ust Archives - The Flame

Sep142022 by Editor in ChiefNo Comments

Thomasians no longer required to wear face masks outdoors

News

THE UNIVERSITY has made the use of face masks optional in open and non-crowded spaces in the campus, following Malacañang’s easing of the pandemic safety protocol. On Sept. 12, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. signed Executive Order no. 3, making the wearing of face masks voluntary outdoors. The Palace order prompted Secretary-General Fr. Louie R. Coronel to release a memorandum updating the University's health and safety protocols. “[The] wearing of face mask may be optional in non-crowded outdoor venues where good ventilation and physical distancing are consistently observed,” Coronel said in the memorandum dated Sept. 13. Individuals who are unvaccinated and those with comorbidities are “strongly advised” to wear their face masks even in outdoor venues. Face masks are sti...

Aug202022 by Issues EditorNo Comments

VLOG POPULI: New academic year, new problem: In-person classes and the monkeypox threat

Vlog Populi

With the World Health Organization declaring the global monkeypox outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern," the Flame asks: Do Thomasians think it is already safe to return to the campus? Episode Director: Bless Aubrey Ogerio Writers/Researcher: Axel Aldana & Eduardo Fajermo Jr. Voiceover Artist: Abigail Adriatico Video Editor: Tcheky Nicole Cabrera

Aug42022 by Editor in ChiefNo Comments

Schools need 3Cs to thrive amid adversities, says educ prof

News

ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS need to cope, control and construct to face the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, an education professor said. Prof. Clarita DL. Carillo, Ph.D., assistant to the rector for planning and quality management, talked about the “3Cs” of resiliency during the Discurso de Apertura for the academic year 2022-2023, held at the Santísimo Rosario Parish on Thursday, August 4. Carillo used the University’s experience to discuss the 3Cs, citing its creation of a task force and an education “continuity plan” during the pandemic. She said the responsibility of academic institutions to its stakeholders, primarily the students, is "not just to manage to deliver but to continue to deliver with quality." “Conceptually, the 3Cs should not be viewed as a ...

Jul52022 by Issues Editor2 Comments

For young Filipinos, future of green jobs still dim despite calls for sustainable work

Issues, The Flame Explains

by SIEGFRED ALDOUS LACERNA WHEN ANNE Parojinog first entered college as an Environmental Biology student at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, she was unsure of the path to take once she finishes her degree. But after leaving the university, she is now determined to pursue what she called an unconventional career path—to become an environmental biologist and researcher. For Parojinog, becoming a scientist can make a difference especially because not too many people are taking the same path. She believes that her future research undertakings would not simply be confined to academic journals; she can also offer these studies to aid policymakers. Parojinog, however, sees that the country might not produce enough green jobs—or those that contribute to preserving or res...

May72022 by Associate Editor1 Comment

UST approves on-site graduation rites in June

News

By DAWN DANIELLE SOLANO and MATTHEW DAVE JUCOM UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS have approved the conduct of in-person baccalaureate mass and graduation ceremonies for the three pandemic-affected batches this June, the Office of the Secretary-General said. “I am happy to announce to you that the University Crisis Management Committee and the other offices, including the academic units, have already approved the in-person graduation and Baccalaureate mass, “ Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, OP said during a mini-press conference with some student newspapers in UST on Saturday. The graduation will cover members of batches 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Baccalaureate Mass will be held on June 3 to 4. The Faculty of Arts and Letters is set to have the graduation on June 10 to 11...

Mar292022 by Issues EditorNo Comments

Businesses around UST remain affected by pandemic but expert sees chance of recovery

Issues, The Flame Explains

FIVE MONTHS after the start of the nationwide lockdown in 2020, John Lloyd Rolea, a political science junior, saw the impact of the pandemic on several businesses when he went to the University to return some books in the library. “Numerous stores were closed because UST students were no longer present around the area to patronize their food or products,” Rolea told The Flame. “It was completely different because UST [University of Santo Tomas] is not UST without its students,” he added. Just this year, Rolea went back to the University and witnessed the stark difference in the state of the businesses around the campus compared to two years ago. “Some businesses are now recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic. Stores are now gradually reopening due to limite...

Jan252022 by Scenes EditorNo Comments

UST resumes preps for expanded limited face-to-face classes

News

EXPANDING limited in-person classes remains an option for the University as it resumed its preparations for face-to-face learning after a two-week work suspension caused by a surge in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila. “We continue with our preparations now that work has resumed at the University,” UST Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl Peralta told The Flame. “Our academic units likewise prepare the documentary requirements and conduct an ongoing risk assessment which takes into consideration the health status of the University staff and students who will participate in the (limited face-to-face classes),” she added. Peralta could not say when the expanded limited face-to-face classes would start and what programs are ready to submit the required documents as preparations ...

Dec172021 by Culture EditorNo Comments

Thomasian tales: Flashbacks on pre-pandemic Paskuhan moments

Culture

RECOGNIZED as the most anticipated annual event for every Thomasian since 1991, the University's Paskuhan marks its 30th year with the theme ‘The Pilgrimage: Our road through trials, our road through triumph.’ The University invites Thomasians in its second virtual Paskuhan this year. The chief-of-staff of the University of Santo Tomas - Central Student Council Gilbert Estropia Jr. said that last year’s Paskuhan presented recordings of programs but the performances this year will be live on-site. “The University is really trying their best to produce programs that Thomasians will enjoy, but this year’s Paskuhan, we made it a point to make it on-site, where the bands and the production will perform live on campus,” Estropia told The Flame. Let’s look back on some of the favorit...

Dec132021 by Issues EditorNo Comments

Include eSports in UAAP, gaming enthusiasts say

Issues, The Flame Explains

THE PERSISTING global health crisis has forced people to alter their daily routines, stay at home, and use gadgets for hours on end, putting physical sports on hiatus and in turn making video-based gaming communities thrive. In the University of Santo Tomas, a collegiate eSports organization called Teletigers joined big leagues for video gaming competitions since the onset of the pandemic. With big athletic leagues opening their doors to video gaming events, some sports and gaming enthusiasts think it’s about time that eSports be included in the future seasons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Reil Espino, chairman of the sports science department of the College of Rehabilitation Science, noted that the Southeast Asian Games and the National ...

Sep152021 by Issues EditorNo Comments

TeleConsultation: Assessing the quality of UST’s online medical support during the pandemic

Issues, The Flame Explains

AT A time when mobility is limited and some tasks can only be done through digital means, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Health Service is performing its crucial role in an entirely different way. Before the pandemic, the UST Health Service used the Thomasian Online Medical Services and Support (ThOMedSS) to provide medical support and patient services for students, faculty, and support staff. Because of quarantine restrictions and fears of catching COVID-19 in health establishments, more members of the Thomasian community are expected to use the online service for consultations and prescription of medicines. While ThOMedSS has gained praises for being efficient and responsive to the needs of patients, there are calls for an improved awareness of its features given that t...