Tag: June 20, 2002

THE UNIVERSITY’S no-smoking policy is not absolute after all as members of the Dominican community are not covered by the prohibition.

In an interview with the Varsitarian, Secretary General Fr. Winston Cabading said Dominican priests can smoke in their quarters. The Father’s Residence an Central Seminary are, strictly speaking, not under the UST administration. The residence is headed by a prior and the Seminary is headed by a rector who is the equal of the UST rector.

IT’S COOL to smoke.

The young are bombarded with this idea whenever ads of a cowboy or a man with gorgeous women are seen lighting up on TV.

Young people are being targeted by cigarette ads more than adults. Based on a US study, 86 per cent of people who smoke the three most heavily advertised brands (Marlboro, Camel, and Newport) are of ages 25 and below.

QUITTERS are losers, so the saying goes. But if winning means death in the long run, quitters may be winners after all.

For smokers, quitting from the habit is indeed an extraordinary challenge. According to Dr. Patrick Moral, head of the Smoking Cessation Clinic of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital (USTH), smoking is not only a habit but also a form of addiction.

FACULTY of Civil Law Prof. Alfredo Benipayo was no longer reappointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman by President Macapagal-Arroyo after he was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) for the seventh time. Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Benjamin Abalos, a former judge, was appointed in his place.

THE UST High School (USTHS) has suspended its plan to convert into a special science high school because of scarcity in funds, USTHS Principal Editha Fernandez said.

According to Fernandez, USTHS does not have enough funds to upgrade its facilities, which is a requirement for the conversion. She added the USTHS needs to construct additional science laboratories and computer rooms to accommodate all year levels.

A TEAM from the Thomasian Debaters Council (TDC) reached the Octo-finals of the 9th All Asian Inter-Varsity Debate Championship last May 14 to 22 in Thailand.

The team, composed of Ryan Christopher Usita, Anton Espino and Ian Valencia, ranked 13th overall, making it to the top 16 of 108 teams who joined the tournament

As individual debaters, Usita, Espino, and Valencia ranked 12th, 20th, and 41st, respectively.

THE VARSITARIAN once again proved that writing is not for journalists alone, but for everyone.

This year, Marlon Castor from the Faculty of Civil Law, Edumar Madlangbayan from Faculty of Pharmacy, and Eldric Paul Peredo from the Faculty of Philosophy, compose the publication’s editorial board.

Most of the sections are headed by non-Journalism majors. Legal Management senior Teodoro Lorenzo Fernandez was appointed News editor while Botany senior Dexter Matilla will handle the Sports section.

THE APPROVAL of a faculty union’s president is now a prerequisite before higher education institutions (HEIs) can increase tuition.

The Regional Multi-Sectoral Committee on Tuition Fees (RMSCTF) reached this consensus in their second convention at the UST Graduate School last June 7.

Before the agreement, only student councils were included in the consultation process.

A THOMASIAN graphic artist won the best front cover award during the 4th Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) last June 6 in Hongkong for his work on the Medical Observer, a local medical magazine.

Jericho Martinez, an Advertising Arts graduate, said that he was unaware of the contest.

ARCHBISHOP Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, urged the UST faculty to continue striving for excellence during the Mass of the Holy Spirit at the UST chapel last June10. The Mass formally opened the academic year 2002-2003.

In his homily, Franco reminded the academic personnel to guide their charges to become good students, good citizens, and good Christians.

He encouraged the teachers to further boost their level of confidence through rigorous research and further studies.