The showcased books were CCWLS Director Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo’s book of memoirs “The Thing with Feathers” (UST Publishing House) and Mr. Benedict Parfan’s second book of poems “Tilt Me and I Bend “(UP Press).

The need to write

Hidalgo said a book that an aspiring writer need to write is about obsession. “If you are obsessed with something–whether that be a person, something that happened to you, a [traumatic experience], or something that is painful–that is the one you need to write. And it is usually painful.” she said.

Parfan said a book will be considered finished when the writer wants to “get rid of it” through publication. “The work is finished when you no longer have to do anything with it.” said Parfan.

Presenting the truth in fiction and in non-fiction

Despite “the mask”–in junction with the title of the event–worn when writing non-fiction, Hidalgo said writers should not invade the privacy of people especially in writing memoirs as far as possible. “I am careful not to reveal the things that I think they do not want to reveal.” Likewise, Hidalgo said it is safer to reveal the truth in fiction through characters which were based on real people.

“The search for truth is dignified. I try to look for something, answers and questions that bother me.” Hidalgo said.

The post CCWLS launches The Thing with Feathers and Tilt Me and I Bend appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

Filipino par excellence
In her address of petition, Graduate School Dean Marilu R. Madrunio, PhD enumerated Tan Caktiong’s achievements, both locally and abroad. Madrunio emphasized that Tan Caktiong has built not just a homegrown conglomerate—now the fifth largest restaurant company in the world—but also a legacy that Filipinos can be proud of.

Begins and ends with people
In his address of acceptance, Tan Caktiong emphasized that the focus on people is necessary for a business to succeed. “The businesses that are admired and built to last are those that also believe that everything ordinately begins and ends with people. Regardless of industry, taking care of your people is paramount.”

The newest member of the illustrious roster of honorary awardees likewise called on students in attendance to “dream big, and when you achieve your dreams, dream bigger. I for one can say that indeed, dreams do come true.” He likewise told students to not be afraid to fail, stating that most of his greatest lessons came from failures.

Chemical engineering and Chicken Joy
“Some of you may be wondering whether studying here figured heavily on my future,” said Dr. Tan Caktiong, acknowledging that one may wonder how an engineering degree helped him create Chicken Joy, Jolly Spaghetti, and Regular Yum with Cheese, three iconic staples of the Jollibee menu.

“I can share to you now that the answer is a resounding yes. Engineering nurtured my natural curiosity and helped develop my analytical skills,” Tan Caktiong said, as he linked these to his success in business later on.

‘My partner in success’
Dr. Tan Caktiong heaped praises on his wife, fellow Engineering graduate Grace Tan Caktiong, whom he said shared this recognition with him. Mrs. Tan Caktiong is the President of Jollibee Foundation, which allows the corporation to give back to the community apart from providing employment to the thousands of people who work in the conglomerate.

An illustrious roster
Dr. Tan Caktiong is the latest member of the illustrious list of UST’s honorary degree awardees. Among his fellow honorees are General Douglas MacArthur, former Philippine President Corazon Aquino, Mercury Drug Corporation founder Mariano Que, and UnionBank CEO and President Justo A. Ortiz.

The post UST confers honorary doctorate in business administration to Jollibee founder appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

The university-wide retreat, now the fourth installment since the Quadricentennial Retreat in SMX in 2010, bore the theme “Ambag 2021: The Waze of Faith.”

Child of the Earth or of God?
Professor Emeritus Rev. Fr. Enrico D. Gonzales, O.P., PhD, former Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, reminded the retreat participants that we must discern between the daily concerns and the ultimate concerns. In differentiating the two, he said that we are both “Children of the Earth”—worried about what to eat, what to wear, what course to take, promotions, compensations—and “Children of God”—a child of love, which is self-giving. Both, Fr. Gonzales said, are necessary, “but it does not mean they are of equal importance. Being a child of God is more important.”

