Sharing some of the University鈥檚 practices, Peralta said, 鈥淲e deployed an internet connectivity tracker for faculty and students to identify their potential concerns. With that information, our academic units were able to render the detailed monitoring, so later on they can be assisted, once the students return to campus.鈥�

鈥淲e really have to accept that [a shift to online learning] is the new normal,鈥� remarked Peralta, adding that 鈥淓ven if the ECQ is lifted as planned, the main concern will always be the health and safety of our people. It鈥檚 not just teaching and learning that will change, I think even our processes, our other services will change in consideration of putting in place preventive practices to avoid the spread of infection.鈥� Admitting that continuous evaluation of implementation was necessary, Peralta said that communication among all stakeholders is important and that they are open to improving the set-up as necessary. 鈥淲e are in constant communication with our student leaders, the various presidents of the student councils of the different academic units鈥� We are committed to exploring ways to help our students and our faculty,鈥� she emphasized.

Rising to the Challenge The University already has its established online modes of learning access, however, managing the adjustment of a large University is not easy. Peralta shared, 鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a challenge to take care of the needs of 40,000 students, over 2,000 faculty members, and more than 500 support staff. We had to take into consideration the differences in the government regulations for each of our programs and we had to draft the policies in a way that will capture everyone and yet allow everyone some time and space to navigate that, to implement it at their level.鈥�

Preparedness is the key, said Peralta, adding that, 鈥淲e鈥檝e been monitoring the COVID situation since it came [to the Philippines] in late January. We were able to anticipate that there could be suspension of classes. As of March 9, we deployed the continuity plan for teaching and learning, just to make sure that once there is suspension of classes, everyone knows what will be done [as regards to classes].

Later that same afternoon, Mayor Domagoso suspended classes for a week.鈥� Regular delivery of instruction through the BlackBoard learning management system also referred to in UST as Cloud Campus was implemented on April 14, 2020, at the end of the government鈥檚 initially announced period of community 鈥淚n consideration of the various possible situations that our students and faculty members might be in because of this crisis, similar to the other schools, no one will get failing marks this term,鈥� reassured Peralta.

On May 4, 2020, it was announced by the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance led by Rev. Fr. Rolando F. Castro, O.P., that unused fees for AY 2019 to 2020, such as those for retreats or field trips, will be fully refunded. Other fees may be refunded to up to 50 percent. Students with remaining fees due in the second term of the A.Y. 2019-2020 will still be allowed to enroll for the next academic year. Staggered payments for unsettled balances will be allowed until December 2020. While the University is committed to ending the term on May 30, facultymembers will keep a maximum of three gradable assessments per course for the remaining school days.

Peralta shared, 鈥淲hat is clear for us is that we would like students 鈥� who are not ill, and whose current situation allows them to complete requirements this term 鈥� to complete this semester. Graduating students particularly, if they want to take the licensure examination, they may want to really complete all their courses to qualify for the licensure exam. Surveys have shown that some students鈥� family income has decreased during this crisis, so [if they want to lessen financial burden by not retaking classes or by graduating early], we want to grant them that opportunity. For bridging, audit classes may be offered after quarantine regulations allow.鈥�

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With the primary goal of protecting the frontliners from being exposed to the coronavirus, and to address the problem of shortage in personal protective equipment, the UST Faculty of Engineering produced face shields by using 3D printers to print visors to which they attach acetate sheets. Volunteer faculty members take turns in manning the printers, two of which were donated by the Department of Science and Technology and three were donated recently by Eat Bulaga. Donations from the Thomasian community and the UST Alumni Association support the project.

Designer to the stars and celebrities Michael Leyva, a graduate of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, designed and produced personal protective equipment (PPE) for the frontliners. The said PPE was created according to the Department of Health requirements. He turned his atelier into a production house to prepare hazmat suits, head covers and washable face masks. In partnership with actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin, Leyva has distributed the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets to eight hospitals that include the Philippine General Hospital and the Philippine Lung Center, and facilities in Antipolo City.

Marvin Orias, another designer to the stars used his talent and creativity to design and produce washable PPEs in pastel colors of pink, blue and green, using liquid-resistant textile. Orias, a graduate of Industrial Engineering from the 鱿鱼视频app and the UST High School, explained that aside from helping protect frontliners with his PPEs, he would also want to bring a spirit of happiness with his 鈥榖unny suits.鈥�

Melvin Dave Jordan, a 2nd-year BSBA-Marketing Management student of the College of Commerce, donated 96 hazmat suits to medical frontliners in different parts of Luzon. Initial beneficiaries included the Bulacan Medical Center (Bulacan), VT Maternity Hospital (Marikina), Bauan Doctors General Hospital (Batangas), Mary Johnston Hospital, Inc. (Tondo), and Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (Manila).

