THE YEAR 2025 was defining one for the University and the country, marked by events of national significance, campus highlights, and milestones that placed UST in the public spotlight.
From the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor, Trump’s return to the White House, corruption issues, and political controversies, global and national developments intersected with campus life, putting Thomasians in the public eye.
Within the University, collective bargaining talks dragged on but ended in a compromise, questions of accountability followed the death of a graduating student, and students staged walkouts to protest massive corruption in the government.
The year also saw advances in research, movements in university rankings, the expansion of academic programs, and Thomasians earning wider recognition.
Join us as we revisit The Varsitarian’s 25 top stories of 2025, many of them exclusives picked up by the national press and other campus outfits.
UST projects in limbo after Trump pulls plug on USAID projects
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) terminated a UST ecotourism project in Siquijor, as the agency reeled from US President Donald Trump’s sweeping cuts to foreign aid in line with his “America First” policy.
The Varsitarian learned that the USAID-funded project, which received P16.5 million through the Gerry Roxas Foundation, was scrapped on Feb. 26, or nine months before its scheduled completion.
Also affected was the “US-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning” (UPSKILL) project, which received $30 million in funding and was initially set to be implemented until July 2028.
FUNDING FOR UST PROJECT SCRAPPED AS TRUMP SLASHES 90% OF USAID PROGRAMS
UST Medicine honors ‘silent mentors’ in reverent send-off
Medicine students refer to them as “silent mentors” — the cadavers used in anatomy classes to help bridge the gap between theory and practice.
At the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (FMS), nearly 500 medicine students gain from working with these cadavers each academic year, culminating in a ceremony known as the “Inurnment Rites of the Silent Mentors,” which started in 2021.
On April 5, during the third edition of the ceremony, 38 cadavers used by first-year medical students during Academic Year 2023-2024 were cremated. The ashes of each silent mentor were placed in pouches and collected in a marble box, inurned at the Dominican nuns’ Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Cainta, Rizal.
Pope Francis dies at 88
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American and the first non-European in over a millennium to lead the Catholic Church, died at 7:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88, the Vatican announced.
The announcement was made at Casa Santa Marta, where Francis had resided, by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, who was tasked to administer the Church upon the death of the pope.
POPE FRANCIS, CHURCH REFORMER AND FIRST LATIN AMERICAN PONTIFF, DIES AT 88
Thomasians’ top Senate, Manila mayor picks
Former senators Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan emerged as Thomasians’ top picks for Senate in the 2025 elections, a Varsitarian survey showed.
Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was the top choice for Manila mayor with 38%.
AQUINO, PANGILINAN ARE UST STUDENTS’ TOP PICKS FOR SENATE — VARSITARIAN SURVEY
Leo XIV is new Pope of Universal Church
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church on May 9, taking the name Leo XIV and breaking new ground as the first pope from the United States and the Augustinian order.
A white plume of smoke exited the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, a signal from the 133 cardinal-electors that their work was done, and that the next successor of St. Peter had been chosen.
HISTORIC CONCLAVE SEES U.S., AUGUSTINIANS GET FIRST POPE IN LEO XIV
Physical therapy student’s death shocks UST
Junver Toledo, a physical therapy (PT) student at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, was nearing graduation — a milestone that had already been pushed back by a year.
On May 16, a day after returning from Bataan, Junver told his parents he needed to go to Manila to finalize graduation matters. His parents, Oliver and Olivia, escorted him to the highway where he boarded the bus to Manila at 8 p.m.
It was the last time they would see him alive.
JUNVER TOLEDO’S FINAL DAYS, AND HIS FAMILY’S PLEAS FOR REFORMS, COMPASSION
Faculty union votes to ratify new salary, benefits with UST
A total of 1,410 faculty members, or nearly 97% of the 1,456 votes cast, ratified the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which will be in effect until July 31, 2026. Thirty faculty members voted against the deal, while 16 votes were deemed invalid.
UNION RATIFIES NEW UST SALARY, BENEFITS DEAL IMPROVING FACULTY PERKS
Mikee Quintos’ 10-year college journey
It took 10 years before actress Mikee Quintos finally closed her college journey as one of the 318 graduates from the UST College of Architecture.
Quintos, known for her roles in “Encantadia,” “Onanay,” and “Voltes V: Legacy,” first entered the UST College of Architecture in 2014, just two years before she went into acting.
