POPE LEO XIV
is first American, Augustinian pontiff
Duterte-aligned, opposition, admin candidates split Senate seats
A MIX of Duterte-allied and traditional opposition bets emerged as Filipinos’ “Magic 12” picks for the Senate, according to the final results released by the National Board of Canvassers on May 16.
Two members of the original Duterte-backed “DuterTen” slate secured spots in the top three: Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go topped the Senate race with 27.12 million votes and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa ranked No. 3 with 20.77 million votes.
SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and incumbent Sen. Imee Marcos — both independents aligned with Duterte — also landed in the top 12, placing No. 6 and No. 12, respectively. Outside of the four Duterte-aligned candidates, two opposition and six administration-backed bets cracked the top 12.
Isko Moreno clinches 2nd mayoral term in Manila
By Fritz Nathan A. Diaz
FRANCISCO “ISKO Moreno” Domagoso made a political comeback after being proclaimed as the newly elected mayor of the City of Manila on Tuesday, May 13.
Domagoso, who served as mayor from 2019 to 2022, won 560,338 votes, far ahead of incumbent mayor and former ally Honey Lacuna, who had 197,572 votes.
“I am grateful to each and every citizen of this city. With this type of mandate, I really owe it to you. I will do my best to be a better mayor of this city,” Domagoso said after his proclamation at Manila City Hall.
Winning alongside Domagoso was his running mate Chi Atienza, who won with 616,881 votes. She will replace Vice Mayor Yul Servo-Nieto.
Twenty-two councilors from Moreno’s Aksyon Demokratiko secured the majority of the city council, while four congressional seats in the city’s six districts will still be held by Lacuna’s
Asenso Manileño.
“Maraming maraming salamat sa mga naglaan ng panahon, sa mga nagalay ng kanilang lakas, talino at kakayahan sa pagsama sa ating kampanya. Buong kababaang loob nating tinatanggap ang kapasyahan ng higit na nakararami sa atin,” Lacuna said in a statement following her concession.
Both Lacuna and Tutok to Win party-list Rep. Samuel Verzosa conceded their bids a day after the unofficial election results showed Moreno’s wide lead in the election results.
Following his proclamation, Moreno urged supporters to move forward and be “magnanimous” in victory.
“Ang panawagan ko po sa inyong lahat na pahupain ninyo na ang damdamin ninyo. Huwag tayong magaway-away. Let’s move on with our lives. We must work together, because together, we can make Manila great
again,” he said in a Facebook statement on Wednesday morning.
In an interview following the partial results of the elections, Moreno said he was willing to talk with his rivals.
“At the end of the day, taga-Maynila sila e, ‘di ba? Magiging mamamayan ko rin sila. And as I have been doing and committed to do, sa Maynila pantay-pantay. They are still members of the community, we are willing to serve them,” Domagoso said. Domagoso is set to assume office on June 30.
Dispute between UST, faculty ends with breakthrough compromise deal
Opposition’s resurgence in polls sparks cautious optimism
► Isko Moreno
MIDTERM ELECTIONS
TOMSPEAK
As a person with disability, how was your voting experience during the 2025 midterm elections? What improvements would you like Comelec to make in 2028?
‘Yong sa PWD, dapat ma-improve talaga ‘yon kasi unang-una matatanda, may mga may sakit, inaalalayan pa. So kailangan ng taong aalalay doon kasi yung iba walang kasama.
Ang nadismaya ako, akala ko may machine doon, ‘yong ifi-feed, ‘yong kagaya ng napanood natin sa TV. Wala, manual din, inakyat nila kung nasaan ‘yong precinct namin.
Para sa mga PWD, lagyan nila ng sistema, dagdagan nila tao, dahil maraming may mga matatanda na karamihan, at kailangan talaga mabilis. ’Yong sa automated counting machine, dagdagan nila.
Cherry Vizcarra, Voter from Imus, Cavite
Bilang PWD nais ko po sana na magkaroon ng facilities [na] voting booth sa lower ground floor lang ng mga paaralan upang hindi na mahirapan senior man o PWD sa pag-akyat at pagbaba ng hagdan.
Iminumungkahi ko rin po bilang isang PWD na magkaroon po ng libreng tubig na inumin sa loob ng voting precinct.
Cecil Catacutan, Voter from Imus, Cavite
I am satisfied kasi nilagay na kami sa ground floor kaya hindi na kami nahirapan at mabilis. Priority kami lagi, binigyan kami ng priority, attention, mga ganoon. I’m satisfied, so far with this election and it is more improved than the previous one. And I cannot think—at this point if there is still a need to improve for this, okay naman so far.
Crisencio Paner, Voter from Bacoor, Cavite UST College of Science faculty member
Medyo natagalan kasi kahit may designated rooms for PWD and Seniors, super dami ng tao at mabagal kaya I ended up going sa precinct room ko mismo, same sa dad ko na PWD din. Pumila kami sa PWD lane around 8 a.m. pero mag-10 a.m. na wala pa din, kaya lumipat na lang kami dun sa precinct mismo.
Mas pagandahin at paghandaan pa mismo ‘yong pila at rooms for PWD lalo na sa senior citizens kasi ang daming mga matatanda na hingal na hingal. ‘Yong iba nga ayaw na bumoto.
Geiron Jefferson Ocampo, Voter from Pasay BA Journalism senior
Ineffective ang PPP (priority polling place) para sa akin dahil nga kasi mas mabilis pa ‘pag pupunta sila sa presinto nila mismo dahil mas mabilis sila matutulungan doon. Ang masasabi ko naman sa mga watcher mismo, hindi sila nate-train masyado sa kung ano nga bang kailangan nila gawin para ma-assist ang mga PWD.
Bilang PWD gusto ko makita na mas naa-accomodate pa yung mismong lugar, ‘yong mismong facilities para sa PWDs. Gawing mas komportable dahil nga kasi ‘yong mga public schools na ‘to alam naman natin na wala ‘tong air-con, mainit, so madaling mairita ang mga tao.
Liam Thomas Recacho, Voter from Las Pinas BA Journalism senior
RESULTS OF the 2025 Philippine senatorial election reflect a growing discontent among voters toward President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s leadership, as opposition figures and Duterte allies claimed half of the 12 Senate seats up for grabs, analysts said.
Six candidates from the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas entered the “Magic 12”: Erwin Tulfo, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Sen. Lito Lapid.
The remaining six seats, however, were split between four Duterte-aligned figures — Christopher “Bong” Go, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, and Sen. Imee Marcos — and two traditional opposition voices, former senators Benigno “Bam” Aquino and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
In an interview with the Varsitarian, political strategist Alan German described the outcome as a reflection of the President’s declining popularity, which dipped from 42% to 25% between February and March this year, based on Pulse Asia data, while disapproval climbed to 53%.
“I think that the President’s popularity was very, very low coming into the midterm,” he said. “Clearly, the people are not happy with the current administration. The way they’re running things and they made it felt through the polls.”
German pointed to two key turning points behind the public’s souring perception: the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte and the transfer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s case to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
“Nagkaroon sila (voters) ng rallying point,” he said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the Leni campaign, it became a crusade and, again, a powerful motivator for voting is single-nail messaging and what we call alert messaging — scaring people into voting for a candidate.”
“I think the interplay is more of a protest vote–I think the interplay is more of a rejection of the administration.”
German also noted that many votes were protest-driven, stemming from the fallout between the once-unified Marcos and Duterte camps under the “UniTeam” alliance.
