From October 22 to 25, 2024, 94 fourth-year tourism students from classes 4TOM4 and 4TOM5 conducted a site visit and a Usage, Attitude, and Image (UAI) survey in Bataan as part of their course requirements.

On December 10, 2024, the results of this IMC Campaign will be presented under the theme “Cutting Edge Campaigns: A Look Into The New Destination Marketing Strategies.” This presentation will mark the culmination of our student’s hard work and the beginning of a strengthened partnership with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the University of Santo Tomas College of Tourism and Hospitality Management and Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Bataan. This initiative is one of the projects of the UST Sentro Turismo. Additionally, a group of students from class 3TOM2 taking the Travel Agency Management and Operations course facilitated the fieldwork and data-gathering travel arrangements.

This activity aims to continuously improve teaching ways to equip the students in tourism marketing and gain practical skills in destination research and analysis, planning and strategy development, exposure to current trends, and a deeper understanding of tourism marketing as a discipline and the needed expertise to make a career in the said field.

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A team of aquatic biologists and microbiologists led by Asst. Prof. Reuel Bennett, Dr.rer.nat., Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Inst. Elfritzson Peralta, M.Sc., together with DBS academic staff Inst. Allan Gilles, M.Sc. and Inst. Eunice Aaron, M.Sc. (Marine Biology team), Inst. Justine De Leon, M.Sc. and Inst. Kenneth Xavier Sanchez, M.Sc. (Freshwater Biology team) conducted the study from August 11 to 14, 2024. The team covered 26 study sites in the watershed area, including mangrove forests, coastal areas, estuaries, streams, rivers, and a freshwater lake – Lake Danao. 

On September 17, 2024, Peralta, Assoc. Prof. Richard Thomas B. Pavia Jr., PhD, and Inst. Allan Gilles Jr., MSc presented the project’s initial results to Mayor Torres-Gomez. Also present were City Councilors Peter Rodriguez, Caren Torres Rama, Edmund Kierulf, and Bert Pades, together with officials from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Agricultural Office, and representatives from the Protected Areas Management Board.

This initiative, which underscores the strong partnership between UST scientists and their government counterparts, is a testament to their shared commitment to bring science to the community.

Academic and research staff of the UST Department of Biological Sciences conducting the water quality monitoring, biological sampling and microbiological analysis of aquatic ecosystems in Ormoc Bay and its tributaries.

The UST Team, Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, and the City of Ormoc officials after the presentation of the team’s initial findings.

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Guinto, who teaches Science, Technology, and Society as well as Environmental Science, shared her expertise and knowledge regarding the basic concepts of climate change and the role of humans in speeding up its processes and effects. The Islamic Principles of Environmental Stewardship include: (1) Oneness with Allah, (2) Humans as Stewards, (3) Balance in Nature, and (4) Public Interest, while Muslim perceptions on climate change include: (1) that it is caused by humans, (2) it is spiritual in nature, (3) there is skepticism caused by conspiracies, (4) that priorities are focused on economic issues instead of environmental concerns, and (5) that there are regional variations in the understanding of climate change. Guinto shared the science behind these perceptions and helped clarify some misconceptions by providing science-based support to current activities toward climate change adaptations that were raised during event. 

The participation of Guinto was made possible through the invitation of Dr. Dimapuno A. Datu-Ramos, Jr. Director of the NCMF-NCR Regional Office to the UST College of Science to participate in this event. This highlights and recognizes the need for inter-religious and multi-sectoral efforts for effective climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Philippines.

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Funded by the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, the GRACE Hub, whose office was inaugurated on September 16, 2024, is a project led by multi-awarded academic researchers Donald G. Manlapaz, PhD, PTRP (Department of Physical Therapy) and Agnes L. Castillo, PhD, RPh (Department of Pharmacy).

Aiming to contribute to the attainment of UN Sustainable Development Goals on Good Health and Well-being and Quality Education, the project aims to fill the void of a “home” to synergize otherwise disparate ideas and efforts to solve various healthcare issues.

GRACE Hub is an Innovation Hub aiming to “lead the advancement of health research and product innovation by promoting and facilitating ideas and concepts to improve the quality of health care for all Filipinos.” As such, it positions itself as the pre-incubation hub of health research products, specifically those currently being supported by the Philippine government through PCHRD. The hub will provide experiential learning for health innovators, who will be trained on having an entrepreneurial mindset, generating creative ideas, and identifying a problem before these are brought to the TomasInno Center for actual incubation of the planned technology.

