There are alumni who remember their university fondly, and then there are alumni like Dr. Rogelio and Mrs. Imelda Florete — who never truly left. Both proud graduates of the College of Business, the Florete couple has woven themselves into the very fabric of this institution with a love that is not merely sentimental, but active, sacrificial, and transformative.
As a Diamond Sponsor of Mabining Mandirigma, the Florete Group crowned yet another chapter in a long and beautiful story of giving — one that has seen them show up, time and again, not just with resources, but with their presence, their passion, and their hearts. They are the kind of supporters who do not watch from a distance; they are there at every milestone, every founding anniversary, every alumni homecoming, standing shoulder to shoulder with the community that shaped them. Through their media partnership and major sponsorships, they have helped amplify the University’s voice and celebrate its achievements before a wider audience, ensuring that every triumph of this institution is shared with the pride it deserves.
What makes their Diamond Sponsorship even more meaningful is the intention behind it. In choosing to direct their support toward the University’s grant-in-aid scholars, the Florete couple made a profound statement: that their giving is not merely celebratory, but purposeful. They did not simply invest in an event — they invested in people. In students who, like so many before them, are quietly working their way toward a future that once seemed out of reach. It is a gesture that reflects a deep and generous understanding that the greatest gift one can offer an institution is not spectacle, but opportunity — a door held open for those who need it most.
Perhaps nothing else speaks more poetically to their love for this University than Dr. Florete’s generous donation during the renovation of the very auditorium where Mabining Mandirigma was staged — a gift that transforms not just a physical space, but the entire experience of everyone who performed, watched, and was moved within those walls. That the stage upon which this celebration of excellence unfolded was made more beautiful by the hands of one of the university’s most devoted sons is, in itself, a quietly breathtaking act of love.
Together, Dr. Rogelio and Mrs. Imelda Florete embody what it means to be true advocates — not for a season, but for a lifetime. Their support across countless events and advocacy efforts is a living declaration that their diplomas were not an ending, but the beginning of a lifelong covenant with the institution that believed in them first. The University is immeasurably blessed to call them its own, and profoundly grateful for every way they continue to say, with unmistakable clarity: this is home.
Behind this legacy of generosity stands the Florete Group — a family of enterprises built on integrity, service, and a shared commitment to community. Composed of Florete Land, Inc., Flo Water Resources (Iloilo) Inc., Queenbank, R. Florete Pawnshop & Jewelry, Inc., Bombo Radyo Philippines, Florete Trading, Inc., and Diamel Corporation, the Group is a testament to what vision and hard work — nurtured, perhaps, within these very halls — can build. And yet, for all that has been accomplished, it is clear that for Dr. Rogelio and Mrs. Imelda Florete, the greatest measure of success has always been how much they are able to give back.
