‘PANDEMIC BATCH’ EXITS ARCH
Thomasian clerics hit divorce bill
THOMASIAN clerics remained firm in their opposition to the absolute divorce bill, describing it as a morally questionable and unnecessary solution to failed marriages.
Msgr. Bernardo Pantin, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said divorce is merely a “shortcut” for individuals seeking to escape difficult marriages.
“The stand of the Church will still be the same – that marriage is an unbreakable bond,” Pantin, the former president of the UST Alumni Priests’ Association, told the Varsitarian
“The marriage we believe is inviolable…but divorce is trying to break up marriage,” he said. “There are several grounds for the dissolution of marriage kasi several marriages are in fact invalid… [pero] hindi kailangan na mag-divorce kasi it’s really breaking up marriage.”
By Fernando Pierre Marcel B. de la Cruz
EMPLOYEE unions representing faculty, support staff, and hospital personnel at UST have reached out to Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, raising concerns regarding the city mandate requiring all employees to obtain a health certificate.
Organisasyon ng Nagkakaisang Empleyado ng UST (ONE-UST), which includes the UST Faculty Union (USTFU), Samahang Manggagawa ng UST (SM-UST), and Ugnayan ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng UST Hospital (UNM-UST), sent a letter to Lacuna on June 21 listing their concerns and recommendations.
The letter, signed by USTFU president Asst. Prof. Emerito ►
UST improves score in THE Impact rankings, stays in 601-800 bracket
By Ernest Martin G. Tuazon
THE UNIVERSITY kept its position as one of the top schools in the Philippines in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, which rates institutions based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
Based on the 2024 edition of the rankings released on June 12 (Manila time), UST remained in the 601-800 worldwide bracket where it has stayed in for the past four years.
UST improved its overall rating to 64.5-69.8 in the latest edition from 59.7-66.7 last year, and sustained its position among the top three universities in the Philippines.
It was the highest-ranked Philippine university in terms of implementing SDG 3 (good health and well-being), figuring in the 101-200 bracket worldwide with a score of 75.9-80.9.
UST also posted its best scores in SDG 4 (quality education), where it had a 62.1-65.6 rating; SDG 5 (gender equality), where it scored 55.3-59.1; and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals), where it received a 52.9-59.7 mark.
However, it failed to sustain its position as the top-ranked Philippine university in the SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) criterion, falling to the 601-800 worldwide bracket from the 401-600 cluster it landed in last year.
Fifty-six schools in the Philippines entered the 2024 THE Impact Rankings, significantly higher than the 29 institutions ranked in the previous edition.
Ateneo de Manila University remained the top university in the Philippines with an overall score of 79.3-83.9. It ranked within the 201-300 cluster worldwide.
De La Salle University, Ifugao State University, and the University of the Philippines figured in a three-way tie for No. 2 in the Philippines after scoring 69.9-75.7
Here is how the University performed in the other SDGs:
• SDG 1 (no poverty)
52.8-56.9 (301-400)
• SDG 2 (zero hunger)
31.1-46.6 (401-600)
• SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation)
36.2-48.3 (401-600)
• SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy)
33.5-46.3 (601-800)
• SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth)
52.8-61.1 (401-600)
• SDG 10 (reduced inequalities)
47.2-56.4 (401-600)
• SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities)
56.8-54.3 (301-400)
• SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production)
13.7-40.9 (601-800)
• SDG 13 (climate action) 21.6-35.9 (601-800)
• SDG 14 (life below water) 10.7-39.7 (401-600)
• SDG 15 (life on land)
45.8-55.1 (301-400)
• SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions)
51.3-61.8 (401-600)
and landing within the 401-600 bracket worldwide.
Joining UST as the third highest-ranked Philippine school were Batangas State University, Mariano Marcos State University, and Saint Louis University.
Western Sydney University in Australia topped the 2,152 universities from 125 countries included in this year’s THE Impact Rankings.
For its annual Impact Rankings, the THE assessed schools’ implementation of the SDGs in research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
It ranked universities based on the scores they posted in SDG 17 (22 percent) and the rating they received in three SDGs wherein they performed best (26 percent each).
Gonzales, SM-UST president Dan Patricio, and UNM-UST president Donell Siazon, pointed to the “low turnout” of UST employees complying with the requirement — 850 of the 1,700 faculty members and 800 support staff.
They attributed the low compliance rate to several factors: the distance to the designated testing facility, the discomfort of collecting urine and stool samples in substandard public toilets, reluctance to mix with large crowds that might include sick individuals, and many teachers being in nearby provinces during the vacation period.
Applicants must download the “GO! Manila” app to set up a profile and schedule an appointment, and then pay P625 online for the health permit covering laboratory procedures but excluding the X-ray, which must be obtained from an accredited hospital and is a separate expense.
The required laboratory pro-
Final phase of stormwater drainage system upgrade underway — FMO
By Fernando Pierre Marcel B. de la Cruz
UST’S STORMWATER drainage system upgrade is nearing completion with the commencement of the final construction phase, officials from the Facilities and Management Office (FMO) said.
FMO Director Fr. Dexter Austria said the construction beneath Dr. Juan Miciano and Dr. Joaquin Quintos Drives, located behind the UST Hospital and adjacent to the San Martin de Porres Building, would conclude the second and final stage of UST’s drainage system upgrade.
The final stage includes the installation of larger pipes, the installation of additional drainage channels, and the
implementation of new plumbing systems, said Albert Surla, the assistant director of the FMO.
Surla, an engineer, said the drainage system upgrade was initiated to address the persistent flooding issues that have disrupted student life and work and posed health and safety risks during rains.
“This issue has disrupted the daily activities of students, faculty, staff, patients, and doctors, and has posed potential health and safety risks,” Surla told the Varsitarian
UST began constructing its updated stormwater detention system in 2018 in a bid to make the Manila campus on España Boulevard, the catch basin of the Sampaloc area, “flood-free.”
Surla said the final stage would be
completed in three months, aligning with the start of the next academic year.
“The schedule has been planned to minimize disruption to university activities, with certain phases of the work being carried out during off-peak hours and school breaks where possible,” he said.
“The reduction of flooding will ensure a safer area for the Thomasian community and will minimize disruptions to educational activities and healthcare services.”
The first phase of the drainage system improvements at UST covered half the campus and was completed in 2020, according to Austria.
The second stage included construction beneath the Central Seminary, Motorpool, and Botanical Garden.
► Workers work on the construction beneath Dr. Juan Miciano and Dr. Joaquin Quintos Drives on Thursday, June 13, as part of the second and final stage of UST’s drainage system upgrade.
UST won’t return to old academic calendar, sticks to August opening of classes
UST WILL not follow the government’s revert to the old school calendar, setting Aug. 9 as the start of classes for Academic Year 2024-2025.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a gradual return to the old academic calendar in the Philippines, with basic education classes beginning on July 29. This decision came after extreme heat led to the suspension of in-person classes from April to May.
cedures, including a drug test and stool exam, are conducted at the former site of the Sta. Cruz Public Library on Alvarez Street. The stool sample and X-ray results are collected at a nearby covered basketball court where a sign hanging from the ceiling says a new public health laboratory won’t be open until July 2024. At the collection point, applicants are instructed by staff to fill up another online form for lab use. However, there is no WiFi available at the venue.
Mimeographed drug test consent and specimen custody and control forms, consisting of three pages, are sold in a store across the former library site for P10 each, without official government receipts.
