Every week of September 2025 brought history-defining moments, making us feel all the good and the bad. What took place was one for the books.

Though maddening at times and pure chaos at others, we saw glimpses of hope through it all.

Here’s what went down in September:

1. Carlo Acutis becomes first millennial saint

(Photo from Daniel Ibanez/CNA)

Pope Leo XIV canonized St. Carlo Acutis as the first millennial saint on Sept. 7 in a Vatican ceremony attended by thousands of devotees.

"All of you, all of us together, are called to be saints," the Pope addressed the crowd. The Catholic Church hopes that Acutis’ canonization will inspire the youth.

St. Acutis was an Italian London-born who was a gamer and self-taught coder. He built a website to share his faith and document miracles from around the world, with pages framed at the Our Lady of Dolours Church in London. He died of leukemia in 2006 at 15-years-old.

Called the “cyber-apostle,” his image stood out from traditional saints. His body rests in a glass tomb where he can be seen in a pair of jeans and Nike shoes.

The healing of 21-year-old Costa Rican Valeria Valverde from a severe head injury and of a 3-year-old Brazilian boy from a pancreatic malformation are two miracles attributed to Acutis’ intercession that led to his canonization.

The canonization of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati took part in the same ceremony. A member of the Third Order of St. Dominic and the patron saint of the University’s senior high school, Frassati was admired for his charitable work and was called by Pope John Paul II as “The Man of the Beatitudes.”

A relic of St. Carlo Acutis will be in the Philippines from Nov. 28 to Dec. 15.

2. VMAs 2025 belong to the women of Pop

(Photo from Justine Goode/NBC News)

Women dominated in the major categories of the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at the UBS Arena in New York on Sept. 7.

Lady Gaga led the celebration of women’s excellence, with four wins from 12 nominations, including Artist of the Year, the night’s biggest honor.

Gaga created an iconic moment in her acceptance speech by announcing she had to leave to perform a concert at Madison Square Garden.

Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter earned the coveted Video of the Year and Album of the Year awards, respectively. Rosé made history as the first Korean artist to win Song of the Year for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on APT.

After 35 years, Mariah Carey received her first VMA for Best R&B with Here For It All and was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Other standout performances came from Doja Cat, Tate McRae, and KATSEYE, with fans declaring that the VMAs are back in full force.

3. UST teacher is psych boards topnotcher

(Photo by Jay Joaquin Balolong/TomasinoWeb)

College of Science faculty member Czarina Joy Balbuena topped the Psychologists Computer-Based Licensure Examination (CBLE) with a score of 89.95, the PRC announced on Sept. 26.

29 out of 30 examinees produced a 96.67 percent passing rate for the University in the September 2025 Psychologists licensure exam.

Meanwhile, the University placed fifth among the top 10 best-performing schools in the Librarian Licensure Examinations (LLE), according to results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Sept. 8.

The University achieved an 85.71 percent passing rate, with 18 out of 21 examinees passing the exam.

4. Anti-corruption protest sweeps Nepali streets

(Photo from Prakash Timalsina/AP)

The Nepali people brought down a government in under 48 hours with a rally against corruption after political turmoil on Sept. 9.

What triggered this Gen-Z-led mobilization was the government-imposed social media ban and an online movement against “Nepo Kids”--politicians’ children flaunting lavish lifestyles on social media.

Political unrest spreads across the capital of Kathmandu, resulting in the Nepal parliament in flames. Two days of deadly protests ousted Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

5. Martin Romualdez resigns as House Speaker

(Photo from Niño Jesus Orbeta/Inquirer)

Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez formally stepped down as house speaker on Sept. 17 to allow the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate with full transparency and accountability in the wake of controversial flood infrastructure projects.

In his address, he stressed that his resignation was made after “deep thought and prayer” and “with a full heart and a clear conscience.”

The decision raised questions among the public over whether or not it signals a turning point for reform or a strategic retreat.

Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino “Bojie” Dy III replaced Romualdez.

6. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” forced off air after Charlie Kirk remarks

(Photo from Randy Holmes/Disney)

ABC Network suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after TV host Jimmy Kimmel delivered on Sept. 17 a monologue about reactions to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Parent company Walt Disney Co. stated that the suspension was due to the remarks being “ill-timed and thus insensitive.” This ignited a national debate over how President Donald Trump allegedly stifles freedom of speech.

