The GUIDON

With the end of Academic Year 2025–2026, The GUIDON’s April–May issue covers ongoing global tensions affecting the country, the Ateneo community, and different sectors. Read The GUIDON’s April–May 2026 issue here: tgdn.co/AprMay2026

UNIVERSITY UPDATES: The Office of the Vice President for Higher Education conducted a town hall meeting at the Leong Hall Auditorium yesterday, June 16, to give members of the Higher Education community an opportunity “to ask questions, seek clarification, and listen to one another.” University President Roberto Yap, SJ, together with other University officials, and Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team student-athletes Jared Bahay, Andrew Bongo, and Ian Espinosa, addressed the community during the town hall. Sanggunian also held a student body community meeting on the same day to gather suggestions from students on initiatives and plans in light of the recent events. See the reports below. View our full coverage via X here: tgdn.co/4ow0ii5 ERRATUM: We have updated this post to reflect the correct name of the podcast and to clarify that only three of the AMBT members spoke to the Ateneo community. A previous version of this University update stated that five of them faced the Ateneo community and the name of the podcast is The Pod Network. We apologize for the oversight.

UNIVERSITY UPDATE: The Sanggunian announced a community walkout on June 19 at 1 PM, amplifying calls for the Ateneo administration to take “concrete and immediate steps” and provide full transparency following the deaths of Chukwuemeka Divine Adili and Rene Clert Baterbonia. The announcement comes after the student government released a statement earlier today, June 17, emphasizing the need for accountability “in all forms” and asserting that the Ateneo administration must answer to its community. Beyond demanding accountability, Sanggunian also pledged its support for those affected by the tragedy, particularly student-athletes, while committing to active involvement in shaping and implementing safety policies. The student government further urged University officials to closely monitor and mitigate risks to student welfare, emphasizing Ateneo’s responsibility to safeguard its students and uphold its duty of care. “Right now, the moment demands more than statements. It demands action,” the Sanggunian said.

UNIVERSITY UPDATE: Kenshin Mamuad (4 AB POS) filed a petition seeking to “nullify” the Ateneo Commission on Elections’ (COMELEC) declaration of a failure of election for the position of Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences (RGLSOSS) Representative. He also asked the Court to direct the conduct of a special election to fill the vacant position. In the petition filed before the Ateneo Student Judicial Court (SJC), Mamuad alleged that the Ateneo COMELEC “gravely abused its discretion” when it issued the declaration in a memorandum. He argued that the Ateneo COMELEC is “mistaken” to appoint an RGLSOSS Representative, claiming that the 2019 and 2026 Undergraduate Constitutions require vacancies resulting from abstention to be filled through a special election instead. Mamuad previously ran for RGLSOSS representative in the AY 2025–2026 Special Elections, where 275 out of 409 voters chose to abstain. He also served as an associate magistrate of the SJC from AY 2025–2026. The Court has ordered the Ateneo COMELEC to comment on Mamuad’s petition within three regular school days. ERRATUM: We have updated this graphic to reflect clarification on Mamuad’s petition on the Ateneo COMELEC's declaration of a "failure of election" for the position of RGLSOSS Representative. We apologize for the oversight.

UNIVERSITY UPDATE: The wake of Chukwuemeka Divine Adili at Arlington Memorial Chapels will conclude today, June 17, in accordance with the wishes of the Adili family, as preparations begin for his repatriation. The University added that a memorial mass will be held for Adili shortly after he returns home to Nigeria.

ASSEMBLAGE: At a gathering of young leaders at Teachers Camp in Baguio City last June 16, Baguio-based filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik announced that he would surrender his National Artist medallion as a personal and symbolic protest against the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Reframed General Education Curriculum (RGEC). He criticized the proposal as a “regression backwards to our colonial-imposed education.” In his position paper addressed to CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, he also wrote how artificial intelligence is “the main force that ejects the humanities, regional languages, social ethics, cultural values, and our bayani stories—outside-d-kulambu of education.” “[I]t’s a waste of time for classrooms to indulge in compassionate ethics (pakipag-kapwa), in communal inter-person relations (ginhawa), in harmony with nature (kapwa-kalikasan), and in spiritual balancing (kagandang loob). These unquantifiables are invisible in the econometrists’ balance-sheet of ‘progress’,” he also wrote. Tahimik was reported to have returned his medallion to the National Commission on Culture and the Arts today, June 17. #Assemblage

NATIONAL UPDATE: During his manifestation in today’s senate session, Senator Bam Aquino called on the Committees on Education and Justice to conduct a hearing to investigate the deaths of student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili, as doing so “requires clarity and truth.” The hearing aims to examine the current policies of the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, the sports and athletic rules, regulations, and standards. Aquino added that what will come out of the hearing may also be added to the Safer Schools Act. #BeyondLoyola

