The Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP) College of Medicine celebrated its 8th Commencement Exercises at Philippine International Church on June 21, 2026, as it conferred the degree of Doctor of Medicine upon the 27 members of the Deo Dextra Class of 2026. 

The commencement speaker, Dr. Efren Laxamana, Professional Regulatory Commission’s Board of Medicine immediate past chairman, delivered a powerful message centered on the sacred nature of the medical profession. He reminded the graduates that medicine is “more than science; it is service” and urged them to view their profession as a consecration of their calling. Drawing on the class name Deo Dextra, which means “God’s Right Hand,” Dr. Laxamana emphasized that the new physicians are called to be instruments of healing and witnesses to God’s love. “Compassion is the heartbeat of medicine,” he stated, noting that it transforms a technician into a “minister of healing”. He charged the class to practice with integrity, humility, and courage, serving as the “right hand of God” in a world in need.

The ceremony reached its climax as diplomas and academic hoods were awarded. The Latin award cum laude distinction was conferred on five graduates who maintained a weighted average of 3.25 or higher: Dr. Kim Aeron Barte, Dr. Timothy Edson Cocos, Dr. Niña Ashley Franche, Dr. Elwin Sidhabatula, and Dr. Jewel Avery Cangayda. 

The Most Outstanding Clinical Clerk Awards were also given to the following graduands:

Dr. Jewel Avery Cangayda received the highest honor as the Most Outstanding Medicine Graduate and Class Valedictorian. She was also recognized as the Overall Most Outstanding Clinical Clerk. 

In a moving farewell address, Dr. Sicalag, Deo Dextra president, reflected on the journey that began on August 8, 2022. He noted that exactly 1,414 days had passed since their first day of medical school, filled with “extraordinary perseverance,” sleepless nights, and the growth of a “found family”. He emphasized that their achievement was grounded in faith, stating, “Today is a living proof that this journey was never ours to walk alone”. He challenged his classmates to ensure that the name Deo Dextra is remembered not as a batch number, but for the lives touched and the hope restored by their care. “Tomorrow we will no longer sit beside each other… but no matter where life leads us, we will always share one thing in common: Deo Dextra of the AUP College of Medicine,” he concluded.

The program concluded with the Physician’s Oath, in which graduates pledged to dedicate their lives to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, and with their formal induction into the AUP Medicine Alumni Society. As a final gesture of gratitude, the class presented a podium as their class gift to the College of Medicine, symbolizing the “voice, leadership, and responsibility” they now carry into the world.