THE VARSITARIAN P.Y. 2020-2021 ISSUE 05

VOLUME XCII / NO. 5 · MARCH 31, 2021 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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New faculty association officers take oath

UNION CHIEF VOWS HOUSE-CLEANING

By Charm Ryanne C. Magpali

GONZALES NEW UST FACULTY UNION OFFICERS (2021-2026) President

Auditor

Internal Vice President

Public Relations Officer

External Vice President

Sergeant-at-Arms

VP for Labor Education & Research

Board of Ditectors

Emerito Gonzales Claudine Say

George Chao

Leny Gadiana

VP for Grievance & Complaints

Pocholo Mari Arabit VP for Legal Affairs

Aurora Cristina Bermudez Secretary General

Elizabeth Kapulong

Ma. Luisa Reyes James Mark Nidea Jonathan Cabero Stephen Querico Buñi Raymond Clarin Kristi Macasaet Raul Ortega Crisensio Paner Dominador Ulaye Dr. Arnold Isidro Marvin Zapanta Maria Victoria Bongar Ulysses Parado Elvis Llarena

Assoc. Prof. Emerito Gonzales, the new president of the UST Faculty Union (USTFU), vowed for a more “progressive” and inclusive union for the next five years during the oathtaking of newly elected USTFU officers and directors on March 17.

Gonzales, in his speech, said the union should learn from its past to improve moving forward.

“If we analyze seriously the history of USTFU’s significant progress in our working conditions —truth to tell—it was not secured by our silence or obeisance to authorities but by being transparent and collectively standing up for the truth and what is right,” he said.

Gonzales pledged to end the “suppression of free speech” within the union, which he said had demonized, humiliated, arrested and detained faculty members—including himself—for standing up “for the principle that the faculty deserves more from USTFU and the UST administration” “Today, we end the practice of hiring security guards… and denying microphones during our general assemblies.

Thus, today we also end the mindset that when members speak against the leadership they are quickly branded as ‘nanggugulo,’” he added.

Gonzales also said that all teachers and academic non-teaching personnel would be given full union support moving forward.

“No teaching and non-teaching academic personnel should be left behind; I believe we should extend our tent to non-tenured and even contractual fac-

ulty to afford them union protection as well. The long-term survival of USTFU especially in the age of contractualization, depends on the continuous enlargement of our membership.”

Collective bargaining talks Gonzales said the USTFU would build “policy infrastructure” that would ensure that the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) would be negotiated on time.

“CBA provisions must work in favor of the faculty and respond to their various needs—including their health, hospitalization, and retirement benefits,” he said.

He also vowed to prioritize the immediate election of a new panel of negotiators for the 2021-2026 CBA within 100 days.

House-cleaning ► PAGE 10

TWO DECADES AFTER:

Family of murdered ROTC whistleblower seeks to reopen case

By Nuel Angelo D. Sabate MARK WELSON CHUA has yet to get “full justice” for his murder 20 years ago.

“Justice was not fully served yet,” Mark’s mother, Amelita, told the Varsitarian.

“Ang gusto ko sana ‘yong may kasalanan sa pagpatay sa kanya [kay Mark] would be given punishment. At least ‘yon man lang para may peace of mind sa amin.”

Mark, then 19 years old, was murdered by his fellow cadet officers in the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

His body, dead and decomposing, was fished out of the Pasig River on March 18, 2001. The body was wrapped in a carpet, with the head wrapped in cloth and packing tape and hands and feet bound by shoelaces.

He exposed practices of corruption, bribery and extortion in the ROTC unit of UST to the Varsitarian in 2001.

In its February 2001 issue, the Varsitarian published the exposé of Mark and his fellow cadet, Romulo Yumul, which led to Maj. Demy Tejares’ relief from duty as commandant of the unit. Other Department of Military Science and Tactics officials were also relieved.

Chua’s death caused uproar nationwide and led to the abolition of mandatory ROTC. Amelita said she wanted the case reopened since Paul Tan and Michael Rainard Manangbao, two of the four persons implicated

“Kung may corruption lang, bakit pa

SIETE PALABRAS:

ibabalik, huwag

Dominicans preach hope as pandemic rages

na lang. Kapag ganon pa rin ‘yong sistema na bulok, huwag na lang. Wala pang masasaktan.”

– Amelita Chua,

Mark Welson’s mother

in Mark’s murder, remained at large.

“Ang gusto ko nga na mabuhay ‘yong kaso sana and makulong, mahuli ‘yong mga pumatay.

‘Yong iba nasa ibang bansa na, baka nga may mga pamilya, asawa at anak na siguro kasi 20 years ago na ‘yon,” she said.

Arnulfo Aparri, one of the accused, was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Eduardo Tabrilla, another accused, pleaded guilty to homicide in 2006.

‘Mark wanted ROTC’ Amelita said the government should guarantee a corruption-free ROTC if Congress

wanted to make it mandatory again.

“Kung may corruption lang, bakit pa ibabalik, huwag na lang.

Kapag ganon pa rin ‘yong sistema na bulok, huwag na lang. Wala pang masasaktan.”

“Maski na personally ayoko, gusto ni Mark’ yong [ROTC], I have to stand by his side, kasi ‘yon ang dahilan kung bakit siya pinatay, ‘yong page-expose niya sa corruption and scalawags ng sistema. ROTC is not bad, the system and the persons behind ‘yon yong masasama [although] hindi naman lahat,” she added.

Reopen case ► PAGE 6

NEVER LOSE faith amid the pandemic, like Jesus who surrendered himself to God, Dominican preachers said as they reflected on the Seven Last Words of Christ during the annual Siete Palabras on Good Friday.

Dominican Prior Provincial Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. urged the faithful not to give up and continue to pray for the end of the pandemic.

“Hanggang sa huling sandali, nagdasal ang Panginoon. Ang Kanyang panalangin ay walang kapaguran, walang makakapigil at walang kulang kahit sa gitna ng mga hagupit ng buhay,” de la Cruz said.

(The Lord was praying until His final moments. His prayer was zealous and unceasing despite the hardships He was suffering.)

“Palaging pinapapaalala sa atin na ang buhay panalangin ay isang buhay na walang kapaguran. [M] agdasal tayo para hindi panghinaan ng loob.”

(We are constantly reminded that a life of prayer is a tireless one.

Let us pray so our spirits will not weaken.)

De la Cruz also challenged gov-

ernment leaders to gauge their faith during the pandemic and urged them to be prayerful.

“Kayong mga pinuno ng ating lipunan, bahagi pa ba ng ating buhay ang pagdarasal sa gitna ng pandemya?” he said.

(Leaders of our society: is prayer still part of your lives amid the pandemic?)

Fr. Art Vincent Pangan, O.P. of the Convent of St. Albert the Great urged the faithful to surrender their trust to God amid fears and anxieties brought about by the pandemic, as he reflected on the third of Christ’s last words.

“Ang paghahabilin ay puno ng pagtitiwala at pagmamahal. [I]nihabilin ng Panginoon ang pinakamamahal niyang Ina sa kanyang pinakapinagkakatiwalaang alagad.

Ang alagad na ito ay hindi lamang si Juan, kundi tayong nanampalataya.”

(The act of entrusting requires trust and love. The Lord entrusted his beloved Mother to his most trusted disciple. This disciple is not only John but also all the faithful.)

Siete Palabras ► PAGE 4

2

NEWS

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

ACTING NEWS EDITOR: LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST Hospital workers receive first vaccine doses

Pharmacy opens sesquicentennial celebration THE UST Faculty of Pharmacy kicked off the year-long celebration of its 150th anniversary this week with an international conference on health education and research.

Pharmacy Dean Prof. Aleth Therese Dacanay opened the 1st International Congress on Collaborative Education and Research in Healthcare on March 9. It was held until March 12.

The conference, sponsored by pharmaceutical retail giant Mercury Drug, featured plenary and parallel lectures and oral presentations by professors and doctors from local and international universities and hospitals.

The faculty also opened Pharmacy week, which was observed with webinars, lectures and competitions.

A Mass was offered by Pharmacy Regent Fr. Pompeyo de Mesa, O.P. on Monday, March 8.

It was followed by the launching of the faculty’s sesquicentennial website and a preview of a coffee table book. The official sesquicentennial hymn was also presented.

In a message, Dacanay said the sesquicentennial celebration was a time to “remember, revitalize and reinvent the glorious past” of the Faculty of Pharmacy and inspire future generations of pharmacists, medical technologists, biochemists and botanists.

The Faculty of Pharmacy, along with the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, was founded on May 29, 1871. It was the first to offer a pharmacy program in the Philippines.

A virtual research expo will be held on Wednesday, April 28.

On May 29, the faculty will unveil the marker for the sesquicentennial. It will also give awards to outstanding alumni and exceptional students, organizations, faculty members and other stakeholders.

The 2020 Grand Alumni Homecoming, in cooperation with the UST Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association and Scholarship Foundation, Inc., will be held on Oct. 9.

The faculty will also hold a “grand medical mission” to its partner communities on Oct. 10.

The closing ceremonies will be held from Dec. 4 to 7.

“Retracing My Roots: A Walk To Remember” and the Botanical Garden Plant Festival will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4.

A sports and family day will be held on Monday, Dec. 6. This will include a fun-run called “150 miles for 150th.”

A fair and open house will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 7. It will be followed by “Vin d’honneur,” a night of thanksgiving, to close the year-long projects.

The theme of the sesquicentennial celebrations is “Dreaming Beyond Our Seeing.”

THE UST Hospital (USTH) has finished inoculating all workers who had registered for Covid-19 vaccination with their first doses of vaccines as of March 15, an official told the Varsitarian.

Dr. John Hubert Pua, head of the UST Covid-19 Vaccine Logistics Task Force, said the hospital was able to give 1,760 health workers their first Covid-19 vaccine doses.

Initially, only 1,547 workers registered for the vaccination. About 200 more employees decided to register and get vaccinated at the last minute, Pua said.

“With our allotment from the DOH (Department of Health), we were able to vaccinate a total of 1,760 of our health care workers. These include both medical and non-medical personnel of the hospital from doctors, nurses, ancillary, administrative, support, secretarial, security and janitorial staff,” he explained.

CoronaVac (Sinovac) and AstraZeneca vaccines were used to inoculate the health workers. Both vaccine variants are administered in two doses.

Pua said the second dose of Sinovac vaccines would be given after four weeks, while the second dose of AstraZeneca would be administered after eight to 10 weeks.

To vaccinate the rest of the hospital’s employees, including clinic secretaries, medical clerks and graduates of residency or fellowship training programs, Pua said

UST Hospital employees register (right) for Covid-19 vaccination, and receive (above) their inoculation. (Photo from DR. JOHN HUBERT PUA)

the USTH had requested additional doses from the DOH. The USTH began its inoculation program for personnel on March 7.

The USTH received 1,480 doses of Sinovac and 170 vials of AstraZeneca vaccines from the DOH. Each vial yields up to 12 doses, Pua said.

JAMILAH B. ANGCO WITH REPORTS FROM LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST Medicine lands in QS world subject rankings anew THE UNIVERSITY’S medicine program has made it to the 2021 Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) world subject rankings for the third consecutive year.

UST placed in the 601–650 bracket in this year’s medicine subject ranking. In the last two years, UST’s medicine program was in the 451–500 class.

