FROM 1930 to 1934, the Varsitarian came under three consecutive Ilocano editors in chief from the old Faculty of Philosophy and Letters—Ricardo Dulay, Efren Peña and Virgilio Floresca.
It is said that Dulay initiated the “Ilocano dynasty.” He was accused of nepotism, having 95 percent of his staffers from his college. But they proved hardworking as he was. The Varsitarian was able to produce lengthy but philosophical editorials and editorial cartoons that stirred the University spirit.
It was also a first in the history of the Varsitarian to have a reportorial staff composed of students taking up Journalism subjects.
By September 1930, the Varsitarian gave birth to a new section, the Letran Page, in honor of Fr. Diego Sta. Maria, a lay brother of the Order Preachers, who provided a personal scholarship grant to outstanding Letran students “in order that the student might have an opportunity for higher or professional studies” in UST.
For a year, the Varsitarian became the official student publication of both UST and Letran. Rev. Fr. Evergisto Bazaco, O.P. was appointed director of the section, while Rev. Fr. Luis Martinez, O.P. was subdirector.
It was also during this time that the Varsitarian was branded “too religious.” A Varsitarian editorial disputed otherwise.
“Whatever ground there was for such a criticism is sometimes hard to understand when one knows that the student body of this religious institution are themselves religious and are not ashamed for being so,” the editors wrote.
To maintain a balance, light articles complemented the hard and heavy editorials. There were articles such as “Cheating in the Examinations,” an account of the different methods to ensure high grades, “Tinapa” by Alumni editor Jose Zaide, a “riches-to-rags” story of a mother obsessed with wealth who only learned her lesson when her son met an accident, “The Spirit of Youth,” also by Zaide, a “poetic prose” revealing the author’s youth, the poem “Age” by Sisenando Villaluz, which speaks of the wisdom one gains through life, “Our Coeds and Modernism” by columnist Graciano Rojo, a dissertation on females from a male’s point of view in the light of modernism, and a wholesome story, “Cats and Dogs,” also by Rojo.
Succeeding Dulay was Peña whose rise to the highest post was remarkable. He was a former reporter under Dulay’s tutelage. It should be noted that he founded the College Editors Guild of the Philippines on August 9, 1931 with the editors of the University of the Philippines’ Collegian, Ateneo de Manila’s Guidon and National University’s National.
Peña encouraged contributions from non-staff members and highlighted an “Exchange” column where students from other colleges and universities could speak their minds. For the first time, the Varsitarian issued a directory to draw alumni all over the country. By that time, the Varsitarian had increased its circulation rivaling that of major metropolitan dailies and weeklies. It even sent copies throughout the country and abroad.
In return, the Varsitarian received exchanges from big universities abroad such as the University of America, Harvard University, and University of Notre Dame.
The last of the Ilocanos at that time was Floresca, who took over the lead editorial chair in the summer of 1932. Poetically inclined, he wrote editorials with style. His term ended as Fr. Juan Labrador, O.P. was also about to leave as the moderator of the paper.
Source: Varsitarian History, unpublished manuscript in the Varsitarian, c. 1970’s
