Academician Professor Emeritus Fortunato B. Sevilla III, PhD and Professor Christina A. Binag, PhD were elected to a three-year term (2025-2028), while Department of Chemistry Chair Alan Rodelle M. Salcedo, PhD was elected to a two-year term (2025-2027). Finally, Assoc. Prof. Felicidad Christina Peñafiel, PhD was elected to a one-year term (2025-2026).

The Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas (Chemical Society of the Philippines) is an 85-year-old society of chemists. It publishes scholarly articles in Kimika and regularly hosts conferences and scientific activities.

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Lintao has been elected to lead the 55-year old organization from 2024 to 2027. She was Vice President in 2021-2024 and Treasurer from 2018-2021. She is at the helm of the 12-member board of directors who are from varied institutions and organizations in the country and abroad, namely, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the Philippines Diliman, Ateneo de Zamboanga, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii in Hilo, and Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Lintao is the fourth LSP president from UST. The former presidents include Asst. Prof. Anna Maria Gloria Ward, Prof. Marilu Madrunio, PhD, and Prof. Alejandro S. Bernardo, PhD who are all from the Department of English. Ward and Madrunio currently sit in the LSP board.

Lintao’s research interests include forensic linguistics. Among her recent publications are “Power, Control, and Resistance in Philippine and American Police Interview Discourse” (co-authored with Ma. Kaela Joselle R. Madrunio) and “Readability and comprehensibility of Malaysian construction contracts” (co-authored with Noushad Ali Naseem Ameer Ali).

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According to Wigley, priority projects of BDAP include “activities related to the Philippines being the Guest of Honor in the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2025, establishment of Philippine Book Fairs in different parts of the country, the 2024 and 2025 Gintong Aklat Awards, and the strengthening of readership and book publishing among its stakeholders and members.”

Meanwhile, Parfan stated that collaborations “with the book industry, other academic institutions and our fellow publishers” will continue. Recently, UST participated in the Sinag Festival with other publishers from the country’s top universities. Being in BDAP, according to Parfan, “will also give the USTPH a voice in influencing policies concerning the publishing industry. As trustees, our participation in BDAP will also open doors to the university as regards major international book events and organizations. We’re also planning collaborative events where we can launch books from different publishers in one venue to provide more interactions among authors and readers.”

Parfan authored works such as “Orbits of Obsession: Notes on the Philippine Lyric Sequence in English,” “By the Fisherman’s Grief,” and “Antarctica” and was a finalist in plums such as the Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award, the Gemino H. Abad Prize for Poetry, and Manining Miclat Awards for Poetry. He is a resident fellow of the Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

Wigley, former Chair of the Department of Literature, has authored several books, including “������Ƶapp of the Ashfall: A Memoir” and “Falling into the Manhole: A Memoir.” Apart from serving in administrative capacities in UST, he previously served as Treasurer of the BDAP from 2013-2017. Both are resident fellows of the Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

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Department of Medical Technology Chair Prof. Edilberto P. Manahan, PhD was named as the association’s Secretary, while faculty members Assoc. Prof. Gregorio L. Martin I, PhD and Inst. Oliver Shane R. Dumaoal, MSMT will serve as members of the Board of Directors. They will all hold office until 2026.

Accoding to Manahan, “with the three faculty members taking part of the Executive Board, the Faculty of Pharmacy – Department of Medical Technology will have access to professional development among the faculty members and improve linkages locally and abroad. Likewise, donning the Center of Excellence [distinction] in Medical Technology Education in the country, the University continues its role in implementing projects and activities that provide quality medical laboratory science education.”

The executive board is elected by the Deans and Program Heads of Schools of Medical Technology from all its 155 member schools. PASMETH’s primary mission is to harmonize relevant, updated, and globally accepted medical technology education in the country.

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In her inaugural address, Dacanay stressed the importance of unity and solidarity that will necessitate “the involvement of every officer and member of the association….Everyone has an important role to play here and our goal must always be for the good of the association.” Anchoring her leadership on the actions Lead, Empower, and Innovate, Dacanay expressed excitement for the next three years, during which PPHA is expected to maximize its existing and future partnerships with stakeholders to advance the cause of pharmacists.

No stranger to leadership roles in professional associations, Dacanay served as President of the Philippine Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (PACOP) and serves as the Chair of the Technical Panel for Pharmacy of the Commission on Higher Education. She also serves in the Continuing Professional Development Council for Pharmacy of the Professional Regulation Commission. At UST, she has served as Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy since 2015 and has led the Faculty’s efforts to ensure that all programs are at par with international peers, evidenced by the ������Ƶapp University Network Quality Assurance certification enjoyed by the BS Pharmacy, BS Medical Technology, and BS Biochemistry programs.

