THE VARSITARIAN P.Y. 2020-2021 ISSUE 07

VOLUME XCII / NO. 7 · JUNE 20, 2021 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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UST turns 410 ‘We need to love more than ever’

UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. called on Thomasians to “love more than ever” in a Eucharistic celebration commemorating the University’s 410th founding anniversary.

Ang, the 97th Rector Magnificus of UST, said it was important to recognize the milestone even amid the difficulties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Tinatanong ko ang aking sarili kung nararapat ba tayong magdaos ngayon ng espesyal na okasyon kung kailan marami ang nagdurusa at naghihirap sa buhay dala ng hamon ng pandemya. [Ngunit] kailangan nating mabuhayan ng loob para mapagpatuloy ang akademikong komunidad,” Ang said in his homily on April 28, UST’s foundation day.

The Rector underscored the importance of looking back at UST’s rich history so Thomasians could move forward with their Thomasian identity intact.

“Nararapat at napapanahon na magbalik-tanaw tayo sa kasaysayan ng Unibersidad upang may mapulot tayong aral at inspirasyon. Magkaiba man tayo ng karakter…nagkakaisa tayo bilang mga Tomasino,” he said.

“In history, we look into the past like a mirror in hopes of

seeing ourselves clearly reflected and to understand the future,” Ang added.

Quoting ex-UST rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., Ang pointed out that the history of UST has been “impelled by faith, propelled by hope and compelled by love [and] charity.”

“Thomasians, going to the history of the University is not intended at all to burden your memory. It is meant to illuminate your soul and revitalize the Tria Haec hiding inside you. We need to love more than ever,” Ang said.

The Tria Haec (Latin for “These Three”) refers to the three theological virtues — faith, hope and love — represented by three statues on the Main Building tower.

Ang also urged Thomasians to acknowledge their limitations and entrust themselves completely to God. “Today, there is an ongoing war: the war for life, war for health and war for well-being… We deal with weaknesses and vulnerabilities with the grim reality of sorrow, death and desperation…We need to hope more than ever even if there are causes for despair. Hope transcends such hardships,” Ang said.

The theme of the celebration is “500 years of Christianity and 410 years of Fidelity,” in line with the quincentennial of Christianity in the Philippines.

As part of its 410th anniversary celebration, UST held an online concert called “Musikang Tomasino: Tapat sa Diyos at Bayan,” which featured a 45-minute compilation of works by Thomasian composers. It was live-streamed via the UST Conservatory of Music Facebook page and YouTube channel.

UST turns 410 ► PAGE 11

Fr. Richard Ang, O.P FILE PHOTO

Benigno Simeon Aquino III 1960-2021

‘May his legacy of integrity inspire all Filipinos’ THE UNIVERSITY offered its condolences to the family of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who died on the morning of June 24 at the age of 61.

“The Thomasian family joins the nation in praying for the eternal repose of the soul of the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines, His Excellency Benigno “Noynoy” Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III,” UST said on its social media accounts.

“May the former President with his legacy of humility and integrity continue to serve as an inspiration to the country’s future leaders,” it added.

The University remembered Aquino, who, in his words, recognized UST for having “educated the best the country has to offer” during the Quadricentennial celebration in 2011.

The late president died in his sleep at the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City due to renal disease secondary to diabetes, according to his family.

Aquino’s friends and former colleagues mourned his passing.

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, who belongs to Aquino’s Liberal Party, cited the ex-president’s moral rectitude.

“Nakakadurog ng puso ang balitang wala na si PNoy. Mabuti siyang kaibigan at tapat na Pangulo. He tried to do what was right, even when it was not popular,” Robredo said.

Aquino’s vice president, Jejomar Binay, said, “Noynoy and I may have had political differences during the last few years of his term, but that will not diminish the many years of friendship between our families.”

Ateneo de Manila University, where Aquino earned his economics degree, also extended its condolences.

“Ateneo is one with the Filipino nation in mourning the death of former President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III, the 15th President of the Philippines and a distinguished Ateneo alumnus,” it said.

PNoy’s death a ‘wake-up call’ ► PAGE 10

‘Teachers are most important resource in online learning’ ACADEMIC institutions should learn how to prioritize teachers amid challenges in learning brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, to fulfill their missions of providing quality education.

During the Passion for Scholarship And Love for Mission or “PSALM” Conference on April 23, UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta said teachers are the most important resource amid online learning.

“Teachers are our most important resource and partners in the mission of producing competent, compassionate, and committed Thomasians,” Peralta said.

“The realization of a school’s mission lies in the intensity of its teachers’ passion,” she added.

Peralta said UST faced many

challenges, such as technology and internet limitations, adjustments in assessments, grading schemes, modifications in work arrangements and support services for faculty and students, but was able to weather them.

“Even prior to the pandemic, UST has put a lot of premium on the pursuit of excellence and continuous quality improvement in order to remain relevant,” she said.

Asst. Prof. Carmina Vicente of the College of Education said student-teacher interaction in the distance learning setup is “the cornerstone around which to build effective schools.”

Marilyn Tinio, vice principal of the Okinawa International School in Japan, urged teachers to be considerate in handling student matters.

Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization Director Ethel Valenzuela said the lack of well-trained teachers and the poor condition of schools in many parts of the world have been jeopardizing education quality.

“Clear expectations for teachers have to be set, high-performing and promising students should be encouraged to enroll.

Teacher support is essential,” she said.

The inaugural PSALM conference was a confluence of the College of Education’s 95th anniversary, the 14th Fr. Antonio Gonzales, O.P. Memorial Lecture, the 6th Dr. Lourdes Custodio Memorial Lecture and the 2nd Nenita Caralipio Honorary Lecture.

NUEL ANGELO D. SABATE AND KIMBERLY G. HIPOLITO

NEWS page3

National Artist Arturo Luz passes away Thomasian National Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz died on May 26 at age 94.

WITNESS pages 6-7

‘Be wary of misinformation,’ Pope tells Catholics

UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta delivers the opening address for the PSALM Conference on Apr. 23. SCREENSHOT FROM THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION’S EVENT FEED

POPE FRANCIS urged Catholics and social communication ministries to be wary of misinformation and to verify before sharing information in his message for the 55th World Communication Day.

SCIENCE page8

‘Believe only in vaccine info based on science’ A DOMINICAN priest-scientist urged Filipinos to only believe in scientific data as the country deals with low vaccine confidence and politicians promoting an unproven and unregistered antiparasitic drug as Covid-19 treatment and prophylaxis.

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NEWS

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

ACTING NEWS EDITOR: LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

ARTURO LUZ, ARTIST OF SEVERE FORMALISM; 94 Thomasian National Artist for the Visual Arts passed away on May 26, 2021

Arturo Luz PHOTO FROM UST’S FACEBOOK PAGE

NATIONAL Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz died on May 26. He was 94 years old.

His death was announced by his daughter, Angela, in a Facebook post.

Luz studied at the old UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts, where he became a student of the likes of Diosdado Lorenzo, Victorio Edades and Galo Ocampo, before training internationally at the Art School of the Brooklyn Museum in New York and Académie Grade Chaumière in Paris.

In 1997, he was named National Artist Award for Visual Arts, the highest recognition given to Filipino artists.

His earlier works were inclined toward linearity and simplicity. He, later on, shifted to geometric art and abstraction in collages, paintings, prints and sculpture, infused with oriental and Asian sensibilities.

In the 1950s, Luz began to center his works on Philippine life. His formalistic and minimalist approach, combined with his architectural designs, produced a style distinct from his foreign influences like Paul Klee.

His expertise in drawing lines and figures was shown in “Binondo Houses,” a pen and ink on paper from the 1950s.

He drew an abstract, geometric “bahay na bato” with narrow, checkered lines on the roof and irregular shapes and curves that

served as windows.

In “Imaginary Landscape,” a 2012 painting on graphite and acrylic on canvas, Luz rendered monochromatic leaf- and grasslike figures on a red background, designed with checkered and triangular patterns.

He received several foreign scholarships, including from Spain in 1953, Italy in 1963, and the United States in 1963. He joined various exhibitions abroad, including the Philippine Cultural Exhibition held in New York in 1953, Arte de América y España in 1963, the 11th Sao Paolo Biennale in 1971, the Tokyo International Print Biennale in 1974, and the 8th British International Print Biennale in 1984.

Among his works recognized internationally are the “Candle Vendor” painting, which sold for HK$2 million at a Christie’s auction, and a mural dubbed “Black and White,” which can be seen in the lobby of the Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Luz was one of the founding members of the modern Neo-Realist school in Philippine art, along with Jose Joya, Edades, Vicente Manansala and HR Ocampo.

He was the founding director of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. He established the Luz Gallery in 1960, which has, according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, “inspired and developed a Filipino artistic community that nurtures impeccable designs.”

In a statement, UST recognized Luz as an alumnus who “paved the way for abstract expressionism in the Philippines,” freed from renowned artist Fernando Amorsolo’s romantic styles.

Arturo Luz ► PAGE 11

Artlets kicks off yearlong 125th anniversary celebration THE UST Faculty of Arts and Letters opened its 125th anniversary celebration with a Eucharistic celebration on April 19, with the celebrants reflecting on the mission and contributions of the country’s oldest liberal arts college.

Artlets Regent Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P. presided over the Mass.

“Siguro kung walang pandemya ngayon maririnig natin ang ingay ng AB sa buong University. Ang laki ng kontribusyon ng AB sa ating University. Galing diyan ang mga peryodista, artista, pati na mga aktibista. Lahat ng nagbibigay buhay sa ating University, most of them ay nanggaling po sa Faculty of Arts and Letters,” he said.

Artlets alumnus and UST Communications Bureau Director Fr. Christopher Jeffrey Aytona, O.P. delivered the homily.

