THE VARSITARIAN P.Y. 2020-2021 ISSUE 04

VOLUME XCII / NO. 4 · FEBRUARY 14, 2021 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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‘TRUST IN SCIENCE, GET VACCINATED VS COVID-19’

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a molecular biologist and visiting professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, said despite the vaccines being developed in record time, they were still based on decades-worth of research.

“I trust the scientific process that has gone into the development and testing of these vaccines. Yes, these vaccines were developed in record time, but that is what you would expect when scientists have unlimited funding to support their experiments and no other burdens to deal with like writing and revising grant proposal after grant proposal in small incremental steps,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Jan. 10.

“Moreover, these vaccines rely on decades of research. It is not like scientists just woke up one morning at the beginning of the pandemic and started from scratch,” he added.

Covid-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020. The first vaccine shot was given to Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old from the United Kingdom, on Dec. 8, 2020.

‘‘

I trust the scientific process that has gone into the development and testing of these vaccines.

Yes, these vaccines were developed in record time, but that is what you would expect when scientists have unlimited funding to support their experiments and no other burdens to deal with like writing and revising grant proposal after grant proposal in small incremental steps

ART BY ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA, GWYNETH FIONA N. LUGA AND RAE ISOBEL N. TYAPON

A DOMINICAN priest-scientist urged the public to avail themselves of COVID-19 vaccines once they become available and to trust the “great science” that went along in creating these vaccines.

— Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P.

Vaccination ► PAGE 10

Decade-long dominance:

Jubilee for PH Christianity quincentennial begins on Easter Sunday THE JUBILEE for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines will commence on April 4, Easter Sunday, Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), announced on Thursday. Jubilee ► PAGE 2

UST bags most awards in Pacucoa anew UST HAS kept the distinction of having the most number of programs accredited by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (Pacucoa) for the 10th straight year.

Pacucoa, which has so far accredited 48 programs in UST, gave the University five awards during its 31st general assembly on Dec. 4.

Pacucoa ► PAGE 11 ART BY CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES

NEWS p.2

WITNESS p.8

New UST Santa Rosa bldg begins construction

Ex-UST vice rector is new head of Filipino Dominicans

No scholarship cuts in second term — athletics director

The first building in the Santa Rosa, Laguna campus, the Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center, has begun construction.

Former UST Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. has been elected as the 13th prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

UST will retain scholarships for all its student-athletes during the new academic year despite the cancellation of UAAP Season 83, its athletics director said.

SPORTS p.12

2

NEWS

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

ACTING NEWS EDITOR: LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST places 186th in 2021 QS Asian ranking THE UNIVERSITY slipped seven places to 186th in the 2021 Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) Asian university rankings, and placed fourth among 14 Philippine universities that made it to the ranking.

in Asia.

A total of 650 institutions from 17 countries in Asia were ranked. Universities from Hong Kong and China dominated the top 10 spots.

UST and Mapua kept their four-star ratings in the QS star rating scheme, which looks at program strength, facilities, graduate employability, social responsibility, inclusiveness and other factors.

Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and Central Luzon State University were granted three-star ratings.

The 2021 QS Asian university ranking was based on universities’ academic reputation (30 percent), employer reputation (20 percent), faculty-student ratio (10 percent), international research network (10 percent), citations per paper (10 percents), papers per faculty (5 percent), staff with a doctorate degrees (5 percent), international faculty (2.5 percent), international students (2.5 percent), inbound exchange students (2.5 percent) and outbound exchange students (2.5 percent). JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ

‘V’ wins 6 awards in Times’ Campus Press Awards THE VARSITARIAN, the 93-yearold official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, won six major journalism awards in the 4th Campus Press Awards of The Manila Times on Jan. 29.

The V’s editorial titled “Covid-19 — wages of Duterte’s treasonous pro-China policy” was named Best Editorial in the college level.

The editorial, published on Apr. 21, 2020, lashed out at President Duterte’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and his reluctance to immediately impose travel restrictions on China, the source of the virus, during the disease’s early spread.

Former Varsitarian Filipino and Witness editor Joselle Czarina

Jubilee

(PHOTO FROM FR.

DEXTER AUSTRIA, O.P.)

INFOGRAPHIC BY JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA

The 2021 overall score of UST declined to 28.27 from 32 in the 2020 ranking, where the University placed 179th.

State-run University of the Philippines remained as the country’s top university, rising to the 69th spot from 72nd in 2020.

Ateneo de Manila University slid to the 135th spot from the 124th spot in 2020. De La Salle University also tumbled from the 156th spot in the 2020 ranking to 166th in the 2021 ranking.

University of San Carlos, Mapua University and Silliman University, all of which ranked in the 351 to 400 range in 2020, dropped to the 451 to 500 bracket in the 2021 ranking.

Seven Philippine universities that were unranked last year entered the list: Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (551 to 600), Adamson University (601+), Central Luzon State University (601+), Central Mindanao University (601+), Central Philippine University (601+) and Xavier University (601+).

The National University of Singapore remained the top university

Scale model for the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center.

Dela Cruz won Best Column in Filipino for her piece titled “Sapat na ba ang kaalaman natin sa wikang Filipino?”

The column highlighted the importance of continuously nourishing and developing the Filipino and other local languages.

A ‘V’ special report, “V survey: 56% of professors ‘confident’ of teaching online this term,” bagged the Best News Story award.

The editorial cartoon for “Terrorist Anti-Terror law—Duterte’s declaration of martial law,” an editorial released on June 7, 2020, was the first runner up for the Best Editorial Cartoon award.

Former ‘V’ chief photographer Mary Jazmin Tabuena’s photo taken

during a protest against the shutdown of ABS-CBN was first runner up for Best Photography award.

The Varsitarian website was named first runner up for the Best News Website among college publications.

The Aquinian, the official student publication of UST Junior High School, bagged Best News Website, Best Layout and Design, Best Sports Story and Best Features Story in both English and Filipino categories, Best News Story in Filipino category. It was hailed the Best Student Publication in the high school level.

Columnist Ricardo Saludo Awards ► PAGE 5

Construction of P100M ‘innovation hub’ at UST Santa Rosa begins Construction of the first building in the Santa Rosa, Laguna campus, the Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center, has begun.

Facilities Management Office (FMO) Asst. Director Albert Surla told the Varsitarian the center was estimated to cost more than P100 million and could be operational by next year.

The three-story structure is being built by Mundo Builders Inc. Casas+ Architects designed the innovation hub.

Named after UST alumnus and Jollibee Foods Corp. founder Tony Tan Caktiong, the structure will be an annex of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-TomasINNO Center, a technology business incubator launched in the Sampaloc campus in 2019.

FMO Director Fr. Dexter Austria O.P. said the construction of TTCIC was expected to last 12 to 18 months, noting that the Covid-19 pandemic had slowed down work. “[W]e tend to be slow in implementing things, pero we’re doing everything that we could to expedite everything,” Austria said.

Engr. Judex Jinang, project manager of Mundo Builders Inc., told the Varsitarian that excavation and delivery of materials was ongoing.

Works expect to lay concrete and fabricate the structural steels by mid-February.

UST administrators held groundbreaking rites for the building on Dec. 21.

Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. said during the groundbreaking rites that the new innovation hub would be “ready to meet challenges brought about by changing tides in education.”

Prof. Maribel Nonato, vice rector for research and innovation, said the new hub aimed to “bring research back to society.”

UST officials attend the groundbreaking ceremonies for the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center, the first vertical construction in UST Santa Rosa. (PHOTOS FROM FR. DEXTER AUSTRIA, O.P.)

“This is a good first step in making the UST Santa Rosa UST’s innovation-driven campus,” she said.

In a message, Tan Caktiong said that innovation plays a vital role in achieving a “smart, inclusive, and sustainable” economic growth.

Carmelo Casas, chief executive officer of the Casas+ Architects firm, said the three-storey building would use “state-ofthe-art technology and materials, with the design’s philosophy paying homage to the University’s timelessness.”

UST officials buried a time capsule that contained a copy of the building’s plans, a photo of UST officials with Tan Caktiong, a photo during the kickoff meeting of the project and a UST calendar.

The innovation hub is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2022, according to UST’s website.

JAMILAH B. ANGCO

AMV juniors runners-up in int’l business simulation tilt FROM PAGE 1

In a post-CBCP plenary assembly press conference on Jan. 28, Valles said the jubilee year would close on April 18, 2022.

Conferences on Church history will be held throughout the jubilee year, Valles said.

The CBCP president also revealed that discussions were made regarding the designation of Jubilee churches in each diocese.

“The opening of the holy door will be done in the cathedrals and jubilee churches designated in each diocese,” Valles said.

In Catholic tradition, passing through the opened holy door symbolizes the “passage from sin to grace which every Christian is called to accomplish,” Pope John Paul II wrote in his papal bull or public decree Incarnationis mysterium.

In October last year, the CBCP announced

that the celebration for the quincentennial would be held from April 2021 to 2022.

Since 2012, the Philippine Catholic Church has been on a “nine-year spiritual journey for the New Evangelization” to help Catholics prepare for the celebration.

The different themes each year signify a specific aspect of the Church life: Year of Integral Faith Formation (2013); Year of the Laity (2014); Year of the Poor (2015); Year of the Eucharist and the Family (2016); Year of the Parish as a Communion of Communities (2017); Year of the Clergy and Religious (2018); Year of the Youth (2019); Year of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue (2020); and Year of Missio Ad Gentes or Mission to the Nations (2021). M A. ALENA O. CASTILLO AND SOPHIA T. SADANG

A GROUP of five accountancy juniors placed fifth in the final round of the 2020 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Simulation Competition held on Feb. 5 via Zoom.