“UST graduates consistently and yearly dominate the top ten in courses with board exams (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Engineering, Architecture, Accountancy, Education, etc.). This

proves the University’s superior academic programs,” the QS website said.

The University of the Philippines (UP) was the best medicine school in the country as it was grouped in the 301–350 bracket.

UP figured in 15 out of 51 specific subject areas, the most among Philippine universities.

Ateneo de Manila University was ranked 201–250 in English language and literature, 251–300 in modern languages, 301–320 in sociology and 451–500 in business and management studies.

De La Salle University placed

in four subject areas: English language and literature (201–250), linguistics (210–250), business and management studies (301–350) and economics and econometrics (451– 500).

The latest QS ranking by subject is the world’s largest subject ranking, covering 51 disciplines.

Four components were used to rank the universities by subject: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper, and h-index, which measures the productivity and impact of each published scientist or scholar at a university.

Accountancy maven Elizabeth Inoturan, 67 Elizabeth Inoturan, long-time professor at the UST Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy, succumbed to diabetes complications on March 12. She was 67.

Her death was confirmed by her niece, Gabrielle Anne Ventura, in a Facebook post on March 14.

Inoturan served the University for 39 years before retiring in 2018.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science at the Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1974.

Inoturan studied law at UST in 1974 and started teaching at the College of Commerce after graduating in 1978.

She later became faculty secretary at the Faculty of Civil Law and member of the College of Accountancy faculty council.

She also became student welfare development coordinator and chairperson for pre-accountancy and management accounting.

“As a colleague, she was very helpful and supportive. She was someone willing to give advice and reminders especially regarding attitude towards work,” accountancy faculty member Asst. Prof. Christopher German told the Varsitarian.

Inoturan’s former students remem-

to be prepared and alert because there were daily graded recitations. Although she tried to be tough sometimes, it was always overshadowed by the warmth of her smile and her occasional jokes,” Armi Aguas, a former student of Inoturan, told the Varsitarian.

Another former student of Inoturan, Ciel Quiambao, said the late professor had a “single-minded devotion to her personal mission to not only teach but also touch other people’s lives.”

Inoturan’s remains were interred on March 17.

ELIZABETH INOTURAN (PHOTO FROM UST-AMV An online Mass will COLLEGE OF ACCOUNTANCY’S FACEBOOK PAGE) be held for Inoturan on March 20, 10:00 bered her for her strict but gentle a.m., at the Santisimo Rosario Parish way of teaching.

Church.

JOANNE CHRISTINE P. “The class of Attorney InoturRAMOS WITH REPORTS FROM CAITLIN an was never boring. You have CONTRERAS

UST produces 53 new doctors in March 2021 licensure exams THE UNIVERSITY emerged as the second top-performing school in the March 2021 licensure examinations for physicians, with 53 out of 60 Thomasian examinees making the cut.

UST recorded a passing rate of 88.33 percent. In the November 2020 examinations, the University had a 95.61-percent passing rate or 430 out of 433 examinees.

Jeremiah Lim of the Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (FEUNRMF) led the newest batch of physicians with a score of 89.67 percent.

FEU-NRMF was named the top-performing school with 167 of its 182 examinees making the cut, or a passing rate of 91.76 percent.

The De La Salle Medical & Health Sciences Institution was the third top-performing with a passing rate of 80 percent or 56 out of 70 examinees.

The national passing rate in the March 2021 examinations slid further to 64.04 percent (1,234 of 1,927 examinees) from 75.21 percent (3,538 of 4,704 examinees) in November 2020 and 84.96 percent (4,006 of 4,715 examinees) in September 2019.

The examinations were conducted from March 7 to 8 and March 14 to 15, 2021.

CIRCLE

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

3

UST Singers launch first digital album

Thomasian music majors win in ‘Asian Virtual Championship’

THE UST Singers have launched their first digital album, titled “’The UST Singers Live: The Choral Works of Fidel Gener Calalang Jr.” on various music streaming platforms.

The album features six of the many choral works that Asst.

Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr. wrote in his three-decade career as a musician, such as “Ayug Ti Amianan” (Scenes from the North) and “Dandansoy.”

Calalang said the pieces showcased on the digital album were extracted from live performances during competitions and concert tours in Europe, the United States and the Philippines.

Also included in the album is Calalang’s “Ama Namin” (Our Father), from the group’s Gran Premio Citta di Gorizia-winning performance in Italy in 1998.

The UST Singers launched the digital album as part of their 28th founding anniversary and to commemorate their concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, titled “Amor y Amistad” (Love and Friendship) in February 2020. The group also released the album on Calalang’s birthday as a tribute.

“The album has been a longtime dream of the choir since the [digital music] platforms have emerged. We had CDs from past batches of the UST Singers since 1993, but gone are the glory days of CDs,” Calalang told the Varsitarian.

“I’m so grateful to all of them for pouring out so much work, love and dedication to make this happen; it is the same love and dedication that every singer of the UST Singers gave in the performance of each song in the album,” he added.

In anticipation of the internationally acclaimed choral group’s 30th anniversary in 2022, the UST Singers are expected to release more albums and performances online amid the pandemic.

The album can be streamed via Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and other streaming services.

FOUR students from the Conservatory of Music won awards in the online marching band competition dubbed “Asian Virtual Championships” last Dec. 29.

Hosted by the Asian Marching Band Confederation, the competition gathered 377 participants from 10 countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Maldives, China and Vietnam. The competition had 83 categories.

Music education major Lord Maurice Lagartera bagged first place in the Oboe Open category with the piece “Concerto for Oboe” by Joseph Haydn.

Lagartera also won third place in the Flute Open category with “Veloce” from the “Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano” trio by Claude Bolling.

Trombone major Emilio Alumno Jr. won second place in the Trombone Open category, where he played the “First Movement of the Concerto for Trombone” in E-flat Major by Ferdinand David.

Alumnus Paulo John Rubio, an awardee of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists, won first place in the Tuba Open category with “Carnival of Venice theme” by Herbert L. Clarke.

Joseph Martin San Miguel, a trumpet major, won second place with the same piece.

Alumnus Linwell Lalic placed third in the Horn Open category with “Le Basque” by Marin Marais.

With a total of 15 platinum medals, the Philippines had the highest number of platinum-level wins.

‘Mang Ben’ Farrales, fashion icon, 88

By Larissa Mae C. Tan The “Dean of Philippine Fashion,” Benjamin “Mang Ben” Samio Farrales, succumbed to complications of prostate cancer on March 6. He was 88.

Farrales was an alumnus of the old UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts.

The legendary fashion designer was widely known for integrating Philippine and Muslim culture in his works. He used local fabrics such as piña, hablon and jusi.

In 2015, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) granted him its most prestigious award, the “Gawad CCP Para sa Sining,” for his works that interpreted Mindanao’s vivid and rich culture.

Farrales was also a philanthropist, known for raising millions of pesos for organizations such as the Philippine Red Cross, and a supporter of religious devotions, particularly the yearly grand procession of the Santo Niño in Manila.

He also founded the Ben Farrales Scholarship Foundation dedicated to helping talented yet underprivileged youth obtain education.

“Lolo Ben was an inspiration. He was really generous… always willing to help, lalo na if it concerns your

studies,” Jaimie Farrales, his grandniece, told the Varsitarian.

“We all look up to him. [Despite being] famous that time, he remained humble. If you’re going to ask any of our relatives, for sure they will tell you how he helped so many children in the family na [hindi] afford magaral,” she added.

Mang Ben’s career Farrales, a Cotabato City native, moved to Manila to study in UST. He started his career as a fashion designer by doing apprentice work at Aurelia’s in Malate, a boutique frequented by upper-class women in the 1950s.

Soon after, Farrales established his own shop where he designed outfits for numerous personalities.

He designed Ruffa Gutierrez’s sarimanok-inspired national costume for the Miss World 1993 competition.

Even as a neophyte designer, he was sought after by Manila’s elite and was admired by no less than Ramon Valera, the only National Artist for Fashion Design.

He also designed costumes for the Bayanihan Dance Troupe and uniforms for the Philippine Airlines early in his career.

Farrales was the first and only Fil-

ipino to exhibit a fashion collection at the Kennedy Center in Washington D. C. with his all-Muslim-inspired “Maranaw,” mounted in 1984.

The collection toured in Canada and other major cities in the US. “He is very professional when it comes to the fashion world, and he is not selfish in sharing to other designers, especially the new ones, the reason he was called the Dean of Philippine Fashion,” Bong Regala, a former model and official photographer of Farrales’ shows and photoshoots, told the Varsitarian.

The “Dean of Philippine Fashion” title was conferred on Farrales by no other than the late grand dame Conching Sunico, the socialite and civic leader.

The CCP, in granting Farrales its most prestigious award, cited him for being “much more than a fashion designer, a true innovator and artist who brought Muslim Southern Mindanao culture into couture and made the Muslim-inspired gown his signature look..”

“Weaving together the vivid colors of the malong and utilizing indigenous materials, Farrales was not only an exponent of Muslim craft andculture but a preservationist of Filipino heritage,” it said.

Accountancy majors win in regional literary and arts meet COLLEGE of Accountancy students bagged awards in the 6th Literary and Arts Festival of the National Federation of Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants-National Capital Region (NFJPIANCR) held on Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13.

The festival was held online and had the theme “Tanglaw: The Art of Radiating Hope Across the Spectrum.”

Multiple award recipient Angelika Marie Dumling told the Varsitarian that the festival pushed through despite the circumstances to foster creativity and passion among students.

“It [gave] us something to think about other than what we see on the news in television and on the web.

It kept us engaged,” she told the Varsitarian.

The short film “Zoom. Saturday. 8 PM,” written and directed by Dumling, placed first in the Short Film Making Competition category and won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

The film tackled the story of four childhood friends and their weekly catch-up session via the online platform Zoom every Saturday at 8 p.m.

“The main idea of the film is to depict the importance and strength of friendships beyond the limitations of not being together,” Dumling said.

The cast includes Maru Joi Pasio, Michelle Baldesancho, Trixie Cuevas, and Haila Gervacio. Frances Soliman, Isabel Tiongco and Zyn Angelique Dumagco were the film editors, while the producers were Sophia Morada and Anna Thalia Yago.

Gervacio won the Best Supporting Actress award.

UST participants placed second in the Radio Broadcasting category with Dumling named Best Showbiz News Presenter. Reporters included Kirsten Soriano, Carl Justin Ballerta, Mary Cabuslay and Ria Camille Ortiz.

Samantha Fatima Creencia and Jed Marcelo Rosales won second place in the Pagsulat ng Sanaysay and Poem Writing categories, respectively.

Louie Jhon Carl Sibayan won second place in the Digital Poster Making category.

LARISSA MAE C. TAN

4

WITNESS

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

EDITOR: MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

POPE ON EASTER SUNDAY:

‘Jesus is not outdated’ POPE FRANCIS on Easter Sunday said that the message of Christ’s life, death and resurrection was not out of date, and people could always find inspiration in His life.

Pope Francis, in his Twitter account, posted three messages about Christ’s resurrection.

His first message was about redemption and how people can return to Christ even after committing sins and failures.

“It is always possible to begin anew, because there is a new life that God can awaken in us in spite of all our failures. From the rubble of our hearts, God can create a work of art,” he said.

The Pope also emphasized that Christ is always with us.

“Faith is not an album of past

memories; Jesus is not outdated,” he said in his second message.

“He is alive here and now.

