Twenty-four notable news of 2024

THE GAINERS and losers were evident in 2024, a year that saw transformations, feuds and surprises within and outside the University.

Among the gainers were the Thomasian student organizations as they were promised reforms and more say in their operations following the 7-Eleven photo controversy, which also highlighted the power of a free and independent campus press. The controversy dealt a huge blow on UST’s public image, but it served as a bitter pill that sought to cure practices that impinge on democratic rights and academic freedom.

Supporters of the hybrid learning were also gainers as the University adopted the learning mode permanently despite criticisms that it was not as effective as the purely onsite set-up.

The Manila local government was a gainer while faculty members who were denied their teaching assignments were the losers in the much-criticized health permit policy, which remains a divisive issue within UST months before the 2025 midterm elections.

Two vice presidents ended up being losers last year, with Vice President Sara Duterte being embroiled in funding controversies that led to the filing of impeachment complaints and US Vice President Kamala Harris suffering a devastating loss to Donald Trump in the presidential race.

Carlos Yulo, Donald Trump, Mary Jane Veloso and San Miguel Corp. will surely remember 2024 with fondness but it was definitely not a good year for the Dutertes, the US Democratic Party, Alice Guo, the Aegis Juris fraternity, Apollo Quiboloy, the MaThon love team and the Office for Student Affairs.

The Flame presents 24 events that made an impact on the Artlets community, the University, the nation and the world in 2024.

1. 7-Eleven photo takedown draws backlash, ignites claims of ‘campus repression’

An unremarkable photo of two students entering a convenience store has become a symbol of students’ fight for more freedom in managing their organizations.

On Feb. 16, campus media entity TomasinoWeb took down its photo of UST College of Information and Computing Sciences (CICS) students wearing their type B uniforms outside a 7-Eleven store after some administrators raised concerns about the photo becoming a “source of public ridicule” towards the University. They pointed out that the photo, which went viral online, highlighted the similarities in the colors and style of the uniforms of the CICS students and the convenience store employees.

The concerns prompted the UST Office for Student Affairs (OSA) to order TomasinoWeb to take down the photo and issue an apology. According to the president of the campus media outlet, his organization was threatened with non-accreditation as a student organization if the photo is not deleted.

The fiasco led to the resignation of former TomasinoWeb adviser Leo Laparan II, who called the forcible takedown a “glaring illustration of censorship.” Calls to impose sanctions on OSA Director Maria Tio Cuison and her deputy Asst. Prof. Regina Arriero also mounted.

Tio Cuison went on a medical leave less than a month after the photo sparked public outrage. Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong has replaced Tio Cuison as OSA director and has vowed to conduct dialogues with student organizations regarding policy changes.

2. Manila gains revenues, defiant faculty members lose teaching load in health permit issue 

It started with a UST memo released in April about a Manila city government ordinance that has been described by workers as “unjust” and “costly.”

The memorandum of the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance (OVRF), which was based on Ordinance 8793 issued in 2021, required all UST teaching and non-teaching staff to secure their health certificate from the Manila Health Department on or before May 31. The deadline was later moved a number of times following concerns from affected workers.

Under the ordinance, employees must submit a valid ID, stool and urine samples, a filled-out drug test form and biometrics and undergo medical processes at the local government’s facilities. They must also pay P625 and renew their permits annually.

Faculty members with a professional license are given the alternative of submitting their updated tax receipts instead of securing a sanitary permit, a provision that had been cited as “discriminatory” by several labor leaders and employees.

Due to their failure or refusal to comply with the  health permit policy within the deadline, a number of UST instructors were denied teaching loads for the first term of the academic year.

In August, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna attributed the complaints against the requirement to the UST administration’s alleged failure to explain the policy properly to its employees.

After several dialogues between labor unions and the city government, the Manila Health Department clarified that all employees working in the capital city, including tax receipt holders, must obtain a health certificate.

The statement contradicted the interpretation of the UST memorandum that licensed professionals can present their updated tax receipts in lieu of a health permit.