The team, composed of Rovi Vitug, Arden Oabel, Ephraim Salvador, Rich Anne Magsombol and Lian Mae Sulit, competed against 23 universities in the ERP Simulation Manufacturing Game, a contest where participants managed their own virtual companies and developed solutions and strategies for business and market simulations using the Systems, Applications, Products (SAP) software.

The UST team advanced to the international stage after conquering the Philippine leg of the ERP Simulation Competition Philippines last Nov. 20.

The ERP Simulation Manufacturing Game was divided into two parts: the qualification game held on Feb. 2 in which 11 teams were eliminated, and the final game which had three rounds.

Each round lasted 20 minutes, during which the participants were challenged to monitor and forecast market performance, produce products, track expenses, generate revenue and maintain a good company valuation.

The team was guided by UST-AMV College of Accountancy faculty members Asst.

Prof. Apollo Layug and Rosalina Erece.

The Islamic University of Indonesia was declared the winner. University of Melbourne and Nha Trang University in Vietnam finished at second and third place, respectively. Victoria University of Melbourne, Australia placed fourth. C.J. PARAS

NEWS

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

3

SHS student denied readmission for joining leftist youth group A UST SENIOR High School (SHS) student was penalized with nonreadmission next academic year after admitting openly that he was a member of a leftist youth organization not recognized by the University.

Datu Zaldy “Shoti” Ampatuan, head councilor of UST-SHS Provisional Student Council, said he was issued a show-cause notice on Dec. 14, 2020.

This was after he mentioned that he was a member of Anakbayan USTSHS in a Facebook post in November, where he advocated for an “academic ease” as typhoons “Rolly” and “Ulysses” battered the country.

Ampatuan said he was told by the SHS Student Welfare and Development Board that his affiliation with Anakbayan UST-SHS was a breach of the Code of Conduct provision on camaraderie, which states: “The students shall join or form only student organizations whose objectives uphold the vision and mission of the University.

Students shall join only organizations duly recognized by the University.”

Penalties for membership in “illegal organizations, in sororities/fraternities that are prohibited by the University or not officially recognized by the University” include “suspension, non-readmission, or exclusion depending on the gravity and number

of offense/s.”

In his response to the board, Ampatuan said he joined Anakbayan in his “personal capacity, as a Filipino citizen, simply exercising … civil liberties enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, the highest law of the land.”

He also said no Filipino citizen should be persecuted for merely exercising rights.

“I would like to clarify in no uncertain terms that I did not intend to deliberately violate the Code of Conduct of the University. As such, I apologize for any misunderstanding that my post may have caused,” he added.

In an interview with the Varsitarian, Ampatuan said he would be unable to get a certificate of good moral character because of the violation.

Ampatuan said he was merely advocating for academic ease as it was a “timely and relevant issue” and that he believed membership in an unrecognized organization should not be considered misbehavior.

“My intention as regards the Facebook post was to call for academic ease,

The 22-story tall Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, O.P. Building stands along España boulevard. given the fact that the country experienced two typhoons in the same month […] which have caused massive devastation on the lives of Filipinos, including Thomasians. I believe that advocating for academic ease was a timely and relevant issue,” he told the Varsitarian.

Ampatuan also defended his membership in Anakbayan, saying the leftist organization “has served as a democratic space for me and others as well in order to be at the forefront of transformation.”

Ampatuan claimed that his public views on sociopolitical issues drew the ire of some school officials, whom he did not name.

“I believe that not all members of the University ‘yung nagiging perpetrators ng repression pero may iilan po na kapag nakikita lang po nilang nagsasalita ang mga lider-estudyante patungkol sa sociopolitical issues (which concerns us as a whole), nagiging alarmed po sila,” he explained.

Anakbayan UST-SHS released a state-

‘Getting old’:

M. Manila universities hit military’s ‘red-tagging’ scheme

BY LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU) and Far Eastern University (FEU) denounced on Sunday a military anti-insurgency official’s claim that 18 Metro Manila colleges and universities were hotbeds of communist recruitment.

In a joint statement, the universities asserted that they “neither promote nor condone recruitment activities of the New People’s Army and, indeed, of any movement that aims to violently overthrow the government.”

“We therefore object to General Parlade’s statement and emphasize that our institutions neither pro-

mote nor condone activities of the New People’s Army and, indeed, of any movement that aims to violently overthrow the government.”

“We take as a sacred trust our primary responsibilities to promote learning and safeguard the rights of the young who are entrusted to our care. We are committed to this mission and have always held ourselves accountable to our primary constituents, the learners, and by extension, their parents,” the statement read.

On Jan. 24, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade said in an interview on GMA News’ Super Radyo dzBB that the military had identified at least

18 colleges and universities, mostly in the National Capital Region, where communist recruitment activities have been taking place.

Among the institutions listed

by Parlade were the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, FEU, ADMU,UST, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, DLSU and the University of Makati.

Same charges three years apart

The four universities called Parlade’s statements a “rehash” of the same statements he made in 2018.

“This charge, though, is really ‘getting old’—a rehash of the public accusation the general made in 2018—irresponsibly since cast

without proof,” the schools said.

In 2018, Parlade claimed 18 schools in Manila were tapped by the Communist Party of the Philippines to join the alleged “Red October” plot against the Duterte administration. He also claimed some school officials were unaware that their students were being recruited to join the communist campaign Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. represented UST in the joint statement, which was also signed by FEU President Michael Alba, DLSU President Br. Raymundo Suplido and ADMU President Fr. Roberto Yap, S.J. Below is the full copy of the universities’ joint statement, dated Jan. 24, 2021.

JOINT STATEMENT OF HEADS OF KEY UNIVERSITIES

ACCORDING to news reports, Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade J. of the NTF-ELCAC issued a statement yesterday alleging that 18 universities, including ours, are recruitment havens for the New People’s Army. This charge, though, is really “getting old”—a rehash of the public accusation the general made in 2019—irresponsibly since cast without proof.

We assert that: As Philippine schools, we value the Filipinos’ basic Constitutional rights of speech, thought, assembly, and organization. As universities with high aspirations for our country, we seek to direct our students to engage in acts that contribute to the strengthening of social cohesion, defend the country’s democratic institutions, and promote nation-building. And as institutions of higher learning that are stewards of the youth, repositories and producers of knowledge, and builders of communities, we must retain independence and autonomy from the State and other social institutions.

We therefore object to General Parlade’s statement and emphasize that our institutions neither promote nor condone recruitment activities of the New People’s Army and, indeed, of any movement that aims to violently overthrow the government.

We take as a sacred trust our primary responsibilities to promote learning and safeguard the rights of the young who are entrusted to our care. We are committed to this mission and have always held ourselves accountable to our primary constituents, the learners, and by extension, their parents.

Dr. Michael M. Alba President Far Eastern University

Br. Raymundo B. Suplido FSC President De La Salle University

(PHOTO BY MARVIN JOHN F. UY/

THE VARSITARIAN)

Fr. Isaias D. Tiongco, O.P. Vice Rector University of Santo Tomas

Fr. Roberto C. Yap, S.J. President Ateneo de Manila University

ment lashing out at the University for its handling of Ampatuan’s case. “[H]undreds of students not only in the SHS department but also other colleges are members of (non-governmental) and charitable organizations. Why pinpoint this student and this student only?” the organization questioned.

The Varsitarian sought the UST-SHS administration for comment but did not receive a response. JOANNE CHRISTINE P. RAMOS

Revamped UST website named among best in Asia-Pacific THE UNIVERSITY’s website, which recently saw a makeover, bagged the bronze award for Best International Website in the 16th Quacquarelli Symonds-Asia-Pacific Professional Leaders in Education Conference and Exhibition (QS-APPLE) Creative Awards on Nov. 28.

The website, managed by the Communications Bureau, has a new design and improved security features. “[Revamping the website played] a big factor for our University to win[.] The changes to our website provided a new dress to suit the taste and level of international standards,” Nestor Ong, head of the UST Office of QS/THE Rankings, told the Varsitarian.

It was the third bronze award for UST in the category. The UST website won it in 2015 and 2018.

Twenty-three nominees were judged for the best website category by the University College Sedaya International in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Criteria included design, interactivity, functionality and content.

Fr. Christopher Aytona, O.P., director of the Communications Bureau, headed the team responsible for redesigning the website. The group members were Philippe Hernandez, Mar Ramos, Ruby Atienza, Hans Maglapu and Rommel Rivera.

University news, policies, enrollment procedures and other pertinent information can be found on the revamped website.

The team is developing a page for UST’s advocacies and community development activities.

Ateneo de Davao University in Davao won gold while Chung-Ang University in South Korea bagged the silver award.

Ong and Vien Flores of QS/THE rankings office, together with Karen Santiago of the Office for International Relations and Programs, represented the University in the conference. JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ

4

NEWS

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

UST fine-tunes ‘enriched virtual mode’ for second term WITH THE “enriched virtual mode” renewed for the second term of academic year (AY) 2020-2021, faculty were instructed to use new teaching and assessment methods to fine-tune the delivery of online learning to Thomasians.

Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof.

Cheryl Peralta said faculty members underwent a University-wide capacity-building session before the opening of the second term.

The training, dubbed “Teaching and Innovation Goals for E-learning and Redesign” (Tiger), equipped educators with new teaching-learning and assessment methods in the online setting.

This was a response to the challenges faced by educators during the first term of enriched virtual mode, Peralta told the Varsitarian.

“While we understand that changes may not happen overnight, we hope that these learning opportunities for the faculty will motivate them to enhance instruction and continue acquiring feedback from their students on whether these promote a positive learning experience,” Peralta said.

In the Tiger training, faculty members were asked to review the teaching principles and strategies they had utilized in the first term so they could modify them, Peralta said.