Operating under the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, the GRACE Hub will initially help innovators from the UST health sciences programs and the UST Hospital and conduct training sessions to support innovation. Once capacitated, the trained future innovators will be transferred to the TomasInno Center where the ideas can be incubated for commercialization and rollout to the public.

Future innovators may get in touch with the GRACE Hub through their Facebook Page: .

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Ms. Anne Parojinog, MS won first place in the Oral Competition of the Biological and Health Sciences category (MS level) for her research entitled “Integrated Urban Ecology: A socio-ecological overview of Metropolitan Manila and bioecological study of its two urban protected forests”.

Meanwhile, Ms. Pauline Maglipon, MS won first place in the Poster Competition of the Agricultural and Environmental Science category for her poster entitled “Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of plant communities in post fire sites of Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines”. Both Ms. Parojinog and Ms. Maglipon were under the supervision of Biological Sciences academic researcher Nikki Heherson Dagamac, Dr.rer.nat.

Another Environmental Biology alumna, Ms. Kamille Poblete, M.Sc. won third place in the Poster Competition of the Biological and Health Sciences category for her research entitled “Temporal shifts of methane production and methane oxidizing bacteria communities: A limnological assessment in a tropical lake,” which she conducted under the supervision of College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD.

Lastly, Mr. Theo Victor Cavite of the MS Applied Physics major in Medical Physics program garnered second place in the Poster Competition of the Physical Sciences Category. His poster entitled “Neutron spectrometry via in-115 activation foil at the Philippines’ sole research reactor” was co-authored with his supervisors Dr. Alvie J. Asuncion-Astronomo of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and Asst. Prof. Roland Cristopher F. Caballar, Ph.D. of the UST Department of Mathematics and Physics.

These award-winning student researchers are part of the UST delegation composed of 13 DOST scholars, four Graduate School academic staff, and two UST DOST-ASTHRDP office project staff. ������Ƶ of Santo Tomas is a member of the National Science Consortium (NSC) under the ASTHRDP of the DOST–Science Education Institute, which oversees the offering of scholarships in flagship Science and Technology graduate programs. UST is represented in the NSC by Dean Papa. First offered in UST in 2010, the DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship has supported 435 Master of Science graduates and 55 doctoral degree graduates. This academic year, there are 70 Master of Science and 6 doctoral students enjoying the scholarship.

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The AGROTIS Navigation System, funded by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), can operate autonomously through GPS-guided navigation or be manually controlled via radio frequency. Developed in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute, it is equipped with a robust safety system and offers versatile solutions for various tractor types. The technology is incubated at the UST TOMASInno Center, the University’s Technology-based Business Incubator (TBI) and aims to directly benefit local farmers by enhancing rice field land preparation.

During an interview held at the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center in UST’s research complex in Santa Rosa City, Bautista discussed the inspiration behind AGROTIS and its positive impact on farming operations. The Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) tested the system, which demonstrated significant improvements, reducing the field capacity of hand tractors from 31.25 hours per hectare to 20 hours per hectare, and increasing field efficiency from 60% to 80%. Additionally, a customer validation survey showed a 90% acceptability rate among local farmers.

Game-changing innovations like the AGROTIS Navigation System are among the thrusts of the recently opened UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center— to develop technologies that address local challenges and enhance the nation’s technological landscape, ultimately bringing significant benefits to the Filipino people.

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The plan aimed to assess the potential of Barangay San Miguel in Echague, Isabela, for sustainable community-based tourism in the new and next normal. It also determined the current situation of the barangay, specifically its community-based tourism industry development, analyzed different related issues, constraints, and opportunities of the barangay for community-based tourism industry development, assessed the perspectives and views of different stakeholders on the sustainability and development of the barangay’s tourism resources, assessed tourism development impacts, specifically on the barangay’s economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects, and developed a sustainable community-based tourism strategic development framework and sustainability indicators for Barangay San Miguel, Echague, Isabela.

The Office of Hon. Faustino “Inno” A. Dy V of the 6^th District of Isabela initiated the project and was supported by the Municipal Government of Echague, Isabela. The turnover activity was conducted at the Blessed Jane of Aza Lounge, Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.

Mr. Louie Simbe, the Municipal Tourism, Culture, and Arts Officer of the Municipality, and Ms. Claire Santiago, the Political Affairs Assistant under the Office of Cong. Inno officially received the plan. Officials from the DOST NRCP also attended the event. It was headed by Dr. Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo (President) and Dr. Bernardo N. Sepeda (Executive Director). While RCSSEd was represented by its Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jeremaiah M. Opiniano.

