President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. received the Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa the highest honorary degree of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) during the university’s 58th Commencement Exercises held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
In his speech, Marcos accepted the recognition with gratitude and a renewed sense of responsibility. He emphasized that education must remain a pathway to opportunity, a catalyst for progress, and a cornerstone of nation-building principles he said the Marcos administration fully shares with PLM.
“I receive this honor with gratitude, mindful of the responsibility that comes with it,” the President said.
The ceremony’s theme, 'Mga Makabagong Pantas Taglay ang Karunungan Tungo sa Kadakilaan at Kaunlaran', underscored the transformative power of education. Marcos told the graduates that true learning converts knowledge into wisdom, and wisdom into excellence, progress, and service to others.
“May your learning be guided by wisdom, your success measured by the lives that you uplift, and your achievements dedicated to the progress of our nation,” he said.
The President noted PLM’s special place in his family’s history. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos once taught at the university’s College of Law, giving the family firsthand insight into PLM’s commitment to shaping future Filipino professionals. Marcos said he accepted the honorary degree with a renewed commitment to the values championed by PLM 'Karunungan, Kaunlaran, Kadakilaan', or wisdom, progress, and greatness and urged the new graduates to use their education to help build a stronger, more prosperous, and more compassionate Philippines.
A major portion of the President’s address focused on the administration’s efforts to expand access to higher education. He reaffirmed the government’s full commitment to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which has made free higher education a reality for millions of Filipino students.
According to Marcos, free higher education now benefits 2.62 million students. Complementary scholarship and financial assistance programs continue to support learners through the Tertiary Education Subsidy, the Tulong Dunong Program, and the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program, which targets outstanding senior high school graduates pursuing priority degree courses.
Beyond traditional university pathways, the President highlighted the strengthening of technical-vocational education and training. Through closer coordination between the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the government aims to offer young Filipinos multiple routes suited to their skills, interests, and aspirations.
Marcos stressed that access alone is not enough. Students must also receive the support needed to complete their studies and turn their education into real opportunities. “Every Filipino who completes higher education or training represents far more than a diploma or a certificate earned,” he said. Such achievements, he added, give individuals a fairer chance to succeed, bring families closer to a better future, and equip workers with knowledge and skills that open greater opportunities.
The President pointed to PLM’s own history as proof that talent is universal and that opportunities should never be limited by a person’s circumstances in life. By providing quality education to students from diverse backgrounds, the university continues to demonstrate that excellence and potential exist across all sectors of society.
The commencement exercises were attended by Manila Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso, Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, PLM officials, faculty members, graduates, parents, and other government officials. The event served not only as a celebration of academic achievement but also as a platform for the President to reaffirm education as a central pillar of national development.
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In recent years, the administration has consistently positioned education alongside infrastructure, digitalization, and job creation as a key driver of long-term progress. The expansion of free higher education and the growth of scholarship programs form part of a broader strategy to equip the next generation of Filipinos with the tools needed to compete in a rapidly changing world.
Marcos’ acceptance of the honorary doctorate from PLM adds a personal dimension to this policy focus. By linking the recognition to the university’s core values and to the First Lady’s earlier service as a law professor, the President framed education as both a public responsibility and a family legacy of service.
As the graduates prepared to leave the university and enter professional life, the President’s message remained clear: education finds its highest purpose when it is used to uplift others and contribute to the nation’s progress. The honorary degree, he suggested, was not merely a personal honor but a reminder of the collective duty to keep expanding opportunities for every Filipino who seeks to learn and grow.
The 58th Commencement Exercises of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila thus became both a milestone for the university and a public reaffirmation of the administration’s education agenda centered on access, completion, and the transformation of knowledge into service and national advancement.
