The activity, a joint undertaking with the alumni of the Tomasinong SOCCSKSARGEN chapter, gathered close to 300 attendees comprised of 150 families, SOCCSKSARGEN chapter officials, UST Alumni Association, Inc. officials, and UST officials. The Thomasian community gave gifts and dined with the community of Batomelong, which is led by the Barangay Captain, Hon. Alikhan K. Bentaib.

In his message, Captain Bentaib thanked the SOCCSKSARGEN Chapter’s representatives, led by incoming President Antonio Villanueva, Jr. and Secretary-General fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P. “Hindi po kayo nagkamali na pilian ang community ito. Kakatapos lang po ng aming Ramadan namin. Sino ba naman ang hindi matutuwa na mapili? Maraming salamat po!”

Meanwhile, UST Secretary-General fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P. introduced the Thomasian community to the residents of Barangay “hindi lang po kami kaagapay. Mga Pilipino po tayo, at tayong lahat ay magkakapatid.”

Finally, UST Assistant to the Rector for General Santos Professor Emeritus Maribel G. Nonato, PhD expressed hope that the University’s efforts in academics and research will be of great help to the local communities of Mindanao.

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Twelve faculty members of the College of Nursing were accredited by TESDA after recognition of their prior learning and review of evidence of community engagement. They were certified as trainers for the caregiving program.

In an interview with College of Nursing Dean Rowena L. Escolar Chua, PhD, she underscored “people empowerment and resilence” as core values of the program. Escolar Chua said the program “program provided the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be competent care providers despite their financial and social status. The caregiving program fosters resilience in the face of health challenges. In addition, UST College of Nursing and Caregiving programs partake in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, our great healer.”

The caregiving program is the latest to rolled out by UST and RMI-HFSEC which also had a Bookkeeping course training with the College of Commerce and Business Administration in 2021.

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In his remarks, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation fr. Jannel N. Abogado, O.P. expressed delight at the formalization of the agreement at a time when UST’s research and instruction initiatives complement the efforts for climate change mitigation. Fr. Abogado cited, too, the famous encyclical Laudato Sí of Pope Francis and shared how in UST, spirituality and stewardship guide efforts to ensure that future generations can enjoy a “blissful life” on our planet.

The Rector also stated that as inhabitants, not owners, of the Earth, we are bound by an urgent need to care for the environment. He reaffirmed the University’s commitment to fighting climate change and helping the government by lending the University’s academic and research expertise.

Meanwhile, Sec. Borje underscored the importance of both sustainability and climate justice and equity, which the Climate Change Commission is promoting. He expressed enthusiasm at partnering with UST for its “vibrant research activities” that can open a lot of avenues for further collaboration. Though informally, Thomasians have been engaging with the Climate Change Commission and supporting its activities in the past, and the six-year agreement puts a framework to further collaboration.

The agreement, which aims to leverage UST’s research initiatives at the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and the DOST-TOMASInno Innovation Center Technology Business Incubator, paves the way for closer collaboration between UST, one of Asia’s top universities, at the national government. The agreement aims to “align efforts for building resiliency at the local level,” opening avenues for the UST Simbahayan Community Development Office and the Research Center for Social Sciences and Education to also join. The projects will find locus not just in the Manila campus’s Thomas Aquinas Research Complex, but also in the UST Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center of the UST Santa Rosa Extension Campus.

The expected outputs of the cooperation are joint research and policy development initiatives that will help advance environmental preservation. Joint academic and research activities aimed at capacity-building will also be undertaken, beginning with the November 2023 Climate Change Week celebration.

Among UST’s initiatives toward environmental preservation are the conduct of basic and applied science studies on biodiversity and aquaculture, as well as advocacy campaigns against environmental degradation in areas like the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and Dumaguete, where reclamation has been threatening coastal life.