He walks beside you each day, in every situation you are experiencing, in every trial you have to endure, in your deepest hopes and dreams.”

In his third message, the Pope reminded Catholics of Christ’s limitless love.

“Jesus, the Risen Lord, loves us without limits and is there at every moment of our lives. He invites us to overcome barriers, banish prejudices and draw near to those around us every day in order to rediscover the grace of everyday life.

‘God is with us even in darkness’ The Master of the Order of Preachers also reminded Catholics that God accompanies everyone

even in the darkest of times and guides them towards the light.

“Even in darkness, God can accomplish his great works: from the act of Creation over the dark and formless void, to the Exodus from Egypt after the evening of the Passover; then at Bethlehem, the Lord Jesus was born in the darkness of light,” he said in his Easter message.

“The darkness of Jesus’ tomb invites us to entrust ourselves to a God because this God draws sense out of senselessness, hope out of hopelessness, victory out of defeat, life out of death,” Timoner, the grand chancellor of the University, added.

Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, marking the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation to mankind.

SOPHIA T. SADANG

‘Better days are coming’ THE RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ brings a message of hope that better days are coming, Manila Apostolic Administrator Broderick Pabillo said in his Easter message.

“Jesus is the guarantee that a new and better day is coming. Let us not lose hope.

We continue to strive because we know, with God’s help, that we shall overcome,” he said.

Pabillo called on the faithful to show “acts of love and sacrifice” amid the pandemic to spread hope.

He also praised med-

ical workers, who, despite being “tired, in danger and not adequately compensated,” bring “new life” with their service.

“All of these efforts and goodwill join in the victory of the resurrection. Jesus; new life shows us that God rewards all acts of love and sacrifice,” Pabillo said.

“God blesses all the good that is being done.”

‘Leave your comfort zones’ Sacred Theology Dean Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P. urged Catholics to go out of their comfort zones and start hopeful lives in his homily during the Easter Vigil

“Nawawala na ang kanilang pananaw sa sila ay katiwala lang [but] there will be an end to abusive leaders … who do not practice the stewardship that is theirs.”

–Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Manila Apostolic Administrator Mass at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.

“How can there be a resurrection in their lives? To be out of our shells or tomb is to await with deep Christian hope,” he said.

Echoing Pope Francis, Aligan said that even in isolation amid lockdowns, “thought and spirit can go far with the

creativity of God’s love.”

The Easter Vigil commemorates the resurrection of Christ and marks the end of the Holy Week Triduum.

Easter Sunday this year coincides with the opening of the jubilee for the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO

Bishop Broderick Pabillo (FILE PHOTO)

Siete Palabras kan, madumihan at Fr. Romualdo Catapunan ng putik banatan, Jr., O.P. from subalit kahit mangthe UST Central Semyari ito, alam natin inary reminded the ang halaga natin ay faithful of Christ’s open hindi sa sinasabi [ng and loving arms. iba]; ang halaga ng “Sa nakaaantig na tao ay kamukha siya eksena sa krus, making Diyos. Walang kita natin na hindi bukarangalan o pagmibitaw ang Panginoon FR. STEPHEN REDILLAS, O.P. mamahal na hihigit FR. NORMAN QUILAQUIL, O.P. FR. FILEMON DE LA CRUZ, JR., O.P. sa taong makasalanan. pa sa ‘ikaw ay nilikha Sa mga eksenang itinaNiyang kamukha takwil natin ang PangiNiya,’” Villegas said. noon at paulit-ulit tayFr. Norman Quiong nagkakasala, hindi laquil, O.P. of the Siya bumibitaw sa’tin Convent of Saint bagkus tuloy-tuloy ang Albert the Great pagsama Niya sa’tin said humans must hanggang tayo’y magremain humane to balik-loob sa Kanya.” achieve holiness.

ARCHBISHOP SOCRATES FR. ART VINCENT PANGAN, FR. ROMUALDO Fr. Stephen Redil“Upang maging VILLEGAS O.P. CABANATAN, JR., O.P. FR. ENRICO GONZALES, O.P. las, O.P., prior of the banal, dapat tayong Dominican convent in maging tao. Tao Manaoag, Pangasinan, reminded the Fr. Enrico Gonzales, O.P, former riwa ‘yan, at ang unang hakbang ang tayo, kaya magpakatao tayo,” he said, faithful of the purpose of Jesus’s sacri- dean of UST Faculty of Philosophy, pagpapatawad,” he said. reflecting the third of Christ’s last fice: the salvation of mankind. said forgiveness was the first step Reflecting on the fourth of words. “[Si] Kristo ay isang resibo na in healing emotional and spiritual Christ’s final words, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas Be martyrs amid criticisms nagpapatunay na nabayaran na ang “wounds.” pagkakautang natin. Kaya tuwing “Likas sa ating katawan na ‘yong said humans, as beings bearing the Fr. Romulo Rodriguez, O.P., fortumitingala tayo sa krus, ipinapaa- sugat ay maghilom. Kaya tulungan image and likeness of God, should see mer provincial secretary of the Dolala sa atin na ‘bayad ka na,’” Redil- natin ang ating sarili upang maghi- how valuable they are. minican Province of the Philippines, las said. lom ang sugat kung hindi laging sa“Maari [tayong] tapakan, yura- urged the faithful to be modern-day From PAGE 1

martyrs amid the criticisms received by the Church, during the Mass for the Passion of Christ at the Santo Domingo Church.

“Hindi maitatanggi [na] binabatikos ang simbahan at ipinasasara ang pintuan ng simbahan. Isinasara ang ating mga bibig. Just like the martyrs who have embraced the martyrdom of Jesus, dapat maging malawak ang pagmamahal natin sa sangkatauhan bunga ng pagmamahal sa Diyos,” Rodriguez said in his homily.

Rodriguez called on the faithful to practice and grow their faith by overcoming modern-day trials.

“Not everyone may be privileged to taste the blood of martyrdom. Ang mamatay sa pananampalataya ay paanyaya sa ilan subalit ang isabuhay ang pananampalataya, panawagan sa lahat,” he said.

Good Friday commemorates the day when Jesus suffered and died on the cross for the salvation of mankind.

Siete Palabras marked its 28th year with the theme “Kaloob ng Krus, Kaloob na Buhay.”

Like last year’s production, Siete Palabras 2021 was pre-recorded, but this time shot from different locations.

M.A.O. CASTILLO AND S.T. SADANG

SCI-TECH

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

EDITOR: MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG

UST survey:

Significant Survey Findings

Primary Survey Findings

(15,651 Completed Responses) If a vaccine for COVID-19 is available in the Philippines, would you use it?

55.9% 44.1% Unsure/Probably No/ Definitely No

Definitely Yes/ Probably Yes

Rate your confidence in using a vaccine for COVID-19 made in...

CHINA

17.7% 82.3%

Completely Confident/ Confident/

Completely Not Confident/ Not Confident/

RUSSIA

38.6% 61.4% Completely Confident/ Confident/

Completely Not Confident/ Not Confident/

USA OR EUROPE

75.3% 24.7% Completely Confident/ Confident/

Completely Not Confident/ Not Confident/

Please indicate your preference:

1.0%

I prefer a vaccine made in China

2.3%

I prefer a vaccine made in Russia

45.7%

I prefer a vaccine made in USA or Europe

50.9%

No preference. I will use any safe and effective vaccine.

5

(15,651 Completed Responses)

56% of Filipinos willing to receive Covid-19 vaccines

By Katherine Anne L. Escarilla FILIPINOS are divided on whether to receive Covid-19 vaccines, with only 55.9 percent of Filipinos willing to get vaccinated, a survey

by UST Covid-19 Vaccine (USTCovax) Awareness Team has found.

The survey, titled “Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Survey in the Philippines,” was conducted through an open-access online survey from Jan. 16 to 30.

Of 15,561 respondents, 23.7 percent (3,701) answered “definitely yes” and 32.1 percent (5,017) said “probably yes” to the question, “If a vaccine for Covid-19 is available in the Philippines, would you use it?”

Thirty-four percent (5,304) were “unsure,” and 6.7 (1,042) and 3.5 percent (541) answered “definitely no” and “probably no,” respectively.

Western vaccines The survey also asked respondents to rate their confidence and preference in Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in three regions namely China, Russia and the West.

Among the three choices, vaccines made by European or American developers garnered the highest confidence rate at 75.3 percent; 38.6 percent were most confident in Russian vaccines; and 17.7 were in most

Age Group

Number of Respondents

Percentage of Respondents

<18

907

5.9%

18-25

6,260

41.0%

26-35

3,760

24.6%

36-45

1,656

10.8%

46-70

2,431

15.9%

>70

268

1.8%

I am worried about...

Vaccine Side-Effects

92.7%

Strongly Agree/Agree

Number of Respondents

Percentage of Respondents

Definitely Yes

907

5.9%

Probably Yes

6,260

41.0%

Unsure

3,760

24.6%

Probably No

1,656

10.8%

Definitely No

2,431

15.9%

90.3%

Strongly Agree/Agree

country to achieve herd immunity this year.”

To date, only vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech from the US and AstraZeneca from the UK have been granted emergency use authorization by the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

Other vaccines shortlisted for evaluation by the country’s vaccine expert panel are Sinovac, Sinopharm, Clover and Anhui Zhifei from China; Novavax and Moderna from the US; Bharat Biotech from India, Janssen from Belgium and Gamaleya from Russia.

Vaccine ► PAGE 11

9.7%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Vaccine Safety

91.7%

Strongly Agree/Agree

8.3%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

High Cost of the Vaccine

82.3%

17.7%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Fake Vaccines

98.0%

Strongly Agree/Agree

2.0%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Vaccines Made Too Quickly

80.2%

Strongly Agree/Agree

confident of those made in China.

More than half (50.9 percent) of the respondents said they had no particular preference in Covid-19 vaccines and would use any one that is “safe and effective.”

Vaccines from the US and Europe were preferred by 45.7 percent of respondents; 2.3 percent preferred those made in Russia; and one percent were in favor of Chinese vaccines.

The UST-Covax team said the low confidence vaccines from China and Russia was worrisome as “vaccines made in these countries will be necessary to complete the vaccine portfolio that will allow our

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Vaccine Efficacy

Strongly Agree/Agree If a vaccine was made using fetal cell lines from an aborted baby, would you use it?

7.3%

19.8%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Vaccines Not Tested Properly

83.5%

Strongly Agree/Agree

16.5%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

Vaccines Not Effective Against Variants

84.5%

Strongly Agree/Agree

15.5%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

I will only receive the vaccine...

After many people have received the vaccine.

77.2%

Strongly Agree/Agree

22.8%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

After politicians receive the vaccine.

71.6%

Strongly Agree/Agree

28.4%

Disgree/Strongly Disgree

ART BY CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES

Dominican scientist eyes UST for first Filipino-made Covid-19 vaccine test A DOMINICAN priest-scientist is planning to test his Covid-19 vaccine— the first to be developed by a Filipino— at the University of Santo Tomas later this month.

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a molecular biologist and visiting professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is working on an oral Covid-19 vaccine that would not involve injections, a health professional administering it and strict storage requirements.

“My hope is to develop a yeast system where Filipinos would simply take a pill, pop it in their mouth or mix it with their milk … some people tell me they’d rather mix it with their beer,” Austriaco in an interview with Crux Now. He earlier likened it to drinking Yakult, a popular Japanese probiotic milk drink.