On April 22, Quintos defended her thesis — the final requirement before walking into the Quadricentennial Pavilion — and a month later, on June 21, she marched as part of the College of Architecture’s Class of 2025, hoping to pursue a career in the field.
MIKEE QUINTOS TAKES PRIDE IN UNIQUELY LONG PATH TO UST GRADUATION
PH’s first vocal implant surgery for speech restoration
UST Hospital marked a breakthrough in vocal rehabilitation with the country’s first successful implantation of a medical-grade silicone and titanium voice system, restoring speech in a patient with vocal cord paralysis.
Led by Dr. Milabelle Lingan of UST Hospital’s Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, the hour-and-a-half-long operation was performed on a 60-year-old patient with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) on April 28.
UVFP is a condition where one or both vocal folds fail to move properly, severely affecting speech and sound production. The immobility can be caused by nerve damage, infections, trauma, tumors, and autoimmune disorders.
UST HOSPITAL PIONEERS PH’S FIRST VOCAL IMPLANT SURGERY FOR SPEECH RESTORATION
UST EHS opens senior high program
The UST Education High School (EHS) launched its own senior high school (SHS) program on Friday, Aug. 1, during its 75th founding anniversary.
Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta presented the 36 pilot Grade 11 students, who were also junior high school (JHS) completers of EHS, during the 29th Doña Caridad Sevilla Memorial Lecture.
ON ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY, UST EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL OPENS SENIOR HIGH PROGRAM
Catch basin in UST?
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the city government of Manila have revived a decade-old proposal to dig out a rainwater catch basin under the UST Field to address chronic flooding.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and MMDA Chairman Romando Artes trooped to UST on Aug. 27 to propose the construction of a 72,000-cubic-meter water impounding facility at the open field and grandstand, a protected national cultural landmark.
ISKO, MMDA REVIVE UNDERGROUND STORM CATCH BASIN PLAN; UST NON-COMMITTAL
Ang ika-100 taong anibersaryo ng Kolehiyo ng Edukasyon
Opisyal na binuksan ng Kolehiyo ng Edukasyon ang pagdiriwang ng ika-100 taong anibersaryo nito sa pamamagitan ng pagbabalik-tanaw sa mayamang kasaysayan at mga naging tagumpay ng institusyon mula nang itatag ito noong 1926.
Nagsagawa ng lektura tungkol sa pagkatatatag ng kolehiyo nitong ika-6 ng Agosto sa Thomas Aquinas Research Center Auditorium.
BALIK-TANAW SA ISANG SIGLONG KASAYSAYAN NG KOLEHIYO NG EDUKASYON
Labing-isang salitang Filipino sa Oxford Dictionary 2025
Walo sa mga bagong salita ang tinanggap bilang bahagi ng Philippine English, kabilang ang “CR,” “gigil,” “kababayan,” “lumpia,” “salakot,” “sando,” “Thomasite,” at “videoke.”
Tatlo naman ang binigyan ng bagong kahulugan sa konteksto ng Filipino, katulad ng “load” na tumutukoy sa credit na binili sa pay-as-you-go na mobile phone; “terror” na nangangahulugang guro na kilala sa pagiging istrikto; at “Pinoy” na kabilang o may kaugnayan sa Pilipinas o Pilipino.
11 SALITANG FILIPINO, OPISYAL NA ISINAMA SA OXFORD DICTIONARY 2025
Catholic Church proclaims two new saints
The Catholic Church proclaimed two new saints on Sunday, Sept. 7, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV canonized St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis, introducing them to the Church as models of youthful holiness in the modern age.
FRASSATI, ACUTIS PROCLAIMED SAINTS, OFFERED AS MODELS FOR THE YOUTH
Three Thomasians involved in flood-control projects
Three UST system alumni are among those linked to flood control projects, as investigations in Congress continue to uncover anomalies.
They are Sen. Joel Villanueva, former House appropriations chair Zaldy Co, and public works official Henry Alcantara, who have been tagged in anomalous projects worth billions of pesos.
LIST: THOMASIANS INVOLVED IN FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS
UST SHS’s ‘La Stampa’ told to drop press freedom cartoon
La Stampa received instructions to revise an illustration from one about the lack of press freedom to a new one carrying a theme about artificial intelligence and fake news, the editor of the official student publication of UST Senior High School told the Varsitarian.
