CSS Newsletter Guild

𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐒 | Strengths Interlaced, Leaders Empowered in PAmamahala Day 2026

Individual talents converged into one shared vision as students gathered for PAmamahala Day 2026: Weaving Individual Strengths into a Unified Vision, organized by the Association of Public Administration Students, a celebration of leadership, camaraderie, and student excellence held at the URS Pililla Gymnasium on April 23.

The event drew 86 Public Administration students from different year levels who took part in Talinong Pampamahalaan, a quiz bee that tested wit and knowledge, the much-anticipated Lakan ng Pub Ad, and team-building activities designed to strengthen cooperation, trust, and unity among future public servants.

More than a day of competition and festivity, the program reflected the power of collaboration proving that distinct strengths, when woven together, can build a stronger and more dynamic academic community.

Through the celebration, students were reminded that effective leadership is shaped not by individuality alone but by people working together toward a common purpose.

Via Janelle Benitez
Photos by: Marc Gienel Jalimbawa

𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐒 | Pa-PSYCH-Laban ‘26 Day 2 marks a total showdown of Psych talents and skills

Continuing its mission of spreading mental health awareness and academic excellence, the Behavioural Science Students' Organization (BSSO) celebrated the second part of the 13th annual Pa-PSYCH-Laban under the theme “Transforming Talents into Empowered Minds,” held at the Campus Audio Visual Room (AVR) on April 15.

Despite the 1 PM heat, the energy was even hotter as 194 students from various year levels of the BS Psychology program, alongside faculty members, gathered for the much-awaited face-to-face event.

The atmosphere was electric, marking a triumphant return to in-person festivities where the community could witness the “pasiklaban” of talent and intellect firsthand.

The event featured Psych Cinema, showcasing documentaries on Sikolohiyang Pilipino by second-year students, followed by a high-stakes Quiz Bee that tested the teamwork of multi-year level teams on topics ranging from general to clinical psychology. In addition, the afternoon also included a Cotillion dance by sophomores and the prestigious search for Mr. and Ms. Psychology 2026. Highlighting both grace and advocacy, Mr. Adrian Benamije and Ms. Rhiz Verlin Tenebro were crowned as they showcased their runway presence and inspiring mental health platforms.

Via Rona Mae Morada
Photos by: Althea De Castro

𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐒 | CSS student-researchers garner top honors at URSP Research Congress '26

Demonstrating academic rigor and scholarly depth, three groups of student-researchers from the College of Social Sciences (CSS) dominated the recently held 2026 URSP Students’ Research Congress, themed “URSP Researchers: Leading with Excellence as Future-Ready Professionals,” held on April 14, at the Audio-Visual Room (AVR).

Together with other campus’ student-researchers, the event highlighted the scholarly competence of each group across descriptive, developmental, and feasibility research categories.

Leading the charge for the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (AB ELS), the research team of Desiree Marie Juan, John Dharly Lacaba, and Maxine Montealegre, under the mentorship of Dr. Jocelyn Gagalang, secured the Best Research in the Descriptive category with their study title, “Literary Analysis Skills of Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies First Year Students."

Reflecting on the achievement, Juan expressed her delight, underscoring that the URSP Research Congress opened essential doors for the study to be heard while allowing the team to share their findings with a broader audience.

“It is such an honor and a privilege to win Best Research in the Descriptive Research Category. Not only does it bring me joy, but I am also grateful for the experience. The URS Research Congress opened doors for our study to be presented and heard, allowing us to share the results of our study,” Juan exclaimed.

Close behind in the same category, the Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BS PSYCH)team comprising Nicole Masinsin, Alyssa Cayte Gaylican, Deniese Elizabeth Malaluan, and Mary Joyce Olivar, advised by Prof. Liezel Francisco, earned a distinguished second-place finish for their research titled “Lago sa Laro: Off-Field Behavior and Team Identification Among Student-Athletes of the University of Rizal System.”

Masinsin highlighted the social contribution of their work, noting that by uncovering "hidden" behavioral patterns, the study serves as a tool to create better community programs and support systems that build team spirit and leadership skills beyond the court.

“We discovered "hidden" details about their behavior that usually get ignored. And because we now understand these patterns, we can create better school projects and community programs that build their team spirit and leadership skills.” she explained.

Masinsin also added, “It’s about making sure that being a student-athlete at URS helps them become better people, not just better players.”

Meanwhile, AB ELS continued its winning streak in the Developmental category as researchers, by Noelle Mechilina, Jerry Max Jesuitas, and Alyza Joy Mawili, also guided by Dr. Gagalang, claimed the Best Research title for their work, “Language Inquiry and Research Knowledge (LInK): A Worktext in Language Research for Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies Students”

In an interview, Jesuitas discussed the practical implications of their truimph, emphasizing the project's ultimate goal was to ameliorate the academic experience by providing a comprehensive, student-friendly worktext designed tostreamline the often-daunting language research process for the future researchers.

“The primary goal of our research is to develop a comprehensive and student-friendly worktext [which] aims to guide learners through the entire language research process,” he shared.

Via Micael Cerbito
Photos by: Angelica Amorin