She Remembers And I Remember

Once I set foot at the UST Hospital, I thought of those days when I used to bring Dad to his nephrologist every other month for check-up. It was during those times when he had ESRD (end stage renal disease) until we all decided that he undergo dialysis but he only lasted six months after such procedure.  I also remember Nissa’s first surgical operation (last Tuesday was actually her third including a CS section when she gave birth to Nate) when she was in Grade V because of an ovarian cyst. One of her ovaries was removed.

Yesterday, I decided to visit my doctor who operated on me nineteen years ago and she was the same doctor who previously operated on Nissa when she was first confined there. She has been my OB GYN for the past thirty years.

With Dr. Ditas Decena, my OB GYN.

Imagine the thrill of seeing each other again after I visited her clinic ten years ago to ask for recommendation for a surgical oncologist when I found out I had stage 3 colon cancer. She gave me those friendly advices and told me that papillary thyroid carcinoma is easy to treat.  I described to her what I saw of Nissa’s removed thyroid and she readily said, “papillary”.  She remembers  those days when I used to visit her clinic for consultation.  She even recommended an OB Gyn she knows closer to our place. UST is a bit far from where we live.

I had the chance to visit UST again after more than eight years.  I’ve missed this place. I had a nice morning walk going to the  UST chapel today, heard mass yesterday at the UST Hospital chapel. Walked around the campus the other day.

This is the main building of UST. UST students are called the Growling Tigers.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) is the oldest existing university in Asia. In terms of student population, it is the largest Catholic university in the world in a single campus. It covers a total of 21.5 hectares and was founded in 1611.

This is our College. Stayed here for five years and took up BSC Economics.

I was pretty amazed when I saw a student from high school. Imagine after all these years, they still wear the same color and design of uniform which we had fifty years ago. Nostalgia to the max.

 

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Those Years (Part Two)

High school life was so different from the grade school years I spent in the province. The probinsiyana kid was now a city girl 🙂

I was actually late in taking the admission test for high school at the University of Santo Tomas but since my father worked at the university, the high school principal accommodated me. I even took the exams at the principal’s office.

Though my brothers and I spent summer break  in Manila during our grade school  years to be with Dad, residing permanently in a city was a challenge for me.  I have to take a commute from our place in Quezon City to Espana in Manila. Back then, there were buses traveling the long road passing in front of the University gates. Jeepneys were plenty too and traffic was unheard of. The girl sections in all years usually had their class in the morning while our brother sections had theirs in the afternoon.  We only get to mingle with them during joint school activities like sports fests, spelling bee contests and the like.

I do remember the very first day during my freshman year. We prayed the Morning Offering after the flag ceremony then our Spiritual Director gave us each a blessed rosary.  In every subject, we had to introduce ourselves to our teachers. I felt so conscious back then. My classmates looked so smart and well-dressed. Eventually we had to wear our uniforms. It took me a while to adjust to high school life.  The grammar was okay but the diction was a little hard on the ears if you know what I mean.

I have always loved our English subjects. I didn’t like  Algebra much because I could not understand all those symbols but  I adored Chemistry and Physics.  Religion subject was also part of our curriculum from first to fourth year. We had yearly retreats and once a month  celebration of the mass in school where we had to wear our gala uniform.

It was a tradition in our school that before we leave its portals, we had to make a presentation for the lower years and for our teachers.  Each of the senior students was given assignments. We had to brainstorm on a title of our presentation but  ended with Walang Pamagat  meaning No Title. We adapted various television programs and made our own scripts. Other graduating class after us followed  suit with the same title but added numbers like Walang Pamagat  One, Walang Pamagat Two.

We started having reunions back in 2003 and it is now a regular thing every three years. Every year, the organizers are able to trace more classmates and school mates. Some groups have get-together every time a high school friend takes a vacation from abroad. Half of us are working and staying abroad now. Some of them had become doctors, engineers and lawyers.

My high school life at a glance.

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Veritas In Caritate

A continuation of my previous post  on UST Alumni Association and  Mocha Uson.

Here’s the official statement from the University of Sto. Tomas  regarding the recognition awarded to Mocha Uson by the alumni association.  Let’s be all for the truth.

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Go, Go USTe!

It’s been almost forty years since I left the portals of this university, the Royal and Pontifical Catholic University of the Philippines.  I spent nine years of my young life in this  school. University of Santo Tomas, four years in  high school and five years at college.

I miss this place. I miss the wide campus and the early morning masses before attending class. I miss the friends I made during my high school years and those I met when I worked at the main library for two years.

UST Paskuhan 2017. Photo courtesy of Manila Bulletin.

