A Decade of Celebration: SMU Pharmacy Marks a Proud Milestone
Saint Mary’s University’s Department of Pharmacy held its 10th Pharmacy White Coating Ceremony on March 18, 2026, at the Sacred Heart Center. Anchored on the theme “Heritage and Horizons: Sustaining Legacies, Forging the Future of Pharmacy,” the ceremony honored ten years of Marian tradition, bridging the classroom and the clinic as each candidate publicly committed to the profession. The white coat was conferred as a symbol of dedication, ethical responsibility, and public service.
The guest speaker, Dr. Maria Fay Nenette M. Cariaga, RPh, PhDEM, Vice President for Planning and Research, Founding Dean of the Institute of Pharmacy, Immediate Past President of PACOP 2025, and PPhA Board of Trustees Member, delivered an address rooted in a lifetime of pharmacy leadership, offering the candidates both wisdom and a forward-looking challenge.
The formal admission of candidates followed in sequence: the Petition was presented by Ms. Karen Joy P. Paynohon, President of the Guild of Aspiring Marian Apothecaries; the Recommendation was made by Mrs. Melchora M. Bautista, RPh, MSPharm, Head of the Department of Pharmacy; and the Acceptance was extended by Dr. Moises Alexander T. Asuncion. The Oath of a Student Pharmacist was presided over by Mrs. Luningning L. Malabanan, RPh.
The highlight of the evening was the Wearing of White Coats, presided over by Mrs. Bautista in her capacity as President of the Philippine Pharmacist Association–Nueva Vizcaya Chapter, together with the Mrs. Luningning L. Malabanan, RPh.
Once again, Saint Mary’s University BS Pharmacy affirmed its enduring commitment to forming pharmacists who are not only technically excellent but morally grounded and deeply rooted in service. The theme “Heritage and Horizons” captured this dual calling perfectly: to honor the legacy built by those who came before, and to forge boldly into the future of a profession that touches lives every single day.
SDG 3- Good Health and Well-being
SDG 4- Quality Education
SDG 8- Decent work and Economic growth
Written by : Karen Paynohon GAMA President
Photo: Kiss and Tell Photography
