Thursday, March 26, 2015

Desiring Poverty - Teomasino 2015 Essay Writing - First Place

TEOMASINO ESSAY WRITING CONTEST 2015
The UST Institute of Religion
Theme: "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit." (Mt 5:3)

First place - Augustine Beth D. Cortez (College of Nursing)


Desiring Poverty

“The Richest on the Planet 2015” --- This was the proclamation of a famous magazine as it released a list of the world’s top billionaires early this March. Like wildfire, this news spread across the globe, with every newspaper raving about “the list.” Soon, many began to ask: who made it to the list? What is their net worth? However, many of us failed to ask more urgent questions: why is this list even important to us? Why do we give such great value to the rich and not to the poor? What does it truly mean to be rich? What does it truly mean to be poor? In truth, this very phenomenon points to a misconception which has blinded 21st century man: poverty is undesirable. However, Christ, our Savior, proves otherwise.

“Though rich, yet for our sake, He became poor so that we, through His poverty, might become rich (2 Cor 8:9).” By becoming the Word made flesh, Christ reveals to us that embedded in the poverty of spirit is the humility of the heart and childlike trust in God (CCC 2547). When we realize our own limitations and insufficiencies, we realize the importance of God in our lives. We learn how to anchor ourselves on Him who matters the most: Christ. Moreover, this utmost dependence on God strengthens us as we journey towards the path of righteousness. For without faith, our deeds, like seeds planted on rocky ground, will never bear fruit. 

Furthermore, this poverty of spirit opens our eyes to the grave need of others. When we realize that Christ Himself is sufficient, we are able to willingly detach ourselves from worldly possessions. Our eyes are opened to the reality that “no one is justified to keep what he does not need when others lack necessities (Popolorum progressio).” Similarly, the poverty of spirit enables us to understand the very words of St. Francis of Assisi: “it is in giving that we receive.”

In a deeper sense, this poverty of spirit, rooted in faith, harmonizes the languages Pope Francis himself taught us: the language of our minds, hearts, and hands. We seek to be merciful, to be righteous, and to be children of God; knowing that without Him, we are nothing. By recognizing that we too, are beggars, we become one with the poor. We are able to think of their needs, feel their sufferings, and do something for them. We become true Disciples of Christ. 

Hence, all these reveal to us that it is our moral obligation to desire for that poverty which frees man from the stifling leash of materialism, greed, and selfishness. If many seek to be the “richest in the planet,” Christ’s challenge to His disciples is the complete opposite: seek to be the “poorest in the planet.” For it is in poverty of spirit that we find true happiness. It is in poverty of spirit that we find the greatest treasure man can ever have: Christ.

Being Poor in Spirit is Baltering - Teomasino 2015 Essay Writing - Second Place

TEOMASINO ESSAY WRITING CONTEST 2015
The UST Institute of Religion
Theme: "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit." (Mt 5:3)


Second Place, Mary Allysa S. de Castro (Faculty of Engineering) 

Being Poor in Spirit is Baltering


Balter (v.): To dance artlessly, does not require a skill, form, or practice; usually done with enjoyment.

In a world which requires and prefers educated people, technology, and systematized knowledge, the meaning of happiness is usually taken the wrong way. A new phone, a car, big house, money, gadgets—worldly things which any person would want to have, but unfortunately, symbolizes happiness to most people nowadays. To dance means allotting long hours of practice, learning the skill itself, working hard, striving for the best performance that one could ever have, practicing until their feet hurts so that one day, they can show their accomplishment to the world. This is what society does today: they dance. Sadly, they only dance for themselves, they work hard and practice for their own betterment, they learn to be able to buy the things which will make them “happy”, and when they dance to success, they forget the other people who were not able to learn how to dance according to the world’s standards. Happiness, which is beatitudo in Latin (meaning supreme happiness or blessedness), usually implies a temporary feeling. However, genuine happiness is something that cannot be equated with the world’s standards of dancing. I believe that genuine happiness can be compared to baltering. It does not require a skill, nor the world’s definition of dancing. Reaching out a helping hand to a person in need is baltering, because one does not need “long hours of practice” nor “working hard” to do this act, but it is something simultaneous… it is something that comes from the heart. When you help, when you practice humility amidst all the knowledge that the world has given you, when you are poor in spirit, you balter. 