The UST College of Nursing donated personal protective equipment, vitamins and food items to various groups that included hospitals, health centers, frontliners and others.

The Becarios de Santo Tomas, an organization of UST scholars, organized a donation drive that enabled them to give PPEs to the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital and the UST Hospital.

The UST Thomasian Alumni Leaders Association (TALA) in cooperation with the Quezon City Lions Club donated five COVID Test Booths to the health departments of Caloocan, Navotas and Valenzuela. These test booths equip the local health teams to increase their testing capabilities in a day, in accordance with the standards set by the Department of Health

Another batch of graduates from the UST College of Architecture, Batch 1985, donated aerosol boxes and N95 masks to hospitals. Aerosol boxes can help confine the virus within the boxes, thus contain its spread when anesthesiologists and other physicians intubate their patients.

Meanwhile, an alumnus of the UST Central Seminary, Fr. John Mi Shen, donated face masks from China and 30 tons of locally purchased rice to be given to the residents of Payatas, and Fairview. The donations were from the listeners in China of Radio Veritas Asia. Prior to this donation, the media outfit also donated 1,500 pieces of face masks to the UST Hospital.

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Already a Certified Public Accountant, Manuel went on to fulfill another dream: to become a lawyer. However, this did not come easy for him; he had to struggle between the demands of Law school and a full-time teaching job and reviewer in a review center for aspiring Accountants.

Manuel described the four years that he spent at the 鱿鱼视频app Faculty of Civil Law as tough and a steep uphill climb, but one that he chose to hurdle. As he described his life, it was not a balancing act of teaching and studying, but it was a matter of 鈥榮urviving each day that lasted for four years.鈥�

While teaching full-time at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, a Dominican-run educational institution in Intramuros where he earned his Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Accountancy, graduating Magna cum Laude in 2014, he took a regular load as a Law student in UST in 2015. His usual schedule included preparing for his classes or checking examination papers, and rushing to get to UST in the midst of a heavy traffic flow from Lawton to Espa帽a for his classes at the Faculty of Civil Law. He admitted to not always having been able to read enough for his Law classes but he would always make up for them in his examinations. His 鈥榮truggles to survive everyday鈥� paid off when he landed in the Dean鈥檚 List and eventually graduated cum Laude from the Juris Doctor program in 2019.

As if his workload and academic life were not yet enough, Manuel was a member of the UST Civil Law Debate and Moot Society as well as a volunteer for the UST Civil Law Student Council.

Entering into the stressful period of the Bar Examinations in November in 2019, Manuel never gave up his teaching job. He said that resigning from work would give him a lot of time to review, but would leave him 鈥渉ungry and homeless.鈥�

For those who know Manuel, his life as a working student and a regular law student is an inspiration for perseverance. Manuel, who is now a Legal Assistant at DivinaLaw, says that his life was not an easy feat, but he never opted to quit. He looks at his achievements as motivation for other working students who lead lives of double burdens: 鈥淲e turn our struggles into success; we make our hurdles our opportunities.鈥�

In a Facebook post, Manuel emphasized that what motivated him in spite of the difficult road were 鈥渢he moments of victory.鈥�

鈥淚 met some of the most wonderful people in law school. I became a student of inspiring professors, some of whom I will admire for the rest of my life.鈥�

The night before the results were released, the new lawyer shared in a Twitter post that his faith in God kept him strong: 鈥淎t midnight today, I held on to the rosaries 鈥 have received, and sang along to my Bar theme song: Today My Life Begins by Bruno Mars. 鈥楢 whole new world is waiting / it鈥檚 mine for the taking / I know I can make it / Today my life begins.鈥欌�� He added that he slept with his UST Law shirt on and took a brief social media break due to the anxiety of waiting.

Manuel also shared words of inspiration to law students who may be doubting themselves, writing in the aforementioned Facebook post that 鈥淭he way up may not be the gentle slope that we have imagined it to be; it is a steep uphill climb along rugged terrain. But when we reach the peak, the view is breathtaking.鈥�

Atty. Kenneth Glenn L. Manuel now joins the ranks of the notable alumni of the 鱿鱼视频app Faculty of Civil Law, that include four Presidents of the Republic of the Philippines and Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, including the current Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta 鈥� also a Thomasian.