According to the collegiate calendar released by UST’s Office of the Secretary General, the traditional Misa and Discurso de Apertura, or the inaugural Mass and lecture that kickstarts every academic year in UST, will be held on Aug. 2.
Freshmen will participate in several orientation activities: local sessions for each academic unit will take place from Aug. 1 to 3, while two versions of the traditional “ROARientation” will be conducted on Aug. 5 (virtual) and Aug. 6 (in person).
After the school holiday on Aug. 8, which marks the feast of St. Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Dominican Order, regular classes for Term 1 will begin on Aug. 9.
The University will observe a weeklong Undas break from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. Paskuhan festivities are scheduled for Dec. 20.
Registration for Term 2 will commence on Jan. 10, 2025, with regular classes resuming on Jan. 13.
UST will have a week-long Easter break from April 14 to 21.
The graduation season will begin with the Student Awards Day on May 23.
The Baccalaureate Mass for Batch
Sellers of bottled water, meant to induce urine, hover around the disorderly queue on the street. Only a picnic shade tent protects the people in the long queue from the elements.
—PHOTO BY
ALBERT EARL A. GOMEZ
Licensure Examinations
UST produces 139 new CPAs
By Fernando Pierre Marcel B. de la Cruz
THE UNIVERSITY produced 139 new certified public accountants (CPAs) in the May 2024 licensure examinations, good for a 65.26-percent passing rate.
The number of Thomasian passers in the May 2024 exams came from a pool of 213 examinees.
While UST’s passing rate was lower than the 76.9-percent rating recorded in October 2023, it surpassed the 30.28-percent national passing rate for the recent exam cycle.
No school met the criteria to be listed among the top-performing schools — a passing rate of 80 percent or higher and 50 or more examinees.
Sharing the No. 1 spot were Nicole Gonzales of the University of the Cordilleras and Hazel Sera of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Santa Mesa, who both scored 90.83 percent.
Out of 10,421 examinees nationwide, 3,155 passed the recent exam cycle.
The overall passing rate decreased from the 31.37-percent average in October 2023, when there were 2,740 passers out of 8,734 examinees.
The May 2024 licensure examinations for CPAs were held from May 26 to 28.
UST is No. 2 in June 2024 architecture board exams; 2 Thomasians in top 10
By Mikhail S. Orozco
THE UNIVER SITY emerged as the second top-performing school in the June 2024 licensure examinations for architects, in which 143 Thomasian examinees, including two topnotchers, passed.
UST produced the highest number of passers in the recent exam cycle, which came from a pool of 161 examinees, good for an 88.82-percent passing rate.
Its recent passing rate was an improvement from the 82.09-percent rating (110 of 134) logged in January 2024, during which UST was named the lone top-performing school.
Jarvis Cal Ortiz led the fresh crop of Thomasian architects after earning the No. 6 spot nationwide with an 82.10-percent score.
Another Thomasian, Basilio Carolino, scored 81.70 percent and shared the No. 8 spot with two other topnotchers.
Louie Kiu of De La Salle College of Saint Benilde bested the June 2024 licensure exams for architects with a score of 83.80 percent.
UST drops to 851-900 bracket in 2025 QS World University Rankings
By Ernest Martin G. Tuazon
UST SLID to the 851-900 range in the 2025 edition of the Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, failing to sustain the previous year’s progress.
In the latest ranking released on June 5 (Philippine time), UST dropped from the 801-850 range, which it reached last year when it made its first leap in the QS World Rankings.
Despite its lower position globally, UST remained the fourthranked school in the Philippines.
UST secured the top spot among Philippine universities in the international faculty and international students criteria,
though it scored lower in these indicators in the 2025 tally.
It received a score of 34.9 in the international faculty metric, down from 41.4 in 2024, and 5.8 in the international students ratio, down from 8.2 in 2024.
UST was the lowest-ranked Philippine school in terms of citations per faculty, assessed using data from Elsevier’s Scopus database. It scored 1.3 in this criterion, maintaining its position in the 701+ bracket globally.
Here is how the University performed in the other six QS indicators: academic reputation – 12.28
(from 11.5 in 2024); employer reputation – 39.9 (from 33.5); employment outcomes – 14.1 (from 12.5); faculty-student ratio – 12.5 (from 15.7); international research network –18.1 (from 1); and sustainability – 2.4 (from 1.1).
Five Philippine universities were ranked in the 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings.
The University of the Philippines remained the top school in the country, moving up to the 336th spot globally from 404th last year.
Ateneo de Manila University improved to the 516th spot from 563rd, while De La Salle University advanced to the 641-650 range from the 681-690 bracket.
University of San Carlos, which entered the QS rankings for the
UST is 7th most research-productive school in PH: EDCOM II study
By Ernest Martin G. Tuazon
THE UNIVERSITY ranked seventh among eight Philippine schools that have demonstrated significant research productivity, according to a study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
UST was categorized in the first tier of research-intensive higher education institutions (HEIs), with over 1,700 Scopus-listed papers across 10 disciplines as of June 2023.
It ranked above Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and below De La Salle University (DLSU), the Diliman, Manila, and Los Baños campuses of the University of the Philippines (UP), Mapua University, and Ateneo de Manila University.
EDCOM II identified the cluster by evaluating comprehensive schools whose research output met the standards set by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which is 150 published Scopus
papers annually for five consecutive years.
The commission further filtered the eight schools comprising the first tier to exclude non-comprehensive institutions.
The five schools deemed first-tier comprehensive research-intensive HEIs by EDCOM II were: De La Salle University (DLSU); University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman; Ateneo de Manila University; UST; and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.
UST achieved the highest medical research productivity among the five comprehensive schools in the cluster, with 497 papers published over five years.
Based on the University’s disciplinary strengths, the commission recommended partnering it with Central Luzon State University and Batangas State University, both second-tier research-intensive state universities.
This proposed five-year partnership aims to enhance the schools’ research productivity and faculty mentoring capacity
through various collaborative projects, according to the EDCOM II study.
Meanwhile, DLSU recorded the highest number of Scopus-listed papers among HEIs in the country, with two disciplines surpassing 1,000 papers: computer science (1,196) and engineering (1,133).
UP Diliman excelled in engineering research with 721 papers, Ateneo led in social science research with 589 papers, and Mindanao State University performed best in physics and astronomy with 312 papers.
The study, titled “Establishing Targeted Human Resource Development Partnerships between the Philippines’ First-Tier Research-Intensive HEIs and Second-Tier Research-Intensive SUCs,” was published by EDCOM II in collaboration with DLSU.
EDCOM II is a commission established by the Marcos Jr. administration in 2022 to assess and evaluate the performance of the Philippine education sector.
first time last year, fell to the 1,401+ bracket from the 1,201-1,400 range in the 2024 edition.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained its position as the top-ranked university worldwide, a title it has held for 13 consecutive years.
The QS World University Rankings evaluated universities based on nine performance indicators: academic reputation (30 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), employer reputation (15 percent), faculty-student ratio (10 percent), employment outcomes (5 percent), international faculty (5 percent), international research network (5 percent), international students (5 percent), and sustainability (5 percent).
Admin, support staff ink new CBA
By Hannah Joyce V. Andaya and Mikhail S. Orozco
THE UST support staff union and the University administration have reached a new five-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to hike wages and benefits for employees at the Sampaloc campus.
In a general assembly on June 13, 487 members of Samahang Manggagawa ng UST (SM-UST) voted in favor of the new CBA, which covers the period from 2021 to 2026.
The new deal was ratified after the majority of the 557 members of SM-UST voted in favor of it, said union president Dan Patricio.
