SHAKEN, but not broken.
The University of Santo Tomas inched closer to its 400th founding anniversary, prevailing over a relatively turbulent year that saw a major shake-up of its administration.
Former Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa returned to his old post despite serving two terms already from 1990 to 1998. His installation was seen as part of the Vatican’s effort to put order in a university leadership marred by controversies surround the expansion of the UST hospital.
De la Rosa urged Thomasians to resist “institutional sclerosis” to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
He promised to initiate programs that would make UST “more socially significant, economically stable, academically prestigious, and more globally recognized than the one over which I had the honor to preside.”
Pro-life advocacies
Being the oldest Catholic institution in Asia, UST made its strong presence felt in the campaign against House Bill No. 5043, a measure that seeks massive government spending on artificial birth control methods.
The school was a major participant in the local commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the encyclical Humanae Vitae.
The Varsitarian later published in November 2008 an editorial condemning the bill being spearheaded by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman as a “population control measure masquerading as a health law.”
That same month, faculty members got an early Christmas gift courtesy of a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with bonuses, back pay, salary adjustments and other benefits amounting to a whopping P100,000. The new package amounted to more than P280,000 for teachers with a 24-unit load.
In August, Thomasians were warned against patronizing eateries located along V. Concepcion Street after the UST Health Service found traces of e.coli bacteria in the water supply in the area.
E.coli, according to an official health bulletin, can cause gastrointestinal illness manifested by abdominal cramps, watery to bloody diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
On a lighter note, 11 fortunate Thomasians were granted an audience with Pope Benedict XVI during the World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia in August.
The University also co-hosted the third World Congress in Philosophy last September 11 to 13 in which theology was named as “the guardian of philosophy” by Jean-Luc Marion, one of the leading Catholic thinkers of the modern times.
For the first time, UST enjoyed convenient and technology-savvy student council elections last March with polls computerized university-wide.
In February, the Office of Student Affairs issued a memo that banned all styrofoam materials, not only containers, within the Tan Yan Kee Student Center’s premises to “prevent the environment’s rapid deterioration.”
Feats, laurels
Thomasians made waves in and out of the University in 2008.
Former UST vice rector, Fr. Virgilio Aderiano Ojoy, O.P., was chosen to serve as the founding rector of the first Catholic university in Ethiopia—the Ethiopia Catholic University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Ojoy took his post last January, three months after the opening of the school.
Civil Law professor and Sandiganbayan presiding justice Diosdado Peralta was appointed to a seat in the Supreme Court last January 14. Peralta also led 23 other sterling alumni to receive The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Awards (TOTAL) last August 2 for excellence in their respective fields.
Graudate School dean Dr. Lilian Sison now heads the women’s arm for the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace that holds dialogues among the world’s religions for peace and unity. UST also hosted the event in October which was attended by dignitaries from India, China, and many others.
Faculty members were also acknowledged by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last June 20.
Yolanda Reyes, former dean of the old College of Architecture and Fine Arts (CAFA), was hailed the Most Outstanding Professional of the Year in Architecture.
Dean Jocelyn Agcaoili of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences was named Most Outstanding Physical Therapist of the Year. Ma. Theresa Cayton, Antonio Abola, Ferdinand Tumpalan and Purita Tuazon were recognized as outstanding chemist, civil engineer, chemical engineer and pharmacist, respectively.
The late Thomasian journalist Jose Burgos, along with Engineering professor Carmela Centeno and Assistant to the Rector for Research and Development Fortunato Sevilla III, was named one of the 50 great men and women of science by the Department of Science and Technology last June 9.
Avant-garde Thomasian director Brillante Mendoza best foreign talents when he was named best director in the 62nd Cannes Film Festival for his film Kinatay (The Execution of P) last May 22.
Varsitarian photographer Paul Allyson Quiambao and artist Alexa Remalante joined fellow Thomasians Marcelo Bugaoan and Blane Louie Rosales, both advertising majors, in winning at the ArtPetron photography competition last August 27.
