In all of her 13 years at the Registrar’s office, Ms. Imelda L. De Los Reyes’ demeanor stayed virtually that way all the time—perhaps even now that she herself is the Registrar.

As Ms. Imelda De Los Reyes assumed the position of Registrar, she reflected on the honor of having come after an inimitable predecessor who had been appointed Registrar at UERMMMC on her birth year, 1965. She still thinks that September 1 bodes well for her, and has been proven right twice already. The first time when she got a job at UERMMMC as a utility woman. The second time, 16 years later, when she became the Medical Center’s third registrar in its half a century of existence.   

Schooling did not come easy for Imelda. At the young age of 12, she already saw the harsh reality of having less in life. But there were happy days, especially when her contractor-plumber father earned enough to meet their needs and her businesswoman-mother got to contribute to the family’s coffers. But when his father’s business became less profitable because of improved water distribution systems, Imelda had to find means to help in the family’s finances. Being in a brood of five, and the eldest at that, she had to work to send herself to college. Although she was as an academic scholar at the Manuel L. Quezon University, it was still required of her to work as a delivery checker at a factory to pay for the other school fees and allowance. Consequently, when that factory closed down, the young Imelda hopes of continuing her education vanished. She confided to her then professor, Norma V. Mendez, who at that time was a faculty member of the UERMMMC College of Physical Therapy, of her impending hiatus from school because she had recently got laid off. Prof. Mendez must have construed this as a plea rather than an adieu, such that she lost no time helping Imelda get employed at the Medical Center. Then Dean Pilar Soto of the School of Secretarial Education at MLQU, upon knowing her imminent employment at UERMMMC, gave her money for the required photos.

That was in 1989, when the then 25-year-old Imelda got employed at UERM whilst taking up a Secretarial Administration course, major in Secretarial Education, at MLQU, two years short of graduation.

Under the tutelage of former Registrar Generoso R. Magdaleno, whose service to UERMMMC spanned four decades, Imelda competently gained knowledge of the rudiments of her new career. 

While being employed at the Registrar’s Office, “Mel” decided to enroll in law school. However, she could not cope with the dual role of student and employee, so she shelved that dream permanently after a semester. Still, when she had acclimatized to work by then, she went on to earn a Computer Science degree at the UE College of Computer Studies and Systems in UE Manila in December 2004, an academic prelude that would lead her to another course: Master in Educational Management, major in Administration and Supervision, at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She passed the March 2006 comprehensive examination after having completed all the academic requirements. She is now working on her thesis.

So how did she become the Registrar? When Mr. Magdaleno irrevocably retired at the end of August 2005, he did not want to recommend his replacement from among his staff but talked them into apply for the job, which she did. Armed with the credentials she has mustered while on the job at the Registrar’s Office and as the former Registrar’s “understudy,” she handily bagged the position.

If anyone should seek concrete proof of the awards, diplomas and certificates that Ms. Imelda had collected in all these years of schooling, she keeps them in a handy portfolio for constant reference.

There is still one pursuit that Ms. Imelda would like to give her best shot at to put her scholastic achievements to use. She is mulling over the possibility of teaching college courses on special skills like typing, shorthand, etc. She takes pride in being good at them as her bevy of awards would attest. She is also considering a career as a webpage developer and a computer programmer, career paths not far from being realized. She is even contemplating on getting a refresher course for new updates regarding the said instruction.