๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ | ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐
๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ: ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐. ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง | ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ซ | Published July 05, 2025
The Gear, the official yearbook of the University of Southern MindanaoโKidapawan City Campus (USM-KCC), proudly presents its 2025โ2026 Editorial Board. This yearโs team is composed of passionate individuals who carry with them the vision of turning moments into memories and memories into milestones.
More than just curating photos and pages, they are entrusted with the heartfelt work of preserving stories of friendships that bloomed, challenges that shaped them, and ordinary days that became unforgettable. With creativity, dedication, and collaboration, they aim to craft a yearbook that echoes the laughter, tears, and triumphs of every USM-KCCian.
Stay tuned as The Gear 2026 begins its journey of capturing time, sealing memories, and building a legacy that lives far beyond the final page.
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Papa on Duty: The Relentless Perseverance of Floro Betonio Jr.
By Jeo Denise L. Labiano | Published June 25, 2025
In a world where quiet efforts often go unnoticed, some stories shine not through grand gestures, but through the quiet consistency of a heart that refuses to quit.
Every morning at the University of Southern MindanaoโKidapawan City Campus (USM-KCC), a familiar figure stands in uniform, eyes sharp, posture firmโready for duty. Most students pass by without knowing the weight he carries. For Floro Betonio Jr., being part of the security services team is only one of the many hats that he wears. Behind the calm and smiley demeanor is a man who carries an entire household, a fading dream, and a fire that refuses to die out.
At 41, Betonio is preparing to walk on stage not to inspect the grounds, but to receive his college diploma. As a father who has big responsibilities to fulfill, this is not just a piece of paper, it is a symbol of every night duty after a full day of study sessions and classes.
Back in 2014, he joined USM-KCC as a man in uniform to support his growing family. Life took an even harder turn when his wife was diagnosed with a mild stroke, leaving him as the sole provider for their five children.
Despite the financial strain and physical exhaustion, he enrolled in college in 2020. He didnโt study to prove something to others. He studied because he believed his children deserved moreโand he believed that change starts with example. He had heard the negative whispers about his work, but instead of answering with resentment, he answered with action.
There were days that almost broke him, and it did break him. Deadlines collided with family emergencies, school expenses weighed heavily on already tight finances, energy wore thin, and doubt crept in. And yet amidst all adversaries, support came in the form of people who believed in him, like Chancellor Dr. Ronielyn F. Pinsoy, whose encouragement helped light his path.
To those who feel that age is a barrier or that hardship is a dead end, Betonio stated that,
โ๐๐ข๐ด๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ด๐ข๐บ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ข, ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ณ๐ข ๐ซ๐ถ๐ฅ. ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐บ๐ข ๐จ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช ๐ด๐ข ๐ฎ๐จ๐ข ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฐ๐ฅ, ๐ฌ๐ข๐บ๐ข ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ข ๐ด๐ข ๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ. ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ข.โ
"๐๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ, ๐ซ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. ๐๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ถ๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ ๐ช๐ต, ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ. ๐๐ฐ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ด ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ."
Floro Betonio Jr.โs journey is not just about perseveranceโitโs about purpose. He guarded more than just the gates of the campus, he stood guard over his familyโs future, and he never let it slip from his hands.
As he receives his diploma, the academic success will be louder because of the countless silent sacrifices, the long nights, and the unwavering love of a father who chose to keep going when giving up would have been easier.
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Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude
By Jenny V. Orfrecio | Published June 25, 2025
These are not just distinctions nor accolades. These are the blare voices of the long hours, the almost give-ups, and the courage to push through the complexities and uncertainties. Each title, shaped by institutional thresholds and academic standard, reflects not perfection, but endurance to rise above the academic storms.
The path to academic excellence is never easy. As graduation draws near, let us give our utmost appreciation to all the latin honor awardees for the success of their academic pursuit and for surpassing all academic odds with flying colors.
As these graduates enter a new path, gone with the exams and subjects, let us all congratulate their remarkable achievement. Continue the quest for invaluable knowledge, and may you always conquer every hurdles ahead.
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Dreams and Destiny: The Flames of Al-Francis Jude Rabagoโs Courage
By Josephine De Guzman | Published June 22, 2025
โIf you canโt change your situation, change your perspective about it.โ
Al-Francis Jude Rabago, 23, a graduating student of the Bachelor of Technology Major in Electronics Technology at the University of Southern Mindanao-Kidapawan City Campus (USM-KCC), has always been someone who stood in the shadows of life. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, he continues to strive forward with unshakeable fortitude, holding firmly the torch of hope, bravery, and progress.
Cultivating the spark of bravery, he continues to defy his destined journey with dreams, reaching for the peak of light offered by academic success. With the constant companionship of Him, Rabago stays optimistic in seeing the positive side of life, creating opportunities, radiating light, and seeing hope in the clouds of challenges.
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ
Each of us walks on a unique path, one that is always different from others. Rabago, a firm believer in โEverything happens for a reasonโ, has trained himself to widen his understanding of circumstances and scenarios, stating that, โif you canโt change your situation, change your perspective.โ
Rabago is a man of wisdom who radiates inspiration in his every step. He described his journey as a KCCian as one of the most challenging yet fulfilling courses in his life, illuminating the path of virtue with nurtured growth and solidified goals. During the interview, he emphasized how he handled the different hurdles of the university despite his condition.
