THE FIRST assistant regent of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) plans to strengthen Thomasian identity by promoting what he calls the “three Ps”: perseverance in faith, persistence in prayer and prudence in decision-making.
Fr. Jayson Gonzales, O.P., one of five assistant regents appointed by UST on Sept. 10, said the virtues should serve as a foundation of Thomasian formation.
Gonzales told the Varsitarian that the goal was to form Thomasians “who are truly competent in knowledge, committed to excellence and truth, and compassionate toward the needs of others.”
He said imparting these values was particularly important in serving the “last, least, and lost.”
“As a Dominican, I believe our mission begins with cultivating in ourselves the values we seek to impart to others,” he said.
“When I received my appointment as assistant regent of the Faculty of Arts and Letters from Father Rector, I was reminded of the Latin maxim Nemo dat quod non habet.”
(No one can give what he does not have.)
Gonzales, an instructor at the Faculty of Sacred Theology whose specialization is moral theology, was also appointed assistant to the vice rector for religious affairs.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Philippine Dominican Center of Institutional Studies in 2011 and his bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from UST in 2014. He obtained his licentiate and master’s degrees in theology, major in moral theology, from UST in 2018.
Gonzales passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers in 2014.
He defended his doctoral thesis on May 5 at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
The other assistant regents appointed were Fr. Cecilio Magboo, O.P. for the Conservatory of Music; Fr. Ivan Obando, O.P. for the Faculty of Pharmacy; Fr. Valentinus Ruseno, O.P. for the Faculty of Engineering; and Fr. Rudolf Seño, O.P. for the Junior High School.
It was the first time UST appointed assistant regents to academic units other than the old UST High School, now the Junior High School, which had an assistant regent before, the Education High School and the College of Education.
Regents are Dominican priests assigned to the University’s academic units to oversee their religious and spiritual formation and help ensure that their programs and activities remain consistent with UST’s Catholic and Dominican character.
Gonzales will work with the Artlets regent, Fr. George Phe Mang, and Dean Melanie Turingan-Marcos. Yuahn Zachary B. Guilas