Prominent Thomasian topnotchers that ranked first place include former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roberto Concepcion (1924), former Senator Jose W. Diokno (1944), former Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal (1936) and Arlene Maneja (2002).

Two of the topnotchers in the 2019 Bar Exams were graduates of UST 鈥� Legazpi, formerly Aquinas University in Bicol. Ranking first in the Bar Exams was Mae Diane M. Azores who got a 91.0490 percent passing rate. Placing third was Myra M. Baranda who obtained a 88.8250 percent passing rate. Both are Certified Public Accountants.

The former Aquinas University of Legazpi is the Dominican University in Bicol. The move to rename it was based on a resolution from the 2012 Provincial Chapter of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, which mandated that a 鱿鱼视频app system be formed.

There has been a close collaboration between these two universities, UST-Manila and UST-Legazpi even before the integration of the former Aquinas University into the UST system. UST-Manila has been supervising some of the former Aquinas University Master鈥檚 programs, including Pharmacy and Law. This educational endeavor will eventually lead to more programs of the UST-Legazpi being supervised by UST Manila.

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The Prefect of the Congregatio de Institutione Catholica (Studiorum Institutis) [The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study)] His Eminence Giuseppe Cardinal Versaldi signed a rescritto or papal rescript agreeing with Fr. Ang鈥檚 nomination by the Master of the Order of Preachers and UST Chancellor Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner, III, O.P. Upon this notice, Very Rev. Fr. Timoner confirmed Fr. Ang鈥檚 appointment as Rector of UST on May 7, 2020.

The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study) is the pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for higher education institutes that depend on ecclesiastical authorities. As a pontifical university, UST also falls under its purview.

Now the eighth Filipino Rector of UST, Fr. Ang served as UST Vice Rector from 2012 until January 2020 and Dean of the Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app. He was formally named Acting Rector by his predecessor, the Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P.

Fr. Ang spent his academic life at the 鱿鱼视频app. He was always a brilliant student. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 鱿鱼视频app degree, cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1990. He has a Licentiate in 鱿鱼视频app degree, graduating Magna cum Laude from the UST Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app in 1994. He obtained his Bachelor鈥榮 degree in Sacred Theology, Summa cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology in 1997, and his Licentiate in Sacred Theology and Master of Arts in Religious Studies degrees, Magna cum Laude, from the UST Ecclesiastical Faculties in 1999. In 2010, Fr. Ang obtained his Doctor of 鱿鱼视频app degree, Summa cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app.

In his capacity as Vice Rector of the University for eight years, Fr. Ang was also chairman of various University committees that include the Manpower, Scholarship, and Retirement Board Committees. He was also a member of the Economic Council, Council of Regents, and the Academic Senate. Even before he was named Vice Rector, he occupied various positions in the University such as Director of the Purchasing Office from 2010 to 2012, Faculty Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Faculties from 2006 to 2008 and Spiritual Director of the UST Central Seminary from 2005 to 2007, among others.

The new Rector is a writer and editor. He has contributed articles to various journals particularly in Oriental 鱿鱼视频app and Rational Psychology, his areas of specialization. These include 鈥淭he Confucian Li鈥� in Colloquia Manila, 鈥淥n Conceiving Ren Towards Birthing RuJin鈥� in 鱿鱼视频app Sacra among others. He has been involved with various publications as consultant, academic adviser and review editor.

In 2018, Fr. Ang鈥檚 book, 鈥淏etween the Confucian Li and Ren: a Philosophical Hermeneutics,鈥� was launched by the UST Publishing House.

In a letter to the Thomasian community on May 26, 2020, Fr. Ang set the direction, 鈥淭ogether, let us adapt to our new academic environment not only with our usual adherence to excellence, but with our renewed sense of competence, commitment and compassion. As a community, we shall overcome. Always, with God鈥檚 unending grace.鈥�

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The Prefect of the Congregatio de Institutione Catholica (Studiorum Institutis) [The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study)] His Eminence Giuseppe Cardinal Versaldi signed a rescritto or papal rescript agreeing with Fr. Ang鈥檚 nomination by the Master of the Order of Preachers and UST Chancellor Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner, III, O.P. Upon this notice, Very Rev. Fr. Timoner confirmed Fr. Ang鈥檚 appointment as Rector of UST on May 7, 2020.

