The issue contains the following 12 articles:

1. Eusebius of Caesarea’s Christology and the Nicene Confession by Jannel N. Abogado, O.P.
2. Redesigning humans in the Nano-Age by Marciana Agnes G. Ponsaran
3. On Paths from Angst to Redemption: Southeast-Asian Root Metaphors and Key Scenarios by Hermel O. Pama, O.P.
4. “An Exchange of Gifts”: Benedict XVI’s Eucharistic Ecclesiology as an Approach to Ecumenism by Christian Ramos
5. Forming Conscience in a Contemporary World: Aquinas’s Teaching on the Gifts of Wisdom and Counsel by Catherine Joseph Droste, O.P.
6. The Search for Tabique Pampango in the Philippines (PHILIPPINIANA RECORDS) by Regalado Trota José
7. La diócesis de Nueva Cáceres en 1792 según la visita de su obispo, Fr. Domingo Collantes, O.P. (1a parte) (Philippiniana Records) by Cayetano Sánchez Fuertes, O.F.M.
8. Anantanand, Rambachan. Pathways to Hindu-Christian Dialogue. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2022. pp. 158. ISBN: 978-1506474601. (REVIEWS & NOTICES) by Lesley John Louvis, O.P.
9. Baron, Scarlett. The Birth of Intertextuality: The Riddle of Creativity. New York & London: Routledge, 2020. pp. 381. ISBN: 978-0-415-89904-8. (REVIEWS & NOTICES) by Yustinus Suwartono
10. Tyler, Peter. The Living Philosophy of Edith Stein. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2023. pp. 237. ISBN: 978-1-3502-6556-1. (REVIEWS & NOTICES) by Jose Adriand Emmanuel L. Layug
11. Wojtyla, Karol. The Lublin Lectures and Works on Max Scheler. The English Critical Edition of the Works of Karol Wojtyla/John Paul II. Volume 2. Edited by Antonio Lopez et al. Washington DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2023. pp. 609. ISBN: 978-0-8132-3677-3. (REVIEWS & NOTICES) by Blaise D. Ringor
12. Galindo, David Rex. To Sin No More: Franciscans and Conversion in the Hispanic World, 1683-1830. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2017. pp. 330. ISBN: 978-1-5036- 0326-4. (REVIEWS & NOTICES) by Argene Águila Clasara

The open-access journal, indexed under Web of Science, can be accessed here:  

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De Castro is an expert in ecclesiastical and education history. Her graduate studies focused on the Philippine secondary education from 1865-1898 and the role the Church and UST played in it, as well as the Dominican accounts of imprisonment during the Philippine Revolution of 1898-1900. A decorated academic, she received a 2019 Individual Research Award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for her doctoral dissertation. She also won the Best Book in History plum from the National Book Awards in 2007 for her work entitled La Naval: Triumph of a People’s Faith. She sits in the board of the Philippine National Historical Society, Inc. and the Manila Studies Association, Inc.

Meanwhile, Jose is UST’s immediate past Archivist (2010-2021) and a professor of the University’s MA in Cultural Heritage Studies. An expert in church heritage, he was named a Centennial Awardee for the Arts in 1999. He was involved in the recommendation and eventual declaration of twenty-six churches as National Cultural Treasures in 2001. A respected scholar, he publishes and presents studies in international conferences, such as those held in Spain. During his time in the Archives, the Baybayin documents became UST’s fifth National Cultural Treasure.

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This innovative conference aims to explore the burgeoning field of ethical literary and cultural criticism, a theory and method of interpreting and analyzing literature from an ethical perspective. The event will gather esteemed scholars and students from around the globe to highlight the intersection of ethics and literature, and the role it plays in understanding and shaping human experiences.

Keynote Lecture by Distinguished Professor Nie Zhenzhao

The conference will be highlighted by a keynote lecture titled “Ethical Literary Criticism: Its Theory and Application,” to be delivered by Professor Nie Zhenzhao, MAE, of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Professor Emeritus of Zhejiang University, China. Professor Nie is a renowned scholar in the field who is the President of the International Association of Ethical Literary Criticism. His work has earned him international recognition, including being named to Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists List and a Most Cited Chinese Researcher by Elsevier.

Plenary Speaker: Professor Leonard Harris

Joining the spotlight at the event as a plenary speaker is Professor Leonard Harris of Purdue University, Indiana, a celebrated philosopher known for his critical pragmatism and the Harrisian conception of philosophy. Professor Harris’s contributions to the field, including his notable works on philosophy and ethics.

Conference Highlights and Registration

To deliver plenary lectures throughout the conference or serve as reactors after the panel presentations are highly esteemed academics from top universities abroad like Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China, Kyung-Hee University in South Korea, Purdue University in the US, and the University of Macau.