“As we celebrate another milestone in the history of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, for the past 125 years, we have, The St. Raymund de Peñafort building, named after the patron saint of canon lawyers, houses most AB programs. FILE PHOTO

indeed, been beneficiaries of God’s unending grace,” he said.

“Above all these, we direct our students to the sublime truth, who satisfies all our needs – God! Let us not forget that the principal purpose of Catholic, liberal education is still to form disciples — people who know Christ, follow Christ and make Him known. Not excellence in education, as important as that is; not equipping students to have successful careers, however valuable

that may be, but forming disciples.”

The Faculty of Arts and Letters, which used to be the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (or Philets), is the University’s most diverse tertiary academic unit, offering 13 bachelor’s degree programs in 10 departments.

It was designated by the Commission on Higher Education as a center of excellence in philosophy, while the literature, communication and journalism programs are centers of development.

Founded in 1896, it has produced National Artists, including Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Lumbera, Cirilo Bautista and F. Sionil Jose, as well as media practitioners, philosophers, linguists, and historians.

According to the Faculty’s Facebook page, the quasquicentennial celebration will be celebrated with activities until April 2022, including academic conferences, alumni lectures, awards and competitions and outreach programs.

J.B. MARTINEZ

3 grads land in Top 10 of Pharmacy boards TWO THOMASIANS landed on the top 10 of the April 2021 licensure examinations for pharmacists, where UST was the fifth top-performing school.

Anna Teresa Galian, who scored 89.95 percent, the second-highest score among this year’s 1,168 examinees, led the fresh

Anna Teresa Galian (top) and John Miguel P. Nicolas (bottom) are UST’s top pharmacists in the 2021 licensure exams.

(PHOTOS FROM THE UST WEBSITE)

batch of Thomasian pharmacists.

John Miguel Peralta Nicolas secured the seventh spot with a score of 88.45%.

Only 12 Thomasians took the examinations, of which 10 passed.

Angelo Proceso Feliciano Zarate of the Lyceum Northwestern University-Dagupan City topped this year’s examinations with a 90.70-percent score.

Saint Louis University was the best-performing school, with all 16 of its examinees making the cut.

Of the 1,168 examinees who took the examinations, 674 clinched passing scores. LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST third among PH schools in 2021 global ‘impact’ rankings THE UNIVERSITY placed third among Philippine universities in the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) ranking of universities based on the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs).

UST ranked in the 601-800 worldwide bracket with an overall score of 47.6-56.5.

UST placed in the 301-400 bracket in last year’s THE Impact Rankings.

Nestor Ong, head of the UST Office of QS/THE Rankings, said that while the University’s rank slipped, it was important to acknowledge that UST was able to maintain a spot in the rankings.

“Despite the fact of our limited mobility being granted…due to the pandemic, we still worked together for submission and met the November 30, 2020 deadline for both THE Impact Rankings 2021 and renewal of our QS Stars Certificate,” Ong told the Varsitarian.

UST is the top Philippine university in SDG 4 or “Quality Education.”

It placed second in the country for SDG 3 or “Good Health and Well-being” and SDG 7 or “Affordable and Clean Energy.”

Meanwhile, UST figured in the 401600 range for SDG 17 or “Partnership for the Goals.”

Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Tarlac Agricultural University and Mapua University were the other Philippine universities in this year’s rankings.

The THE Impact Rankings is the only global performance ranking that assesses universities in terms of the United Nations’ SDGs. JAMILAH B. ANGCO

SCI-TECH

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

EDITOR: MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG

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Austriaco: ‘Believe only in science-based vaccine info’ A DOMINICAN priest-scientist urged Filipinos to only believe in scientific data as the country deals with low vaccine confidence and politicians promoting an unproven and unregistered antiparasitic drug as Covid-19 treatment and prophylaxis.

(Left to right) Gabriel Suarez, Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E. developers Souichi Takahama and Andrea Pauline de Guzman, and Amira Malipol mount the system at the D’Banquet Restaurant in Tagaytay City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

UST startup rolls out 5-second Covid-19 contact-tracing system Results of a Pulse Asia survey released in March revealed that only 61 percent of Filipinos were willing to get inoculated against Covid-19, while 23 percent are unsure whether to get the vaccine.

But vaccines against Covid-19 help regardless of varying efficacy rates, said Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a molecular biologist and visiting professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

The best vaccine is the “vaccine that is offered to you,” he said during Inkblots: The Webinar, the first online edition of the journalism conference organized by the Varsitarian.

“You should not worry about the efficacy because all three of these vaccines have been shown to be protective against severe disease and hospitalizations,” said Austriaco, who is also a member of the OCTA research group.

The three vaccines Austriaco referred to were China’s CoronaVac, UK’s AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V— some of the vaccines that will be used in the Philippines’ inoculation drive.

Austriaco said that the most important effect of the vaccines is preventing an individual from contracting severe Covid-19. “[A]ll three of these vaccines have been shown to be 100-percent protective against severe disease and hospitalizations. What does this mean? It means that if you are vaccinated with any of these vaccines, you may get Covid-19, but that disease will be mild and you will need not to go to the hospital—and that’s what really is important,” he said.

A separate survey conducted by Austriaco’s team, the UST Covid-19 Vaccine (UST-Covax) Awareness Team, recently found that only 55.9 percent of Filipinos were willing to get vaccinated.

The survey asked respondents to rate their confidence and preference in Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in three regions namely China, Russia and the West.

Among the three choices, vaccines made by European or American developers garnered the highest confidence rate at 75.3 percent; 38.6 percent were most confident in Russian vaccines; and 17.7 were in most confident of those made in China.

Recently, some lawmakers have started campaigning for the use of ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug, for Covid-19 treatment.

Currently, the registered Ivermectin products in the country for human use are in topical formulations under prescription use only, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is used for the treatment of external parasites such as head lice and skin conditions such as rosacea.

Science-based ► PAGE 9

Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E, which stands for “Buildings and Establishments Automated Temperature Reading Integrated Contact Tracing Equipment,” was developed by electrical engineering alumni Souichi Takahama and Andrea Pauline De Guzman.

The duo makes up EEnovatics, a startup under the Department of Science and Technology-TOMASInno Center, the official technology

business incubator of UST. The project is a dedicated contact tracing equipment where users can scan their QR code (which is obtained via a one-time registration), do a temperature check, and disinfect with alcohol— all without the need for smartphones, internet access and human contact, Takahama told the Varsitarian in an interview.

He said the idea for the project came after he personally experienced difficulties in repeatedly filling out contact tracing forms in establishments, which takes time and increases exposure to the virus.

Compared to other contact tracing systems, Project B.E.A.T.R.I.C.E can complete entrance procedures in as fast as 5 seconds.

Staff and employees of establishments will also be able to limit their exposure to people entering.

Last Dec. 18, the EEnovatics team was able to develop and deploy one working unit for a restaurant in Tagaytay City through the help of a sponsor.

They are looking for investors to further develop their project. CAITLIN DAYNE A. CONTRERAS

College of Science weighs in on Nayong Pilipino mega facility; calls for community vaccine centers THE UST College of Science urged the government to build more community-based vaccine sites instead of the proposed “mega vaccination center” at the Nayong Pilipino grounds in Parañaque, which would require cutting 500 trees.

In a statement, the college said the construction of the mega vaccination center would defeat the purpose of public health standards such as the imposition of travel restrictions, social distancing protocols and the like.

“Covid-19 vaccination facilities should be inclusive and in reach of every community. The mega vaccine facility is not inclusive, efficient, nor safe for everyone who may need to travel from their lo-

cality to the centralized facility, thus increasing their exposure to non-household and non-community contacts,” the May 20 statement read.

“Gathering hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in a single location would be unwise at best and life-threatening at worst. Unless all primary health protocols would be secured, this mega vaccination facility may do more harm than good,” it added.

A single mega vaccination site would also be disadvantageous to the marginalized and vulnerable populations, especially for senior citizens Nayong Pilipino ► PAGE 9

Nayong Pilipino is converted into a 525-bed mega quarantine facility in 2020. PHOTO FROM THE NAYONG PILIPINO FACEBOOK PAGE

Are face shields effective versus Covid-19?

The Philippines has a face shield conundrum.

It has been months since the government started requiring Filipinos to wear face shields on top of face masks when going out in public.

Face shields were initially only required by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases in public transportation and inside malls and other commercial establishments.

The revised policy to include the general outdoors came after the country experienced a surge in infections in December 2020 as quarantine restrictions eased and more people went out during the holiday season.

Since then, calls to abolish the face shield requirement have been gaining traction.

In June, Manila Mayor Franciso “Isko Moreno” Domagoso appealed to the national government to stop requiring the public to wear face

ART BY ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA

Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P.

A PAIR of UST graduates has developed an automated system promising a hassle-free registration for Covid-19 contact tracing in establishments.

shields.

“Ang face shield ay dapat ipatigil nang i-require sa general population at gamitin na lamang sa ospital upang makabawas sa gastusin at intindihin ng taumbayan,” he said.

“Tayo na lang yata sa buong mundo ang nag-rerequire ng face shield sa kalsada. Dapat pag-isipan uli ito. Marami na tayong natutunan.

We should adjust.”

His statements were met with resistance by the IATF and other government officials.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque claimed that wearing a face mask, a face shield and observing social distancing provides protection from Covid-19 almost equal to that provided by vaccines.

“So sa akin po, sa siyensiya may basehan po iyan, sa gastos bagamat nagastusan po ang ating mga kababayan, e halos lahat naman po mayroon nang face shield so wala na pong extra gastos po iyan,” he said.

