UST-Mindanao in Barangay Ligaya, GenSan Updates

For those who have been asking about the entry of the UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS in Gen. Santos City, here finally is a news report from the UST website filed over a year ago.

It mentions the ritual blessing last May 2007 of their Summer projects at their 80-hectare UST Compound in Barangay Ligaya, GenSan, which included the following:

• The Benavides Staff House,
• The Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) Research Facility; and,
• The barangay high school classroom building later turned over to the Labangal National High School (Annex) at the one-hectare lot they donated earlier inside the UST Compound.

These were attended by the who’s who (I presume) of the UST including their Dominican Fathers and OP-Siena Sisters who must have planed in from all over the country.

Gosh! Why did all these remarkable things happen right under our noses? How come this was not reported by the media? Did UST wanted it to be hush-hush?

Anyway, whatever their motive was in making it low-key, we’re just too happy to finally find out that UST is really bent on establishing their own presence in this part of the Philippines. And in choosing General Santos City, wow, that again cements our reputation as the Education Hub of South Central Mindanao!

Although there is no mention of when they will start constructing their own university building here, am sure that it is in the pipeline already.

Meanwhile, here is the report. Read on:

The UST 2011 expansion projects march on with the “Ritual Blessing of UST-Mindanao Summer Projects,” on May 20, 2007, at the UST Complex, Brgy. Ligaya, General Santos City, Mindanao.

The Rev. Fr. Rector, Ernesto Arceo, O.P., presided over the Eucharistic celebration and proceeded to bless the projects, assisted by Rev. Fr. Bienvenido Trinilla, Jr., O.P., Prior of Sto. Domingo Convent, Q.C., and Rev. Fr. Clarence Marquez, O.P. UST Vice-Rector for Finance, the following sites: the Benavides Staff House, the Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) Research Facility, and the barangay high school classroom building.

Among the guests were several Dominican fathers and brothers, sisters from the OP-Siena congregation led by Sr. Adel Buzarang, O.P. Regional Prioress, Dr. Nancy Eleria, head of the UST-Mindanao Focus Group, several Thomasian alumni doctors, local government and school officials, and the people of Baranggay Ligaya.

From May 21 to 25, 2007, inaugural lectures of the “UST-Mindanao and OP-Siena Mindanao In-Service Training Partnership,” were held at the Benavides Staff House, UST, Brgy. Ligaya, General Santos City.

Among the lecturers were: Rev. Fr. Clarence Marquez, O.P. (Vice Rector for Finance), Rev. Fr. Ronald Cortel, (Regent, Faculty of Pharmacy), Rev. Fr. Arthur Dingel, O.P.(Regent, Faculty of Engineering) and Mr. Clod Beo from UST Ed-Tech.

The lecturers were attended by representative administrators, sisters and faculty members from the different OP-Siena schools in Mindanao.

Last June 10, UST Mindanao formally turned over a classroom building to the Labangal Public High School (Annex), located in the one (1) hectare lot earlier donated by UST to Baranggay Ligaya, General Santos City.

The classroom building was put up through the joint efforts of the UST Office of the Vice-Rector for Finance, the Office for Community Development (OCD) and the Faculty Association of the Institute of Religion (FAIR) and the people of Barangay Ligaya.

The turn-over ceremony was headed by Fr. Cortel, O.P., member of the UST-Mindanao Focus group, and officials of the barangay and the public school.

SOURCE: University of Santo Tomas Website

Thanks to Rodney for giving us this piece of info. Ok ka Rod!