“Sina Bam Aquino at Kiko, galit ‘yan kay Marcos. … The pro-Marcos (voters) probably filled in their slates and thought, ‘Sino ba rito ang kaaway ni Duterte? Sina Bam Aquino at si Kiko, anti-Duterte ‘yan.’ Nagkaroon ng perfect confluence, perfect flux. And that’s how the results turned out.”
How did Kiko, Bam win?
According to Anthony Borja from De La Salle University’s Department of Political Science and Development, it was the long absence of the opposition in the national political scene that helped Aquino and Pangilinan appear as neutral options amid the Marcos-Duterte feud.
“They managed to stay above the Duterte-Marcos feud and were probably considered by more moderate or undecided voters from both camps as safe and credible list-fillers,” he said.
Aquino and Pangilinan’s victory may also be attributed to their clear strategy of shifting focus away from partisan branding and toward more practical, relatable issues.
“It’s clear that there was a determined effort to make this election not about color, not about affiliation, but about pragmatism,” German said. They concentrated on the gut issues: pagkain, edukasyon, trabaho — hindi nila kinulayan.”
Celebrities, dynasties German said the defeat of celebrity candidates and political dynasty figures, alongside the rise of progressives, could signal a shift in voter behavior in the Philippines.
“Who would ever think in our lifetime we would see an election where Bong Revilla would lose? And yet he did,” he said. “So I think we are turning the corner. I think people are now making that important distinction between awareness and conversion.”
“It’s no longer enough for Filipinos to be aware of a candidate. Ang tanong ngayon, hindi na lang, ‘Sino
ka ba?’ — now, they’re going to the next level. ‘Bakit kita iboboto?’”
Some well-known names from political families also failed to win in their strongholds. Sen. Cynthia Villar lost in her bid for Las Piñas’ congressional seat to independent challenger Mark Santos, who won 115,757 votes against Villar’s 83,975.
Actor-turned-senator Bong Revilla Jr. fell short of a Senate comeback, placing 14th with 12,027,845 votes — two spots out of the Magic 12. Fellow celebrity Phillip Salvador, backed by the Duterte bloc, finished 19th with 10,241,491 votes.
TV host Willie Revillame, once projected by OCTA Research to land between ninth and 20th, ultimately ranked 22nd with 8,568,924 votes.
Progressive candidates also made gains, such as former state auditor Heidi Mendoza, who, despite being a first-time and independent contender, placed 21st with 8,759,732 votes. Labor lawyer Luke Espiritu saw notable improvement, jumping from 34th in 2022 to 29th this year with 6,481,413 votes.
While these trends show potential for change, German warned that the shift is just beginning.
“Maybe this is more than a recalibration,” he said. “I think this is honest to goodness the beginning, the initial sparks of an awakening wherein the Filipino voter is now looking for ‘resibo.’ I think naghahanap na ng resibo ang mga Pinoy voters.”
However, according to Jean Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, it’s still premature to say whether the electorate is truly moving toward issue-based voting.
“It is too early to say that we have now transitioned to issue-based voting. We have to work harder and wait for succeeding elections. Electoral reforms must also be high on the agenda of the next Congress, if we want issue voting to be normalized,” she said.
The new senators will join returning members as part of the 20th Congress, which is scheduled to convene in July.
THE ‘MAGIC 12’
Jinggoy
HONTIVEROS, Risa
ZUBIRI, Juan Miguel
Dispute between UST, faculty ends with breakthrough compromise deal
By Mabel Anne B. Cardinez
AFTER over a year of negotiations and weeks of government mediation, UST management and the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) have finally reached an agreement on the disputed 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), producing a compromise deal on May 20.
In a joint statement on Tuesday night after the final meeting under the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), both parties announced that a compromise had been reached and would be executed immediately.
“This settlement marks a significant step forward for both parties, reflecting a shared commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and constructive resolution. More importantly, it reinforces our unity and shared purpose of advancing the interests of the academic community,” the statement, posted on UST’s official Facebook page, read.
“As we move ahead, both UST and USTFU remain guided by our common goal — to uphold academic excellence and serve the best interest of our students.”
USTFU President Emerito Gonzales told the Varsitarian on Tuesday night that UST management had agreed with the NMCB-amended proposal for 100% hospitalization coverage.
Revising the USTFU’s initial proposal, the NCMB had suggested a scheme where the union’s total hospitalization expenses up to P10 million would be granted full coverage, and costs exceeding the amount would follow a tiered scheme for reimbursement:
• P10 to 15 million cost = P750,000 reimbursement;
• P15 to 21 million = P500,000 reimbursement; and
• More than P21 million = P150,000 regular confinement and P350,000 for critical care.
Other disputed provisions before the compromise were the timeframe for releasing the faculty’s mandatory 70% share of tuition increases, the tertiary rank upgrade fund, and the expanded vacation leave for non-teaching staff.
On Tuesday morning, another significant breakthrough was reached when UST released the first tranche of the faculty’s long-awaited tuition hike share worth P27.8 million. This represents teachers’ legally mandated 70% share of tuition increases from Academic Year (AY) 2020-2021.
“The P21.8 million was released today at 10 a.m. The P6 million is set aside to replenish the medical benefits after ratification (of the collective bargaining agreement),” Gonzales told the Varsitarian
The agreement to release the amount, reached on April 24, marked the most sig-
UST releases P27.8M in faculty’s tuition hike share from AY 2020-2021
By Carlo Jose H. Ruga
THE UNIVERSITY has released the first tranche of the faculty’s long-awaited tuition hike share worth P27.8 million, representing teachers’ legally mandated 70% share of tuition increases from Academic Year (AY) 20202021.
UST Faculty Union (USTFU) President Emerito Gonzales said the P21.8 million for across-the-board salary upgrades was released at 10 a.m. on May 20, while the remaining P6 million was set aside for the replenishment of the union’s hospitalization package.
“The [P]21.8 million was released today at 10 a.m. The [P]6 million is set aside to replenish the medical benefits after ratification (of the collective bargaining agreement),” Gonzales told the Varsitarian
UST management’s decision to release P27.8 million in faculty’s tuition hike share was discussed during the fourth conciliation and mediation conference under the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) on April 24.
This amount, if distributed among qualified faculty members, would range from P32,666 for a teacher with an Instructor 1 rank and a 21-unit load to P95,677 for those with a Professor 5 rank and the same load, according to UST.
However, a total of P219.3 million in teachers’ tuition hike share has yet to be released.
This includes P51.4 million from AY 2021-2022, P63.2 million from AY 2022-2023, and P104.6 million from AY 20232024, said UST in a statement on April 10.
UST management and USTFU have yet to clarify how this amount would be distributed, though the two parties have already reached a compromise on the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“This settlement marks a significant step forward for both parties, reflecting a shared commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and constructive resolution. More importantly, it reinforces our unity and shared purpose of advancing the interests of the academic community,” the statement read.
nificant breakthrough under the guidance of government mediators following four meetings and confirmed agreements on three contested provisions.
During the second NCMB meeting on April 7, both parties agreed on benefits for faculty in the National Service Training Program (NSTP), lower emergency loan interest, and a timeframe to discuss 11th- and 12th-month pay.
NSTP facilitators will receive an additional P2,000 per term, while the emergency loan interest will be lowered to 4% from 6%.
The 11th and 12th-month pay will be discussed again in August when the proposed CBA enters renegotiation for economic benefits.
Senior high teachers ‘willing to wait’ for salary restructuring
By Amador Denzel M. Teston
THE PRESIDENT of the UST Senior High School (SHS) faculty association has expressed willingness to wait for a better salary restructuring offer from UST management to remove one roadblock to a new salary and benefits deal for all faculty members.
