AUP Academy marked a significant milestone by celebrating the graduation of Batch Himaya 2026 on March 20-22, 2026, at the Philippine International Church. The three-day event unfolded as a deeply reflective journey anchored in the theme Himaya, a Visayan word meaning glory, honor, and magnificence, ultimately pointing to God as the source of all achievement. The “glory” they carry does not fade after graduation but shines brighter as they step into the world to serve others and honor God’s name.

Ms. Sharon Perdon, AUPA principal, presented 136 graduates representing nine countries: Angola, Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Sweden, Vanuatu, South Korea, and the Philippines. Of which, 14 candidates are in the Accounting and Business Management strand; 28 in the General Academic Strand; and 94 in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand.

The “G-A-M-E”

On March 20, during the Consecration Service, Pastor Manuel Vitug, the Consecration Service speaker and lead senior and teaching pastor of Loma Linda Filipino SDA Church, encoded his message using the letters of the word “GAME,” which he presented in reverse order (E-M-A-G) to define how to live for God’s glory: Eternity is the Goal, More will Never Be Enough, Attitude Matters, and God First.

He reminded the graduates to “rise by lifting others up.” Using a visual illustration with a container, he demonstrated that if one fills life with fun, studies, and relationships first, there is no room left for God. However, by putting God first, all other priorities naturally fall into place, resulting in a full, complete life.

On Crooked Paths

On March 21, during the Baccalaureate Service, Dr. John Harry Cabuncal, a neuroscientist and evangelist, delivered a message focused on the dangers of following the “crooked paths” of human tradition and the importance of reflecting divine glory. He warned graduates against blindly following the “crooked paths” of the mind, such as following friends, trends, or hobbies instead of thinking and acting as their own person under God’s direction. He challenged the graduates to choose Jesus as their hero so that their characters would naturally reflect His image.

Through testimonies of the Christian Service awardees Jemuel Moses Angelo Felix, Monre Valdez, Shekinah Safe Lucion, and Trisha Mae Arrogante, they recounted how mission experiences and leadership roles reshaped their understanding of faith. They described leadership not as authority, but as humility and dependence on God, and service not as grand gestures, but as consistent acts of compassion rooted in love.

Shining for God’s Glory

At the Commencement Exercises on March 22, Keynote Speaker Scottie Baker underscored the essence of Adventist education: “This whole campus changed my life because I met God. God is the awe of AUP.” He further defined Himaya as the visible expression of God’s goodness in a person’s life and God’s excellence to be reflected through them. “God’s goodness shines out of you. This is the glory of God.”

As a tangible expression of gratitude, Batch Himaya contributed a ₱40,000 class gift to support the Home and School Association’s ongoing project, which is the renovation of the Samuel P. Dizon Auditorium. This budget will be used to install the canopy, cathedral ceiling lights, and air-conditioning units.

“Himaya is not just a name but a calling,” Shekinah Safe Lucion, Himaya class president, stated in her farewell address. “Everything we are, everything we do, is meant to reflect His glory.”

She reflected on their journey in the AUP Academy as a transformation from strangers to a community shaped by shared experiences, emphasizing that growth is found not only in milestones but in the unseen moments in between. “May everything that we have and everything we are about to become always be for one purpose for His name, for His glory.”