Fr. Gonzales said that daily concerns are important, for they are essential to survival. However, he cautioned that “if we become too fixated with survival, the law will be that of the jungle. Only the fittest will reign.” Fr. Gonzales warned retreat attendees that while life contains struggles, struggle must not be viewed too negatively. “Do not be afraid of struggle. It means you do not want to be an extremist.”

“One-sidedness is the heresy of modern living,” Fr. Gonzales said. He further reminded Thomasians that balance is essential, just as we try to achieve a balance between the daily and ultimate concerns. Instead of thinking that life is always a simple choice between two sides, Fr. Gonzales said that we must retain the faith as we struggle, for like the Nazareno during the procession, slow as the process may be, “we will still get there.”

Stand up for the Cross
In his sharing, Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, O.P., D.D. emphasized that Christians, especially Thomasians, must stand up for the Cross.

In preaching about goodness, Archbishop Villegas recognized that “when we see someone who is holy or good, we think that person is special. He is not! He is simply a normal Christian. The problem is we have become too abnormal.” A normal Christian, Archbishop Villegas said, is one who follows Jesus and remains faithful to what He teaches.

Archbishop Villegas said decried, too, the normalization of violence, cursing, and hatred in society. The former CBCP President challenged Thomasinas to stand up for the Cross even in the face of hostility from others.

Confluence of the heart and mind
In his reflection, Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani, DD said that the Lord does not mind if one grows in knowledge and intelligence. However, Bishop Bacani underscored that what the Lord looks for first is love. “As St. John of the Cross said, ‘In the evening of our lives, we shall be judged on love.’”

Bishop Bacani reminded Thomasians that the true dignity and honor of people are measured not on riches and properties, but on the purity of one’s heart. Novaliches’s bishop emeritus shared an encounter with a woman who had all the riches in the world but who said that the opulent house she lived in was filled with unhappiness, because of emptiness.

Falling in love, staying in love
In a witnessing panel discussion, two priests and two nuns shared their “love story” with God.

In his sharing, Fr. Filemon I. dela Cruz, Jr., O.P., former Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs, shared his ministry in Surabaya, Indonesia, where in his locality, there are only 3,500 Catholics. “The work here in UST is more complex, but there, even if the work is small, it’s significant for them. There, they are very proud to be Catholics and point out to you where the other Catholics live.”

Sr. Ma. Lorenza S. Sajul, O.P. shared how her ministry brought her to a situation in which she had to protect her students who were caught in a fraternity scuffle during the time she was a teacher of teenagers. “There are difficult moments, but they are worth it,” said Sr. Lorenza.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel E. del Rosario narrated how he personally sees to it that as parish priest, he always brings a stole ready, in case there is someone who is in need of sacraments, like confession.

Fr. del Rosario, fondly known as “Fr. Pong,” shared how a drunkard passed by the parish church and incidentally chanced upon him as he was going to anoint a sick person. In that encounter, the drunkard said he passes by on his birthday and was intent on going to confession at a later date. Upon hearing this, Fr. Pong gave an impromptu confession to the man and it has since been his practice to go to market places and other public areas on Sundays to offer sacraments to those who say they cannot go to Church.

When prompted to reflect on his most difficult moments, Fr. Pong states that at times, as a priest who tries to teach what is right, he feels lonely, especially when few seem to listen. “We sometimes feel lonely, but when we do what is right, we will never be alone.”

The courage to see the world
Using an anecdote of two frogs who lived inside a well, UST Rector Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., PhD emphasized courage by likening one frog that wished to see more than a minute-sized sun and a handful of stars. According to Fr. Dagohoy, the frog that jumped into the pail as water was being gathered from the well chose not to remain stuck in the same well for life and instead find out for itself what the world outside had in store. The frog, Fr. Dagohoy said, came back to the well years later to report to its old family that it did not die, as

Fr. Dagohoy said that courage stems from faith and love of God. “As Christians, we know that when we love God and when we receive God, God takes us one by one into a wide and emancipating space where there are new alternatives to our dead-ends, in addition to a boundless future.”