The association president, Emerson Hernandez, said that while SHS teachers have long been calling for salary hikes, they won’t stand in the way of reaching a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the UST administration.
“Sabi nga namin, nakapag-antay na kami. Matagal na ito e. Medyo matagal na itong negotiation na ito.
Ano pa ang ikasasama noon kung mag-aantay pa kami ng another period of negotiation?” Hernandez told the Varsitarian at the sidelines of the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) general assembly on May 15.
“Baka magkaroon pa ng mas positive na outcome ‘pag mag-re-renegotiate ka.”
Hernandez said discussion on the union’s proposed P10.5-million
SHS salary restructuring fund was deferred because it was seen as the “only obstacle” delaying negotiations between USTFU and UST management.
“In-inform din kami na parang ‘yon ‘yong nagiging balakid — the only obstacle — para magtuloy-tuloy na ang flow ng negotiation,” the he said.
“Ang view namin dito, ako particularly, mas maiging lumaban kami nang hinog kaysa hilaw,” he added.
Tertiary-level professors’ salary restructuring fund remained in ongoing talks.
USTFU President Emerito Gonzales said that while crossed out from current talks, the SHS salary restructuring fund would be prior-
itized during the renegotiation for the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
“Ang comments po ng NCMB (National Conciliation and Mediation Board) conciliator-mediators, ang salary restructuring ng SHS should be top priority in the renegotiation of the CBA, for AYs 20242025 and 2025-2026,” Gonzales said.
CBAs, which outline terms and conditions of work, are typically renegotiated halfway through their term. However, the UST faculty CBA is already in its penultimate year, prompting an immediate renegotiation in August.
Gonzales said the UST Board of Trustees is considering four out
EDITOR: MABEL ANNE B. CARDINEZ
► UST management and UST Faculty Union representatives seal a compromise deal for the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on Tuesday, May 20. — PHOTO FROM BATAS MANGGAGAWA
EDITOR: KARIS M. TSANG
Inside UST interior design students’ trauma-informed orphanage spaces
By John Kobe S. Balod
FOURTH-YEAR interior design students from the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) have launched an outreach initiative aimed at creating healing-centered environments for orphanages and abandoned children.
Titled “Agapay,” meaning “support” or “guidance” in Filipino, the project involved designing trauma-informed interior spaces for a facility managed by Good Shepherd, which provides care for children facing abandonment or neglect.
Angelique Alfar, one of the project
heads, said the team deliberately used a palette of muted, cool-toned hues such as pastel blues, greens, and pinks to promote emotional regulation and reduce stress.
“These shades were specifically chosen because they promote relaxation and a sense of stability, which is so important for children coming from difficult situations,” she told the Varsitarian Alfar said the layout prioritized softness and openness by incorporating curved furniture, layered textures, and natural light, all intended to make the space feel welcoming and less clinical.
“Privacy and comfort were carefully balanced to ensure the children feel both safe and free, not boxed in,” she said.
The designs, made as part of the UST CFAD students’ on-the-job training, covered key areas in the facility, including bedrooms, living areas, isolation rooms, and prayer corners.
“Through thoughtful and intentional design, we wanted to build an environment that feels safe, warm, and empowering,” she said. “A place where these children can begin to heal, grow, and feel like they belong.”
Mediartix mounts mythical music spotlighting Sierra Madre’s struggles
By Divine P. De Los Reyes
MULTIMEDIA organization
UST Mediartrix closed its season with the musical “Sierra Madre,” built on the tales and struggles of the namesake mountain ranges and the people who call it home.
The musical revolves around the Sierra Madre myth and spans different points in time, from the past with characters Serra and Lusong, to modern times with the teacher Sienna and the children under her charge.
Connecting them are Serra’s children, Iloco and Tagalo, who, in the musical, is also the father of Sienna.
Serra is a leader who dedicates herself to safeguarding her community from Bugsong Hangin. Hangin is a deity who harbors romantic feelings for Serra but later turns against her due to her affection for Lusong.
Serra’s descendant, Sienna, connects the myth to the present. She’s a teacher who educates the children living in the mountains of Sierra Madre. She later earns the ire of the mayor, who wants to build a dam for the sake of progress, even at the cost of the people’s homeland.
“Naging very playful lang kami with the existing characters. Paano namin siya isasalin with the present time, ano
kami bubuo ng mga karakter na kokonekta mismo do’n sa mga taong pinaka-maapektuhan ng issue na tinatalakay nu’ng story,” said Joshua Tolentino, one of the playwrights.
The musical consisted of 14 original songs and instrumental compositions, all aimed at shedding light on the realities of people affected by the controversial Kaliwa Dam project, which may submerge half of the homes in the Sierra Madre village if constructed.
“It’s not just a stage play, but it’s the start of a movement. And we wanted to call everyone’s attention and awareness to what’s really happening in the Sierra Madre,” said Jearianna Burgos, one of the directors.
The musical ended with a call to action to the audience.
“The ending was really challenging for us to write kasi ayun, kung makikita naman natin, ang kwento ng Sierra Madre ay hindi pa rin tapos hanggang ngayon,” said playwright Rio Celine Zafra.
Mediartrix partnered with organizations advocating for Sierra Madre, such as Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance Inc., Youth Climate Navigators, Alyansa Tigil Mina, and Fostering Education and Environment for Development Inc.
The musical ran at Albertus Magnus Auditorium for sev-
The project’s designs were exhibited at the Main Building until May 21.
Artistang Artlets fuse past and present in season finale
By John Kobe S. Balod
CAPPING ITS 44th season, Artistang Artlets, the official theater guild of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, staged the musical “Mula sa Akin,” a two-act production set in two starkly distant timelines. Directed and co-written by communications senior Romayne Humiwat, the musical explores two parallel storylines involving a theater production in the 1900s and a film production in the early 2020s.
As members of the play and film’s cast and crew receive letters from their future selves, the two-act
musical touches on themes of fate, artistic passion, and friendship.
Humiwat said she wanted the songs to stay true to their respective periods: the songs in the first act were heavily inspired by the Kundiman, a traditional Filipino ballad with predominantly romantic themes, while the second act embraced modernity with pop songs. Malaquias (Mari Ymanuel Roxas) was an exception to this rule, as he was able to traverse past and present.
In one of the play’s stand-out sequences, his character performs “Kwentong Keke,” a rap song set in the 1900s, taking a page from the Broadway hit “Hamilton.”
Humiwat said “Mula sa Akin” aligned with Artistang Artlets’ central theme for its 44th season, change, as it explored the inevitable changes in life.
“It’s something people need not be afraid of,” she said.
Humiwat said the musical also explored how artists from different backgrounds could come together and incite change through art.
“They want to tell a story, because that story can change the lives of the people,” she said.
Mula sa Akin” ran from May 7 to 10 at the Medicine Auditorium.
► The exhibit ‘Agapay’ by UST interior design students is held at the Main Building on Thursday, May 8, as part of the department’s outreach initiative. — PHOTO BY JOHN KOBE S. BALOD
► UST musical theater organization Mediartrix stages the last day of the musical ‘Sierra Madre: Isang Musikal’ at the Education Auditorium of the Albertus Magnus Building on Saturday, May 3.—PHOTO BY PAUL ELMER R. PINILI
Pope Leo XIV to journalists:
‘Communicate in favor of peace’
By Vince Alfred M. Pillagara
JOURNALISTS SHOULD strive to communicate in favor of peace amid conflicts, injustice, and poverty in the world, Pope Leo XIV said to media professionals during an address at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on May 12.