“You consume it, maybe every day

for seven days. You don’t need a doctor or a nurse, you don’t need injections or biohazardous waste, you don’t need a refrigerator.”

Austriaco said the vaccine was still at the pre-clinical trial phase. According to the report, the priest-scientist was eyeing to return to UST this month to set up a testing program for the vaccine.

“This will be the first vaccine developed in the Philippines, by a Filipino for Filipinos. It’ll be a rough-andready, scrappy vaccine, but it will do what needs to be done for an impoverished country like my homeland,” he said.

The country plans to vaccinate up to 70 million Filipinos by the end of the year. It has so far received 1.125 million doses of donated vaccines.

About 370,000 health workers have been inoculated as of March 22,

21.71 percent of the 1,700,000 medical personnel prioritized in the country’s vaccination drive.

Bioethical considerations

Some Christians worldwide are faced with the judgment call on whether to get vaccinated or not due to the issue of some vaccines making use of fetal cell lines derived from a decades-old abortion.

The Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, in particular, has made US bishops “raise questions about moral permissibility,” claiming the vaccine used stem cell lines from aborted fetuses not only in developing but also in testing and producing the vaccine.

The cell line in issue is PER.C6, which is composed of retinal cells isolated from a legally aborted fetus in 1985. However, the vaccines themselves do not contain any aborted fetal cells.

AUSTRIACO (FILE PHOTO) Austriaco stressed that the issue may make it difficult for Filipino Catholics to participate in vaccination programs as it poses an ethical dilemma

to a country that is “pro-life by constitution and profoundly Catholic.”

“Not only is American society hoarding the vaccine, they’re making it intellectually, morally and psychologically difficult for significant numbers of other Catholics around the world who are scrambling for the scraps of vaccines left over to actually take them,” he said.

Getting vaccinated does not only address a public health issue, but also a wider social justice implication such as alleviating the economic burden, especially for the poor, he added.

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, Austriaco earlier said. KATHERINE ANNE L. ESCARILLA AND SOPHIA T. SADANG

The Varsitarian

MARCH 31, 2021

MARK W

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Struggle against the sys

By The Varsitarian Staff • FEBRUARY 21, 2001

Reopen case

(Editor’s Note: This story was published in line with the 18th death anniversary of Mark Welson Chua, the UST student who disclosed to the Varsitarian the corruption in the University’s ROTC program.)

From PAGE 1

“UST itself should also be responsible. Hindi naman sila naging responsible noong time na ‘yon.

Ang dami nilang sinabing papatayuan ng rebulto, lalagyan ng hall para sa name ni Mark, bibigyan ng kung ano-ano, pero never nilang ginawa ‘yon. Basta ang dami nilang sinabi, pero wala namang nangyari.”

A total of 21 bills have been filed at the House of Representatives seeking to revive mandatory ROTC. Fourteen of the 21 bills propose mandatory ROTC in senior high school, or Grades 11 and 12, while the others seek to impose it on college students. The Senate has nine bills seeking to revive mandatory ROTC. President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 called for the revival of mandatory ROTC. He renewed his call in his 2019 State of the Nation Address.

“Itong mga bata ngayon, they are bereft of patriotism and the love of country. Balik sila dito. I think the military training will be good for everybody,” Duterte said.

House Speaker Lord Alan Velasco has listed mandatory ROTC among his priority measures.

COMBATING the alleged corruption and inefficiency of UST’s Reserve Officers’ Training Course (ROTC) program appears a futile task better left undone.

Through the years, most ROTC cadets have complained that they would sit for hours each training Sunday just to get burned under the sun while learning almost nothing.

Despite fulfilling the attendance requirements and paying numerous fees, some cadets would even get unexplained failing grades at the end of the semester.

Moreover, charges of bribery and extortion have not dissipated considering the changes in ROTC leadership and promises of reform.

Just a year ago, the Varsitarian published a special report on the alleged anomalies in the ROTC and the Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST). But the problems could not be fully addressed since no formal complaints were made.

This time, however, a group of cadets decided to speak out and take action. Late last December, Mark Welson Chua and Romulo Yumul, sophomores from the Faculty of Engineering, filed a complaint with the Department of National Defense (DND) which was given due course by the National Capital Region – Regional Community Defense Group (NCR-RCDG).

The complaint alleged the rampant corruption in the USTROTC. It was supported by the complaints of other basic cadets.

The move resulted in the dismissal of the UST-ROTC commandant, Maj. Demy Tejares, after an exhaustive investigation.

Forced Payments ​Most of the complaints were financial in nature, particularly the questionable collection of a P250 fee upon enrollment during the first semester of this school year apart from the P300 ROTC fee.

“Sabi nila(administration staff) para daw sa [army] patches.

Hindi ka papayagang mag- enroll hangga’t di ka nagbabayad ng P250,” Yumul said in an interview.

Tejares said that even though the patches were required by the Army Reserve Command, purchase of the patches upon enrollment was not compulsory.

“I made it clear to them (administration staff) that the uniform or a part of that uniform is not a pre-requisite for enrollment,” he explained.

However, some cadets complained that they did not receive the patches they paid for. “Every week after [training], pumupunta ako dun(DMST office) to claim the patches. I think, five weeks akong nagpabalik-balik, wala akong nakuha ni isang patch.

Walang nangyari,” said Ronan Barrientos, a cadet from the Rifle Brigade.

For the second semester, the cadets were again charged P20 for registration, aside from the ROTC fee.

According to Genesis Binagatan, DMST staff administrator, the registration fee was used to buy materials for the cadets’ files such as folders, envelopes and attendance cards. He explained that the expenses could not be taken from the ROTC fee because it was not included in the budget of the DMST for the school year.

Aside from these, cadets were also charged other fees. According to Chua, officers required the cadets to buy attendance cards on the first training Sunday, with prices ranging from P10 to P20.​ “Napipilitan lang silang(cadets) magbayad kasi kailangan talaga ‘yung attendance card,” he added.

Cadets were also asked to pay P10 each time they take preliminary and final exams.

But Tejares said the materials were given for free. He even reprimanded the cadet officers and ordered them to return the money to the cadets. But the cadets said they never received their money back. ​Chua also included in the complaint the mandatory sale of ROTC manuals in December last year.

For two consecutive training Sundays, Binagatan, allegedly claiming he was under the orders by Tejares, reportedly compelled the cadets to buy the manuals.

Alexander Jon Bautista, a second year Engineering student, said Binagatan’s instructions were contradictory. “Ang sabi niya, ‘hindi ko kayo pinipilit[bumili], pero pag nag-inspection kamithe following meeting, ‘pag wala kayo [ngmanual],demerits ang makukuha niyo.’”

Some cadets tried to complain. Vincent Llana, a sophomore from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB), said, “Pumunta kami kay Sir Binagatan. [Sabi namin] ‘Sir, walang pera. ‘Yung iba pamasahe lang ang pera.’ Biglang nagalit sa amin. [Sabi niya] ‘Anong walang pamasahe? Sinabi ko yan sa inyo, dapat bumili kayo.’”

Some of those who did not buy the manual had to face the consequences. Binagatan allegedly discharged all sophomore military police (MP) cadets for not buying the manual.

College of Science student Gian Manuel, MP officer-in-charge, said Binagatan even threatened to transfer their classcards to the basic rifle infantry as punishment.

But when training resumeed in January, Manie and his fellow MPs found out that it was just a verbal threat because they retained their posts.

Tejares denied giving instructions that the manuals were compulsory.

Binagatan also denied forcing the cadets to buy the manual.

He said the manuals were sold to cover the lack of training due to shortage of instructors. He emphasized though that the students need to buy the material.

He said even cadet officers approved the sale of the manuals.

“In fact, ang ikinagagalit ng cadet officers, gusto nilang ibenta ngP150 ‘yan. Pero ayaw ni Major Tejares.”

True enough, Corps Commander Erwin Cudiamat said the cadet officers approved the sale of the manuals. It was supposed to be sold at P150 because it would contain lectures for four military science courses but was later sold for only P100. They found out,

however, that the m

Bribery Aside from allege bribery. He said som course usually pay s semester. Some even Peter Reyes, a so some students who nagbabayad, ‘yung m neering, Nursing,” h But when he tr dents refused to re kaso, matanggal ‘yu binayad nila walang Tejares also deni of the NCR-RCDG E is no payment. You certifies the exempti On the contrary, Commandant was a es once told them: “ may nagpapabayad konti, pampakain la

Inefficient instructi Cadets also comp struction. Only a few hours under the sun Tejares said that ensure efficient instr Tejares added th not assign any perso of instruction, cadet commodate all the c According to Te classrooms since 199 by the UST administ

ROTC whistleblower found dead

By The Varsitarian Staff MARCH 24, 2001

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in the Varsitarian on March 24, 2001.

THE MECHANICAL engineering sophomore whose complaint of corruption in the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) resulted in the relief of the ROTC Commandant was found dead and decomposing in the Pasig River near the Jones Bridge last March 18.

Mark Welson Chua’s body was fished out of the river by employees of the Tres Amigos Funeral Homes after it was discovered by passerby, police said.

It was only later that the body was identified as Chua’s because of the dog tag. (Chua was a former ROTC cadet officer). He has suddenly disappeared on March 15 and was report-

ed missing.

The body was wrapped in a carpet while the head was wrapped in cloth and packing tape, according to the victim’s father, Welson Chua.

The hands and feet were bound by shoelaces.

Mr. Chua said investigators told him the manner in which the body was wrapped was the work of the person who was a “professional” and who could have a “military background.”

The young Chua, 19, together with ROTC cadet Romelo Yumul, led several students, in filing a complaint of bribery and extortion against the Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST) with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the UST Office for Student Affairs and Community Services (Osacs).

The complaint became a subject of a Special Reports article in the Varsitarian and was given due course by

the DND, resulting in the dismissal of several staffers of the UST ROTC. The commandant, Maj. Demy Tejares, was also relieved.

According to Yumul, Chua was supposed to meet last March 15 an “agent” who had asked to work as student intelligence networks (SIN) in the University. Yumul refused the offer.

The same day, Thursday, at 10 p.m., the Chua family went to Jose’s restaurant to eat dinner. Welson Chua asked his brother to text Mark, and instruct him to follow. They texted him several times but all they got was the reply, “m on my way dad.”

At dawn at Friday, the family received a call from men who claimed they had kidnapped Mark and asked for P3 million.

The family received another call later asking them if they had the money, but Welson Chua said he did not have it. The person on the other line

said, “No money, no son.” That was the last time they heard the kidnapper.

A source who refused to be named said Mark had told him he saw someone seemingly casing their condominium one night. But he shrugged off the incident.

The elder Welson said his son and Yumul had received a death threat in the form of a letter.

“We know who did it (but we have to) get (sufficient) evidence. I hope his death won’t make everyone afraid (to) continue what he was fighting against. He paid it with his life. I hope it meant something,” said Welson Chua.