Fr. Dagohoy called on Thomasians to not be disheartened by challenges and instead find inspiration in what lies ahead and what may seem unattainable at first.

Images of journey
The fourth University-wide retreat was not only a chance for the retreat participants to encounter one another, but also to venerate the iconic images of Philippine Catholic faith who represent journeys.

The retreat began with the Via Dolorosa, graced by the image of Mater Dolorosa and the image of the Santo Entierro. Likewise, the image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, otherwise known as Our Lady of Antipolo, was venerated by Thomasians.

“Ina,” Our Lady of Peñafrancia and Patroness of the Bicol region, also graced the occasion, and Thomasians were given the chance to receive her blessing through the traditional Pagmamanto, in which clothes that once adorned the miraculous image were draped over the faithful one by one.

Close to the Thomasians’ hearts was the image of the Black Nazarene, which was paraded around the Quadricentennial Pavilion by the Hijos de Nazareno of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Quiapo.

Rising from the ashes through God’s grace
In the Mass that was offered for an increase in charity, His Excellency Edwin S. dela Peña, D.D., Bishop of Marawi, recounted his personal account of the Marawi siege that leveled the city in May 2017.

“We Christians represented a minority, a drop in the bucket. The ones who were really affected were the Muslims,” Bishop dela Peña said of the siege that claimed at least a thousand lives at the hands of violent extremists belonging to the Maute group.

After Bishop dela Peña recounted how the captured Fr. Chito was only able to communicate with him once—on the day of the siege—he relayed how the small Catholic community there initiated a movement known as Duyog Marawi, a movement to “accompany” the Maranaos from their temporarily evacuation sites in Mindanao back home to Marawi once it is rebuilt. “We were able to gain passage through peace corridors with the help of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, who assured us of safety as we gave our donations to the evacuees who were in other parts of Mindanao.”

At the end of the Mass which Bishop dela Peña presided over, UST Rector Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., PhD and Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Pablo T. Tiong, O.P. turned over the Thomasians’ contribution to the rehabilitation efforts of Marawi City.

A Dominican family effort
The retreat was spearheaded by UST’s Office of the Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs, under Rev. Fr. Pablo T. Tiong, O.P. Joining the OVRRA were the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church, Institute of Religion, Center for Campus Ministry, Social Media Bureau, and Santo Tomas e-Service Providers.

The post UST holds 4th univ.-wide retreat, focuses on journey to God appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

The post Board Topnotchers – February 2018 appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

EdTech’s winning entry highlighted the massive online course deployment to train 11,000 Thomasian volunteers for the visit of Pope Francis to the ŸĆÉ« for his Encounter with the Youth of the Philippines in 2015.

EduTECH Asia is the largest international education conference and
exhibition that brings together the entire education sector in the Asian region Asst. Prof. Ramos to learn, inspire and exchange ideas
particularly in digital instruction. For the first time in 2017, Terrapin, its organizing agency, launched the EduTECH Asia Awards with the theme “Inspiring the Next Generation.”

The search gave recognition to some of the inspirational, innovative and
successful stories and key players who are transforming and lifting the region’s higher education system to greater heights in the Asian educational technology spectrum.

Although it was the first time that Terrapin established the EduTECH Asia
Awards, the organizers already recognized Ramos in 2013 during the Digital Education Show Asia through an online publication titled “14 Influential Higher Education Tech Leaders in Southeast Asia” featuring the must-know “icons” who have made significant efforts and contributions to the education landscape in Southeast Asia

The post Ramos of EdTech distinguished at EduTECH Asia Awards for training 11,000 volunteers for Papal Visit appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

The partnership was made possible through College of Science faculty member Assoc. Prof. Pia Marie S.P Albano, Ph.D., who coordinated with Philab Industries in order to provide the students the chance to learn about DNA sequencing.

Among those who attended the signing of the deed of donation were Philab
Industries CEO and GINA founder Mr. Hector Thomas Navasero, College of Science Dean John Donnie A. Ramos, Ph.D., and Department of Biological Science Chair Prof.