“This will help us redesign learning for the second term so we transcend the mere survival of teaching and learning in this pandemic and move towards innovation and quality assurance,” she said.

College of Science Dean Prof. Rey Papa earlier told the Varsitarian that they were also exhausting ways to improve the delivery of their lecture and laboratory classes.

The College of Science held a department-level online webinar and workshops

for faculty members headed by the Science Pedagogy Committee.

“Given that the enriched virtual mode of learning is only one term old, we are of course planning to implement improvements that can help us improve the delivery of quality lecture and laboratory science courses,” Papa said.

The webinars and workshops guided faculty members in redesigning their course plans, teaching techniques and laboratory demonstrations in an online setting.

Papa added that they were anticipating the gradual easing of travel restrictions and access to the University so that faculty members could utilize UST’s laboratories and equipment for recording asynchronous and conducting synchronous sessions.

He also disclosed that the college was looking at the possibility of providing students in select courses with “laboratory kits” to help them conduct laboratory experiments at home.

Papa said the college had been relying heavily on virtual laboratory simulations to improve the delivery of learning in laboratory courses.

On Feb. 3, Manila City Hall allowed medicine and allied health programs in the University to conduct limited face-to-face classes for the second term.

In the College of Architecture, Asst. Prof.

Rino Fernandez told the Varsitarian that although there were minimal problems in delivering studio classes online, the college made several adjustments in assessment methods.

“Sa architecture kasi, kailangan naming ipakita sa students, through graphical drawings, yung dini-discuss namin para maintindihan nila. And we also need to show them, through graphical means, ‘yung problem ng plans and other drawing na pinapakita nila,” Fernandez said.

A UST student attends an online class via Zoom. (Photo by Francia Denise M. Arizabal/ The Varsitarian)

UST is a top performing school in January medtech boards THE UNIVERSITY placed sixth among top-performing schools in the January 2021 licensure examinations for medical technologists.

UST recorded an 80.39-percent passing rate, with 41 out of 51 Thomasian examinees making the cut.

In the September 2019 examinations, the University had a 95.93-percent passing rate, with 283 of 295 takers passing the examinations.

Fred Lawrence Samante of St. Scholastica’s College – Tacloban led the new batch of Filipino medical technologists after posting a 91.40-percent score.

Saint Louis University and Velez College were the top-performing schools after recording 100-percent passing rates.

The national passing rate slid to 67.69 percent or 1,919 out of 2,835 takers in the January 2021 examinations from the September 2019 result of 73.50 percent or 4,743 out of 6,453 examinees.

The Professional Regulation Commission postponed the March and September 2019 examinations last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The exams were rescheduled to Jan. 21 and 22, 2021. CHARM RYANNE C. MAGPALI

UST Minecraft, Teletigers win in 1st AcadArena Awards UST Minecraft was recognized as the “Project of the Year” in the first-ever AcadArena Awards, besting two other schools.

The UST Minecraft team was cited for “showcasing student talent and skill in the realm of Esports and video games and for becoming a platform for community building.”

Institute of Information and Computing Sciences junior Charles Nobleza, founder of the project, said that the attention they had received from the Thomasian community helped them earn a nomination for the event.

Ateneo de Manila University and Technological University of the Philippines were runners-up for the Project of the Year award, whose winners were announced on Feb. 14.

UST Minecraft recreated the University’s 21.5-hectare campus in the sandbox video game. The team also recreated student dormitories and condominiums and famous food spots around UST. UST conducted its Welcome Walk 2020 using the virtual campus, as the Covid-19 pandemic prohibited face-to-face classes.

Nobleza said the UST Minecraft team was looking into hosting other UST events virtually through its Minecraft server.

“We are currently working on making the other traditional events possible such as the Baccalaureate Mass and maybe host a tour for USTAR (University of

A bird’s eye view of the virtual campus

Minecraft players dressed as UST students pose in front of the virtual Arch of the Centuries The UST campus in the UST Minecraft server (Photo courtesy of UST Minecraft)

Santo Tomas Admission Rating) applicants in order for them to have a glimpse of what to expect if they pass and study here at UST,” Nobleza said.

Meanwhile, the UST Teletigers bagged the overall title of AcadArena’s summer season.

The Teletigers swept all AcadArena tournaments for League of Legends (LoL), Hearthstone, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

“We’ve always embodied what campus esports dominance means. This time around we wanted it to be overall organization and team excellence,” Te-

letigers Esports Club head Theo Ignacio told the Varsitarian.

Since the establishment of AcadArena in 2019, the Teletigers have won several championships such as in the Alliance League Summer LoL, MLBB and Hearthstone tournaments; National Cup MLBB; AcadArena 2019 National Championship LoL, National Campus Open: LoL 2020 and Nexus 2019 Hearthstone.

The Teletigers took home a P5,000 cash prize.

CHRISTINE JOYCE A. PARAS, JOANNE CHRISTINE P. RAMOS AND JAMES PAUL R. GOMEZ

The Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, O.P. Building

The virtual Arch of the Centuries built inside the Minecraft campus

OPINION

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

Fourth Wall

Eye Level

JISELLE ANNE C. CASUCIAN

LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

Harry Roque is Duterte’s court jester

PNP motto: ‘To serve and protect (themselves)’ Dura lex, sed lex. The law is harsh, but it is the law.

Among all the legal maxims, this is among the most popular. It is a simple statement, but it captures sharply with precision what should be the nature of the law and how it should work. But does the statement really mean anything nowadays, or has it been stripped of meaning and reduced into a vacuous expression?

Last December, video footage of mother and son Sonya and Frank Gregorio shot point-blank in front of their home in Tarlac by an off-duty police officer, Joel Nuezca, went viral on social media. They were killed by a policeman whose arrogance made him think he could get away with murder just

A leadership overhaul in the PNP is long overdue. Filipinos do not have to die at the hands of their “protectors.” It would help a lot, too, if we do not have a madman as a president who orders his boys to shoot anyone dead as he pleases. because he has a badge. Nuezca still pleaded not guilty to his double-murder charge on Jan. 7, and was only dismissed from the force on Jan. 11—22 days after the twin killings. Looking at Nuezca’s history—with two previous cases of homicide and multiple administrative cases due to “neglect of duty,” all of which were dropped and dismissed for lack of evidence—it is clear as day that the culture of impunity is alive and well in the ranks of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Corporal Winston Ragos, an ex-soldier, was murdered in broad daylight by police Master Sgt. Daniel Florendo Jr. for allegedly threatening cops after an altercation on Covid-19 protocols.

Multiple witnesses stated that Ragos was not at all armed; police told them to go home. Statements released by the police soon after would completely differ from what would eventually be seen from the CCTV footage of the crime.

The Quezon City Police Department, while confirming that they would hold an investigation, said that what Florendo did was “a judgment call.” It took months before the National Bureau of Investigation concluded that Florendo, along with four other police trainees, were to be charged with murder and planting of evidence in the crime scene.

PNP ► PAGE 10

5

EDITORIAL

UST SHS worse than AFP UST Senior High School is a disgrace to Philippine democracy.

It’s a disgrace to UST. IN REMOVING senior high school student Datu Zaldy Ampatuan Jr. from the student council and refusing him college admission next academic year because he’s a member of Anakbayan, a leftist organization “not recognized” by UST, the UST Senior High School (SHS) under principal Erika Bolaños has outdone the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the latter’s dangerous “red-tagging” campaign; it has taken the step farther of witch-hunting and denying him his constitutional rights of free speech and association. Indeed, it has denied him his right to college education.

To be sure, a UST student can be a member of any association, whether or not “recognized”

by UST: we’re pretty sure even the SHS administrative personnel or faculty like Bolaños are members of organizations not recognized by UST, such as knitting and bingo clubs.

Even if Anakbayan is tagged by the AFP as a leftist organization, there’s no law against the left. Leftists are allowed to take part in the socio-political dynamics of a democracy like the Philippines. Leftist groups are not illegal; what is outlawed is armed rebellion. Which is as it should be since democratic dialogue and discussion cannot take place through the barrel of a gun.

Ampatuan is a student council officer taking part in the country’s democratic dynamics.

Definitely, he’s not done any violent act or instigated one. He simply could not have done so on campus: there have been no face-to-face classes since March because of the pandemic.

By dismissing him from the student council, the SHS administration in fact has done the anti-democratic act—student union-busting.

It has done violence to Ampatuan’s democratic rights. The SHS is a disgrace to Philippine democracy. It’s a disgrace to UST. Smelling blood, the SHS now has sent out “show-cause” letters to other students, its foreplay to its Kangaroo-court trial to which Ampat-

uan has earlier been subjected. UST SHS is even worse than the AFP. Perhaps the AFP should learn from the SHS’s “best practices” textbook in quashing human rights.

SHS has refused to make a public explanation of its actions, insisting on “confidentiality.”

The “confidentiality” is apparently its legal cover for its abuses and its evil silence. Certainly, the higher UST administration should make the overlords and overmistresses of SHS explain.

After all, SHS is smearing the name of UST as a Catholic institution by its “unchristian” red-tagging and witch-hunt. After all, SHS is violating its own commitment to its students to guide them through senior high school, a commitment enunciated since the start by SHS inaugural principal Pilar Romero and her successor Bolaños. That avowed commitment has now been unmasked as vacuous rhetoric.

SHS has also shamelessly and blatantly defied the call of UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. to the Thomasian community to unite and help UST brave through the Covid-19 pandemic via “a renewed sense of competence, commitment and compassion.”

