BASIC EDUCATION freshmen should look to Jesus as the “true influencer” instead of blindly following personalities on social media, UST Senior High School (SHS) Regent Fr. Ermito de Sagon, O.P. said as the long-delayed “ALAB 2026” finally pushed through on Monday, Sept. 7.
De Sagon delivered the message during the Welcome Mass that opened the onboarding activities for basic education students, which had been postponed multiple times since Aug. 5 due to heavy rains and flooding brought by the southwest monsoon.
“There are many students who do not enjoy their life. Why? Because they just depend on worldly influencers. And when those things happen, walang mangyayari sa atin,” he said.
(There are many students who do not enjoy their life. Why? Because they just depend on worldly influencers. And when those things happen, we won’t amount to anything.)
De Sagon, also the director of the Institute of Religion, urged Thomasians to let Jesus inspire them and guide their choices as they begin their studies at UST.
“Sana, as you all stay in UST, you learn also to proclaim the words of Jesus. [Siya] ang talagang tunay na influencer—the one who influences us,” he said.
(Hopefully, as you all stay at UST, you also learn to proclaim the words of Jesus. He is the true influencer—the one who influences us.)
The SHS regent also urged the first-year students to remain optimistic and trust in “God’s own time” after the repeated postponements of their onboarding activities.
“Learn to trust God, especially in areas of life that one cannot control, and make the most out of everything so it becomes a blessing,” he said.
A total of 3,095 freshmen are among the 7,268 students enrolled in UST’s basic education cluster for Term 1 of Academic Year 2026–2027, according to final data from the Office of the Registrar.
The cluster comprises SHS, Junior High School and Education High School.
READ: UST logs 2.05% rise in student population in Term 1 of AY 2026-2027
The Welcome Mass was held at the Quadricentennial Pavilion and was followed by the ALAB 2026 orientation proper and the Thomasian Welcome Walk for basic education students and the Thomasian Freshmen Party. Yuahn Zachary B. Guilas with reports from Jed L. Ampongan