#TeamKomunidad of the UST CTHM and Sentro Turismo spearheaded the project under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Jame Monren T. Mercado, MACHS, with the team members, Asst. Prof. Dr. Avi Ben P. Andalecio, Dr. Fhamela F. Sarmiento, Asst. Prof. Maria Concepcion A. Ang, Assistant Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evangeline E. Timbang, and Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atty. Gezzez Giezi G. Granado.

The plan was an output of the project entitled “Sustainable Community-based Tourism Potential and Development of Barangay San Miguel, Echague, Isabela in the New/Next Normal.” The project was also part of the 1^st batch of the Policy-funded Research Projects under the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

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In a message to the Thomasian community, Dones called on Thomasians to “be driven by a passion to serve others as a gift from God,” to whom he dedicates the victory, along with his family. As a lifelong member of a Dominican academic community, Dones shares the importance of prayer and “offering every action as a form of worship.” Dones said: “We are called to perform our duties with love, thank those who support us, forgive those who have wronged us, and see every task as an opportunity to thank and praise God.”

Dones was nominated by the accredited professional organization, the Philippine Physical Therapy Association (PPTA), which vetted nominees based on qualifications, professional activities, character, and most importantly, contributions to the profession. Dones’s nomination by PPTA emanated from the nominations of CHRMS academic researchers Asst. Prof. Lyle Patrick D. Tangcuangco and Inst. Mark Angel B. Serra.

Dones is a research fellow at St. Luke’s Medical Center and is involved in two projects funded by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). His various research projects address issues such as hospitalized COVID-19 patient outcomes, hepatocellular carcinoma risks, hypertensive urgency and emergency, and the delivery of blended teaching in health science programs.

Also an innovator, he is the Chief Executive Officer of PainFree Management and Consulting, Inc., which is a grant awardee of the DOST-PCHRD and an incubatee of UST’s own TOMASInno Center, the in-house technology business incubator.

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In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Jose looks forward to “more awareness of our history and heritage in our daily lives, to shape our values.” In particular, he called on Thomasians to “be keenly aware of UST’s role in shaping Philippine history. This includes, among other things, learning to read historical documents in their original Spanish (in the same way that many like to learn Korean).” 

Jose is an authority in Church heritage and has published and read papers extensively on Church architecture and art. He continues to engage in the conservation and restoration of built heritage of Churches and works with government and non-government agencies alike. In the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, he chaired the Committee on Monuments and Sites (2001-2004), Committee on Archives (2011-2013), and Commissioner for Cultural Heritage (2011-2013). In 1999, he was feted with the Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Award for the Arts.

The NHCP is the country’s “primary government agency responsible for history and has the authority to determine all factual matters relating to official Philippine history.” Among its mandates are to support and engage in research activities on Philippine history, its people, and important events. It maintains a historical data bank and Resource Center and recognizes places of historical significance.

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The project is in partnership with the City Government, represented by its Mayor, Hon. Lucy Torres-Gomez, Hon. Richard I. Gomez, DPA (Congressman, 4^th District of Leyte), the members of the Sanggunian Panlungsod Committee on Tourism, Culture, Heritage, and the Arts, the City Tourism Council, and the Ormoc City Tourism Office. At the same time, the University of Santo Tomas was represented by the Assistant Dean of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evangeline E. Timbang, and the members of the project team.

Mayor Torres-Gomez pointed out during her Message of Appreciation that the plan will provide them with significant measures for conceptualizing their programs and projects for the sustainable tourism development of the city. It also allowed the government to be aware of the current negative situations in the Ormoc Tourism Industry that it must address. After the output presentation, the Sanggunian Committee approved the Resolution adopting the plan.

The project team was headed by its Project Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atty. Gezzez Giezi G. Granado, together with its members, Asst. Prof. Jame Monren T. Mercado (Project Coordinator and Writer/Researcher), Asst. Prof. Maria Concepcion A. Ang (Writer/Researcher), Dr. Fhamela F. Sarmiento (Writer/Researcher), Mr. Wyett White T. Lee (Writer/Researcher), Mr. Alec P. Bagcus (Writer/Researcher), Ms. Andrea Nicole D. Hernandez (Research Assistant), and Mr. Allan B. Bundang (Graphic Artist).

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