AIMING to introduce the Thomasian Christmas traditions to Laguna, UST Santa Rosa hosted the first-ever Agape and Christmas lighting ceremony at the campus on Saturday, Dec. 14.
UST and local government officials, including Santa Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas, attended the start of Paskuhan festivities at UST Santa Rosa.
Prof. Philipina Marcelo, assistant to the rector for UST Santa Rosa, said the Laguna campus aimed to forge a stronger connection between the University and the community through Paskuhan.
“Paskuhan is one of the most beloved UST traditions that is close to many Thomasians’ hearts. Bringing it to our new communities is a sincere way of showing that what we intend to share with them is our authentic Thomasian culture and brand,” Marcelo told the Varsitarian.
To open the festivities, UST illuminated the Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center (UST-TTCIC), the first and only completed structure in the 40-hectare campus so far. Attendees also took part in the Agape or the Thomasian Christmas feast.
Before the lighting ceremony, a Mass was celebrated by UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. and Facilities and Management Director Fr. Dexter Austria, O.P.
This was followed by the blessing of the new facilities, namely the alumni-funded, 65-square-meter chapel and the UST-TTCIC hotel, a research hotel for College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) students.
The chapel was donated by John Paul Pe, a civil engineering alumnus and owner of the construction company Archipelago Builders Corporation. It can accommodate 24 to 35 persons.
The research hotel was established with the help of chemical engineering alumna Adela Palad-Jose, owner of Green Canyon Resort and Leisure Farm in Pampanga.
According to Marcelo, the 37-room hotel, poised to be an interdisciplinary research facility for CTHM, will primarily serve as accommodation for students, faculty researchers, and collaborators.
“We have so much hope in our objective to provide interdisciplinary research facilities in Santa Rosa that can help maintain our status as the University to rank number one in the country in the inaugural Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Ranking,” she said.
The robotics laboratory and new product development laboratory, which will support the research efforts of the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, will also be blessed during Paskuhan.
The UST-Dr. William T. Belo Interdisciplinary Research Institute, the second edifice to rise at the satellite campus, is now more than 15% complete, Marcelo said.
Paskuhan 2024 is the first to be celebrated across three UST campuses in Manila, General Santos, and Santa Rosa. with reports from Mabel Anne B. Cardinez