Manila Health Department chief Arnold “Poks” Pangan, husband of Manila Mayor and UST alumna Honey Lacuna, also claimed that the deadline for compliance was set by UST alone, not by the city government. Pangan also announced through a memorandum that private educational institutions may undergo laboratory examinations in a different facility but must still pay the remaining P365 fee for health and occupational permits.

Last month, the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs said non-tenured instructors may now have their employment contracts renewed for the second term of the academic year, but must comply with the health permit requirement by February.

3. VP Sara breaks up with Marcos admin, faces impeachment raps 

Last year’s main political spectacle proved that there are no permanent allies or enemies in politics, only permanent interests.

Because of policy differences with the administration, Vice President Sara Duterte resigned as secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, marking the end of her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

Her resignation in June followed months of escalating tensions between the Dutertes and Marcoses, which started after the president’s allies at the House of Representatives removed the intelligence fund of the Office of the Vice President.

Ugly verbal exchanges then ensued, the most shocking among them include Sara’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, accusing Marcos of being a drug addict; First Lady Liza Marcos revealing her gripes against the vice president; and Sara disclosing that she had directed someone to kill the president if the supposed plot to assassinate her succeeds.

Because of her verbal threats and her alleged misuse of public funds, Sara is now facing four impeachment complaints although it remains unclear if Congress still has time to tackle them before the election break.

 4. Aegis Juris fratmen convicted; Atio’s family still wants answers from UST

Ten members of the Aegis Juris fraternity, collectively known as the “Aegis 10,” were found guilty of violating the Anti-Hazing Law in connection with the death of UST law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III, who died while undergoing initiation rites in 2017.

Atio’s parents challenged the University to  “overhaul” its policies to ensure that students are safe from fraternity violence. They also dared UST Civil Law Dean and Aegis Juris alumnus Nilo Divina to respond to the guilty ruling, which was released on Oct. 1.

The fraternity members received life sentences and were ordered to pay over P600,000 in damages to the Castillo family.

The “Aegis 10” consists of Arvin Balag, Mhin Wei Chan, Axel Munro Hipe, Oliver John Audrey Onofre, Joshua Joriel Macabali, Ralph Trangia, Robin Ramos, Jose Miguel Salamat, Danielle Hans Matthew Rodrigo and Marcelino Bagtang Jr.

5. PH displays best Olympic performance; Carlos Yulo bags two gold medals

Three athletes gave their fellow Filipinos a reason to celebrate despite their economic hardships when they won four medals during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Carlos Yulo brought home two gold medals after securing the highest scores in the floor exercise and vault finals in men’s gymnastics.

In women’s boxing, Aira Villegas made a remarkable Olympic debut when she won eaned a bronze medal in the 50 kg category.

Another Filipina boxer, Nesthy Petecio, claimed her second Olympic medal in women’s boxing after winning bronze in the 57 kg category. She obtained her first Olympic medal during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games when she won silver for featherweight.

6. Trump triumphs over Harris in ‘greatest’ political comeback 

Legal challenges did not prevent businessman Donald Trump from winning the US presidential race, obtaining 312 electoral votes against Vice President and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris’ 226.

Trump also won the popular vote with 77.28 million votes while Harris had 75 million. Observers attributed what has been described as the “greatest political comeback” to the campaign promises of Trump that reflected the concerns of ordinary Americans.

The businessman-turned-politician pulled off a shocking victory during the 2016 presidential race but lost his reelection bid in 2020.

Before last year’s election, he was convicted for 34 felony counts in New York, making him the first American president to be found guilty of a crime.

Following his victory, Trump promised to implement radical policy shifts, including the “America First” vision wherein domestic policies are prioritized over global affairs.

The Republican party, which carried Trump’s campaign also seized control of the two US legislative chambers.

7. UST permanently shifts to hybrid learning

After two years of trudging through the pandemic and experimenting with learning modalities, the University announced that it would permanently shift to hybrid learning to maximize available technologies in delivering course instructions.

In an interview with The Flame, UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta said the University seeks to equip students with the necessary digital competencies to thrive in hybrid workplaces in the future.

Seminars and workshops are underway to train students and professors alike in using AI tools within a school setting. With the goal of increasing the number of face-to-face class hours, the University also implemented a 70:30 onsite-to-online class ratio for academic year 2024-2025.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Arts and Letters delivered professional and general education courses in a 2:1 class ratio, with two hours allotted for onsite learning and one hour for online classes per course.