Rey Donne S. Papa, Ph.D. In an interview with Prof. Papa, he said that “Philab was actually looking at strengthening its partnership
with the academe and looked to UST as one of the potential
recipients of the sequencer because Philab has seen how much progress we (in UST)are actually making in terms of strengthening our molecular biology capabilities.”

DNA sequencing gives the breakdown of a certain genetic sequence that is
expressed by a living organism. These sequences express codes for protein which also express different characteristics such as the color of an individual’s hair. “The sequencer can code for diseases and certain abnormalities. Therefore, if you know the DNA sequence from a certain
cell or a certain set of tissues that express a given characteristic, then that means we would know what is happening and we would know why a person is prone to cancer,”

Papa said. Prior to acquiring the sequencing equipment, students and researchers of the Department of Biology sent the DNA samples abroad for sequencing, leaving them unaware of the process of DNA sequencing.
Through receiving the sequencers, they would now know how to operate the machines themselves. “This will help improve the research and learning experience on the part of the students of the department and also the
graduate school, [those] who will be exposed to work on research projects using the new sequencers,” Papa further explained.

The DNA sequencing equipment, Ion Personal Genome Machine and the Ion
OneTouch 2 System, are products of nextgeneration sequencing technology which allow faster sequencing of DNA samples.

According to Papa, the Biology Department will revise its program offerings
for next academic year, which will include new courses such as Major in Medical Biology, Major in Environmental Biology and Major in Industrial Biology. He added that the DNA sequencers are intended to be used
heavily for research purposes and mainly as a teaching tool. He adds that through using the DNA sequencers, the College of Science will be able to give its students the holistic view of how molecular biology is being done in this day and age.

The post College of Science receives genetic sequencing equipment from Philab appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

Attended by Graduate School faculty and students, Bernardo’s lecture
delved into the topic: “Evolving practices and standards in PhD education in the global knowledge economy: Inputs for reflection on doctoral education in the Philippines.” The lecture centered on three key arguments: (1) PhD education is crucial for economic, social, and cultural growth of nations, (2) the PhD degree is (and has to be) an international degree; (3) many countries are moving towards common standards for quality assurance of PhD programs. Bernardo emphasized that doctoral degree programs play a particular role in developing human resources for innovation and for dealing with complex problems and opportunities that face countries.
Bernardo has published over 200 articles in psychology, education and other social and medical sciences.

He is the current editor of Asian Journal of Social Psychology, an SSCI and Scopus listed journal published by Wiley.

The St. Antoninus Professorial Lecture is an annual event held as a way of honoring the Graduate School’s patron saint, St. Antoninus of Florence. Previous lecturers include, among others, H.E. Diosdado Macapagal (1991),
Hon. Chief Justice Andres R. Narvasa (1998), Hon. Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen (2014), H.E. Alicia Dela Rosa Bala (2015), Dr. Justo A. Ortiz (2016) and Dr. Margarita R. Cojuangco (2017). This year’s lecture by Prof. Bernardo was made more significant because it is one of the activities outlined for
the 80th founding anniversary of the Graduate School

The post St. Antoninus of Florence Professorial Lecture focuses on practices, standards of Philippine doctoral education in global knowledge economy appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

UNITAS is an international online peer reviewed journal of advanced research in literature, culture, and society. It is published bi-annually by the ŸĆÉ«.

Having come out in May and November 2017, UNITAS is also available in hard copies as printed on demand or in a limited edition.

During the formal launch of the UNITAS online held recently at the Thomas
Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium, UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. JesĂșs M. Miranda, Jr., O.P., expressed his pride in the long legacy of the journal, tracing its multidisciplinary roots and multilingual history in
his welcome remarks. He pointed out that it was first published monthly in Spanish when UST was still in its first campus in Intramuros, as the construction of the Main Building in the Sampaloc campus was underway. It eventually became a bilingual publication, utilizing Spanish and English,
and then English and Filipino.