“Talagang ‘yung mga pinili naming proposals e [‘yung] mga importante sa mga support staff,” Patricio told the Varsitarian after the assembly. “[Pero] wala akong masasabing angat siya in terms of impact lalo na sa mga employees.”
A key feature of the new bargaining deal is an across-the-board salary increase that will be implemented in two ways: through a fixed-amount increase in basic pay and a percentage-based salary hike.
The salary increase is as follows: P380 hike and 1 percent increase in basic pay (Aug. 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022)
P1,700 hike and 4 percent increase in basic pay (Aug. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023)
P1,400 hike and 3 percent increase in basic pay (Aug. 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024)
Patricio said the union opted for this method in light of the adjustments made to the salary scale.
“Kaya nag-decide na i-hybrid kasi nabababaan kami sa salary scale,” the union president said.
“Kung ipe-percentage namin ‘yan, lalong lalayo ‘yung [sweldo] ng mga bago sa luma,” he explained. “So para fair, magbigay muna tayo ng acrossthe-board na fixed amount, then across-the-board na percentage.”
Other benefits that will be funded by the union’s share in UST’s tuition increase include a P2,500 wellness bonus (effective Academic Year 20232024) that will be disbursed twice a year, and a P10,000 signing bonus (effective Academic Year 2021-2022).
EDITORIAL
Basic education system needs to get off cycle of mediocrity
silience, and communication, making employers hesitant to hire them.
PISA did it again in June when 15-year-old Filipino students logged a dismal mean score of 22 in tasks related to creative thinking, placing the Philippines at the bottom of 81 participating countries. This was the first time PISA, the assessment conducted by rich countries under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development every three years, measured how well students could formulate diverse ideas, solutions, and expressions.
In December 2023, PISA reported that the firestorm of reforms enacted in the past half-decade made almost no difference in the Philippines’s performance. Students still lagged in mathematics, reading, and science, inching up only a few spots and overtaking poorer countries including Guatemala, Paraguay, and Cambodia.
“We are around five to six years behind,” a Department of Education official told reporters when the results came out.
The PISA results fell largely in line with a situation report published by the Commission on Human Rights in February 2023 that said senior high graduates lacked soft skills, such as empathy, creativity, re-
“New graduates experience culture shock upon entering the workplace because their expectations differ from what they were taught at school, and some fail to adjust to their work and decide to resign but have a hard time being hired again,” the report, titled “Human Rights Situation Report: School-to-Work Transition 2022,” stated.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), in a 398-page document published in January titled “Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education,” says the antidote to the country’s educational woes is “synergy” between various actors of society: “All of us must work, and must work together. Stakeholders, from the top level of policy-making to the frontlines in our communities, must begin to think of themselves as part of a larger whole.”
Applying this mindset, how can creative thinking be fostered? Sure, the government should allot adequate funds to build more libraries, computer laboratories, science halls, and art studios to enhance students’ skills in writing and problem-solving.
For teachers, the most valuable tool at their disposal is time. Classroom activities, from essay writing to science experiments, must be tailored within a sufficient timeframe to spur dialogue, debate,
and evaluation.
According to a 2022 study by Ph.D. students at Texas A&M University in the United States, flexible learning time, along with a cumulative learning process and problem-based learning activities, promotes various creativity skills such as fluency, originality, and elaboration. It takes time for a seed to bloom into a tree.
The same study reveals that online activities provide space for students’ creative development. Social media, for all the dangers it poses, “broadens students’ horizons.” Video games, for all their supposed detrimental psychological effects, feature a “high level of interactivity that constantly reacts to learners’ actions and inputs.” Adobe and Microsoft applications boast of “wide-ranging design features for learners to develop their original ideas.”
At home, parents—considered their children’s first teachers—should clear away two roadblocks to fostering creative thinking: the puwede-na-yan (mediocre) mentality and the ban on joining pang-matandang (adult) conversations.
Mediocre mentality saps students’ motivation to exert more effort in performing tasks and producing quality outputs. Take a 2022 policy brief published by De La Salle University, which argued that public school students might have floundered in mathematics because of pessimism toward finishing a degree and low appreciation for attending
school. When students begin to settle for the lackluster, creative thinking hits a dead end.
Leaving children out of adult conversations forecloses an opportunity to develop creative thinking, even incrementally. An education expert at the University of the Philippines said asking questions—a way to nurture curiosity—is not practiced in Filipino homes. Sure, young people may find it stressful to process emotionally charged or sensual conversations. But on matters involving societal and community issues, students deserve to have a seat at the table, ask the basic questions, and receive thought-provoking answers.
Science already has proof that healthy adult-children conversations benefit the latter’s brains in the long run: A study by Columbia University found that “children who experience more conversations with adults or adult speech have patterns of cortical structure in language-supporting regions that are linked with greater reading proficiency.”
Reversing the country’s slide to the bottom of PISA’s creative thinking test requires students, teachers, and the government to rise above the mediocrity of the entrenched and corrupted system of basic education. And while education officials find a way to escape the quandary, the people in school and at home can do their share to foster learning and thinking outside the box.
Louelle Marie P. Bumalay, Aidan Raphael
Caluyo, Zymon M. Gailo, Michelle Ann C. Kalaw, Alyzza Daniella B. Lipura, Jinmarson Chester V. Pua
Beltran,
THE PROGRAMME for International Student Assessment (PISA) loves to drop some truth bombs about the Philippine educational system.
Ace in academics: Former Tennister graduates as UST’s valedictorian
THINGS don’t always go as planned, and that’s how Averille Sacapaño went from losing a spot on the women’s tennis team to becoming the valedictorian of the Class of 2024.
Averille initially tried out for the UST Female Tennisters in 2019 but was rejected due to the limited spots available, as there were few graduating players at the time.
The Covid-19 pandemic struck, and she secured a spot with the De La Salle University tennis team. However, before she could join the team, she received an unexpected call from a UST coach, inviting her to play for her dream school.
It was an opportunity she thought had slipped away, and the decision was easy: she chose UST and enrolled in the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA).
However, things didn’t go as she had hoped.
Senior players on the team received most of the playing time, limiting Sacapaño’s opportunities to compete.
“Dream ko talaga ever since Grade 3 na makapaglaro sana sa UAAP, and very nalungkot ako na magfo-focus sa seniors muna namin,” Sacapaño told the Varsitarian. “It took a toll on me
graduates of the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Friday, June 7.
na hindi ako makapaglaro, and hindi ko napakita ‘yong best ko.”
She started questioning herself.
Should she have stayed with La Salle? Was she, a decorated athlete from Boracay who had excelled in national tournaments since childhood, not good enough for the UAAP? Did she still belong on the court?
“Ang ganda ng performance ko sa province, nagto-tour ako and then pagdating dito, hindi ako nabigyan ng chance, although naiintindihan ko naman since nagkaroon ako ng court anxiety dahil medyo bumaba ‘yong kumpiyansa ko sa sarili ko,” she said.
Before long, she began skipping
training, until she realized that perhaps collegiate tennis “was not really for me.”
She shifted her focus to her studies and proved to herself the champion she could be.
Sacapaño finished her academics with a general weighted average of 1.050, the highest in UST this year.
“Ngayong fourth year, prinomise ko sa sarili ko na kahit anong mangyari – kahit hindi ako mag-number one – I just want to enjoy my last year dito sa college,” she said. Yet, she persisted, which wasn’t
Grieving mom accepts college diploma for daughter who died of blood disorder
By Faith Nicole S. Gelacio
ALLIAH Reolada had a specific goal in mind: enter medical school and specialize in hematology, a field dedicated to examining blood-related disorders.
