West Visayas State University marked a leadership transition at the College of Medicine (COM), announced key March activities and shared campus updates during its first Monday flag ceremony in March at Jubilee Park.
Dr. Celina Cordero-Gellada officially assumed office as dean of the COM on March 2, succeeding Dr. Victor Amantillo Jr., who completed a four-year term.
The WVSU community formally sent off and honored Amantillo for his service. In his farewell message, he acknowledged the challenges faced during his tenure, particularly amid the pandemic, and thanked faculty, staff and students for their collective efforts in strengthening the college.
“The last four years have not been very easy. It was not always pleasant, but it is very satisfying,” Amantillo said, emphasizing that COM exists primarily to serve its students and the Filipino people.
WVSU President Dr. Joselito Villaruz commended Amantillo’s leadership, noting his role in advancing innovations within the College and steering the COM through the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities accreditation process toward the end of his term.
Villaruz then introduced Cordero-Gellada as the new COM dean. In her acceptance message, she described the appointment as both a responsibility and a public trust.
“To lead the College of Medicine is not just an appointment; it is a public trust. It is a commitment to the Filipino people, especially to the communities we are sworn to serve,” she said, adding that COM continues to shape physicians who bring both competence and compassion to the practice of medicine.
The flag ceremony also served as a platform for campus-wide announcements relevant to students and employees.
University Registrar Ms. Mardy Ledesma reminded the community that the WVSU Admission Examination will be held March 8, 2026, in three batches: 8 to 10 a.m., 1 to 3 p.m., and 4 to 6 p.m. Students and offices concerned were advised to prepare for possible adjustments in campus traffic and venue use.
The Gender and Development Office formally launched WVSU’s observance of National Women’s Month. Prof. Rosalea Cornelia Araneta-de Leon announced that activities will run throughout March, including Purple Wednesdays and gender sensitivity trainings for freshmen on March 27.
Updates on international engagement were also shared. Prof. Edel Carmela Subong-Csoka, director of the International and Local Linkages Office, introduced Maëlys Bourdin, a French intern who will stay at WVSU until April for an academic and cultural exchange engagement.
The program concluded with performances by WVSU cultural dance groups, who recently won first place in contemporary, indigenous, folk and street dance categories at the Regional Association of State Universities and Colleges VI Culture and the Arts Festival held at the University of Antique from Feb. 20 to 24, 2026.
The flag ceremony was led by faculty and staff of the College of Medicine.
