On the morning of July 20, 2026, the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City came alive with pride as 596 student nurses from Arellano University participated in one of nursing education's most cherished traditions: the Capping, Pinning, and Candle Lighting Ceremony.
Guided by the theme "Illuminating the Path to Professional Nursing: Inspiring Excellence, Compassion, and Practice Readiness," the event gathered students from the College of Nursing's Legarda, Pasay, and Pasig campuses, alongside students from the International Nursing Program and the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP).
For many in attendance, the highlight of the morning was the keynote address delivered by Mr. Fernando M. Garcia, USRN, a proud alumnus of the AUCN Class of 1993. Mr. Garcia opened by posing a question that cuts straight to the heart: "Why nursing?" He spoke candidly about the realities students face—the exhausting lectures, the pressure of exams, and the long, demanding days of Related Learning Experience. He acknowledged the quiet voice that many students ask: "Did I choose the right path?" His answer was simple yet powerful: "The right path is not the one we chose; it's the one that chose us." Mr. Garcia urged the students to hold on to the caring attitude and deep sense of "malasakit" that Filipino nurses are celebrated for across the globe. It is this compassion, he emphasized, that will always set them apart.
Another highlight of the event was the entrance of this year's Florence Nightingale, Princess France N. Vera, RN, AUCN Class of 2023. With her iconic lamp, she guided the assembly in the recitation of the Florence Nightingale Pledge, a solemn promise that has bound generations of nurses to the ideals of their profession.
Candidates were presented by the clinical coordinators and directors from each campus: Prof. Ruhiyyih C. Barnachia, RN, MAN (Legarda); Prof. Elenita S. Blasco, RN, MAN (Pasay); Dr. Maribee T. Espiritu, RN, MD (Pasig); and Dr. Emerita C. Mendoza, RN, MAN (INP). The conferment of candidates was approved by Dr. Maria Teresa N. Rivera, Ed.D, Vice President for Academic Affairs, on behalf of Mr. Francisco Paulino V. Cayco, MBM, Chairman and CEO of Arellano University. Atty. Roland Niedo, University Registrar, and Asst. Director for Legal Affairs was also present to witness the occasion.
One by one, students received their nursing caps, pins, and candles. Female students donned the traditional white cap, while male students were given pins bearing the university crest. Each lit candle represented a personal commitment to bring light, healing, and compassion to every patient they will someday serve.
The ceremony concluded with the batch song, "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, its lyrics serving as a reminder that the journey matters as much as the destination. For these 596 student nurses, the ceremony was more than a tradition; it was a promise to illuminate every room they enter, to lead with compassion, and to meet each challenge with the excellence and readiness their profession demands.
- Carla May C. Gonzales, RN, MAN
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