Hollywood stars from Jennifer Aniston to Meryl Streep and hundreds of others signed a letter condemning the show’s suspension and calling it a "dark moment for freedom of speech" in the United States.

Kimmel returned on air on Sept. 23, drawing 6.26 million viewers, far from the 1.42 million viewers it draws on average.

7. UST hosts UAAP Season 88 Opening Ceremony

(Photo by Jay Joaquin Balolong/TomasinoWeb)

The University launched Season 88 of the University of Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) with a grand opening ceremony on Sept. 19 that drew 36,629 attendees from all eight member-schools.

Athletes entered the Arch of Centuries before the torch relay and cauldron lighting, joined by UAAP Season 70 men's basketball most valuable player Jervy Cruz, former Tiger Judoka Sydney Sy, former Golden Tigresses captain Sisi Rondina, and two-time Olympic and Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

Singer Kean Cipriano, also a Thomasian, performed the UAAP Season 88 theme song, Strength in Action, Hope in Motion.

Pop star royalty and Education High School alumna Sarah Geronimo performed her hit songs Tala, Ikot-ikot, and Kilometro. During her performance, Geronimo took a swipe at the flood control projects controversy during her performance, saying, “Parang panloloko sa bansa natin, pinaikot-ikot lang tayo. Tama na!”

The “HOPE Concert” capped the event with sets from Rob Deniel, Earl Agustin, and Lola Amour.

8. Filipinos take anti-corruption protests to Edsa, Luneta

(Photo by Shuhei de Belen/TomasinoWeb)

Over 100,000 Filipinos flocked to the Luneta Park in Manila and the People Power Monument in Quezon city as part of the “Trillion Peso March” on Sept. 21 to call for justice over corruption in government flood control projects.

The protests, which coincided with the 53rd anniversary of Martial Law in the Philippines, drew some of the biggest celebrities such as Vice Ganda, Anne Curtis, Jodi Sta. Maria, and Angel Aquino. Political leaders such as Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno, and Leila de Lima were also present.

While the rallies at Luneta and EDSA were peaceful, authorities arrested at least 216 individuals after a group attacked a police barricade at Ayala Bridge. Riots also sparked along Recto Avenue, and Legarda and Mendiola streets. Eyewitnesses described the police violently dispersing the riots, with the alleged violent dispersal drawing condemnation from youth activist groups.

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that 48 people were brought to the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) following the Mendiola violence, with two confirmed dead.

Other anti-corruption protests were staged in different parts of the country on Sept. 21. Ahead of this, Filipinos protested on Sept. 13 from the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas to the People Power Monument in Quezon City.

9. Ellis Co gets backlash over remarks on father Zaldy Co

(Photo from repzaldyco/Facebook)

Ellis Co urged his father, Congressman Zaldy Co, to “appear before the people” in a Sept. 24 Instagram post, following allegations of corruption in flood control projects.

The self-proclaimed rapper and designer described himself as distant from family and politics, saying that he “chose not to participate” in corrupt practices. “I’ve always tried to separate myself from that affiliation,” he added.

Despite his disclosures, an investigation found that he was reportedly holding shares in Misibis Land, Inc. and Embarcadero, both tied to Sunwest Inc., which his father owns.

The public remained unconvinced as the post drew sharp reactions online, with many commenters voicing dissent and some famous personalities hurling expletives at the Co family.

10. Philippines faces onslaught of Mirasol, Nando, and Opong

(Photo from John Dimain/AFP)

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Sept. 27 that the damage wrought by the southwest monsoon, Tropical Depression Mirasol, Super Typhoon Nando, and Severe Tropical Storm Opong have claimed 19 lives and affected 2,171,964 people nationwide.

The Department of Agriculture estimated agricultural losses at P914.9 million.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Tropical Depression Mirasol barreled on Sept. 17 in Aurora and left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sept. 18.

Super Typhoon Nando, the strongest typhoon of the year, hit the northern Philippines on Sept. 22 with winds reaching 295 kph. Severe Tropical Storm Opong made six landfalls in Luzon before leaving PAR on Sept. 27.

September was one to remember, but the best is yet to come. May we be ready to ride October’s tides and pull through its torrents.