Ateneo de Davao Honors Faculty, Staff at the 36th Service Awards; Longest-Serving Reach 40 Years
On the 30th of July 2026, the Ateneo de Davao University, through the Human Resources Management and Development Office, recognized the dedication and years of service of over 159 administrators, faculty, and non-teaching personnel at the 36th University Service Awards, held at the 4th Floor of Martin Hall.
Awardees have served the university for more than a decade, with the longest-serving among them reaching four decades, the highest service milestone recognized this year. Awards were given in five-year brackets, from 10 to 40 years of service.
For this year, Awardees Atty. Manuel P. Quibod, Dean of the School of Law, and Fr. Agustin L. Nazareno, Director of Pre-Bar Review, reached the 40-year milestone, along with retiree Ms. Alma Raymonda S. Bartolata.
Vice President for Administration, Mr. Jeremy S. Eliab, reflected that it was rarely the work itself that kept people at the university. “It is the friendships that grow over time, the mentors who guide us, and the students whose lives become part of our own story,” Eliab added. “[It is] the pleasant realization that this place is more than just our workplace. It has become home.”
Awards for the Grade School, Junior High School, and Senior High School units were presented by their respective principals, Ms. Xenia G. Gonzaga, Dr. Maria Carmela S. Abay, and Dr. Joan Grace A. Palconit. The awarding ceremony was interspersed with an intermission singing performance by university alumna Ms. Praise Varian.
Recognition then continued to the Higher Education Unit, the College of Law, and the College and University Support Offices, led by Fr. Antonio M. Basilio, SJ, PhD, the outgoing VP for Higher Education and incoming VP for Research, Innovations, and Community Engagement; Atty. Manuel P. Quibod, Dean of the School of Law; and Mr. Jimmy E. Delgado, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer and one of the administrators celebrating 25 years of service.
The program paused for a moment of remembrance, with an audiovisual tribute honoring members of the university community who have passed away and celebrating the lasting impact of their service.
Special awards for retirees were presented by Dr. Gina L. Montalan, Vice President for Basic Education, with retiree Ms. Alma Raymonda S. Bartolata delivering a response on behalf of this year’s awardees. Bartolata shared how the university had shaped her education, faith, values, and the person she has become. “Forty years of service had been a journey marked with growth and grace,” she said.
Bartolata recalled a particularly difficult period in her life, during which she said the support of her colleagues became a constant source of strength. “Their encouragement, quiet acts of care, and unwavering moral support reminded me that I never walked alone.”
University alumnus and Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 6 finalist Mr. Ralph Merced performed a special tribute to the awardees and honorees, with their families and friends offering personal bouquets and words of appreciation.
University President Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, PhD, delivered the President’s Address, reflecting on what draws people to stay at the university beyond benefits, vocation, and professional growth. “Why have I stayed? Why haven’t I left? What makes us stay?” he asked.
San Juan pointed to three answers: trust, love, and faith. Trust in the community, administrators and coworkers alike, gives rise to a sense of belonging, he said, which in turn deepens into love for the university as a second home. That love, he added, deepens further into faith — in the university’s mission, in others, in oneself, and in God.
The program concluded with the singing of the AdDU Blue Knight Song, followed by a celebratory dinner in honor of this year’s awardees.