8. POGOs banned; Alice Guo becomes a household name for the wrong reasons 

In yet another departure from the policies of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. ordered a ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) because of their ties to scams and other illegal activities.

In his third State of the Nation Address, Marcos cited the need to stop the gambling entities’ “grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws.”

The POGO ban is expected to deprive the government of P20 billion to P25 billion annually, but officials claimed the risks of allowing the gaming operators to operate outweigh its benefits. The Duterte administration allowed POGOs to operate as it sought funding for its pandemic interventions.

Before the ban was announced, Bamban mayor Alice Guo made headlines after a raid on a POGO facility in her town uncovered evidence of potential human trafficking and other criminal activities. Because of her sketchy background, she became the subject of several memes and spoofs and was accused of being a Chinese spy.

The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency labeled Guo an “agent of influence,” raising concerns about foreign involvement in the gaming sector.

In July, the Senate ordered the mayor’s arrest for her failure to attend its hearing on the POGO operations in Bamban. She was nabbed in Indonesia two months later. The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered Guo’s dismissal for grave misconduct over her ties with the raided POGO hub.

9. UST regains autonomous status, sees gains and setbacks in rankings 

The University managed to secure a fresh three-year autonomous status that allows it to offer new undergraduate programs and increase tuition and other school fees without getting the approval of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

UST was one of the 77 private higher education institutions that were pronounced as autonomous and deregulated from Sept. 16, 2024 to Sept. 15, 2027, according to a recent CHED memorandum.

Aside from the greater leeway to hike tuition and other fees, autonomous institutions are also prioritized in the giving of subsidies and other financial incentives, are permitted to offer new programs and are exempted from CHED’s regular evaluation and monitoring, among other privileges.

The University also posted a mixed record in global rankings last year.

After placing within the 601-650 bracket in 2023, UST lost its only ranking in medicine among the 55 assessed subjects at the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject.

QS said the University’s performance in academic reputation, employer reputation and H-index, a metric that measures a university’s research quality and impact, prevented UST from retaining its spot in the subject area.

The University also saw a lower spot at the 2025 QS World Rankings, dropping to 850-900 globally from 801-850 previously. It was a similar story for  the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025, where UST slipoed to the 1041-1060 bracket overall from last year’s 1001-1050.

But 2024 also came with pleasant surprises. UST finally obtained a spot in this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, placing third among Philippine schools that participated in the assessment. It was bested by top-performing school Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines and De La Salle University which were tied at second place.

Over a hundred Artlets thesis advisers and panelists were subjected to salary deductions because of a mistake in the computation of their thesis honoraria.

The error stemmed from a clerical error that used the second-term rates of P1,400 per student for supervisors and P1,750 per student per panelist, which should have been P700 per student and P1,050 per student, respectively.

This left some 120 faculty members overpaid by half their rate during the academic year 2023-2024.

Faculty members were given reply slips to return their excess pay. They were asked to choose between a one-time full payment or a staggered payment that lasts for 12 months. A one-year salary deduction would automatically apply for those who fail to provide the reply slips.

In March, “more convenient” and “economically less burdensome” repayment options ranging from an immediate payment to a 36-month plan, were offered to the affected faculty members after the initial payment schemes were criticized as burdensome.

The error also led to procedural changes within the administrative offices. The Office of the Dean now determines and prepares the request for payment for thesis supervisors and panelists, while further checks and validation are done by the accounting office.

13. Navy soldier loses finger in an encounter with the Chinese in West PH Sea

Filipino troops are already used to Chinese ships’ shadowing, water cannon attacks and dangerous maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea, but a more dangerous incident transpired within the area in June.

A Philippine Navy personnel lost his thumb during a violent confrontation with the Chinese coast guard near the Ayungin Shoal.

The Chinese vessel rammed into a Philippine ship that was about to deliver supplies to Filipino soldiers in the shoal, resulting in an encounter  between their sailors.

First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo lost a thumb and had to undergo a rib bone grafting procedure to reconstruct his finger. He was later on awarded with the Wounded Personnel Medal.