Former Covid-19 National Task Force adviser Dr. Anthony Leachon

also backed the face shield requirement, citing a Lancet study which found that aside from wearing face masks, the eye protection face shields provide “could incur additional benefit” against possible Covid-19 contraction.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire likewise said that face shields are required to be worn inside malls, schools, workplaces and other public spaces wherein the observance of the one-meter physical distancing is not possible and there is gathering of more than 10 people at the same venue at the same time.

How effective are face shields?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face shields generally offer only eye protection and the gaps alongside the face may allow respiratory droplets to enter.

Are face shields effective? ► PAGE 11

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WITNESS The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

EDITOR: MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

Tagle tells Thomasians:

‘Be agents of hope amid pandemic’ THOMASIANS must strive to give hope to others amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said during the University’s Easter Recollection, “Bearers of Easter Hope,” on April 23 “Become agents of hope, agents of the risen Lord. Give others a sense of hope. Be the presence of the risen Lord. Tell them they are not alone. Encourage them to start again,” said Tagle, the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

The former Manila archbishop said that the Covid-19 pandemic could be causing people to despair, but “the light of the risen Lord is a sign of hope.”

“Hope is being able to see the future that is opened up by God for us, not the future that is fabricated by us. It is possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus,” he added.

Tagle assured Thomasians that it was normal for them to encounter problems in life.

“A problem-free life is just an illusion.

It leads to more despair,” he said. “But thanks to Jesus, all pain and suffering could become self-strengthening agents.”

“The Lord changes the meaning of what we’re going through. Pain will remain, but there is hope in the recognition of the risen Lord who is always with us. Let us trust in His promise to be with us until the end of the ages,” he said.

Cardinal Tagle ► PAGE 10

THOMASIAN COMMUNITY PANTRY

Santisimo Rosario Parish, Simbahayan launch ‘kindness stations’ THE SANTISIMO Rosario Parish and UST-Simbahayan Community Development Office launched their own twist to the community pantry initiative—two “kindness stations” on Dapitan and P. Noval streets.

The stations were located at UST Gate 10 on Dapitan Street and Gate 7 on P. Noval Street.

The kindness stations served from Apr. 25 to May 16, said.

Food items such as instant noodles, rice, eggs, vegetables, biscuits, juice, canned goods, milk, hygiene products and rosaries were distributed.

Taking inspiration from Caritas Manila’s “Alay Kapwa sa Pamayanan,” Talavera said the commu-

nity pantry aims to “decentralize humanitarian response,” unlike the traditional top-to-bottom donor-to-beneficiary model.

“This [community pantry] is a very Christian response to the current situation of need in our country [where] the apostles sold their personal belongings, to share in common and give according to those who are in need,” he told the Varsitarian.

Talavera said the parish enforced health protocols following the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and had coordinated with barangay officials, police and UST administrators.

Those lining up were required to wear face masks shields, bring their quarantine passes and observe social distancing. Minors and senior citizens were not allowed to fall in line.

UST students, employees and alumni, parish servants, religious sisters, lay Dominicans and other donors supplied stocks for the kindness stations. ’Community pantries exemplify hope, mirror the Gospel’

During the University-wide Easter recollection Mass on April 23, Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Pablo Tiong, O.P. said the community pantry movement could be seen as a symbol of the Eucharist and God’s love.

“Itong phenomenon na community pantry is a sign of hope [because] it mirrors the Gospel.

Nailalarawan ang pagmamahal, pag-aalay ng ating Panginoon sa atin,” Tiong said in his homily.

(This community pantry phenomenon is a sign of hope because it mirrors the Gospel. It exemplifies the love and sacrifice of the Lord to us.)

Tiong said the system of people taking only what they needed and donating what they could promoted charity by encouraging Filipinos to consider not only their own well-being but also that of others.

“If Jesus in the Eucharist becomes the body of Christ, then there has always been a Eucharistic pantry. [Kaya] ang pinakamagandang gift na maiaambag natin is ourselves. When we follow Jesus in our hearts, then that’s the only time we can offer truly,” he said.

‘Bayanihan spirit embodied’ ► PAGE 10

People flock at the “kindness station” set up by the UST Santisimo Rosario Parish and Simbahayan office along P. Noval street.

PHOTO BY JAMILAH B. ANGCO/ THE VARSITARIAN

Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, O.P. (PHOTO FROM UST WEBSITE)

Former OP prior provincial named vice rector of Central Seminary FORMER Dominican prior provincial Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, O.P. has been named vice rector of the UST Central Seminary.

Sipalay replaces Fr. Cecilio Vladimir Magboo, O.P., the master of students at the Dominican house of studies at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.

As vice rector, he will assist Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P., rector of the UST Central Seminary, and will work as the official bursar or financial administrator and the immediate formator for the students in the seminary.

Sipalay became the 12th prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines and the University vice chancellor in 2016. Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. was elected as the new provincial in January.

Sipalay professed in the Dominican Order in 1991 and was ordained priest in 1997.

He studied philosophy at the Philippine Dominican Center of Institutional Studies in 1992 and earned his bachelor’s degree in sacred theology at the University in 1995. He finished his licentiate in 1997.

From 2006 to 2015, he became a missionary in Sri Lanka where he taught the theology of consecrated life at the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka in Kandy.

He also served as secretary to the Committee for Religious Formation of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors of Sri Lanka from 2009 to 2015.

Sipalay was previously prior of the Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Manaoag, Pangasinan. MA. ALENA CASTILLO

Pope Francis condemns fake news; calls for truthful info POPE FRANCIS urged Catholics and social communication ministries to be wary of misinformation and to verify before sharing information in his message for the 55th World Communication Day. “[The Internet] is a powerful tool, which demands that all of us be responsible as users and consumers,” the Pope said.

“All of us are responsible for the communications we make, the information we share and the control that we can exert over fake news by exposing it. All of us are to be witnesses of the truth: to go, to see and to share,” he added.

The Pope emphasized that communicating in person was irreplaceable for “some things can only be learned through firsthand experience.” “‘Come and see’ is the simplest Communication day ► PAGE 10

WITNESS

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

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‘Make St. Dominic your model,’ urges new OP PH provincial

“This celebration calls to mind and invites us to our own call to holiness and sanctity like our Father St. Dominic…and to the mission that he has entrusted to the brethren: ‘Go and preach’” THOMASIANS were urged to emulate the devotion of St. Dominic to preaching despite tough hurdles, during the University Mass for the memorial of the translation of the relics of St. Dominic on May 24 at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.

Prior Provincial Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. led the Eucharistic celebration for the 800th dies natalis (death anniversary) of St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers.

“This celebration calls to mind and invites us to our own call to holiness and sanctity like our Father St. Dominic…and to the mission that he has entrusted to the brethren: ‘Go and preach,’” said de la Cruz.

The University vice chancellor also urged the faithful to respond to the call of being a “citizen of heaven” like St. Dominic, by journeying with and inspiring others toward holiness.

There are two feast days honoring St. Dominic on the Dominican calendar: the birth and feast day of St. Dominic on Aug. 8 and the memorial

Prior Provincial Filemon de la Cruz, Jr. O.P. delivers the homily during the University Mass for the memorial of the translation of St. Dominic’s relics on May 24. SCREENSHOT FROM UST LIVESTREAM

of the translation of his relics on May 24.

Twelve years after his death on May 24, 1233, Dominican friars moved St. Dominic’s body, during which, it was said, he emanated the “odor of sanctity,” a phenomenon recognized in Catholic theology as an indication of sainthood.

“What was very striking was the wonderful aroma that covered the whole place when they opened the coffin of St. Dominic. It is said that anything that you attach to the coffin or relics of St. Dominic, somehow the aroma is transferred to the item. Somehow that is the background of the celebration,” de la Cruz said.

With the theme, “A Table With St. Dominic,” the memorial was part of the jubilee celebration for the 800th dies natalis (death anniversary), set by Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P., Master of the Order of Preachers.

The celebration focuses on “St. Dominic as a saint enjoying table fellowship with his brothers, gathered by the same vocation to preach God’s word and sharing His gift of food and drink.”

In 1216, St. Dominic de Guzmán founded the Order of Preachers to combat heresy and address the intellectual and spiritual needs of the Church during his time.

He died on Aug. 6, 1221 and was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on July 13, 1234.

M. A. O. CASTILLO AND S. T. SADANG

POPE URGES DOMINICANS:

‘Be at forefront of preaching the Gospel’ POPE FRANCIS called on Dominicans to bring the Gospel to the peripheries and be inspirations for Christians worldwide in his message for the 800th death anniversary of St. Dominic.

“May the Order of Preachers be in the forefront of a renewed proclamation of the Gospel, one that can speak to the hearts of the men and women of our time and awaken in them a thirst for the coming of Christ’s kingdom of holiness, justice and peace,” the Pope said in a letter to the Master of the Order of Preachers, Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P. The Pope emphasized the efforts of St. Dominic to establish an ecclesial community with a “fraternal unity and missionary discipleship” in preaching the Gospel through words and deeds.

“His (St. Dominic) witness to the mercy of Christ and his desire to bring its healing balm to those

experiencing material and spiritual poverty was to inspire the foundation of your Order and shape the life and apostolate of countless Dominicans in varied times and places,” said the Pope.

In his response, Timoner thanked the Pope on behalf of Dominicans worldwide.

Timoner narrated how St. Dominic and the Pope’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, both embodied “saintly fraternity and friendship” as the foundation of their works of evangelization.

“Indeed, it is marvelous that on this providential coincidence of jubilees, a confrere of Ignatius, the first Pope who chose the name Francis writes a letter to the family of Dominic!” Timoner said.

On May 24, the Order of Preachers marked the anniversary of the Memorial of the Translation of St. Dominic, one of the two feast days

honoring St. Dominic on the Dominican calendar.

