Tribute Video for Dean Mauricia Danguilan Borromeo
After a few not-so-memorable piano teachers who made me contemplate giving up on piano lessons, sixth grade 12-year old me somehow landed on Prof. (later Dean) Maurie Borromeo’s available 8 AM Saturday morning piano lesson schedule. I have to thank whoever assigned me to her upon enrollment in the [University of the Philippines] UP College of Music’s extension program: aside from providing me with solid musical technique, it was under her that I rediscovered the joy and the healing capabilities of music-making. I had no clue that she was such a powerhouse music educator. To me, she was just Ms. Borromeo, and I saw her every Saturday for the next six years.
Well maybe I had an inkling of her excellence, since my contemporaries were participating in all sorts of competitions (I wasn’t – all I had were end-of-semester exams and recitals). But my time at Abelardo Hall made such an impact on me – despite choosing not to pursue piano performance, it has still profoundly shaped my career choices.
This video was shown at the UP College of Music’s 2026 recognition rites for new graduates. The Jewish traditional phrase of comfort, “May her memory be a blessing” comes to mind, as the Music Education Department pays tribute to her and her legacy. Maraming, maraming salamat po!