NATIONAL UPDATE: The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) maintained that its investigation so far indicates that the drowning of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili was not an accident. “Right now? No, it’s not,” CIDG Director Major General Robert Morico II said when asked whether the incident could still be categorized as an accident. Morico explained that the incident occurred about 300 to 700 meters away from the resort, while the victims were recovered around 300 meters from the resort after being swept away by the current. Morico also said at least 48 individuals have been subpoenaed in connection with the investigation, including the first responders, following allegations that Adili still had a pulse when he was pulled from the water. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against former Ateneo Head Coach Tab Baldwin, Christopher "Epok" Quimpo, Reynaldo "Jon" Jacinto Jr., Dean Castaño, and Sandro Soriano in connection with the deaths of Baterbonia and Adili. #BeyondLoyola

ICYMI: The Class of 2026 gathered at SEC Field yesterday, June 16, for Blue Rose 2026: Blue Hour, the annual culminating event for the graduating seniors. Bringing together celebration and reflection, the event highlighted the giving of blue roses, a tradition through which graduating students honor the individuals who have made a meaningful impact on their Ateneo journey. The evening also featured performances from guest artists Angela Ken, The Red Strings, and Bryan Chong, alongside student performers Beni D Band, RB Lizada, and DaniQla. Photos by Aidyn Grey Monteras and Tracy G. Rodriguez

NATIONAL UPDATE: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was elected Senate President today, June 17, in Congress special session, ending the two-week leadership dispute. Thirteen senators were present to constitute a quorum, while members of former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano's bloc did not attend the session. Sen. Joel Villanueva, who was previously part of Cayetano’s bloc, was among those present and voted for Gatchalian’s election. Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III was also elected Senate President Pro Tempore in the same session after being nominated by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo and Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan were elected chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively, of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said all senators are members of the committee except Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who requested not to be included. Notably, Escudero is currently facing an investigation on the flood control scandal with the Office of the Ombudsman. #BeyondLoyola

NATIONAL UPDATE: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has conceded as Senate President after acknowledging that the opposing bloc secured enough votes to elect a new chamber leader. In a statement released on his Facebook page ahead of the Senate’s special session on Wednesday, June 17, Cayetano said that after speaking with Sen. Joel Villanueva, it appeared that their colleagues on the other side “will soon have the numbers to elect a new Senate President.” He added that he would not stand in the way of the vote, stressing that “no leadership in a democracy is ever permanent” and that every office is “a loan, never a possession.” In the same statement, the senator maintained that the June 3 leadership change was conducted without the quorum required by the Constitution, saying the matter remains before the courts. However, he emphasized that he would respect the result of a vote conducted with a proper quorum. #BeyondLoyola

LOOK: The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) has generated satellite maps of Barangay Burias and Barangay Pangyan in Glan, Sarangani, which show shoreline shifts due to coastal uplift during the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit the province on June 8. Notably, coastal uplifts result in wider coastal zones and seaward migration of high tide lines, alongside subsequent exposure of coral reefs and marine habitats. Using visual interpretation and Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI) analysis, PhilSA determined shorelines from Sentinel-2C satellite imagery acquired on May 10 and June 9. The space bureau also used Copernicus Philippine Data Explorer for the satellite imagery. However, PhilSA pointed out that the maps require ground validation. In an aerial survey and ground validation on June 11, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and the Department of Environmental Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau XII (DENR-MGB XII) confirmed that the seabed in Barangay Pangyan had risen by two meters. As a result, the shoreline widened by 200 meters and exposed coral reefs and seagrass beds. According to PHIVOLCS, the subduction along the Cotabato Trench pushed Sarangani and Davao Occidental coastlines upward and exposed the seabed. As of June 16, AM, over 6,600 aftershocks have been recorded following the offshore earthquake. Photos courtesy of the Philippine Space Agency #Voyager

LOCAL UPDATE: An Ateneo student has been hit by a motorcycle at around 10 PM today at Esteban Abada Avenue. According to witnesses and first responders, the student left a laundry shop when they were hit by a motorcycle. The victim has since been taken by an ambulance to a nearby hospital, is conscious, but remains in shock over the incident. On the other hand, the driver of the motorcycle sustained cuts to his hand, knee, and hip. According to an officer of the Quezon City Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit, the driver has been taken to Quezon City Police Department Traffic Sector 3 as part of the investigation. This is a developing story.

ERRATUM: The Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team players clarified that they allowed both the recording and livestream of their statements. We apologize for the oversight. | via @Roi_TheGDN

ERRATUM: The Ateneo Men’s Basketball Team reached out to clarify that it was Andrew Bongo who stated these insights, and not Ian Espinosa. We apologize for the oversight. | via @Roi_TheGDN

@Anne_TheGDN @Roi_TheGDN This ends our coverage of the Sanggunian's student body community meeting on Baterbonia and Adili. Thank you for joining us! | via @Anne_TheGDN

@Anne_TheGDN @Roi_TheGDN Before ending the meeting, Romero thanks those in attendance, noting how there is a larger number of participants compared to previous community meetings. | via @Anne_TheGDN

HAPPENING NOW: In light of the deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili, the Sanggunian holds a student body community meeting through Google Meet today, June 16, at 8 PM. | via @Anne_TheGDN