The Manual contextualizes matters of etiquette and proper procedure, in light of the University’s academic and social functions. Through this publication, the accomplishment of the objective for the University’s positive public presence becomes more efficient and effective by standardizing and streamlining event and visit management to establish consistency, and more importantly, to preserve the University’s practices and traditions rooted in its identity.

UST Office of Public Affairs Director Assoc. Prof. Giovanna V. Fontanilla, Ph.D., in her welcome remarks, quoted His Holiness Pope Francis’ message in the University guest book during his visit in 2015, saying, “‘May the Lord bless all those studying and working for a culture of encounter.’ It is the hope of the team behind the UST Protocol Manual that it will contribute most generously to paving the way for engaging encounters that are sources of inspiration for the fulfillment of the mission and realization of the vision of the 91��Ϣ��.”

UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Jesús M. Miranda, Jr., O.P., the Chief Protocol Officer of the University, delivered a message where he emphasized that, “Learning the protocol by heart is as equally important as knowing the culture of the institution, of giving importance to its traditions and practices, and of respecting its identity. Such is our task; such is our protocol.” The Father Secretary-General was presented the first copy of the Manual.

Along with a special video introducing the Manual, produced by the UST Communications Bureau for the event, an exhibition featuring special visits and events held in the University was mounted. Titled “A Culture of Encounter,” it highlighted activities that meaningfully correspond to the University’s identity, as encapsulated within the six elements found in the Seal of the University.

Gracing the event was one of the Manual’s consultants, former Undersecretary for International Economic Relations of the Department of Foreign Affairs Ambassador (Ret.) Laura Q. Del Rosario.

Two-time Luciano Pavarotti Choir of the World awardee The UST Singers, under the baton of Prof. Fidel Calalang, Jr., performed.

The special event was attended by University administrative and academic officials. Copies of the book, along with a package of postcard-sized checklists for preparing visits and events were given as a token.  

The post Office of Public Affairs launches UST Protocol Manual appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

USTH was represented at the awards ceremony by USTH Chief Executive Officer Rev. Fr. Manuel F. Roux, O.P., Director for Finance and Administration Assoc. Prof. Isidora Lee, and hospital department heads.

According to the HealthcareAsia website, the Awards Night “aims to honor hospitals and clinics that rise above industry challenges and recognise initiatives that maximised the lucrative opportunities in the healthcare market.”

The winning program, which was launched in December 2017, enabled the UST Hospital to expand its services to people who cannot afford medical care by providing free healthcare procedures.

Part of the Outreach and Indigence Program are the following projects: Child Wellness Awareness Project, which offers medical, nutritional, physical, and spiritual support to children; the Adult Wellness Project, which provides free medical consultation and diagnostic services; Basic Life Training Management, which educates communities on the proper recognition and assessment of cardiac arrest and proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Gynecologic Surgical Mission, which provides gynecologic care for women; and the Heart Mission which provides indigent patients invasive cardiovascular procedures such as coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, and many more.

According to Fr. Roux, “We would like to share this model to our community to inspire them to do the same, so that together, we can change the world of more of our less fortunate brothers and sisters.”

More than 200 nominations were received, and around 40 hospitals from all over Asia received the awards for 18 different categories during the special gathering, according to Healthcare Asia Magazine. Eight Philippine hospitals, Including USTH,  were recognized.

Aside from the 91��Ϣ�� Hospital, the awarding ceremony was attended by representatives from The Medical City – Clark, Femto Research Group Co., Ltd., Fullerton Healthcare Group, Bangkok Hospital, Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital, Omni Hospitals, Pun Hlaing Siloam Hospitals, St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City and Quezon City, Thonburi Healthcare Group, Union Hospital, and other hospitals in Asia.

The Panel of Judges was composed of: Ernst & Young Life Sciences & Healthcare Lead Partner Abhay Bangi; Deloitte Healthcare Sector Leader and Executive Director Dr. Loke Wai Chiong; PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) South East Asia Consulting Health Industries Leader and Director Dr. Zubin Daruwalla;  Nexia TS Advisory Leader Chin Chee Choon; and Binder Dijker Otte (BDO), LLP Risk Advisory Services Partner Willy Leow.