According to the Catholic Social Teaching on Poverty under the document Economic Justice (U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1986, no. 16), “Jesus takes the side of those most in need. As followers of Christ, we must take the challenge on the fundamental option of the poor—to speak for the voiceless, to defend the defenseless, and to assess lifestyles.” To be able to do this all, one must first practice humility. One must practice being poor in spirit in the midst of all luxuries that the world offer, as this must come first before all the beatitudes. The reason is simple: service without humility is pointless, as humility without service is a ship without a destination. The beatitudes consist of two parts: the condition and the result, but these fragments should not be taken separately-- they should be treated as a one whole blessing. It’s like drinking a medicine: at first, the medicine itself won’t taste good. It tastes so bad that you would want to spit it out the moment it reaches your tongue. It doesn’t take effect until after a certain period of time… where you would eventually feel better and alive again. The after effect of the beatitudes takes part and is fully-realized in the kingdom of heaven. However, in this lifetime, practicing humility and poor in spirit would taste as bad as your first medicine, but when you get used to it, in the long run, you would realize that that medication is slowly bringing you to the meaning of genuine happiness. 

Being poor in spirit means finding yourself by losing yourself in the service of others (Mahatma Gandhi). It is hard to get out of your comfort zone, because comfort zone feels good… but nothing ever grows there. Saint Dominic de Guzman is the perfect example, as he started out in humility, from wearing simple clothes, to selling the things he does not need in order to help those who are helpless. He got out of this own comfort zone, shared, and served until it hurts because it is in that pain that he felt happy. Imagine, the Order of Preachers have been built because of this first step: humility. Saint Dominic practiced baltering—for he went out of the world’s standards, did the otherwise, and enjoyed what he was doing. 

Being poor in spirit means learning how to weep. “If you do not learn how to cry, then you cannot be good Christians.” This is Pope Francis’ message to the youth on his visit to UST. Furthermore, he also questioned whether the youth has learned how to weep for the street children, for the homeless, for the people with drug problems, for the abused women and children. Unfortunately, there are others who only cry fothemselves, for other things, for not having the worldly things they want but not need. Learning how to weep means understanding what the least of us have felt. It is feeling terrible for the misled society. It is feeling sad that in every food you throw away, you feel that you have stolen it from the poor. It is showing compassion. It is baltering. As to what the Pope said, “Be courageous; do not be afraid to cry.” 

Being poor in spirit means giving voice to the voiceless. Upon Pope Francis’ visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury (June 14, 2013), he stated this: “Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is hearing the cry of the poor.” Humility is essential in listening to their cries as in humility, you level your heart to theirs. Humility is baltering, as you do not need the systematic knowledge nor worldly things to be humble. This is baltering at its finest—forgetting what the world has taught you and giving up the worldly things you want but do not need. You would not be able to grasp and listen to their needs and take action without humility, otherwise, it will only be hearing and not listening. 

I believe that being poor in spirit is baltering: it is giving your newly-bought Jollibee French Fries to the street children outside the fast food chain, it is having a conversation with the old homeless woman along the overpass in Espana Blvd., it is offering a shoulder to cry on to a heart-broken friend, it is being a bridge between two people who built walls, it is learning how to forgive a person who habitually chooses doing the wrong deeds, and it is being nice and offering your other cheek to those who spanked you. All of these are done with humility. As to what Friedrich Nietzsche said, “…and those who were dancing were seen as insane by the others who could not hear the music.” Answer this in your heart: Are you willing to practice humility, baltering and choose to listen to the music played by the least of us? Or will you just hear them and choose to dance to the world’s beat and standards instead? 

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit" (Mt 5:3) - Teomasino 2015 Essay Writing - Third Place

TEOMASINO ESSAY WRITING CONTEST 2015
The UST Institute of Religion
Theme: "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit." (Mt 5:3)


Third Place, Lina Lou C. Berdijo (College of Rehabilitation Science)

"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit"(Mt 5:3)



According to the UNICEF, 22,000 children die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth. Over three billion people live on less than $2.50 a day. In the Philippines, 24.9% Filipinos lived in poverty over the past 2013. It’s no surprise not to see a reason to introduce the word “poor”. With almost half of the world living in poverty, we ourselves are acquainted with the term. But, this familiarity, sadly, evolves to infamy – slowly being intertwined with a web of connections that brings forth a meaning of negativity, of stigma.

However, Matthew 5:3 presents a greater lesson; a true revelation to the human mind and heart – Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We should understand that in the Bible, what “poor” meant also varies. In this case, poor was translated from ptochos, meaning “to crouch as if helpless”; a total state of dependency. Furthermore, the word takes on a spiritual overtone and tells of being poor in spiritual realities – to be helpless without Salvation.

What a paradox it is to behold! Those who dispossess all shall inherit all that is eternal – the Kingdom of God. But why does such a price entail such a sacrifice?

It is only through emptiness can we experience hunger, thirst and sorrow. It is with emptiness that we become meek and be persecuted. For it is in emptiness that we live as Jesus had. 

