Fourth-year engineering students of Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) marked a significant milestone in their professional journey through Hard-Hatting and Pinning Ceremonies held at the OLFU Quezon City and Pampanga campuses in September 2026.
The ceremonies formally recognized a combined 239 engineering students as they took part in a tradition symbolizing their growing responsibility as future professionals in the engineering field.
At the OLFU Quezon City Campus, 131 fourth-year students—127 Civil Engineering students and four Electrical Engineering students—participated in the ceremony on September 9 at the newly inaugurated OLFU Hall.
Assistant Campus Administrator for OLFU Quezon City Campus Dr. Crisanto Daing delivered an inspirational message, while Campus Administrator Dean Ramonita Salazar attended to show her support for the students.
Newly licensed engineer and rising content creator Engr. Andrea Gail Dasalla served as the guest speaker. Drawing from her own experiences, Dasalla shared the challenges she encountered during her early college years and how she eventually developed a deeper appreciation for the discipline.
Her journey, she said, eventually led her to become an online inspiration and educator, allowing her to share her experiences and knowledge with aspiring engineers.
Dasalla encouraged the students to build what she described as the “engineering within” or qualities that extend beyond technical knowledge and professional credentials, including character, resilience, integrity, continuous learning, and purpose.
“Yung hard hat, yun lang yung nakikita ng tao, yung license milestone lang ’yon. Pero kung ano yung bini-build mo in yourself: character, integrity, purpose. You have to know kung anong klaseng engineer ba ang gusto [mong] maging,” Dasalla said.
College of Engineering Dean Engr. Matt Ervin Mital, meanwhile, underscored the responsibility represented by the hard hat, particularly the duty of engineers to uphold public safety and consider the welfare of the communities they serve.
“I am really happy na natuloy ’to ’no kasi this is the pilot program for the College of Engineering,” Mital as he expressed his gratitude for accomplishing the College’s first-ever University-wide hard-hatting and pinning ceremony.
“Yung hard hat symbolizes responsibility and safety. Tandaan natin na ang trabaho natin bilang engineers, nakasalalay ang buhay ng mga tao.”
Mital also emphasized that technical competence must be complemented by values and concern for others. In describing the kind of engineers OLFU seeks to develop, he highlighted one quality: kindness.
“The OLFU engineers are kind,” he said, noting that kindness goes beyond technical proficiency and is expressed through respect for others.
The emphasis reflects OLFU’s institutional values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE), which guide the University’s approach to developing professionals.
Mital further noted that while OLFU’s College of Engineering is relatively new, its students have already participated in international opportunities, including engagements in the Netherlands, South Korea, and Indonesia.
The College Dean also took pride in the College’s recent board examination performances, which have yielded promising results and reflected the students’ growing readiness for professional practice.
For the students and their families, the ceremony also served as a moment to commemorate their progress toward becoming licensed engineers and to create a lasting memory of their college journey.
Fourth-year Civil Engineering student Glex Ronald Miguel shared that his experiences, particularly during his on-the-job training, helped him clarify the kind of engineer he hopes to become.
“Based on my experience lalo nung nag-OJT ako, I realized I want more. I want to be a leader na may care,” Miguel said.
He expressed his aspiration to become an engineer who cares for people and the environment and takes pride in his work while upholding honor and integrity.“That’s my pride to be not just a good engineer but to be a good man,” he said.
Pampanga Campus holds ceremony at a later date
The College of Engineering’s Pampanga Campus held its own Hard-Hatting and Pinning Ceremony on September 18 at the Event Center of the Saint Ann Building, recognizing 108 fourth-year Civil Engineering students.
The ceremony extended the same professional tradition to OLFU’s engineering students in Pampanga as they prepared for the next stage of their academic and professional journey.
Engineer-content creator Inhenyerang Hugotera served as the guest speaker. In a Facebook post, Dean Mital expressed his appreciation for the engineer-content creator’s participation and for inspiring the students through her presence and message.
Dr. Adrian Bon Santiago, OLFU Research Coordinator, also delivered a motivational speech on behalf of Pampanga Campus Administrator Dean Muriel Caballero.
Across both campuses, the ceremonies highlighted engineering as a profession grounded not only in technical preparation but also in responsibility, integrity, safety, and service.
The hard hat and pin, while serving as tangible symbols of the students’ progress, likewise marked a formative stage in their transition from academic training toward professional practice.
For OLFU engineering seniors, the ceremonies therefore represented their continuing development as future engineers expected to carry the technical knowledge alongside the values and responsibilities of the profession.
Story by Raymond Lumagsao
