VOLUME XCIII / NO. 3 & 4 · FEBRUARY 25, 2022 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines ON SOCIAL MEDIA
facebook/varsitarian
twitter@varsitarianust
youtube/TheVarsitarianUST
instagram varsitarian.ust
BREAKING NEWS & REAL-TIME UPDATES at www.varsitarian.net
UST TO HOST CNN DEBATES
1. ABELLA, ERNIE Independent
2. DE GUZMAN, LEODY PLM
3. DOMAGOSO, ISKO MORENO Aksyon
4. GONZALES, NORBERTO
5. LACSON, PING
8. MONTEMAYOR, JOSE JR. DPP
9. PACQUIAO, MANNY
10. ROBREDO, LENI
PDSP
PDR
ABSENT 6. MANGONDATO, FAISAL KTPNAN
7. MARCOS, BONGBONG PFP
PROMDI
Independent
THE UNIVERSITY will host the CNN Philippines debates, where nine presidential candidates and seven vice-presidential candidates are expected to square off. UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with CNN Philippines President Benjamin Ramos on Feb. 17. The Quadricentennial Pavilion, a sports complex, will be the venue for the debates on Feb. 26 (vice presidential) and 27 (presidential) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. UST and CNN Philippines also inked a memorandum of understanding with Microsoft Philippines, which will be in charge of
the event’s virtual audience. Ang said signing the agreement with CNN Philippines showed UST’s commitment to spreading the truth and promoting human dignity, freedom, and justice for Filipinos, as envisioned by Fr. Miguel de Benavides, O.P., the University founder and the third archbishop of Manila.
► CNN DEBATES IN UST PAGE 5
► UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. (center) signs memoranda with CNN Philippines president Benjamin
Ramos (left) and Microsoft Philippines director Joanna Rodriguez (right) on Feb. 17.—CAMILLE ABIEL H. TORRES
Quadricentennial Pavilion to house command center of PPCRV to ensure ‘transparent’ tally of votes THE CHURCH-BASED poll watchdog Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) has moved its command center to the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion (QPav). UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. said the University was “keen on extending its assistance to the Church” by providing space and manpower necessary to secure the data server of PPCRV and the transparency server of Comelec. The PPCRV is an accredited
citizen’s arm of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) “that works assiduously for clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful elections.” It operates the transparency servers that receive electronically transmitted results from polling precincts every election along with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP). Coronel said the PPCRV’s transparency work would give Filipinos a triangulated account of casted votes and an “added lay-
er of check” during the canvassing of votes. “Despite the presence of a system that ensures the secrecy and sanctity of the votes of the Filipino electorate, the votes should not be simply treated as a written document (ballot) that is digitally transferred to Comelec’s transparency server but should be viewed as a collective responsibility of the nation,” Coronel told the Varsitarian. PPCRV PAGE 11
►
SPECIAL REPORTS ► PAGE 5
Can Marcos Jr. afford to ignore debates, media interviews? OBITUARY ► PAGES 8-9
Remembering ‘Manong Frankie’