Pope Francis reminds us the entire history of our salvation is marked by the presence of the poor (Evangelii Gaudium). Our very own Savior lived in simplicity, giving His own self to the vulnerable. We must go back to the ways of Christ and give the poor the friendship of God: His blessing and His word, towards the journey of growth and maturity in faith, for they are those who are in need of God the most. 

As Christians, we are called to take action for humanity, especially the poor. None of us can think that we are exempted from concern for the poor and for social justice (Evangelii Gaudium). And as the call for social justice is strong, we should always have a sense of commitment to the cause of truth, a sense of compassion to the people of God and a sense of competence to proclaim the truth. 

Indeed, we are called to serve just like our Lord, Jesus Christ, who came here not to be served, but to serve

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what the Lord requires of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).




Friday, March 20, 2015

Leading drugstore in PH revives professorial chair, establishes research fund in UST

The Mercury Drug Corporation, which is known for its corporate integrity and social commitment, has again expressed its confidence and trust in the University of Santo Tomas through the revival of a distinguished professorial chair and the establishment of a research fund for pharmaceutical studies.

An illustrious alumna of the University, Mercury Drug President Vivian Que Azcona represented the corporation in the signing of the memorandum of agreements, held on Dec. 12 last year at the UST Rector’s Board Room. Representatives of the University were Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, OP, director of the UST Office for Grants, Endowments and Partnerships in Higher Education; and Fr. Manuel Roux, OP, UST Vice Rector for Finance. 
From left Assoc. Prof. Ma. Elena Manansala, Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, OP, Mercury President Vivian Que Azcona, Fr. Manuel Roux, OP, and Assoc. Prof. Aleth Therese Dacanay
 
Assoc. Prof. Ma. Elena Manansala, Faculty of Pharmacy dean, and Assoc. Prof. Aleth Therese Dacanay, faculty secretary, were also witnesses of the turnover of donation.

Named after the founder of Mercury Drug and his wife, the Mariano Que and Estelita de Jesus-Que Professorial Chair in Pharmacy may again be granted biennially to the esteemed professors of the Faculty of Pharmacy. The chair is intended to honor the occupant, who will be chosen by a panel of experts in the field and to be formally designated by the rector of the University.

Since its original foundation in 1984, the professorial chair has aimed for the public presentation and publication of important researches of respected scholars in Pharmacy.

Meanwhile, the Mercury Drug Research Chair will financially support one faculty researcher of the Faculty of Pharmacy every academic year, whose study proposal will have been approved by the Vice Rector for Research and Innovation and the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs.
Signing of two memorandums of agreement

The UST Faculty of Pharmacy, founded in 1871, has the longest academic tradition in pharmaceutical studies in the Philippines. With its international partnerships with various institutions and universities, the Faculty continuously seeks innovation while honing the values of its students.

At present, the University of Santo Tomas produces the most number of passers of the board exams in Pharmacy of the Professional Regulation Commission, with above 250 passers every year. Notably, even with its large number of students taking the board exams every year, UST has always been among the top performing schools in Pharmacy, with topnotchers and not less than 80-per cent passing rate.

Alumni group donates to scholarship fund for USTHS students



The University of Santo Tomas High School Emerald Jubilarian Class of 1960, on March 9, donated an additional amount of P500,000 to a scholarship fund for “poor but deserving” USTHS students.
 
Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement to establish the scholarship fund, held Sept. 25 last year at the UST Rector's Board Room

Held at the UST Rector’s Board Room, the turnover of donation was made between class representatives Dinualdo Yap and Amella Guillamun, and Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, OP, director of the UST Office for Grants, Endowments and Partnerships in Higher Education.

Also witness to the event was Assoc. Prof. Marishirl Tropicales, USTHS principal.

USTHS Emerald Jubilarian Class of 1960 representatives Dinualdo Yap and Amella Guillamun in a ceremonial turnover of donation to the University of Santo Tomas

The donation has now been added to the UST High School Alumni Alliance Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Fund, the initial amount of which was P6.3 million. The said fund was established on Sept. 25 last year after the USTHS Alumni Alliance Foundation, headed by Liberty Esquivias-Gamboa, gave to the University the consolidated hand-outs from the many helpful USTHS alumni for the financially challenged USTHS students.

Monday, March 16, 2015

EHS joins the annual Speech Cup

Last 21 February 2015, the Education High School students took part in the annual Speech Cup organized by the University of the Philippines Speech Communication Association (UP SPECA) at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium. 

The Speech Cup is a speech competition where High Schools around the country compete in both oral interpretation and speech choir competition. It aims to foster youth involvement in performance art and rhetoric; to provide a venue for self-expression and social responsiveness and to propel the Filipinization of speech communication. The theme of the 2015 Speech Cup is"Catharsis: Art, Healing, and Responding to Climate Change," where art is used to create a positive social impact and to instill responsibility, to the people, to act on the welfare of our planet threatened by climate change.




