QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES - Five UP-NIGS students were officially named as awardees of the UP Geology Merit Award (UPGMA) during a recognition ceremony held last 4 June 2025 at the UP NIGS Audiovisual Room, joining a list of meritorious undergraduate and graduate students that now stands at over 100 recipients strong.
Following a one-month application period, the following five students were selected on the basis of having distinguished themselves in their academic achievements, leadership qualities, and community service.
Undergraduate Category
1. Angue, Nathaniel C.
2. Carmona, Kryzell M.
3. Paradeza, Trisha Nicole P.
Graduate Category
1. Abuda, Jamila B.
2. Barrientos, Marco Alfredo J.
The 2024-2025 UPGMA Awardees. (L-R) Barrientos, Abuda, Paradeza, Carmona, Angue. Photo courtesy of the Iuvenis Orbis Geological Fraternity
The UPGMA is a cash award program for students of UP NIGS and a joint partnership of the UP-NIGS Faculty and Iuvenis Orbis, Incorporated together with the Iuvenis Orbis Geological Fraternity. The initiative is done as part of a goal to prepare the students of UP-NIGS to become future leaders of society and the geology profession.
Starting with this edition, the one-time cash award grant given as part of the incentives of the UPGMA was increased to Php 20,000 per awardee.
With an increase in funding and interest in the award only increasing, UP-NIGS and IOGF look to the future of Philippine geologists with confidence as the UPGMA continues to serve as a reminder and a goal for UP-NIGS students to excel in the fields of leadership, academic excellence, and merit.