By Herman M. Lagon

It all started over coffee, iced choco and a cake named “Better Than Sex” — not a formal memo, just a spark of an idea between colleagues at Coffeebreak. “Let’s gather the M.Ed. alumni,” Dr. Jonny Pornel of the UPV Division of Professional Education said during the casual talk. That small moment has now grown into something historic: the first-ever reunion of UP Visayas Master of Education graduates.

On Sunday, July 27, 2025, one of the highlights of the University’s full Alumni Week, M.Ed. alumni will gather at the UPV Little Theater not just to reminisce, but to organize. This is more than a reunion — it is the birth of the UP Visayas Master of Education Alumni Association (UPVMEDAA).

For the first time, the Constitution will be ratified, and members of the alumni board will be elected. But even more than documents and positions, it will be a day of reunion and recognition. Former students and professors will share laughs, memories and stories from their M.Ed. days — of projects presented, exams survived and lessons that linger.

The theme “Maroonong Guro ng Bayan” captures the spirit of the gathering. For decades, UPV has produced master teachers, school heads, policy champions, and education advocates across the country and abroad. This event formally brings them back — the marunong na mga guro ng bayan galing UP — not just to look back, but to move forward together.

After all, maroon is more than just red. It’s a symbol of who we are — grounded, courageous and called to serve. At UP, it is not just something we wear; it is something we live. It speaks of heritage and quiet grit, captured not just in the UP Fighting Maroons, but in every graduate who walks into the world carrying that fire. That’s the heart behind the wordplay “Maroonong” — to be wise, not just in mind, but in mission. To be Maroonong is to carry that color not just on your sleeve, but in the way you teach, lead and give of yourself every day.

Much so that the state of education is in distress. Children struggle with reading, teachers are overworked, and some communities languish in need of unfulfilled assistance. This is why this gathering of UP educators is powerful. It brings together those who understand not from reports, but from real-life experience — and it turns shared struggle into shared strength.

Hence, UPVMEDAA is built on values, not vanity. It seeks to reconnect alumni, mentor future educators, foster partnerships and champion equity in education. The proposed Constitution reflects this — clear, inclusive and service-driven. The idea is not just to be an association in name, but a living community that continues to serve the nation.

I met a school principal in the hills of Iloilo who held her weekend reading sessions under a mango tree. She used flashcards from a tin can, a worn stool and a chart she made herself. “Wala signal, guba ang bumbilya,” she smiled. Still, she showed up — for the kids, for her vow, for her mission. So every weekend, she holds review sessions outside, where light is free and the kids still come — barefoot, dusty, but eager. No projector, no Wi-Fi, no fancy visuals. Just her voice, her time, and her presence.

When I asked why she kept doing this — despite her promotion, her credentials and her endless paperwork — her answer was simple and steady: “This was the promise I made when I graduated from UP. The children must not be left behind.” That quiet vow, uttered not for praise but for purpose, captures the very soul of UPVMEDAA. It is a spirit carried not in titles, but in everyday choices — of waking up early, showing up and doing what matters most for the children who need it most. These, and more, are the educators UPV has shaped: Those who teach not just with minds sharpened by theory, but with hearts rooted in service.

So this July 17, more than elections or ratifications, expect stories, laughter, hugs, and quiet recommitments to being Iskolar at Guro ng Bayan. This is not a return as finished products — but as co-creators of what education in the country must continue to be: human, critical and compassionate. In a way, it’s a full circle from that casual coffee break where it all began — with hot coffee, iced choco, shared dreams, and a slice of “Better Than Sex” cake. Because sometimes, the biggest movements are stirred not in boardrooms, but in cafés — by educators who simply care enough to show up, speak up, and stay.

For inquiries and confirmation, contact profed.upvisayas@up.edu.ph.

Tara na, fellow UPV MEd alumni! Because to be Maroonong Guro ng Bayan is not just to think smart — it is to love fiercely, serve humbly and teach with heart.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with./WDJ