Speaking before more than 1,000 media members from around the world, the Pope highlighted the role of journalists in peace-making and expressed his solidarity with them.
“Strive for a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it,” he said in Italian.
“The Church recognizes in these witnesses – I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives – the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” the pontiff added.
He also reflected on the lessons of this year’s World Day of Social Communications, which calls for “communication that is capable of listening.”
“You are at the forefront of reporting on conflicts and aspirations for peace, on situations of injustice and poverty, and on the silent work of so many people striving to create a better world,” he said. “For this reason, I ask you to choose consciously and courageously the path of communication in favour of peace.”
POPE LEO XIV
is first American, Augustinian pontiff
By Logan Kal-El M. Zapanta and Nyah Genelle C. De Leon
CARDINAL ROBERT Francis Prevost was elected the 267th Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church on May 9, taking the name Leo XIV and breaking new ground as the first pope from the United States and the Augustinian order.
A white plume of smoke exited the Sistine Chapel’s chimney on Friday midnight (Manila time), a signal from the 133 cardinal-electors that their work was done, and that the next successor of St. Peter has been chosen.
Cardinal Dominique Mamberti stepped out onto the loggia of St. Peter’s nearly an hour later and declared, “Habemus papam!” (We have a pope!), announcing Prevost’s election as the Church’s new leader.
Donning his red mozzetta, the pope held back tears as he waved to the throng of Catholics.
He expressed in his inaugural speech his gratitude to his late
predecessor, Pope Francis, and called on Catholics to remain steadfast in building bridges and embracing peace.
He also delivered his first traditional Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing.
“Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to be reached by God and his love,” the pope said. “Help us too, then each other, to build bridges, with dialogue, with encounter, uniting all of us to be one people always at peace. Thank you, Pope Francis!”
“We want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks together, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always tries to be close, especially to those who suffer,” he continued.
His regnal name takes from Pope Leo XIII, whose renewed focus on workers’ rights, emphasized by his landmark 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum (Of New Things), earned him the moniker, the “Social Pope.”
Prevost was born on Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of French, Italian, and Spanish descent. He was ordained a priest in 1982 after earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Philadelphia and a master’s of divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
He completed his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, the top Dominican higher education institution that has produced the likes of Pope St. John Paul II and the Venerable Fulton Sheen.
Prevost was made cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and was later appointed head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, one of the Curia’s biggest departments. He also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
He was elevated to the highranking cluster of cardinal-bishops in 2025.
Prevost served as prior general
of the Order of St. Augustine from 2001 to 2013. He is the second pope in a row to come from a religious order, after Pope Francis, who was part of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
Although raised in North America, Prevost spent many years as a missionary, teacher, and parish priest in Peru in Latin America. He acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015, the same year he was appointed archbishop of Chiclayo in the northwestern part of Peru.
Continuity from Francis?
Many have considered this year’s conclave a turning point for the Church, especially considering the polarizing legacy left by Pope Francis’s vision of a more global, synodal, and diverse Church.
Though seen as more conservative than his predecessor, Prevost is expected to continue much of Pope Francis’s reforms in the global Church.
Prevost shares with Pope
restructuring FROM PAGE 4
of five proposals from the union for the SHS salary restructuring, though it has yet to give its approval.
In March, the SHS faculty association decrwied the alleged drastic cuts to their proposed salary upgrade, after the UST administration’s initial P10.5-million salary upgrade was supposedly slashed to P5.5 million and further down to P1.5 million.
UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta, head of the administration panel in the CBA talks, said it was USTFU that “refused the allocation for SHS faculty salary upgrades altogether and proposed removing it.”
SHS has about 230 faculty members, while tertiary-level faculty number more than 2,000. WITH REPORTS FROM SYDNEY VENICE V. BERBA
Thomasians recall encounters with ever-smiling Father Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV
By Ammiel B. Maestrado and Rev E. Dela Cruz
LONG BEFORE he stepped onto the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Leo XIV, then-Fr. Robert Francis Prevost had already left a simple but lasting impression on two Thomasians — a seminarian and a support staff member — during his time as head of the Order of St. Augustine.
The American-born priest visited the Philippines at least nine times during his 12-year term as Augustinian prior general.
In September 2010, Carlo Olayta, who was then a 19-year-old support staff member at UST’s Laboratory Equipment and Supplies Office, joined a friend at the solemn profession of an Augustinian nun at the Augustinian Monastery of the Mother of Good Counsel in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. Little did he know, Augustinian friars from across the globe were also
present for a general chapter. Among them was Prevost, who was inside the cloister during the dinner gathering.
“I told my friend, ‘Let’s wait for Father Prevost.’ It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment din na may darating na prior general dito sa Philippines. Hindi natin alam kung kailan ‘yong sunod,” Olayta told the Varsitarian
“Very smiley siya. Very malumanay. Very gentle. Very approachable. Very humble and simple. Hindi siya ‘yong mafi-feel mo na intimidating,” he recounted.
So when Leo was announced to the world as the new pontiff, Olayta was stunned. He immediately searched for the photo he had taken with Prevost 14 years ago.
“It’s very surprising. The Lord really works in mysterious ways. He surprises you. ’Yong mga encounters pala natin na akala natin very simple lang ay puwede palang mag-lead to something profound. You learn to appreciate mo-
ments,” he said. Also crossing paths with the future pope was then-seminarian Rayvin Garcia in 2013 during the blessing of the newly renovated Augustinian semi-
► Garcia with Prevost in 2013 (left), Olayta with Prevost in 2010 (right).
► PHOTO BY ROY LAGARDE
► Pope Leo XIV turns emotional after receiving the Fisherman’s Ring, the official symbol of the Petrine office, during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on May 18. — PHOTO FROM VATICAN MEDIA
Leading Church in ‘postWestern world’ among Pope Leo XIV’s biggest challenges, says Dominican cardinal-elector
By Reya Vincent P. Misa
POPE LEO XIV will have his hands full as he begins a pontificate marked by the challenge of forging a truly multicultural and synodal Church, while also finding ways to reignite faith among the youth, according to a Dominican cardinal.
For Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, one of the cardinal-electors who participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, one of the pressing challenges facing the new pontiff is guiding the Church into the “post-Western world.”
“The Church is ever more global. We rejoice in the rise of Catholicism in Africa and Asia. How can we be truly a Church of many cultures? The Roman Curia is still very Italian in language and spirit. How can the Church be open to non-Western ways of being?” Radcliffe said in an exclusive interview with the Varsitarian.
At the same time, the Church should prioritize its relationship with the youth.
“How can we touch the imagination of the young with our faith? They love adventure. We need to show them the passionate adventure of entering the mystery of infinite love,” he said. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal
Robert Prevost, is the first pope from the United States and the Order of St. Augustine.
According to Radcliffe, a former master of the Order of Preachers, having roots in a religious order would help the new pontiff face the challenges of the modern Church.
Leo is also a former superior of his own Augustinian order.
“We, religious orders, understand synodality and community. It is in our DNA,” Radcliffe said.
“So in this time when we need to nurture our unity, a Bishop of Rome who is a religious has a tradition and experience which will be helpful to the whole Body of Christ,” the English Dominican added.
Based on his encounter with the then-Cardinal Prevost during the Synod on Synodality, Radcliffe said Pope Leo XIV would be well-suited for the Petrine ministry.
“I was immediately struck by his gentleness and strength. This is a marvelous combination,” he said.