UST Hospital

The UST Hospital has over 20 accredited Residency Training Programs and 33 accredited Fellowship Subspecialty Programs. It provides level 3 tertiary care, meaning it offers advanced specialized health care, such as neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, and other complex medical interventions.

Having first opened its doors in 1945 with the start of the Clinical Division, the 73 year-old hospital is used for training by the students of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, the oldest medical school in the Philippines. It has produced the likes of the current Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Belo Medical Group Director Dr. Vicky Belo, among others.

It also houses the world-class Benavides Cancer Institute, which treats approximately 3,000 new patients annually.

The Clinical Division likewise maintains the Ambulatory Care Services (ACS) department, a multispecialty outpatient unit that serves approximately 500 patients daily, and provides quality healthcare services and minor ambulatory surgical procedures and interventions.

Through its seven decades of service, the USTH has had a long history of charitable work, administering quality healthcare to the sick and underprivileged.

The post UST Hospital bags Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year Award by HealthcareAsia in Singapore appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

UST biologists won in both the undergraduate and graduate categories of the Young Systematist Forum:

Undergraduate

Kate Del Rosario, Natasha Pia Geroy, Marc David Quino, Sheila Mae Singh, Katrina Luisa Torio (presentor), advised by  Genetic Diversity of Ixora palawanensis using ITS, trnL-F and rps16 markers with a preliminary screening on its phytochemical properties.

Graduate

Alyssa Lola, advised by 

Molecular identifcation and phylogeny of selected Philippine Timonius Dc. species (Rubiaceae) including hyperaccumulation analysis

UST research posters likewise reaped the top three Best Poster awards. The winning studies and their respective researchers are as follows:

1st place – Danilo Tandang, Jorge Ordas, Edwin Tadiosa, Assoc. Prof. Cecilia B. Moran, Dr. rer. nat. and Prof. Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro, Dr. rer. nat.

Mycetia suedixieana (Rubiaceae), a new species of Argostemmateae endemic to the Philippines and its phylogenetic position

2nd place – Corwin Guile Reyes, Anthony John Mangussad, Bryan Rey Sosa, Mac Romeo Sualibios, Jorge Ordas, Assoc. Prof. Cecilia B. Moran, Dr. rer. nat. and Prof. Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro, Dr. rer. nat.

Phylogeny of Neonauclea clade revisited: New circumscriptions and the positions of Philippine species

3rd place – Abegail Arias, Ma. Angela Benasa, Patricia Gabrielle Campos, Eduard Miguel Echon, Maria Lucila Fonbuena, Carl Bryan Domingo, Rudolph Valentino Docot, advised by Assoc. Prof. Cecilia B. Moran, Dr. rer. nat.

Asserting generic placement of Philippine species of Amomum Roxb. S.L. using molecular methods.

#ThomasianExcellence #ThomasianScientists

The post Biology students, faculty from Science, Grad. School win awards in Systematic Biologists symposium appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

Russel Berrie Foundation President Angelica Berrie, delivered the keynote address. In her speech, she highlighted the inevitable task of reaching out to other beliefs and forge strong relationships with them – a thrust that her foundation has been working on for ten years now.

The Russel Berrie Foundation, according to its website, carries on the values and passions of the late Russell Berrie, through promoting the continuity of the Jewish people, and fostering religious understanding and pluralism.

In the second part of the conference, Asian Women of Faith Network Chair and Religions for Peace-Philippines Secretary General Dr. Lilian J. Sison who spoke on behalf of the lay Catholic Movement, University of the Philippines Institute for Islamic Studies Dean Dr. Macrina Morados, Venerable Miaoxin of the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple in Manila and Ms. Yogita Sharma from the Hindu community, offered some insights on how religions can conduct meaningful dialogues with each other and help achieve a peaceful and harmonious world. The forum was participated in by different religious leaders, representatives from universities and government agencies from all over the country and in Asia.

