THE UST Alumni Association, Inc. (USTAAI) gathered over 150 Thomasian alumni in a bid to sustain relations between them and the University last Nov. 16 at the Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. Building.
Tokens modelled after the University’s Arch of the Centuries were given to 63 alumni to honor them as “distinguished Thomasian alumni.”
The tokens, however, had a grammatically incorrect inscription, which read: “A Distinguished Thomasian Alumni,” instead of “Alumnus” or “Alumna.”
“That was an imperfection. We can always correct it. The motive for it is really coming from our heart, iyong pagbibigay noon… to recognize or to be joyful about the excellence of Thomasians [from] different walks of life,” USTAAI President Evelyn Songco told the Varsitarian.
Songco said she was open to replacing the tokens, which were handed out by Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P., should the recipients call for it.
Awards of Excellence
In a separate event, Thomasian alumni in business were recognized during the 2018 Thomasian Global Trade Expo (TGTE) held from Nov. 14-16 at the alumni center building.
TGTE, a joint project by the USTAAI, Thomasian Alumni Leaders Association (TALA) and the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), was an exhibit that featured business enterprises led by successful Thomasians.
Awards of Excellence in Corporate Leadership were presented to Thomasians Alice Lumanog, vice president of Mercury Drug, Inc., Chito Maniago, director for corporate commerce of Cemex Holdings Philippines, Inc., Michael Angelo Malicsi, chief human resource officer of Chef Tony’s Snack Foods Philippines, Inc. and Lito Villanueva, managing director of Fintqnologies Corp.
Among the Thomasians who received Awards of Excellence in Entrepreneurship were Bien Enrico Ah, director of Liberty Foodmart, Jerenato Alfante, president and CEO of Macrowiring Technologies, Clarence Aytona, chairman of Skynet Travel Corp., John Paul Pe, president of Archipelago Builders, Maureen Pickering, owner of Pickering Marine Group and Rommel Sytin, president of Foton Philippines.
“[These] alumni leaders, they’re a very good inspiration for the students and to other alumni as well, especially if they’re already very successful in the projects and work they’ve been doing,” TALA chairwoman and TGTE founder Angie Tuazon told the Varsitarian.
Proceeds of TGTE will benefit the Order of Preachers and the Autism Society of the Philippines.