Recently, it has published articles in local languages, such as Kapampangan.
In almost a century of being at the forefront of knowledge generation and
dissemination, UNITAS is known for being the venue of academic discussion and research as it expands the theoretical grounds of the various fields and disciplines. For its widereaching and topical comprehensiveness,
UNITAS has long been known for its tradition of publishing outstanding scholarly works.

The reinvigoration of UNITAS was made possible through the various offices of UST that include the Office of the Rector, Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation,
Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities, Office of the Secretary-General, the Faculty of Arts and Letters, and the Office of the Scholar-in-Residence.

UST Faculty of Arts and Letters Dean Prof. Michael Anthony C. Vasco, Ph.D.,
stressed in his closing remarks, “We hope that, through the revival of UNITAS, more scholars would be given the opportunity to publish their
research and make it more accessible to the wider public, this time through UNITAS as an online journal.”

The members of the International Editorial Board include University of Chicago Professor of Comparative Literature Loren Kruger, Philippine National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, Edge Hill University Professor of
Performing Arts Victor Merriman, Professor Emeritus of Economics at Sciences Po Paris Patrick A. Messerlin, National Institute of Education Assistant Professor T. Ruanni F. Tupas, University of Warwick Professor of
Comparative Literary Studies Stephen Shapiro, among others.

Prof. Maria Luisa Torres Reyes, Ph.D., UST Scholar–in–Residence, is the Editor-in-Chief of UNITAS. It is hosted by the UST Department of
Literature under the Faculty of Arts and Letters.

Future issues include a special edition on Philippine Literature in Spanish, guest edited by Dr. Jorge Mojaro Romero, from the Instituto Cervantes de Manila and the ŸĆÉ«, as well as another special edition
on Film Criticism in the Philippines, co-guest edited by Prof. Joel David of Inha University, South Korea, and Prof. Joyce Arriola of UST.

More recently, UNITAS has also launched a book-length study of Nick Joaquin’s works by E. San Juan, Jr. The 2017 issues of UNITAS may both be
accessed through http://unitasust.net.

The post The ŸĆÉ« launches UNITAS as online journal appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