After the whole day forum, the guests were treated to a campus tour with stops at the Arch of the Centuries, the Benavides and the Quadricentennial Parks, the Main Building and the Heritage Library of the Miguel de Benavides Library. This was followed by a formal fellowship dinner hosted by the Institute of Religion attended by the participants and speakers. This was graced by the presence of UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., and the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines His Excellency Most Rev. Gabriele Giordano Caccia, D.D., who gave an inspirational message.

The Thomas Aquinas Forum is a yearly academic conference, which aims to participate in the public discussion on timely and relevant topics concerning issues that affect religion and theological thinking such as the relationship of the state and the Church, ethics, social teachings and many others.

The post St. Thomas Aquinas Forum 2019 tackles challenges in Interreligious Dialogue appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

Established in 2012, the International Association of Ethical Literary Criticism (IAELC) is devoted to the study of world literatures from the perspective of Ethical Literary Criticism. The conference provided an avenue for scholars and students from all over the world to share their insights and findings in literary studies today. Founded by Prof. Nie Zhenzhao of Zhejiang University, IAELC has continued to expand and enrich possibilities for the study of Ethical Literary Criticism through annual international conferences.

In cultivating this new and revitalized critical approach in literary studies, the conference aimed to foreground perspectives and discourses on the relationships between literature and society, the relations between writers and their works and the relations between readers and works from an ethical vantage point. Alongside the theoretical, thematic and terminological complexities of literary studies, IAELC attempts to celebrate Literature as a distinctive if complex ethical expression within particular milieus.

In accentuating the “ethical turn” in literary studies, literature becomes an avenue for ethical illumination and edification in the contemporary world. In reading or re-reading canonical and non-canonical literary works from the perspective of ethics as a means of validating the revelatory capacity and explanatory power of this new critical framework, the forum addresses literary systems, symbolic structures, and critical constructs in ethical literary criticism such as ethical identity, ethical environment, ethical confusion, ethical taboo, free will, rational will, natural will, irrational will, and the human and animal factors intersecting sociological, psychoanalytic, philosophical, and other imperatives.

The topics of the conference were: (1) Ethical Literary Criticism: Concept Analysis and Theory Mapping; (2) Ethical Literary Criticism and Interdisciplinary Studies; (3) Ethical Literary Criticism and the Re-reading of World Literary Canons.

The plenary speakers were: Zhejiang University Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature Director Prof. Nie Zhenzao, Edge Hill University Critical Performance Studies Prof. Victor Merriman, UST Research Center for Culture, Arts, and Humanities Director Prof. Joyce L. Arriola, and Inha University Professor Prof. Joel David.

The post UST hosts Int’l Confab on Ethical Literary Criticism; Arriola delivers plenary on Critical Media Studies appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

The post UNIVERSITY VISITORS appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

In his welcome remarks, UST Rector congratulated the student achievers, saying that, “Excellence is not an act, but a habit… You have achieved a level of competence that only few can achieve, because you have devoted your time, energy, and talent to accomplish your goals. You have prevailed over the tempting desire to settle for less and are dauntless in your quest for something you consider worth undertaking… You have endured and your perseverance has paid off.”

Learning to Lead

Engr. Rolando “Don” J. Paulino, Jr., Managing Director and General Manager of Shell Philippines Exploration BV, Upstream Operated, Shell Upstream International, delivered the inspirational address.

Paulino advised Thomasian students that, “The things that you learn cannot stay in your notebooks, laptops, and phones. As leaders, we all need to know how we can leverage our God-given talents, so we can know how to nurture it, and freely share it with others.”

Also emphasized in Paulino’s speech was, “[By keeping the core values of] competence, humility, and integrity, leadership is not about personal glory, but about making others successful.”

To conclude his speech, Paulino left the students with a challenge: “Our talents are not for us; they are meant to be shared for the good of others. Let the recognitions, the medals, plaques you receive today not remain as something you put on the wall, but instead use it as a reminder to be of service, and to act. Thomasian leaders are action-oriented: we make things happen.”