Joining Sec. Borje were CCC Deputy Executive Director Atty. Rommel Antonio O. Cuenca, Strategic Partnership Division Chief Alexis D. Lapiz, Legal Services Division Atty. Carlos M. Borja, Jr., and Chief of Staff Rhea Ckristine Sy. Meanwhile, UST officials included the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, fr. Jannel N. Abogado, O.P., DTPS, Asst. to the Rector for UST Sta. Rosa Philipina A. Marcelo, PhD, UST Sta. Rosa Executive Assistant Siegfred V. Prado, College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD, Research Center for Social Sciences and Education Director Jeremaiah M. Opiniano, PhD, TOMASINNO Center Manager Raymond Marquez and Assistant Manager Celso Noel Aban, and Simbahayan Community Development Office Director Froilan A. Alipao.

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The panel imparted on Service-Learning in the context of a Catholic higher education institution in the Philippines as depicted in the studies 1) Service-Learning Linking with Communities for Development: Exploring the Service Learning Praxis Framework of the University of Santo Tomas vis-à-vis Salamanca Process by Asst. Prof. Alipao; 2) Praxis of Salamanca: Process and Politics of the Service-Learning in the University of Santo Tomas Lumad Bakwit School by Mr. Romero; 3) Catholic Social Teachings in Service-Learning: A Multiple-Case Study in a Philippine Catholic Higher Education Institution by Assoc. Prof. Abiog; 4) Service-Learning: The University of Santo Tomas Experience by Assoc. Prof. Turingan; and 5) A Phenomenological Study of Service-Learning Experiences in National Service Training Program of University of Santo Tomas (UST) Selected College Students in the Time COVID-19 Pandemic by Ms. Estrologo. These studies emphasized the vital role of Catholic Higher Education institutions, like UST, in promoting Service-Learning inspired by the Salamanca process tradition, Catholic Social Teachings, and service engagements within and outside the university amidst the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s PSCJ centered on the theme, The Philippines in the 21st Century Asia: Retrospect and Prospect, underscoring studies on the post-COVID-19 pandemic and other Philippine-oriented studies.

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The organizers conducted the program in Siniloan, Laguna, where 50 Thomasian academic staff and their families attended, five of which came from the UST Faculty of Engineering (FoE). These faculty members were Engr. Rajiv Eldon E. Abdullah, M.Eng., Asst. Prof. Dolores S.D. Cleofas, Ph.D., ASEAN Engr., Engr. Maria Victoria Viray, Engr. Shikara P. Poblete M.Sc, and Engr. Ma. Madecheen S. Pangaliman, M.Sc.

Mr. Chot Velasquez, President of Aksyon Kalikasan, led the discussions in the program which focused on the significance and current condition of Sierra Madre, the message of Laudato Si, as well as the Republic Act 10176, or the Arbor Day Act of 2012, which mandates all able-bodied citizens from the age of 12 to plant one tree every year.

“I think ‘yun ‘yung pinakamagandang takeaway namin eh, ‘yung bagong knowledge na natutunan namin. Hindi lang kami nag-tree planting, we also learned ‘yung relevance ng ginawa namin,” Dr. Cleofas shared in an interview in reference to this mandate.

Aligned with the message of the speaker, Dr. Cleofas also encourages fellow staff members and students of the university to be aware of the environment and do their part in saving the Sierra Madre.

“Right after the storm, parang puring-puri natin ‘yung Sierra Madre pero we are not doing anything, so sana lahat, put your words into action,” she said in her final statements in the interview.
The program is part of the “One Million Trees for Sierra Madre Mountain Range” project.

The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the country, stretching from the province of Cagayan to the province of Quezon, and bordered by Calabarzon to the southwest.

Written by: Kateleen A. Vicente
Photo courtesy of Engr. Ma. Madecheen S. Pangaliman, M.Sc

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The Mass was co-celebrated by Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs Rev. fr. Pablo T. Tiong, SThL-MA, and fr. John Leydon, Global Catholic Climate Movement-Pilipinas chairperson.

Krus ng Sierra Madre

In his homily, fr. Leydon recalled the mountain range’s vital role in assuaging typhoons that strike Luzon. Recently, Typhoon Karding’s onslaught led to the postponement of many activities in Luzon, including this activity in the campus that aims to educate the Thomasian community about its natural role and how we can protect it.