The Congregation for Catholic Education (Institutes of Study) is the pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for higher education institutes that depend on ecclesiastical authorities. As a pontifical university, UST also falls under its purview.

Now the eighth Filipino Rector of UST, Fr. Ang served as UST Vice Rector from 2012 until January 2020 and Dean of the Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app. He was formally named Acting Rector by his predecessor, the Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P.

Fr. Ang spent his academic life at the 鱿鱼视频app. He was always a brilliant student. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 鱿鱼视频app degree, cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1990. He has a Licentiate in 鱿鱼视频app degree, graduating Magna cum Laude from the UST Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app in 1994. He obtained his Bachelor鈥榮 degree in Sacred Theology, Summa cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology in 1997, and his Licentiate in Sacred Theology and Master of Arts in Religious Studies degrees, Magna cum Laude, from the UST Ecclesiastical Faculties in 1999. In 2010, Fr. Ang obtained his Doctor of 鱿鱼视频app degree, Summa cum Laude, from the UST Faculty of 鱿鱼视频app.

In his capacity as Vice Rector of the University for eight years, Fr. Ang was also chairman of various University committees that include the Manpower, Scholarship, and Retirement Board Committees. He was also a member of the Economic Council, Council of Regents, and the Academic Senate. Even before he was named Vice Rector, he occupied various positions in the University such as Director of the Purchasing Office from 2010 to 2012, Faculty Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Faculties from 2006 to 2008 and Spiritual Director of the UST Central Seminary from 2005 to 2007, among others.

The new Rector is a writer and editor. He has contributed articles to various journals particularly in Oriental 鱿鱼视频app and Rational Psychology, his areas of specialization. These include 鈥淭he Confucian Li鈥� in Colloquia Manila, 鈥淥n Conceiving Ren Towards Birthing RuJin鈥� in 鱿鱼视频app Sacra among others. He has been involved with various publications as consultant, academic adviser and review editor.

In 2018, Fr. Ang鈥檚 book, 鈥淏etween the Confucian Li and Ren: a Philosophical Hermeneutics,鈥� was launched by the UST Publishing House.

In a letter to the Thomasian community on May 26, 2020, Fr. Ang set the direction, 鈥淭ogether, let us adapt to our new academic environment not only with our usual adherence to excellence, but with our renewed sense of competence, commitment and compassion. As a community, we shall overcome. Always, with God鈥檚 unending grace.鈥�

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Torres, who graduated from the UST Biochemistry program in 1978, was recognized for her research on the larvicidal ability of Philippine medicinal plants, which can help decrease the risk of contracting Dengue fever through a natural insecticide specifically against mosquito larvae. For this same research, Torres previously received the 2018 Gregorio Y. Zara Award for Basic Science Research

The Asian Scientist 100, which is now on its fourth edition, acknowledges the achievements of scientists in the continent. According to its website, these scientists must have received a national or international prize for their research in the previous year. Alternatively, each one must have made a significant scientific discovery or provided leadership in academia or industry.

As part of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Division X-Chemical Sciences, Torres

has filed eight patents and produced a monograph 鈥淪creening for Larvicidal Activity of Philippine Medicinal Plants鈥� from her NRCP funded research titled 鈥淓xtraction, Characterization and Bio-assay for Larvicidal and Adulticidal Activity of Some Philippine Medicinal Plants.鈥�

Torres is now part of a roster of renowned scientists in Asia. In its 2018 edition, another Thomasian, UST Faculty of Engineering Assistant Dean Ricardo Balog, was named 鈥楢sian Scientist 100.鈥�

The full list can be accessed via: 

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The first version of the Logistic Indoor Service Assistant (LISA) robot first garnered attention in April 2020 for aiding frontliners with physically distanced communication between a COVID-19 patient and the medical staff. Equipped with a smart tablet mounted on a mobile base that can be controlled remotely from five to ten meters away, LISA enables communication via internet-based platforms such as Skype, Viber or Facetime. It also has a compartment box that allows delivery of medicines to conscious and stable patients.
Now in the process of creating its third version, the LISA robot is developed through funding by the Department of Science and Technology 鈥� Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) in partnership with Thomasian cardiologist Dr. Rodrigo C. Santos of the Pasig Doctors Medical Center.

鈥淟ast March 2020, DOST-PCIEERD announced a call for proposals for immediate response to COVID19 pandemic, and I submitted a proposal titled LISA robot: Logistic Indoor Service Assistant Telepresence Robot,鈥� shared Bautista, adding that in May, they were granted funds to develop the LISA robots for public hospitals in the Philippines.