Twelve years after his death, on May 24, 1233, Dominican friars moved St. Dominic’s body, during which, it was said, he emanated the “odor of sanctity,” a phenomenon recognized in Catholic theology as an indication of sainthood. M. A. O. Castillo and J. B. Martinez

Master of the Order of Preachers and UST Chancellor Fr. Gerard Timoner III, O.P. meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

PHOTO FROM THE OP WEBSITE

Msgr. Sabino Vengco, Jr., theologian and professor; 79

Msgr. Sabino Vengco, Jr. PHOTO FROM THE HOLY FAMILY PARISH FACEBOOK PAGE

MSGR. SABINO Vengco, Jr., a known promoter of the welfare of elderly and sick Filipino priests, passed away on May 17. He was 79.

Vengco died at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center where he had been admitted since the previous week. His cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

After contracting Covid-19 in March, the priest was taken to Cardinal Santos Medical Center. He then recovered and was released from the hospital earlier this month.

He was confined again at the same hospital on May 11 and underwent gallbladder surgery on May 13.

Vengco taught theology at the UST Central Seminary, Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo de Manila University and the Recoletos School of Theology in Quezon City.

He completed his master’s studies in philosophy, magna cum laude, at Ateneo de Manila and diplomate studies in liturgy, summa cum laude, at the Catholic Faculty of Theology of Tier in Germany.

In 1965, he was ordained priest for the Diocese of Malolos.

He was also founding chair of the “Kadiwa sa Pagkapari Foundation,” an organization fostering the welfare of elderly Filipino priests.

Vengco received the “Serviam” award during the Catholic Mass Media Awards in 2007 for his role in conveying Christian values through the media.

In 2009, he was awarded “Gawad Sagisag Quezon ” by the Komisyon sa Wikang Pilipino for his exemplary use of the Filipino language in the media and the “San Jose Award ” as an outstanding alumnus of San Jose Seminary.

He was also the “Bukas Palad” awardee of Ateneo de Manila in 2003 and “Outstanding Catholic Author” in 1989.

The Bulacan provincial government conferred on him the “Dangal ng Lipi (Paglilingkod sa Pamayanan)” in 2010.

He was also a columnist for BusinessMirror.

The funeral Mass was held on May 22 at the National Shrine of St. Anne in Hagonoy, Bulacan, presided by Malolos Bishop Dennis Villarojo.  M.D.M.P. REYES and J.V.V. YAP

6

CIRCLE

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

EDITOR: MA. JASMINE TRISHA L. NEPOMUCENO

Conservatory holds concert for UST’s 110th Foundation Day THE UST Conservatory of Music mounted “Musikang Tomasino: Tapat sa Diyos at Bayan,” a virtual concert, on April 29 to celebrate the University’s 410th founding anniversary.

“The concert was our simple contribution to UST’s 410th founding anniversary celebration,” Music Dean Antonio Africa told the Varsitarian.

The concert opened with the UST Wind Orchestra’s performance of the UST March, composed by Capt.

Campania and arranged by Assoc. Prof.

Herminigildo Ranera, Xavier Celestial and the late Fr. Benildus Maramba, O.S.B. It was followed by “Tatlong Awit,” an original composition by Africa, consisting of Psalms 150, 13 and 67 from the Bible. Psalms 150 and 67 express praise and exaltation, while Psalm 13, lamentation.

Africa said that the psalms were arranged in such an order that the 13th psalm was in the middle of the 150th and 67th to give contrast to the piece.

The audio recording played during the foundation concert was taken from the 2019 concert, “Tribute to the Thomasians: Pasasalamat sa Tomasinong Kompositor.”

For the third piece, award-winning pianist Michael Valenciano performed Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31 in A Flat Major, Op. 110, his winning piece in the New York Young Performers Prize competition in April.

This was followed by Coro Tomasino’s performances of “Pie Jesu,” composed by one of its members, Fran-

cisco de Guzman Jr., and “Nativitas,” arranged by John August Pamintuan.

“Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep,” music education major Michael Fabian’s composition, inspired by a poem by Mary Elizabeth Fraye written in 1932, was also featured in the concert.

“I have heard many songs dedicated to those who have died because of the pandemic…but I haven’t heard of a song whose focus is to console the ones they’ve left behind,” Fabian told the Varsitarian.

“The song highlights hope amidst the loss of a loved one, an inspiration to all and a reminder to keep holding on no matter how hard life’s challenges may be,” Fabian added.

The renowned UST Singers were also featured in the concert through video recordings of their performances of conductor Fidel Gener Calalang’s “Ama Namin” from Italy in 1998 and “Psalm 100” from Germany in 2018.

The concert ended with the UST Hymn, which was composed by the first director of the Conservatory of Music, Julio Esteban Anguita, written

by José Maria Hernandez and later orchestrated by the late Fr. Maramba.

It was chosen as the official hymn when it won a national contest in 1961 during the 350th anniversary of the University.

The concert was originally scheduled to premiere on the 28th of April but was delayed for a day due to technical difficulties. JAMILAH B. ANGCO

The “Papuri: The Tiples de Santo Domingo” documentary showcases performances of the Tiples de Santo Domingo choir. SCREENSHOT FROM UST’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Documentary on Tiples de Santo Domingo wins award in Manhattan film fest Film on oldest choir in the Philippines is produced by CTHM regent Father Mactal, O.P. A DOCUMENTARY about the oldest existing boys’ choir in the country, the Tiples de Santo Domingo, won best documentary short in the Spring 2021 International Film Festival Manhattan in New York in May. “Papuri: The Tiples de Santo Domingo,” a 20-minute documentary shot in 2019, was directed

by Rey Memije and produced by Tourism and Hospitality Management Regent Fr. Roland Mactal, O.P. “[Papuri was created] so the future generation will be able to remember the glory of the past [and] keep the tradition as well, [especially] as we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity [and] the 800 years of the dies natalis of our holy father St. Dominic de Guzman” Mactal, himself a former Tiple, told the Varsitarian.

Mactal said he wanted to document the history and rich cultural heritage of the Tiples de Santo Domingo, the oldest existing boys’ choir in the Philippines.

The documentary centered on the history, lifestyle and spirituality of the Tiples, while also

featuring their 2018 Christmas Concert with the UST Symphony Orchestra, Conservatory of Music faculty members Eugene de los Santos and Raul Sunico, singer Dulce, and American opera singer Arthur Espiritu.

Tiple is a Spanish word meaning “highest and the rightest human voice” or simply “male soprano,” choir spiritual director Bro. Glen Mar Gamboa, O.P. explained in the documentary.

The choral group is composed of 30 boys aged seven to 16, who are taught to sing, serve, and assist in masses.

It was established by Fr. Pedro Bolaños, O.P. upon the arrival of the Dominicans in the Philippines in 1587.

The first batch of Tiples was based in Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, where the image of La Naval de Manila was originally located. Shortly after the church was bombed in World War II, the Marian image was relocated to the University of Santo Tomas, and so were the Tiples.

The documentary recalls the beginnings of the group, which

used to live inside the convent to keep rigid rehearsal schedules while studying. Nowadays, the boys no longer live inside the church compound.

The Tiples were usually granted scholarships, as this was the primary assistance given by the Dominican priests to poor and deserving boys who were willing to serve by singing during religious ceremonies.

“They have imbibed in their training a certain Dominican lifestyle, Dominican spirituality, wherein they give importance not only in singing but also studies and their spirituality,” Mactal said of the Tiples in the documentary.

The International Film Festival Manhattan is an annual event that allows filmmakers and artists to exhibit their works in New York.

This year, the event was held online from May 28 to 30.

JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ AND LARISSA MAE C. TAN

10 documentaries showcase intangible PH cultural heritage

BY MA. JASMINE TRISHA L. NEPOMUCENO

The International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region has launched 10 video documentaries featuring Philippine cultural heritage.

The documentaries are part of a documentation project for intangible cultural heritage, implemented in 2015.

Intangible cultural heritage, according to Unesco, is defined as the traditions or living expressions inherited from ancestors and passed on to the next generations. Such include oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and production of traditional crafts.

The film lineup includes documentaries on the traslacion or procession of the Black Nazarene (Poong Nazareno: The Traslacion of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, Manila); the moryonan Lenten penitential ritual in Marinduque (Moryonan: A Lenten Tradition in Marinduque Island); the craft of making moryonan masks (Mukha ng Moryonan: Mask Making for Moryonan Lenten Tradition of Marinduque); the feast of Our Lady Peñafrancia of Naga City (Ina: Our Lady of Peñafrancia) and the buklog ritual of the Subanen of the Zamboanga Peninsula (Buklog: The Ritual System of the

Subanen of Zamboanga Peninsula).

Also, the giant Christmas lantern tradition of San Fernando, Pampanga (Parul Sampernandu: The Giant Christmas Lantern Tradition of San Fernando City, Pampanga); the use of mud in traditional Ifugao textile dyeing (Using Mud as Mordant in the Traditional Dyeing Process of the Ifugao of Northern Luzon); piña weaving of Aklan (Piña: The Pineapple Textile of Aklan, Western Visayas); the igal or traditional dance of the Sama people of Tawi-Tawi (Igal: Traditional Dance of the Sama of Tawi-Tawi), and the their boat-building practices (Lepa and Other Watercrafts: Boat Building Traditions of the Sama of Tawi-Tawi).

Roel Manipon, an editor at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) who worked on the documentaries as writer and co-director, underscored the importance of preserving the country’s intangible cultural heritage elements. “[These] are some of the most impactful factors in shaping civilization and culture and yield invaluable insights into many aspects of social relationships and human development,” the former Varsitarian associate editor said.