The encounter near Ayungin was one of the numerous harassment incidents experienced by Filipino troops tasked to defend the country’s maritime interests in the West Philippine Sea.

China has been resorting to aggressive measures to assert its wide-reaching maritime claim in the West Philippine Sea, which was voided by an international arbitral court in 2016.

14. Philippines hit by six cyclones in a month

Six weather disturbances pummeled the Philippines in November, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to call for a review existing flood control measures.

Cyclones Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito caused widespread devastation, affecting  millions of people and damaging billions of pesos worth of properties.

According to the World Weather Attribution, the Philippines may face more destructive cyclones in the future as typhoon-favoring conditions would continue to increase due to climate warming.

Marcos admitted that the flood control mechanisms have been overwhelmed by the successive cyclones. He also pushed for improvements in the designs of flood control projects to make them responsive to the impact of climate change.

15. Marcos signs free college entrance exams law and other vital measures

More than a hundred laws were enacted last year, including a measure that allows poor students to take college entrance tests for free.

The Free College Entrance Examinations Act requires private higher education institutions to waive the entrance examination fees for qualified students.

To be eligible, students must be natural-born Filipino citizens, belong to the top 10% of their graduating batch and come from families whose combined income falls below the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority.

The Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, meanwhile, requires schools to implement mental health programs focused on awareness and crisis response.

The Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning Program Act aims to assist students with learning disruptions, especially during emergencies or disasters. It provides resources and support to help students catch up on their education to  ensure that unforeseen circumstances will not hamper academic progress.

Other bills that became law last year include the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Program Act, Philippine Maritime Zones Act; the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act; the value added tax on digital service providers; the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act;  the New Government Procurement Act; the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act; the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act; Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and the Agricultural Tariffication Act.

16. AB departments reorganized; six programs elevated to departments 

The Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) undertook a reorganization that raised the status of a number of programs, promoted their heads from coordinators to chairpersons and dissolved the departments they belonged to.

As the faculty elevated six of its programs to department level, two departments — economics and sociology — have been relegated from university-wide to college level in a major reorganization.

Because of the new status of the two departments, which took effect last Aug. 1, their courses would no longer be regularly offered to other colleges. The faculty members at the college-level department will also have fewer teaching loads, but they will keep their jobs and their units.

The six AB programs elevated to department level were Behavioral Science, Legal Management, Creative Writing, Journalism, Communication and Asian Studies — all of which were previously under now-defunct departments.

17. Major developments in transport sector seen to boost economic activity 

The year also saw the progressing of projects aimed at improving mobility, cutting travel time and enhancing passengers’ experience.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched the first phase of the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension project on Nov. 16, connecting Baclaran Station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque City through five additional stations: the Redemptorist-ASEANA, MIA Road, Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, Ninoy Aquino Avenue and Dr. Santos.

These stations are expected to reduce travel time from North EDSA in Quezon City to Sucat in Parañaque City by almost an hour and will add 80,000 passengers to the daily 323,000 ridership of Line 1, the DOTr said.

The agency and the Manila International Airport Authority also signed a concession agreement with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Public-Private Partnership Project.

Under the 15-year contract, which can be extended for ten years, the SMC-led New NAIA Infra Corp. will rehabilitate, operate and maintain the airport to increase its annual passenger capacity from 35 million to at least 62 million and enhance air traffic movement from 40 to 48 per hour.

The key components of the modernization plan include expanding Terminals 2 and 3, rehabilitating Terminal 1, and repurposing Terminal 4. The improvements will also involve installing advanced systems for air traffic management and enhancing overall airport infrastructure. The NAIA, the country’s main gateway, was turned over to SMC last September.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. also witnessed the inking of various government infrastructure  agreements, including the P17-billion New Cebu International Container Port, which aims to solve port congestion at the Cebu Base Port and the P28.78-billion Cebu Bus Transit transportation system, which seeks to connect key parts of Cebu City and promote easier and comfortable transportation.

The president also attended the signing of the expansion project of the P4.53-billion Bohol-Panglao International Airport, which is expected to boost the airport’s annual passenger capacity from two million to 2.5 million by 2026 and 3.9 million by 2030, and the construction of new regional airports in Dumaguete and Siargao, which seeks to expand opportunities for students, workers and businesses and support tourism and trade in the two towns.

