On 16 May 2026, the Rizal Technological University (RTU) joined government agencies, civil society organizations, and partner institutions in attending the 5th Pasig City CSO Academy (PCCA) Graduation Ceremony, held at the Auditorium of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig. The ceremony commemorated the successful completion of the PCCA Fellows’ academic and community-based training program — a structured capacity-building initiative designed to equip civil society leaders with competencies in participatory governance, civic engagement, and local development practice. The event marked a significant milestone in Pasig City’s sustained institutional commitment to deepening democratic participation and strengthening the organizational capacities of its civil society sector.
RTU was represented by officials and personnel from its Extension and Community Services Office (ECSO): Asst. Prof. Ricardo H. Momongan, Jr., ECSO Director; Dr. Robelyn B. Bautista, ECSO Deputy Director; Ms. Sheena Foster, University Extension Associate, ECSO-ESTU; and Mr. Clifford Jay R. Alar, University Extension Associate, ECSO-CPDOSU. Also in attendance were Asst. Prof. John Benedict Alim, Project Leader of Project MAKE, and Instr. Girllie R. Garcia, Project MAKE Member — reflecting RTU’s multidisciplinary engagement in the Academy’s academic and extension activities.
The program was convened with the Processional March of the Candidates and Pillars, followed by the ceremonial Entrance of Colors led by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Pasig-Praxis Community-Based Scouting Unit. The solemn Doxology formally opened the proceedings. Ms. Aura Pineda, Executive Director of the PCCA, delivered the Welcome Remarks, acknowledging the perseverance of the graduating Fellows and the indispensable contributions of partner institutions to the Academy’s mission. Dir subsequently delivered substantive congratulatory addresses. Dir. Visitacion C. Martinez, CESO V, City Director of the DILG-Pasig City Field Office, and Hon. Paul Angelo A. Senogat, City Councilor and Chairperson of the Committee on NGO of the 12th Sangguniang Panglungsod of Pasig City, both of whom affirmed the graduates’ demonstrated commitment to civic leadership and community-centered governance.
The formal recognition of graduates proceeded with the Presentation of Candidates facilitated by Mr. John Miguel Natividad, Director for Records and Admission, followed by the Confirmation of Graduates by Executive Director Pineda. The awarding of certificates was conducted by course level: Asst. Prof. John Benedict Alim introduced the graduates of CSO 101, while Mr. Natividad presented those of CSO 201. City Councilors Simon R. Tantoco, Warren Inocencio, and Ryan Enriquez likewise delivered congratulatory messages, underscoring the graduates’ emerging roles in local governance processes. A Posthumous Service Award was conferred in honor of departed fellows and partners whose contributions had been integral to the Academy’s programmatic development — a solemn tribute to the legacy of service that underlies the PCCA’s institutional history.
The keynote inspirational message was delivered by Hon. Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto, City Mayor of Pasig, articulated the critical importance of civic participation, inter-sectoral collaboration, and the constitutive role of civil society organizations in sustaining accountable and responsive local governance. The program also featured the Awarding of Certificates of Recognition to the PCCA Pillars, during which the Rizal Technological University was conferred a Certificate of Recognition in acknowledgment of its steadfast partnership and substantive contributions to the Academy’s objectives. The ceremony was formally concluded with the PCCA Finisher’s Oath, led by Fellow Virgilio Flores III, CSO 201 Graduate, followed by the Exit of Colors and Recessional March.
The institutional partnership between the Pasig City CSO Academy and Rizal Technological University serves a deliberate developmental purpose: to systematically build the governance literacy, policy engagement competencies, and community leadership capacities of CSO leaders and members in preparation for their active participation in the City Development Council assembly. This collaboration is consonant with RTU’s broader mandate as a state university — one that extends beyond academic instruction to encompass meaningful engagement with civil society, local governance structures, and community development processes. The 5th PCCA Graduation Ceremony stands as a tangible expression of the shared institutional vision between the Pasig City Government and Rizal Technological University: the cultivation of empowered, informed, and principled civil society actors as indispensable partners in transparent, accountable, and participatory local governance.