Radcliffe served as the Synod’s retreat preacher, while the Prevost participated in his capacity as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
“When you talk with him, he is completely present. I am sure that he will heal many wounds in the Church.
Papal Conclave 2025
Scenes from the Vatican as cardinals from around the world gathered for the papal conclave, which spanned two days and selected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Supreme
Pope Leo XIV to bring missionary charism to papacy - head of PH Dominicans
By Ammiel B. Maestrado
AS THE Church transitions to new leadership, the head of the Filipino Dominicans believes Pope Leo XIV will continue the legacy of the late Pope Francis while bringing his own missionary charism to the papacy.
In the days after Leo was elected pontiff, observers have been quick to draw comparisons between him and his predecessor Francis—pointing to Leo’s commitment to the marginalized while painting him as more centrist than Francis.
“He is also a missionary. He’s in the field. So, he knows what’s happening on the ground. You know he has a heart…I think, precisely, [he] was selected because of what [he] has.”
For Fr. Filemon dela Cruz, O.P., prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, continuity is a must, but every pope will eventually have to shepherd the Church in his own way but attuned to the times.
He truly understands synodality and how it can renew and strengthen our communion with each other in the Lord,” he added.
Pope Leo XIV, in his first traditional Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing when he was introduced as pope on May 8, announced his intention to continue the late Pope Francis’s legacy of building a synodal Church.
“We want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks together, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always tries to be close, especially to those who suffer,” the new pontiff said.
Leo officially began his Petrine Ministry as the 267th supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church with solemn liturgical rites at St. Peter’s Basilica and Square on May 18.
“He (Pope Leo XIV) is his own person. Every papacy is a continuation and a break. A break in the sense that you bring your own gift, your own charisma,” dela Cruz said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
“We pray that he will respond to the needs of the Church and the world today. There are already some hints. He will be aggressive in terms of social concerns because he’s coming from the missions. But there are also things he will learn along the way.”
Drawing from his own experiences as an administrator, dela Cruz said Pope Leo XIV would “grow in his office.”
“You start with a kind of continuity. You don’t start with a big break because that’s difficult to manage. At first, he will be like Pope Francis, but along the way, he will learn to do things his way. That is what is needed, to be your person, that is your own gift to the Church,” he added.
Dela Cruz believes that Leo’s background as a canon lawyer and missionary experience in Peru will influence the way he governs the Church.
“Canon lawyers, when they think, they want things to be clear. Otherwise, they cannot make a ruling. So, here comes a new pope who is a canon lawyer. Maybe he would be more careful or clear about his pronouncements,” he said.
The new pontiff completed his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, a top Dominican higher education institution.
While born and raised in North America, Leo spent many years as a missionary, teacher, and parish priest in Peru in Latin America, eventually serving as archbishop of Chiclayo in the northwestern part of Peru.
Dela Cruz, who is now serving his second term as head of Filipino Dominicans, looks forward to seeing how the Pope’s Augustinian spirituality will help him in overseeing the 1.4 billion faithful entrusted to his care.
He also referred to how Dominicans are historically linked with Augustinians due to the Rule of St. Dominic being derived from that of St. Augustine.
“Being an Augustinian, the way he understands spiritual life is a resource where he could draw things. So I feel a certain closeness to him as a Dominican,” he said.
“Augustinians are for people who want to live together in the community. There are many items in the (Rule of St. Augustine) that relate to that. So, I think it’s a good resource for him to build the Church, to build the community.”
Pope Leo XIV is the first pope from the Order of St. Augustine, where he served as prior general from 2001 to 2013.
He officially began his Petrine ministry on May 18.
ALBUM
Pontiff of the Universal Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
PHOTOS BY NIKKO A. BALBEDINA AND ROY LAGARDE
► Dela Cruz
► Radcliffe
EDITORIAL
Opposition’s resurgence in polls sparks cautious optimism
ASTONISHING IS an understatement for the outcome of the 2025 midterm elections — the most participated in to date — which proved not only a watershed moment for the Philippines but also a hopeful signal for a democratic recalibration.
Results of the May 12 polls defied expectations and pre-elections forecasts, many of which had significantly favored celebrity candidates and political dynasts. What transpired instead was an election that delivered crucial gains for the erstwhile languishing opposition — previously reduced to minimal presence in government — now revitalized with more figureheads in local and national positions.
At the forefront of this resurgence were returning senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, both of whom surpassed even their own camps’ projections by landing in the top five of the 2025 senatorial race, belying the so-called “default” assumptions perpetrated by pre-election surveys.
Aquino emerged as one of the election’s biggest surprises. Propelled by a youth-driven grassroots campaign and the enduring ring of his family name, Aquino won in eight of the 10 most vote-rich provinces and secured 20.97 million votes, the second highest in the race.
Pangilinan, another familiar figure of the opposition, also delivered a comeback, running on a focused platform of agricultural reform and food security, which earned him 15.34 million votes and the fifth place.
The opposition’s victories were not confined to the Senate. In the House of Representatives, left-leaning party-list Akbayan made history by topping the party-list race with 2.7 million votes
— enough to secure three seats, the first of which will go to human rights lawyer Chel Diokno.
Former senator Leila de Lima, who was jailed for nearly seven years under former president Rodrigo Duterte on trumped-up drug charges, also won a House seat as the first nominee of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list, which garnered 547,949 votes.
Indeed, the 2025 polls were a breath of new life for the Philippine opposition, which in the
The 2025 polls were a breath of new life for the Philippine opposition, which in the past had been battered by a prolonged period of defeat and demoralization.
past had been battered by a prolonged period of defeat and demoralization. Lest we forget, the Otso Diretso coalition was completely shut out in the 2019 midterms, and the opposition suffered another blow during the 2022 national elections, with only Sen. Risa Hontiveros winning a senatorial seat in the 19th Congress.
Analysts credit this rare breakthrough to the rising political engagement of the youth that can be traced back to the “pink wave” that rallied be-
hind former vice president — and now Naga City Mayor — Leni Robredo. Many who volunteered back then cast their first votes in 2025, transforming idealism into action.
This year’s polls saw a record-breaking voter turnout of 82.2%, the highest in Philippine midterm history. The surge was largely fueled by younger voters, both first-time participants and a burgeoning bloc of politically active millennials (ages 29-44) and Gen Z (ages 18-28).
But while the 2025 results were optimistic for the opposition and worrying for the domineering Marcos and Duterte clans, the road ahead to 2028 remains fraught with obstacles. Several candidates aligned with the Duterte-Marcos coalition still made it to the “Magic 12.”
Two of Duterte’s original “DuterTen” slate ranked in the top three: Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go topped the race with 27.12 million votes and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa ranked third with 20.77 million.
SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and incumbent Sen. Imee Marcos — both seen as loyal Duterte allies — placed sixth and 12th, respectively.
Administration-aligned candidates also fared well: Erwin Tulfo ranked fourth with 17.11 million votes; former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson at seventh (15.10 million); former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at eighth (14.83 million); former senator Pia Cayetano at ninth (14.57 million); House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar at 10th (13.65 million); and reelectionist Sen. Lito Lapid at 11th (13.39 million).
Notably out of the Magic 12 were TV per-
Conserving the Main Building, from its centennial in 2027 and beyond
In
the Round KARIS M. TSANG
INSIDE THE 21.5-hectare expanse of the UST Sampaloc campus stands, quite literally at its heart, the Main Building, the historic first structure built when Asia’s oldest university moved from Intramuros to its current home.