Manipon noted that these elements were at risk of vanishing and alteration with the rapid growth of urbanization

and globalization. Because of modern technology, these can be preserved.

“The video documentation presents a lifeline to these elements and will present the only connection for many people to these precious aspects of culture and identity,” said Manipon.

Nestor Horfilla, theater veteran and Mindanao culture expert, said the documentaries were effective in promoting intangible cultural heritage elements and served as a source for teachers and learners in need of national cultural content.

“The video documentaries make the unfamiliar familiar.

While we struggle, day by day, with the challenges and threat of the pandemic, the digital technology and online platform take center stage,” Horfilla said.

Each documentary runs at an average of 27 minutes. The works have English and Korean subtitles.

The Philippines is one of the four countries selected in Southeast Asia for the second phase of the video documentary project, with the other three being Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The international network has been a partner of the NCCA for the project since November 2017. Production of the documentaries took place from 2018 to 2020.

THE 6TH UST NATIONAL CAMPUS JOURNALISM AWARDS

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UP publications dominate 6th UST campus journ awards

BY CHARM RYANNE MAGPALI

PUBLICATIONS from the University of the Philippines (UP) collected all the awards in the 6th UST National Campus Journalism Awards (UNCJA) organized by the Varsitarian.

“Ilang ulit pa ba tayo magluluksa?” by the Philippine Collegian of UP Diliman was named the best editorial.

The piece slams the government’s “whole-of-nation” approach on quelling insurgency and labels it as a means for human rights violations, intimidation and persecution of and violence against civilians who criticize President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime.

Philippine Collegian writer Polynne Espineda Dira, who wrote the editorial, said student journalists must be compelled to speak out on such issues such as state terrorism on activists and dissidents, otherwise, it will only become a matter of time before they become the victims of these attacks themselves.

“Campus journalists have good and wide platforms, they are very connected

with their respective communities, and they have more editorial liberties, so it would be a waste not to write on stories beyond their campuses and institutions.

Campus journalists, I think, are able to bring different and fresher takes on issues, and that is important in a world full of disinformation and polarizing views,” Dira told the Varsitarian.

Mary June Ricaña of the Philippine Collegian won best feature for her report, “How the Pandemic Robbed Chemistry Majors of Much-Needed Lab Skills,” which narrates the struggles of two chemistry undergraduates in the remote learning set-up.

“I thought of writing about the struggles of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students in the remote learning setup because I

know that these are concerns that my fellow STEM majors share. It was also my aim to find out what actions the UP administration has done to bring us back to the labs so that students would have an idea of what the future would possibly look like,” she told the Varsitarian.

Ricaña said she featured chemistry majors because she believed students in the field were among the most robbed of the opportunity to learn from in-person laboratory classes.

“But, more than sharing the struggles of STEM majors, I wanted to fuel the desire to continuously call for a science-based and data-driven response to the pandemic from the government. I hope that whomever the article reaches, they will understand the worries and struggles of the students and join the calls for ‘ligtas na balik eskwela’ and ‘ligtas na balik laboratoryo,’” she added.

The best in-depth story award went to Jan Felicia Cuyco of the UP College of Mass Communication’s Tinig ng Plaridel for her story, “Ready to add to cart? How

online shopping creates a ‘silent plastic problem.’”

The story discusses the “excessive” plastic packaging of e-commerce products and how the online shopping craze that arose amid the pandemic started a massive waste problem.

“With the pandemic forcing most student journalists to stay home, the biggest challenge is finding stories that matter.

But I’d like to believe that stories of both local or national interest can always be drawn from our personal experiences.

That’s why it pays to be observant. The subtle things you notice in your surroundings actually translate to gaps in national policies or even social inequalities. It’s all about finding how we connect to the world we live in,” Cuyco said.

UNCJA honors outstanding works of journalism in the university level. This year’s categories were best in-depth news, best feature and best editorial.

The winning publications for each category received P10,000 in cash and an e-certificate.

8

OPINION The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

EDITORIAL

Duterte is a disgrace to the Constitution “The President shall not be eligible for any re-election. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time.”

It’s a year before the 2022 national elections, and the lead-up, as always, is ugly.

It’s particularly hideous this time around because 76-year-old President Duterte, despite his previous grumblings of job fatigue and apparent deteriorating health, is in the mood for an impending reboot.

Given Mr. Duterte’s crassness and penchant for doublespeak and shock tactics, his assertions of running for vice-president during a questionable PTV-4-covered PDP-Laban assembly on July 17 and in other previous occasions are disturbing, to say the least.

Although it’s getting more and more difficult to take the President’s statements seriously, his idea of running for the vice presidency insults the spirit of the 1987 Constitution—it’s taking advantage of a loophole to remain in power, the very thing the charter aims to prevent. The vice presidency is obviously his backdoor for a return to Malacañang, as if his miserable six years weren’t enough. It not only insults the spirit of the law, but further exposes his desire to stay in power and warped ethical disposition.

“Sabi ng batas na kung presidente ka, bise presidente ka, may immunity ka, e di tatakbo na lang ako ng bise presidente. And after that tatakbo uli ako ng bise presidente at bise presidente at bise presidente,” the 76-year-old said to the applause of his partymates—enablers who surely just wants a seat on the Duterte bandwagon,

which they fail to see is rusting and incapable.

Even then, Duterte’s statement was an indirect admission that he’s running away from something.

Definitely, the possibility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) starting a probe on his deadly drug war has made him feel threatened, despite his spokesman, Harry Roque, belittling former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s report for having media sources, which he said would just be laughed at if presented to court.

According to Bensouda, there was “reasonable basis” to believe that a crime against humanity had been committed in the Philippines between July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019 in the context of Duterte’s deadly campaign against drugs. After all, rights abuses under Duterte’s term were his government’s worst kept secret.

Even if belched out of sarcasm, his plan to avoid possible lawsuits by becoming vice-president—as he has flagrantly stated—merely bastardizes the Constitution more than

it glazes over his reputation. Even Christian Monsod, one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, said Duterte seeking the second-highest executive post could be used as a palusot or a backdoor to the presidency.

It also makes more sense now why Mr. Duterte has been persistently endorsing his loyal and trusted aide of 23 years (and still counting!), Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, for the presidency next year. He “shall not be eligible for any re-election,” but he can simply make a willing stooge out of the current Senate novice, who’s never really spoken sense without notes and coaching from his staff (who are paid for by taxpayer money), or ever appeared beneficial and relevant beyond three feet off Duterte’s side and arse. More laughably, the solon’s only claim to relevance these days is as an inside-the-camera-frame prop in nationally-televised weekly addresses of Duterte and occasional presidential big bike and eating sardinas antics at the Palace.

Mr. Duterte, who completed a last-minute backdoor play off a handover from barangay captain-turned-presidential-candidate Martin Diño in 2016 to eventually become President, stated last January he wouldn’t take a term extension even if it was offered to him in a silver platter. Perhaps he prefers simply a dish – from a give-and-go with assist specialist Bong Go. And then, of course, there’s his lovely

daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, who’s leading in the early presidential surveys despite her usual deflections of curiosities on her presidential intentions.

Rodrigo, a lovely father of four, recently reiterated his dissent in the possible presidential bid of his daughter, saying he did not want her to suffer the “vagaries of politics.”

It’s very sweet for Duterte, who often spouts profane-laden rants during his interviews and addresses, and who has time and again made sexist remarks against his political opponents, to shield his daughter from people like himself.

Sara’s too lovely and too fragile for the job, so the caring possible vice-president-to-be can spare her of all the hard and dirty work in case both of them get elected. As Monsod said: “Kung anak niya ‘yung maging presidente, edi ang sasabihin lang niya, ‘o, bumababa ka na, ako na magpe-presidente.’”

But considering she has inherited and acquired a lot from her father (or she’s just a chip off the old block), it wouldn’t actually matter who’d act as president. Minus the large nose and preference for checkered polos, Sara is basically Rodrigo: iron fisted, vulgar and brazen.

For someone who hates the Constitution and once likened it to toilet paper, he sure knows its loopholes and nitty-gritty. But it seems that he does not recognize that the charter was, in the first place, written in the aftermath of the dictatorship of his idol, Ferdinand Marcos, when the Filipinos were sick of a tyrannous government and wanted fairness, protection and rights—and tyrants to stay out of power.

FOUNDED JANUARY 16, 1928

JOHN EZEKIEL J. HIRRO

KATRINA ISABEL C. GONZALES

Editor in Chief Associate Editor

LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN Acting News Editor FAITH YUEN WEI N. RAGASA Sports Editor AHMED KHAN H. CAYONGCAT Special Reports Editor JISELLE ANNE C. CASUCIAN Features Editor MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA Witness Editor JOENNER PAULO L. ENRIQUEZ, O.P. Patnugot sa Filipino MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG Science and Technology Editor MA. JASMINE TRISHA L. NEPOMUCENO Circle Editor JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA Art Director

NEWS Jamilah Mae B. Angco, Charm Ryanne C. Magpali, Jacqueline B. Martinez, Christine Joyce A. Paras, Joanne Christine P. Ramos SPORTS Anna Clarissa M. Barlam, Nina Angela Mikaela Cruz, Rommel Bong R. Fuertes Jr., James Paul R. Gomez, Mark Ernest V. Villeza SPECIAL REPORTS Kimberly G. Hipolito, Charlize Gabriel L. Linantud, Nuel Angelo D. Sabate FEATURES Ma. Dyanne Mirasol P. Reyes, Jade Veronique V. Yap LITERARY Leigh Anne E. Dispo, Sofia Bernice F. Navarro WITNESS Ma. Alena O. Castillo, Sophia T. Sadang FILIPINO Bea Angeline P. Domingo, Samantha Nichole G. Magbuhat SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Caitlin Dayne A. Contreras, Katherine Anne L. Escarilla CIRCLE Nolene Beatrice H. Crucillo, Allaine Nicole C. Cruz, Larissa Mae C. Tan ART Karl Joshua L. Aron, Athea Monique Z. Gala, Gwyneth Fiona N. Luga, Christine Angelie P. Orines, Catherine Paulene A. Umali PHOTOGRAPHY Francia Denise M. Arizabal, Renzelle Shayne V. Picar, Camille Abiel H. Torres, Marvin John F. Uy, Arianne Maye D.G. Viri EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica C. Asprer

FELIPE F. SALVOSA II, CHRISTIAN V. ESGUERRA Assistant Publications Advisers

JOSELITO B. ZULUETA Publications Adviser

OPINION

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

Why nation mourns the passing of ‘Noynoy’ Aquino Eye Level LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

“Aquino’s death was indeed a rude awakening from the nightmare that Filipinos have been bearing for the last five years. The country was forced to bear with the culture and the brand of politics that Duterte fostered: lewd, fascist, brash and dishonest.”