鈥淯sing the funding we received from the DOST-PCIEERD, we will design the new model to be multi-functional, meaning the robot will not only be a remote controlled telepresence robot, but can also be used to disinfect bacteria/viruses in a room. With this plan, we will do our best to make the LISA robot affordable,鈥� said Bautista.

DOST-PCIEERD approved a three-year project for improved LISA robots that will begin in 2021. According to Bautista, 鈥淲ith the funding [from PCIEERD], we may be able to develop a fully autonomous LISA robot. The LISA robots that are being deployed now are at Level 1 automation, or remote 鈥� controlled robots. Next year, we will include Level 2 automation that will allow the robot to be controlled anywhere in the world as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection, and then Level 3 automation which will allow the robot to create a map of the hospital and navigate to different locations autonomously using a Light Detection and Ranging [LIDAR] sensor.鈥�

Bautista thanked the UST Faculty of Engineering, especially the Mechanical Engineering Department, for being supportive of his work through providing the facilities to build and test the robot and offering feedback to improve the functionality of the robot.

The 鱿鱼视频app Hospital (USTH) and Pasig Doctors Medical Center were the first batch to receive the first version of LISA robots on April 6, 2020, while the second version of LISA robots were deployed on June 20, 2020 to The Premier Medical Center, Binangonan Lake View Medical Center, Pasig Doctors Medical Center and the Marikina Valley Medical Center.

鈥淭he next version will be deployed hopefully in the last week of August 2020,鈥� said Bautista.
Having been used in medical practice by doctors and nurses in the aforementioned hospitals, the LISA robot was then improved according to their feedback. Bautista explained, 鈥淭o name a few [improvements], we modified the base by using four independently driven wheels. The wheels used were Mecanum type, which is a special wheel that will allow the robot to turn efficiently in a single spot. We also improved the wiring connections by making it neatly enclosed in a casing. We also made the tablet adjustable into a different height and made the holder flexible to allow adjustments.鈥�

Despite the increased demand and practical use of his invention, Bautista was firm in his commitment to ensure open 鈥� access to LISA without copyright exclusivity.

鈥淚 will be very much willing to share the technology,鈥� he emphasized, saying that 鈥淢y personal objective for the first versions of LISA robots with Level 1 automation is that it can be accessed by anyone, copied, or improved, because of the COVID-19 pandemic that our country is facing right now.鈥�

鈥淚 am very thankful to our University for their full support in this project. I hope that the LISA robot will serve as an alternative tool that our medical front liners can utilize for their fight against COVID-19 pandemic and will serve as a message that we at the 鱿鱼视频app are behind them in solving this problem,鈥� said Bautista.

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Licensed psychologists, guidance counselors, medical doctors, Psychology graduate students, and allied health professionals comprise the over 150 volunteers.

This initiative aids front liners who are committed to offer health care especially for suspect, probable, confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals, as well as those who provide the needed support to ensure the success of the implementation of the ECQ, and those who are feeling not only the physical toll of their work, but also the psychological aspect of having to overcome fear while putting their health at risk.

The Philippine government imposed the ECQ in Luzon on March 16, 2020 and it ran until May 15, 2020 in which movement of the population was restricted except for necessity, work, and health circumstances. A modified ECQ was declared from May 16 to 30, 2020 as a possible transition phase to a General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Eventually on June 1, NCR has been put under the General Community Quarantine status.

Those interested in availing the services of the Thomasian Mental Health Responders can register through or send a message to 0917-152-1817 or m.me/ThomasianMHResponders.

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With the primary goal of protecting the frontliners from being exposed to the coronavirus, and to address the problem of shortage in personal protective equipment, the UST Faculty of Engineering produced face shields by using 3D printers to print visors to which they attach acetate sheets. Volunteer faculty members take turns in manning the printers, two of which were donated by the Department of Science and Technology and three were donated recently by Eat Bulaga. Donations from the Thomasian community and the UST Alumni Association support the project.

Designer to the stars and celebrities Michael Leyva, a graduate of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, designed and produced personal protective equipment (PPE) for the frontliners. The said PPE was created according to the Department of Health requirements. He turned his atelier into a production house to prepare hazmat suits, head covers and washable face masks. In partnership with actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin, Leyva has distributed the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets to eight hospitals that include the Philippine General Hospital and the Philippine Lung Center, and facilities in Antipolo City.