As of press time, the body is at the Arlington Funeral Homes. The interment will be on March 25, 9 a.m., at the Everest Memorial Park, Memory Hills, Susana Heights, Cavite. MARIE CARISA U. ORDINARIO

WELSON CHUA

6–7

stem

manuals covered only one course.

ed extortion, Chua also accused the DMST of me students who want to be exempt from the some officials a standard price of P1,500 per n pay higher depending on the arrangement. ophomore Education student, said he knows paid for exemption. “Normally, ‘yung mga mga nasa mahihirap na courses [like] Engihe explained. ried to ask them whom they paid, the stueveal the names, “Baka daw magkaroon ng ung taong yon, sila [ang] kawawa. Baka ‘yung mangyari.” ied the bribery charges. “I am also a member Exemption Board. I sign for exemption, there u cannot pay, because there is a doctor [who ion].” , Paul Tan, a former cadet officer, said that the aware of these activities. He said that Tejar“Alam ko naman kayong mga[cadet] officers, sa inyo. Bigyan ninyo naman kami ng kahit ang namin.”

ion plained about the alleged inefficient ROTC inw cadets receive lectures while most spend idle n. the large number of cadets made it difficult to ruction. hat they lacked instructors. Since they could on who did not have mastery of the program t officers employed a system of rotation to accadets. ejares, they also tried to request for the use of 98 for the lectures, but they were not allowed tration.

Scan for the full story

SPECIAL EDITORIAL

Abusive and murderous compulsory ROTC

– NEVER AGAIN!

It’s remarkable how the Commander-in-chief can still define for us what nationalism is and ought to be when he appears the most helpless and confused about patriotism while cozying up to China despite the communist totalitarian country’s incursions into our territorial waters.

The 20th death anniversary of Thomasian Mark Welson Chua passed by quietly last March, and understandably so, as the country continues to battle against a worldwide pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives locally. With Covid-19 cases in the first few months of 2021 topping last year’s numbers, there’s just too much soreness and apprehension to deal with.

But two decades after Chua’s horrific death in the hands of fellow Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, calls to revive the mandatory military course for senior high school (and college) students are in the air once again, thanks to President Duterte, whose proclivity toward—and dependency on—the military and police, is very evident, so that he seems to coddle them and even encourage them to abuse civilians and undermine our democracy. And because Philippine democracy is a sham, the legislative has been very obliging toward his anti-democratic tendencies, so that his wish to have compulsory ROTC restored has been adopted by House Speaker Lord Allan Jay Velasco, a Thomasian regrettably, as one of his “priority bills.”

Good Lord! Velasco must have either entirely missed the Chua incident while studying law in UST, or his mind is simply too glutted with shallow and self-serving politics, that he could not even bother to remember. Either way, he is essentially digging up a failed and putrefied program that is compulsory ROTC, while dumping all the dirt on Chua’s grave. For Velasco, whose sycophancy of Duterte allowed him to secure the House speakership in the first place, artificial resuscitation of what’s left down in the muck can’t be too bizarre and mortifying, Reviving compulsory ROTC is like spitting at the grave of Mark Chua.

Chua was killed by his fellow cadet officers who were all scions of police and military officers, and who followed their elders and superiors in making ROTC

abusive. The reason it was abusive was exactly its compulsory nature: since every male was made to take it up and pay tuition to the ROTC under the Department of National Defense, there was no compulsion for it and the DND to improve it and make it deliver well on the ROTC’s supposed goal of making disciplined young reservists ready for the call of duty in times of civil emergencies or external threats. Remember that ROTC was institutionalized during martial law and it became an instrument for militarization and de facto undermining of civilian supremacy. Two of Chua’s killers remain at large, and there have apparently been no attempt on the part of the AFP or law enforcers to bring them to justice, underscoring how militarism continues to undermine civilian rule. This is the militarism which Duterte seeks unabashedly to formalize by filling his cabinet with retired military and police officers, dismissing instances of police and military abuse, as in the murder in cold blood ad in full view of mobile camera by a bystander of a mother and her son in Tarlac by Senior Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca last December, and in his insistence that compulsory ROTC be restored.

Farcical President Duterte’s claim that the ROTC would “invigorate (the youth’s) sense of nationalism and patriotism” is both farcical and deluding. A nurse in a Covid-19 ward or a mother helping her child through a lesson module is as patriotic as a soldier on the battlefield or a police officer manning a quarantine checkpoint. While military service is honorable and dutiful, any Filipino’s lack or even absence of instruction and exercise in that field does not make him or her less patriotic.

It’s remarkable how the Commander-in-chief can still define for us what nationalism is and ought to be when he appears the most helpless and confused about patriotism while cozying up to

China despite the communist totalitarian country’s incursions into our territorial waters. Duterte has allowed China to build military facilities on Philippine waters. He’s played footsie with the communist bosses of Beijing and now he dares question the patriotism of our youth! At the least, we should say that it doesn’t take compulsory ROTC to play harlot with Beijing. Malacañang whoredom is one thing, patriotism another, with apologies of course to whores.

The revival of mandatory ROTC, whether in senior high school or college, means the failure of systemic values, civic and nationalistic education— including the National Service Training Program (NSTP), whose establishment through Republic Act 9163 in 2001 was a consequence of the Chua case. The basic military course, designated as an optional component of the NSTP, has produced 1,435,000 Armed Forces of the Philippines reservists in 10 years since. The two other components, the Civic Welfare Training Service and the Literacy Training Service, have produced 10.6 million and over 538,000 graduates, respectively, in the same period. These figures will likely double by 2022, and they cannot be ignored.

The statistics show that “patriotism and the sense of nationalism” are alive and well in the country. We don’t know if that’s the case in Malacañang.

For its part, the University of Santo Tomas has to take the lead once again as it did in 2001, when it stood tall and firm in denouncing the failures and abuses in the ROTC program.

And then, as the Varsitarian has been a refuge to Mark Welson Chua and his disclosures 20 years ago, we will continue to tell and retell his story, and renew our commitment as a keeper and purveyor of truth and justice. Because we owe it to the courage and patriotism of individuals like him, and the rest of us who labor honestly and persistently, to lead good lives, uphold truth and justice, and build a proud nation.

16

SECTION NAME The Varsitarian MONTH (?), 2021

EDITOR: JOHN EZEKIEL J. HIRRO

Listahan ng mga nagwagi sa ika-36 Gawad Ustetika PATULOY NA IPINAMALAS ang laya at haraya ng panitikan sa ika-36 Gawad Ustetika, ang pinakamahabang taunang patimpalak pampanitikan sa bansa, kung saan kinilala ng Varsitarian ang mga Tomasinong manunulat.

Ang mga nagwagi ay inanunsyo sa isang programang pinalabas sa Facebook page ng Varsitarian.

Ang ika-36 Gawad Ustetika ay ang unang edisyon ng paligsahan na isinagawa online. Tumanggap ang Varsitarian ng 69 na mga kalahok na akda.

Narito ang mga nanalo:

Poetry

Fiction

Unang Gantimpala

Unang Gantimpala

“FEARS AS MOVEMENT AND PHENOMENON” ni Christian Ryan Ram Malli

Ikalawang Gantimpala “AFTERNOON: POEMS” ni Hailord Narag Lavarias

Ikatlong Gantimpala “THE WOMEN IN MY FAMILY” ni Jecelie Claire De La Rosa

Tula

Unang Gantimpala “UMIIRAL: MGA TULA” ni Hailord Narag Lavarias

Ikalawang Gantimpala “KALAM: MGA TULA” ni Carl Angelo Latoja

Ikatlong Gantimpala “MULA SA APOY” ni Marcelino Quiambao III

Essay

Katha

“PERYA (CARNIVAL)” ni Aleia Marie Anies

“FEARS AS MOVEMENT AND PHENOMENON” ni Christian Ryan Ram Malli

Unang Gantimpala

Unang Gantimpala

Ikalawang Gantimpala

Ikalawang Gantimpala

Ikalawang Gantimpala

Ikatlong Gantimpala

Ikatlong Gantimpala

“LILIES” ni Joana Marie de la Cruz

“THE FALL OF BIRDS” ni Kisha Aleena Abuda at “THE PRETENDERS” ni Carmel Ilustrisimo

“AFTERNOON: POEMS” ni Hailord Narag Lavarias

Unang Gantimpala

Ikalawang Gantimpala

“MAY PAKPAK ANG TAGABANTAY KO SA GABI” ni Sophia Eugenio

Ikatlong Gantimpala

“ANG AKING BROWN AMERICAN DADDY” ni Patrick Ernest Celso

Honorable Mention

“WHAT WERE ONCE WORN” ni Ma. Fatima Clare D. Castillo

One-Act Play/Dulang May Isang Yugto

Ikatlong Gantimpala

Ikatlong Gantimpala

“SANAOL TALABA” ni Steven Mathew Solis

“ASYMPTOTES AT DADDY ISSUES” ni Patrick Ernest Celso

Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention

“KALAHATING SINUNGALING ANG MANUNULAT” ni Coleen Shane O. Quiambao

Varsitarian confers Parangal Hagbong on Vim Nadera, Gawad Ustetika founder THE VARSITARIAN awarded renowned poet and Palanca awardee Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera, Jr. the Parangal Hagbong during the virtual awarding rites of the 36th Gawad Ustetika last March 20.

NADERA (FILE PHOTO)

“SALAMIN NG MGA ISDA” ni Kisha Aleena Abuda

“A BEDSIDE STORY” ni Thea Monica Lacambra

Sanaysay “TALAHULUGAN NG KAGURUAN” ni Patrick Ernest Celso

“PIBERTDAY, NAK” ni Coleen Shane Quiambao

Hagbong, from an old Tagalog word meaning “laureate,” has been given by the Varsitarian since 1997 to UST alumni for lifetime achievement in letters.

Nadera, this year’s recipient, is a former editor of the publication. Under his editorship, he founded the Gawad Ustetika (Ustetika is portmanteau of the words “USTe” and “estetika”), the country’s longest-running campus literary derby.

Nadera was a Varsitarian scholar from 1983 to 1986. He was a writer for the literary section of the publication and later became its chief editor.

In 1993, he became a professor in Filipino at the Faculty of Arts and Letters and assistant publications director of the Varsitarian.

Nadera obtained a degree in psychology from UST in 1984 and finished his master’s studies in clinical psychology in 1996.

His thesis, titled “Poetreat: The Use of Poetry as a Therapy in Mutual Support Groups of Cancer Survivors in Metro Ma-

nila,” was published by the UST Publishing House in 2006.

He is also a recipient of The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Award in 2007.

The same year, he was given the 80th College of Science Anniversary Jubilee Achievement Award.

Through literature and expressive arts, he has helped cancer survivors, drug patients, “comfort women” and victims of abuse and calamity recover from trauma.

He served as a poetry therapist for persons with AIDS at the Bahay Lingap, a halfway home for asymptomatic HIV-positive Filipinos.

Nadera led an outreach program with visual artist Wilson Ma called “Three Ps (Poetry, Painting, Photography),” which accommodated cancer patients in and out of Metro Manila. The Philippine Society of Oncology (PSO) gave him the Community Service Award for this undertaking.

Nadera ► PAGE 11

“TO SEE IS TO BELIEVE” ni Carmel Ilustrisimo

Rector’s Literary Award “UMIIRAL: MGA TULA.” ni Hailord Narag Lavarias

Artlets, ‘V’ alumnus receives Rector’s Literary Award in 36th Ustetika A FORMER Varsitarian literary writer bagged this year’s Rector’s Literary Award (RLA), the most coveted award in the 36th Gawad Ustetika, the country’s longest-running campus literary derby.

Hailord Lavarias’ work, “Umiiral: Mga Tula” was the personal choice of UST Acting Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. from among the first-prize Ustetika winners.

Aside from the RLA, Lavarias also bagged the second prizein Poetry for “Afternoon: Poems.”