18. Jeepney consolidation deadline implemented despite protests from transport groups

The Marcos administration continued to carry out the Public Utility Vehicles (PUV) Modernization Program, which has been criticized for allegedly posing a financial burden to drivers.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) called on operators of PUVs to consolidate into cooperatives or corporations until April 30, 2024, saying those who do not comply will have their franchises revoked and will be barred from operating on public routes.

A15-day leniency period was given post-deadline, during which operators will receive warnings before facing penalties and possible vehicle impounding.

To accommodate those who have yet to comply with the policy, the LTFRB reopened the consolidation program from Oct. 15 until Nov. 29.

Despite a number of extensions from the original deadline of December 31, 2023, transport groups Piston and Manibela held several protest rallies and filed petitions seeking to halt the program before the Supreme Court.

The program, which seeks to replace conventional jeepneys with Euro 4-compliant automobiles, has drawn flak from drivers who complained that they cannot afford the e-jeepneys, which cost more than P2 million per unit.

19. UST opens GenSan campus, Sta. Rosa research complex and Henry Sy Sr. Hall

The University was in expansion mode last year with the groundbreaking and inauguration of its major infrastructure projects and research facilities.

It hosted the groundbreaking ceremony of the UST-Dr. William T. Belo Interdisciplinary Research Institute (UST-WiTBIRIn) on Jan. 26, officially marking the second edifice to be constructed at the Santa Rosa campus after the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center, which was launched in April 2023.

The 23.20-meter-long UST-WiTBIRIn seeks to promote research collaboration among interdisciplinary areas, such as food safety and security, health and well-being, energy, environmental sustainability, information and communications and materials and product innovation.

Nearly three months later, UST unveiled the General Santos (GenSan) campus, marking the first UST expansion outside Luzon.

The Mindanao campus can accommodate up to 5,000 students with its 77 classrooms, 25 laboratories, a 65-person capacity cafeteria, a 100-person capacity chapel, a 300-person capacity auditorium, a clinic, a library, student organization rooms and three function halls.

Five programs, namely Pharmacy, Medical Technology, Entrepreneurship, Accounting, Accounting Information and Industrial Engineering were offered at the GenSan campus starting academic year 2024-2025. A total of 126 students enrolled during the Mindanao branch’s maiden year.

Aside from the Santa Rosa and GenSan campus, UST also unveiled the Henry Sy Sr. Hall to advance the standards for medical education in the Philippines.

The seven-story building along the Dapitan side of UST houses the Saints Cosmas and Damian Center for Simulation and Research, which accommodates simulation emergency rooms, surgical theaters, delivery rooms, ultrasound skills laboratory, adult and pediatric intensive care units, medical wards and consultation and control rooms. The Eduardo Gotamco Tan, M.D. Study Hall and the offices of the UST Research Ethics Board and alumni group Anargyroi Foundation, Inc. are also situated in the building.

20. Mary Jane Veloso returns to PH, effectively escapes death penalty

Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina who spent nearly 15 years on death row in Indonesia over drug trafficking charges, returned to the Philippines on Dec. 18, 2024.

Her repatriation effectively reduced her sentence to life imprisonment since the Philippines does not allow capital punishment.

Veloso was arrested in 2010 after authorities found 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her possession at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta. She denied having links with drug traffickers and claimed that she was just a victim of a narcotics syndicate.

Veloso’s execution by firing squad was supposed to take place in April 2015 but she was given reprieve following the surrender of her recruiter.

Upon her arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Veloso was welcomed by family members and Philippine officials. She was taken to the Correctional Institution for Women in Manila, where she will remain while her clemency plea is under consideration.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has said it would be up to legal experts to determine if Veloso should be given clemency.

21. UST debuts in the esports stage

The UST Teletigers Esports Club (UST TGR) concluded its run in the first-ever UAAP Season 87 esports with two silvers and a bronze medal.

The team settled for silver in the Valorant Tournament, where it lost 2-0 in a best-of-three finals match-up against the De La Salle University Viridus Arcus, 13-5 and 13-7.

For Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), UST TGR yielded to the University of the East Zenith Esports in the best-of-three finals series, 2-0, after sweeping the rival team during the first round of the tournament.

A friendly fire was caught in the NBA2k Tournament after UST TGR’s Eryx delos Reyes defeated his teammate Daemiel Argame via sweep, 2-0. The UST TGR NBA2k squad topped both brackets, 6-1 and 7-0.

22. Canonization of young models of faith Pier Frassati and Carlo Acutis announced

Gossip-loving Filipinos felt the need to sleep late on a random Tuesday night after a bombshell involving actors Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings was dropped on social media.

The controversy erupted after Jennings’s ex-girlfriend, Jamela Villanueva, posted screenshots of his private conversations with Racal to expose his infidelity.

The ‘MaThon’ love team of Jennings and Racal gained popularity through the ABS-CBN series “Can’t Buy Me Love” even if they were not the main characters of the show.

The still budding tandem faces an uncertain future because of the scandal and the widespread negative publicity it caused. However, showbiz observers noted that there are apparent efforts to disassociate Racal and Jennings from each other.

Racal and Jennings have apologized for their actions in separate press conferences. While Villanueva gained a lot of sympathy, some social media users said she can be sued for violating the Data Privacy Act.

The MaThon love team’s latest projects are the Metro Manila Film Festival 2024 entry “And The Breadwinner Is…” and the upcoming action TV series “Incognito.”

24. Thomasians appointed to key posts in UST, government and private sector 

Several Thomasian alumni and professors reaped the benefits of their hard work when they got appointed to major positions.

Former UST Journalism student Patrick Paez was appointed officer-in-charge of News5, passing the baton to UST Biology graduate Jovenal Francisco as head of Cignal News Content.

Journalism instructor Kane Errol Choa has been named regional director at the International Association of Business Communicators Asia Pacific, while Journalism graduate Lynda Corpuz was designated brand and communications director of the same network.

Philosophy Assoc. Prof. Rene Luis Tadle was appointed to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority board as a representative of the labor sector.

Department of Literature Prof. John Jack Wigley and Asst. Prof. Benedict Parfan were appointed as members of the board of trustees of the Book Development Association of the Philippines, the country’s largest publishing and book trading organization.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. also named Department of Filipino Assoc. Prof. Arthur Cassanova as a member of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines’ communication and information committee.

He also appointed History Assoc. Prof. Maria Eloisa de Castro as one of the regular members of the National History Commission of the Philippines and UST Graduate School Assoc. Prof. Eric Babar Zerrudo as executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

AB Assistant Dean Asst. Prof. John Manuel Kliatchko was reelected to a second term as vice president of the Psychological Association of the Philippines. AB English chair Prof. Rachelle Lintao, meanwhile, was elected president of the Linguistics Society of the Philippines.

Behavioral Science graduate Magdalena de Guzman was elected acting president, chief operating officer and director of AllDay Marts Inc., a supermarket chain led by business tycoon and former senator Manny Villar.

Canon Law graduate Nolly Buco was appointed by Pope Francis as bishop of the Diocese of Catarman in North Samar, while Central Seminary Vice Rector Fr. Napoleon Sipalay, O.P. was designated as the new bishop of the Diocese of Alaminos in Pangasinan.

Graduate School of Law alumnus and faculty member Judge Gener Gito, who acquitted former senator Leila de Lima in her third and final drug case, was promoted to associate justice of Sandiganbayan, a special court that deals with graft and corruption cases of government officials and employees.

Economics graduate Samantha Camitan was appointed assistant solicitor general of the Office of the Solicitor General.

Former AB dean Prof. Marilu Madrunio was named chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education’s technical panel for foreign languages from 2025 to 2028.

Communication Arts graduate Cheloy Garafil was named chair of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, the country’s de facto embassy in Taiwan while Philosophy alumnus and veteran journalist Jose Torres, Jr. was tapped as the executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security. F – reports by Anna Victoria Asuncion, Rovy Jilyn Fraginal, Barbra Althea Gavilan, Christian Querol and Ma. Alyanna Selda