The RTU-Boni peer Facilitators concluded the week-long CASU Week 2025 with a 2-part Peer Check Rizalianos seminar which was participated in by student organization leaders across all colleges held at the RTU Plenary Hall, Estolas Building on March 21, 2025. With the theme, “Solidifying Awareness and Celebrating Strengths: Enhancing Mental Health, Career Empowerment, Inclusion, and Diversity,” the said seminar was in collaboration with the Mandaluyong Campus Central Student Council.

Mr. Niko Marco Gamboa Gagolinan, RGC, of DLSU Counseling and Psychological Services, led the first half of the program as the resource speaker tackling “The Hidden Weight of Leadership: Navigating Impostor Syndrome, Emotional Fatigue, and Mental Health as a Student Leader.” The second half was led by Ms. Justine Danielle Bautista, RPm, another Rizalian alumna who also was the first ever president of RTU Peer Facilitators Club. Ms. Bautista both challenged and inspired our student leaders on strengthening their mental health and making RTU a mental health-friendly campus, as she talked about “Mindful Impact: Empowering Student Leaders in Fostering Mental Health Change.”

“Through this week-long event, we hope that the ripple of every effort to solidify awareness and advocacy of mental health not just among the students, but to the Rizalian community as a whole would be even more impactful. We hope to see Rizalianos become effective and productive members of the community, in and out of the university, contributing not just with one’s personal growth but also of others. We strive to transform our views to a much more empowering and holistic recognition of championing mental health and well-being that it would become default for all of us to edify, support, strengthen, and encourage our family, friends, classmates, and others. After all the efforts poured into solidifying mental health awareness over the years in RTU, we hope to see everyone proactively taking good care of themselves and magnify more their strengths so they can overflow and let everyone benefit from the outpouring of beautiful, positive, beneficial, uplifting, and empowering things, making RTU a mentally healthy community,” Mr. Mark Anthony B. Manalo, MA (cand), Guidance Designate, said.

Pandayang Rizalia’s continuous efforts in creating a conducive environment for quality academic learning will remain a priority. May it be mental health and other important factors to holistic development, RTU will exhaust all avenues to support the Rizaliano community.