THE DEATH of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III took the Philippines—a country struggling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic mainly due to government incompetence—by surprise.

We have probably turned indifferent to death, with the pandemic turning everyone’s Facebook timelines into obituaries, but the death of Noynoy, son of democratic icons Ninoy and Cory Aquino, provoked the public to hark back to when decent politics is an actual thing in the Philippines.

Aquino’s administration was far from perfect, but it brought forth gains that, unfortunately, were washed away almost entirely by his successor.

An untimely demise, definitely, but it came timely in a country nearing the election of its new leaders.

Aquino’s government was built from his campaign tags and unforgettable vows: “Daang matuwid,” “Walang wangwang” and “Kayo ang boss ko.”

The country’s Cory nostalgia helped his cause, too.

Throughout Aquino’s term as the 15th president of the Philippines, he never became a profanity icon by cursing weekly on television, sexually assaulted anyone, threatened to kill his civilians.

In retrospect, after Aquino faded into obscurity following his presidency, his administration promoted good, honest and decent governance.

The country enjoyed stable growth in the economy and pursued and won a landmark legal victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which rejected China’s excessive claims in the West Philippine Sea under its nine-dash-line policy sup-

posedly based on historical records from the Ming Dynasty.

But while the Aquino administration succeeded in its many transformative bids, it also had its fair share of flaws.

Aquino was heavily criticized in 2015 when 44 members of the Special Action Force were killed in a clash in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao while in the middle of peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Also under his term was the premature K-12 program implemented.

The Aquino administration was also criticized for its Typhoon Yolanda response in 2013.

The late president was also hit for the Manila hotel siege, which led to the deaths of eight Hongkongers.

Despite all that, there is no doubt that the country was more prosperous and democratic before President Duterte inherited it in 2016.

In his homily during Aquino’s funeral Mass, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas called on the public to pay tribute to Noynoy by bringing back dignity and decency in public service, just as how the former chief executive led during his term.

Villegas said: “The best eulogy tribute we can pay to our dear President Noy is to bring back, recover, preserve, safeguard and never again to compromise our dignity as a people and the decency of our leaders as servants, not bosses.”

Aquino’s death was indeed a rude awakening from the nightmare that Filipinos have been bear-

ing for the last five years. The country was forced to bear with the culture and the brand of politics that Duterte fostered: lewd, fascist, brash and dishonest.

“Change is coming” was Duterte’s campaign slogan. True to his campaign tag, the change did indeed come: the government now attacks and jails its attacking political opponents and critics, suppressing press freedom and condoning extra-judicial killings in his “drug war.”

On top of that, Duterte also trivialized the arbitral award of the Philippines and referred to it as “just a piece of paper.” Now China has as many ships in the waters as Duterte’s failed promises.

Fortunately, it is vivid that more and more Filipinos are starting to complain––slowly realizing that they were duped by the “humble” Davao mayor.

While Duterte’s failures are ever-glaring, Noynoy’s death gave us an epiphany of what was and what could be, should our leaders be competent and not self-serving, and decent at the very least.

The national elections are fast approaching and Duterte sadly has the balls to seek the vice presidency. We’ve had enough indecency.

The Filipino people should realize that the presidency requires capability and respectability.

Hopefully, in the next elections, the Noynoy nostalgia would breeze Filipinos again—and voters would reflect on the past two administrations and see beyond the politicians’ lame and theatrical stunts and break free from the noise of paid trolls plaguing social media.

Gov’t’s confusing communiqué is putting lives at risk Fourth Wall JISELLE ANNE C. CASUCIAN

“Instead of squabbling amongst themselves over the implementation of the face shield policy or figuring out ways to impose more travel requirements, shouldn’t they set their sights on making sure vaccinations in the Philippines are at the best possible condition?”

LAST JUNE 17, Malacañang confirmed a “presidential policy” of President Duterte’s that face shields were no longer mandatory outdoors. Duterte’s decision was first made public by Senate President Vicente Sotto III a day before, saying that “the president agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals.” This was later confirmed by Sen. Joel Villanueva, Health Undersecretary and Covid-19 treatment czar Leonardo Vega COMMA and Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

It was retracted, however, on June 22, as Duterte adhered to a request by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to retain the face shield policy due to the Delta variant scare.

Also in June, new travel protocols for fully vaccinated persons started to take effect. Under the IATF’s Resolution No. 120 approved on June 10, fully vaccinated individuals were required to present their verified vaccination cards to a representative of the Bureau of Quarantine. This requirement was in addition to vaccination certificates issued by the Department of Information and Communications Technology or local government units, which basically just pose redundancy.

A new resolution, issued on July 4, listed new travel protocols with more complex rules that required only one of and not both vaccine cards and certificates. Fully vaccinated individuals were also not anymore required to present RT-PCR test results for interzonal movement.

Confusing, to say the least. The Covid-19 Vacci-

nation Program Act of 2021 signed on Feb. 26, 2021, promised the issuance of digital Covid-19 vaccination cards—which would have helped the government prevent redundancy and shilly-shallying on protocols.

As of July 2021, these “standardized” vaccination cards have yet to be issued, and local government units were forced to adapt with their own styles of vaccination card systems.

As Makati Mayor Abby Binay complained, “It’s chaotic.”

Her statement rings true, but not only for the issue of vaccination cards—it applies to the government’s communication system, which has been confusing since the start.

There’s no denying that health and travel protocols are imposed for a reason. However, there should be clear communication—not only between government officials but also in how the government issues its protocols to the public.

Protocols also must make sense. The retention of the face-shield requirement, according to Duterte, was a “small inconvenience.” Does he not know how costly and much of a hassle face shields are?

Does he not know that the Philippines is the only country in the world that requires face shields on top of face masks?

Poor communication adds fuel to the burning failure that is the government’s Covid-19 response.

With the current vaccination rate, herd immunity would be achieved only by January 2023. It isn’t fair to compare apples to oranges, or monkeys to

fishes. In that same regard, it’s also not fair to compare the progress of the Philippines’ vaccination to the progress of first-world countries like the United States or South Korea. But at this rate, it’s quite alarming to see how far back we are, nearing two years into the pandemic. Instead of being at the brink of recovery or in the process, we’re still deep into the pandemic and scrambling for a solution that should have been clear—an organized roll-out of vaccines.

Instead of squabbling amongst themselves over the implementation of the face shield policy or figuring out ways to impose more travel requirements, shouldn’t they set their sights on making sure vaccinations in the Philippines are at the best possible condition?

They should set their priorities straight. The government should invest its time in developing proper storage facilities for vaccines and ensuring that nothing will affect their effectiveness. It should make sure vaccines are used properly and distributed fairly. It should also pay medical frontliners proper compensation.

The threat of the Delta variant could revert the Philippines to square one. Instead of shilly-shallying, it should instead have a clear roadmap detailing how the spread of the Delta variant could be suppressed. The government should have clearly defined lockdown protocols and stop confusing people with a spate of vague community quarantine labels, policies without scientific basis and difficult-to-bear-with rules.

9

Nayong Pilipino FROM PAGE 3

and persons with disabilities and comorbidities, who have restricted mobility, the college said.

International Container Terminal Services, Inc. president Enrique Razon, Jr., funder of the project, said the mega facility on the reclaimed grounds of Nayong Pilipino (Philippine village) would feature drive-through services and medical stations, similar to US-based vaccination facilities.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said that once erected, the center could inoculate 10,000 people daily and ramp up the country’s goal of reaching nationwide herd immunity within the year.

The College of Science said efforts and funds should instead be focused on boosting local government units’ (LGUs) vaccine rollout and facilities, which in turn would also provide more jobs.

“The allocated budget must strengthen LGUs’ vaccination capacity and distribution instead of constructing a centralized facility that requires time and funding…

The present local vaccination centers are just waiting for national financial support and boost,” it said.

The Nayong Pilipino mega vaccination center project of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Tourism has been met with criticism from green groups, citing its impact on urban forests in the reclaimed area.

Resigned Nayong Pilipino executive director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto said nearly 500 trees would be cut down to make way for the facility.

In response, Palace spokesman Harry Roque called on the Nayong Pilipino board to not go against the government’s “very important mission” of protecting the lives of Filipinos.

Environmental group Greenpeace Philippines slammed the project’s proponents for “manipulat[ing] people into a false choice that pits people’s health against nature.”

“The question decision-makers need to be asking is not whether we should build the mega-vaccine center and cut the trees. The question is whether this is the kind of facility the country needs to make the vaccine accessible to more people,” Greenpeace said in a statement.

The World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines also hit the construction of the massive center for its possible ecological effects.

