JOSEFINA Aguilar, who served as principal of the defunct UST Grade School for over two decades, passed away on May 17 after suffering a heart attack. She was 93.
Her death was announced by UST in a Facebook post.
“We are grateful for her decades of service to the University and for molding generations of Thomasian educators,” the post read.
Aguilar had been nursing a hip injury prior to her death, which left her bedridden, her goddaughter Cristy Sepada told the Varsitarian.
She fell into a comatose state after being rushed to the UST Hospital and passed away shortly after.
Aguilar obtained her bachelor’s degree in education at UST and served as principal of its elementary school from 1964 to 1985.
She concurrently taught religion and Filipino courses at the College of Education from 1962 to 1971.
Paz Juco, who was the department secretary of UST Grade School when Aguilar was principal, remembered the late educator as someone who was “considerate but fair.”
“As a person, she was warm, very approachable, listens to everyone, [and] always willing to help and give advice,” Juco said.
“As an educator, she was [a] master of her subject, [and was] passionate in sharing her knowledge and experience,” she added.
Aguilar was credited for various developments at the UST Grade School, including the establishment of a speech laboratory and the upgrade of the library. She also trimmed instructors’ teaching hours.
Her remains were laid to rest at Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina on May 22.