One reason was her doctor’s revelation in 2019 that she was suffering from hemolytic anemia. The disorder, according to the Cleveland Clinic, “makes your red blood cells break down or die faster than your body can replace them with new blood cells.”
In the coming years, her doctor found that her liver had been battling with autoimmune hepatitis, which could cause inflammation and liver damage in the long run.
But the diagnoses were not cast in stone, after all. Alliah’s mother, Cherry, said the doctor never identified her daughter’s real condition, which made treatment even more difficult.
On January 30, Alliah succumbed at the age of 21.
At the Solemn Investitures of the College of Science, Cherry walked on stage with her eyes soaked in tears and a framed photo of her daughter. Finishing with a degree in medical biology, Alliah was one of the 650 students who graduated at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on June 15.
The previous year, at the Solemn Investitures of the College of Education, 22-year-old Charlotte Denise Santiago posthumously graduated from the food technology program, succumbing to heart failure nearly a month prior.
In an interview with the Varsitarian, Cherry was proud of her daughter’s accomplishment even in death.
“Ito talaga ‘yong pinaka-pangarap niya, maka-graduate sa kaniyang dream school, and natupad niya na,” she said. “Sayang nga lang, hindi niya
The inspiring journey of a visually impaired UST Commerce graduate
By Janica Kate J. Buan
JEROME Santiago was on the brink when he failed for the second time in a subject in the financial management program that required countless graphical analyses. Santiago’s ordeals were heightened by the fact that he has been suffering from congenital glaucoma since he was one year old.
The professor in the subject once told him, “Kung ‘yong mga classmate mo na malilinaw ‘yong mata, nahihirapan doon sa subject na ‘yon, doble or triple ‘yong hirap ‘pag hindi mo nakikita ‘yong graph na kailangan mo i-analyze para ma-solve ‘yong problem.”
To pass the subject on his third attempt, the College of Commerce and Business Administration agreed that the professor would translate the graphs into verbal descriptions so Santiago could provide the required calculations. It was a laborious task, but Santiago saw glimmers of hope. He passed.
Santiago remained unfazed in aiming for his college diploma despite the congenital glaucoma delaying and agonizing his educational journey. He was already 27 years old when he marched inside the Quadricentennial Pavilion on June 8 as one of the 532 graduates of Commerce for the Class of 2024.
The doctor diagnosed him with this irreversible eye disease in 1998. Congenital glaucoma, which causes gradual vision loss because of optic nerve degeneration, is the third lead-
ing cause of blindness in the Philippines, according to the government’s third national survey on blindness conducted between October 2001 and May 2002.
Everything was normal for Santiago when he was growing up in San Mateo, Isabela, a municipality that is 55 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Ilagan City. He was the fifth of six children in the family.
Things turned upside down when he entered Grade 4. The congenital glaucoma, which by then had begun showing symptoms, dramatically altered his life, as the medical treatments forced him to stop schooling from 2005 to 2010.
Santiago had no plans to return to campus anymore, but his doctor gave him an unexpected nudge.
“’Yong ophthalmologist, sinasabi niya na wala nang chance na mapalinaw ulit [eyesight ko], so sabi niya, bakit hindi na lang subukan na […] i-send sa school for the blind para baka sakali makapagpatuloy pa sa pagaaral,” he said. “Doon ulit nagkaroon ng direction ‘yong life ko.”
For one year, the school of the blind taught Santiago how to live in the dark: He was taught how to read and write through braille letters and deal with assistive technology.
Confident of what he learned, Santiago returned to public school in Isabela to finish Grade 4. At 17 years old, he earned his elementary diploma.
but chose to endure the burden of continuing schooling.
“Nagga-Grab ‘yan [papunta] sa school para lang makapasok,” her mother said. “Minsan, sinasamahan ko papuntang laboratory.”
“Binibigyan naman siya ng medical certificate. Nage-elevator siya para lang makapasok; binigyan siya ng access. Pinipilit niya kahit hirap na hirap na siya.”
Her blockmates learned of her deteriorating condition in the middle of their thesis work. Alliah assured them that everything was going to be fine.
“[W]e knew how Alliah could be so strong, determined and hardworking that there really wasn’t stopping her too,” Raphael Sandoval, one of her thesis groupmates, told the Varsitarian. “So, we proceeded with our gruesome research work and academics, but we always looked out for Alliah.”
The friendships that Alliah cultivated during her four-year stay at UST shocked neighbors in her wake.
na matutuloy ‘yong gusto niya. Hindi na matutuloy sa pagdo-doktor niya.”
Cherry and her two daughters developed a strong bond as the patriarch of the family has been working in Dubai since 2009. Despite working in Antipolo City – eating up four hours of her day driving from her home in Calamba, Laguna, to her workplace and vice-versa – Cherry made sure to keep up with her eldest even about the mundane things.
“’Yong mga kuwento niya sa mga kaklase niya, ‘yong mga blooper niya, nakikinig lang ako,” she recalled.
“Minsan, may time na nagkukuwento siya nang nagkukuwento [na] parang nawawala ako sa focus.”
Alliah’s dreams began to blur in November 2023 when symptoms of her disease worsened. She was frail
“Nagulat nga ako kasi dito sa compound namin, papaalam lang ‘yan, lalabas, pero wala siyang […] kaibigan doon sa amin sa compound kasi puro mga kamag-anak ‘yong iba doon. Sabi ng mga kapitbahay namin, si Alliah aakalain mong walang kaibigan, andami pala,” her mother said.
After the Solemn Investitures, Cherry was understandably not in a celebratory mood. A part of her was still longing for her daughter to come home from Manila after class.
”[H]indi pa rin nagsi-sink in sa’kin na wala na siya,” she said. “Pero at least, ‘yong isa sa mga pangarap niya, natupad niya kasi […] gusto niya may maiwan siyang alaala para man lang maging proud ako sa kaniya.” WITH REPORTS FROM JANICA KATE J. BUAN
► Jerome Santiago is one of the 532 graduates of the College of Commerce and Business Administration who attended their Solemn Investiture rites at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, June 8.
2025 is set for May 30, followed by the start of the month-long Solemn Investiture Rites on June 2. Registration for the 2025 special term will take place from June 6 to June 9, with special-term classes starting on June 10.
UST will continue using the hybrid mode as its primary setup for Academic Year 2024-2025.
UST GenSan
UST General Santos (GenSan) will also open the Academic Year 20242025 on Aug. 9, according to a calendar released by the Office of the Secretary General.
The Mindanao campus, set to welcome its first batch of students, will host traditional Thomasian onboarding activities similar to those at UST Manila.
The inaugural Mass and lecture, known as Misa and Discurso de Apertura, will be held on Aug. 2 to mark the beginning of the Academic Year. Thomasians at the Mindanao campus will attend the Discurso de Apertura in UST Manila virtually, Professor Emeritus Maribel Nonato, the assistant to the rector for UST GenSan, told the Varsitarian Freshmen orientations will in-
clude local sessions for each academic unit from Aug. 1 to 2, with the traditional “ROARientation” set to be held in two formats: virtual on Aug. 5 and in-person on Aug. 6.
Paskuhan festivities are scheduled for Dec. 21, a day after UST Manila’s celebration.
