THE OFFICER-IN-CHARGE of the UST Office for Student Affairs (OSA) has been appointed its director nearly a year after the office got embroiled in a controversy that sparked widespread calls for reforms in the handling of campus organizations.
In a memorandum dated Jan. 1, the Office of the Secretary General announced the appointment of OSA director Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong, replacing Maria Tio Cuison, who went on medical leave during the height of the 7-Eleven fiasco involving campus media entity TomasinoWeb.
Ong also works as a faculty member of the Department of Literature. A master’s degree holder in Teaching English Language Arts, she served as the UST Senior High School secretary during its maiden year in 2016 and the school’s assistant principal for student formation.
Ong was named officer-in-charge of OSA in March, about a month after the office’s order to take down the now-controversial 7-Eleven photo triggered a backlash.
The photo, which was published by TomasinoWeb on February 15, 2024, showed two students entering a 7-Eleven branch on campus. It quickly gained traction online because of the similarity between the College of Information and Computing Sciences (CICS) uniforms and those worn by the employees of the convenience store.
OSA pressured TomasinoWeb to take down the photo that supposedly subjected UST and CICS students to public ridicule, drawing widespread condemnation from student groups who regarded it as a violation of democratic rights.
Several student councils, organizations and activists also accused the office of censorship and infringement of academic freedom and demanded the termination of Tio Cuison and her deputy Asst. Prof. Regina Arriero.
Former TomasinoWeb adviser Leo Laparan II has filed an administrative complaint against Tio Cuison and Arriero before the UST administration over their supposed “abusive conduct” and for allegedly “engaging in unduly and illegal media censorship.”
The controversy also reached the House of Representatives, with Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel filing a resolution seeking a probe on OSA’s alleged censorship and “other violations of student democratic rights.”
In an interview with The Flame shortly after she was named OSA officer-in-charge, Ong vowed to review student-related guidelines and seek feedback and suggestions from recognized student organizations and councils on policy changes.
READ: OSA to consult UST student orgs, councils on policy changes
20 more UST officials named
In the same memorandum, the Office of the Secretary General announced the appointment of 20 other officials of the Manila campus.
Philosophy instructor Anton Heinrich Rennesland will head the Research Center for Culture, Arts and Humanities, replacing Prof. Maria Alexandra Chua. Rennesland attained his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in Philosophy in UST. He joined the Philosophy department in 2019 and serves as the managing editor of Kritike: An Online Journal of Philosophy, the official open-access journal of the department.
Meanwhile, former Tiger Media Network (TMN) business manager Earl Pantoja was named assistant director of the University’s official broadcast and online media unit Communications Bureau, switching positions with TMN founding head Asst. Prof. Faye Abugan. Pantoja earned his master’s degree in Science major in Advertising at the University. He worked as senior promos and events marketing specialist at life insurance company Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. for seven years.
Prof. Maria Alexandra Chua has also been appointed dean of the UST Conservatory of Music, replacing Assoc. Prof. Antonio Africa, who had served as its chief since 2017. Chua obtained her undergraduate degree in Music, major in Piano, at UST in 1991. She was conferred the Silver Series award in 2010 for her notable research contributions in the field of music.
Asst. Prof. Christopher Ladao was named CICS dean after leading the college in an acting capacity. Meanwhile, Asst. Prof. Neriza Adorna has been named UST Senior High School assistant principal for student formation.
Fr. Clarence Victor Marquez, O.P. was appointed as the acting rector of UST Central Seminary. He was also named editor of official Catholic publications Boletin Ecclesiastico and
Assuming the post as acting regent of their respective colleges are Fr. Maximo Gatela, O.P. of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and Fr. Roman Santos, O.P. of the College of Education.
Asst. Prof. Gilda Ma. Paz Kamus and junior teacher Katherine Patrice Sibug will now serve as assistant director of the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics and the Office of Public Affairs, respectively.
Other new appointees are Asst. Prof. Jerralyn Padua (assistant to the rector for Information and Communications Technology) Asst. Prof. Warren Bacorro (Research Center for Health Sciences chief program officer), Asst. Prof. Arne Barcelo (CICS college secretary), Fr. Noberto Castillo, O.P. (Philippiniana Sacra assistant editor), Asst. Prof. Citadel De Castro (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery faculty secretary), Fr. Christopher Garinganao, O.P. (Ecclesiastical Faculties library coordinator), Asst. Prof. Maria Cristina Maranion (Clinical Programs chief program officer), Assoc. Prof. Kim Gerald Medallon (assistant to the director of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Educational Delivery), Hazel Misola (UST Senior High School secretary) and Prof. Jerome Porto (Institute for Physical Education and Athletics secretary). F
