25/08/2026
TOSP BICOL RETURNS AFTER PANDEMIC HIATUS; FIVE STUDENTS NAMED REGIONAL WINNERS
NAGA CITY ā After years of absence following the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) has returned to Bicol, with five outstanding students chosen to represent the region in the next stage of the prestigious national search.
The 59th TOSP Region V Search Program and Regional Awarding Ceremony marked a significant comeback for the program in Bicol. The last regional awarding was held in 2019, before the pandemic disrupted the conduct of the succeeding searches and face-to-face activities.
As the TOSP Search resumes, Bicol became the first region to hold its regional awarding ceremony, signaling not only the revival of a long-standing recognition program but also the renewed celebration of student excellence, leadership, and service.
FIVE BICOLANO STUDENTS RISE
From 15 regional finalists representing higher education institutions across Bicol, five were proclaimed Regional Winners:
* Juliana Eunice F. Fuentes, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Ateneo de Naga University
* Fernan Matthew A. Enimedez, Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges
* Erlyn A. Galang, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture
* Wilfredo V. Bonaobra Jr., Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Science, Bicol University
* James Nathaniel Refugio, Juris Doctor, University of Nueva Caceres
The five will carry the banner of Bicol as they advance to the national level of the TOSP Search.
More than academic achievement, TOSP recognizes young Filipinos who demonstrate excellence in leadership, social responsibility, and serviceāvalues that resonate with CHED Bicolās continuing thrust to develop learners who use their education not only for personal advancement but also for community and nation-building.
FROM ACHIEVEMENT TO SERVICE
CHED Regional Office V Regional Director Dr. Demetrio P. Anduyan, Jr., CESO III, joined the awarding ceremony and congratulated both the regional winners and the 15 finalists for demonstrating that student excellence must ultimately find expression in service to others.
For CHED Bicol, the return of TOSP is particularly meaningful as higher education institutions continue to strengthen student formation beyond the classroom. Academic competence remains essential, but equally important are character, leadership, cultural rootedness, and the willingness to respond to the needs of communities.
The finalists themselves embodied this spirit throughout the four-day regional search, which provided opportunities for community engagement, reflection, fellowship, and leadership formation. The batch eventually adopted the name āSarong Gawadāāreflecting a shared purpose that transcends individual recognition.
ABACA: A SYMBOL OF THE BICOLANO STUDENT
Fittingly, Anduyan attended the ceremony wearing an abaca barong, transforming a distinctly Bicolano material into a quiet symbol of the occasion.
Abaca is known for its strength, flexibility, and resilienceāqualities that mirror the journey of students who endured the disruptions brought by the pandemic and emerged with their aspirations, talents, and commitment to service intact.
Its individual fibers gain greater strength when woven together, making it an apt representation of oneness and collective purpose. In much the same way, the accomplishments of outstanding students are woven from the sacrifices of families, the guidance of mentors, the opportunities provided by their institutions, and their own determination to serve.
Like abaca, the TOSP awardees and finalists represent a generation expected to remain strong amid adversity, flexible in a changing world, rooted in identity, and useful in the service of others.
Their recognition therefore goes beyond medals and titles. It carries with it a responsibility to transform talent into meaningful action and achievement into service.
As the TOSP Search returns after its pandemic hiatus, Bicolās message is clear: its young people are ready not merely to compete and achieve, but to lead, serve, and help weave a stronger future for their communities.
For true excellence is not only about how high we rise, but how many lives we uplift along the way.
Sarong Gawad. Sarong komunidad. Sarong katuyuhan.
Make it Big. Make it Bicol.