FIVE ARTLETS faculty members were among the 24 new appointees to university-wide leadership roles this academic year.
Former Journalism chair Prof. Jeremaiah Opiniano returned to his post as the director of the Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSED).
Opiniano left his RCSSED post last year to lead the Journalism department. He was first appointed to the post in 2022.
Asst. Prof. Katrina Ninfa Topacio served as the RCSSED officer-in-charge while Opiniano was chair of the Journalism department.
Literature Assoc. Prof Ralph Galan has been named as the new director for the Center of Creative Writing and Literary Studies (CCWLS), succeeding renowned author Professor Emerita Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, who held the post for more than a decade.
Galan served as the CCWLS assistant director for 14 years before becoming director. In a recent interview, Hidalgo told The Flame she would continue to teach at the UST Graduate School.
Former AB faculty secretary Asst. Prof. Maria Zenia Rodriguez of the Political Science Department succeeded Prof. Elizabeth Arenas of the College of Education as UST Graduate School faculty secretary.
Rodriguez finished her Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science from the UST Graduate School in June.
Assoc. Prof Arlene Calara was appointed chair of the Department of History. She succeeded Assoc. Prof. Archie Resos, who served as the department’s head from 2019 to 2026. Calara was given the Gawad Benavides award in 2024 for her 20 years of service in the University. She previously served as the adviser of the UST Central Student Council.
Asst. Prof. Joram Kim Corcuera succeeded Prof. Rachelle Lintao as chair of the English department. Lintao led the office from 2019 to 2026.
The new appointments, which took effect last Aug. 1, was announced by the Office of the Secretary General (OSG) in a memorandum dated July 31.
Artlets chairperson shifts
The Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) also announced the appointment of new chairpersons for its Journalism, Legal Management, History and English departments in a Facebook post on Saturday, Aug. 1.
Calara and Corcuera were among the new departments heads of the faculty, the most diverse tertiary academic unit of the University.
Asst. Prof. Joselito Zulueta assumed the post as chair of the Department of Journalism, replacing Opiniano.
Zulueta, a seasoned journalist and literary critic, was the batch valedictorian of the UST Graduate School class of 2026. He was also a former editorial board member of The Flame and is currently the adviser of The Varsitarian.
Lawyer and instructor Teodoro Lorenzo Fernandez returned to his post as head of the Department of Legal Management, succeeding Asst. Prof. Edelberto Bunquin, who was named founding dean of the Divine Word College of Calapan School of Law. Fernandez previously served as Legal Management chair from 2023 to 2025.
Other officials
Nineteen faculty members from other colleges were also appointed to various posts, the OSG memo showed.
Prof. Patricia Empleo of the UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy now serves as the acting vice rector for academic affairs, succeeding Prof. Cheryl Peralta of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences.
Empleo had served as Accountancy dean since 2013. In 2017, she was inducted into the Global Accounting Hall of Fame by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants.
Instructor Ian Punsalan of the College of Accountancy was named executive assistant at the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs. Punsalan previously served as the adviser for the UST Accountancy Student Council.
Asst. Prof. Fermin Yabut was appointed acting dean of the Accountancy college, replacing Empleo.
Asst. Prof. Eliseo Panganiban III was named the assistant dean, while Asst. Prof. Albert Cruz was named college secretary.
Prof. Karen Santiago of the College of Science was designated director of the Office of International Relations and Programs, succeeding its founding director, Prof. Lilian Sison of the Graduate School.
Senior Teacher Efraim Fernandez of UST Senior High School succeeded Asst. Prof. Eleighn Castro of the College of Commerce and Business Administration as the assistant director for student formation and leadership in the Office for Student Affairs.
Assoc. Prof. Jennifer Aguilar of the Department of Advertising Arts, formerly College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) assistant dean, was appointed as dean, succeeding Asst. Prof. Christie Que of Advertising Arts, who held the post for 11 years.
Asst. Prof. Romano Macaisa, the chair of the Department of Industrial Design, succeeded Aguilar as CFAD assistant dean.
Asst. Prof. Ryan Ramirez of the Civil Engineering department was named assistant dean of the Faculty of Engineering, replacing Assoc. Prof. Cristiana Tiangco of the Chemical department.
Assoc. Prof. Ritzmond Loa succeeded Asst. Prof. Genecar Pe Benito as the secretary of the College of Nursing.
Senior Teacher John Ismael Medina of UST SHS succeeded Prof. Rodrigo Litao of the Department of English as assistant principal for curriculum and instruction.
Asst. Prof. Leidy Alnajes replaced Assoc. Prof. Zendel Rosario Taruc as the chair of the Department of Filipino. Alnajes previously served as the faculty secretary of the Graduate School of Law for two years.
Lawyer Lallanita Francesca Rayala, who served as the Graduate School of Law’s office clerk, replaced Alnajes as its faculty secretary.
Assoc. Prof. Myreen Cleofe succeeded Assoc. Prof. Rodel Canlas as the university-wide chair of the department of Psychology.
Assoc. Prof. Dino Tordesillas succeeded Asst. Prof. Reuel Bennett as the university-wide chair of the department of Biological Sciences.
Prof. Melvin Marcial was reappointed as the director of the Henry Sy Sr. Hall Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Simulation and Research Center. F