‘LA STAMPA’ TOLD TO DROP PRESS FREEDOM CARTOON, SHIFT THEME TO AI, FAKE NEWS – EDITOR
UST opens UAAP with grand ‘Paskuhan-like’ ceremony
In a grand “Paskuhan-like” ceremony, the University marked the beginning of the UAAP Season 88 on Friday, Sept. 19.
The opening festivities drew over 36,629 guests from UAAP member-schools and the Thomasian community, according to the final count of the Campus Safety and Security Office.
UST MOUNTS ‘PASKUHAN-LIKE’ UAAP OPENING, LOGS MORE THAN 36,000 ATTENDEES
Thomasians stage walkout amid flood-control anomalies
Thomasians stepped out of their classrooms on Sept. 29 in a once-in-a-generation walkout to protest massive government corruption, as the scandal over “ghost” flood-control projects that had ensnared public works officials and lawmakers grew.
THOMASIANS WALK OUT: STUDENTS CONDEMN CORRUPTION, CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Catholic Church, youth groups join the ‘Baha sa Luneta’
The nationwide Sept. 21 protests against massive corruption in flood-control projects have sparked renewed interest in the “people power” narrative of non-violent reform.
Organized by the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (Tama Na), the “Baha sa Luneta” morning protest at Luneta (Rizal) Park in Manila denounced the widespread siphoning of government funds by lawmakers and public works officials.
CATHOLIC CHURCH, YOUTH JOIN CALLS FOR PROTEST AT ‘BAHA SA LUNETA’
The Varsitarian wins big in US College Media Pinnacle Awards
The Varsitarian, the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, reaped eight awards at the US College Media Association (CMA) Pinnacle Awards – one of the United States’ most prestigious student media competitions.
This makes the Varsitarian the first school paper from the Philippines and Asia to win in multiple categories, in league with top campus US publications such as the University of Texas at Austin’s The Daily Texan, the University of California Los Angeles’ The Daily Bruin, and the University of Michigan’s The Michigan Daily.
UST VARSITARIAN MAKES HISTORY AS MULTI-CATEGORY WINNER IN US COLLEGE MEDIA PINNACLE AWARDS
UST takes over car park as contract with Selegna Holdings Inc. ends
Leaks, corrosion, and deteriorating fixtures have prompted the University to begin rehabilitation work in the 20-year-old UST car park, the Facilities Management Office (FMO) told the Varsitarian.
This comes ahead of the expiration of the University’s extended contract with Selegna Holdings Corp., the private contractor and operator, on Nov. 15.
UST SET TO TAKE OVER, INSPECT CAR PARK AS EXTENDED CONTRACT WITH PRIVATE OPERATOR ENDS
UST releases new ethics guidelines on outside employment and conduct
The University has issued fresh ethics guidelines on academic staff, covering workload, conduct, and outside employment and consultancies under a document titled “Institutional Standards of Professional Ethics” (ISPE).
Effective this academic year, the 14-article document outlines expectations for professional competence, the responsible use of University facilities, and adherence to Catholic and Dominican values in teaching, research, and service.
UST TIGHTENS RULES ON OUTSIDE WORK, FACULTY CONDUCT
Political Science dep’t holds ‘terror-grooming’ forum
Speakers at the Nov. 6 forum on “terror grooming” stressed that open dialogue is vital to resolving social conflicts and building understanding — even as the event drew strong backlash from student activists. A philosophy student, an outspoken activist, walked out in protest, was heckled, and labelled a communist by an audience member.
WHAT HAPPENED DURING ‘TERROR-GROOMING’ FORUM
UST car park gets new operator, overnight rate
FlexIt Mobility Solutions Inc. officially took over the Multi-Deck Parking (MDP) Building on Nov. 16, a day after the contract between UST and private operator Selegna Holdings Inc. expired.
The new operator kept the student rate at P40 for the first four hours and P15 per hour for succeeding hours.
NEW OPERATOR TAKES OVER CAR PARK, EXPLAINS RATIONALE FOR P1,000 OVERNIGHT RATE
Solidaridad bookshop sold
Solidaridad Bookshop, a cultural and literary landmark founded by the late National Artist for Literature F. Sionil José, has been sold and is set to transition to new ownership following the signing of sale documents on Friday, Nov. 21.
Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste of Batangas, son of Sen. Loren Legarda who is a longtime family friend of the Josés, became the new owner of Solidaridad Bookshop after four months of negotiation.
SOLIDARIDAD BOOKSHOP SOLD TO BATANGAS LAWMAKER LEANDRO LEVISTE