According to Wikipedia, “The Paskuhan is the culmination of the university wide Christmas  activities of the  university. The annual tradition started in 1991.The programs of Paskuhan were held during the last week or last day before the Christmas break of the university.” The picture shows the crowd of students who attended the last Paskuhan yesterday.  The front image with the  Christmas tree is the grandstand where major activities are held. In the background is the main building of the university (right) and on the left is the  Fathers’s Residence, the Santisimo Rosario church and the UST Seminary at the back of the building.

The university has been visited by three popes, the latest  was Pope Francis last January 2015. I was in high school when Pope Paul VI celebrated mass there.  Inside the UST Museum, one can see the Papal chair used by Pope John Paul II. He visited it twice back in 1981 and 1995.

It’s been in existence since 1611,  It’s composed of colleges, faculties, schools and institutes and confers several undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees.  St. Thomas Aquinas is its patron.

Looking back, I practically grew  up  here. Spending your teens and  early adult life in an institution such as this was a big privilege. Acquiring a  Catholic education was an advantage.

Proud alumna here. Go, go USTe.

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Papal Visit 2015 (Welcome POPE FRANCIS)

The Pope’s Arrival

This is it! Today is the day  we have been waiting for, the arrival of Pope Francis to the Philippines. The past days, I’ve been glued to the TV screen on  news on what the government and social media has done in preparation for the Pope’s 5-day visit which starts today at 6pm. Just like the rest of the Filipino Catholic community I am excited to see him. I could imagine the warm welcome from a predominantly Catholic nation.

Thursday, Friday and Monday are special non-working holidays here in Metro Manila since most roads are closed to give way to the motorcade and masses that would be held at the Manila Cathedral and in Luneta. The most important event would be his visit to Tacloban  and Palo, Leyte and meet the survivors of typhoon Yolanda, saying mass there and  having lunch with choiced families from different barangays in the province.

UST Papal Visit

The Pope would visit University of Santo Tomas to meet the youth on Sunday at 10am  and the campus is open to the public. There will be a motorcade inside the campus. They have allotted separate gates for the Thomasian community at the Espana side, the football field where the grandstand is would be exclusively for the youth participants though. The youth delegates will come  from the Archdiocesan Commissions on the Youth, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on the Youth, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), member-schools of the Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines, and the 2nd Philippine Conference on New Evangelization. The public are allowed to enter the back gates of the campus.  Gosh, even old/expired Thomasian alumni IDs will be allowed. I have mine but it expired three years ago and haven’t renewed it yet. Spiritual renewal is the core of Pope’s Francis visit to UST this coming Sunday, January 18.

A lot of people are asking “why UST, why always UST?” “How lucky can UST get?” When Pope Paul VI visited the Philippines, he went to UST. When Pope John Paul II came, he also visited  UST.  Pope Francis  will also visit  UST. Here’s the answer  provided by the Central Media Committee for the Papal Visit.

The University of Santo Tomas is a pontifical university, directly under the authority of the Roman Pontiff—the successor of Peter, the first pope. Aside from its function as a regular university, a pontifical university has a special mission of spreading the Gospel and promoting the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Rector of a pontifical university is appointed by the Vatican, and whenever the pope travels to a country where there is a pontifical university, it is his duty and pleasure to visit this university not only to see how it’s doing but also to inspire and encourage its students, faculty, and staff in their evangelization efforts.

Photo credit: Paul Quiambao (UST)

UST Papal Visit 1970. I was here and I remember those moments, we were even made to wear our gala uniforms. I was in high school then. (Photo credit: UST FB page)

UST Papal Visit 1981. It was the first time Pope John Paul II visited UST. (Photo credit: UST FB page)

UST Papal Visit 1995 during the celebration of World Youth Day held in the Philippines.

Mercy and Compassion

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.- Psalm 25:6

I love this logo. According to the official website of the Papal Visit to the Philippines,  this symbolizes the following:

COLORS.

The colors of the logo (blue, red, and yellow) are the colors of the Philippine flag. The colors therefore represent the country and its people. It is in solidarity with the victims of recent calamities that the Pope is coming to the Philippines.

CIRCLES.

The innermost circle resembles a pearl, and again it symbolizes the Philippines, which is known as the pearl of the orient seas. The white Cross symbolizes the Christian faith, and our fervent prayer that the center of our country be our Lord Jesus Christ. It serves as a reminder as well that more than a State Visit, the primary objective of the Papal visit is a religious one. He comes to show and share the Lord’s mercy and compassion with the Filipino people.

The red circle symbolizes Mercy, one of the themes of the Papal visit. Red is the color of blood and recalls the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross for our salvation, a holy sacrifice that manifests and exemplifies Divine Mercy for sinful humanity.

