ADNU community bids farewell to historic wooden building

By Jay Salvosa

The Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) community— composed of faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni representatives—gathered at the Administration Building of the Bagumbayan campus on 18 December 2025, at 4:00 p.m., to formally bid farewell to the university’s iconic wooden structure.

The event, aptly titled “Looking Back, Moving Forward,” marked the community’s collective goodbye to the building, which is set to be deconstructed as part of the university’s campus rebuilding project. It was organized by ADNU Senior High School Assistant Principal for Formation and Student Services Honesto Bermudo III, one of the institution’s long-serving administrators.

The program featured a series of reflections that traced different periods in the university’s history. The first segment highlighted student perspectives and served as a platform for storytelling and thanksgiving. Sharing during this segment were Office of Communications and External Relations Director Jay Salvosa, Office of Mission and Identity staff member Tanya de los Trino, and former high school mathematics teacher Rolando Asisten Jr., whose testimonial was delivered through a video presentation.

The second segment focused on faculty and administrative perspectives, drawing connections between personal experiences and the broader local and institutional history. Representing the faculty were former Academic Vice-President Dr. Rebecca Torres and Institutional Testing Office Director Dr. Leonor Lynette Mendoza.

The farewell ceremony formally opened with a prayer led by University Chaplain Fr. Jun Embile, SJ, and concluded with a reflective and prayerful message from University President Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ. After the formal photo-taking, guests were invited to take a final walk through the halls and rooms of the wooden building. The structure remains open to visiting alumni throughout the December break.

Reconstruction of the main campus Administration Building and its surrounding areas began in the last quarter of 2025. The project aims to consolidate all administrative and institutional offices into a single structure while adding classrooms and facilities to support the continued growth of the ADNU community. The historic Four Pillars and the building’s concrete sections will be preserved and remain untouched.

Photos courtesy of the SHS Film Society (Dave Andrei Bobis, Kassandra Ramirez, and Ronin Shen Bermundo)