Tag: May 30, 2007

UST RECTOR Fr. Ernesto Arceo OP expressed dissatisfaction over the recent elections which he believes were marred by fraud and violence.

“The nationwide phenomenon of vote-buying and selling despite numerous laws strictly prohibiting them is a great indicator that both the candidates and the voters lack moral ascendancy,” Arceo told the Varsitarian.

THE RACE is on, for which of the “pro-life” and “pro-choice” groups will land on top of party-list winners for the 14th Congress.

Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay), a pro-life group, leads the race.

DESPITE being a key church in the Archdiocese of Manila, the UST’s Santissimo Rosario Parish failed to send volunteers for the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) poll watch during the May 14 elections.

Only the Santissimo Rosario Parish failed to send volunteers among churches in district 4 of Manila, PPCRV secretary general Bro. Clifford Sorita told the Varsitarian.

THE ELECTION of Fr. Eddie Panlilio as the new governor of Pampanga is an admirable but exceptional case, UST Rector Fr. Ernesto Arceo O.P. said.

“Under normal circumstances, a priest should not directly involve himself in politics,” Arceo told the Varsitarian. “However, Panlilio’s case is different since he wanted to do changes in the province. He chose to take the lead, and that’s admirable, although very difficult for a priest to do.”

THE COLLEGE of Commerce will offer two new programs in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) this June – Marketing Management and Financial Management – following a Commission on Higher Education (Ched) directive requiring higher educational institutions to increase their business administration courses.

Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs (OSA) Cristina Castro-Cabral sees toughening the implementation of rules and regulations on the student handbook as a safeguard to student’s safety in and out of the campus.

“This is to ensure the welfare of the students whether they are in the campus or even when they are out,” Cabral told the Varsitarian.

Cabral said that she felt that the implementation of rules was not strict in the previous years especially when student organizations arrange activities in and out of the campus.

NEW Faculty of Engineering Dean Peter Lim said he will strictly implement the student’s dress code, maintain the college’s good performance in licensure exams, and improve the faculty profile as he hopes to “make Engineering one of the UST flagship institutions by 2011.”

“Normally, Medicine and Science are the excellent colleges people think of when they say UST,” Peter Lim told the Varsitarian. “But UST Engineering is already being recognized globally, and now we only have to work harder so when they say UST, Engineering is the next word.”

THE OFFICE for Community Development (OCD) launched its first Summer Youth Camp last May 8 to 10 in Lipa City, Batangas to train youth leaders in the country.

OCD director Jose Cruz III said that the youth camp aims to develop the team building skills of Thomasian and non-Thomasian leaders together.

“We aim to give selected student leaders a good leadership formation that could aid them in the future,” Cruz told the Varsitarian.

A PROFESSOR from the UST Graduate School was awarded by the Diocese of Malolos in Bulacan for his contributions to Filipino church heritage.

Regalado Jose, Cultural Heritage Studies professor and Center for the Conservation of Cultural Properties and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET) consultant, received a gold medal and a certificate from Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros last April 25 for his works on the socio-historical, architectural and artistic dimensions of churches.

THE COLLEGE of Education is offering scholarship grants to 50 freshmen taking up Secondary Education this school year to attract more young people to the teaching profession and boost Catholic education.

“Teaching is not an attractive and a lucrative profession here in the country so that many teachers are forced to work abroad,” Rector Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. told the Varsitarian.

Arceo said that to qualify for the scholarship, applicants will be screened by the dean of Education to see if they are truly interested in teaching.