot be seen, see to it that you can be great; there is no substitute to being great.” This was how the guest speaker Gilda R. Rivero started his challenge to 85 students who received their pins from the CPU College of Pharmacy. The students were about to enter the crucial years of college life: their third year in BS Pharmacy.

The Pinning Ceremony of the BSPH Batch 2019 was held on March 15, 2018, Monday, at the University Church. The program started at 9 A.M. with the processional. The invocation was led by Rev. Cris Amorsolo V. Sian, Senior Pastor, University Church, and was followed by the Pambansang Awit and Alma Mater Song.

Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Irving L. Rio (on behalf of the University President Dr. Teodoro C. Robles), welcomed the parents, guests, faculty and students. He acknowledged their enthusiasm in pursuing success in the College of Pharmacy.

Ma. Jaen A. Jamistas, faculty, introduced the guest speaker, Gilda R. Rivero, former Dean of the College of Pharmacy, University of San Agustin. Rivero delivered an inspirational message meant to inspire and equip the candidates. She told the candidates to “dream like Jose Rizal, to have a critical mind, to think of your dream.”

“I was a board top-notcher,” Rivero added, “and once I landed on top, I never allowed things or anyone to bring me a notch down. I prayed to be number one and I made it.” She stressed to the students the need to “pray hard, work hard, and study hard!” Rivero, who feels 25 years old at 75, believes that “as man proposes, God disposes.”

Rivero, who heads the Pharmacist Association in Iloilo City, has worked with several pharmaceutical organizations and companies as consultant and lecturer.

Dr. Rio and Darlene Joy J. Marañon, Dean of CPU College of Pharmacy, presented a Plaque of Appreciation to the guest speaker. Dareen Joy B. Taytayon, Community Internship Coordinator, presented the Community Pharmacy Internship Institutional Guidelines. Dean Marañon presented the interns for the Pinning.

Jan Noelle Estilo Ang, on behalf of the class, delivered a response to the challenge. It was followed by the class singing Bruno Mars’ song “Today My Life Begins.” The program closed with the benediction by Rev. Sian.

The White Coat Ceremony of the College of Pharmacy was held on March 6, also at the University Church. It is where the candidates are cloaked with their white coats to symbolize the start of their proper training as future pharmacists.

Hon. Ferjenel G. Biron, Representative of the 4^th District of Iloilo, gave the inspirational message. The Congressman, who is a pharmaceutical businessman, congratulated the candidates, inspiring them to keep working to succeed in the pharmaceutical industry in the future.

Dr. Rio presented the Certificate of Appreciation to Congressman Biron. Rev. Sian made the dedicatory prayer and benediction, followed by the Philippine Pharmacy Hymn and the recessional.