Paulino received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas in 1994, cum Laude, and his Master in Business Administration (Leadership and Change) from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business-Regis University in 2004. He also completed the Shell Group Business Leadership Programme, INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France in 2009. He has over two decades of international senior leadership experience in the oil and gas industry.

Recognitions

Each of the top academic achievers from the 18 Faculties, Colleges, and Institutes received the Rector’s Academic Award, conferred by the Father Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P. Seminarian John Alfred F. Rabena from the emerged as the valedictorian of Batch 2019, with a general weighted average of 1.126.

Sixteen exemplary officers of recognized organizations received the Quezon Leadership Award for their service, including Carl Lexter Tan from the for spearheading the first National Medical Student’s Conference.

Another award, the Pope Leo XIII Community Development Award, was given to six students and 15 organizations for their outstanding involvement in community development. Among the individual recipients was Kaye Angeline Jimenez from the for being the project head of “Alaga: A Seminar and Workshop on Mental Health for Sitio Galileo.”

The St. Dominic de Guzman Award was given to ten organizations that held activities of significance to the entire University, among them, the Becarios de Santo Tomas that was cited particularly for their organized tutorial program called ‘Bestutor 2018’ where they offer tutorial assistance primarily to UST athletes, although the program was also open to other UST students who were in need of free tutorial services.

Ten individuals and eight groups received the St. Albertus Magnus Award for excelling in research. Among them were Angela Nicole Morabe, Rhoan Irish Dimakiling, and Lovella Kate Sabile of the for winning the Excellent Paper award during the 7th Joint Conference on Renewable Energy and Nanotechnology in Japan. Their winning paper was on the “Conversion of Citronella Oil to Carbon Nanotubes using Co-Pyrolysis with Ferrocene.”

The Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award is given to students who have academic or scientific accomplishments of national or international significance. It was granted to 17 individuals and 17 groups, including Ean Dominique Castro from the Faculty of Arts and Letters for having been a delegate of the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations.

For students who excelled in sports and the arts, the Pope John Paul II Outstanding Achievement Award was given. UAAP Season 81 Women’s Volleyball MVP Cherry Ann “Sisi” Q. Rondina was among the recipients of this award.  

The Tradition of Excellence Award is given to student organizations that have shown sustained exemplary performance by having received the same award for five consecutive years. The Becarios de Santo Tomas was the lone recipient of this award, for consistently receiving the St. Dominic de Guzman Award from 2015 to 2019.

The post UST recognizes outstanding Thomasians at 2019 Student Awards appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

On Living Life with Magnitude
In his homily during the solemnity mass, former Rector Rev. Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P. differentiated the saint from celebrities, “The saint does not recede into the past. He remains a person of the present. Saint is not just remembered, he is addressed.”

“We bring him [the saint] our deepest pain, our requests for healing, and our praises to God,” he said.

Moreover, according to de la Rosa, St. Pope John Paul II taught us how to die. “If you want to die a happy death, if we want to be assured of remembrance even if we are no longer here, love. Show the unconditional love of God, and feel how much God loves you.”

The Wounded Healer

Santisimo Rosario Parish Parochial Administrator and Regent Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P. said in the concluding mass that St. Pope John Paul’s “woundedness” led him to his devotion to the Church.

“He saw poverty in Tondo and the refugees to Bataan. For him, that is woundedness in the Church,” Coronel said.

In 1981, St. Pope John Paul II survived the assassination attempt by Ali Agca at the St. Peter’s Square. After recovering from the incident, St. Pope John Paul II visited Agca behind the bars to forgive him.

The two kept in touch until the Pope’s death.

“It was his woundedness that healed Ali Agca, which transformed his heart,” Coronel said.

Moreover, St. Pope John Paul II asked for forgiveness for millenia’s worth of the Church’s wrongdoings, including the excommunication of Galileo, and the persecution of Jews. “He himself is wounded but with that kind of gesture, he is healing.”

“He travelled to the continents of the world to tell the world of His love,” Coronel said.

