It was a year of comebacks. A Marcos is back in power. UST alumni who graduated at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic returned to the campus for their homecoming rites. Paskuhan was finally celebrated again. We at the Varsitarian also marked the return of our print issues.
“Pananabik. Pagbabalik. Panunumbalik” was the theme of this year’s Paskuhan celebrations in UST, and it could very well be the theme of the year 2022.
Join us as we look back on our top stories of 2022.
Nat’l Artist for Literature F. Sionil José passes away at 97
National Artist for Literature F. Sionil José, the Philippines’ most translated author and most prolific novelist in English, passed away on Jan. 6, 2022, at age 97.
José died in his sleep at the Makati Medical Center where he was supposed to undergo an angioplasty on Friday, Jan. 7, according to his wife, Tessie.
Nat’l Artist for Literature F. Sionil José passes away at 97
UST hosts CNN PH’s presidential, VP debates
The University hosts the CNN Philippines debates, where nine presidential candidates and seven vice-presidential candidates for the 2022 elections square off.
Marcos-Duterte tandem skips CNN debates in UST
The “UniTeam” tandem of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio skips the presidential and vice presidential debates of CNN Philippines held in UST on Feb. 26 and 27.
UST professors back Leni-Kiko tandem
In a rare move, hundreds of UST faculty members endorse Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo for president, saying she embodies UST’s “3Cs” (compassion, competence, and commitment).
Nathan Agustin of Civil Law is new CSC president
Faculty of Civil Law’s Nathan Agustin is elected president of the Central Student Council (CSC) for Academic Year 2022-2023.
UST captures 5th straight UAAP general championship
UST earns the UAAP Season 84 general championship—its fifth straight—making it a 45-time general champion in the seniors division.
Dictator’s son inaugurated PH president
A Marcos is back in Malacañang 36 years after the EDSA Revolution that ousted the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the architect of the brutal martial law that killed and abused thousands of Filipinos.
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the only son and namesake of the ousted dictator Ferdinand Sr., is inaugurated as the country’s 17th president on June 30.
UST launches in-person ‘graduation season’ in June
UST announces that face-to-face graduation ceremonies and Baccalaureate Masses will be held at the Sampaloc campus in June for the first time since 2019.
UST holds in-person Baccalaureate Masses
For the first time in three years, the University holds face-to-face (F2F) graduation rites, including two Baccalaureate Masses for batches 2020, 2021, and 2022, at the UST Grandstand and Open Field.
Rector praises Batch 2022’s ‘survivors’: ‘You are all achievers’
‘The Flash’ David returns as Tigers’ new head coach
UST legend Bal “The Flash” David, who helped steer the Growling Tigers to back-to-back championships in the early ‘90s, is the basketball team’s new head coach.
UST sets in-person Welcome Walk for incoming freshmen
For the first time since 2019, the University opens its gates—and the Arch of the Centuries—exclusively to incoming college freshmen for the Thomasian Welcome Walk on Aug. 9.
The University also mounts a modified version of the Welcome Walk for sophomores and juniors on Aug. 23.
New UST tiger statue, block letters unveiled
The University “unboxes” its remodeled tiger statue and block letters at the Plaza Mayor to cap the face-to-face onboarding activities for freshmen on Aug. 9.
Benilde breaks UST’s 7-year streak as ‘School of the Year’ in Quill Awards
The University ends its seven-year streak as the “School of the Year” in the 9th Philippine Student Quill Awards, which recognizes sterling communication-related works by students nationwide.
UST, which won nine excellence awards during the virtual award ceremony on Aug. 18, lost the title to the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, which bagged 11 excellence awards.
Benilde breaks UST’s 7-year streak as ‘School of the Year’ in Quill Awards
Rector delivers pandemic report
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought out the best in the University and the Thomasian community, says UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. in his first Rector’s Report on Sept. 8.
Olympian EJ Obiena returns to UST
Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena has single-handedly carried Philippine athletics on the world stage, but he reveals during his homecoming event on Sept. 29 that he still has his eyes set on completing his electronics engineering degree in UST.
UAAP implements full calendar with 60 events in Season 85
The UAAP starts its second season in the calendar year on Oct. 1, which marks the return of several sporting events.
Here are the UST teams that secured a podium finish as of December 2022:
- UST Junior Lady Paddlers – Champion
- UST Tiger Paddlers – Champion
- UST Lady Spikers (Beach Volleyball) – Champion
- UST Tiger Sands – Champion
- UST Lady Jins – Champion
- UST Junior Tiger Jins – Champion
- UST Male Woodpushers – Champion
- UST Judo Boys’ Team – Champion
- UST Judo Girls’ Team – Champion
- UST Female Tracksters – Champion
- UST Junior Female Tracksters – Champion
- UST Junior Tigersharks – Champion
- UST Junior Female Tigersharks – Champion
- UST Junior Tiger Paddlers – 2nd Place
- UST Lady Paddlers – 2nd Place
- UST Tiger Jins – 2nd Place
- UST Growling Tigresses – 3rd Place
- UST Junior Male Woodpushers – 3rd Place
- UST Junior Female Woodpushers – 3rd Place
- UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe – 3rd Place
UST Entrance Test (USTET) resumes
The University conducts the first USTET amid the Covid-19 pandemic on Oct. 23, two years after replacing it with the UST Admission Rating (USTAR).
UST up two spots to 175th in QS Asia ranking
The University climbed two spots and placed 175th out of 760 universities in the 2023 Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) Asia University Ranking, the only Philippine university to improve its ranking.
Test scores drop ‘significantly’ in F2F exams – UST professors
Several UST faculty members notice a decline in students’ test scores after conducting preliminary examinations face-to-face (F2F) for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Students’ test scores drop ‘significantly’ in F2F exams – UST professors
CHEd orders HEIs to conduct at least 50% of classes on-site
The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) orders higher education institutions (HEIs) to do away with full online learning and conduct at least 50 percent of their classes on-site starting the second term of Academic Year 2022 to 2023.
In Memorandum Order No. 16, the CHEd enjoined HEIs that will opt to use hybrid learning to use at least 50 percent of total learning hours for “on-site learning experiences.”
Agape returns
More than 34,000 Thomasians attend this year’s Agape, lighting of Christmas lights and decorations, and Christmas concert at University grounds on Friday, Dec. 2, marking the start of the Paskuhan celebrations in UST.
Salinggawi places 3rd to snap 5-year podium drought
The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe breaks out of its five-year slump after clinching third place in the UAAP Season 85 Cheerdance Competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Dec. 10.
‘V’ resumes print edition with Paskuhan 2022 issue
After halting its print edition due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Varsitarian, the 94-year-old official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, comes out with a special Paskuhan print issue on Dec. 15.
In-person Paskuhan returns
More than 51,000 Thomasians attend this year’s grand Paskuhan concert, which closed the University’s nearly month-long Christmas celebration.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at 95
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at the age of 95 on Dec. 31, 2022.