An embarrassment

SHS is an embarrassment to UST. It must be remembered that its anti-democratic sanctions of Ampatuan came together with the news that UST leadership, along with those of other prestigious schools has signed a statement, dated Jan. 24, 2021, objecting to renewed and unsubstantiated allegations by Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, that UST and 17 other schools are “recruitment havens” of the New People’s Army.

Perhaps because Philippine students are

at the bottom of an Asia-Pacific survey of reading comprehension and other basic indicators,

Editorial ► PAGE 11

FOUNDED JANUARY 16, 1928

JOHN EZEKIEL EUGENE DOMINIC J. HIRRO V. ABOY, O.P.

KATRINA ISABEL C. GONZALES KATRINA ISABEL C. GONZALES

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NEWS NEWS Jamilah Charm Mae Ryanne B. Angco, C. Magpali, CharmLaurd Ryanne Menhard C. Magpali, B. Salen, Jacqueline CamilleB.Abiel Martinez, H. Torres Christine Joyce A. Paras, Joanne Christine P. Ramos SPORTS SPORTS Anna Malic Clarissa U. Cotongan, M. Barlam, Rommel Nina Angela Bong R.Mikaela FuertesCruz, Jr., Rommel Bong R. Fuertes JasminJr., Roselle James M.Paul Monton R. Gomez, Mark Ernest V. Villeza SPECIAL SPECIAL REPORTS REPORTS Kimberly Joenner G. Hipolito, Paulo L. Enriquez, Charlize Gabriel O.P., Camille L. Linantud, M. Marcelo, Nuel Nuel Angelo Angelo D. Sabate D. Sabate FEATURES FEATURES Ma.Ma. Dyanne Jasmine Mirasol Trisha P. Reyes, L. Nepomuceno Jade Veronique V. Yap LITERARY LITERARY Leigh Leigh Anne Anne E. Dispo, E. Dispo, Sofia Sofia Bernice Bernice F. Navarro F. Navarro WITNESS FILIPINO Ma. Caitlin AlenaDayne O. Castillo, A. Contreras, Sophia T. Bea Sadang Angeline P. Domingo FILIPINO WITNESS Bea Angeline Ma. AlenaP.O.Domingo, Castillo, Joenner Samantha Paulo Nichole L. Enriquez, G. Magbuhat O.P., SCIENCE AND Mariel TECHNOLOGY Celine L. Serquiña Caitlin Dayne A. Contreras, SCIENCE Katherine AND Anne TECHNOLOGY L. Escarilla Miguel Louis M. Galang, CIRCLE Nolene Jade Beatrice Veronique H. V. Crucillo, Yap Allaine Nicole C. Cruz, CIRCLE Larissa Nolene MaeBeatrice C. Tan H. Crucillo, Neil Paolo S. Gonzales ARTART KarlKarl Joshua Joshua L. Aron, L. Aron, Athea Mariane Monique JaneZ.A.Gala, Cadiz, Gwyneth Alisa Joy Fiona T. del N. Mundo, Luga, Christine Jan Kristopher Angelie P.T.Orines, Esguerra, Catherine Gwyneth Paulene Fiona N. A. Luga, Umali, RaeCatherine Isobel N. Tyapon Paulene A. Umali, Rae Isobel N. Tyapon, Sophia R. PHOTOGRAPHY Lozada Francia Denise M. Arizabal, Renzelle Shayne V. Picar, PHOTOGRAPHY Camille AbielNadine H. Torres, Anne Marvin M. Deang, JohnJean F. Uy,Gilbert Arianne T.Maye Go, Renzelle D.G. Viri EDITORIALShayne ASSISTANT V. Picar, Jessica Bianca C. Asprer Jolene S. Redondo, Camille Abiel H. Torres, Marvin John F. Uy, Arianne Maye D.G. Viri EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica C. Asprer

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. is a fool— a professional one.

There has been hardly a dull day in Malacañang since Roque was reappointed as President Duterte’s mouthpiece.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, Roque’s successor and predecessor, said the former human rights lawyer was recalled to the spokesman’s podium in April because the Covid-19 pandemic required “a new tack in messaging.”

And boy did he not disappoint! Since his appointment, he has always found himself in hot water, entangled in some sort of scandal or controversy, usually for his arrogant remarks or overly dramatic reactions. His remarks are often infuriating and cringeworthy but one cannot deny that he’s hilarious and amusing.

He’s actually befitting to be the

To be fair, Roque is very good at his job. He is more than capable of deflecting the public attention away from the president’s mess. But that does not remove the fact that Roque is a fool—a professional fool and an actual fool for turning back on his moral principles to stand

by Duterte, whom he had advocated against in the past for being a “self-professed murderer” comparable to Hitler and Marcos. spokesman of Duterte’s circus.

Court jesters or fools were heavily relied upon as sources of entertainment for monarchs in medieval courts. Seemingly as old-fashioned as the president it houses, Malacañang revived this archaic job line, replaced bright-colored jumpsuits and coxcombs with dull-colored barong for uniforms, and gave it a shiny new title: presidential spokesperson.

And true enough, Roque is living up to being a modern-day jester: he also makes a living by making a joke of himself.

In 12th century England, a fool named Roland le Pettour was given 30 acres of land by King Henry II on the condition that he would return to the royal court every year on Christmas Day to “leap, whistle and fart.”

Roque, in some ways, if not worse, is like Roland—duty-bound to abandon his reputation and principles and humiliate himself daily in service of Duterte.

In December 2020, news of smuggled Covid-19 vaccines administered to the Presidential Security Group broke out. Expectedly the scandal drew flak as the Food and Drug Administration had yet to issue an emergency use authorization on any vaccines then.

FROM PAGE 5 Roque, a sworn lawyer, Harry Roque ► PAGE 11

SCI-TECH The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

With its tough storage requirement, Pfizer vaccine not ideal for PH—UST expert

The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, which touts a 95-percent efficacy rate, may not be the most ideal in the Philippine setting, a Thomasian immunology expert has warned.

Meeting the Pfizer vaccine’s storage requirement of -75°C alone may be more difficult than the actual procurement of the vaccine, said Asst. Prof. Jose Francis Abrantes, a microbiologist who teaches immunology and virology at the UST Department of Biological Sciences.

“Where are we going to store those vaccines in that kind of condition? How much more if we are talking about millions of doses to be stored, transported and maintained in Manila where the temperature is for a tropical climate?” he told the Varsitarian.

“We cannot afford to be storing Pfizer because we do not have the resources to do that. We don’t have the infrastructure assuming we could afford it after the mass vaccination,” said Abrantes, who is also a researcher at the Institute for Medical Research in Malaysia.

Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine was authorized for emergency use in the Philippines last Jan. 14.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier admitted in an interview over ANC that the Philippines did not have the suitable storage facilities for the Pfizer vaccine, but said that the vaccine manufacturer might supply the country with the necessary storage equipment.

EDITOR: MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG

Should we panic over new coronavirus strains?

WITH THE new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 now in the Philippines and the threat of the emergence of other coronavirus variants, should the country, with now more than 500,000 Covid-19 cases, hit the panic button?

The B117 SARS-CoV-2 variant, also known as the UK variant, was detected from the samples of a male resident in Quezon City, who arrived in the Philippines from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last Jan 7.

The Department of Health and the Philippine Genome Center confirmed on Jan. 13 that the new coronavirus strain, first detected in the United Kingdom (UK), was already in the country.

Medical researchers in the UK have claimed that the new SARSCoV-2 variant is more infectious than the original. A study from Imperial College London found the variant’s reproduction or R number, a mathematical term that tells the number of people a person with a disease can infect, at between 1.1 and 1.3.

It was higher by between 0.4 and 0.7 than the original variant.

The World Health Organization is also monitoring two other coronavirus variants: one from South Africa called 501Y.V2, which has been detected in 20 countries, and another called P.1 from Brazil.

There is currently no evidence, however, that suggests these variants are more fatal or likely to cause severe illnesses, according to the US

A YEAR OF COVID-19

Jan. 30, 2020 to Jan. 30, 2021:

523,516

ART BY ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA, GWYNETH FIONA N. LUGA AND RAE ISOBEL N. TYAPON

6

Total cases

10,669 Deaths

475,904 Recoveries

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With these in mind, the public should not be alarmed but remain vigilant and compliant to minimum health standards, a public health expert has urged.

“People should be vigilant, not alarmed with these variants,” Thomasian public health specialist Alvin Rey Flores told the Varsitarian in an interview.

Panic ► PAGE 11

Herd immunity ‘expensive’

Pfizer vaccine ► PAGE 11

UST, UP RESEARCHERS CITE THREATS TO TAAL LAKE ECOSYSTEM

‘Gov’t should consult with scientists on development projects’ RESEARCHERS from UST and the University of the Philippines (UP) emphasized the need for proper conservation and management of Taal Lake to protect its freshwater ecosystems a year after the eruption of the Taal Volcano.

College of Science Dean Rey Donne Papa and aquatic biology researchers from the University, together with scientists from UP, went to Taal Lake as part of the “Agham ng Bulkang Taal” program organized

by First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (Faith) Colleges last Dec. 5.

Upon their visit, the researchers noticed that there were portions of a circumferential road built too close to the littoral zone or the shore of the lake. “‘Yung littoral zone kasi ng lakes na ‘yan maraming tumutubo na mga aquatic plants that are being used as refuge ng mga maraming organisms. So, kung masyadong malapit yung kalsada, definitely, sisirain niya ‘yung part na yun,” Papa told the Varsitarian in an interview.

“As a biologist, you always have to consider ‘yung possible impacts niya sa environment. Sadly, some parts of the circumferential road mukhang hindi masyadong na-consider ‘yun,” he added.