UST GenSan’s calendar includes two local festivals: the Tuna Festival on Sept. 5, celebrating GenSan as the country’s tuna capital, and the Kalilangan Festival on Feb. 27, commemorating the city’s founding anniversary.
The week-long Undas break at UST GenSan will start a day later than in Manila, running from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. Registration for Term 2 begins on Jan. 10, 2025, with regular classes resuming on Jan. 13.
The campus will observe a weeklong Easter break from April 14 to 21. Registration for the 2025 special term will take place from June 6 to June 9, with classes starting on June 10.
The new campus offers five programs in its inaugural year: BS in Accounting Information Systems, BS in Entrepreneurship, BS in Industrial Engineering, BS in Medical Technology, and BS in Pharmacy. MABEL ANNE B. CARDINEZ
PHOTO BY JEREMY R. EDERA
► Averille Sacapaño (center), the valedictorian of Class of 2024, attends the Solemn Investiture rites for the 60
—PHOTO BY PATRICE JERICA A. BELTRAN
► Cherry Reolada accepts the college diploma of her daughter, Alliah, who died in January, at the Solemn Investitures of the College of Science at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on June 15.—PHOTO BY JEREMY R. EDERA
GRADUATION 2024
Baccalaureate Mass honors unique journey of 7,795 graduates
By Hannah Joyce V. Andaya
UST ACTING Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. on Friday lauded the 7,795 graduates of Batch 2024, calling them the “pandemic batch” for successfully completing their studies despite starting their university education without inperson campus life due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his homily at the Baccalaureate Mass held at the UST Grandstand and Open Field, Tiongco emphasized the numerous challenges encountered by the graduating class when they began their studies at UST during the health crisis.
“Pandemic batch, today is your day, today is your moment,” Tiongco said. “Entering the University of Santo Tomas in 2020, amid the uncertainty and challenges of a pandemic, you embarked on an academic adventure, unique, unprecedented, and unlike any other.”
“The sudden shift to online learning, the absence of traditional campus life, and the need for constant adaptation tested your limits,” he added. “Yet, you rose to the occasion.”
Tiongco encouraged the graduating students to carry the lessons learned during the pandemic along with the values instilled in them by the University.
“You are pioneers of a new era. You have demonstrated that education transcends physical boundaries and that the spirit of Thomasian excellence can thrive in any circumstance,” he said.
“Carry with you the lessons learned during these challenging years, embrace change confidently, courageously face adversity, and passionately pursue your dreams,” he added.
In her graduation message, Ierathel Tabuno, outgoing president of the Central Student Council (CSC), reflected on the experiences the students had been deprived of because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Over the four years of our college lives, we went through the irreplicable hardship of being the first ones to start our college journey fully online, shifting to hybrid halfway through, and finishing it on site here at the end,” said Tabuno, a graduating legal management student.
Tabuno’s message was followed by the imposition of the Thomasian Mission Cross, the Lumina Pandit or the Ceremony of Light, and the singing of the UST Hymn.
An eight-minute P-pop-themed pyromusical show featuring songs of P-pop bands SB19 and BINI capped the send-off rites at the UST Open Field.
The recessional of the graduating students through the Arch of the Centuries concluded the event.
Breakdown of Batch 2024
UST sent off 7,795 graduates comprising Batch 2024.
Baccalaureate Mass 2024
graduates from the
Class of 2024 during the Baccalaureate Mass and send-off rites on Friday, May Grandstand and Open Field. One of the night’s highlights is a pyromusical show featuring songs by P-pop bands SB19 and BINI.
PATRICE JERICA A. BELTRAN, JOSH NIKKOLAI S. BRAVO, JEREMY R. EDERA, AND JANA FRANCESCA D. YAO
COORDINATOR:
Couples for Christ: Anti-divorce stronghold PH a beacon for solid marriages worldwide
By Justin Benedict T. Lim
GLOBAL lay organization Couples for Christ (CFC) has voiced its strong opposition to divorce, asserting that God is using the Philippines, the only country where divorce is not allowed, as a beacon for the world to rediscover the importance of a solid marriage and family.
In a statement on Saturday, CFC urged the nation’s leaders to focus on strengthening the family unit rather than weakening the marriage bond by supporting the rigorous implementation of the Philippine Family Code.
“The rest of the world has chosen to adopt a divorce law. However, sheer numbers are not an indication of stronger and truer beliefs but rather a reflection of human weakness. They do not reflect the fortitude that God has promised to those who follow His word,” the group said.
“Man’s need for convenience will never negate the wisdom of God who
sees far into the future.”
The organization referenced “global statistics” suggesting that youth from divorced families were more likely to engage in criminal activities and substance abuse, face mental health issues, and perform poorly in school.
“Children of one-parent families are the silent and often unintended victims of the separation of their parents. Their scars can be emotional, psychological, financial, or physical. Hardest
‘On equal footing’: CBCP chief lauds synod’s roundtable discussions on Church
issues
CLERGY and laypeople are set to gather again in Rome in October for the second session of Pope Francis’s “Synod on Synodality,” to continue discussions on the most contentious issues facing the Church.
The synod, which began in 2021 with consultations among dioceses around the world, will culminate with the second session scheduled for Oct. 2 to 27 at the Vatican, after which the Pontiff will issue a document accepting or rejecting recommendations from some 400 delegates.
The assembly has placed various issues on the table, including a larger role for laypeople, especially women and youth, accountability of priests and bishops, ordination of female deacons, outreach to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning persons (LGBTQ+), and the admission of married men into the priesthood.
One of the four Filipino delegates, Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, who serves as president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said the synod’s novel roundtable format is a healthy way of dealing with contentious matters.
“I am glad that Pope Francis introduced to us [to] this method of conversations. That sort of changed the whole scenario because we used to be very hierarchical in the way we [are] in the synods,” David said in an interview with the Varsitarian back in January.
“This time, we’re sitting in roundtables, all on equal footing – the bishops, the priestess, the religious and the laypeople,” he added.
The Synod on Synodality is unprecedented, with non-bishops, including theologians and lay people, comprising 20 percent of participants. More than 50 women are eligible to
hit are children who are too young, too vulnerable or too weak to even do something about their situation,” it said.
“Rather than judge children from broken homes, our aim should be to protect them and the rest of society from unpleasant consequences of homes broken by divorce.”
The group also emphasized that eliminating the option of divorce would lead to a more careful selection of life partners.
“Knowing that marriage is a lifetime commitment will help the couple exert their best efforts not only to prepare for, but to sustain and nurture the marriage,” it said.
“A strong family is the foundation of a healthy society.”
On May 27, Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan described the Philippines’ unique status as the only country without legalized divorce as a “badge of honor.”
“For a long time now, it has been remarked—often as some kind of self-reproach—that we are the only country
that has not made divorce legal. To any faithful Catholic and to any Christian who takes the Gospel as the ultimate norm of human life, this should not be a reproach but a badge of honor, a mark of distinction,” he said.
The House of Representatives approved a bill on May 22 to reinstate absolute divorce in the country.
The Divorce Law was initially enacted in 1917 during the American colonial period but was repealed in 1943. In 1950, Republic Act No. 386, or the Civil Code, was introduced to allow legal separation instead of absolute divorce.
CFC is an international Catholic lay ecclesial movement dedicated to renewing and strengthening Christian family life. Established in 1981 in Manila by the Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon charismatic community, its goal is to evangelize married couples and help them grow in their faith and commitment to God.
It is recognized by the Vatican as a private international association of the lay faithful of “pontifical right.”