“Umiiral: Mga Tula” was the first-place winner in the Tula category.

Lavarias said winning the RLA was not his primary goal in joining the Ustetika, adding that he just wanted to express his message through poetry.

LAVARIAS “When I was writing my piece, it was unexpected, kasi may isa akong piece na very controversial, in which [some lines] said ‘pagngatngat/sa rosaryo,’” Lavarias, now a UST Civil Law student, told the Varsitarian.

“Until now, hindi ako makapaniwala, kasi kapag tinitignan ko ang mga Lavarias ► PAGE 10

OPINION

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

Enough with the excuses, DepEd

EDITORIAL

Assault on religious freedom WITHOUT even consulting church groups and other religions, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has once again banned churches from holding religious assemblies as it placed the Greater Manila Area under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) anew. The unilateral decision came at an expressly significant season for the Catholic Church that is set to observe its most important memorial, the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

Last year the ECQ locked down the churches during Lent and beyond. Ditto this year. What is wrong here?

Despite having the toughest and most debilitating lockdown in the world, the Philippines still hasn’t put the Covid-19 crisis under control. ECQ part II should underscore the continuing and lethal incompetence of the Duterte government. The more it betrays its incompetence, the more it displays its arrogance. It could have benefitted from the collaboration of the Church and other faiths but because of its arrogance, the IATF, in true miltary-junta style arrogance, unilaterally made the decision to close all worship places.

Catholic leaders, most notably Manila Apostolic Administrator Broderick Pabillo, have been making prudent efforts to help gather the scattered flock. Last March 23, Pabillo instructed churches in the Archdiocese of Manila to accept churchgoers at 10 percent of their total capacity while strictly implementing health protocols. The Church understands the threat of the virus, but with due care and vigilance, surely people can still worship and stay safe at the same time. After all, the government’s health protocols are an overkill—aside from masks and distancing rules, the public is also required to wear face shields, which are “not as effective” at protecting people from respiratory droplets that spread Covid-19, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even then, the spokesperson of the infamously God-fearing and faithful President Duterte threatened that the government could

Churches, by purpose and practical significance, are essentially infirmaries. People come to visit not because they’re healthy or whole, but because they are in varied circumstances sick or damaged in the first place.

close churches violating mass gathering rules imposed by the IATF, to which Pabillo quipped: “Kung 10 percent lang ng loob ng simbahan, hindi naman mass gathering ‘yan.”

Churches, by purpose and practical significance, are essentially infirmaries. People come to visit not because they’re healthy or whole, but because they are in varied circumstances sick or damaged in the first place.

It is deplorable when religious gatherings are regarded among the less important public activities that society can do without for extended periods. It is contemptuous when spas and gyms had been allowed to operate—until local chief executives themselves interjected and banned them by their own capacities—and chapels and mosques aren’t, as if church experience does not contribute to individuals’ overall well-being. At a time when everything is going south and awry, the occasional uplift can have long-lasting effects that science and regular indulgences, and all the pampering and workouts can hardly ever produce.

A year of lockdowns and control has brought us nowhere, really, and for all the fuss and trouble, the country has remained crippled and desperate. The pandemic isn’t the only one killing and threatening people since the past year. Recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that there were 3,529 suicide deaths in 2020—25.7 percent more than in 2019. Pandemic fatigue is obviously taking its toll on Filipinos, and the government should realize that faith and religion could help Filipinos cope with the stress of the pandemic.

The stress threatens to aggravate because of ECQ II which, the IATF and the Duterte government must be reminded, has been brought about by the alarming rise of Covid-19 cases lately, which in turn owes to their continuing failure to roll out the vaccines they’ve been promising no end since the last quarter of 2020.

Editorial ► PAGE 10

FOUNDED JANUARY 16, 1928 FOUNDED JANUARY 16, 1928

EUGENE DOMINIC V. ABOY, O.P. Editor in Chief

JOHN EZEKIEL J. HIRRO Editor in Chief KATRINA ISABEL C. GONZALES Associate Editor KATRINA ISABEL C. GONZALES Associate Editor NEIL JOSHUA N. SERVALLOS Online Coordinator LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN Acting Editor AHMED KHAN H. CAYONGCAT NewsNews Coordinator FAITH WEI N. RAGASA Sports Editor KLYRAYUEN V. ORBIEN Acting Special Reports Editor AHMED KHAN H. N. CAYONGCAT Special Reports Editor FAITH YUEN WEI RAGASA Sports Editor JISELLE JISELLE ANNE ANNE C. C. CASUCIAN CASUCIAN Features Features Editor and Circle Editor MARIEL L. SERQUIÑA Witness Editor JOSELLECELINE CZARINA S. DE LA CRUZ Filipino and Witness Editor JOENNER PAULO L. ENRIQUEZ, Patnugot sa Filipino MARY JAZMIN D. TABUENA ChiefO.P. Photographer MIGUEL LOUIS M.ArtGALANG JURY P. SALAYA Director Science and Technology Editor MA. JASMINE TRISHA L. NEPOMUCENO Circle Editor JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA Art Director

FELIPE F. SALVOSA II CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Assistant Publications Advisers

NEWS Charm Ryanne C. Magpali, Laurd Menhard B. Salen, Camille Abiel NEWS Jamilah Mae B. Angco, Charm Ryanne C. Magpali, Jacqueline B. H. Torres Christine Joyce A. Paras, Christine SPORTSMartinez, Malic U. Cotongan, Rommel BongJoanne R. Fuertes Jr., P. Ramos SPORTSJasmin Anna Clarissa Roselle M. M. Barlam, Monton Nina Angela Mikaela Cruz, Rommel Bong Fuertes Jr., James Paulo Paul R.L.Gomez, Mark Ernest V. Villeza SPECIALR.REPORTS Joenner Enriquez, O.P., Camille M. Marcelo, SPECIALNuel REPORTS AngeloKimberly D. SabateG. Hipolito, Charlize Gabriel L. Linantud, Nuel Angelo D. Sabate FEATURES Ma. Jasmine Trisha L. Nepomuceno FEATURES Ma. Dyanne Reyes, JadeF.Veronique LITERARY Leigh Anne E.Mirasol Dispo, P. Sofia Bernice Navarro V. Yap LITERARY LeighDayne Anne E.A.Dispo, SofiaBea Bernice F. Navarro FILIPINO Caitlin Contreras, Angeline P. Domingo WITNESS AlenaPaulo O. Castillo, SophiaO.P., T. Sadang WITNESS Ma. Ma. Alena Alena O. O. Castillo, Castillo, Ma. Joenner L. Enriquez, FILIPINOMariel Bea Angeline P. Domingo, Samantha Nichole G. Magbuhat Celine L. Serquiña SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Caitlin A. Galang, Contreras, MiguelDayne Louis M. Katherine Anne L. Jade Veronique V.Escarilla Yap CIRCLE Nolene Beatrice H. Crucillo, Allaine Nicole C. Cruz, Neil Paolo S. Gonzales Mae C. TanMariane Jane A. Cadiz, Alisa Joy T. del Mundo, ART KarlLarissa Joshua L. Aron, Kristopher T. Esguerra, Gwyneth Fiona N. Luga,Fiona N. Luga, ART KarlJan Joshua L. Aron, Athea Monique Z. Gala, Gwyneth Catherine PauleneP.A.Orines, Umali,Catherine Rae IsobelPaulene N. Tyapon, Sophia R. Lozada Christine Angelie A. Umali, Nadine Anne M.M. Deang, Jean GilbertShayne T. Go, Renzelle PHOTOGRAPHY Denise Arizabal, Renzelle V. Picar, FELIPE F. SALVOSA II Francia JOSELITO B. ZULUETA Shayne V. Picar, Bianca Jolene S. Redondo, CamilleMaye AbielD.G. H. Viri Assistant Publications CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Adviser Publications Adviser Camille Abiel H. Torres, Marvin John F. Uy, Arianne Torres, Marvin John F. Uy, Arianne Maye D.G. Viri Assistant Publications Advisers JOSELITO B. ZULUETA EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica C. Asprer EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica C. Asprer Publications Adviser

The Department of Education (DepEd) has repeatedly come under fire from netizens for its defective and erroneous “learning” modules. The modular learning setup is riddled with faults. Compounding the problem is quality control, or lack of one, adding to the woes of an already troubled school year.

Because of its mismanagement of the school year, DepEd had earned itself a free quality assurance consultation (and retribution) from the general public through the social media, where there has been criticism left and right over the flawed self-learning modules (SLM), TV episodes, and Youtube videos distributed and published

by DepEd. In March this year, a Grade 5 student from South Cotabato wrote a letter to DepEd citing the apparent sexism in an activity in an SLM where students were asked to attribute characteristics such as “strong, always crying, confident, fragile, moody and brave” to either a man or a woman. The answer key disclosed that “confident, strong and brave” are male characteristics while “always crying, fragile and moody” are female.

The local DepEd office said the mistake was regrettable and recalled the SLM. But this was not the first instance DepEd was called out for errors.

In December 2020, the DepEd drew social-media flak from musicians and music teachers for publishing a video of a teacher erroneously demonstrating basic rhythmic patterns in music.

The teacher in the video clapped twice for a half note and four times for a whole note, demonstrating the steady beat of the measure instead of the note’s rhythmic pattern. Rhythm is the pattern of relative durations and stresses on the notes on a piece of music.

It would have been correct had she clapped at the first count and continued counting until two for the half note, and clapped at the first count and continued counting until four for the whole note.

Furthermore, the teacher also read the time signature as “fourfourths” as if it was a fraction when it should have been read as “four four”, known as “common time” in music.

The video was posted on DepEd’s Youtube channel on December 21, 2020, and was taken down 11 days after, thanks to netizens themselves pointing errors out.

In another blunder, the DepEd was criticized for publishing an SLM that outrightly identified actress Angel Locsin as “an obese person” who had become such due to her alleged lifestyle of eating fast food and for being physically inactive.

The mere fact that music and the arts are cramped up in one unit of a subject together with physical education and health at the elementary level reflects the scarce regard that the leaders of the education sector are paying to subjects that cultivate the humanities—an important aspect that contributes to a development of a progressive civilization that is seemingly taken for granted in this country. No wonder basic mistakes

9

Offbeat MA. JASMINE TRISHA L. NEPOMUCENO

The young learners of this country deserve quality education promised by the Constitution, governed by leaders with the integrity to adhere to their job descriptions and provide students with supreme learning supplements even without scrutiny from unsolicited sources. such as these are overlooked on their watch.

A few months into distance learning, after reportedly 41 errors in its SLMs including but not limited to factual, computational and grammatical errors, DepEd responded to the criticism by launching an error watch; it will gather reports of mistakes found in distributed learning materials such as modules and broadcast content. As if the P 751.7 billion or 16.7 percent of its P4.506-trillion budget in 2021 is still insufficient to employ qualified experts for the job.

Pointing out the defective learning supplements from DepEd is just peeling the thin skin of the rotten onion that is the mismanagement of the basic education system in the country.

Even before the pandemic started and forced everyone to shift to distance learning, DepEd already had to deal with the problem of improving the quality of basic education in the Philippines.

In a 2018 evaluation by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 79 nationalities, Filipino students from private and public schools ranked least in reading proficiency, 78th in mathematics, and 71st in science.