“Nayong Pilipino is an area which is in its first natural succession stage with grass and trees – an essential stage in ecological health. It has naturally established its role in the ecology of not just its area but of the adjacent ecologies of the cities it straddles. It will take time again for it to recover and perform its role when disturbed,” it said.

“Vaccination sites should be accessible to all – a decentralized vaccine roll-out will help Filipinos rich and poor to be inoculated as soon as possible, with lesser exposure to other individuals,” it added.

Opened in 1970, Nayong Pilipino served as a park where people could “visit” the different regions of the country. It was converted into a 525-bed mega quarantine facility last year.

As of June 20, the country has administered 8,222,759 Covid-19 vaccine shots.

MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG AND JADE VERONIQUE V. YAP

10

COMICS The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

ART DIRECTOR: JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA

PAYONG CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES

THAT ONE SONG GWYNETH FIONA N. LUGA

BIKERIST KARL JOSHUA L. ARON

Cardinal Tagle FROM PAGE 4

In the Eucharistic celebration following the recollection, Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Pablo Tiong, O.P. said that the faithful should always be willing to offer themselves to others.

“Incredible is this pandemic and yet far more incredible [and] infinitely mysterious is the love of God for us,” Tiong said during his homily at the Santisimo Rosario Parish.

“Wala nang mas magandang iaambag pa kung hindi ang ating mga sarili. We offer what we can,” he added.

The online recollection was streamed live via the University’s official Facebook page. A.N.C. CRUZ

PH teams FROM PAGE 11

players needed more exposure to keep up with foreign contenders.

“Kailangan pa namin ma-expose para makasabay sa kanila.

Kasi nakakadikit naman kami.

Kung titignan mo ‘yung points natin sa points nila, napakalayo pero nakakadikit tayo. What more kung ma-expose kami, sana nakasabay kami,” he told the Varsitarian.

The duo of Rondina-Pons beat Francesca New Zealand’s Kirwan and Olivia Macdonald, 21-12, 17-21, 15-9, to enter their golden match.

An equal number of wins for two countries set up a golden match, a game that determines the team that enters finals on Saturday.

Requinton, paired with Garcia, won against Lebanese players Paul Bou Akl and Azzi, 21-16, 21-17.

UST players along with other national team members trained in a bubble setup in a resort in Ilocos Norte before flying to Thailand for the tournamen. NINA ANGELA MIKAELA CRUZ

PNoy’s death a ‘wake-up call’ FROM PAGE 1

Aquino served in the House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007 as representative of Tarlac’s second district and as a deputy speaker of the House from 2004 to 2006.

Aquino became a senator from 2007 to 2010 before being elected by a landslide as the 15th president of the Republic.

During his term, he changed the educational landscape in the country by implementing the K-12 curriculum through the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, and passed a reproductive health law despite stiff opposition from Church leaders.

It was also under Aquino’s administration when the Philippines pursued the arbitral case against China after a standoff in the West Philippine Sea. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a unanimous award in favor of the country and rejected China’s sweeping claims over Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. ’Best tribute for PNoy is restoring decency in gov’t’

The death of Aquino should serve as a wake-up call for Filipinos to choose leaders that would bring back dignity and decency in the government, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said.

“The best eulogy tribute we can pay to our dear President Noy is to bring back, recover, preserve, safeguard and never again to compromise our dignity as a people and the decency of our leaders as servants, not bosses,” Villegas said during the fu-

neral Mass held at the Church of Gesú at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City on June 26.

“His mortal remains are now ashes but his integrity and decency must resurrect through us and in the leaders we choose,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared June 24, 2021 to July 3, 2021 a period of national mourning in the country.

During the mourning period, and in accordance with the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, flags at all government buildings and installations in the country and abroad were flown at half-mast.

Villegas said: “The flags at half-mast are not only for the dead president but for the dying decent governance. Tayo ang boss niya. He lived by it. We are grateful for it.”

“We who are left behind — sighing, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears — must still toil under the heat of the sun. We still have to endure mediocrity, violence, vulgarity and treachery,” he added.

Aquino “died as he lived”: simple and without fanfare, Villegas said.

“He endured and carried the cross of his health problems with courageous dignity and uncomplaining fortitude — hidden from the limelight and known only to God. Death for him came like a thief in the night,” the archbishop added.

Aquino’s ashes were placed next to the tombs of his parents, democracy icons Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

LARISSA

‘Bayanihan spirit embodied’ FROM PAGE 4

(If Jesus in the Eucharist becomes the body of Christ, then there has always been a Eucharistic pantry. [Thus], the greatest gift we can contribute is ourselves. When we follow Jesus in our hearts, then that’s the only time we can offer truly.)

He called on Thomasians to value the “spiritual pantry” by renewing one’s faith and becoming bearers of hope in the family.

“Pray for your parents because that is an act of hope. Only when the spiritual pantry of faith, hope, and love in the family is overflowing would we remember to give and not be self-centered,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has praised community-based initiatives, saying efforts to help the needy embodied the “true bayanihan spirit.”

“We are happy to know that in recent days, neighborhoods and communities have organized themselves to help needy families, especially with food and other basic necessities,” CBCP President Archbishop Romulo Valles said in a statement.

“I would like to believe that true charity does not stop even when that charity and care come from people who themselves are in great need,” he added.

On April 14, the first community pantry was set up on Maginhawa Street, Quezon City. Pantries have sprouted across the Philippines and in other countries, with organizers seeking to ease hunger among the needy during the pandemic.

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO AND SOPHIA T. SADANG

MAE C. TAN

On World Communication Day, Pope condems fake news FROM PAGE 4

method to get to know a situation. It is the most honest test of every message, because, in order to know, we need to encounter, to let the person in front of me speak, to let his or her testimony reach me,” he said.

The Pope also stressed the importance of obtaining facts and scrutinizing false claims.

“We have known for some time that news and even images can be easily ma-

nipulated. [A]ll of us are responsible for the communications we make, for the information we share and for the control that we can exert over fake news by exposing it,” he said.

The Pontiff called on journalists to engage more in investigative reporting and steer clear from simply repeating “standard, often tendentious” narratives.

Media consumers, he added, should do away with being “mere spectators” of

news in social networks.

The Pontiff recognized the integrity and dedication of journalists who put their lives on the line to cover and share news all over the world and pave a way for human justice to thrive.

“We owe a word of gratitude for the courage and commitment of journalists, camera operators, editors, directors.

Thanks to their efforts, we now know about the hardships endured by perse-

cuted minorities in various parts of the world, numerous cases of oppression and injustice inflicted on the poor and on the environment, and many wars that otherwise would be overlooked,” he said.

He stressed that journalism urges the public to view different perspectives with “curiosity, openness [and] pas-

sion.”

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO AND

SOPHIA T. SADANG

SPORTS

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

PH volleyball teams fail to qualify in the Olympics

11

THOMASIAN beach volleyball players representing the country missed their chance to secure Olympic slots in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup Semi-finals held Friday in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

UST alumna Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons from FEU bowed to New Zealand’s Alice Zeimann and Shauna Marie Polley in the three-set golden match of the women’s semifinals, 2119, 10-21, 12-15.

UAAP Season 82 MVP Baby Love Barbon and Dij Rodriguez also crashed out against the duo from New Zealand, 14-21, 13-21.

In men’s play, Tiger Sand Jaron Requinton and James Buytrago lost to Lebanese Jean Abi Chedid and Joe El Azzi, 19-21, 19-21.

Australia’s Maximilian Guehrer and Zachery Schubert outlasted Tiger Sands MVP Anthony Arbasto and Jude Garcia in the first set, 21-11, before the Philippine pair withdrew in the second set due to injury.

Prior to the match, Arbasto had severe cramping and was monitored by the medical team, according to a tweet from national beach volleyball coach Charo Soriano.

UST and national beach volleyball coach Paul Jan Doloiras said that the PH teams ► PAGE 10

UST alumna Sisi Rondina tosses a volleyball during the Philippines-New Zealand AVC semifinals match.

AVC PHOTO

Arturo Luz

Science-based

FROM PAGE 2

Former Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Belinda Olivares-Cunanan shared her special attachment to Luz’s painting, “Cities of the Past, No. 4,” which he did in 1997.

It depicts in cubist style the ancient Angkor Wat of Cambodia.

Cunanan said she bought the artwork as a reminder of her late husband who had been Philippine envoy to Cambodia.

“Thanks, Arturo Luz, for this beautiful painting which I shall treasure forever. May you rest in peace in the most significant of the ancient cities. the Lord’s Heavenly Home,” her Facebook post read.

Cesar Devera, an artist based in California who worked under Luz during his stint as director of the Design Center of the Philippines, described him as a “giant of a man” in

a Facebook post.

Fellow painter Impy Pilapil wrote in a Facebook post: “I hope [his] next life will be just as blessed.”

Luz, as a National Artist, may be interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery).

Two Masses were held for the repose of the soul of the National Artist, one on May 27 and another on May 28.

CHARM RYANNE C. MAGPALI

UST turns 410 FROM PAGE 1

The UST Graduate School History program and the University’s History Department also held a commemorative lecture about the University’s foundation.

The University was founded on April 28, 1611, in fulfillment of Manila Archbishop Miguel de Benavides’ wish to open a seminary-college to prepare young men for the priesthood.

Benavides bequeathed P1,500

and his personal library to the project in 1605. On November 20, 1645, the college was elevated to a university by Pope Innocent X. On September 17, 1902, Pope Leo XIII made the University of Santo Tomas a “Pontifical University.” Pope Pius XII then bestowed upon it the title of “The Catholic University of the Philippines” in 1947. CHRISTINE JOYCE PARAS

Are face shields effective?