According to fr. Leydon, the destruction brought by the recent super typhoon further justified their advocacy. In social media platforms, posts that contain both scientific facts and Filipino legends about the mountain range were circulated before, during, and after Karding crossed the Philippine Area of Responsibility. “Napakahalaga para sa ating mga puso na yung mga alamat na ito ay maging matingkad sapagkat kailangan ang ating mga puso, ang ating pagmamahal. Kailangang gisingin ang ating pagmamahal para sa lahat ng nilikha ng Diyos,” fr. Leydon said.

“[Itong] pag-aalay ng buhay ni Sierra ay nagpapa-alala sa ating mga Kristiyano kung sino ang ating Diyos na nagkatawang-tao at nag-alay ng kanyang sarili upang tayo ay mabuhay, magkaroon ng buhay, at ganap na mamuhay. At ito ay inilalarawan sa ating simbolo ng Krus ng Sierra Madre,” he added.

The wooden cross, the cornerstone of the activity, was forged from the three driftwoods found in Sierra Madre. After ten years, since the Holy Week of 2012, the cross will once again travel across the country to urge Filipinos to protect and to give importance to God’s natural gifts. Sierra Madre faces the threat of  deforestation and excessive mining. Moreover, the construction of Kaliwa Dam will permanently tamper and destroy the old-growth tropical rainforest, as well as interfere with the biodiversity in the area.

Sierra Madre also holds around 1.4 million hectares of forest, which constitutes 40% of green area in the country.

Testaments from people

After the Mass, people shared their accounts, advocacies, and personal stories of holding the line. Secretariat of Laudato Si Movement – Pilipinas and co-founder of Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance Inc. (SSMNAI), Sr. Bing Caranza said Christ’s presence can be felt from the symbolic cross. “Ramdam na ramdam kong buhay ang krus ng Sierra Madre, pumipintig ang kanyang puso at nangangausap sa akin,” she said.

According to her, the driftwoods were not altered to form and emulate the image of Christ in the Cross and were assembled as it is. One of its noted detail is the hole at the trunk that resembles the wound of Christ.

For Conrado Vargas, Executive Director of SSMNAI, the construction of Kaliwa Dam in General Nakar, Quezon will bring excessive flooding, leading to displacement of its residents. Moreover, Vargas urged the people to support the municipalities in Quezon province that have the power to stand up by refusing to issue permits/resolution for the dam’s construction. “Kapag hindi po pumayag ang mga munisipyong ito, hindi rin po matutuloy yung Kaliwa Dam,” he said. 

On behalf of the fishermen affected by black sand mining, Heidi Fernandez of Save Zambales Kalikasan Movement shared her story of victory. She narrated that the black sand mining contributes to the destruction of bodies of water in Zambales. After receiving backlash from the residents, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources admitted that black sand mining was illegal, thus issued a cease and desist order, according to Fernandez. “Napapatunayan po natin na sa sama-samang pagkikilos, kinakaya nating manalo.” Fernandez said..

Ikalawang Paglalakbay ng Krus ng Sierra Madre coincided with the Season of Creation and the Feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology.

Watch the livestream here:

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Securing the 1st runner-up spot among UST teams were Zyro C. Gonzales, Juliana Corrales, and Tashannah H. Doller, while the second runner-up spot was taken by Russell John Benjamin, Lara Franchesca N. Dy, and Gabriel A. Hao.

The competition involved a ten-hour in-person or online training workshop in which learners had to build their own artificial intelligence object recognition system. Students from Hongkong Polytechnic University facilitated the workshop, which involved topics on A.I. object recognition, machine learning, and block programming. Mrs. Arleen Alferos, Ms. Nicca Catherine Carlos, and Mr. Julian Ducut are the teacher-coordinators to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. 

During the competition proper, learners were blindfolded and had to rely on their invented system to help find the objects they were looking for. The blindfold was a way of allowing learners to empathize with those struggling from loss of sight.

The three tasks were “Find the Right Instant Noodle,” “Sort the Lollipops,” and “Read the Emojis.”

Among the judges for the preliminary round from the UST faculty were Mr. Francis Noel Alarcon, Ms. Ellis Mika C. Triño, Mr. Reuben Jerome D. Atayde, Mr. Osbert Bryan T. Villasis, Mr. Jake Morales. The collaboration was made possible through the UST Simbahayan Community Development Office, which has a memorandum of understanding with Hongkong Polytechnic University.

