By Elyssa Ysabelle P. Jimenez | The Paulinian
Cover Photo by Rae Sablaon | The Paulinian
St. Paul University Manila — On October 9, 2025, the teachers gathered in St. Maurice Hall to celebrate Teachers’ Day, a special event dedicated to celebrating the dedication, hard work, and influence of teachers.
Dr. Lourna Tagay decided to prank all of the teachers by gathering them in the hall before the program’s formal start. The professors started making their way to the hall, wondering what was happening. At first, everyone was taken by surprise and confused. But soon, Dr. Francis Calilan came up and said that everything had been a prank meant to kick off the celebration, and everyone laughed.
The program began with an Opening Prayer led by Michelle Mijares, followed by an exceptional serenade performance by Rex Medrana from the College of Music and Performing Arts. “Kahit maputi na ang buhok niyo, we students are still grateful for your presence in our lives,” he said to the teachers before his song. The teachers smiled and later on, sang along with him.
After the serenade, the hosts introduced themselves—Kasandra Alfonso and Tin Rivera from the College of Education and Liberal Arts. They introduced the guest speaker on stress management, Mr. Alvin Obillo. In his talk, “Chill Ka Lang: Turning Stress into Laughter,” Mr. Obillo discussed real-life scenarios that many teachers could relate to.
After a brief introduction, a game called “Who Here…” was held. The teachers had to raise their hands if they felt they could relate to the question. It was a mini game that reminded everyone of the shared experiences they go through as teachers. After the game, the speaker shared a reflection, saying, “Lahat tayo ay pare-parehas lang ng pinagdadaanan sa buhay—may stress.” He emphasized that, “We don’t survive by being perfect together; we survive this by being human together. And that’s an essential part of being a teacher.”
He invited the teachers to stand in a circle at the front. He instructed them to copy him, starting with the music or beat and then moving on to the actions. The professors were laughing as they tried their best to keep up. After the activity, the speaker asked anyone from the group to share their insights. Everyone agreed and nodded when Ms. Judith Alderete offered to speak, saying, “Even if we’re old, we still have an inner child in us.”
The next game was called “1, 2, 3…”, in which participants had to choose partners and listen to the speaker’s instructions. It seemed simple for everyone before actions were added to the game. As partners tried to keep up, some made mistakes and others burst out laughing. The hall was filled with fun and thrills.
Everyone had a reflection at the end of the activity they engaged in. “You can’t pour from an empty cup—pero pwede mong i-refill ‘yan ng faith, presence, and purpose“ was the quote Mr. Obillo used to end his talk.
Dr. Francis Calilan gave Mr. Obillo a Certificate of Appreciation, after which the speaker had a photo opportunity with all the teachers.
