BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Raymund Tongson of Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental has achieved magna cum laude honors in his Master’s in Public Administration and Governance from the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) during its 78th Commencement Exercises on June 22, 2024.
At the Recognition Rites and Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday, June 20, 2024, Tongson received four awards, marking him as one of the standout graduates of UNO-R’s Class of 2024.
Mayor Tongson was awarded the St. Thomas Villanova Award for Most Outstanding Thesis for his paper, “Economic and Social Benefits and Challenges in the Infrastructure Projects Implementation in a Component City in Southern Negros Occidental.”
The paper was presented at the 5th Virtual Graduate Education Multidisciplinary Research Colloquium (GEMRC) on May 24.
Additionally, he received the Best Oral Research Presenter Award in Group 6 (Business, Technology, and Wellness category) for the same paper, which also won the Best Paper Award.
Tongson was also recognized with the Research Conference Productivity Award after being named Best Oral Presenter at the 2nd International Conference on Higher Education held on April 29-30, organized by the Philippine Association of Institutions for Research, Inc.
“It has been an arduous yet fulfilling journey, but this is just the beginning for better public service,” said Tongson, who has been diligently pursuing his graduate program while serving as the chief executive of Himamaylan City.
Mayor Tongson will receive a medal and a Certificate of Merit during the commencement exercises.
He emphasized his commitment to furthering his education in public administration and governance to better serve the people of Himamaylan.
“Being elected as the city’s chief executive is not enough. As a public servant, one must constantly seek improvement,” Tongson added.
The mayor said he looks forward to using his master’s degree to enhance city management, improve programs, strengthen partnerships, and deliver quality service.