โChallenging. I know that everyone finds schooling hard and challenging [โฆ] my medical condition just made my situation more difficult, but if kaya nila, kaya ko rin. Binigay โto sa akin ng Diyos kasi alam niya yung lakas ko [โฆ]โ.
๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ
Love builds the foundation, while support sustains the core. Raised by a single mom, Rabago has learned early the flair of trials surrounding not just his lifeโs odyssey, but of his mother. With all the emotional, physical, and financial challenges he and his family faced, Rabago had made a promise for a better future, not for him but for his family.
โI promised to pursue education. To provide, [โฆ] and to let my mother have the financial relief even sa gamay ra nga butang kay kabalo ko nga malipay jud na siya nga ang iyahang anak is makatabang na sa iyaha.โ
Molded by adversityโs fire, Rabago unlocked doors of understanding towards a lot of things, and among those are the importance of a strong support system in pursuing dreams and education, stating that the principle has been his primary motivation since he started walking with crutches.
โFor me, every parent is a hero. [โฆ] I always look up jud sa akong mama because she is the only one thatโs been consistent sa akoang life [โฆ] single mom pero support jud siya sa akoa and sya jud ang una na naga-motivate[โฆ] maong wa jud ko nahadlok [โฆ]โ
People come and go, yet at some point, people also come up with the conclusion that someone can and will stay despite every other inconsistency. For Rabago, not one person in his life is comparable to how his mom remained consistent and strong, even when he was not, in his life, stating that his mother is his pillar, his strength, and his best friend.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ช๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ข๐ณ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ข๐๐ป
In his 4-year stay at USM-KCC, Rabago came to know that friendship is not only a form of entertainment, rather it is a form of companionship and additional support. He shared that the bond he has with his department buddies gave him the confidence to see the light that shined upon his path and to see the potential that accompanies his step.
When asked about how he sees himself after he graduates, Rabago shared that he is looking forward to honing his public speaking skills. He also emphasized that what he wants is for his family to live peacefully and comfortably, mentioning that he aims to make a difference that will be seen beyond his condition.
๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐ณ ๐ข๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐
โ I know that I am different from others and kabalo ko nga lahi-lahi tag gina-agian tanan [โฆ] lahi lahi pud tag ways para makasugakod. Kabalo ko sa akong kusog ug kabalo ko saakong kaya nga buhaton. Dili nako gusto [โฆ] mag-self pity kay I know na kaya nako buhaton ang kaya pud sa uban, pero in a different manner lang [โฆ] wa jud nako gina-compare akong sarili sa uban.โ
Never compare your situation to others; it will slowly destroy the pillars of your courage. Growing up, Rabago learned to shift his focus to the things that needed more of his energy, ignoring statements of doubt. He shared that he is also someone who gets hurt by the words thrown at him by the people who bring nothing good to his plate, but instead of dwelling on something that he has no control over, Rabago learned to endure the sting of words and has learned to forge resilience within the hurt, continuing to push forward with his family on his mind.
Al-Francis Jude Rabagoโs story reminds us that resilience and bravery are a harmonious blend that will help us achieve our goals. His perspective about life tells us a tale of how limits only exist in our minds, conquering chasms of doubt with his dreams and surviving the odds of crossing the plans of fate.
With less than a week until the 57th Commencement Exercises of USM-KCC, Rabago is eagerly anticipating the declaration of graduates and wearing the cap and gown that will be the testament of his courage.
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USM-KCC records 81.10% passing rate in March 2025 LEPT
By Frisk Jasper Quirino | Published May 20, 2025
The University of Southern Mindanao-Kidapawan City Campus (USM-KCC) garnered 81.10% passing rate during the March 2025 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT), surpassing the National passing rate of 62.31%. USM-KCC produced 103 newly LPT and exhibited a laudable passing rate of 93.20% for first takers and a 29.17% passing rate for repeaters. This achievement served as a testament to the strong goal and commitment of the USM-KCCโs College of Education, Arts, and Sciences (CEAS), in producing competitive and excellent future teachers.
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The Techno-Builders extends its congratulations to its staffers who excelled academically
By Ediboy Garcia | Published July 19, 2025
Your academic triumph brings pride to the publication as it reflects your dedication and perseverance in achieving academic excellence. Continue to uphold #ResponsibleJournalism while excelling in the field of academics.
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Resounding Rhythms: Kaliline Festival's Hiphop Finale
Event Date: August 15, 2025
With creativity and rhythm, the Kaliline Festival's Hiphop competition concluded with a bang, marking a vibrant celebration of talent and campus pride. Participants from various departments showcased their best moves, leaving the audience in awe.
Unilympics 2024: Bagani Warriors Sweeps 1st Runner-up Win
Event Date: August 22, 2025
The Bagani Warriors chronicled an amazing 1st runner-up win in this year's Unilympics, demonstrating exceptional teamwork, skill, and sportsmanship across all events. Their performance was a highlight of the games, bringing immense pride to their college.
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MASTS Games Opening ignites Athleticism
Event Date: August 28, 2025
Athletes and coaches from 30 competing State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) gathered for the grand opening of the MASTS Games. The event ignited the spirit of athleticism and tightened bonds through sports, setting a positive tone for the week-long competition.
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MALLE Graduate Program Holds 1st Research Colloquium
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Student Spotlight
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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT MAGAZINE OF THE USM-KCC
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