THE UNIVERSITY welcomed 10,381 freshmen for Academic Year 2025-2026 during the freshmen orientation and Welcome Walk, the customary rite of passage for UST freshmen, on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
Despite some rain, the traditional Welcome Mass, “ROARientation,” and Welcome Walk pushed through at the España, Manila campus.
Sudden rains forced organizers to move the parade of the afternoon batch to the late in the afternoon.
The second of two batches was originally scheduled to march through the arch at 12:30 p.m., or right after the first batch.
UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. and Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. presided over this year’s Welcome Masses.
Based on Aug. 5 data from the Office of the Registrar, the University has admitted a total of 10,381 first-year students in the basic education and college levels in the Manila campus. Enrollment will still be accepted until Aug. 22.
Preliminary data showed the Faculty of Arts and Letters as having the highest number of freshmen among the academic units, with 1,184 students.
It was followed by the Faculty of Engineering with 1,048 and the Faculty of Pharmacy with 908 students.
The tally of freshmen from the rest of academic units is as follows:
- Graduate School of Law – 50
- Institute of Physical Education and Athletics – 58
- Conservatory of Music – 70
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – 658
- Ecclesiastical Faculties – 120
- Faculty of Civil Law – 125
- Graduate School – 217
- College of Nursing – 244
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences – 400
- College of Architecture – 437
- College of Education – 456
- College of Fine Arts and Design – 493
- College of Information and Computing Sciences – 518
- College of Tourism and Hospitality Management – 522
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – 569
- College of Accountancy – 669
- College of Commerce and Business Administration – 805
- College of Science – 830
College of Fine Arts and Design freshie Christine Narciso was undeterred by the rain as she wanted to follow in the footsteps of two of her family members, who are UST alumni.
“Even though maulan, kagaya ngayon, nandu’n pa rin ‘yong feeling na sobrang saya ko pumasok sa arch kasi, since childhood, talagang dream ko magiging UST ako because of my father and my big sister. So, I vowed to follow in their footsteps,” she said.
For Kaia Formentera, a Conservatory of Music freshman, being a Thomasian is a dream that became reality.
“I’ve been manifesting for the last five years, and UST has always been my dream university and conservatory, ever since. I’ve been musically inclined and the UST conservatory is my dream, my purpose. To be able to study here in UST with my dream course, it’s something that fuels me,” she said.
The welcoming activities for the basic education unit, titled “ALAB,” will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7
The UST General Santos campus will have its ROARientation, Welcome Mass, and Welcome Walk on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Alexandra S. Demaisip with reports from Sydney Venice V. Berba