When asked to compare the road project with the dolomite situation in Manila Bay, Papa simply

THE AGHAM NG BULKANG TAAL TEAM (PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. ELFRITZSON PERALTA)

Duque said vaccinating 60 million Filipinos would be enough to achieve “herd immunity” in the country.

Herd immunity happens when a population becomes immune to a disease once a certain threshold number of the people is vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization.

But achieving herd immunity using the Pfizer vaccines will be impractical, said Abrantes.

“The price is not cheap. [Two vaccine doses cost] P2379. We cannot afford economy-wise paying that amount particularly if we are to vaccinate 60 to 70 percent of our population,” he said.

Abrantes also compared the cost of the Pfizer vaccine to AstraZeneca’s based on data provided by Senate Committee on Finance Chair Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.

The Philippine government allotted P82.5 billion for Covid-19 vaccines in its 2021 national budget. The amount would cover the vaccination of 34,678,436 recipients if solely Pfizer vaccines were to be used—just around half the threshold to achieve herd immunity.

Two doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccines cost P610. Abrantes noted that the AstraZeneca vaccine, unlike Pfizer’s, could be stored at regular refrigeration temperatures.

“It will require only the normal refrigeration temperature of between 2 to 8°C and that is the most practical in our current situation even for rural areas,” he said.

The government’s P82.5-billion budget would cover the vaccination of more than 135 million Filipinos if solely AstraZeneca vaccines were to be used.

said that people “need to talk to scientists more.”

“We always have to aim for sustainable development either way.

Hindi naman kasi namin sinasabi ‘wag niyong kilusin’ o ‘wag niyong galawin,’” he said.

The Taal Lake circumferential road is a project of the Department of Public Works and Highways that aims to ease travel by connecting lakeshore cities and municipalities.

Taal’s fisheries The team is also studying two commercially important fish that are caught in Taal Lake—the Sardi-

nella tawilis and a biya (tank goby) species.

They plan on educating local fishermen on how they can sustainably catch these fish without causing further harm to their population.

“We want to further guide policy makers and our colleagues from BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), for instance, who are currently the ones studying and monitoring the fisheries of these two organisms para later, mas mapakinabangan siya ng mas marami,” Papa said.

On the afternoon of Jan. 12,

2020, Taal Volcano erupted after 43 years of dormancy.

Papa and his team visited Lake Taal to conduct studies in Taal a month after, on Feb. 8.

“We collected some samples and then we already noticed some stark differences from way before,” Papa, a limnologist, said.

According to him, the samples they collected from the lake showed a low density of phytoplankton and zooplankton, which are organisms integral to the food chain and diet of fish such as the endangered Sardinella tawilis found only in Taal Lake.

Consult with experts ► PAGE 10

FEATURES

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

EDITOR: JISELLE ANNE C. CASUCIAN

Thomasian doc among first Covid-19 vaccine recipients in US A DOCTOR from UST was among the first to receive a vaccine for Covid-19 in the United States.

DR. RICARCHITO MANERA

Dr. Ricarchito Manera, a Chicago-based pediatric hematologist-oncologist, was part of the team of medical workers from the Advocate Children’s Hospital in Illinois that participated in Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine trial.

Manera earned his degree in medicine at UST in 1984.

As a medical professional, Manera said he wanted to get vaccinated not only to protect himself but also his friends, family and his patients.

“As we take care of kids with cancer whose immunity is compromised, we were lucky to be among the first health care team members to get the Covid vaccine,” Manera told the Varsitarian.

Pfizer vaccines are given in two doses. Manera received the first shot on Dec. 19 last year and the second shot last Jan. 9.

“It went well, did not hurt and I only experienced mild muscle soreness,” he said.

“I am feeling fine

Multi-awarded Thomasian chef’s recipe for success What is a recipe? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word as the formula or procedure for doing or attaining something. What is the recipe for success? There’s no such thing, according to a Thomasian chef who has been making a name for himself in the Middle East’s culinary scene.

Hotel and restaurant management alumnus Andrew Paderes is a three-time inductee into the 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf of Illustrado Magazine, a premiere Filipino lifestyle magazine published in Dubai, Arab Emirates that aims to uplift and promote Filipinos and the Filipino culture around the world.

An executive chef, Paderes was the first Filipino to be recognized alongside celebrity chefs from all over the globe at the annual Taste of Dubai festival, one of the country’s most renowned culinary events.

He is currently an executive chef at Catch 22—a multi-cuisine foodie hotspot with branches in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For him, the road to success has no shortcuts and no guarantees.

“There’s no such recipe to [success] that has to be followed, because it has to come from yourself,” he said in an interview with the Varsitarian. “[For] me, I always believe that I need to trust and respect other people because I am not alone in the industry, so I have to treat them with respect and trust them.”

Continuing to serve as a role model not only for Filipinos but also for aspirants from other countries, Padres prides in the fact that he has not only built a successful career for himself but also helped shape the careers of many.

“I think I was able to impact a lot of people, especially Filipinos,” the 46-yearold said. “I was able to train talents, Filipinos and non-Filipinos, from the lowest positions and elevate their crafts, their talent and [have them] build a career for themselves,” he said.

Thomasian roots Before becoming a full-time chef abroad, Paderes was an instructor at the UST College of Tourism and Hospitality Management for five years.

During his time in the University, Paderes established the Reader’s Café— the coffee shop located inside the Miguel de Benavides Library.

In total, he had spent 15 years in the University.

Paderes believed that manifesting Thomasian values was among the things that helped him excel in his field.

“Being a Thomasian professional, I’ve remained grounded and… humble.

[Those are] some of the best traits of a Thomasian,” Paderes said.

Should one stumble from failure to failure along the way, Paderes said enthusiasm must not be lost.

“No matter how hard you fail, if you have a positive outlook, you see the positive side of it, you’d be able to rise from it faster and easily, and of course God has to be there. You have to believe Him,” he added.

He obtained his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management at UST in 1995 and taught subjects on catering, baking, beverage management, culinary arts and events management at the College of Hospitality and Management from 2000 until 2005. JADE VERONIQUE V. YAP

CHEF ANDREW PADERES

and feeling so blessed that I am fully immunized and protected. Of course we still have to wear masks and face shields as well as do social distancing so as not to infect other unimmunized individuals.”

Manera cited the importance of vaccines in controlling infections, especially during a health crisis. “[Vaccinating] as many people as possible is essential to control infection, decrease its transmission and eventually the development of herd immunity.” he said.

Herd immunity happens when a population becomes immune to a disease once a certain threshold number of the people is vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization.

The vaccination program Manera participated in had 73,000 participants. Of the number, 43,000 took part in the Pfizer trial while 30,000 were inoculated with the Moderna vaccine. “[T]hose who later on had severe Covid infections were from the placebo group, showing that the vaccine is effective, protective and safe,” he said.

“Hopefully the vaccines will soon come out in the Philippines.”

The Philippines’ vaccination program is expected to begin in February 2020. So far, only Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines have been approved for emergency use in the country. JADE VERONIQUE V. YAP

7

Enriched Enriched ►

PAGE 7

FROM PAGE 1 “Sa traditional teach-

ing mode kasi, may pen or marker lang ang professors, okay na ‘yun para sa assessment ng submitted plates. For virtual mode, we are now using [a] tablet to [check] submitted plates [and] for online demonstrations as well,” he added.

‘Low-bandwidth’ materials Both Peralta and Papa acknowledged the “unique context” and challenges presented by enriched virtual mode in the first term, highlighting internet connectivity as the most reported issue.

Peralta said faculty members were encouraged to prepare learning materials that required low bandwidths and “variable immediacy” of response.

“With this, the faculty training program for the second term directed faculty members to reflect upon the teaching-learning strategies and assessments they utilized in the first term within the content of Daniel Stanford’s Bandwidth-Immediacy Matrix,” Peralta said.

Daniel Stanford’s Bandwidth-Immediacy Matrix is a graph that evaluates the pros and cons of activities requiring high versus low bandwidths and the immediacy level of each to help mitigate bandwidth issues that educators and students might encounter.

“Recognizing that this is a barrier that is not completely within our control, we endeavor to assist the faculty in preparing instruction that is flexible and accessible to students amidst limitations in internet connectivity,” the vice rector said. JACQUELINE MARTINEZ AND JOANNE CHRISTINE RAMOS

Awards FROM PAGE 2 urged young journalists

to strive to become factual, impartial and objective in the age of digital journalism.

“From the disturbing developments in our global media space, we need more than ever the factual, impartial, and objective journalist that I hope all these aspiring journalists will become,” Saludo said in his message.

The Manila Times Campus Press Awards is a nationwide competition organized by The Manila Times, the oldest existing English-language newspaper in the Philippines.

The awarding ceremony for the competition’s fourth edition was held online due to restrictions on in-person gatherings due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

JAMILAH B. ANGCO AND CHRISTINE JOYCE A. PARAS

Traslacion A total of 15 Masses were celebrated for Nazareno’s feast.

Only 400 churchgoers were allowed to enter the Quiapo Church for each of the 15 Masses, allowing a total of 6,000 devotees to attend the Eucharistic celebrations in-person.

The mesquite wood image of the Black Nazarene depicts Jesus Christ kneeling while carrying the cross.

The image of the Black Nazarene was partially destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

Gener Manlaqui, a Filipino saint carver, was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Manila to create the present-day Nazarene replica, using the head of the original statue. S. T. SADANG WITH REPORTS FROM MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

8

WITNESS The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

EDITOR: MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

Ex-UST vice rector is new head of Filipino Dominicans FORMER UST Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. has been elected as the 13th prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

The Master of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III, O.P., confirmed the election on Monday, Jan. 18.

De la Cruz was elected to his post on Sunday during the 12th Provincial Chapter held in Caleruega, Batangas . It was spearheaded by the Convent of Saint Albert the Great.