Villegas calls for rosary campaign amid Chinese aggression in West PH Sea
By Justin Benedict T. Lim
LINGAYEN-DAGUPAN Archbishop Socrates Villegas, O.P. urged Catholics to join a “rosary campaign” from June 27 to the Solemnity of the Assumption on Aug. 15 amid China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
In a pastoral letter dated June 15, Villegas called on Filipinos to fast and perform penance “with particular intensity.”
“The threat is no longer imagined. It is no longer mere conjecture. There is evidence of insidious attempts by a foreign power that governs by an ideology that recognizes no God and keeps all religion and the practice of faith under the heavy heel of its totalitarian boot to ‘trample our sacred shores,’” Villegas said.
The archbishop also suggested engaging in other acts of penance and “supererogation with heightened intensity” during this period.
“Even the Edsa People Power of 1986 was preceded by the Marian Year of 1985 when we prayed and fasted and lived in solidarity with the poor! Let us do it again! The rosary is simple and small and powerful like the mustard seed in the Gospel,” he said.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have intensified significantly following an incident in which a Chinese vessel rammed Philippine Navy boats. Chinese coast guard personnel confiscated the Filipino side’s weapons in the disputed waters.
Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, denounced the actions of the Chinese as “piracy,” as they illegally had boarded Philippine boats and seized equipment.
Villegas expressed concerns that if the Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea continued unchecked, Filipino fisherfolk could be left to scavenge the remnants left behind by Chinese poachers and intruders.
“There is the moral issue of
safeguarding a way of life that upholds the right of persons to believe and to practice their faith without any interference from the State, and the right of the Filipino nation to be shielded from the onslaught of agents of an atheistic ideology,” he added.
“The Church must respond and she must respond as [a] Church. This means that we will find the confidence to take a firm stand because of our conviction that if God is with us, no power can ever prevail against us!”
In his pastoral letter, Villegas also called upon lawmakers to halt the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), which have been active since 2003.
“Whatever benefits that allow them to operate may have been promised are overshadowed completely by the threat they carry with them – and in fact, the dreadful harm of their presence,” Villegas said.
“The recent raids that revealed the extent of the evil at these POGO hubs including incidences of human trafficking and torture and money laundering –make it a moral imperative that no longer should they be granted the protection of the law and that they, in fact, should be outlawed,” he added.
Oratio imperata
The Santo Domingo Church, which serves as the National
Divorce
FROM PAGE 1 ►
The CBCP secretary general urged government officials to amend Executive Order No. 209, also known as the Family Code of the Philippines, which deals with the annulment of marriages.
In an online interview with the Varsitarian, CBCP spokesperson and Edsa Shrine Rector Fr. Jerome Secillano called divorce unnecessary, pointing to existing legal remedies, such as annulment, declaration of nullity of marriage, and legal separation.
“Adding another is akin to hastening the demise of marriage which is considered inviolable by the Constitution and sacred by the Church.”
Secillano also argued that divorce would not reduce the cases of marital abuse.
“The abuser will simply find a new spouse to be abused. Divorce doesn’t treat abusive behaviors. Once not treated, the cycle of violence and abuse continues.” SHEILA MAY S. BALAGAN AND JUSTIN BENEDICT T. LIM
Architecture
FROM PAGE 3 ►
Shrine of Our Lady of La Naval, the Marian image credited for Spanish Philippines’s victory against Dutch invaders in 1646, issued an Oratio Imperata, or obligatory prayer, calling for peace amid tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea.
“O Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the sky and the seas, look kindly on us your children of the Philippine islands, our home, now beset with tensions over our West Philippine Sea,” it reads.
“We pray to you for peace over that part of our islands and waters. We pray that questions over it may be resolved through justice and respect for people’s rights.”
The Philippines has filed a démarche, or protest presented through diplomatic channels, following the incident.
In 2013, the Philippines initiated legal proceedings against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) regarding disputes in the South China Sea. On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a significant ruling largely favoring the Philippines.
Key points of the ruling include:
China’s “nine-dash line” claim, asserting historic rights over maritime areas, lacks legal basis under Unclos.
Several reefs and shoals claimed by China, such as Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef, fall within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.
China violated its obligations under Unclos by interfering with Philippine fishing and oil exploration, constructing artificial islands, and neglecting environmental responsibilities related to Chinese fishing activities.
The Philippines and other nations have cited the ruling to challenge China’s actions. WITH REPORTS FROM SHEILA MAY S. BALAGAN
Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa emerged as the top-performing school after 56 out of 60 examinees passed, good for a 93.33-percent passing rate.
The national passing rate inched up to 62.14 percent (2,094 of 3,370) from 61.68 percent (1,809 of 2,933) in January 2024. The June 2024 licensure exams for architects were held on June 11 and 13.
Valedictorian FROM PAGE 5 ►
surprising given her commitment to both her academics and tennis.
Sacapaño has been an honor student since elementary, setting high standards for herself.
Even then, Sacapaño was already a champion, reigning at the Philta-Palawan Pawnshop 12-and-under crown tournament and the Palarong Pambansa, among others.
Her father, a decorated athlete in multiple sports, first discovered her tennis talent when he came home with a racket and asked her to hold it.
“Nagtayo ng tennis court ‘yong resort sa tabi ng house namin, na-invite papa ko maglaro and ako rin, nag-start ako maglaro,” she recalled. “Sabi ng coach, may potential daw ako, so I started joining tournaments sa province namin and nananalo ako.”
Looking back, Sacapaño said she would still eagerly embrace the chance to play tennis. However, she now finds peace in knowing that no one can deny her the title of being number one. FAITH NICOLE S. GELACIO WITH
► Villegas—FILE PHOTO
COMICS
LOUELLE MARIE P. BUMALAY
WHAT’S AFTER COLLEGE? ALYZZA DANIELLA B. LIPURA
CBA FROM PAGE 3 ►
Learning to be independent
Since he was fervent to study at UST, Santiago endured the nine-hour trip from his hometown to reach the busy streets of España, where he would learn the tough lesson of being independent despite his disability.
“Iba kasi talaga ‘yong environment sa college compared sa high school so first time kong mag-college with that environment na hindi na spoon-feeding style,” he said, adding, “Most of the time, sarili mo lang maaasahan mo kapag nagkakaroon ng academic requirements, so andoon talaga ‘yong kailangan mong mag-adapt as a student.”
Santiago dreamed of becoming an engineer who would take the helm of constructing skyscrapers, as mathematics is his forte. But what’s the point, he said, of taking engineering if he had lost his ability to see?
He chose the financial management program because it’s a career that can maximize his mathematical prowess without exerting much effort on visually managing things.
The first two years of online classes had proven to be beneficial because travel was not an issue. Santiago used assistive technology to take quizzes and exams.
When face-to-face classes gradually resumed in 2022, his companion living with
Synod FROM PAGE 10 ►
vote on synod proposals.
David leads the Filipino delegates. Joining him are Pasig Bishop and CBCP Vice President Mylo Hubert Vergara, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula, and theologian Estela Padilla.
Francis has overseen four synods of bishops during his 11-year reign, but these assemblies usually start and end with minimal intervention from non-bishops.
In 2021, the Pontiff announced that this time, the synod would involve large consultations at the diocesan and continental levels before the delegates gathered at the Vatican.
him at the apartment was an all-around guide who fetched and picked him up daily. When the professors dismissed the class early, Santiago’s blockmates assisted him in attending the next class.
Professors themselves had to make necessary adjustments. One of them was Jake Rovin Morales, a UST Senior High School instructor who taught physical science.