UST and YNU renewed the memorandum of agreement first signed 12 years ago, and Fourteen student delegates from the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters participated in the 15th d’CATCH Video Exchange Program hosted by the Faculty of Communication of the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand held from January 21 to 25, 2018. This is the first time that the Philippine delegation to the prestigious annual video exchange program
was exclusively composed of students under the Communication
Arts program. The students were accompanied by UST EdTech
Center Communication and Media Broadcast Unit Head Asst.
Prof. Faye Martel Abugan and Asst. Prof. Gwenetha Pusta, who
both teach at the Faculty of Arts and Letters.
The workshop, held at Chulalongkorn University, was
participated in by 68 student delegates and nine faculty members
from Thailand, Indonesia, China, Philippines and Japan. The
intercultural groups met for the first time and screened their
videos followed by discussions about each country’s video. The
next days were then spent on conceptualizing and producing a
collaborative video made up of each of the country’s video. The
event culminated with the Video Screening and symposium on
January 25, 2018.
(From left) Ms. Orranee Panoom, Mr. Nitipat Pirayanon, Asst. Prof. Sarayoot Mongkol, Ms. Atitiya
Raethai and Ms. Ansaya Rittirong at the Arch of the Centuries during the campus tour
(From left) Ms. Jocel M. Regino, Department Chair of Physical Therapy,
Assoc. Prof. Anne Marie C. Aseron, MSPT, Dean of the UST College of
Rehabilitation Sciences, Asst. Prof. Mongkol, and students from St. Louis
College, Bangkok.
Assoc. Prof. Valentin Dones III demonstrates
Biomechanical taping to the students from St. Louis
College, Bangkok, Thailand
UST student participans at the d’CATCH Video Exchange Program
CA students participate in d’CATCH
Video Exchange Program to page 14
collaborating with clinical staff,
interns, and UST students. Learning
activities took place in the different
CRS affiliation centers and in the
actual classes in the University.
One activity was a special
lecture facilitated by Assoc.
Prof. Valentin Dones III, where
he discussed and demonstrated
Biomechanical taping, an innovative
technique developed by experts
to promote pain relief and improve
movement. Other activities included
observing and practicing in UST’s
sports facilities, in Abucay, Bataan
which is a partner community of
CRS, and other affiliated clinics and
hospitals.
The Thai students’ participation
in the almost month-long learning
activities in UST was part of the SLCUST global internship experience in
line with the University’s thrust for
internationalization, which aims to
enrich partnerships that enhance
and develop student mobility,
research collaborations, and other
academic activities.
February 2018 ‱ 13
UST delegates with faculty and students from YNU. Seated at the front row from left: Prof. Kotaro Yonemura, Prof.
Takaaki Kobayashi, Prof. Ichiro Araki, UST Graduate School Dean Dr. Marilu Madrunio, UST GS Faculty Secretary Dr.
Alejandro Bernardo, and Dr. Hiromi Kabashima
part of the revised agreement is the conduct
of academic visits, faculty and student
exchange, and research collaboration.
The students include: (Business
Administration) Richard Canapi, Baby Nina
Alfonso, Clarice Ann David, Kristine Palmero,
and Mary Abigail Alegre; (Psychology) Patricia
Mae Abinoja, and Kristianni Bance; (Human
Resource Management) Deverna Briones;
(Development Studies) Mary Jane Najarila;
(Public Administration) Marlon Mallari;
(Management Engineering) Ma. Cristina
Carmela Manocan, Joanne Managbanag,
and Edna Gomera.
At the joint session between YNU and
UST held on January 30, Prof. Berry Brian of
YNU delivered a lecture on the hafu (biracial
or ethnically half Japanese) in Japan, and
UST Graduate students Mary Jane Najarila,
Patricia Mae Abinoja, and Kristianni Bance
presented papers. The UST group was met
by YNU Department of Law Dean Prof.
Ichiro Araki.
The UST delegates visited Ferris
University on January 29, 2018 where
JASSO scholarship grants were awarded
to the 13 graduate students. Prof. Akio
Takayanagi of Ferris University also
delivered a lecture on civil society.
As part of the cultural exposure
aspect of the visit, the delegates visited the
Imperial Palace, the Tokyo Stock Exchange
and the National Diet. Prof. Hiromi
Kabashima of the YNU Graduate School
of International Sciences organized the
program of activities for the 2018 academic
visit. Delegates from Japan visited UST on
February 24, 2018.

The post 13 Graduate students participate in 2018 Japan Academic Visit appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.

Under the supervision of Pharmacy faculty members, PharmD and senior BSPhar students will deliver pharmaceutical services, including dispensing, patient counselling, and responding to inquiries.

According to Pharmacy Dean Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, RPh, PhD, the laboratory is one concrete step toward the realization of the goals of outcomes-based education.

Dacanay said that “the presence of the medical response unit is aimed at proving expert and professional advice regarding medication, to offer a safer alternative to patient-initiated Google searches.”

Spirit of service
In her speech, Mercury Drug Corporation President Vivian Que-Azcona, RPh, an alumna of UST Pharmacy Batch 1977, said that the donated pharmaceutical care laboratory and county bus were the company’s contribution to “academic advancement and community service.” “It is our ardent wish that these will be used in the same spirit of service that it was given,” Que-Azcona noted. With the new laboratory, Que-Azcona said that Mercury Drug “hopes that students will be stimulated to play a vital role in community health, to be right in the center with interacting with patients in giving information and drugs and counsel on their safe use.”

A long-standing partnership
The recent turnover of the laboratory and the county bus is the continuation of UST’s long-standing partnership with Mercury Drug Corporation, which has been providing scholarship grants for future pharmacists. In 2015, MDC founder, the late Mariano Que, was conferred the Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, degree, during which time he expressed pride at having hundreds of Mercurians who were honed in the ŸĆÉ«.

The post Pharmacy, Mercury Drug open pharmaceutical care laboratory appeared first on ŸĆÉ«.