Now, turning 414 years old this year, UST is also preparing to mark the centennial of the Main Building, which has stood witness to nearly a quarter of the University’s extensive history.
Designed by Dominican engineer Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., the Main Building has long been the most distinct and recognizable face of the University. Often mistaken for a church, this structure is a remarkable architectural feat, being Asia’s first earthquake-resistant building.
The Main Building opened to the public in July 1927, and since then has endured some of the most turbulent chapters in Philippine history, including the Pacific War when the Japanese invaders turned it into an internment camp.
It is because of this historical and cultural significance that the Main Building was declared a National Cultural Treasure (NCT) in 2010, alongside the equally important Arch of the Centuries, the Central Seminary, and UST’s open spaces. This rare designation, granted ahead of the University’s quadricentennial celebration in 201, made UST the first educational institution in the country to receive such an honor.
But with this distinction comes responsibility. Under Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, the University is tasked with protecting and preserving its NCTs.
While the Main Building remains an architectural and engineering marvel, time and elements have undeniably taken their toll. Air pollution, climate shifts, and even well-intentioned but unsuitable maintenance practices — like high-pressure water cleaning — have all contributed to the structure’s gradual wear.
Still, this does not mean that all is lost, or that UST has done nothing to preserve its most prized structure. On the contrary, the nearing centennial of the Main Building offers UST a timely opportunity to re-evaluate and reinforce existing conservation efforts to preserve the structure up to its centennial and beyond.
The University laid essential groundwork as early as 2004 with “The UST Main Building Conservation Management Plan” by Clarissa Avedaño. Building upon this foundation with updated studies and continuous care is both wise and necessary.
It is equally important that restoration and maintenance work be done by professionals trained specifically in heritage conservation. The University has taken steps in this direction, offering programs such as the month-long Certified Heritage Building Conservation Specialist course in 2021 through the Graduate School’s Center for Continuing Professional Education and Development. Expanding these efforts and requiring proper accreditation for any work on the building would help ensure that interventions are both respectful and effective.
To support future large-scale restoration efforts, UST would also benefit from strengthened
Joselito
First head of Filipino Dominicans Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, O.P. dies at 87
By Ammiel B. Maestrado
FR. ROGELIO Alarcon, O.P., the first prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, died on Saturday, May 17. He was 87.
His death was announced by Angelicum School Iloilo in a Facebook post, where they described him as a “visionary and education reformist.”
“In a society that uses ranks and grades to measure a man’s worth, he dared to redefine education and cherish a child’s individuality instead. He trusted in the uniqueness of each person, of every soul, in educational quests not bound by time or limited by walls, but paced by mission, contemplation, and grace,” the school said.
Alarcon was elected to lead the Dominican Province of the Philippines when it was founded in December 1971. He served for two consecutive four-year terms until 1979.
Recognizing the need for a school in Quezon City, he proposed a non-traditional approach to education.
He founded UST Angelicum College, the pioneer non-graded learning system in the Philippines, in 1972 with just six classrooms, a small library, and nine teachers serving 315 boys.
In 1978, he established Angelicum School Iloilo in Jaro.
In an effort to extend education to the poor, the college established the
sonality Willie Revillame, broadcaster Ben Tulfo, and former senator Bong Revilla. Their defeats are telling and may indicate a shifting tide: name recall and celebrity status are no longer guaranteed tickets to public office, and Filipino voters appear to be choosing more conscientiously.
With the mixed but surprising results, the 2025 midterms cracked open a Pandora’s
Re-entry Agenda for the Poor (REAP) in 1998.
Alarcon authored “The Angelicum Experience,” which explained his approach and philosophy toward education, in 1975.
UST, in a circular, remembered Alarcon’s legacy as an education reformist.
“We remember a friar who saw Christ in every learner and who worked tirelessly to ensure that education becomes a transformative journey accessible to all, especially the poor and marginalized,” UST said.
The Nueva Ejica-born friar professed to the Order of Preachers on July 29, 1957.
He was ordained priest on May 31, 1964.
Over the years, he served in various key roles including theology professor, principal, school director, counselor, and pastor.
Alarcon was honored with the Ten Outstanding Young Men Award in 1972.
He was also feted with the UST The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni (TOTAL) Award, the highest honor conferred by UST upon its graduates, for education in 1995.
His wake was held from
box of political possibilities that would ultimately ripen before 2028. It was a statement of resistance and a rejection of dynastic and personality-drive politics that have long plagued the Philippine electoral landscape.
Still, the victories of Aquino, Pangilinan, and other staunch opposition figures must not be mistaken for a guaranteed change in 2028. The ruling coalition remains vast, welloiled, and well-funded. Political dynasties continue to wield power in both local and national spheres. But what has undeniably changed is the growing realization, especial-
ly among the youth, that political apathy is no longer an option, and that silence would only enable the status quo.
If the opposition can harness this awakening by uniting behind a credible, principled, and visionary slate, and by articulating a bold, inclusive roadmap for the nation, then 2028 might not only bring new leadership but a genuine change in direction.
The resurgence must not end with individual wins. It must restore faith in democratic values and reclaim the promise of participatory governance.
collaborations with institutions like the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Museum, which can provide both technical expertise and funding.
Conserving the UST Main Building
would also sends a strong message: that heritage and progress can go hand in hand. As the University expands to General Santos — where a modern version of the Main Building stands — preserving the original in Sampaloc can symbolize continuity, tradition, and responsible growth.
As we look toward its centennial, UST has the rare chance to lead by example in heritage preservation. This is especially
important in a country where historical buildings are too often lost to neglect or commercial pressure.
Because more than a structure, the Main Building represents UST’s enduring values that have sustained its excellence through four centuries. Preserving this structure reaffirms UST’s commitment to honoring and protecting our past, so it may continue to guide our future.
Engineering alumnus among 10 killed in Tarlac multi-vehicle crash
By Amanda Luella A. Rivera
A UST electrical engineering alumnus and his wife were among the 10 people killed in a tragic multiple vehicle collision at the Tarlac section of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) on May 1.
Jon-Jon Alinas, 33, was identified by police as one of the fatalities in the crash, which resulted from a bus ramming into four cars near an SCTEX toll plaza. The crash left 37 people injured, including the bus driver.
Alinas graduated from the Faculty of Engineering in 2011 and had served as an assistant electrical engineer at Rockwell Land Corp.
He and his wife, Philippine Coast Guard Seawoman 1 Dain Janica Alinas, along with their two-year-old child, were reportedly travelling to Baguio when the crash occurred at noon on May 1.
According to a report by The Philippine Star, a bus operated by Solid North Transit, traveling from Cubao to Lingayen, Pangasinan, collided with multiple vehicles after the bus driver fell asleep.
The bus crashed into a tractor-truck, a Nissan Urvan, a Kia Sonet, and a Toyota Veloz queuing at the SCTEX toll plaza.
Alinas’s son survived the crash and was found amid the wreckage still strapped to his car seat.
Jeffrey, Alinas’s brother, appealed for privacy and urged the public to refrain from sharing photos of the couple from the crash scene.
“During this difficult time, we are deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and condolences from everyone who has reached out to comfort us as we grieve
►
our loss. We may not be able to respond individually, but please know that we sincerely appreciate your sympathy,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
“Our family is still in deep grief, and my young nephew, who miraculously survived, is now left without his parents. This is not just a story or content — this is our real, painful loss. Please let them rest in peace, and allow us the space to mourn with dignity,” he added.
