Ateneo de Manila University’s graduation ceremony on June 19, 2026, was marked by profound grief as students donned black armbands in memory of Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia. The two student athletes tragically drowned on June 8 during a team activity.
Calls for Transparency and Justice
These events have left our batch and the whole of the Ateneo community with anger, loss, and pain that is unlikely to disappear come Graduation Day.
Ateneo Seniors’ Alliance
In a show of solidarity, the graduating class expressed their outrage over what they described as the administration's inadequate response to the recent tragedy. The Ateneo Seniors' Alliance urged students to wear black armbands to signify their ongoing quest for justice.
Following the ceremony, students, faculty, and staff participated in a walkout at 1 PM. The student council emphasized the need for accountability, stating, 'Amid our collective grief, the Ateneo is in a great period of reckoning.'
As rain poured, participants gathered at the Zen Garden, lighting candles and offering prayers in remembrance of Adili and Baterbonia, reinforcing their calls for justice and transparency.
This graduation protest reflects a growing trend among student bodies in the Philippines, where recent events have sparked movements for accountability across various universities. The focus now shifts to how Ateneo will respond to these demands from its community.