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The said event was also aligned with the second Community Service Day for A.Y. 2021-2022, the bi-annual advocacy event of UST SIMBAHAYAN that promotes the proactive response to the call of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’.

With the theme Kapaligiran at Halalan, discussions did not only center on the elections, politics, and livelihood, but also on issues related to the environment. Asst. Prof. Froilan A. Alipao, the Director of UST SIMBAHAYAN, delivered the welcome remarks. It was followed by the insightful talk of Mr. Maverick Russel Flores, the Communications Campaigner of Greenpeace Philippines, titled “2022: The Year of Climate Action.”

Flores stressed that the Philippines urgently needs climate justice since our country is continuously battling the climate crisis coupled with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He also stated that environmental and climate issues are at the bottom of the priorities in the current electoral discourse.
Dr. Froilan C. Calilung from the Political Science Department of the Faculty of Arts and Letters had his presentation on the “Analysis of Environmental Platforms of the 2022 Presidential Candidates.” He shared a concise summary of the six front-running presidentiables’ environmental agenda on the following issues: renewable energy, commitment to the international environmental agreements, creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience, mining, plastic and solid waste management, and the West Philippine Sea.

Mr. Rodne Galiche, the Executive Director of Living Laudato Si’ Philippines, discussed “Laudato Si’ and Ecological Teachings of the Church.” Through the seven Laudato Si’ Goals: 1) Response to the cry of the earth, 2) Response to the cry of the poor, 3) Ecological economics, 4) Adoption of simple lifestyles, 5) Ecological education, 6) Ecological spirituality, and 7) Community engagements, the voters can use these as standards in deciding who amongst the national and local candidates will have the political will to push forward with climate justice.

The program culminated with the closing remarks of Asst. Prof. Evalyn B. Abiog, Ph.D., the Asst. Director of UST SIMBAHAYAN. The event was facilitated by Asst. Prof. Catherine C. Cocabo and Mr. John Christian Valeroso, Ph.D. The webinar can still be viewed via the UST-SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office Facebook Page.

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In an effort to aid the residents who were affected by Typhoon Odette, third year BS-Nursing student Patricia June S. Pomoy held a donation drive in Surigao City and in Siargao island.

Pomoy, whose parents are from Siargao island, said in an interview with the Communications Bureau that she started her call for donations on December 23, 2021, and she was able to raise a total of P100,005, which mostly came from her friends and professors living in Metro Manila. She likewise helped coordinate the support provided by the UST Alumni Association, Inc. and the Thomasian Alumni Leaders Association.

The relief drive was able to send more than 150 relief packs that contained food, hygiene kits, and mosquito coils to barangays Jaboy (109 families), Dayaohay (125 families), and Caridad (422 households). Moreover, according to her, a total of 15 families, whose livelihood is solely fishing and kopra farming, received GI sheets (roof), umbrella nails, and Vulca Seal tubes to help them rebuild their shelters.

Despite being a victim of Typhoon Odette herself, she said that this was her way of giving back to the community that is close to her heart. “By initiating this donation drive, this is one way for me to give back, although I am also a victim of this typhoon (too),” she said.

“I have always asked God to help me become His instrument of love. I am grateful that I have the voice to ask for help on behalf of my community. My voice was able to put roof over their head and food on their table. Indeed, God will make a way,” she added.

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The communities that received assistance are:

1. Lambakin, Bulacan (16 recipients)

2. Sta. Rosa II, Bulacan (9 recipients)

3. North Triangle Alliance, Rizal (12 recipients)

4. Sitio Galilee, Rizal (17 recipients)

5. Kasiglahan, Rizal (12 recipients)

6. Smokey Mountain, Caloocan (12 recipients)

Bonded University Towards Imbued Learning (BUTIL) Scholarship Program aims to support financially underprivileged yet deserving junior and senior high school students from public schools of six partner communities. The BUTIL scholarship program intends to give every student the opportunity to have quality education to develop their academic performance and holistic growth.

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