By virtue of his position, he will also serve as the University’s vice chancellor for four years, until 2025. He will also be chairman of the board of trustees.

De la Cruz succeeded Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, Jr., O.P., who was prior provincial from 2016 until de la Cruz’s appointment.

According to the Rule of St. Augustine and the Book of Constitutions and Ordinations, a prior provincial or superior of a province “must promote regular and apostolic life, provide for the brothers’ needs [and] should be concerned that the brothers fulfill their personal obligations.”

The newly elected Filipino Dominican head is a former director of UST Center for Campus Ministry and is teaching sacred theology at the University.

De la Cruz obtained his bachelor’s degree in philosophy at the Philippine Dominican Center of Institutional Studies in 1986.

Born in Manila, de la Cruz earned his canonical degree in sacred theology and his master’s degree in theology in UST in 1991 and 2006, respectively.

‘Our mission is to be faithful, not successful’ SUCCESS will follow if we prioritize God and work on building our faith.

Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, O.P. (PHOTO FROM OP.ORG)

De la Cruz entered the Dominican pre-novitiate program in 1980 and professed in the Dominican Order on May 11, 1984. He was ordained priest in 1992.

Before he was elected, de la Cruz was assigned to San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs Parish in Navotas.

From 2017 to 2020, he served as the superior of the Dominican community of Rumah Santo Tomas in Surabaya, Indonesia.

He was also appointed head of the Dominican Clerical Fraternity (2012 to 2014), provincial councilor (2012 to 2016) and socius or assistant of the prior provincial (2014 to 2016). MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO AND SOPHIA T. SADANG

NAZARENE FEAST:

‘Amid pandemic, Jesus remains with us’ MANILA APOSTOLIC Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo exhorted Catholics to connect with Jesus amid their sufferings during the Covid-19 pandemic in a Eucharistic celebration for the feast of the Black Nazarene at the Quiapo Church on Jan. 9.

“We do not deny the sufferings that are with us, but put Jesus there.

Ilagay si Hesus, at mata-transform po ang ating kahirapan at magiging kaligtasan (Put Jesus there and our sufferings will turn into salvation),” Pabillo said.

Pabillo reminded Nazareno devotees that Christ is one with the people in their problems as he discussed the theme, “Huwag kayong matakot, si Hesus ito!”

“Ang Poong Nazareno ay parang isang magnet … hindi lang tayo naa-attract sa kanyang pag-ibig, at hindi lang sa isang imahen, ngunit sa Diyos din na nakikiisa sa ating kalagayan na pasan ang krus,” he said.

The theme was derived from Matthew 14, where Jesus’ walking on water frightened his disciples.

Jesus reassured them, saying, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

In a previous interview, Msgr.

Hernando Coronel, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, reminded Catholics to remain faithful to the Lord amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Ang ating Panginoong Hesukristo ay sinasamahan tayo sa ating paglalakbay sa ating pagsubok.

Hindi naman niya tinatanggal ang

FEAST OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS:

kahirapan o problema, kasama natin sa paglalakbay. Kaya kumapit tayo, magtiwala tayo, umasa tayo,” he told the Varsitarian.

This was the message of Fr. Rudolf Steven Seño, O.P. of the UST Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophy during the University Mass for the solemnity of St. Thomas Aquinas, UST’s patron saint, on Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the St. Dominic de Guzman Chapel.

“Our mission is not to be successful; rather, it is to be faithful. If you are faithful, if and only then, success will follow. Be like Aquinas and put things in order. We should focus on more important things: Prioritize God, seek Him” he said.

In his greatest work Summa Theologica, Aquinas tackled the proofs of God’s existence, man’s ultimate purpose, faith and morality.

Aquinas wrote that the pursuit of knowledge and truth could only be found in God. Seña also urged Thomasians to develop traits like faith and wisdom amid the pandemic and not merely become health- and wealth-conscious individuals.

“Ngayong may pandemic, we are becoming health and wealth conscious. Aanhin mo ang mga milyon-milyon o bilyon-bilyong pera kung sa huli ay magkakasakit ka? It should not stop from there,” he said.

(In this time of pandemic, we are becoming health and wealth-conscious. What will you do with millions or billions of money if you will only get sick in the end? Our efforts should not stop there.)

Seño led the Triduum Masses from Jan. 25 to 27 in preparation for the feast, which had the

Fr. Rudolf Steven Seño, O.P. delivers the homily for the University Mass for the solemnity of St. Thomas Aquinas.

(PHOTO FROM SANTÍSIMO ROSARIO PARISH - UST/ FACEBOOK)

theme, “A Mind to Know You, A Heart to Seek You, Wisdom to Find You.” During the first and second Triduum Masses, Seño called on Thomasians to have a heart like St. Thomas,’ who both loved and contemplated..

“We can have a mind that is not just thinking but also loving and concerned with the welfare of others and strives to make itself understood. It could only be possible if our mind is closely connected with the heart,” he said.

The new normal brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic warrants reinforced faith such as that of St. Thomas, Assoc.

Prof. Allan Basas, faculty secretary of the Institute of Religion, told the Varsitarian.

“In the midst of all chaos, confusions, crises, pluralities, subjectivism and relativism…

St. Thomas dared to meet the changes and challenges of his

times by being faithful,” Basas told the Varsitarian.

“St. Thomas is a shining example of a Catholic scholar who has dedicated himself to the service of the contemplation and transmission of the absolute truth, the effective communication of the truths of the faith as the fruit of his sedulous contemplation; the analysis… of the propositions of his allies and objectors alike, as a way to expose and propagate the faith; [and] the life-long learning of the truths of the faith by ensuring anchorage on the sacred traditions and being open to dialogue with new realities of his time,” Basas said.

Fr. Lester Mendosa, a doctorate student from the UST Faculty of Canon Law, urged seminary students to emulate St. Thomas’ passion in truth-seeking and truth-telling in his homily M.AO. CASTILLO AND S.T. SADANG

Traslacion’s new normal

Pabillo said the pandemic changed the way traditions were being celebrated, but more people became nearer to Christ.

The Covid-19 crisis caused the grand procession to be canceled, but Manila Police Chief Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco reported that at least 400,000 devotees had flocked to the vicinity of Quiapo Church on Jan. 9.

Localized celebrations were also observed, where a replica of the Black Nazarene was brought to different areas around Metro Manila and nearby cities from Dec. 31 to Jan. 7.

Novena Masses were also held from Dec. 31 to Jan. 9 and the traditional pahalik of the image of the Black Nazarene was replaced by a patanaw (viewing) from the balcony of Quiapo church and in Plaza Miranda.

A total of 15 Masses were celebrated for Nazareno’s feast. Only 400 churchgoers were allowed to enter the Quiapo Church for each of the 15 Masses, allowing a total of 6,000 devotees to attend the Eucharistic celebrations in-person.

The mesquite wood image of the Black Nazarene depicts Jesus Christ kneeling while carrying the cross.

The image of the Black Nazarene was partially destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. S. T. SADANG WITH REPORTS FROM MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

St. Thomas Aquinas ART BY CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES

ART BY JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA & CATHERINE PAULINE A. UMALI

10

COMICS

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

ART DIRECTOR: JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA

NEW YEAR HANGOVER ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA

ROUND 2 RAE ISOBEL N. TYAPON

HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF SANE FOR NEXT SEM CATHERINE PAULENE A. UMALI

Vaccination FROM PAGE 1 Austriaco attributed the

rapid development of vaccines to “decades of experiments and countless sleepless nights by tens of thousands of scientists who spent hours and hours toiling at the bench from the bedrock of the vaccines that are now being deployed around the world.”

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P. (PHOTO FROM CBHD.ORG)

“A lot of great science went into these vaccines and a lot of great scientists were needed to generate that great science,” he said.

Despite limited and accelerated vaccine tests and trials, Austriaco said enough proof was produced to conclude that the vaccines were effective.

“In the end, the numbers say it all. And what the numbers say is that these vaccines are safe and efficacious. Tens of thousands were tested and they developed an appropriate immune response to the SARS-CoV2 virus.

Tens of thousands were tested and none got very ill or died from the vaccines,” he said.

On side effects

Austriaco said the vaccines would “absolutely” cause side effects—not because they’re ineffective, but because they’re working.

“I expect to have a sore arm for a day or so. I expect to have a fever and to feel worn out for a time. But these are signs that the vaccine is working! These are signs that the vaccine is jumpstarting my immune response so that I can make those precious antibodies that will wipe out the Covid-19 virus if I am exposed to them for real in the future,” he explained.

Austriaco said there was no need for people with allergies to panic should the vaccines induce severe allergic reactions, like what was seen in 21 of the first 1,893,360 Americans who were given the vaccines.

“Here in the Philippines, we plan to have [epinephrine auto-injectors] available everywhere we do vaccinations. So we will be ready. If I or someone else gets an allergic response, we will jab them with that,” he said.

The Dominican also assured that there was no proof that the vaccines could be causally associated with post-vaccination deaths.

Austriaco stressed that the vaccine would not cause infertility nor reprogram human DNA. “[These claims are] unreasonable and not supported by any science… As a priest-scientist, I have to respect the evidence, whether it is the data of science or the data of divine revelation, and there simply is no evidence that mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines will reprogram our genes,” he said.

Some of the first Covid-19 vaccines to be approved for use in other countries make use of the mRNA technology. This technology teaches cells how to make protein that triggers an immune response and produces antibodies.

‘Immoral’ vaccines

Some vaccines were made with fetal cells derived from a decades-old abortion.

Austriaco admitted that these may cause hesitancy among Christians, but said the Vatican itself had noted that it would not be immoral to avail oneself of “morally controversial” vaccines, especially if no other options are available.