Capping the event will be the establishment of the Ethical Literary and Cultural Criticism Association of the Philippines (ELCCAP), the first and only one in the country to be made up of academics, scholars, researchers, writers, artists, and students.

Attendees are invited to register for the conference, at a fee of Php 3,000.00 for regular participants and Php 1,000.00 for students. Registration can be completed online at

With the conference focus on the exciting interplay of ethical criticism and literary and cultural texts, the conference promises to be a landmark occasion in the country for engaging in intellectually stimulating forum for students, and professionals alike.

For further information and media inquiries you may visit UNITAS official facebook page:

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Independent rankings website EduRank, which uses research publications and citations as data, named the University of Santo Tomas as the top Philippine university for the field of Theology and Religious Studies in terms of research outputs and citations. The rankings were released on February 29, 2024.

UST, a Pontifical University and the Catholic University of the Philippines, operates three ecclesiastical faculties: Sacred Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law. It also offers civil degrees on theology (major in social-pastoral communication) at the Graduate School, while theology/Christian living courses are institutionally mandated in the tertiary and basic education levels, respectively.

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Bance, who is also a UST Graduate School academic staff, has led the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) as its president, vice president, and executive secretary. She has also served as vice president, auditor, and treasurer of the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association, Inc. (PGCA). She led the transition of the present-day UST-CCC from the old Guidance and Counseling Department, signaling the expansion of services to include career guidance.

Bance has contributed in advancing the professionalization of psychology in the country, spearheading national and international conferences, as well as helping in the development and implementation of school-based mental health programs in collaboration with the National Center for Mental Health, Department of Education, and Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines.

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Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, PhD, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery academic researcher Maria Minerva P. Calimag, MD, PhD, and alumni Antonio Leachon, MD, Alfredo So, and Vicente U. Briones met with lawmakers to share their position on the bill filed by Rep. Ferjenel G. Biron.

In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Dean Dacanay mentioned that the group agreed to the bill, provided that provisions will be included for the protection of consumers against scrupulous e-prescriptions. Thus, safeguards on signatures, surrender of used prescriptions, and partial filling should be in place. Furthermore, the bill should clearly define legitimate online pharmacies given the proliferation of online sellers. Finally, the group advocated for an education campaign should the bill be approved.

Dacanay represented the Philippine Pharmacists Association, while Calimag spoke for the Philippine Medical Association. So is currently the President of the Consumer Healthcare Industry Association of the Philippines, while Briones heads the Drugstores Association of the Philippines. Leachon attended as a private individual in the hearing.

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The research team presented their project to Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio S. David, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, and Mr. Charles Bertille, the representative of the funding organization, during a meeting at the Frassati Building on February 14, 2024.

Leading the project are Prof. Pablito A. Baybado, PhD (CTRSE) and Prof. Florence C. Navidad, EdD (RCSSED), with Assoc. Prof. Allan A. Basas, SThD, Asst. Prof. Philip L. Fuentes, PhD, SThL, and Assoc. Prof. Marites R. Redoña, Ph.D. of CTRSE, along with Fr. Vladimir Echalas, SOLT, SThD, Head of the CBCP Research Office, serving as Research Associates. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, OP, EHL, UST Secretary General, and Prof. Joel C. Sagut, PhD, CTRSE Director, serve as consultants for the project.

Dr. Emmanuel M. Batulan from the UST Office of the Secretary-General, along with project assistants Ms. Daphne C. Santos and Ms. Rechelle M. Basco, were also present during the meeting held on February 13, 2024.

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Apart from the two distinctions, UST was also recognized for having the most number of Level IV accredited programs in the country. Level IV is the highest rating a program can get. Programs enjoying this status “have been highly respected as very high academic programs in the Philippines and with prestige and authority comparable to similar programs in excellent foreign universities,” according to PACUCOA.

Meanwhile, four bachelor’s programs were also recognized for producing topnotchers in recent Professional Regulation Commission licensure exams, namely, BS Medical Technology, BS Accountancy, BS Nutrition and Dietetics, and BS Architecture.

UST also won an award for the community outreach/extension program contest. The College of Science bagged Second Prize for “CCHEERS to Laudato si: Care for our Common ������ý through Environmental Expedition Integrating the role of Service-Learning.”

Thomasian professors were also recognized by PACUCOA. Graduate School academic staff Lucila O. Bance, PhD was named Outstanding Accreditor, while Dean Emeritus Carmen Kanapi, PhD received a Posthumous Award for Service. Service awards were also received by Graduate School academic staff Belen Tangco, PhD (Accrediting Team Chairman), as well as Faculty of Pharmacy officials Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, PhD, Frieda Z. Hapan, PhD, and Edilberto P. Manahan, PhD.

