AMA University Online Education (OEd) will hold its 2026 Commencement Exercises on October 26, bringing together graduates from the Philippines and around the world in a celebration that reflects how flexible education has reshaped the traditional academic journey.
The day begins with the Virtual Commencement at 10 a.m., followed by a Baccalaureate and Thanksgiving Mass at 12:15 p.m. at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, before culminating in the Face-to-face commencement at 3 p.m. at The Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center in Makati City.
This year, 550 students will graduate from OEd—250 face-to-face and 300 virtually—across Senior High School, undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs.
More than three ceremonies taking place on the same day, the occasion reflects OEd's approach to education itself: giving students different ways to participate without losing the sense of a shared academic community.
A graduating class beyond borders
OEd's reach is evident in a graduating community extending well beyond the Philippines. Among those attending the face-to-face ceremony are students based in Bahrain, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Macau, New Zealand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand , the United Arab Emirates among many other nations.
For overseas Filipinos, working professionals and learners balancing family and other responsibilities, online education offers a way to pursue a degree without necessarily putting the rest of life on hold.
Graduation becomes evidence that completing an education need not be determined by where a learner lives, works or happens to be at a particular point in life.
Dr. Amable C. Aguiluz IX: Making education move with life
That idea will be at the heart of the commencement message of Dr. Amable C. Aguiluz IX, Vice Chairman, CEO and Founder of OEd.
Built around the theme “LIMITLESS: The Digital Pulse of Success,” his message returns to the question that helped shape OEd: why should place, work, family responsibilities, age or circumstance determine whether someone can continue learning?
His answer is reflected in a simple principle: education should not require people to put their lives on hold; it should move with their lives.
For Aguiluz IX, this year's graduates are evidence of that principle at work. Many studied while employed, raising families or living far from a traditional campus. In that sense, “limitless” is more than a commencement theme—it describes the barriers many of them had to overcome to reach graduation.
His message also looks beyond the ceremony to a workplace increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and digital technology. While graduates must learn to use and master these tools, he stresses that technology cannot replace the human qualities behind lasting success—judgment, empathy, integrity, courage and purpose.
The message also points to OEd's board topnotchers as evidence that flexible learning need not come at the expense of academic standards. The broader point is clear: accessibility does not have to mean compromising excellence, and studying online does not place a ceiling on achievement.
Dr. Amable R. Aguiluz V: A legacy built around technology and education
The commencement also carries forward the broader educational legacy of Dr. Amable R. Aguiluz V, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of AMA Education System (AMAES).
His place in the program connects OEd's graduating class with AMA Education System's longstanding focus on technology-driven education—a vision that has become increasingly relevant as digitalization and artificial intelligence transform how people learn, work and build careers.
Celebrating the people behind the milestone
Academic milestones often carry stories that extend beyond grades, honors and diplomas. For OEd's graduating class, these achievements reflect different paths shaped by determination, personal commitments and the pursuit of opportunities through education.
Among this year's academic achievers is Hans Gerard Nabong Maypa, a BSBA Marketing Management graduate earning Magna Cum Laude honors. His accomplishment stands alongside that of Akisha Fiona Samartino Santos, a Senior High School ABM graduate with Highest Honor, and Edzen Mae Bobis Lacson, who completes a Doctor in Business Administration degree with Magna Cum Laude distinction.
Their achievements reflect the breadth of OEd's academic community, where learners at different educational levels pursue their goals through flexible learning.
The recognition extends to postgraduate graduates and board examination topnotchers, whose accomplishments demonstrate that academic excellence is not confined to conventional learning environments.
The significance of these milestones also resonates with OEd's leadership, including Christopher P. Satulan, Chief Operating Officer; Geraldine V. Barredo, Executive Director for Sales and Business Development.
Beyond academic recognition, the occasion draws on perspectives from personalities whose careers reflect different expressions of achievement and personal growth, including motivational speaker and bestselling author Arun O. Gogna, award-winning radio personality Nicole Hyala, and singer-songwriter and actor Nolo Lopez.
Together, these different experiences reflect a broader understanding of success—one shaped not only by academic recognition but also by resilience, adaptability and the willingness to pursue new possibilities.
Achievement without geographical boundaries
For the 300 graduates completing their OEd journey virtually, distance has been part of the learning experience, but not a barrier to reaching an academic milestone.
Their accomplishments reflect the changing nature of education, particularly for learners whose professional responsibilities, family commitments or geographical circumstances make traditional campus attendance challenging.
Among them is Marilou Llorente Ner, a BS Psychology graduate earning Cum Laude honors, whose achievement reflects the possibilities of pursuing higher education through a flexible learning environment.
The same commitment to academic excellence is evident among Senior High School graduates Sylphro Sebrynea Macabudbud of STEM and Jacel Mia Ondoy Lindo of ABM, both graduating with Highest Honor.
At the postgraduate level, Celeste Racelis Lucero, a Doctor in Business Administration graduate earning Magna Cum Laude honors, represents another dimension of lifelong learning—the pursuit of advanced academic qualifications beyond the traditional classroom.
These achievements reflect the diverse circumstances of OEd learners, many of whom have worked toward their academic goals while managing responsibilities beyond their studies.
For OEd's academic community, including Melissa Aiza D. Pacheco, OEd Registrar; and Dr. Mary A. Soriano, Head of the Academic Department, the graduating class represents the continuing evolution of education beyond physical classrooms.
The distinction between virtual and face-to-face learning becomes less significant when viewed through the accomplishments of the graduates themselves. What remains is the shared achievement of completing an academic journey, regardless of where it began or how it was pursued.
Different journeys, one destination
Some graduates will walk across the stage at The Proscenium in Makati. Others will celebrate through their screens from the Philippines and overseas.
The format of OEd Commencement 2026 reflects those different journeys. The virtual ceremony gives distance learners their formal moment of recognition; the Baccalaureate and Thanksgiving Mass provides a shared moment of gratitude and reflection; and the face-to-face commencement brings graduates, families and the academic community together.
Together, the three moments reinforce the idea behind this year's commencement theme: the path may be different, but opportunity need not be limited by distance or circumstance.
As Aguiluz IX reminds the graduating class, technology may remove the walls around the classroom, but graduates themselves must remove the walls around their ambition.
On October 26, 2026 , OEd graduates will mark that achievement together—some inside The Proscenium Theater, others joining through their screens from across the Philippines and abroad.
It is a fitting conclusion for an education built around the idea that where a student happens to be should not determine how far that student can go.
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