“In the end, I believe that the unprecedented, and really, unexpected, successes we have witnessed in the production of these vaccines are a blessing from the Lord,” he said.

“If you had told me back during the first lockdown that we would have a handful of safe and efficacious vaccines ready to go within the first year of the pandemic, I would have shaken my head in disbelief,” he added.

According to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., the government aims to vaccinate 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year.

Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines to date are the only Covid-19 vaccine approved for emergency use authorization in the country. M.L.M. GALANG

Consult with experts FROM PAGE 6 The team

also used a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiler—a tube-like device with sensors submerged in water—to get vertical profiles of the temperature, conductivity and pH levels of the lake weeks after the eruption. However, their sampling equipment got damaged.

“Nagleak yung batteries when we deployed our [CTD profiler] to around 40 meters depth, which hasn’t happened before in any of the other lakes we visited before or in Lake Taal nung una naming trip,” Papa said.

Upon consultation with geologists from UP, the UST researchers deduced that the eruption might have caused changes in water quality and pressure which their sampler could not withstand.

The “Agham ng Bulkang

College of Science Dean Rey Donne Papa (PHOTO FROM UST WEBSITE)

Taal” program aims to pro- Tordesillas and Elfritzson mote island conservancy Peralta, together with Asst. and provide solutions to Prof. Francis Magbanua improve lake biodiversity from UP Diliman. as well as the livelihood of The same team will also lakeshore communities. embark this year on the In a previous interview UST-led Taal Post Eruption with the Varsitarian, Papa Ecological Research (Peer) said that the Taal eruption Program funded by the Nashould serve as a wake-up tional Research Council of call for proper conservation the Philippines to conduct Taal as of December 2020 (Photo courtesy of Mr. Elfritzson Peralta) and management of the further research work on lake.

Lake Taal.

CAITLIN DAYNE Joining Papa in the A. CONTRERAS WITH REPORTS aquatic biology team are FROM MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG Thomasian scientists Jonathan Briones, Dino

PNP FROM PAGE 5 It’s true: the law is the law. The from recording police forces who abuse their po-

law of the land applies to all and there should be no exceptions. Rules and regulations are set to maintain order, justice, and equality in society. But what can we do when those tasked to enforce the law, the land’s “peacekeepers” themselves are disregarding it?

This is the sad reality of this country—the system is unfair and those in uniforms are helping foster the culture of impunity. The over-abused power dynamics are exercised over and over again by people in position, trampling upon common Filipinos’ rights and taking their lives.

Empty promises of internal cleansing have been sworn to the public by police chiefs since way back when, but time and time again the abuses by the cops seem to be getting worse. Even with evidence publicized, these power-trippers show no remorse and no guilt. Even PNP Chief Debold Sinas had the gall to discourage civilians

sitions, claiming it could be dangerous.

In the case of the recently controversial death of flight attendant Christine Dacera, Sinas was encouraging a disregard of proper procedures and called for the turnover of the suspects without a warrant—even declaring the case closed without sufficient evidence.

This, along with many other blunders, makes one think about who the force is really protecting. The PNP’s motto is “to serve and protect,” but it seems as if they are only protecting themselves and their culture of impunity?

It gets clearer day after day that Filipinos are playing a losing game.

A leadership overhaul in the PNP is long overdue. Filipinos do not have to die at the hands of their “protectors.” It would help a lot, too, if we do not have a madman as a president who orders his boys to shoot anyone dead as he pleases.

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

Editorial

Panic

FROM PAGE 5 Bolaños and the SHS educators

may not have comprehended well the statement that UST Acting Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. and the other schools’ heads have signed, so we cite here important excerpts: “We assert that … as Philippine schools, we value the Filipinos’ basic Constitutional rights to free speech, thought, assembly, and organization.

As universities with high aspirations for the country, we seek to direct our students to engage in acts that contribute to the strengthening of social conditions, defend the country’s democratic institutions, and promote nation-building.

And as institutions of higher learning that are stewards of the repositories and producers of knowledge, and builders of communities, we must retain our independence and autonomy from the State and other institutions.

“We therefore object to General Parlade’s statement and emphasize that our institutions neither promote nor condone activities of the New People’s Army and, indeed, of any movement that aims to violently overthrow the government.

“We take as sacred trust our primary responsibilities to promote learning and safeguard the rights of the young who are entrusted to our care.

We are committed to this mission and have always held ourselves accountable to our primary constituents, the learners, and by extension, their parents.”

We have italicized key parts of the statement in order to guide Bolaños and the SHS in their examination of conscience, if any.

Arrogant bureaucratic overreach Not only have Bolaños and the SHS administration committed student-union busting. It has even barred Ampatuan from “readmission” next academic year, which means he cannot enter college in UST. This is arrogant bureaucratic overreach because the SHS has no power over the UST Office for Admissions. Definitely it has no power to deny Ampatuan his right to have a college education.

But bloodthirsty and drunk with power, SHS even told Ampatuan he would not be given a certificate of good moral character, a requisite in college admissions, the better to ensure he’s denied his human right to higher education. What the SHS has done is vicious and inhumane.

We call on Bolaños and the SHS administration to rescind their order sanctioning Ampatuan and their show-cause letters to other students. We call on them to stop the witchhunt. Their anti-democratic and unchristian actions are anathema to UST, especially in light of the University’s responsibility to “promote learning and safeguard the rights of the young,” as the Jan. 24 statement declares. The bureaucratic overreach is not only an infringement on Ampatuan’s “Constitutional rights of speech, thought, assembly and organization,” but is also a step away from the “sacred trust” that UST and the other signatory-schools have upheld.

Peaceful assemblies of a political character have always been permitted on campus—some even supported by the Central Student Council itself—and protest actions online. It’s unfair and disgraceful, especially in the middle of a pandemic, to raise the communist bogey and make students suffer the red-baiting of the military and become the scapegoats of the AFP’s failure to quell any insurgency in the country—communist or Muslim secessionist—failures that should be really attributed more to the AFP’s historic incompetence, mismanagement and corruption. UST simply cannot close the door on somebody who could as well be just looking for a place to belong and be relevant. At the least SHS has a moral and academic responsibility to its students drawn to activism. That responsibility is part of UST’s avowed “sacred trust.”

It doesn’t help that the engagements by and between government agencies and academic institutions—including UST—have to happen in the media as if publicity and sensationalism can replace real dialogue. It won’t hurt academic independence and autonomy and institutional egos if military and police and school heads communicate with each other and sit down together to hold a dialogue. What’s wrong with working together? There has got to be trust, no matter what, or nothing can move forward.

Even as there should be a sincere and proactive involvement among various sectors in promoting peace and order, efforts along this path must manifest fairness and respect for human rights. There’s simply no room for shortcuts or witch-hunts.

11

FROM PAGE 6 “Based on the latest

data regarding the variants, the UK variant particularly is more transmissible but less deadly. The mode of transmission is still the same.

The minimum health standards and protocols will still apply,” he added.

Flores also advised the public to boost their immune systems by eating healthy food and exercising regularly.

Why and how do viruses mutate?

ART BY ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA

Harry Roque defended the government’s illegal move. He was adamant that the soldiers violated no laws, saying those who distributed the vaccines should be the ones held accountable instead and not the ones who had received them.

It was both shocking and unsurprising how this lawyer justified crime on national television.

But that was not the first time Roque turned away from his past self’s righteousness.

Last year, Roque became subject of social media backlash after defending Duterte’s grant of absolute pardon to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton Pemberton, who was convicted for killing Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude.

Roque was counsel for the Laude family during the legal proceedings of the case from 2014 to 2016, but when Duterte let the American murderer off the hook, Roque immediately switched sides. Four days before Duterte granted Pemberton the pardon, the spokesman denounced the court order issuing the release of the American, saying it was an instance of “judicial overreach” that was “symbolic of the death of the Philippines’ sovereignty.” Roque would then contradict himself, defending Duterte’s grant of absolute pardon as saying: “Hindi na po kinakailangan bigyan ng dahilan ng president iyan.” In 2018, Roque said being presidential spokesman meant

that he would no longer have the space to voice his personal opinions out, and it now shows. It seems that he has sold his soul to the devil in Malacañang.

There are too many examples to cite, but here are some Google search keywords to remind you of Roque’s many controversies the past year: “Triciah Terada tirade”; “Pinky Webb hairflip”; “We beat the UP prediction… Congratulations, Philippines!”; “Hindi naman po pupuwede na pihikan dahil napakaraming Pilipino na dapat turukan.”

To be fair, Roque is very good at his job. He’s a quick-witted spokesman with an unquestionable background. He is more than capable of deflecting the public attention away from the president’s mess. But that does not remove the fact that Roque is a fool—a professional fool and an actual fool for turning back on his moral principles to stand by Duterte, whom he had advocated against in the past for being a “self-professed murderer” comparable to Hitler and Marcos.

Duterte’s presidency is nearly over and so are Roque’s opportunities to “leap, whistle and fart.”

Roque should realize that the circus will only stay in town for so long; he has to decide whether he wants to be remembered as a comedian or the joker in the pack.

Ex-Teletiger FROM PAGE 12 Entering the

pros, Hortizuela said that he needs to tweak his playstyle and adapt to the international level where he said that teamwork is a bigger determinant in winning games than individual skill.

Hortizuela, an information systems sophomore, also bared that he filed a leave of absence from the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences with the permission of his parents to pursue his Liyab stint.

Liyab recently underwent a roster revamp, now bolstering an all-Filipino lineup that will debut in the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) 2021 Spring.

Hortizuela was among the new recruits by the professional team which finished ninth in the PCS 2020 Summer.