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The quintessential administrator and Dean of All Seasons
In his address of petition, Graduate School Dean Michael Anthony C. Vasco, PhD, who served as Sison’s first Faculty Secretary at the Graduate School, heaped praises on his former superior, whom he called the “quintessential administrator and Dean of All Seasons.” Recounting the fifty-four years of dedicated service that Sison has been rendering the University, he expressed appreciation at how Sison demanded excellence from those she worked with, but matched such exacting nature with the ability to mentor those under her. Likening the honoree to Britain’s Margaret Thatcher, Vasco said UST produced a chemist administrator, too, in Lilian Sison.

Sison has been a University administrator for 42 straight years, since her first appointment as Faculty Secretary of the Graduate School in 1981. After retirement in 2013, she was asked by then-Rector fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., PhD to be the first Director of the Office of International Relations and Programs.

As he granted Dean Vasco’s petition, the Rector, the Very Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD called Sison the “best-qualified candidate for Dean Emeritus.” Calling Sison “a lady who gets the job done,” he recognized Sison’s “relentless determination and fruitful action” and how “she made a mark in every assignment that will keep her leadership and management footprint.”

Heaping praises on Sison’s visionary leadership, the Rector said that Sison does not wait for opportunities but rather creates them, evidenced by the many instances in which she pioneered game-changing reforms in the University, from her time in Academic Affairs, to the Graduate School, and now, in Internationalization, which has come out in various rankings agencies as UST’s strongest suit. Her track record in internationalization was foreshadowed by her stint in the Graduate School, where her moves to make courses research-intensive were complemented by opportunities for student exchange and international paper presentations, as well as the acquisition of higher degrees in collaboration with partner universities such as the University of Western Australia. Sison was also relentless in her pursuit of scholarship and funding opportunities for faculty members to earn their degrees abroad, in countries such as Germany (through the DAAD scholarship).

No longer a second-rate university
In her response, Sison looked back at her half-century career in UST, speaking at length about her time in the Graduate School and Academic Affairs, where she was Assistant to the Rector (the post has since been elevated to Vice-Rector level). Sison thanked the University Rectors under whom she served, from the time of the second Filipino Rector, fr. Frederik S. Fermin, O.P., SThD.

Sison credited frs. Norberto M. Castillo, O.P., PhD and Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P., PhD, SThD for pushing for UST’s research intensification in their own incumbencies. Sison recalled the challenge given to her by 1990s Rector fr. de la Rosa, who wanted to remove the stigma that UST is a second-rate university of the Philippines. The newly minted Dean Emeritus then recounted how her under leadership in the 1990s, the improvement of the faculty profile through the acquisition of higher degrees and the decongestion of classrooms while providing vital resources through the Library and embracing Internet technology. By the time her term ended in the heydays of the 1990s, UST was counted by ASIAWEEK as one of the country’s top-tier universities—which precipitated the moniker “Big 4 Universities” that the University now enjoys.

Diversifying the Graduate School’s offerings
Sison also thanked former Rectors frs. Tamerlane Lana, O.P., de la Rosa, and Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., for entrusting to her the stewardship of the Graduate School for 13 years. In her incumbency, she not only upgraded faculty profile and quality by recruiting younger faculty who also had research and/or industry practice, but also ensured a more research-intensive orientation for programs through the introduction of the Research Colloquium requirement. The diversity of programs offered also intensified, with programs on cultural heritage studies, rehabilitation sciences, and curriculum and instruction, among others, opened.

A heart filled with gratitude
Sison expressed profound thanks to the people she worked with, from the Dominican Fathers, co-administrators, faculty members, support staff, and students, as well as those who share her advocacy in Religions for Peace. “Thank you for being kindred spirits,” said Sison. “I am deeply humbled, and I dedicate this honor to my family: my daughter Christine and her husband, Allen; my grandchildren, Ram and Nina; to my sister Cora and brother Jose; and most of all, to the memory of my late husband, Ramon Sison, who did most of the sacrifice when there was conflict between work and family.”

“Fifty-four years of professional journey at UST was a joyful experience inspired by my family and the patronage of the Blessed Mother. So what can I tell you, young Deans, based on my experiences? Believe in yourself. You can do anything if you put hard work into it. Continue reading and learning and be kind to all in manners and action. Finally, heed what St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: ‘Whatever you do, do it for the greater glory of God.’”

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Guinto, a Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences student of the Graduate School, studied the freshwater calanoid copepod which was named an invasive species. Genomic DNA were extracted to represent seven populations in Luzon. The noted population increase is attributed to “the suspected initial introduction via ornamental aquarium fish trade practices in 1905 and then a population range expansion through a single or multiple introduction event towards other nearby inland waters through accidental movement of A. dorsalis individuals via human-mediated activities, particularly aquaculture, which have persisted since 1972.”

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