In response to the dismal results, DepEd vowed in 2019 that it would raise the quality of basic education through aggressive reforms in four areas namely: K-to-12 review and updating; improvement of learning facilities; teachers and school heads’ upskilling and reskilling through a transformed professional development program; and engagement of all stakeholders for support and collaboration.

It is irresponsible and pitiful for the DepEd to resort to appeals of pity for understanding over contemptible materials being supplied to learners when it has made promises to aggressively improve the quality of basic education in the country.

The long-standing troubled basic education system cannot be resolved by band-aid solutions such as an error watch or flowery slogans promising quality education backed up by incompetence and non-transparency, nor will this problem be resolved by adding more years of basic education to the curriculum.

The young learners of this country deserve quality education promised by the Constitution, governed by leaders with the integrity to adhere to their job descriptions and provide students with supreme learning supplements even without scrutiny from unsolicited sources.

10

COMICS

The Varsitarian MONTH (?), 2021

ART DIRECTOR: JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA

ISA PANG EPISODE CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES

REMEMBERING THE WAR GWYNETH FIONA N. LUGA

1ST DAY FORECAST KARL JOSHUA L. ARON

Editorial

House-cleaning FROM PAGE 4

Talks with admin In the next five years, Gonzales said he would strive to create “a working condition that is more meaningful, and more economically and psychologically rewarding” for faculty members in partnership with the UST administration.

He said he would talk to the Rector and the vice rector for academic affairs to discuss “pressing and crisscrossing issues related to online classes that do affect our working conditions including our mental health.”

Gonzales also said he would push for a labor education program for all USTFU members: “Tayong mga guro ay dapat actively engaged with government policy makers especially in the field of education, labor, and health [because] the policies from these agencies have adversely affected the terms and conditions of our employment and even our power to bargain collectively.”

Aside from these, Gonzales said he was also planning to review the USTFU constitution and draft resolutions amending the union’s Code for Election and Ratification within 100 days.

Robredo: Faculty must be empowered Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, who administered the oath of to the newly-elected officials and directors, commended the faculty members for being “strong pillars of support” to students despite anxieties and doubts brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to virtual learning modalities.

“Isang taon na tayong nasa ilalim ng iba’t ibang antas ng community quarantine at alam kong hindi naging madali ito, lalo na para sa mga educator tulad ninyo.

Sa public o private institution man, nakita natin kung gaano kahirap ang naging transition tungo sa mga bagong learning modalities,” she said.

“You need to be equipped with knowledge and skills, supported in every possible way and empowered moving forward to facilitate blended learning,” she added.

The vice president also called on USTFU to promote transparency and ac-

From PAGE 2

countability.

“Build stronger relationships with one another and draw strength from each other. Mas pag-isahin ang hanay at mas palakasin ang boses ng isa’t isa… Orient yourself towards service, towards the Thomasian community and beyond— so that no student, no teacher, no community gets left behind.”

Pre-oathtaking drama Prior to the oath taking ceremony, several newly elected officers and directors from the Kabalikat party released a letter stating concerns over the oath-taking event.

In the letter dated March 16, 16 Kabalikat members listed the alleged lack of official invitation from the USTFU Commission on Elections and USTFU Board, the lack of coordination with the outgoing board on arrangements and invitations, and the event being “unilaterally” decided

by Gonzales “and a few others.”

They claimed the event was made known to the newly elected members through an informal meeting last March 12, only five days before the event.

“The details of the oath-taking ceremony were already set prior to the [March 12] meeting and without the knowledge of the would-be committee members. This is supported by the fact that a detailed poster of the event was published online immediately after the meeting concluded,” the Kabalikat members said.

Gonzales responded to the letter, saying that the oath-taking ceremony was “thoroughly” discussed during the March 12 meeting, and that several of the incoming officers had reached out to him directly to inform him of their absence.

He added that the informal meeting was only deemed “unofficial” because they had yet to take their oath of office as new officers and directors when it was conducted.

The Kabalikat officers were eventually sworn in on March 25.

Gonzales, who teaches at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, won the USTFU presidency and replaced Dr. George Lim, who led the union for 10 years.

Gonzales, along with all the newly

elected officials and board of directors, will serve five-year terms until 2026.

Election results Gonzales, Sulong USTFU party’s presidential candidate, won with 440 votes, while Asst. Prof. Revenendo Vargas of the Institute of Religion, standard bearer of ex-USTFU president Dr. George Lim’s Kabalikat party, got 419 votes.

Lingkod-Guro bet Prof. Jove Jim Aguas, also of Arts and Letters, mustered 208 votes.

Gonzales received 78 of 116 votes cast by the Senior High School faculty. The Medicine bloc, the faculty with the most number of voters and Lim’s bailiwick, gave 122 of 136 votes to Vargas.

Gonzales also obtained the most votes in the colleges of Nursing (52 of 55), Pharmacy (39 of 48), and Arts and Letters (64 of 104), and in the National Service Training Program (21 of 24).

Another sacked negotiator and Gonzales’ running mate, incumbent USTFU internal vice president Asst. Prof. Edilberto Gonzaga, secured the executive vice presidency with 568 votes. Gonzaga edged out Lingkod-Guro bet Patrick Ellis Go, who got 435 votes.

Kabalikat won most of the executive posts, with Claudine Say as the new internal vice president, George Chao as external vice president, Leny Gadiana as vice president for labor education and research, Pocholo Mari Arabit as vice president for grievance and complaints, Aurora Cristina Bermudez as vice president for legal affairs, Elizabeth Kapulong as secretary general, Joyce Tan as treasurer, Ma. Luisa Reyes as auditor, James Mark Nidea as public relations officer and Jonathan Cabero as sergeant at arms.

Kabalikat party members Stephen Querico Buñi, Raymond Clarin, Kristi Ma. Fevie Macasaet, Raul Ortega, Crisensio Paner and Dominador Ulaye were elected to the USTFU board of directors.

They are joined by Lingkod-Guro’s Marvin Zapanta and Sulong USTFU’s Maria Victoria Bongar, Ulysses Parado and Elvis Llarena.

Indeed, where’s the vaccine rollout? All that have been rolled out are the donated vaccines from Sinovac and AstraZeneca, which were barely enough to cover all the medical front liners.

Carlito Galvez, “vaccine czar,” said the rollout would start in the “second quarter,” which may mean next month or worse, in June! Even the World Bank has slashed its growth projections for the Philippines because the latter’s vaccine rollout is going slowly and its Covid situation remains in a “worrisome state.”

At the least, IATF should have consulted the churches and faiths; there’s the separation of church and state, so the state cannot impose unilaterally on the churches. IATF has been completely disregarding the religiosity of Pinoys since the start of the pandemic. In May last year, IATF set a ridiculous rule allowing only five persons at a time in churches under modified ECQ and 10 persons for churches in modified general community quarantine areas. Pabillo was right: “There is a problem with the government. They make arbitrary decisions without proper consultation with the sectors involved, so they come out with unreasonable directives!”

The government can either allow for more freedom and accountability to boost activity and growth or waste another year. Its incompetence should not punish Filipinos and stunt their faith in the year that is supposed to be a grand jubilee of Christianity.

Lavarias dating nanalo ng RLA, nakakabilib talaga sila,” he added.

The RLA is awarded to literary pieces that best embody UST’s Catholic vision and character.

Lavarias said “Umiiral: Mga Tula” was based on the Filipinos’ everyday, ordinary lives—inspired by the 36th Gawad Ustetika’s special theme, “Pananampalataya, Pagkamakatao, at Diwang Filipino” (Faith, Humanism, and the Filipino Spirit).

“Mayroong tula tungkol sa ordinary office worker, o kaya ang sacrifice ng mothers in taking care of the household, at mayroon tungkol sa kasambahay, sa cook, sa mentally unstable at less fortunate fellow Filipinos,” he said.

Lavarias said it was difficult to think creatively under lockdown, a time of anxiety and stress.

“Medyo draining at medyo nakakawala ng motivation dahil wala kang nakakausap, walang nagmo-motivate sa iyo na patuloy kang magsulat,” he said.

Still, he encouraged young writers like himself to continue their craft and unleash their creative juices even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as a way of self-expression and to connect with other people.

“Mayroon tayong dapat pinaparamdam sa tao, dahil iyon talaga ang goal ng writing: to connect us to the readers. Not only to superficially connect, ngunit para mapaisip sila, makaramdam sila o mapahinto nang kaunti at mag-isip tungkol sa buhay.”

The virtual awarding rites of the 36th Gawad Ustetika was held on March 20.

SOFIA BERNICE F. NAVARRO

LITERARY The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

O B I T U A R Y

J.T. Gatbonton, first grand prize winner of the Palanca awards, editor, and publisher par excellence, writes 30 JUAN T. Gatbonton, who won the first grand prize for the short story of the Palanca literary awards in 1951, for the now classic “Clay,” a powerful story about a boy’s coming of age in postwar Philippines, passed away on March 11, 2021. He was 93.

Better known for his byline J.T. Gatbonton, he became an exceptional editor and book publisher on Philippine arts and culture.

Gatbonton took up journalism at the UST Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, forerunner of today’s Faculty of Arts and Letters.

In 1948, he became a reporter of the Varsitarian. The editor in chief was F. Sionil Jose.

“He (Gatbonton) was an excellent writer and editor,” Jose told the Varsitarian.

“He also wrote essays. But he was a very private person, he often kept to himself,” he added.

Gatbonton didn’t finish his studies; he joined the professional press. He became an editor of Manila Chronicle’s “This Week” magazine from 1954 to 1958; Asia Magazine in Hong Kong from 1965 to 1969; and Orientations magazine from 1969 to 1976.

He also wrote articles about current issues for the Manila Times and Philippine Daily Inquirer.

During the inaugural of the Palanca awards in 1951, “Clay” won over Francisco Arcellana’s “Flowers of May” and Edith Tiempo’s “The Black Monkey.”

Vaccine FROM PAGE 4 Concerns The survey also determined respondents’ concerns over Covid-19 vaccines.

Ninety-eight percent were worried about fake vaccines; 92.7 percent were worried about side effects after receiving vaccines; 91.7 percent were concerned about vaccine safety; and 90.3 percent worried about vaccine efficacy.

The national government and local government units must reassure Filipinos that there are safety and security protocols in place to guarantee the integrity and authenticity of every vaccine dose deployed in the national vaccination program, the team said, noting that fears over fake vaccines were a “striking concern.”

Other concerns include vaccine effectivity vs new coronavi-

GATBONTON

Arcellana and Tiempo were proclaimed National Artists for

Literature in 1990 and 1999, respectively.

Genoveva Edroza Matute, another Thomasian, won the grand price in the Filipino short story category with her entry “Ang Kuwento Ni Mabuti.”

Gatbonton’s winning story “Clay” is set in post-war Pampanga, Philippines, and tells the story of the friendship between a young Filipino schoolboy and an American “G.I.” soldier, and how the former became disenchanted with the latter.

Gatbonton’s “Clay” went on to win another award in the Philippines’ Free Press literary contest in 1951, whose fiction editor was Nick Joaquin.

Gatbonton won another Palanca first prize in 1963 for his short story, “A Record of My Passage.”

Jose said Gatbonton’s very polished fiction and other writings

“conformed to the tenets of the Anglo-American formalist movement called New Criticism.”

In 1986, Gatbonton won the National Book Award for his book of essays, “Little Reports,” a collection of the essays he wrote for the Manila Chronicle’s “This Week” magazine from 1954 to 1958.

