Get to Know the Mr. and Ms. BukSU 2026 Through Their Advocacies

Beyond the crowns and titles, Mr. and Ms. BukSU 2026 carry advocacies rooted in lived experiences, cultural identity, and a clear sense of service. This year’s titleholders show how leadership at Bukidnon State University takes form through initiatives that respond to real concerns in education and health, turning personal journeys into platforms for community engagement.

MS. BukSU 2026: April Done L. Galambao

College: College of Education
Degree Program: Bachelor of Elementary Education (Third Year)
Advocacy: PASOC-IS (Prioritizing Approaches to Strengthen Education and Opportunities for Children in the Indigenous Sector)

A Higaonon from Capitan Bayong, Impasugong, Ms. BukSU 2026 April Done L. Galambao anchors her advocacy on access to quality education for Indigenous children. As an education student, she draws from the realities faced by learners in communities where learning materials and basic services are often limited.

Her advocacy, PASOC-IS, addresses concerns related to scarce educational resources, geographic and social barriers, and the exclusion experienced by many Indigenous learners. Through culturally responsive and community-based initiatives, it supports learning spaces that respect Indigenous identity while opening opportunities for academic growth.

Galambao’s commitment grew from a simple but powerful encounter. “One afternoon, in my Higaonon community, my little friend named ‘Impot’ was writing his assignment. He had no notebook, only a discarded bag with a crooked pencil. Yet, he wrote with everything he had,” she recalled.

“My heart aches for children like Impot… where quality education is still a privilege, not a right.” She added. “As a proud Higaonon and a future educator, I carry with me not just my dreams, but the stories of those Indigenous children.”

Galambao has represented her community in pageants, including Miss Impasugong 2023, and earned distinctions in sports writing at the division and regional levels. She hopes to become a licensed professional teacher.

MR. BukSU 2026: Ian Ibrahim T. Paglas

College: College of Nursing
Degree Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Fourth Year)
Advocacy: Early Detection Saves Lives

Mr. BukSU 2026 Ian Ibrahim T. Paglas advances an advocacy centered on cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection, guided by both his nursing training and personal loss. His mother’s passing from cancer shaped his resolve to serve communities through health education.

“When my mother died of cancer, people said I lost a parent. What they did not always see was that a child became an orphan at age 12,” Paglas shared. “Cancer does not end with the diagnosis or loss; it continues in the lives left behind.”

As a Muslim and a nursing student, Paglas sees healthcare as both a profession and responsibility. He said that while early detection improves treatment outcomes, screening rates remain low in many Muslim communities due to fear, stigma, and limited access.

“That is why I am committed to be a nurse who educates without fear in my own community,” he said. “My message is simple but urgent—early detection saves lives.”

Paglas plans to become a registered nurse with a focus on oncology and community outreach. During the Mr. and Ms. BukSU 2026 pageant, he was also named Best in Advocacy (Male). (BukSU – Information Unit)