25 EHS Students, composing of 4th Year High School students and a Grade 9 student, competed for the Speech Choir Competition. They performed “Sumpa ng Kawayan” by Joi Barrios, which is the required competition piece, and “Baha, Bahala, Bathala”, which is the chosen piece of the school, written by the group’s mentor Mr. Arnold Felipe. 

Prior to the competition, they underwent weeks of rigorous training under Mr. Arnold Felipe. Laryna Mallari, a Grade 8 student who was the school’s representative for the Oral Interpretation, was also coached and trained by Mr. Arnold Felipe. EHS didn’t end up with a podium finish but the learning experience brought by the competition is valuable to the participants.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

#CallforPhotos: Arzi Zita



#CallforPhotos: Mark Allen P. Barrera, UST College of Science











Thomasian has Guts: Gearing Up Tools for Success 2015


ARE YOU READY TO LAND IN YOUR DREAM JOB?

The UST Guidance and Counseling Department in collaboration with the USAID – Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE), Department of Labor and Employment and Partner Companies proudly brings you career activities that will surely prepare you for the world of work.



The “THOMASIAN HAS GUTS: GEARING UP TOOLS FOR SUCCESS” is a seminar workshop that aims to equip students with the essential soft skills of networking and interpersonal relationships. There will be concurrent MOCK INTERVIEWS where various companies will accommodate students for job interviews. These activities will be held at the Alumni Center (Buenaventura Paredes Building) on March 18, 2015, 12:00-5:00 pm. It is open for interested 3rd, 4th, and 5th year students. Please be in your corporate attire or uniform. Students who are attending the mock interview are advised to bring their resumes. Meanwhile, a seminar on “Labor Education for Graduating Students” (LEGS) will be held at the AB Lecture hall for interested graduating students on April 29, 2015 at 2:00-4:00 pm.

Don’t miss these opportunities to be fully ready to land in your dream job! Coordinate with your respective counselors!

Friday, March 6, 2015

Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas

The Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas (BEF), the official interdiocesan bulletin, was established in response to a need. In the early twenties, the Apostolic Delegate of His Holiness to the Philippines made an appeal to each local ordinary to work toward the establishment of a national bulletin for the clergy upon realizing the fact that many priests in the country did not immediately get the chance to read the Pope’s encyclical letters, as well as other important documents from Rome. When this publication became a reality, the first editors considered “rendering a detailed account of Papal documents and of the decisions and decrees of the Roman Congregations” as the “principal and most important function of the Review.” It is published by the University of Santo Tomas since 1923.
 
Below is the subscription details of BEF:


Santo Tomas Scholarship Program Guidelines and Procedures 2015

To ALL USTET PASSERS:

Santo Tomas Scholarship Program Guidelines and Procedures

The Santo Tomas Scholarship is named after the Patron Saint of the University, and is given to students with excellent academic performance.

The application requirements and procedure is intended for applicants who are Valedictorian and Salutatorian candidates/graduates and incoming freshmen students who wish to apply for the Santo Tomas Scholarship.

You can download the PDF of the procedure and guidelines at http://goo.gl/81n8l8 or read it below. Please be guided accordingly.

(via UST Office for Student Affairs) Room 212, 2nd Flr. Tan Yan Kee Student Center University of Santo Tomas, Espana Manila 8am-11:45am, 1-3pm, 3:15-5pm 406-1611 8267 or 8294; (632) 731-2985

UST Engineering Faculty Member in USA


One of our Engineering Faculty members, Engr. Cristina Escudero Tiangco of the Department of Chemical Engineering, just left the Philippines to do her PhD Dissertation Research at the University of Maryland in the USA. She is one of the ten recipients of the USAID Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (USAID-STRIDE) scholarships (click this link).

Engr. Tiangco has been working on her PhD in Chemistry at the UST Graduate School under the supervision of Dr. Fortunato Sevilla III (current Director of CHED Zonal Research Center at UST, and former Dean of the College of Science).

Here are the photos c/o the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Philipina Marcelo, taken during the USAID STRIDE Scholarships and Grants Awarding ceremony in Shangri-La Makati last 18 August 2014. 
 

Photo 1 (from left): Engr. Cristina Tiangco and Prof. Philipina Marcelo in the awarding ceremony.

Photo 2 (from left): Prof. Philipina Marcelo, Ms. Gloria Steele (USAID/Philippines Mission Director), Engr. Tiangco, and another scholarship recipient.

Photo 3: Engr. Tiangco, receiving her scholarship with the other three (3) recipients of PhD Dissertation Research "Sandwich" Program Scholarship. Also in the photo is Ms. Steel and Mr. David Hall (STRIDE Chief of Party).