November 2020

UST Passing Rate: 95.61%

National Passing Rate: 76.86%

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Fontanilla, an English major, graduated Magna cum Laude from the UST College of Education in 1979, and began her 41-year career as a teacher in the University after graduation.  Her leadership manifesting, she was easily picked to serve the College of Education as College Secretary, and eventually, as a University administrator. Her first appointment as Director of then-Public and Alumni Affairs Office was in 1990, a position that she served until 2000.  Part of the Director鈥檚 functions is to serve as executive editor of the Academia, the official international bulletin of the University.  

In 1994, armed with a Master鈥檚 degree in Educational Technology from UP which she obtained in 1982, Fontanilla was tasked to head the UST Educational Technology Center. She was its first director, a position that she served until 1999.

From 2000 to 2006, Fontanilla had a respite from the Office of Public and Alumni Affairs after she was assigned to be the Executive Assistant of the Secretary-General. However, as the preparations for the UST quadricentennial in 2011 were getting closer, Fontanilla鈥檚 expertise in organizing events, strong media relations, and close relationships with the alumni was once again needed on a University level, prompting her re-assignment to the Public and Alumni Affairs Office (PAAO) in 2006, four years before the quadricentennial.

Realizing the increasing responsibilities and functions of the PAAO, Fontanilla recommended that the two offices be separated, so that an office exclusively dedicated to the needs of the alumni, whose presence must be greatly felt in the 2011 celebrations will be created. Thus, when classes opened in June 2007, two offices were introduced to the Thomasian community, each with its specific role: the Office for Alumni Relations took care of the alumni, and the Office of Public Affairs took care of branding, events management, public information, and media relations which were all necessary in ensuring a successful quadricentennial celebration.  

Numerous activities, programs and projects were undertaken by the Office of Public Affairs. Partners have included the diplomatic corps, professional organizations, advocacy groups, educational institutions, LGUs, among others.  Strong relations with the church hierarchy has always been a top priority. The media had always been a strong partner in numerous activities.

These relationships, and a lot more may be considered as part of Dr. Fontanilla鈥檚 legacy to the Thomasian community.          

 鈥淟egacy. What is a legacy? It鈥檚 planting seeds in a garden you鈥檒l never get to see.鈥�

This line from the final soliloquy of Alexander Hamilton in the hit 2015 musical 鈥楬amilton鈥� encapsulates the concept of legacy as a life鈥檚 worth of work, ideas, and lessons cared for and gifted to the future.

Fontanilla鈥檚 contributions, her legacies to the University, were recalled by Dominican Fathers who were former heads of offices with which she has had the chance to work, during the Masses that were offered in memorial of her life and service to the University.

 The first day of the wake for Fontanilla was held at the lobby of the Paredes Bldg., known to be the venue of events organized by the Office of Public Affairs, which she headed until her untimely demise. It was held on December 8, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. It is a known fact that the late administrator was a devotee of the Blessed Mother.

From the time that her remains arrived, Dominican Fathers took turns in blessing her remains, the first of which was conducted by the Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Rev. Fr. Pablo Tiong, O.P.  Even secular priests with whom Fontanilla has had the chance to work came to perform a blessing for the departed. The memorial Mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Roland Mactal, O.P., who in his homily shared stories of friendship and service.       

Administrative and academic officials, faculty members, researchers, support staff, and former students visited in batches to pay their last respects to the long-time face of UST in media. Dominican Fathers also presided private Masses, with the final one 鈥� celebrated at 10:00 in the morning of December 9 鈥� broadcasted by the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church on its official Facebook page.

Ma鈥檃m Giovanna, or Ma鈥檃m GVF, as she was called fondly, was blessed to see that some of the seeds she planted had borne fruit during her 41 years of service. From the very first Thomasian Welcome Walk in 2002 鈥� then called the 鈥楻ites of Passage鈥� 鈥� turning into a core tradition that is essentially tied to the true Thomasian experience; the grandiose evolution of the UST Paskuhan in 1991 from a simple Panunuluyan to a big event that draws crowds of tens of thousands people in campus for bands, special guests, and the awaited pyrotechnical display; her well-organized helming of the 1995 Visit of Pope John Paul II to UST as part of the World Youth Day celebrations,  and of the 2015 Visit of Pope Francis, these were but a few sprouts from her very prolific garden 鈥� the high-impact results of her ideas and plans.

