Basic Education Unit Commencement Speakers Announced
Ateneo de Manila University’s Basic Education Unit (BEU) has named 3 individuals who will speak at the upcoming graduation ceremonies.

Horacio “Howie” Severino (GS’75, HS’79) is an award-winning broadcast journalist. He graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts with a degree in History. In 1983, after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, Severino returned to the Philippines to teach at the Ateneo High School. A few years later, he became a newspaper reporter and magazine writer. He is one of the founding members of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Currently, he serves as the Vice President for Professional Development for GMA Network.
On March 29, Severino will address the graduating class of the Ateneo Grade School.
Atty. Carlos Roberto Lopez (GS’78,HS’82) is a partner at Sycip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, the largest legal firm in the Philippines. He specializes in dispute resolution and commercial arbitration and life sciences and was cited in Chambers, AsiaLaw Profiles and Who’s Who Legal: The international Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. He served as director of the Makati Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines from 2001 to 2003 and 2005 to 2007. He is also a trustee and the corporate secretary of Sibol Hesus School Foundation, Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization engaged in educational activities.
Atty. Lopez will give the keynote address at the Ateneo Junior High School Closing Ceremonies on March 30.
Ms. Devi Benedicte Paez (MAELLT'2012) is a faculty member of the Loyola Schools’ English Department. She obtained an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma from the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in Canada and earned her MA in English Language and Literature Teaching at the Ateneo de Manila. She is a senior facilitator with the Ateneo Center For English Language Teaching.
Paez will give the commencement speech on March 31 at the Ateneo Senior High School.
The BEU graduation ceremonies will be streamed live at https://www.facebook.com/