Fine Arts alumnus Jose Datuin boosted Filipino pride by winning the gold medal in the 2008 Olympic Sport & Art Contest for his metal sculpture “Dancing Rings.”
Vinson Serrano of Architecture was appointed head of the United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary in April.
The University’s singing pride, the UST Singers, once again elevated Thomasian excellence through music when audiences gave a standing ovation to the chorale’s sterling performance during the XXIX Festival International de Cant Coral Catalunya in Madrid, Spain. The chorale also sang in Zaragoza and Barcelona as part of their tour.
Meanwhile, UST was again recognized as among the world’s top 500 universities by the Times Higher Education-Quacquarelli Symonds, an annual ranking publication of the world’s top universities.
Several University institutions also went through an upgrade last academic year. The Graduate School received top recommendation among graduate business schools in the country from the EdUniversal survey, an international surveying body that distinguishes top business schools worldwide.
The College of Architecture also remained as the top-performing architecture school in the country for two consecutive years.
The Commission of Higher Education acclaimed the College of Education as a Center of Excellence while the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management was elevated into a college because of its “exemplary performance” for the past three years.
Topping the boards
The PRC hailed UST as the best-performing private university in the Philippines, tallying an 80-percent overall passing average and recording 14 high passing rates in 19 licensure exams.
Aira Therese Javier of the College of Nursing topped the June board exams joining two other nursing graduates in the top five. Joy Jennylyn Tan also landed in the 10th spot in mid-year Nursing board exams.
Edward Franz Plan topped the architecture board exams with six other Thomasians in the top ten.
Medical Technology student Alexander Sabbun Manguba secured the spot as seven other Thomasians barged into the Top 10.
Frederich Christian Tan led five other Thomasians in the Top 10 of the Nutrition-Dietetics board exam, with UST acquiring a 94-percent passing rate.
In the Occupational Therapy licensure exams, Kristel Anne Ayroso ranked first leading eight other Thomasians in the Top 10. Physical Therapy graduate Kriszel Gatdula reached the top spot with six other Thomasians also getting in the Top 10.
This only placed the University at the top with 98 and 84 percent passing rates for Physical and Occupational Therapy, respectively.
Meanwhile, Celeste Briones landed the second spot of the Pharmacy board exam along with eight top-notchers entering the Top 10. The Faculty of Pharmacy registered an 83 percent passing rate.
UST also continued to flaunt impressive results in the guidance and counseling licensure examinations with three Thomasians dominating the Top 10. Adonis David, who finished his master’s degree in the Graduate School, led all Thomasian passers with Maryrose Cortez of the College of Science and Janice Triguero ranking fifth and eighth, respectively.
The University also generated the most number of successful examinees all over the country with a 91 percent passing rate.
Sterling affairs and guests
Seeking to publish 400 books by 2011, the UST Publishing House launched 20 more titles last September, bringing to 280 the total number of books published since the goal was set in 2000.
Among the books was At Large, At Leisure, a collection of feature stories by UST Journalism professor and former Varsitarian managing editor Nestor Cuartero.
In November, some 1,600 Nursing students flocked to the Plaza Mayor to set a record attendance in promoting physical wellness.
Faculty members and support staff also took part in the event, which was one of the fitness programs facilitated by the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics. Simultaneous wellness lectures were also conducted with Pfizer, the Department of Health, and Red Cross among many others.
It was a star-studded December in UST as the annual Christmas concert traditionally held at the Santisimo Rosario Parish was graced by guests such as ABS-CBN’s Beaver Lopez, Cultural Center of the Philippines president Baltazar Entriga, Imelda Marcos, and former beauty queen Margie Moran-Floirendo, among others.