Morales, Santiago said, formed clay balls to discuss electrons and coded the 118 elements of the periodic table in braille letters. It quelled Santiago’s fears that he would stump at the subject.
“Naging very resourceful si sir at the time, and then ako, nakakahiya naman kung hindi ako mag-effort,” Santiago said, adding, “Parang doon din ako na-inspire and sobrang na-motivate na pag-aralan [‘yong subject].”
Other professors, however, registered fears about Santiago’s future that turned out to be more discouraging than intended.
“In her opinion lang naman daw, kahit matapos ko ‘yong degree, she doesn’t think na ma-apply ko ‘yong napag-aralan ko sa real world kasi dahil nga sa pagiging visually impaired [ko], meron talagang inaccessibility and challenge na hindi mo kakayanin,” Santiago said.
“Tinatanong ako kung gusto ko raw ba mag-shift ng other majors like human re-
Francis appointed Cardinal Mario Grech of Gozo, Malta – regarded by a newspaper as a “European more likely to become pope” – secretary general of the synod of bishops. He visited UST this January to deliver the keynote address of the 10th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE).
At the conference, Grech stressed that parishioners felt appreciated to be included in discussions about the direction of the Church.
“Many laypeople in the course of this particular synod have spoken about how important it has been for them to experience being listened to in and by their Church,” he said in his keynote address. “For many, it is the first time they have experienced this.”
In a press conference at the sidelines of PCNE, Grech said he had expected disagreements during the synodal process, which he said was normal.
“Tensions can really be generative of something new,” the Vatican synod chief said. “If there are tensions, that means that the people of God are interacting.”
Some prelates are criticizing the confusion brought about by the Synod on Synodality.
source or entrepreneurship. Sabi ko is, ‘No.’ Naniniwala naman ako na kakayanin ko siya, and then ‘yong mga points na sinabi niya, parang very minimal naman siya. Parang nado-down ka lang eh.”
Santiago said inclusivity for people with disability (PWD) starts with a wealth of understanding from the higher-ups, where they can respond to the needs of the students without sacrificing the exigencies of the academe.
He also believes that accommodation for PWDs during the UST entrance test can spell the difference in avoiding blocking their dreams of entering the university.
“Kailangan ng education and proper awareness ‘yong mga UST staff kung paano ba magco-conduct ng test sa visually impaired or students with disability, kung paano ba tutulungan ‘yong may mga mobility impairment like if they’re using wheelchairs or clutches,” Santiago said.
The newly minted graduate clings to the hope that more students with disability will be granted equal opportunities to receive quality education.
“I believe na marami pang visually impaired or students with disabilities, in general, na very talented din, pero hopeful na in the future, marami pang maka-graduate sa UST kasi I believe na kahit na may disability ‘yong tao, we’re still entitled sa quality education,” Santiago stressed.
For instance, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, the retired bishop of Hong Kong who is not a synod father, said the synod discussions had become unwieldy with the participation of non-clerics.
“On the one hand, the Church is presented as founded by Jesus on the apostles and their successors, with a hierarchy of ordained ministers who guide the faithful on the journey toward the heavenly Jerusalem,” he observed in his nearly 3,600-word essay published in February.
“On the other hand, there is talk of an undefined synodality, a ‘democracy of the baptized.’ Which baptized people? Do they at least go to church regularly? Do they draw faith from the Bible and strength from the sacraments?” Zen wrote.
For David, the entire synodal process is a moment of renewal.
“I'd say it is a kind of a reaffirmation of the direction that the Church
By law, 70 percent of tuition increases must go to salaries of University employees. The faculty have yet to secure a new CBA with the UST administration.
The new CBA increased the allowable amount for hospitalization loans to a minimum of P100,000 (1.5 years to pay) from P50,000 (one year to pay), which could be availed of by support personnel who have worked in UST for at least two years.
Other health benefit changes include a six-month extension of hospitalization benefits and medicine allowances for resigned or retired staff (must be at least 60 years old), and the addition of a permanent disability benefit ranging from P50,000 to P200,000.
UST support staff will receive P1,000 in hazard pay, up from P850 in the previous CBA.
Other privileges and benefits outlined in the new CBA include: inclusion of personal care items in the medicine allowance; P5,000 incentive pay
took at the Second Vatican Council, both in terms of a return to sources and renewal, responding to the call to renewal in accordance with the signs of the times,” he said in the interview.
The CBCP president wants to return this October to the Vatican with fresh perspectives from the youth, as the Church hierarchy is packed with elderly people.
“I wish that you (the youth) be more acquainted really with the documents that are being published by the Holy See, especially those that are related to the Synod on Synodality,” David urged. “Please read the synthesis report […] and I would like to know how you feel about the points raised.”
“I would like to bring with me some voices, especially from young people like you,” he added. SHEILA MAY S. BALAGAN, JUSTIN BENEDICT T. LIM AND AMMIEL B. MAESTRADO WITH REPORTS FROM RALENT M. PENILLA
for every completed masteral or doctorate degree; free MRI procedure; three-day union leave per year for selected officers; and printer with scanner provided by UST for the SMUST office.
Another amendment to the CBA is the provision designating SM-UST as the official bargaining representative of UST Santa Rosa support personnel in future negotiations. However, Patricio clarified that the newly ratified CBA would not benefit those working at the Laguna campus.
Negotiations for the new CBA began in January and concluded on May 31 during the signing between representatives of the union and the UST administration led by Acting Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. Patricio said SM-UST would renegotiate economic benefits covering the last two years of the five-year CBA. WITH REPORTS FROM FERNANDO PIERRE MARCEL B. DE LA CRUZ AND JENNA MARIEL A. GONZALES
FROM PAGE 11 ►
In the boys’ division, UST secured six silver medals in chess, kyorugi, athletics, football, fencing, and 3×3 basketball. The Junior Lady Judokas were the sole female silver medalists from UST in the high school division.
UST claimed bronze in girls’ chess, girls’ volleyball, girls’ fencing and boys’ beach volleyball. De La Salle Santiago Zobel School finished second overall in the juniors division with 152 points, while Adamson University secured third place with 137 points. Under the UAAP point system, 15 points are awarded to the champion team of an event, 12 to the second place, and 10 to the third place. Season 86 ran from October 2023 to May 2024. The University of the Philippines will host UAAP Season 87, which is expected to start in the fourth quarter of the year. WITH REPORTS FROM ERNEST MARTIN G. TUAZON
BARLENE
EDITOR: JOHN PETER L. CAJAYON
UST BAGS 47TH UAAP GENERAL TITLE
By John Peter L. Cajayon
UST RETAINED its general championships after the conclusion of the seniors and juniors divisions of UAAP Season 86, with the closing ceremony held at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 29.
UST was named the general champion in the seniors division for the seventh straight season and in the juniors division for the eighth consecutive season.
UST accumulated nine gold, seven silver and five bronze medals, totaling 332 points in the collegiate division. The haul was two bronze medals more than last season’s 9-7-5 medal tally.
“Iyong support ng mga admins sa University and at the same time ‘yong support ng community, and then support ng mga coaches, talagang pinaghirapan nila ‘yan na i-train ‘yong mga atleta natin, together with the cooperation of our student athletes,” UST IPEA athletics moderator Rodrigo Sambuang told the Varsitarian
“Ginawa nila lahat para ma-maintain ‘yong general championship.”
“Nasa training din kasi ‘yan, talagang naka-focus ang mga bata para makuha nila ‘yong championship.