Gatbonton later went into arts and culture writing and publishing starting with “Philippine Churches” in 1980. His other books: “Art Philippines: A History: 1521-Present” in 1992, edited with co-authors Jeannie E. Javelosa and Lourdes Ruth R. Roa; “The Art of Malang as Filipino” in 2002; and “Malang Drawings” in 2009.

“If you want to know more about writing [news or essays], you could search and read his works,” remarked Jose. S.B.F. NAVARRO

CLAY

by J.T. Gatbonton SCAN QR TO VIEW FULL STORY

rus variants (84.5 percent); lack of proper testing (83.5 percent); high cost of vaccines (82.3 percent); and the short time vaccines were developed (80.2 percent).

Nearly 8 of 10 Filipinos (77.2 percent) said they will only receive Covid-19 vaccines after many people have already been vaccinated and 71.6 percent said they will only get vaccinated after politicians receive the vaccines.

To allay the public’s fears over Covid-19 vaccines, the team said a “directed public awareness campaign to educate Filipinos so that they understand the scientific data that grounds the safety and efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccines” was needed.

Government officials, including the president, were also encouraged to get vaccinated in

public to address vaccine hesitancy.

“We… urge the president and all members of the national and local governments to be vaccinated in public at the launch of the national vaccination campaign to reassure the Filipino people about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines,” the team said.

“Moreover, given the grave concerns raised by our respondents, we strongly recommend that all our politicians be vaccinated with the Chinese vaccines manufactured by Sinopharm or Sinovac.

“Filipinos believe more what they see rather than what they read,” it added.

Because the survey was conducted through social media, the team said that the data was not representative of the entire Filipino population but it offers

a “snapshot of a significant fraction of the country that is educated and socially influential, all of whom would have to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.”

The UST-Covax Awareness Team also urged the national government and local government units to “work alongside religious authorities, especially the Catholic bishops of the Philippines, to reassure the Filipino people that it is morally licit to use these vaccines during this pandemic.”

The UST-Covax Awareness Team is led by Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a molecular biologist and visiting professor from the Department of Biological Sciences, and composed of his industrial biology students and volunteers from the College of Fine Arts and Design.

Nadera Nadera is a recipient of multiple literary awards, including Poet of the Year (1985), Carlos Bulosan Award for Tula (1990), Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for Tula (1992), Gantimpalang Collantes, Talaang Ginto for Tula (1994 and 1992), National Book Award (1995).

He received the “Cultural Center of the Philippines Grant for Sanaysay” in 1994, “Gatimpalang Collantes, Talaang Ginto for Sansaysay” in 1996 and the Cultural Center of the Philippines Grant for Playwriting in 1992.

Nadera also received the Mowelfund Film and Video Grant in 1990 for his films, the National Centennial Commission Literary Prize for the novel and epic (1998), and the Juan C. Laya Award for Best Novel in Filipino (2007) as a novelist. Known as the Angelic Doctor of the Catholic

Church, St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron of schools and universities.

While the arts has been greatly affected by the pandemic, Nadera said people should appreciate the arts more as it could be a form of therapy.

“Ito [sining] ay maituturing bilang isang puwang upang makapagpahinga at pansamantalang makalimutan ang krisis na kinakaharap ng bansa,” he said.

Nadera said the lockdowns also presented opportunities for budding writers and artists to flourish their skills.

“Ang isang benepisyo ng quarantine ay ang pagkakaroon ng oras upang pagtuunan ng pansin ang sarili at linangin ang mga talento,” he said.

“Kahit ikaw ay na sa isang bahay lamang, ikaw ay pwedeng makarating sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo.”

MA. DYANNE MIRASOL P. REYES

11

UST researcher underscores importance of ‘indigenization’ of knowledge

Prof. Joyce L. Arriola (SCREENSHOT FROM THE ISHARE ONLINE EVENT)

By Miguel Louis M. Galang RESEARCHERS should state their ideas using their own words, from their own perspectives and through Philippine languages to “indigenize” knowledge, said Prof. Joyce L. Arriola, former UST Research Center for Culture, Arts and the Humanities director, in an online lecture on Feb. 24.

“Indigenization of knowledge will benefit our scholars whose historical dependence upon received knowledge prevents them from producing localized and original categories and terms,” Arriola said during the iShare lecture series hosted by the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP).

Speaking from the post-colonial perspective, Arriola said that through the indigenization of knowledge, local researchers would be able to present their studies in their original perspectives, free of foreign influences.

“Indigenization is not something that we arrive at because it’s intentional … It’s really coming from a local perspective, from our perspective, because research has been hostaged by received knowledge and paradigms. We need to find our own niche,” she said.

“When we can intellectualize knowledge in our languages—more than 130 of them—then that would mean we can have an original take on world knowledge.”

Arriola, a published author and researcher, also emphasized the importance of “eclectic reading” and participation in building a research culture.

Researchers must also explore fields outside their original disciplines to develop deeper knowledge and form networks with other researchers.

Arriola encouraged researchers to join professional organizations to “enrich” their works and contribute to society.

“You will not only gain friends. These are like-minded individuals who share your interest in some disciplines,” she said.

Arriola also said researchers needed to “constantly improve the quality of truth.”

To do this, researchers should be “just, accurate and rigorous,” she said.

In 2018, Arriola received the NRCP achievement award in humanities for her contributions to Philippine literary education and discourse.

She earned her masters and doctorate degrees in literature from the University in 1995 and 2003, respectively. Arriola received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2014.

She has worked with the Commission on Higher Education’s Technical Committee for Literature and the Executive Council of the National Committee for Literary Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Arriola won the National Book Award for Film/Film Criticism in 2007 for her work titled “Postmodern Filming of Literature: Sources, Contexts and Adaptations.” “iShare: Stories of Inspiration and Creative Research” is a series of lectures featuring NRCP awardees. WITH REPORTS FROM KATHERINE ANNE L. ESCARILLA

Sports

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@VSportsUST

The Varsitarian MARCH 31, 2021

4 ex-Tigresses drafted in first PH women’s basketball pro league FOUR FORMER UST Growling Tigresses were drafted in the top 25 of the inaugural draft of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), the first professional league for female basketball players in the Philippines, last Feb. 7.

The four Thomasians were picked out of 177 draft candidates.

Mary Joy Galicia, the 12th overall pick, and Jhenn Angeles, the 16th overall pick, were selected by the Parañaque Lady Aces.

Karla Manuel was picked 17th

overall by the Quezon Lady Spartans.

Carolina Sangalang, the 19th pick, was drafted by the Glutagence Glow Boosters.

The WNBL became the first-ever professional women’s basketball league in the country after it was

approved to jump from the amateur level by the Games and Amusements Board last year.

“It’s a milestone for women’s basketball in the country. Professional league means a greater opportunity for more women ballers to showcase their talents and give more exposure to them,” UST women’s basketball head coach Haydee Ong told the Varsitarian.

She said the creation of the pro league was important for female athletes in a way that they can launch professional careers

after graduation.

Ong coached Angeles, Manuel, and Sangalang in UAAP Seasons 75 to 81, while Galacia played under her in the national team Discovery Perlas Pilipinas.

“This first-ever pro league is really a stepping stone for the Filipina ballers to be known,” Manuel said.

The former Tigress said that the league would help showcase women’s talents in basketball, a sport dominated by men.

After graduation, Manuel, a master’s degree holder in business administration, became

a Union Bank relationship manager.

Manuel formerly played for the UST women’s volleyball team in 2013 along with Sangalang before joining the Growling Tigresses in 2015.

Sangalang, the Glutagence Glow Boosters draftee, said that the women’s basketball pro-league has provided “hope” for women athletes in the country.

“Nagkaroon ng hope ang mga players to pursue their dreams even more. Dati kasi kailangan pa umalis ng country para mag-pro,” she said.

Meanwhile, Angeles, a current national team player, said she would not have entered the draft had the pandemic not happened.

“Nangyari po ‘yong pandemic so na-stop po ‘yong training namin and don na po ako nag-apply for WNBL,” she said.

The UST Growling Tigresses have won six championships and 11 final four appearances in the UAAP. SANGALANG

MANUEL

GALICIA

Tunay’s dream comes true PROFESSIONAL volleyball, freelance work and master’s studies—for Carmela Tunay, the struggle to juggle all these was real. In the pandemic-stricken year 2020, Tunay’s hard work paid off: she became a master’s degree holder.

“I almost gave up because it was really tough juggling everything,” Tunay told the Varsitarian.

Tunay started pursuing her master’s degree in marketing communication in 2015. She took a years-long leave of absence and obtained her master’s degree in 2020.

While Tunay has had several years of experience handling academics and sports at the same time as a member of the UST Golden Tigresses, the opposite hitter said things were different the past couple of years.

“During my years taking up my master’s, I was juggling professional volleyball and the games were more exhausting as compared to UAAP… may mga games na out of town, plus I have other freelance work pa,” she said.

As a professional athlete, Tunay had played for Petron Blaze Spikers in the Philippine

Superliga and the Motolite Volleyball Team in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

“So it was really tough— ’yung pagod ng katawan, ‘yung pressure to give your all sa lahat [ng games] kasi [professional league] na ‘to and people pay you to do good, so mas nakakapagod and sumabay pa nga sa master’s,” she said.

“But I loved the course too much for me to let it go din.

Marketing has become my passion and I really want to make it part of my achievements kasi it’s part of my many dreams. Para din sa family ko.”

Tunay said that her recent achievement was proof that athletes can excel in academics, too.

“There is a stereotype where if you are known as an athlete, you are just into sports.

I want to be part of something that will change that,” she said.

Given how dangerous playing sports is and as an athlete, it is important to have a “fallback” in case of injuries, she said.

“I have always seen sports as an extra-curricular and not the main thing because if I rely too much on sports and I don’t know, [maybe] get injured or whatever, I won’t have any

UST tacticians to coach national volleyball teams

fallback. I have to bank on other careers or professions for me to thrive,” she said.

“So ayun, maraming dumating na opportunities and I just really worked hard and managed my time and priorities to balance everything.”

The PVL was supposed to hold the season in a “bubble” setup in Calamba, Laguna this April but was halted due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.

M.E.V. VILLEZA

ANGELES

TUNAY

UST’S Odjie Mamon and Paul Jan Doloiras have been named the new head coaches of the national women’s volleyball and women’s beach volleyball teams.

MAMON Mamon, the head coach of the UST Tiger Spikers, was named chief tactician of the volleyball team.

Doloiras will call the shots for beach volleyball.

Joining Mamon’s staff as assistant coaches are former Ateneo Lady Eagles coach Tai Bundit and three-time Southeast Asian Games (Sea) gold medalist Grace Antigua.

“It’s a call to duty for the national colors and you can’t decline once the country asks for your service,” Mamon was quoted by Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) as saying.

According to the PNVF, Mamon was tasked to focus on the country’s campaign in the 2021 Sea Games in Hanoi,

DOLOIRAS

Vietnam, for which the Philippines is eyeing a podium finish.

In 2019, the Philippines’ women’s volleyball team, then mentored by Shaq de los Santos, placed last among a pool of four countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Other new national team appointees include Dante Alinsunurin, who was named head coach of the national men’s volleyball team, and Rhovyl Verayo, who will lead the men’s beach volleyball team.

“We’re confident Volleyball Philippines is in good hands,” PNVF President Ramon Suzara said of the new appointees.

ANNA CLARISSA M. BARLAM