In a Mass celebrated earlier at 9:00 in the morning on December 9 by UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Jes煤s M. Miranda, Jr., O.P., for offices under the Office of the Secretary-General, which includes the Office of Public Affairs, he emphasized that Ma鈥檃m Giovanna 鈥渆mbodied UST鈥檚 three Cs of competence, commitment, and compassion.鈥� He also added another C to stand for 鈥渃onfidence.鈥� Particularly, he thanked her for relentlessly building the positive image of UST, aided by her bright personality and quickness to give encouraging compliments, and 鈥渉er excellent service to the University.鈥�

In the online Mass held on the same day presided by Acting Rector Rev. Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P., concelebrated by the Dominican Fathers, the homilist was former Rector Rev. Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P.. He was the Rector who first appointed her to an administrative position and has worked closely with her over the decades.  Fr. de la Rosa recalled her 鈥渋mpeccable work ethic鈥�, 鈥渉er seemingly limitless energy,鈥� and her 鈥渦nique[ness],鈥� even sharing that she once rejected an offer to work in Rome after she impressed Vatican officials with her organization skills, which were evident in the Papal Visit of St. Pope John Paul II. 鈥淪he said, 鈥業 feel more at home in UST and I can’t leave my family to work abroad,鈥欌�� he said. He also shared that the Saint-Pope was so grateful to Fontanilla that he hugged her 鈥� a moment immortalized in the photo book 鈥淎 Sea of Blessings.鈥�

鈥淚n her short life, she served the University well and showed others what love really means,鈥� reflected Fr. de la Rosa.

In the same online Mass, current UST Museum Director Fr. Isidro Aba帽o, O.P., delivered a eulogy for his former executive assistant when he was then-Secretary-General.

鈥淭here is so much to thank her for. She practically donated her entire life to the University,鈥� said Fr. Aba帽o, giving Dr. Fontanilla credit for many initiatives that shaped the modern Thomasian sense of identity, such as the very first Paskuhan, the Thomasian Welcome Walk, the UST Crime Watch, the Job Fair, the USTv Awards, the Christmas Gala, the Ambassadors鈥� Night, the Papal Visits, and the Quadricentennial Celebration, adding that the iconic 鈥淯ST @ 400鈥�, emblazoned on limited edition Philippine Peso bills and other merchandise, was one such brainchild.

Fr. Aba帽o even proposed that the UST Educational Technology Center, which she served as its first Director, be named after her 鈥� 鈥淕iovanna V. Fontanilla EdTech Center鈥� 鈥� saying that, 鈥淭o thank her merely with words is a shortcoming,鈥� he said.

Fontanilla, as director of the Office of Public Affairs, was also an active lead in organizing the visits of Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain in 2012, and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand in 2019, and countless high-profile University events including the conferment of the honorary professorship title to Former President of Poland Lech Wa艂臋sa and Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa.

From her external partnerships and networks also stemmed the Vice Presidential and Senatorial debates with CNN, and the Media Leadership lectures with representatives from ABS-CBN and GMA all hosted by the University.

It is incalculable exactly how much the seeds she planted have affected and formed Thomasian life and culture as they exist today, and as such, Fr. Aba帽o thanked Fontanilla鈥檚 children, JC and IC 鈥� both Thomasians 鈥� for sharing their mother with the University. He assured them of the University鈥檚 constant gratitude.

As history has shown, legacy building is a journey, not a destination. Her part may have ended, but her love for UST 鈥� manifested in her many creations and contributions 鈥� will live on, carried out by her mentees, by her team, and by those who love and look up to her. After all, her lessons were not just taught; more importantly, they were learned and they are being lived out.

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The first was Phase 1K Kasiglahan Village, Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal, which was affected by the strong typhoon from November 11 to 12, 2020 has its community-based organization called Samahang Kamanlalakbay-Kasiglahan Village, mostly composed of women and youth.   SIMBAHAYAN Director Asst. Prof. Froilan A. Alipao, Acting Assistant Vice-Rector for Finance Rev. Fr. Rodel S. Cansancio, O.P., College of Science mentor Asst. Prof. Ezra Aguilar, Ph.D., among others, directly met them and delivered aid and relief goods such as sacks of rice, boxes of canned goods, and other necessities.

Another UST partner community and their organization called Samahang Kamanlalakbay-North Triangle Alliance (NTA) of Barangay San Jose, located a few kilometers away from Kasiglahan Village, was able to mobilize support like clothes, food, and basic medicines for Kasiglahan 1K Village and other community members.

As a follow-up to that initial food and medical support, Tulong Tomasino also supplied relief goods for the Typhoon Ulysses survivors in San Jose Manggagawa Parish in Marikina on November 18. Through the in-kind donations received from administrators, faculty members, support staff, alumni, parents, and students, the parish distributed seven boxes of noodles, six sacks of rice, 96 pieces of bottled water, six boxes of sardines, and one box of instant coffee to the affected families.