Celebrities and TV personalities once again flocked to the Medicine Auditorium last February in the fifth UST Students’ Choice Awards (USTv). Thomasian broadcast journalist Arnold Clavio received the Speculum Veritatis (Mirror of Truth) Award for his commitment to broadcast media and advocacy on children’s welfare through his Igan Foundation.
But unlike the previous year where Studio 23 won the Most Responsible Youth-Oriented TV Station award, none of the nominated TV stations took home the prize this year.
The Varsitarian’s extra-editorial activities also made waves throughout the year with sheer emphasis on the promotion of Thomasian values through letters.
Celebrating a decade of gathering campus journalists all over the country, Inkblots 2008, the UST national campus journalism fellowship, once again roused the love for the craft with the titans of Philippine media like Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Conrado de Quiros, Business World editorial board chair Vergel Santos, Philippine Star sports columnist Joaquin “Quinito” Henson, former New York Times correspondent Alice Colet-Villadolid and broadcaster Ces Drilon gracing the three-day seminar at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex last October.
Now on its 24th year, the annual Gawad Ustetika again recognized promising young writers in UST.
Communication Arts senior Michelle Ngu bagged the Rector’s Literary Award for her one-act play titled “Good Mourning.” Dianne Karen Consolacion of Nursing and Jacob Dominguez of Journalism were hailed “Kwentista ng Taon” and Fictionist of the Year, respectively.
In March, the Faculty of Arts and Letters took the revolving trophy back to its backyard after dethroning the College of Nursing during the 32nd Pautakan, the oldest annual inter-collegiate quiz contest in the country.
The UST Department of Humanities, Faculty of Arts and Letters, UST Literary Society, and the Varsitarian also came together and paid tribute to literary pedagogue Paz Latorena, with an exhibit and a day-long lecture at St. Raymund’s Building to mark her death centenary.
During her days as a professor in the University, Latorena was the mentor of some of today’s literary and journalism giants F. Sionil Jose, Ophelia Dimalanta, and Alice Colet-Villadolid to name a few.
This year’s CineVita film festival was a tribute to award-winning Thomasian director Brillante Mendoza, who was also the recipient of the first-ever CineVita Award that recognizes the efforts of filmmakers in upholding the truth and life in Philippine cinema.
The masterpieces that were showcased last March in the Thomas Aquinas Research Center were “Tirador,” “Kaleldo,” “Foster Child,” and the director’s cut of critically-acclaimed indie film “Serbis.” The event was also graced by movie stars Cherry Pie Picache, Julio Diaz, and Coco Martin.
Athletes still reign
What was hoped to be a repeat of the momentous Season 69 UAAP Men’s Basketball finish turned out to be a mediocre campaign.
The basketball team failed short of barging into the Final Four and ended up fifth.
Almost the same fate hit their female counterparts, only that the twice-to-beat Tigresses managed to enter the Final Four, but later succumbed to the University of the Philippines (UP).
The Salinggawi Dance Troupe again placed second to archrival UP Pep Squad.
But despite let-down performances in basketball, chess, track and field, and judo, UST still reigned supreme, bagging its 36th UAAP overall title.
King Tiger and former Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jervy Cruz led the UAAP All-Star selection in a 91-81 win against NCAA counterparts during the 2008 Samsung Bantay Bata 163 UAAP-NCAA All-Star Showcase last November 16.
UST rookie Clark Bautista was also hailed three-point king after mounting 19 points to depose defending champion Jayvee Casio of the De La Salle Green Archers.
UST also garnered its third consecutive and 11th overall title in the juniors division since 1995, besting UE and Ateneo.
“We fulfilled our UAAP goal of ‘Olympism’ wherein we don’t concentrate on just one event but in all areas of this competition. UST tries to be competitive in every sport and our long term of preparation really paid off,” said Fr. Ermito de Sagon, O.P., Institute of Physical education and Athletics (IPEA) director. Joseime Jowin L. Ignacio, Sarah Jane P. Pauyo and Ronalyn M. Umali