“Before Cresho made into the Liyab esports LOL lineup, he already had the mechanics and some experience in the tournament in the league. He is very

vocal inside the game and that’s one main reason why he got the role,” Coach Gerald “Tgee” Gianne Gelacio told the Varsitarian.

“Right now he needs more experience and macro mechanics. This will be a great opportunity for him to be a better player in the league,” Gelacio added.

With the new all-Filipino lineup, Liyab aims to reach the LOL Worlds Championship this year.

Pfizer vaccine FROM PAGE 6 AstraZeneca

vaccines were found to have a 70-percent efficacy rate based on interim data. They were approved for emergency use in the country last Jan. 28.

Last Nov. 27, the country purchased 2.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine via a tripartite agreement with the private sector for delivery in June 2021.

The Sinovac vaccine from China, which the country is looking to procure 25 million doses of by March 2021, is priced at P3,629.50 for two doses, the second most expensive vaccine based on Senate data.

Several lawmakers have raised concerns about the

50-percent efficacy rate of Sinovac with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri calling the Chinese vaccine “a joke” in the fight against the coronavirus.

Abrantes urged health authorities to prioritize Covid-19 vaccines that are cheaper and with better efficacy rates.

“You don’t argue about the political implications of [the Covid-19 vaccines], but just by looking, common sense will tell you that you have to go for the much more effective vaccines at [lower prices],” he said.

Single-dose vaccines preferred Compliance in vaccination procedures could also pose a

challenge, so the country should also look into procuring single-dose vaccines such as the one from Janssen Pharmaceutica, Abrantes said.

“Two doses are already a bit difficult for Filipinos, you know our countrymen, we are very pasaway. I think we should as much as possible choose a [single-dose vaccine], that would be better,” he said.

Only Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines have been approved for emergency use in the country to date.

Janssen Pharmaceutica, Clover Pharmaceuticals, and Sinovac have been cleared by the country’s FDA to conduct clinical trials. K.A.L. ESCARILLA

The emergence of these new SARS-CoV-2 variants is a result of virus mutations.

Asst. Prof. Jose Francis Abrantes from the UST Department of Biological Sciences said that viruses undergo mutations as they recognize changes happening within their environment.

“Mutations happen spontaneously in nature. So, the purpose of mutation actually goes into one very important point—survival,” Abrantes, a microbiologist, told the Varsitarian.

There is a stable occurrence of mutations in all coronavirus families, but human activity cannot induce nor worsen these mutations as it depends on the microorganism’s nature, he added.

Scientists are also monitoring these new variants and whether they can affect the efficacy rates of Covid-19 vaccines.

Researchers from Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have found the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to be effective in targeting the common mutation found in the UK and South Africa variants.

KATHERINE ANNE L. ESCARILLA

Pacucoa FROM PAGE 1 UST recorded the

highest number of Level 4 re-accredited programs and candidate programs in the Philippines. It was also cited for having the first Level 3 re-accredited BS Entrepreneurship program in the National Capital Region.

Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta said the 10-year sweep was due to the efforts of all academic and support units, including the library, student services and administration.

“Collaborative work towards enhancing our strengths and addressing our weaknesses help us elevate our programs to greater heights,” Peralta told the Varsitarian.

Of the 48 accredited programs, 27 have a Level 4 accreditation, the highest in the five-level accreditation system of Pacucoa. Twelve programs were granted Level 3 accreditation.

Accreditation is a quality assurance process that checks whether a school complies with educational standards.

Criteria for accreditation include teaching and learning outcomes, research productivity, community service, linkages and consortia, career planning and student development, and planning process.

Peralta said the shift to remote instruction and work arrangements were not considered as the awards were based on the status of the programs before the pandemic.

Pacucoa has shifted to remote virtual accreditation. The College of Nursing has undergone the Level 4 reaccreditation process, whose results are expected to be out on Dec. 10. JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ

Sports

FOR REAL-TIME SPORTS UPDATES, FOLLOW:

@VSportsUST

The Varsitarian FEBRUARY 14, 2021

IPEA alumni awarded int’l scholarships by global sports org

BY ANNA CLARISSA M. BARLAM

UST STUDENT-ATHLETES KEEP SCHOLARSHIPS DESPITE CANCELLED UAAP SEASON UST will retain scholarships for all its student-athletes during the new academic year despite the cancellation of UAAP Season 83, its athletics director said.

The Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) earlier announced that scholarships granted during the second semester of academic year (AY) 2019-2020 would be valid until the first term of 20202021, which ended in December.

“It’s true that UST will retain the scholarships of our student-athletes for the 2nd term of AY 2020-2021,” Fr. Rodel Cansancio, the IPEA director, told the Varsitarian.

“In this time of pandemic and uncertainties, no student should be left behind.”

The UAAP board in December

announced it would not hold its 83rd season citing the health and safety of student-athletes as Covid-19 cases in the country continued to balloon.

Rodrigo Sambuang, UST’s athletics moderator, told the Varsitarian that 579 collegiate and 330 highschool athletes would benefit from the scholarship extension.

“All scholarships given last [term] will be offered the same this [term],” he said.

Sambuang also disclosed that UST would do away with the “team A, team B” system, and reserves for each sport would be placed on training

‘‘

In this time of pandemic and uncertainties, no student should be left behind.

—Fr. Rodel Cansancio, O.P. IPEA DIRECTOR

pools instead.

Those assigned to training pools would remain scholars of the University, he affirmed.

According to UST Tracksters head coach Manny Calipes, the scholarship extensions inspired student-athletes under his wing to train harder even without competitions in sight.

“Nag-New Year conference ‘yung team to express their gratitude sa school. We are all in high spirits and they are already sending training videos this week without being told,” he told the Varsitarian.

UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag in December said a September 2021 start of Season 84 was being eyed should the country’s pandemic situation improve. ROMMEL BONG

TWO INSTITUTE of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) alumni have been granted international student scholarships by the International Organization for Health, Sports and Kinesiology (IOHSK).

Aljireh Lan Fuchigami and Rica-Ella Polante were among the 16 recipients of the international scholarship in the college category who were cited for academic excellence and dedication to contribute and serve their communities.

“This is such a great privilege to be chosen as one of the international scholarship grantees among numerous applicants across the globe,” Pollante said.

FUCHIGAMI

R. FUERTES JR. WITH REPORTS FROM JOHN EZEKIEL J. HIRRO

POLANTE

Long-time Teletiger joins Liyab Esports

BY JAMES PAUL REYES GOMEZ

AFTER four years with the UST Teletigers, Jan Edward “Cresho” Hortizuela will carry the Philippine flag as a member of Liyab Esports, an esports team representing the country in various international League of Legends (LOL) tournaments.

“Pressure is really different, especially I’m not only representing the school now but also given the opportunity to play for Liyab, to represent our flag, our country,” Hortizuela, a former support player of the Teletigers, told the Varsitarian.

Known for being one of the top support players in the Philippines, Hortizuela said that the experience he earned during his four years with the Teletigers would help him in his pro stint.

Hortizuela was part of the Teletigers roster that won AcadArena championships and got to represent the country thrice in the International Esports Festival against top universities in Asia the past few years.

“I only think that I understand the game out of many other players. I’m known for reaching rank one in the Philippines for three seasons as a support main.”

Ex-Teletiger ► PAGE 11

UST administrator named PH sports ambassador THE CHAIRMAN of UST’s sports management program has been appointed as one of the Philippine ambassadors of the International Organization for Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (IOHSK).

Assoc. Prof. Jerome Porto of the UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics was among the nine new appointees to the organization.

Porto, along with two other ambassadors from the Philippines and six representatives from other countries was inaugurated on Dec. 29, 2020.

Dr. Hosung So, chief executive officer of IOHSK, said 18 applicants applied for the position.

“The international ambassadors were voted and elected by the board of directors in IOHSK. The election process was very competitive,” he told the Varsitarian.

Having three Philippine ambassadors in the IOHSK, which has 700 members in the country, was proof of the influence the country has in the organization, said So. Under IOHSK’s mandate, the duties of an international ambassador focus on the propagation of the organization’s activities in coordination with new members and other country representatives.

Porto’s one-year term as an IOHSK international ambassador began on Jan.1 and will end in December 2021.

“Each ambassador represents IOHSK in his/ her country. Faculty, like Dr. Jerome Porto, are the most important persons in our organization,” So said.

IOHSK is a Los Angeles-based organization that promotes high-quality research worldwide in the areas of health, sports and

Assoc. Prof. Jerome Porto kinesiology.

According to its website, it has more than 2,000 members worldwide in over 60 countries. ANNA CLARISSA BARLAM

Fuchigami said he was grateful for being selected as they were only limited slots worldwide.

Assoc. Prof. Jerome Porto, one of the Philippine envoys of the organization, said both athletes were deserving of the grant.

“Both Mr. Fuchigami and Pollante are outstanding in their academics,” Porto told the Varsitarian.

As an ambassador from UST, Porto can recommend students from the University and vote to select the scholarship recipients.

Financial assistance worth $100 will also be provided to Fuchigami and Pollante by the IOHSK. “This scholarship is designed to acknowledge our international and student members’ academic success and community services. We hope they will continue to succeed in their academic, professional and personal lives,” Dr. Hosung So, chief executive officer of IOHSK, told the Varsitarian.

According to Fuchigami and Pollante, they will use the cash grant for their academic fees as they pursue their master’s degrees at the University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Fuchigami and Pollante both graduated magna cum laude last academic year from IPEA. They majored in sports and wellness management.

Fuchigami was the former team captain of the UST Golden Booters last season and a part of the football team since first-year college. Pollante was a working scholar under the San Lorenzo Ruiz scholarship of UST..