Tag: December 14, 2002

PERUVIAN Fr. Gustavo Gutierrez, O.P. generally considered the father of the controversial theology of liberation, urged the Church to realize its role in uplifting the lives of the poor by helping the struggle against unjust social structures that perpetuate poverty.

Fr. Gutierrez pointed out that Theology could be used to liberate the poor during the lecture “Speaking the Truth in Action with the Poor” last Nov. 30 at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium.

THE COMMISSION on Higher Education (Ched) has pledged P8 million in support of the Level II accreditation currently enjoyed by the UST College of Nursing. The grant will be released by 2005.

According to Nursing Dean Glenda Vargas, the money would likely be spent on refurbishing the student laboratories.

“We want the students to be benefited. For one, our laboratories need refurbishing but we are still weighing things,” Vargas said in Filipino.

However, Vargas said the College will have to present to Ched before it can use the money.

THOMASIANS expressed hope that Senate Bill 2255 or “An Act Providing Tax Exemption on the Educational Expenses incurred by a Taxpayer,” which seeks an additional tax-exemption limit of P20,000 per student for educational expenses of families, will be enacted.

UST Rector Fr. Tamerlane Lana, O.P., said the University is fully supporting the bill.

THE UST Museum of Arts and Sciences is hosting the Fifth Annual Interior Design and Christmas Décor Competition and Exhibit until Dec. 20 at the Museum Gallery. The exhibit opened last Dec. 9.

“Hark the Herald” showcases angel decors in a garden setting in two-dimensional forms and mixed media painting. There are also be samples of hanging and tabletop decor.

According to curator Jocelyn Tullao, UST is the only school with a department-wide competition held in a museum.

IN RECOGNITION of his contributions to the development of the Filipino language, the Varsitarian conferred upon Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera the Parangal Hagbong during the 18th Gawad Ustetika Annual Awards for Literature, last Nov. 16 at the Main Bldg. lobby.

Lumbera was honored for encouraging universities nationwide to establish departments for its study and practice during the Marcos regime.

Lumbera admitted that he had been longing to receive the award like an actor waiting to receive his first Oscar.

NEWLY-appointed Center for Research and Development (CRD) director Dr. Gloria Bernas plans to improve University researchers through overseas studies.

Bernas said UST needs to improve the academic profile of researchers to produce research outputs not only for local panels, but also for global audiences.

“We are now very aggressive in promoting human power by sending our researchers abroad to study because I believe that it is only through acquiring a post-graduate degree that they can be competent researchers,” Bernas said.

A TEAM from the Thomasian Cable Television (Tomcat) won this year’s Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize for its documentary “Edukasyon: Poverty and Education: In Depth: Episode-1” in the Japan Prize International Educational Program contest last Nov. 4 in Tokyo, Japan.

The Japan Prize International has been recognizing educational children’s programs produced by independent producers and television networks around the world since 1965.

The Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize is awarded to education-oriented videos.

A GROUP of Thomasian activists is planning to start a University-wide signature campaign to stop the annual tuition increase.

According to Alliance of Concerned Thomasians (ACT-NOW) member and Faculty of Engineering student Romulo Yumul, the signatures will be presented during the tuition increase consultation meeting in Febuary.

According to the group, the University administration increased the tuition last semester despite the opposition of student representatives during the consultation meeting last February.

PHILIPPINE education is not ready for globalization because of its political and economic instability, the executive vice president of the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) said during the first Asian Labor Network on International Financial Institutions last Dec. 4 at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex auditorium.

FORMER UST Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P. emphasized the relevance of campus journalism during the first Jose Villa Panganiban-Varsitarian Professorial Chair for Journalism Lecture last Nov. 21 at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center auditorium.

According to Fr. de la Rosa, critics perceive campus journalism today as obsolete, elitist, and irrelevant.

“Student publications seem to have been caught in a time warp, oblivious to the fast pace of innovation and obsolescence made possible by technology,” Fr. de la Rosa said.