14/03/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ || ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ โ๐๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐
Teeming with excitement, faculty and students commemorated the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) annual Vet Days, held from March 4 to 6, 2026.
Under the vertebrates theme, students from the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Bachelor of Science in Meat Technology (BSMT) programs were randomly divided into four units, each representing a class of vertebrates: Leaping Amphibians, Soaring Aves, Slithering Reptiles, and Roaring Mammals.
The three-day celebration kicked off with a fun run and Zumba, setting the stage for energy-filled games and competitions. In line with Marchโs Rabies Awareness Month, a โShot Dat Dogโ Year 18 was also conducted, offering services for pet owners, including free rabies vaccinations, vitamin supplementation, deworming, and related discussions.
๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐ง
Day two built on the momentum of the opening festivities, marking a test of survival of the fittestโa clash between the unitsโ claws and wits. Each team aimed to collect as many points as possible from the various games and activities, hoping to be crowned champion. Larong Pinoy, quiz bees, and an assortment of competitions were set to garner points, further fueling the competition.
Additionally, 4th year BSMT and 6th year DVM students showed off their research through the โSipat-Saliksikโ Research Poster Exhibit facilitated by the 3rd Year DVM students. Displaying their research outputs to their peers and known researchers on campus.
Noteworthy researches were awarded as best poster, achieved first place in the BSMT category, by Ortego et al. with their research titled โTracer Study on the Graduates of Bachelor of Science in Meat Technology Batch 2023,โ and best presenter by Jose Piaza Jr. with a thesis titled โEffect on Meat Quality and Palatability of Broiler Chicken Fed with Siling Labuyo (Capsicum frutescens)โ also in the BSMT category.
Meanwhile, the thesis by Xantia Aira Jeminos titled โAntibacterial Susceptibility Testing Assessment of Sea Urchin (Diadema setosum) Shell and Spine Extractsโ won both the best poster and presenter in the DVM category.
๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐
The four units also participated in the Literary Contest during day 2 of the Vet Days, with their escorts and muses donning costumes in line with their unitsโ namesake vertebrates and narrated with its literary cultural symbolisms.
Unit 1, Leaping Amphibians, sports a purple frogesque costume, said to be inspired by the Berberoka of Philippine folklore that is known to be a guardian of water forms. Soaring Aves based theirs on the Blue-and-gold Macaw (Ara ararauna), the costume symbolizes a number of concepts such as beauty and freedom, but the costume itself seemingly references similar attire found in the animated film โRio.โ
Dressed in serpentine green scales, Slithering Reptiles stunned spectators with snake costumes, paralling snakes in different mythos like Quetzalacoatl of the Aztec. Roaring Mammals walked with pride, showing their tantalizing lion costumes.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ
The Cenozoic eraโage of mammalsโhad arrived. Announced during Vet Night, the Roaring Mammals reigned supreme as the overall champion of Vet Days โ26, clawing their way to the top against other units with 2,015 points, followed by Soaring Aves with 1,770 points, Leaping Amphibians with 1,565 points, and Slithering Reptiles with 1,505 points.
๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
The last day of Vet Days concluded with growth and adaptation. Recounting their journey and serving as the guiding light for future takers, 31 Veterinarian Licensure Examination (VLE) and 44 Meat Inspection and Safety Examination (MISE) 2025 passers were honored and given the stage to share an excerpt of their lives.
One such passer is Dr. Christian C. Planta, who offered advice to future examination takers โI want you to remember this: start early, review should take place the moment you decide to embark College of Veterinary Medicine. Yes. As early as first year, second year, magbasa nang magbasa... Be honest with yourself, know your limitations and improve, fix what you can fix.โ
Moreover, he reminded โTake the boards when you are ready, dire kay na pressure ka. Take the board when you already made your plans...because one day youโll stand here inspiring a new batch of CVM students hoping to be of service to the community.โ
๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ
Similar to the 2025 passers, the CVM College Student Council (CVMCSC) also needed to acclimate and grow in planning of the three-day event.
CVMCSC President, Rustin Carl Castillo in an interview shared that: โSa pagcraft pala san amon program, โdi na gud kami nakurian, kay ginplan talaga ahead of time, because Veterinary Days is one of the most anticipated events in [our] college...Pero, supposedly kasi ano ine siya Veterinary week.โ
Castillo further explained that according to Proclamation No. 1941, series of 1980, every third week of February should be observed as Veterinary Medicine Week. However, Castillo states that โSugad saam faculty dire kuno sira matuyang kun one week an wara klase, so we opted to have it [for] three days.โ
Gearing towards the end of the Vet Days, faculty, guests, and students alike hit the dance floor mimicking the animated cacophony of the ecosystemโalive and colorful. ยถ
Words by Luis Giray
Photos by Queen Surio, Paolo Pinca, Althea Chin, and Clarence Tuballas
