SEVENTY years ago during World War II, UST was freed from the clutches of the Japanese after serving as an internment camp for some 4,000 foreign civilians
In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp (STIC), the UST Museum launched an exhibit last Feb. 2, featuring several memorabilia of the camp and its internees that were considered by Japan as enemy civilians.
Maita Oebanda, collection management and documentation assistant at the UST Museum, said the University served as a “safe haven” during the World War II.
“[UST is] one of the most important locations as regards the Battle of Manila. UST was a safe haven for thousands of civilians for three years,” she said.
Surviving internees, some from the United States, visited the exhibit and shared their personal experiences. The exhibit was also an opportunity for the youth to experience the rich history and legacy of the University, Oebanda added.
“This commemoration is so important because it is one of the last major historical milestones where we have people who are still living [and] are able to come back [to] tell their stories,” Oebanda said.
The exhibit, which ran until March 3, was mounted at the second floor of the UST Main Building. It features various photographs and relics of nearly 4,000 internees during their stay in the University, including a list of names of the internees and their letters to their families. It also has a timeline of the events leading to their liberation by American forces on Feb. 3, 1945.
Museum renovations
The UST Museum was closed to the public in August for renovations, such as repainting and installation of new air-conditioning units.
The Museum planned to do a complete renovation of its gallery, which would have taken an entire academic year to finish, but this did not push through since it would have coincided with Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to the University last Jan. 18. Dayanara T. Cudal