Born Karol Josef Wojtyla, St. Pope John Paul II passed away on April 2, 2005. He visited the University in 1981 to beatify St. Lorenzo Ruiz, and in 1995 to celebrate the closing mass of the World Youth Day Tour.

The devotees venerated the blood relic after the mass to see it one last time in the UST grounds, until it was returned to the Archdiocese of Manila.

#PopeJohnPaulII
#CatholicChurch

The post UST venerates blood relic of Saint Pope John Paul II appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

Now in its 20th year, the theme for the celebration was, “Dalawang Dekadang Pagpapala, Pasasalamat, at Pagdiririwang sa Tagumpay ng Gurong Tomasino.” (Two Decades of Blessing, Gratitude, and Celebration of the Success of Thomasian Teachers)

In his message, UST Rector , commended the appropriateness of the theme, “…sapagkat sa nakaraang dalawang dekada ay maraming Tomasinong guro ang naglaan ng oras at panahon sa pagtuturo ng mahusay, sa patuloy na pagsasaliksik at paglikha, sa pagtulong sa pamayanan at paglilingkod nang tapat sa Unibersidad.” (…because in the last 20 years, many Thomasian mentors have dedicated their time to excellent teaching, continued research and innovation, and being active in the community and loyal service to the University.)

However, the Father Rector also emphasized that the true success of teachers lie not in the number of years of service, and cannot be measured by the number of awards received or research works produced.

“Kung susuriing mabuti, malaking bahagi ng kanyang tagumpay ay mamamalas sa kinalalagyan, o kalidad at antas ng pamumuhay ng mga magaaral na dumaan sa kanyang masusing pagtitistis at pagtatasa, at matiyagang paghuhubog sa kanilang mga kamalayan, upang maayos na matimbang ang katuwiran laban sa kamalian, matutuhan ang tamang paraan kung paano umiwas sa mga panlilinlang, at magkaroon ng lakas ng loob na manindigan sa katotohanan,” Fr. Dagohoy explained. (If we would contemplate it, a large part of [a teacher’s] success is manifested in the status or quality and level of living of students passing through their thorough scrutiny and assessment, and patiently molding their consciousness, in order to properly weigh out righteousness against error, to learn the right way to avoid deceptions, and to have the courage to stand up for the truth.)

Quoting the philosopher George Steiner, the Father Rector reminded the faculty of their mission, “To awaken in another human being powers, dreams beyond one’s own; to induce in others a love for that which one loves; to make of one’s inward present their future; that is a threefold adventure like no other.”

Former University Rector and former Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education Rev. Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P., was the guest speaker. In his address, he challenged faculty members to remember that teaching is not merely a profession, but also a profound vocation.  He discussed, “[As God’s call,] a vocation is a fundamental decision in life, defines the person’s presence in the world, expresses one’s deepest identity, and orients one’s actions towards destiny.”

Following the address was the awarding of the Gawad Benavides or the service awards for milestone years. Thirty-seven faculty members received the Gawad Benavides for 20 years, while 38 mentors were awarded for 25 years of service. Twenty received the award for 30 years of service, and 23 were lauded for 35 years of service.

For 40 years of service in the University, eight were recognized, namely: ., from the ; Asst. Prof. Carmelita Cardona and Assoc. Prof. Rodolfo Rabor from the ; Prof. Ma. Corazon Zaida Gamilla, M.D., Prof. Josephine Lumitao, M.D., and Assoc. Prof. Edgardo Orlina, M.D., from the ; Assoc. Prof. Ma. Rebecca Penafiel from the ; and Assoc. Prof. Evangeline Timbang from the . Dr. Gamilla gave the response on behalf of all awardees.  