Kung hindi man championship, ang target ng mga teams nasa podium lang dapat 1st, 2nd, or 3rd lang ‘yong target.”
This marked UST’s 47th general championship title in the collegiate level and 23rd in the juniors division, reinforcing its status as the winningest school in the league.
In the seniors division, UST won gold in nine events: women’s 5×5 and 3×3 basketball, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s chess, men’s tennis, men’s table tennis, women’s kyorugi, and poomsae.
The Male Woodpushers went undefeated in Season 86, securing their third consecutive men’s chess championship at the FEU Tech Gym
Prime, Galvanize defend UAAP streetdance titles
By Ernest Martin G. Tuazon
UST KEPT its UAAP streetdance champion ships as Prime and Galva nize, the University’s senior and junior division dance groups, respectively, won gold in the Sea son 86 competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 29.
Both teams incorporated Fil ipino-inspired themes into their choreography: UST Prime with a routine centered around “home coming,” and UST Galvanize with an OPM-themed performance, leading to their gold medal-win ning victories.
“Aside from getting our first back-to-back titles, we wanted to do something different and, at the same time, something light.” UST head coach Chips Beltran said. Beltran said it took the teams about three months to finalize their performances.
In the collegiate event, UST Prime placed second in the artistic category with 45.10 points and topped the execution category for 45.20 points, good for a total of 90.30 markers.
The FEU Street Alliance, which performed a Mexican-inspired theme, bagged silver for the second time in three seasons with 89.17 points. UP Street Club, which paid tribute to jeepney drivers, settled for bronze with 86.33 points.
The Company of Ateneo Dancers improved to fourth place (86.17 points) with a “neutral” inspired theme, while the NU Dance Company (84.50 points) placed fifth
on Nov. 19.
The Tiger Paddlers claimed their fourth consecutive and 30th overall championship by defeating the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the men’s table tennis finals at the Amoranto Sports Complex on Nov. 23.
The UST Poomsae Jins won gold in the poomsae tournament at the Marikina Sports Center on Nov. 27.
The Tiger Sands retained their titles and completed their second consecutive golden double in the beach volleyball tournaments which ended on Nov. 28.
On Nov. 29, the Lady Jins defended their title by sweeping the Season 86 women’s kyorugi tournament at the Marikina Sports Center.
The UST Growling Tigresses won both the women’s 5×5 and 3×3 basketball titles in one season. They secured their first championship in 17 years by ending NU’s reign in 5×5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Dec. 6, and then repeated the victory over the Lady Bulldogs in the 3×3 basketball finals on May 5 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
The Male Tennisters defended their throne by surviving the Ateneo Blue Eagles in Game 3 of their finals series in men’s tennis at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Court on April 7.
UST also earned silver in women’s tennis, men’s fencing, and men’s kyorugi, while the Tiger Judokas were runners-up in the men’s
with a routine inspired by outer space and futuristic elements.
The Adamson University Dance Company-Street with a futuristic theme (83.17 points) and the La Salle Dance Company (82.33 points) finished in sixth and seventh places.
“All of the teams stepped up this year. Most definitely, talagang i-raise ‘yong bar sa rehearsals, sa planning, sa training, sa program, sa recruitment to defend the title,” Beltran said. In the high school competition, UST Galva-
nize scored 85.3 points, with 43.40 points from the artistic category and 41.90 points from the execution category. Adamson secured silver for the second consecutive year with their futuristic-inspired routine, earning 84.50 points, while NU’s Bruno Mars-themed performance landed them a bronze medal with 79.33 points.
De La Salle Zobel, which presented a K-Pop routine, completed the four-team competition with 71.50 points.
and women’s judo tournaments.
Both the Golden Spikers and Golden Tigresses reached the finals for the first time since Season 73 but fell short against NU, finishing with silver.
UST had bronze finishes in women’s swimming, women’s fencing, women’s athletics, softball and men’s football.
Despite scoring 332 points in the collegiate division, four points lower than its 336 points in Season 85, UST maintained a significant lead over its opponents.
De La Salle University (269 points) and University of the Philippines (260 points) took silver and bronze, respectively, for the second consecutive season. Ateneo De Manila University (250 points), National University (226 points), Far Eastern University (105 points), University of the East (104 points), and Adamson University (95 points) finished fourth through eighth.
In the juniors division, UST accumulated 260 points with eight gold, seven silver, and four bronze medals.
The high school athletes achieved golden doubles in swimming and table tennis and dominated the boys’ judo, girls’ athletics, girls’ 3×3 basketball, and girls’ beach volleyball events.
Growling Tigresses repulse NU for 1st Manila Women’s Cup title
By Bjorn Del B. Deade
THE UST Growling Tigresses bagged the inaugural Manila Women’s Cup title af ter a 60-53 victory against their archrival NU Lady Bulldogs at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila on Thursday, June 20.
UST’s Kent Pastrana was named the tournament MVP and earned a spot in the Mythical Five, where she joined teammate Cee-jay Maglupay.
Head coach Haydee Ong said that the tournament served as good exposure for the Tigresses, especially for incoming rookies Breana Pineda, Karylle Sierba and Gin Reliquette.
“Very important kasi at least they’ve experienced a pressure game like this. ‘Di mo natuturo yan sa practice e,” Ong told the Varsitarian. “Very important ito kasi sila mismo ‘yong naka-experience ng mga close game tapos natawid nila so they have that experience. It’s a good exposure for the rookies na meron ako ngayon.”
Growling Tigress Brigette Santos converted a triple and Sierba scored a deuce to give UST a 12-11 lead early, but NU responded with a 7-2 run to end the first quarter with a four-point cushion, 18-14.
The Tigresses found themselves trailing by a point at the end of the second quarter after Lady Bulldog Cielo Pagdulagan sank her freebie to keep NU up by one, 34-33, at halftime.
In the second half, the Tigresses were down 45-41 when they uncorked a 15-6 run, ignited by seven points from the rookie Reliquette.
The Lady Bulldogs pulled within three late into the fourth quarter, 56-53. However, with less than two minutes in regulation, Maglupay scored four straight points to tame the Lady Bulldogs and seal the win for UST, 60-53.
“Every time you go against NU, alam mo na it’s going to be a hard-fought game parati ‘yan down the line,” Ong said. UST also defeated NU in last year’s UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball finals to win its first championship in 17 years. The Tigresses also defeated the Lady Bulldogs for the championship in the 3×3 tournament.
The Growling Tigresses will square off against the DLSU Lady Archers in the G’Ballers League finals on Saturday, June 22, 5 p.m. at the CCF Center in Pasig. However, Ong said the team is still undecided if they will play.
“Hindi pa namin masasagot kasi right now because may nangyari na untoward incident last time. We will write a letter. Titingnan namin kung anong magiging decision ng G’Ballers,” Ong said. WITH
REPORTS FROM ALBERT EARL A. GOMEZ
► IPEA Director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, O.P. receives the trophies for UST’s general championship victories in both the juniors and seniors divisions during the UAAP Season 86 closing ceremonies at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 29.—PHOTO BY ALBERT EARL A. GOMEZ
► UST forward Kent Pastrana dribbles past NU defenders during the 1st Manila Women’s Cup basketball tournament finals at the San Andres Sports Complex, Manila on Thursday, June 20.—PHOTO BY ALBERT EARL A. GOMEZ
► UST Prime (left) and Galvanize (right), the University’s senior and junior division dance groups, respectively, take home gold in the Season 86 competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 29.—PHOTOS BY JANA FRANCESCA D. YAO