The University also partnered with Colegio de San Juan de Letran, UST Angelicum College, and Santo Domingo Convent to send relief goods to affected families in Bicol. On November 25, the donations were turned over to UST-Legazpi, which facilitated the distribution.

Outside of these initiatives, Thomasians also conducted their private efforts to help, one of which was Ms. Corazon Dulce Bayaton, Subject Area Lead Teacher of the Fundamentals of Faith learning area of the 探花精选 – Senior High School. She held a donation drive for residents of Brookside, Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, which provided 350 families with relief packs that contained canned goods, noodles, bottled water, and rice.

Legal Management junior Alyssa Marie V. Santos of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, helped the affected residents of Isabela by distributing food packs and other relief items with her family and friends. The relief drive she initiated has so far has benefitted three villages to date. On November 14, 250 bags of relief goods were distributed, with priority given to affected farmers in Isabela.

Accountancy junior Patricia Claire Cruz similarly led a donation drive for the benefit of affected families in Montalban, Rizal. In collaboration with Grade 12 Senior High School students Janine Maye Antonio and Claudette Anne Santos, they were able to donate clothes, face masks, face shields, toiletries, canned goods, medicine, ready-to-eat food, hygiene kits, bottled water, and blankets to 100 families in Montalban.

Faculty of Civil Law student Joshua Urolaza and his family used their water-refilling station as a way to help their fellow residents in Cagayan by offering free refills of clean drinking water. Urolaza also participated in a fundraising initiative that turned over relief goods and personal protective equipment for those severely affected by the typhoon.

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UST College of Architecture faculty member Ar. Lorelei De Viana, Ph.D., author of 鈥淭hree Centuries of Binondo Architecture,鈥� discoursed on Binondo, Manila, a district that is considered as one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world in a webinar held on October 3, 2020. Through archival maps and images, the talk recounted the history of the district from 鈥渂eing a 16^th-century Dominican mission settlement for Christianized Chinese into the economic hub of colonial Philippines in the 19th and early 20th centuries.鈥�

In her discussion, de Viana shared her position on the current conservation efforts on Binondo鈥檚 heritage buildings. She also expressed how the Megaworld Foundation has captured the essence and legacy of Binondo through the Chinatown Museum in Divisoria, Manila.

 In the same webinar, museum Curator Jocelyn B. Gerra, Ph.D., shared her expertise on the Chinatown of Cebu. She discussed the vibrant history of the Chinese and the Chinatown in the South of the Philippines. She also shared that the Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum in Cebu City recounts the history of the Chinese people of Cebu.

For three consecutive Tuesdays in October, the Chinatown Museum organized a series of webinars that looked into the Chinatowns worldwide. It covered Manila and Cebu in the Philippines, London in the United Kingdom, and Melbourne in Australia.

This event was organized in cooperation with CHiNOY TV and in partnership with the Ateneo Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies; Bahay Tsinoy in Intramuros, Manila; Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum in Cebu; and the Chinese Museum in Melbourne, Australia.

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The Department of Philosophy organized a monthly reading group titled Noche. The name is short for Noche Alegre, a play of words from the 探花精选鈥檚 Noche Triste, the night before the examinations for the licentiate degree in Philosophy or Theology. That night of preparing oneself to demonstrate one鈥檚 knowledge in culmination is a form of celebration of philosophy鈥檚 vibrancy in the academe and the country.

This is something that this reading group seeks to highlight with the name Noche, however, not of gloom and anxiety but a night of joy in bringing together interested individuals willing to navigate through various texts. It is a joyful demonstration of philosophy鈥檚 sustained vitality in the UST Department of Philosophy and The Graduate School, and even in various spaces where serious philosophy practitioners and scholars reside.

Noche is a reading group that primarily aims to create space for philosophic discourse while widening the research horizon of the Philosophy students in the graduate and undergraduate Philosophy programs. This is a year-long activity to be held every last Saturday of the month with consideration to sudden suspensions of classes and activities due to inclement weather besides others. Each two-to two-and-a-half-hour session features a thinker representative of the five research thrusts of the Department of Philosophy, namely, Filipino Philosophy, Aristotelian-Thomistic Philosophy and Scholasticism, Oriental-East-West Comparative Philosophy, Continental European Philosophy, and Anglo-American Philosophy.

The first session held on October 31, 2020, focused on Dr. Florentino Hornedo鈥檚 essay titled 鈥淔ree Fall: Postmodernism鈥� originally published in Ad Veritatem as representative of Filipino Philosophy. October is the birth month of the late professor, who was born on October 16, 1938 and died on December 9, 2015. For the organizers, it seemed fitting to begin this year-long activity in memory of Hornedo, one of the pillars of secular philosophy in the university. 