A funeral for the couple was held on May 7 in Bulacan. Following the crash, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the suspension of Solid North Transit’s operations for 30 days, while the bus driver faces charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicides, physical injuries, and property damage.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board required all public utility vehicle drivers and conductors to undergo comprehensive road safety training and mandatory drug tests.
The Solid North Transit bus driver’s license was permanently revoked.
Ex-Spanish prof Dennis Maturan dies at 59
By Ella Mae A. Sison
FORMER Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) instructor Dennis Maturan, who taught Spanish courses at UST for a decade and was a passionate collector of religious images, passed away on May 7 after suffering multiple organ failure. He was 59.
His death was announced by Artlets and confirmed to the Varsitarian by her sister, Maya.
“The [Artlets] community deeply mourns the passing of Sir Dennis Raymond P. Maturan, who was formerly part of the Department of Modern Languages and handled Spanish courses in UST for about 10 years,” the post read.
“May the bereaved family find comfort and strength, and let us offer our prayers for the eternal repose of his soul,” it continued.
Maya said her brother suffered both septic and cardiogenic shock, resulting in heart failure and acute kidney injury. Born on Jan. 23, 1996, Maturan handled courses involving the Spanish language and the historical and cultural context of Catholicism in Spain at Artlets. He also taught at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and San Sebastian College.
Maturan was also a longtime member of the Congregacion del Santisimo Nombre del Niño Jesus.
The congregation based in Ermita, Manila is dedicated to devotees of the Sto. Niño.
Maturan’s father is the late actor and singer Diomedes Maturan.
His nephew, also named Diomedes, described the late professor as someone who cared for others silently.
“He was never really the talkative type, at least with my family, but I always knew he was an intelligent person,” he told the Varsitarian
May 18 to 20 at the Sto. Domingo Parish.
Alarcon was laid to rest on May 21, 9 a.m. at Santuario de Santo Domingo.
► Dominican priests bless the remains of Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, O.P., founder of UST Angelicum College and Angelicum School Iloilo.
— PHOTO BY CHLOE ELYSSE B. IBAÑEZ
► The remains of Fr. Rogelio Alarcon, O.P. are laid to rest at Santuario de Santo Domingo in Quezon City on Wednesday, May 21.
— PHOTO BY CHLOE ELYSSE B. IBAÑEZ
Alinas
► Maturan
COMICS
Compromise Deal
FROM PAGE 4 ►
Also deferred for discussion during the renegotiation was the P10.5 million salary restructuring fund for Senior High School faculty members, which was excluded from the current talks to give way for smoother negotiation.
Disagreements over the UST faculty CBA escalated into a legitimate industrial dispute on March 25, when USTFU filed a strike notice with NCMB.
This followed a vote among union members, with a majority choosing to deny UST management’s final offer and raise the deadlocked negotiations to government mediators.
UST management called on the Secretary of Labor to assume jurisdiction a day after, which, if granted, would have prevented any strike or lockout.
Union negotiators initially planned a strike vote for May 15 due to continued disagreements with UST management over four economic provisions, but this was deferred to “give this development a chance to unfold.”
Father
FROM PAGE 6 ►
ment with a Dominican.
Dominicans are historically linked with Augustinians due to the Rule of St. Dominic being derived from that of St. Augustine.
“I introduced myself as a theology seminarian at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary. Upon hearing ‘UST,’ his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, ‘Oh, Do-
Senate Seats
FROM PAGE 1 ►
Former senators Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan are set to return to the Senate after finishing at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively. The two opposition candidates had topped the Varsitarian’s pre-election poll among UST students.
At No. 4 was Erwin Tulfo, brother of incumbent Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who led the administration’s bets with 17.11 million votes.
Other members of President
Pope Leo XIV
FROM PAGE 6 ►
Francis the commitment to the poor and migrants. He once played a key role in one of the late pope’s most groundbreaking reforms that added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.
A close friend of Prevost, Fr. Mark Francis, told Reuters that the
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Senate slate who clinched spots in the Magic 12 are as follows:
Former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson at No.7 with 15.10 million votes;
Former senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at No. 8 with 14.83 million votes; former senator Pia Cayetano at No.9 with 14.57 million votes; Las Piñas Rep. and House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar at No. 10 with 13.65 million votes; and reelectionist Sen. Lito Lapid at No. 11 with 13.39 million votes. MIGUEL
ANGELO B. MARCO
new pontiff is a “firm supporter” of Pope Francis’s papacy and pastoral approach.
In an interview with Vatican News in October 2024, Prevost said, “A bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them and to suffer with them.”
Prevost was elected in the largest and most diverse conclave in Church history, with a total of 133
Communicate Peace
FROM PAGE 6 ►
This year’s World Day of Social Communications carries the theme “Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts.” It will be celebrated in June.
The theme was released by Pope Francis in January 2025.
The newly elected pontiff added that media members must “promote communication that can bring us out of the ‘Tower of Babel,’” referring to the biblical story where human pride led to the breakdown of a
common language.
“Your service, with the words you use and the style you adopt, is crucial...Communication is not only the transmission of information, but it is also the creation of a culture, of human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the journalists who covered Pope Francis’s death and the conclave, thanking them for the “service to the truth.”
The meeting with media professionals was one of the new pope’s first activities since being elected on May 8.
cardinal-electors from 71 countries participating. It took four ballots and less than 24 hours for them to arrive at the two-thirds majority.
The prospect of an American pope had long been considered unlikely due to the enormous influence the global superpower US already wields.
As he charts the next chapter of the Church, Pope Leo XIV invoked the help of his brother cardinals.
“I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who chose me to be the
Successor of Peter and to walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice, always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries,” Prevost said.
“I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: ‘With you I am a Christian, for you I am a bishop.’ In this sense, we can all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us.”
minican! Dominican!’” Garcia told the Varsitarian
“It was a delightful moment of connection. The bond between the Augustinians and Dominicans is deeply rooted. This shared spiritual heritage may have contributed to the warmth and approachability Father Prevost showed.”
Eventually, Garcia was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Fernando in Pampanga, while Prevost rose through the ranks — first as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, then as
cardinal prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
“From the very beginning, he struck me as a man of deep intellect, spiritual wisdom, and genuine compassion,” Garcia said.
Notably, Pope Leo XIV completed his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, a top Dominican higher education institution.
Upon learning of the pope’s election, Garcia received the news “with profound joy and gratitude,” describ-
ing him as a “Thomasian at heart.”
“Knowing that Father Prevost drew his formation from a Dominican academic environment deepened my sense of kinship with him. It inspired me to consider canon law not just as a field of study but as a pastoral mission,” he said.
Garcia, now a student priest at the UST Central Seminary, hopes that Pope Leo XIV will be a “unifying shepherd of the Church.”
“I trust that under his leadership, there will be a harmonious balance
between the cognitive and affective dimensions of pastoral governance — a thoughtful integration of reason and compassion, doctrine, and mercy.”
For Olayta, the pope stands at a crossroads in leading the Church in an “ever-changing time.”
“Hopefully, he will also listen to both sides of the paradigm of Catholics — liberals, conservatives, traditionalists, modernists — para magkaroon tayo ng middle ground. And I hope that we could be one and walk together with Christ.”
BARKADROP JON ANGELO D. PAGULAYAN
CHECK! AISHA SOFIA M. FORTES
FIVE YEARS REGINA LOUISE DLC. SANOTA
Prevost
Golden Tigresses settle for bronze after Final Four heartbreak vs DLSU
By Rob Andrew L. Dongiapon
THE UST Golden Tigresses settled for the bronze medal after stumbling against the DLSU Lady Spikers in four sets, 25-22, 11-25, 25-21, 25-21, ending their UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament campaign at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, May 3.
