Remulla, Pangandaman among honorees at 2025 UPAA Alumni Awards

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman are among the 64 distinguished awardees to be honored by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) in its 2025 Alumni Awards, one of the highest recognitions bestowed on graduates of the country’s premier university.

The ceremony, set for 16 August at Ang Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman, will celebrate alumni who have demonstrated honor, excellence, and service in their fields, both in the Philippines and abroad.

Remulla, a 1983 AB Political Science and 1987 Law graduate, will receive the UPAA Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of public service, including his current role as the government’s chief legal counsel and his advocacy for justice sector reforms.

Pangandaman, who earned her Master’s in Development Economics from UP, will be honored with the UPAA Distinguished Alumni Award for Good Governance, in recognition of her leadership at the Department of Budget and Management, where she has spearheaded reforms to improve fiscal transparency and efficiency.

UPAA President and Alumni Regent Robert Lester Aranton said this year’s honorees “reflect the very best of what it means to be an Iskolar ng Bayan,” citing their leadership, service, and impact.

Leading the roster is Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, the sole recipient of the 2025 Most Distinguished Alumnus Award, for his contributions to good governance and the rule of law.

Other Lifetime Achievement Awardees include Roberto P. Alingog, Benjamin S. Austria, Supreme Court Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, and cardiologist Dr. Rody G. Sy.

In total, 47 alumni will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards in fields ranging from community empowerment to science and technology. Four individuals will receive the UPAA Presidential Award, three alumni chapters will be recognized for distinguished service, and ten families will be honored with the Multigenerational Alumni Family Award for their enduring ties to the university.

“These awardees represent the diverse and far-reaching influence of UP alumni in shaping Philippine society,” Aranton said.