FROM PAGE 3

When choosing a face shield, it should wrap around the sides of the face and extend below the chin, according to the CDC. But this is only based on limited available data that suggest face shields are better at protecting against respiratory droplets.

Covid-19 is transmitted from person to person via respiratory droplets expelled when an individual talks, sneezes or coughs.

Likewise, the World Health Organization does not recommend face shields as a substitute for face marks and should only be considered as a last resort in the absence of a mask. Combining face masks and face shields together, a laboratory model study found that the protection offered was actually “similar to surgical masks alone.”on May 28.

C.D.A. CONTRERAS

FROM PAGE 8

The FDA has warned against taking animal drugs, as they have only been evaluated for their safety and efficacy in the particular species for which they are labeled.

“Using these products in humans can cause serious harm. Animal drugs are often highly concentrated and can be highly toxic to humans,” the FDA said.

Austriaco said the FDA-approved Covid-19 vaccines would help solve the country’s Covid-19 woes, but asserted that they will only work if the public trusts them and lets them into their bodies.

Austriaco also appealed to already-vaccinated Filipinos to share their personal vaccination testimonies to inspire others to

get vaccinated. “[W]e do this to appeal to the brain of the Filipino.

The Filiipino is not just a person who thinks: He’s also a person who loves, which is why in order to speak the truth, we have to speak truth using personal testimonies that appeal to the Filipino heart,” he said.November 20, 1645, the college was elevated to

a university by Pope Innocent X. On September 17, 1902, Pope Leo XIII made the University of Santo Tomas a “Pontifical University.” Pope Pius XII then bestowed upon it the title of “The Catholic University of the Philippines” in 1947.

CAITLIN DAYNE A. CONTRERAS, KATHERINE ANNE L. ESCARILLA AND MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG

Tigresses ex-captain bids UST farewell, goes pro in PVL FORMER Golden Tigresses team captain Tin Francisco opted to forgo her final year of eligibility with UST to play pro in the 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference.

The 5’9” middle blocker explained that the Tigresses’ current lineup has too many players for the middle blocker position and thought to give up her spot for her teammates.

“They are too young, and the pandemic happened, so they do not have much exposure in the collegiate scene,” Francisco told the Varsitarian.

Francisco will remain under UST coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes Jr. as she joins the Philippine Army Lady Troopers in the upcoming PVL season.

“Another factor was my injury. Chances were slim to none that there will be someone who will take me after suffering an ACL injury because it is a liability,” she added. “But for coach Kung Fu to take his chance on me was an opportunity I

could never pass up.”

Francisco missed UAAP season 81 due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the left knee, which she suffered during the Tigresses’ loss against the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in the Philippine Super Liga Collegiate Grand Slam finals on December 20, 2018.

Entering the pros, the Tigress acknowledged the higher level of competition and adjustments on her part are inevitable, especially in building the team’s chemistry.

The Cain-

ta-born spiker said that the grit and resilience that the coaches of UST instilled in her are what she can bring to the professional league.

“They pushed me to the brink and they made me believe in myself, that there are still things that I can do whenever I step on the court,” Francisco said.

Francisco was among the players who steered the Tigresses to the final four in UAAP season 79 against the National University Lady Bulldogs in a five-set thriller.

ANNA CLARISSA BARLAM

Francisco

Sports

FOR MORE SPORTS REAL-TIME SPORTS UPDATES, FOLLOW:

@VSportsUST

The Varsitarian JUNE 20, 2021

AHEAD OF SEASON 84, UAAP TELLS ATHLETES:

‘GET VAXXED’ THE UAAP board urged student-athletes to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in preparation for the possible resumption of face-to-face tournaments in the upcoming Season 84.

UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag FILE PHOTO

“We feel the vaccines will probably be one of the things that will help us make sure that tournaments will run in Season 84,” UAAP President Emmanuel Calanog said in a UAAP Talk episode aired online.

Calanog said the UAAP had been holding webinars to educate athletes about the COVID-19 vaccines.

“One of the webinars that we had for our athletes was really for them to be able to ask questions to medical professionals regarding the science of vaccines so we could encourage them to be vaccinated once it’s available,” he said.

UAAP announced that Season 84 is set to open in February 2022 if the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) approves.

The guidelines on the resumption of student-athletes’ training given by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) in February played a big role in paving the way for a proposal to kick-start the upcoming season, Executive Director Rebo Saguisag said in the same interview.

“I guess with the rollout of the vaccines it’s safe to say na dadali. Tini-tingnan natin ngayon with the vaccines, bukod sa training, but also proposal na we can really concretely discuss return to competition,” Saguisag said.

In a separate UAAP Talk episode, Saguisag said the league has been preparing for “different scenarios,” including holding a full season with all events, pushing

through with limited events and conducting games in a bubble environment.

Saguisag said a compressed season would only include men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, cheerdance and the opening ceremony.

“In an ideal world, siyempre gusto naming matuloy lahat. But kung talagang we know na magiging compressed ‘yung schedule—not to state na mayroon kaming pinapaburan na sports—but let us be realistic. Gusto namin matuloy lahat, we are planning for that, but kung talagang magkakagipitan, we have different scenarios,” Saguisag said.

“Handa na ‘yung aming return to train protocol...So if you even add the requirement of a vaccine, we are pretty confident na we can probably have these things to push through,” he added.

Saguisag also said that he sees the significance of athletes to inspire people and provide entertainment amid the pandemic as a motivation for the league’s resumption.

“The student-athletes really have a special role in society that they probably give the nation something to rally around, probably as a source of diversion, that the UAAP has a more obligation to fulfill this need,” he said.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the league to cancel its Season 82 midway through the second semester and the entirety of Season 83. R.B.R. FUERTES

UST jins shine as PH team finishes third in Asian poomsae meet

BY ANNA CLARISSA M. BARLAM CENO

UST TAEKWONDO Poomsae Jins reaped seven medals in the sixth World Taekwondo Asia Poomsae Championships in Beirut, Lebanon on June 15.

Philippine team players from UST finished with a 2-1-4 gold-silver-bronze haul and placed third overall in the international tilt.

UST’s Darius Venerable trumped competitors from South Korea, Iran, and Lebanon and bagged gold with a 7.74 score in the men’s over-17 freestyle individual event.

Tiger Jin rookie Justin Kobe Macario teamed up with national team members Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, Jeordan Dominguez, Jana Dominique Oliva and Marvin Mori for another gold-medal finish in the over-17 freestyle mixed team event with a 7.77-point performance.

Venerable also earned a silver in the over-17 freestyle mixed pair category with Crisostomo. Both were awarded as most valuable players in their respective divisions.

In women’s play, Lady Jins Jocel Lyn Ninobla and Aidaine Laxa, along with De La Salle University’s Rinna Babanto, finished third in the under-30 team category.

Ninobla, who made history after gaining gold in the first Online Daedo Open European Poomsae Championships last year, also captured a bronze in her individual event.

UST alumnus and 2019 Southeast Asian Games medalist Rodolfo Reyes Jr. took home another bronze medal for the team in the men’s under-30 individual category.

The trio of Reyes, Tiger Jin junior

Joaquin Dominic Tuzon and DLSU standout Patrick Perez settled for a third-place finish.

UST Poomsae and national poomsae team head coach Rani Ann Ortega was awarded Best Coach.

The Kyorugi team with UST’s Rommel Pablo, Jr. and Laila Delo also competed in the free-form sparring event.

The international competition ran from June 14 to 18.

UST Taekwondo Poomsae team members after the World Taekwondo Asia Poomsae Championships in Lebanon, from left to right: Aidaine Laxa, Justin Kobe Macario, Joaquin Dominic Tuzon, Head Coach Rani Ortega, alumnus Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Darius Venerable, Jocelyn Ninobla Photo from Aidaine Laxa

Teletigers finish 2nd in int’l Valorant university tilt THE UST Teletigers placed second in the East Asia leg of the Red Bull Campus Clutch Valorant tournament on June 5 after succumbing to South Korea’s VAC Kimchi, 1-2.

South Korea’s 13-10 win in the do-or-die game of the bestof-three match eliminated the Teletigers from world-stage contention.

The Teletigers won the first map, 13-9, before South Korea equalized the matches, 1-1, in the second game, 9-13.

“The reasons why we lost the games is that we became too hesitant on the calls that we were making, second-guessing our calls and thinking whether or not we would win the round,” ingame leader Zach Anthony “TGR Arquiza” Arquiza told the Varsitarian.

TGR Arquiza came up big in Game 1, scoring 27 kills with an average combat score of 349, while Carl Ernest “TGR ShoXDart” Cunanan and Clarence Erl “TGR eNcesane” Palmos tallied 16 and 15 kills, respectively.

While the South Koreans were in match point at 9-12 in the third and deciding map, UST executed a fake set-up strategy that reduced the gap to 10-12.

The team aimed to execute the same play in the next round but South Korea saw through the strategy, ending the series with a 10-13 score.

“They were playing a style that we were not used to and comfortable with and they also played their hearts out just like we did today. We also lost some key rounds that could turn the momentum in our favor, and overall wasn’t playing like what we used to do in practice,” Arquiza said.

The Teletigers earlier outplayed Taiwan’s Shu-te University players, 2-1, in the semifinals and topped Woke Up Chief, 2-1, at the Red Bull Campus Clutch Philippine National Finals last May 22.

The roster was composed of Arquiza (Sentinel), Jude “TGR Exia” Rabang (Controller), Cunanan (Initiator), Palmos (Duelist), and Julian Carlo “TGR Goope” De Guzman (Duelist).

Red Bull Campus Clutch is the world’s largest global Valorant student tournament hosting players from over 50 countries.

Valorant is a 5-on-5 character-based tactical first-person shooter (FPS) video game developed and published by Riot Games. James Paul R. Gomez