The beginning of September always carries with it a sense of transition and anticipation. We have ushered in the “Ber” months, a season that, for Filipinos, brings a familiar feeling of warmth, hope, and celebration. At MLQU, September is especially meaningful this year as we welcome a new academic year and look ahead to the many opportunities and challenges that await our University community.
The First Semester of School Year 2026–2027 is now underway, and I hope that our students — both those returning to us and those who are beginning their Quezonian journey — have settled comfortably into their classes and into the rhythm of University life. To accommodate those who still wish to join us, we have extended enrollment until September 7 and correspondingly adjusted the schedule of our preliminary examinations.
To our students, I encourage you to begin this semester with purpose. A university education is not simply about completing subjects or earning a degree. It is about allowing yourself to be challenged, discovering what you are capable of, and developing the discipline, character, and confidence that will prepare you for life beyond the classroom. Make good use of the opportunities before you, and never hesitate to seek the guidance of your professors, mentors, and fellow Quezonians.
September also brings us into the heart of the Bar season. Our Bar Operations are now in full swing as we rally behind our Quezonian barristers who will undertake one of the most important examinations of their lives. They carry with them not only years of preparation and sacrifice, but also the hopes and prayers of their families, mentors, classmates, and the entire MLQU community.
At MLQU, however, Bar Operations have never been confined to the days of the Bar examinations. Our Bar Operations are, in truth, a year-round commitment. They begin in our classrooms, in the rigor of our academic program, in mentoring and review, and in the steady preparation of our students long before they enter the examination room. During the Bar season, that commitment simply becomes more visible as the entire Quezonian community comes together to provide our barristers with the encouragement, assistance, and moral support that have long been part of the MLQU tradition.
To our 2026 barristers: trust in your preparation, remain steadfast, and give the examination your very best. You have already come a long way. The University stands proudly behind you, and we wish each of you strength, clarity of mind, and every success in the Bar Examinations.
This semester also opened with another important milestone: the recent PACUCOA accreditation visit for our Business Administration program. Accreditation is an important part of our continuing commitment to academic excellence and institutional improvement. But our aspiration must go beyond obtaining accreditation status or satisfying regulatory requirements.
Quality assurance must never be reduced to compliance. It must become part of our everyday life at MLQU.
It should be reflected in how we teach, how we serve our students, how we manage our offices, how we develop our programs, and how each of us performs the responsibilities entrusted to us. Accreditation provides us with an external measure of where we are, but the more important work is what we do every day thereafter. Our goal is to cultivate a University culture in which continuous improvement becomes instinctive — where we constantly ask not only whether we have met a standard, but whether we can do better.
As we move further into School Year 2026–2027, this is the mindset I hope we will carry with us. MLQU continues to evolve, but our purpose remains constant: to provide an education that is relevant, accessible, rigorous, and responsive to the changing world, while remaining faithful to the values and traditions that have defined this institution for nearly eight decades.
The “Ber” months remind us that another year is gradually moving toward its final quarter. But in the academic calendar, we are only beginning. There is much work ahead of us, many goals still to pursue, and many opportunities to make this year meaningful.
Let us therefore begin this new academic year with renewed energy and a shared sense of purpose. Let us support one another, uphold the standards of our University, and remember that every student we teach, every service we provide, and every improvement we make contributes to the future of MLQU.
May September be a month of new beginnings, renewed commitment, and hope for the entire Quezonian community.
Mabuhay ang ating mga Bar examinees! Mabuhay ang mga Quezonians!
ATTY. PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
