Tag: March 24, 2003

HOW DO you say goodbye? Honestly, I don’t know. For the past years, I didn’t have to. I was always the one who was left behind. Now it is my turn to move on and I am learning how to do it on my own.

I am fighting the urge to hope that I could bring back the past and make right what went wrong, because I know I couldn’t.

Still, I can’t help but wish I could freeze that certain space in time and relive the happy memories I once had in the ‘V.’

DESPITE having only barely two months to prepare for the Bar examinations, Arlene Maneja managed to capture the most coveted spot in the list of new lawyers. As a result, she feels honored about her landmark achievement of becoming the UST’s first Bar topnotcher after 66 years, following the late President Diosdado Macapagal.

WHEN Carla Santamaria entered law school in 1991, she had little more than her father’s prodding and her BS Mathematics major in Actuarial Science degree to start with.

In 1994, after Benigno Par, Jr. committed himself to outdo his academic performance when he was taking up BS Accountancy, he got his first-ever failed grade in one minor first-year law subject.

THERE is great power bestowed on lawyers. Truth will prevail and justice will be served only if they do their job well and stay true to the oath they took. With the temptation posed by money and power on lawyers, rendering justice becomes a tougher job.

This is why the UST Faculty of Civil Law, in its more than two centuries of existence, remains committed to producing lawyers with Christian virtues and principles through sound Catholic legal education.

A burning midafternoon scorched the back of Joaquin’s neck as he stepped out of the dormitory. Before him, the world unfolded into the green of trees that lined the playing field. At once he desired their inviting shade, but at that moment it was all but owned by students who filled the benches under the trees, students who were probably enjoying the feel of cold stone on their bottoms as much as they did the shade which made the day more friendly.

MATIYAGANG inaayos ng mama ang mga upuang nakahilera sa tapat ng grandstand habang pinapapak ko ang natirang baon. Mula sa aking kinauupuan, nararamdaman ko ang init na pumapaso sa kanyang balat at ang unti-untIng pagdaloy ng pawis sa kanyang noo kahit na natatakpan ng sumbrerong puti ang kanyang ulo.

Bukas na ang baccalaureate mass at sagaran ang paghahanda ng ilang tao dito. Lumipas na ang apat na taon mula nang una akong umupo sa lugar na ito at narito pa rin ang kakaibang hanging yumayakap sa aking pagkatao.

As graduation draws near, soon-to-be alumni begin to reminisce their stay here in the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas.

The Varsitarian asked the seniors memorable experiences and everything from places to things they could give UST as a farewell gift.Before they enter the “real world”, we asked them to remember things about UST.

What is your most memorable experience here in UST?

TO MOST graduates, the next hurdle is the search for the most rewarding job. Every year, first-time applicant’s brave the hustle and bustle of Makati and Ortigas hoping to land that dream job.

Competition is indeed fierce in the job market, with some four million Filipinos unemployed. This leads a Thomasian to ask: Is being a product of Asia’s oldest university a guarantee to a high-paying job?

I convey my congratulations to you, my dear graduating students. I am confident that you are all proud to belong to the roster of University of Santo Tomas graduates, Batch 2003!

Now that you have reached the end of your academic journey, it is easy to imagine a vast horizon spread in front of you, dotted with the colorful plans and dreams that you have carefully built over the past years. Your hearts must be bursting with pride as you recall the struggles and sacrifices you have made to arrive at this happy moment.

THE FATE of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method used in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery is now in the hands of the Rector.

Fr. Rector Tamerlane Lana, O.P. said he hopes to resolve the raging debate by the end of the month.

“I’m still looking into the issue and weighing the pros and cons of both sides and thinking of the best way to unite the Faculty once again,” Fr. Lana said in a interview with the Varsitarian. “All I can say now is that I am for innovation that is acceptable to the needs of everybody, not only of a certain group.”