The session was facilitated by Mr. Anton Heinrich Rennesland, and discussants were Dr. Fleurdeliz Altez-Albela and Dr. Roland Theuas Pada, who shed light on the essay. Both speakers were former students of the late professor and are doing research on his texts.

What made the discussion fruitful was the number of questions and insights raised both by faculty members of the Department of Philosophy but also those from other institutions across the country. With a close reading of the essay primarily discussed by Dr. Pada and Dr. Albela with some interjections by Mr. Rennesland, what was brought to fore was Hornedo鈥檚 brand of postmodernism that previews the human condition: free fall.

The essay distinguishes Structuralism, Poststructuralism, Phenomenology, and Postmodernity, with Hornedo showing their divergences but a certain dependency linked by difference in Derridian fashion. The essay despite its brevity is thought-provoking and “untimely” in a Nietzschean sense, as pointed out by Dr. Paolo Bola帽os; it was written decades ago yet it still strikes a chord today. Hornedo illustrated how we currently live through the experience of jumping without the parachute of former ways of thinking鈥攐ur own free fall.

Digesting this development also gave emphasis to the person of Dr. Hornedo himself and his own historicity as one of the pioneer thinkers to ponder on Postmodernism in the University. Dr. Jove Jim Aguas and Graduate School Dean Prof. Michael Anthony Vasco, Ph.D., both former students of Hornedo, elucidated several points when it came to questions raised about his type of philosophizing of the human person. Besides scholarly engagement with Hornedo鈥檚 thoughts, they fondly shared anecdotes of being his graduate students and even as having him as a thesis advisor and a panelist, respectively. This eventually led to the essay鈥檚 and session鈥檚 conclusion on a positive note as a form of tribute to the late professor, an untimely thinker signaling postmodernity.

This session was the first of five for the first cycle of Noche. The succeeding sessions feature the following representative of the research thrusts: Th茅r猫se Bonin, Masahiro Morioka, Byung-Chul Han, and Nancy Fraser. The second cycle will run from April to August featuring Caroline Hau, Rebecca Konyndyk, Gayatri Spivak, Frantz Fanon, and Martha Nussbaum.

All sessions are open to the public however requiring pre-registration which usually is made available at the beginning of the month to provide ample time for all interested individuals to go over the material provided. Noche is jointly organized by the UST Department of Philosophy and the UST Graduate School. More information about the Noche reading group may be found on the Graduate School鈥檚 website and the Department of Philosophy鈥檚 Facebook page.

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Held on October 24, 2020, via the online platform Zoom, Equipaje discussed the significance of public open spaces in the city in her talk titled 鈥淧lanning for Sustainability and Urban Resilience of Future Cities: The Vital Role of Public Open Space.鈥�

Equipaje lamented the disappearance of public open spaces and green spaces in the cities. According to her, public open spaces are significant because they act as green lungs for the city and as spaces for refuge in cases of disasters or a pandemic. The present health problem, according to her, brings to light the need for public open spaces as they significantly affect the happiness, well-being, and mental health of the people.

Calling upon architects, designers, and city planners, Equipaje urged them to secure and conserve these open spaces to ensure better, sustainable, and resilient cities in the future.

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UST College of Fine Arts and Design faculty member Asst. Prof. Mailah B. Balde, former Chair of the Painting Program, was one of the contributing artists in the TB Christmas Seals contest organized by the Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc. (PTSI) for 2020 to 2021.

The 2020 Contest entry of PTSI, which garnered third place in the 2020 International Christmas Seals Contest, had 鈥淗ope鈥� for its theme. The theme was a call to the people not to be discouraged by the current health crisis. Instead, everyone should be inspired by the opportunity it brings, to be of service to those in need.

The Philippine entry also had paintings by renowned and award-winning Thomasian artists such as Raul Isidro, Nemiranda, Fil de la Cruz, and Manuel Baldemor, Mailah鈥檚 father, among others.

                     PTSI has been producing Christmas seals since 1910. The seals are sold to raise funds for the organization. Collections from fund drives are utilized mainly for the diagnosis and management of indigent patients afflicted with tuberculosis (TB) and to sustain the TB research needs of the PTSI.  

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UST College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) Regent, Rev. Fr. Edgardo D. Alaurin launched his new book 鈥淐argasus,鈥� which tells the tale of a flying carabao who, with faith, helped the characters overcome the forces of evil.