Marvin Orias, another designer to the stars used his talent and creativity to design and produce washable PPEs in pastel colors of pink, blue and green, using liquid-resistant textile. Orias, a graduate of Industrial Engineering from the 鱿鱼视频app and the UST High School, explained that aside from helping protect frontliners with his PPEs, he would also want to bring a spirit of happiness with his 鈥榖unny suits.鈥�

Melvin Dave Jordan, a 2nd-year BSBA-Marketing Management student of the College of Commerce, donated 96 hazmat suits to medical frontliners in different parts of Luzon. Initial beneficiaries included the Bulacan Medical Center (Bulacan), VT Maternity Hospital (Marikina), Bauan Doctors General Hospital (Batangas), Mary Johnston Hospital, Inc. (Tondo), and Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (Manila).

The UST College of Nursing donated personal protective equipment, vitamins and food items to various groups that included hospitals, health centers, frontliners and others.

The Becarios de Santo Tomas, an organization of UST scholars, organized a donation drive that enabled them to give PPEs to the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital and the UST Hospital.

The UST Thomasian Alumni Leaders Association (TALA) in cooperation with the Quezon City Lions Club donated five COVID Test Booths to the health departments of Caloocan, Navotas and Valenzuela. These test booths equip the local health teams to increase their testing capabilities in a day, in accordance with the standards set by the Department of Health

Another batch of graduates from the UST College of Architecture, Batch 1985, donated aerosol boxes and N95 masks to hospitals. Aerosol boxes can help confine the virus within the boxes, thus contain its spread when anesthesiologists and other physicians intubate their patients.

Meanwhile, an alumnus of the UST Central Seminary, Fr. John Mi Shen, donated face masks from China and 30 tons of locally purchased rice to be given to the residents of Payatas, and Fairview. The donations were from the listeners in China of Radio Veritas Asia. Prior to this donation, the media outfit also donated 1,500 pieces of face masks to the UST Hospital.

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The theme for the 2020 National Heritage Month is 鈥淢ga Kwentong Pamana鈥� (Stories of Heritage), which highlights the social and cultural impact of sharing knowledge, experiences and stories of Filipino heritage in the preservation of our country鈥檚 legacies. Zerrudo鈥檚 lecture was one of many initiatives in the DOT鈥檚 continuation of learning, and he was previously a speaker on 鈥淓-Pamanang Turismo Heritage Development鈥� held on May 19.

Having been a former commissioner of the UNESCO Philippines World Heritage Convention, Zerrudo shared on the topics of heritage and conservation, the redefinition of using heritage sites during COVID-19, cultural landscapes, and sustainable living heritage.

Defining conservation of heritage as the action taken to sustain the value, meaning, and significance of cultural resources from the past for present use and inspiration of future generations, Zerrudo emphasized that 鈥淭o make our heritage meaningful, we have to make sure that we are in the equation of making our time in COVID meaningful.鈥�

Philippine cultural heritage places can be 鈥渇unctional and useful鈥� during the pandemic, even just in the interim, Zerrudo shared. He gave the example of how, for the first time, the San Agustin Church in Intramuros allowed the dungaw (window peek) of the Our Lady of Consolation while priests and the religious observed the image from the floor below, practicing social distancing. Zerrudo also suggested possibilities for the 鈥榥ew normal鈥� such as providing virtual tours of the San Agustin Museum, and using the Fr. Blanco Vegetable Garden to augment the food security of the seminary.

Acknowledging the current presence of the COVID-19 triage area, the online Eucharistic Celebrations of the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church (UST Chapel), and the continuation of online classes for UST, Zerrudo suggested the possibilities of virtual tours of the UST Museum and the Archivo de la Universidad de Santo Tomas (UST Archives).

In her remarks, Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat expressed that, 鈥淲hile COVID-19 has closed down our heritage sites and put many aspects of our culture on hold鈥� we鈥檙e keeping our traditions and our stories alive with whatever means we can because this is how we will survive as a people.鈥�

Aside from his post at UST, Zerrudo is also the National Coordinator of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission for Cultural Heritage of the Church and a Filipino Brand of Service Consultant. He also serves as a Cultural Heritage Resource Person of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts 鈥� Philippine Cultural Education Program (NCCA-PCEP)

The webinar was later made publicly available on the DOT Trains Facebook page, which can be found through this link 

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