Pines City Colleges (PCC), led by Student Affairs and Services Head Jayson Belino, successfully hosted the annual Gawad STARSS 2025 on April 26, 2025. The event celebrated and recognized student organizations and individuals who made exceptional contributions during the academic year.
Themed around celebrating innovation and excellence, the event honored students and advisers whose work has made a difference both on campus and in the broader community.
Leading the awarding the PCC Supreme Student Council, which swept several top honors, including Institutional Organization of the Year, Innovation in Culture and the Arts through their Intercultural Trade Fair, and Innovation in Social and Community Development with their Project Sapatos. Their adviser, Marie Julene Astudillo, received the Student Organization Adviser of the Year, while President Zhianela Rishun Vicente earned the title of Outstanding Institutional Organization Leader.
In line with this, the Organization of Future Pharmacists from the College of Pharmacy garnered multiple accolades as well. They were declared College Organization of the Year, with their project Genericks Abot-Kayang Kalusugan Ginhawa being recognized for Innovation in Health and Wellness. Their president, Kara Leigh D. Duluan, was honored as Outstanding College Organization Leader.
The awards also celebrated individual excellence across a range of creative disciplines. In the field of media and the arts, Nicole Pekas (BS Pharmacy) was recognized as the Outstanding Student in Digital and Print Media Arts, while Jhahina Aphrodite Million Barredo (BS Pharmacy) earned the title of Outstanding Student in Campus Media Journalism. Charlie Fritz Vicente (BS Pharmacy) received recognition for Outstanding Student for Excellence in Dance Arts, and Nicole Bethany Cayabas (BS Respiratory Therapy) was honored as the Outstanding Student for Excellence in Musical Arts.
Gawad STARSS 2025 was not just an awarding day—it was a day of celebration, a day of collaboration, impact, and vision. Every awardee was a living testament to the college’s vision to not only develop academic excellence but also holistic development. As the institution celebrates its 55th Founding Anniversary, the event was a celebration of its lasting legacy and a vow of even bigger milestones to come. As the stars of PCC continue to rise, the message is clear: leadership, service, and creativity remain at the heart of transformative education. #Jam Barredo, BSP