With 15,000 individual members and 83 regional and local chapters, the PPHA is the only pharmacists organization accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission. It has ten affiliate organizations and has partnered with local and international organizations for the benefit of its members.

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Mr. Caliwan will serve as the Vice-President External, while Mr. Marasigan as the Assistant Vice-President for Professional Development for the Fiscal Year 2022-2023.

Mr. Caliwan previously served the NACPAE in the Fiscal Years 2017-2018 to 2019-2020. During his stint in the association, he initiated the PRC accreditation of the NACPAE as a continuing professional development (CPD) provider and chaired the association’s Continuing Professional Development Committee.

NACPAE is the largest professional association of accounting teachers in the country. It has been in existence since 1973 and envisioned itself as community of learned accounting teachers leading the Accountancy education in Southeast Asia.

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Rimando joins the Board of Officers are the Vice-President for Internal Affairs, while Manlapaz, the Chair of UST’s Physical Therapy Department, is joining as a Director of PPTA.

The Philippine Physical Therapy Association, Inc. (PPTA) is the national professional organization of physical therapists in the Philippines. It is an accredited professional organization of the Philippine Regulation Commission. PPTA is also a member organization of the World Physiotherapy (formerly World Confederation for Physical Therapy) and the Asian Confederation for Physical Therapy.

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A researcher whose line of expertise is on marine biology, coral reef biology, and aquarium science, Pavia’s research highlights tackled the factors affecting the behavior and the settlement success of the coral planulae, as well as observing the growth performance of scleractinian corals ex-situ. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1995 from UST and went on to pursue his master’s and doctorate degrees in marine biology from Silliman University.

Formed in 1968, FIMFS is an organization composed of public and private institutions of higher learning, which are involved in marine and freshwater science.

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Challenges and opportunities to Catholic higher educational institutions in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic

In her keynote lecture, Dr. Isabel Capeloa Gil, President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities, mentioned that the medical schools and research centers belonging to the Catholic institutions were working on a wide array of solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the trials to global exchange, according to Gil, the networks and the global exchange models must still proceed.��

The educational institutions around the world have maximized the use of technology when the COVID-19 pandemic halted the face-to-face transactions. Likewise, Gil said the supplemental role of technology in the traditional in-person instruction will stay, thus underscoring the importance of embracing the new, ever-evolving, and innovative practices in teaching, which sprung from limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What started as a crisis is now paving way to a more nimble, flexible, and at times less formal instruction framework. We can see how our friends, students, and teachers live through their screens, perhaps enabling also new forms of sociality,” Gil said.

Moreover, Gil urged the Catholic universities to grab the opportunity to focus their strategies and development on impact-driven and socially sustainable goals. “The opportunity to renew traditional pedagogy and strengthen collaborative learning models must be embraced. An implementation of education-friendly technology affords inclusion and enhances cooperation,” Gil said.

Gil is currently the Rector of the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP) and the President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities. She is a full professor of Culture Studies at the UCP – School of Human Sciences.

Sharing the best practices during the pandemic

During the morning plenary sessions of day one, the speakers shared their respective institutions’ best practices during the health crisis, specifically pertaining to teaching and learning, wellness of stakeholders, and financial viability.

On behalf of the University, UST Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl R. Peralta, DrPH, PTRP spoke about the University’s implementation of the enriched virtual mode of instruction (EVM) and how the principles of flexibility, accessibility, and dialogue guided the top university officials and administrators in creating decisions, which kept the Thomasian-brand of education living in these tumultuous times.

“At this time of pandemic, there is much value in cooperation, teamwork, and collaboration to achieve a common purpose. For a big and comprehensive institution like the ������Ƶapp, synergy among its 22 degree-granting units is crucial for implementing plans and strategies to address concerns,” Peralta said.

On behalf St. Paul Institute-Cambodia, Director, Mr. Phon Sophal talked about ensuring the wellness of their stakeholders, as well as their institution’s charitable initiatives in providing their students with equipment. “In addressing wellness during the pandemic, St. Paul Institute tried hard to contact individually to students to know how St. Paul Institute can help them. For students who are really poor, we allowed them to borrow laptops and tablets to help them in online learning,” Sophal said.