The Gawad San Alberto Magno, a special award for outstanding published research, was given to , of the Faculty of Pharmacy under the Health Sciences category (Immunology of a Fap2 peptide mimotope of Fusobacterium nucleatum and its potential use in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer); Asst. Prof. Andrea G. Vargas, Ph.D., of the Faculty of Pharmacy under the Science and Technology category (Cloning molecular analysis, and developmental expression of 3 oleosin cDNA isoforms in coconut [Cocos nucifera L.]); and Assoc. Prof. Moises Norman Z. Garcia, Ph.D., and Assoc. Prof. Maria Rosario Virginia C. Garcia, Ph.D., of the under the Social Sciences and Education category (The Environmental Literacy of Elementary School Teachers based in the City of Manila and Nueva Ecija Province). , of the under the Humanities and Cultural Studies category and for outstanding publication, namely, for his research work “Ang Tagalabas sa Panitikan” while his book “Ang Nawawala” earned him the Outstanding Book award under the Humanities and Cultural Studies category.    

The Gawad San Lorenzo Ruiz is given to those with outstanding achievements or are recognized in the national or international scene. The awardees were: College of Science mentors , who received the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award and ., who was named  2018 Outstanding Young Scientist in Pharmaceutical Sciences by the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines, and Novartis Next Generation Scientist by the Novartis Pharma Switzerland; Faculty of Arts and Letters mentor Mr. Paul A. Castillo who won the third place in the Talaang Ginto Makata ng Taon 2018 given by the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino; faculty member and Director who was named Greatest Individual for Education Inclusion in the 2017 Edu Tech Asia Awards by the EduTech Asia / Terrapin; Faculty of Pharmacy Dean , who was named ‘Outstanding Pharmacist’ in the 2018 Outstanding Professional of the Year Award by the Professional Regulation Commission; and Dean Prof. Patricia M. Empleo, Ph.D.,  who was named to the Global Accounting ‘Hall of Fame’ by the Institute of Certified Management Accountant.

The board of judges was composed of academics in the various disciplines, and literary writers:  Arnold V. Hallare, Dr. rer nat., Hope Sabanpan-Yu, Amaryllis T. Torres, Alfred A. Yuson, Galileo S. Zafra, Ph.D., Maricar W. Ching, Ph.D., Evelyn A. Songco, Ph.D., Edilberto P. Manahan, Ph.D., Junie B. Billones, Ph.D., Mark Anthony D. Abenir, DSD, and Esperanza C. Cabrera, Ph.D.

The post 138 faculty members receive distinction at 20th Dangal ng UST Awards appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.

The winning team was composed of: team captain Gabriel Joaquin Estrada, Keith Anderson, Matthan Henri Ang, Miguel Francisco Bacani, Jonas Belgica, Julia Mae Del Rosario, Lia Rizabella Escudero, Andria Lopez, Ma. Kaela Joselle Madrunio, Yuri Miranda, Niña Marie Reyes, Dylan Ruiz, Regina Priscila Sacdalan, and Reynante Talactac IV.

The competition was organized by the School of Hip-hop managed by Youth Outreach Organization in Hong Kong.

The UST team became eligible for the international competition by bagging the first place in the Asian Hip-hop Philippines Dance Competition held at Tanghalang Pasigueno in Pasig, Metro Manila on November 11, 2018.

“The preparations were tedious for this competition (in Hong Kong), because it’s the first time that a group from the Senior High School will fly abroad for a competition,” said founding adviser and choreographer Mr. Reinhel Angelo Sicat in an online interview with The Academia. He added that in the previous academic year, UST Galvanize would often win in the regional competitions, but not in the national level.

“Through the continuous effort of the team, our competitions this year went in favor of our group, the [Asian Hiphop Philippine Qualifiers – High Schoolers Division] and the UAAP Streetdance Competition,” said Sicat.

It is this determined mindset that Galvanize brought with them to the stage in Hong Kong. Sicat further explained, that despite hurdles such as a member’s injury, and a sudden change of venue due to the unpredictable weather that resulted in a stage almost too small for the 14 team members to execute their winning dance moves, Galvanize was not discouraged.

Established in 2016, Galvanize is ably helmed by its advisers, Mr. Reinhel Angelo Sicat, Ms. Hera Alexan Benitez, and Mr Jake Rovin Morales. It also enjoys the whole-hearted support of the Senior High School administration and the parents of the members, according to Sicat.

The post SHS Galvanize emerges champions in Asian Hip-Hop Competition in Hong Kong appeared first on 91��Ϣ��.