DLSU, which secured the twice-to-beat edge in a playoff victory against UST on Wednesday, will face the NU Lady Bulldogs in the finals.
UST ended the season with a 9-5 record in the eliminations, while the Lady Spikers advanced to the Season 87 finals against the NU Lady Bulldogs.
Angge Poyos carried UST’s offensive load with 22 points on 20 attacks, while Regina Jurado added 21 markers on 20 kills. No other Tigress scored in double digits in the loss.
The Tigresses struggled to contain the Lady Spikers’ attacks early in the first set, allowing DLSU to take control from the start. A Poyos error gave DLSU a 25-22 first-set win.
UST dominated the second set, capitalizing on DLSU’s errors while finding their mark on offense. The Tigresses opened with a 12-5 run and never looked back, cruising to a 25-11 win.
In a nip-and-tuck third set, UST found itself in a 20-all deadlock but lost momentum in the final stretch as DLSU scored the next three points, 23-20. Shevana Laput and Angel Canino stifled a last-gasp effort from Cassie Carballo to clinch the 25-21 set win.
Down 16-15 in the fourth, UST absorbed a 4-1 run from DLSU that widened the gap to 20-16. The Ti-
gresses responded with four unanswered points to tie it at 20-all.
However, the Lady Spikers caught fire once more, sparking a 4-0 run before Poyos’ service error ultimately sealed UST’s fate and sent DLSU to the finals.
Canino led the Lady Spikers with 19 points on 17 attacks, while Amie Provido and Laput added 15 and 14 points, respectively, in a balanced outing for the finals-bound DLSU. The Tigresses, meanwhile, secured their second bronze medal in three years, following a silver-medal finish in Season 86.
UST Lady Fencers halt UE’s reign to
capture historic first UAAP title
AFTER 28 years, the UST Lady Fencers brought home their first-ever championship in the UAAP women’s fencing tournament after toppling three-time defending champion UE at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Friday, April 25.
The Lady Fencers wrapped up Season 87 with a 3-3-1 gold-silverbronze medal haul. They bested UE, which finished with a 2-2-1 haul, and denied the Red Warriors a fourth straight title, ending a streak that began in Season 82.
“Pinapangarap namin ito na makuha nga, at ‘yon, nakuha rin naman namin kaya sobrang saya ng lahat,” UST saber coach Donnie Navarro told the Varsitarian. “Kung malakas talaga lahat, sobrang laki ng chance na maging champion.”
In women’s saber, Janna Catantan, Kristel Chacon, and sisters Kim and Krystal Tuy fended off UE’s Queen Dalmacio, Shareem Belteam, Jaymi de los Santos, and Adrienne Lising to capture gold and secure the overall women’s title, 45-40.
UST held an eight-point cushion after the eighth bout, 40-32. Then Dalmacio, a 2023 SEA Games silver medalist, closed in against the rookie Tuy in the ninth boutl. Tuy, however, held her ground to win the match and clinch the title.
“Obviously, since member siya ng national team, kinabahan din talaga ako,” Krystal told the Varsitarian. “Pero sabi sa akin ng seniors ko,
NU sweeps UST in do-or-die, extends Golden Spikers’ title drought to 13 years
By Brenn Allen L. Flores
THE UST Golden Spikers ended their UAAP Season 87 campaign with the bronze medal as they fell to the NU Bulldogs, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, in the door-die Game 2 of their Final Four clash at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, May 7.
The loss extended the Golden Spikers’ title drought, with their last championship dating back to Season 73 in 2011. It also marked their lowest placement since finishing fifth in Season 81.
NU punched its ticket to a 10th straight finals berth, once again ousting the Golden Spikers. The Bulldogs had also bested UST in the finals in Seasons 85 and 86.
ando’n lang sila sa akin sa likod ko. ‘Yon ‘yong nagbigay sa akin ng lakas ng loob para ma-push through and mapanalo ‘yong last bout.”
“Masaya talaga like sobrang nakaka-overwhelm ‘yong feeling. No’ng una po parang we felt pressured pero nakaya namin. Masaya talaga.”
Catantan was hailed as the women’s Most Valuable Player, while Alexa Larrazabal was named Rookie of the Year.
Cantantan, Kezia Chua, Alexa Larrazabal, and Bhea Raguin settled for silver in women’s epee, 45-41. In the men’s division, the foil
team composed of Markke Abaygar, Joseph Amores, Paul Pasan, and Jose Soyangco copped bronze after suffering a blowout loss to UE, 45-8.
Meanwhile, the Tiger Fencers, who finished with silver last season, slipped to fourth and ended their Season 87 campaign with a 0-2-3 medal haul.
“‘Yong sa men’s, hindi naman pangit ‘yong laro nila, maganda rin naman,” Navarro said. “‘Yon nga lang, hindi na kami nakabalik kasi sobrang hirap talaga mag-adjust.”
Navarro said UST would continue to elevate its fencing program as the
results show it is on the right track.
“Sa tingin ko ime-mentain ko lang ‘yong training namin kasi sobrang okay naman siya e. Ang nangyari lang kasi syempre ‘pag UAAP, sobrang laki no’ng pressure,” the saber coach said.
“‘Yon ‘yong kailangan namin tutukan kapag kinakabahan. Kailangan may gawin kami do’n para mas maayos pa namin ‘yong performance namin.”
UST will miss the services of key players Adam Maano and Ruby Sardenia in Season 88. JOAQUIN
EDGARDO A. CORTEZ
NU’s offense was firing on all cylinders, converting a blazing 54.76% of their spike attempts, with Leo Ordialez leading the charge with 19 kills on 30 tries, while Jade Disquitado added 13 off 22 attempts. They also capitalized on the Golden Spikers’ miscues, racking up points off 20 UST errors.
Trailing 17-13 in the opening set, UST mounted a 10-6 run — capped by a Josh Ybañez tip — to tie the game at 23-all. However, Ordiales’ quick kill and Obed Mukaba’s block kill halted UST’s momentum and secured a one-set lead for NU, 25-23.
UST controlled most of the second set, leading 15-10 midway through courtesy of Trevor Valera’s quick attack.
However, the Golden Spikers committed 10 errors in the frame, allowing NU to cut the deficit to two, 23-21. The Bulldogs then closed the set on a 4-0 run to steal it, 25-23.
The Golden Spikers struggled to find their rhythm early in the third set but stayed within striking distance at 20-18.
Refusing to fold, UST capitalized on a Greg Ancheta attack error to level the score at 23-all and keep its finals hopes alive.
With UST’s season on the line, the returning Michaelo Buddin and Disquitado delivered consecutive off-theblock kills to crush the Golden Spikers’ comeback bid and clinch NU’s finals berth, 25-23.
Ybañez led UST with 14 points and 13 excellent receptions, while Gboy de Vega added 12 points to round out the Golden Spikers’ double-digit scorers. Ordiales paced NU with 20 points, followed by Disquitado with 14 markers.
► The victorious UST Lady Fencers pose for a photo on the strip following their historic title-clinching win on Friday, April 25, shattering a 28-year championship drought by winning the UAAP Season 87 women’s fencing tournament. — PHOTO BY VIO NEIRO M. VILLAESCUSA
► Ybañez
► The UST Golden Tigresses are overcome with emotions after crashing out of the Final Four in a four-sets defeat against DLSU on Saturday, May 3, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. — PHOTO BY JAMES MICHAEL M. MAGBOO
