When BukSU Graduates Marched to a New Tune

In the long history of Bukidnon State University, the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance” became a familiar anthem—echoing year after year through the university gymnasium as graduates and their parents proudly walked toward the culmination of their academic journey.

But for the Class of 2025, a different tune filled the air.

For the first time ever, the university used its very own BukSU March during the processional and recessional of its 91st Commencement Exercises held on June 17 to 19, 2025.  It can be considered a historic moment that marked a graceful departure from borrowed tradition and a meaningful step toward identity.

What many may not know is that the BukSU March was composed and arranged by the university’s own maestro, Mr. Pepito D. Montero, a faculty member of the Secondary Laboratory School and coordinator of the BukSU Brass Band and Rondalla.

Montero, who was personally requested by then-University President Dr. Oscar B. Cabañelez to create a signature graduation piece, recalled the pressure and pride that came with the task.

“The composition of the BukSU March is probably one of the most challenging tasks I have been given,” he admitted. Many of his initial arrangements were revised, rewritten, and refined during the early hours of the morning.

“I need to wake up early in the morning, probably by 2 or 3 a.m, because that’s when my mind is clear and free from distractions,” he said.

At 87 beats per minute, the piece carries a stately cadence. The march is purely instrumental, carefully orchestrated using a blend of brass, wind, strings, and percussion instruments, including piccolo, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, euphonium, tubas, timpani, and snare drums.

Sibelius, a sophisticated music notation software, helped shape the final score. But the soul of the music came from something deeper—Montero’s love for his university and the belief that every graduate deserves a sendoff that feels like home.

The BukSU March was officially launched in 2022, yet it took three years before it was finally heard during the most symbolic event in the academic calendar. Starting this year, BukSU graduates can finally march to a melody they can truly call their own.

As the graduates in flowing togas stepped into the gymnasium this June, the unfamiliar yet uplifting melody stirred quiet emotion. Faculty members looked on with pride. Parents, many hearing the piece for the first time, noticed the “fresh and dignified” atmosphere brought by the new march.

“Hearing the BukSU March for the first time made our graduation truly unique and unforgettable,” said Marielle Ortiz, a Development Communication graduate. “It was deeply touching to know that the university created its own music especially for us. It added even more meaning to our entire college experience.”

In 2023, Montero’s BukSU March received official copyright registration from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. This recognition affirms his authorship and gives the university legal authority to use and protect the composition.

The debut of the BukSU March at the university’s 91st Commencement Exercises is more than just a musical milestone. It’s a declaration of self-confidence and a step toward a century defined by originality and pride in its own identity.

For future graduates, the familiar tune during commencement will no longer be Edward Elgar’s classic. It will be Montero’s heartfelt composition. (BukSU-Information Unit)