The blue circle means Compassion, the other theme of the Papal visit. Blue is the color of divine presence – it is the color of the sky and the sea that surround our life, much like God’s presence, that is, God’s compassionate love that permeates and sustains human existence.

The sequence of the colors follows the order of the colors of the Philippine flag: Yellow at the center, blue on top, and red at the bottom.

The red and blue circles appear like arms embracing the yellow circle. These are the merciful and compassionate arms of the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, embracing the Philippines, the pearl of the orient seas. The current Pope is well known for expressing his love and care for people by spontaneously hugging and kissing them. The red and blue circles or arms therefore symbolize the Pope’s Merciful and Compassionate Embrace, and by extension, Christ’s loving embrace. The Pope now comes to the Philippines to embrace us with his arms of love.

Finally the blue and red circles appear like ripples, or waves emanating from the inner circle, from the Cross. We pray that the Papal visit will indeed create ripples of compassion and mercy throughout the Filipino nation and beyond January 2015.

THANK YOU POPE FRANCIS. Praying for your safety and looking forward to your visit here in our country. We are indeed blessed.

Welcome to the Philippines!

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Another Rainy Night

What does one write about on a rainy evening like this? My mind gets stalled not by lack of what to say but how I am going to say something interesting enough to merit even just one reader’s eyes.

On a night like this, I take momentary pleasures dwelling in a world of remembering the not so distant past. At least that would provide a change to the inane and inconsequential things one thinks about on almost any night but a rainy one.

I just enjoyed browsing three filled notebooks of previous writings and quotations from my readings from way back.  The beauty of reminiscing and getting in touch with the old self, the beauty of rediscovering  how life was many decades ago. I even found drafts of letters to friends during my college years.  And I found these,  two black and white pictures with Dad and my youngest brother. I had a good laugh at my brother’s  bell-bottom pants  and my short skirt (so seventies). Never mind, these were our school uniforms at the University  of Santo Tomas four decades ago. I just want to share them here, I am afraid I may misplace them again.

Those were the days and these are treasured shots with Dad.

There is something so nostalgic about black and white or sepia pictures of long ago.  And I remember these because my dad received a gold medal as exemplary employee of the university. That is why,  the four of us kids  (my three brothers and I) studied in UST from high school to college and my two kids are Thomasians too.  I am grateful though and proud of being an alumna of  the oldest existing university in Asia. In terms of student population, it is the largest Catholic university in the world in a single campus.  The Pontifical, Royal Catholic University of the Philippines, that’s UST for you.

I started reading Captains and the Kings by Taylor Caldwell, another historical novel that reminds me so much of Frank McCourt’s  Angela’s  Ashes  and Trinity by Leon Uris.  I am always fascinated by Irish-American history.

What book are you reading now?

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Memories

Getting a little nostalgic seeing the pics I took of UST  a few years ago. I spent my high school and college life here. And this central lane leads to the lovely main building of the university.

Bringing back the clock – remembering old friends who were part of  my growing-up years, the heartaches of first love, cramming for exams, early morning student mass at the UST Chapel, the daily walks inside the campus, banana que at P. Noval, cornik laced with chili oil at Dapitan.

I just love taking photos of every corner of UST. This Arch of the Centuries is the “ruin” of the original structure of UST founded more than 400 years ago.

Well…I am just proud to be a Thomasian!

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UST In The Dark

At first, I didn’t actually like these shots but on second look, they have a redeeming feature, my favorite subject – clouds. And the sun showing its face in the shadows of the Arch of the Centuries of my alma mater, the University of Santo Tomas!

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Santo Tomas Ice Cream, Anyone?

A few months ago, I blogged about a favorite comfort food – ice cream!  I was on  my way to meet a friend at the University of Santo Tomas this morning when I chanced upon Mang Fidel, UST’s   ice cream vendor since I can remember. Some students were lining up to buy, what else, ice cream in cone. I signalled  one shot and he graciously took a pose. The students clapped and I was rewarded with a smile. Mang Fidel is definitely growing old with the university. And I say, student days would not be complete somehow without Mang Fidel with his ice cream cart.

And eating ice cream is more fun in the Philippines, right?

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Congratulations University of Santo Tomas (We Did It)

Back in March, I blogged about  The UST Dominican Cross, a part of University of Santo Tomas’ celebration of its 400th year and an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.  Here is an official announcement from the university and a link from the Guinness  site.

The largest human cross was achieved by 13,266 participants at an event organised by the University of Santo Tomas (Philippines) in Manila, Philippines, on 9 March 2011.

Go USTe! Proud to be a Thomasian!

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