The launch was held on November 22, 2020, at the Beato Angelico Gallery and was graced by the presence of the Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines Rev. Fr. Napoleon B. Sipalay, O.P., former UST Rector and Dean of the UST Faculty of Philosophy Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., and CFAD Dean Asst. Prof. Mary Christie D. Que.

The book launch was live-streamed in the CBRC.tv program Bridges hosted by Dr. Evelyn A. Songco and Dean Henry Tenedero. The Sunday episode titled 鈥淎RT, the Universal Language of the Soul鈥� was sponsored by the UST College of Fine Arts and Design Alumni Association and UST Alumni Association (USTAAI).

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(CCWLS) will hold its annual National Writers鈥� Workshop from November 9 to December 2, 2020, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM via Zoom Conference.  
            Now on its 9th workshop after the Center鈥檚 revival in 2012, the UST CCWLS will guide its 15 writing fellows via cyberspace from the comforts of everyone鈥檚 home in contrast to the workshops of the previous years that were usually held in Baguio City. This year鈥檚 fellows consist of professionals and graduate school students from all over the country who were selected based on the merits of their submitted works.

             The fellows are: Elsie C. Albis (Dula; UST), Cat Aquino (Short Story, ADMU), Napoleon I. Arcilla, III (Maikling Kwento; Catanduanes State Colleges), Adelaimar C. Arias Jose (Short Story; UP), Rommel Fabros Bonus (Maikling Kwento; UP), Neil Angelo S. Cirilo (Sanaysay; Central Luzon State University), Kimberly Crisologo (Short Story; UST), Ralph Lorenz G. Fonte (Tula; UP), Carmel Ilustrisimo (Creative Nonfiction; UST), Ansherina May D. Jazul (Screenplay/Dula; PUP), Ma. Jhayle Ann Marie Z. Meer (Poetry; UP), Miguel Enrico C. Paala, III (Tula; UP), Pietros Val R. Patricio (Creative Nonfiction; DLSU), Gesuina Marie D. Puangco (Poetry; DLSU), Larry Boy B. Sabangan (Sanaysay; West Visayas State University).
            The teaching panel is led by senior guest panelist premiere poet and literary critic and theorist of Philippine poetry in English Dr. G茅mino Abad. The other guest panelists are fictionist Luna Sicat Cleto, and poet and screenwriter Jerry Gr谩cio.   

The rest of the teaching panel are from the UST CCWLS: CCWLS Director Professor Emeritus Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo; Asst. Director Ralph Semino Gal谩n; and resident fellows Dr. Augusto Antonio Aguila, Ma. Ailil Alvarez, Paul Castillo, Dr. Joselito Delos Reyes, Nerisa del Carmen Guevara, Dawn Laurente Marfil, Jose Mojica, Ned Parfan, Dr. Chuckberry Pascual, Dr. John Jack Wigley, and Joselito Zulueta.

The teaching panel is composed of fictionists (short story writers and novelists), essayists, poets, literary critics, playwrights, screenwriters, and translators in English and Filipino. Most of them write in two or three genres, and some are bilingual or even trilingual, such as Gal谩n, who writes in English, Filipino, and Cebuano.

           This year鈥檚 workshop director is Nerisa del Carmen Guevara, a poet who has diversified into creative nonfiction writing and performance art. The workshop coordinator is Dawn Laurente Marfil, who dabbles in creative nonfiction writing.

The UST national writing workshop has produced more than 100 writing fellows since its revival in 2012, a good number of whom have won prizes at the Palanca and other prestigious award-giving bodies, and others have published books. 

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Faculty of Arts and Letters mentor Asst. Prof. Emelito F. Sarmago delivered a lecture on 鈥淚f Development Communication is Purposive Communication, Can Purposive Communication be Development Communication?鈥� on November 24, 2020, via Zoom as part of the faculty development program of the Department of English.

Using a survey that he conducted among his students, Sarmago began his lecture by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of Purposive Communication as a course offering at the tertiary level. From the responses of his students, he discussed the nature of Purposive Communication and how it is actually implemented in schools. He discussed Development Communication, its characteristics, and the principles of Development Communication that are applicable to Purposive Communication.

Sarmago emphasized the nature of Development Communication being communication with a conscience, communication with a purpose in mind, communication that seeks to create societal change, and a value-laden communication. He also shared several development communication principles that can be anchored on improving and teaching Purposive Communication.

To bring more purpose to class activities, Sarmago even suggested that teachers include the United Nation鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals as possible source of material or inspiration for students鈥� advocacy plans, being one of the topics in Purposive Communication.

Asst. Prof. Jean R. Celino was the lecture moderator. The monthly lecture will resume in January 2021.

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