Lastly, ������Ƶapp – Legazpi, Philippines’s Vice-President for Finance and Administration, Fr. Edwin Lao, O.P., spoke about financial sustainability during the pandemic. “On financial sustainability for development strategies, UST-Legazpi adopts differentiation, focus, and cost. There are used not in an exclusive way,” fr. Lao said.

“We grounded these on the principles and values of fiscal discipline and excellence. There were arrived at by conscientiously applying the major functions of financial management and using the management tools of analysis,” fr. Lao said.

On research

In the afternoon plenary sessions, three scholars presented updates on their work to show how research has thrived even during the pandemic.

Australian Catholic University’s Professor Ester Cerin spoke lengthily about how the physical environment, especially in urban cities, impacted brain functioning and development. “What we need to try to create is a built environment that promotes actual interaction with people, rather than spending a lot of time on the screen and communicating with people through social media,” Cerin said.

“The more opportunities you have for things to do in the environment, the less likely you are to actually engage substantial screen time, which has a negative impact on health,” Cerin noted.

Assumption University’s Dean Marissa Chantamas emphasized the need for audiences to include sustainability as a factor in their consumption. “Sustainability is trying to change the attitudes and behaviors of consumers because traditionally we do not think about sustainability in our consumption. Aligning sustainability with profitability is the long-term [solution],” Chantamas said.

“Being caring to the environment, to society is part of the cost that they [companies] cannot cut. It is thus important for customers to support companies that are promoting sustainability. If we can do that, it’s a win-win for all,” Chantamas said.

UST Department of Biological Sciences Visiting Professor Rev. fr. Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P., PhD, SThD noted the importance of getting vaccinated as a way to achieve herd immunity, leading to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have administered 6.6 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to date. No other vaccine has been administered this much in history. Side effects are incredibly rare. The effectiveness of these vaccines substantially outweigh their risks,” fr. Austriaco said.

Moreover, he gave updates on the yeast-based oral Covid-19 vaccine currently being developed by UST researchers and scholars from the Providence College, USA.” We are working to develop a shelf-stable, safe vaccine that you can store for two years. The proposed name is of the yeast-based oral-vaccine is DominiVax and is part of Project Pagasa,” fr. Austriaco said.

Watch the Day 1 (October 14, 2021) of the ASEACU webinar:

On internationalization

During the plenary sessions of day two, three internationalization experts from the Philippines, Australia, and Macau shared how internationalization can be done in different university contexts.

Director of the UST Office of International Relations and Programs Prof. Lilian Sison, PhD shared the importance of blending high-quality online learning to internationalization in the post-COVID-19 world. “Our primary purpose is to maintain active contact with key international partners to redesign cooperation for faculty and student exchanges, transnational education, and transnational research,” Sison said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kirk Doyle of the Australian Catholic University said their institution will focus on injecting innovation into their approach, creating diversification in the breadth and quality of offerings, and as well as delivering an authentic digitalized global experience that moves beyond virtual replacements. “We need to recover, retain, and return international students; build sustainable and diversified international enrolment sources; and innovate and adapt learning abroad,” Doyle said.

Lastly, Prof. Alvaro Barbosa shared how small universities can be sustainable through internationalization and research initiatives. “At the heart of any change or transformation in the economy is education. The government [of Macau] realized that more investment was necessary for higher education,” Barbosa said.

“We need to make sure future blended activities can be sustained over time and not only [be] experiments to prove we can do it.” he said.

Capping the second day of the webinar, an exclusive workshop was held for the internationalization officials. The internationalization workshop was facilitated by Mr. Glen Chatelier, Director of the Assumption University – Bangkok, Thailand Office of International Affairs.

Watch the Day 2 (October 15, 2021) of the ASEACU webinar:

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Out of over 200,000 CPAs in the country, Dayag joined the club of ������Ƶapp CPAs last June 30. The recognition adds to the accolades Dayag already enjoys. He was one of the recipients of the First PICPA Award for Accountancy Authors in 2018, and has been named Fellow/Member in bodies such as the��Association of International Accountants, Institute of Public Accountants, and the Institute of Financial Accountants.

Being no stranger to professional circles, Dayag has been an official of the National Association of Certified Public Accountants in Education (NACPAE), as National President (2016), Vice-President – External (2015), and Adviser (2017). He likewise served in various committees of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants from 2016-2017.

Dayag earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting in UST in 1988, his master’s in business administration in 2009, and his doctorate degree in commerce in 2019. Since 1989, he has been a faculty member of UST and from 1999 to 2005 was the University’s Chief Accountant.

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