The new study, entitled “Conservation of Sustainable Ecotourism on the Island of Siquijor through Sustainable Alternative Livelihoods, Training and Development,” was published in The International Journal of Social Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context. The participants, who were inhabitants of the island, favored sustainable ecotourism but expressed the need for intensive capacity-building in both interpersonal and computer skills. In terms of actual livelihood activities, the participants identified housekeeping, healing massage training, and tour guiding/tour car driving as immediate areas of concern. To help manage the desired influx of tourists, the residents likewise expressed the need for basic first aid training.

Santos is the incumbent Chair of the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, while Ancheta teaches at the Graduate School. Meanwhile, the Garcias are academic researchers of the Department of Biological Sciences of the College of Science.

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The paper “Shifts in the feeding ecology of the endemic and Endangered Sardinella tawilis in Lake Taal, Philippines” showed that the tawilis, which have been found to feed on zooplanktons,preferred “cyclopoid copepods and [showed a] noticeable increased preference for Moina micrura, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, and Bosmina fatalis.” This showed a shift from its earlier preference for calanoids. The findings were elicited from an application of stable isotope analysis and gut content analysis.

The new study was published on June 5, 2025 in Endangered Species Research, Volume 57, and was authored by a team of scientists from UST, De La Salle University, University of Rizal System, and the Department of Science and Technology. The authors are: Dale Anthony L. To (UST, DLSU), Asst. Prof. Elfritzson M. Peralta, MSc (UST), Justine R. De Leon (UST), Alexis E. Belen (UST), Lloyd Matthew L. Pineda (UST), Inst. Walled T. Ali (UST), Miguel Angelo F. Dollete (UST), Inst. Ray Allan N. Zafra (UST), Norman Mendoza (DOST), Prof. Richard Thomas B. Pavia, PhD (UST), Assoc. Prof. Dino T. Tordesillas, PhD (UST), Jonathan Carlo A. Briones (UST, URS), and College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD.

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Redoña was an invited speaker at the “Dialogic Human Dignity: Legal and Religious Perspectives” international conference in Kyoto, Japan, on June 7-8, 2025. This event was co-organized by Doshisha University’s Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of the Monotheistic Religions (CISMOR) and Brigham Young University’s The International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS).

This sponsored conference gathered scholars and professors from diverse legal and religious backgrounds to foster a dialogue on human dignity across different times and cultures. The program included sessions with multiple speakers, plenary discussions, and a special panel of religious leaders from Islam, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Catholic Church, which discussed human dignity from their respective traditions. The unique format allowed for a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of human dignity.

The Conference hoped to pursue collaborations among the delegates in order push forward the work of promoting religious freedom and human dignity.

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Using the mixed methods tool “Remittance Investment Climate Analysis in Rural ������ýtowns,” the researchers found that across the six municipalities, there was no common trend “among municipalities that combining a sound investment climate, an ample number of financial institutions, high levels of residents’ financial literacy, and an active program for migrants and their families all ensure remittances-induced hometown investing.” The researchers called for instituting investment climate reforms to help ensure that remittances will fuel local development.

The , published in the Asian and Pacific Migration Journal in 2024, was recognized in the 2025 National Academy of Science and Technology awards with the Outstanding Scientific Paper Award.

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The first conference was the Karol Wojtyła Congress held on May 19 at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków, Poland. Scholars from around the globe convened to examine the philosophical and theological legacy of Pope Saint John Paul II, whose thought remains vital for contemporary personalism and Catholic anthropology. In the said conference, Aguas delivered a keynote address titled The Perfection of Power and Integration of the Person: St. Thomas Aquinas and Karol Wojtyła on Virtue, offering a synthesis of Thomistic metaphysics and Wojtyłan ethics. He argued for a view of virtue rooted not in coercion or convention but in rational and spiritual freedom. Ringor followed with Divinus in Caro: Karol Wojtyła’s Ontological Personalism In-Between Theomorphism and Technomorphism where he critiqued the twin extremes of deifying or dehumanizing the human person and proposed Wojtyła’s incarnational vision as a compelling alternative grounded in freedom, responsibility, and participation in truth.

Afterwards, they attended the 11th Religion, Knowledge, and Society Conference held in “Ovidius” University of Constanța, Romania with the theme Global Tendencies, Local Realities: Redefining Peace in a Multipolar World. In this event brought together international experts to explore new frameworks for understanding peace amid global unrest, Aguas presented his plenary lecture titled Global Solidarity: A Key Component in Attaining World Peace, proposing solidarity as both a spiritual calling and ethical imperative. He emphasized that authentic peace requires shared responsibility for upholding human dignity. In another plenary lecture, Whose God is in the City? Political Ontology, Religious Plurality, and the Indispensable Desire for Peace, Ringor explored the metaphysical and theological underpinnings of urban life. Drawing from classical and Christian political thought, he argued that peace depends on restoring a transcendent orientation within civic life.

The final leg of their academic sojourn brought Aguas and Ringor to Suceava, Romania, for the 11th Religion, Knowledge, and Society Seminar, Vatra Dornei from May 25 to 28. Centered on Pathways Towards Reconciliation: Philosophical and Theological Approaches, the seminar explored healing from historical and contemporary wounds. In this seminar, Aguas tackled the topic Reconciliation Through Dialogue: The Philippine Experience, drawing on interreligious dialogue efforts in the Philippines to demonstrate how openness and shared moral foundations foster peace while Ringor discussed the Thomistic-Augustinian account of reconciliation through divine mercy in his talk titled“Remember Me When You Come Into Your Kingdom”: Suffering, Repentance, and Mercy.

Aguas is a Full Professor of the Department of Philosophy and teaches at the Graduate School and the Faculty of Philosophy, while Ringor is the Academic Collaborations Officer of the Ecclesiastical Faculties of Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law.

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UNDA Chancellor Christopher Ellison praised the UST Rector for his steadfast commitment to Catholic higher education, steering the University through the pandemic immediately after taking helm of UST on January 1, 2020 (first as Acting Rector), then on May 7, 2020, formally as Rector.

In a message to the UNDA graduating class, Fr. Ang extended the arm of friendship and collaboration, expressing optimism that the UNDA graduates will soon make changes in their own communities.

The pandemic shifted not just instructional delivery but also University operations to distance and eventually hybrid modality. The former was recognized by the Commission on Higher Education with the prestigious Gawad Edukampyon, which feted UST’s Excellence in Flexible and Responsive Management.

While steering the University through the pandemic, Fr. Ang continued UST’s leadership of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities as Executive Secretary. 

Rising above the pandemic, Fr. Ang led the University in inaugurating the General Santos Campus on April 11, 2024 and in opening the UST Manila Annex in Santa Rosa, Laguna, first with the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center on April 28, 2023.

As he pushes through with his second term, the Rector leads a University that is globally recognized, with more and more programs deemed at par with international counterparts. Research and innovation as well as community service have likewise been intensified, with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

A philosopher, Fr. Ang specializes in Chinese philosophy. He teaches courses at the Faculty of Philosophy, where he was Dean while concurrently serving as University Vice-Rector.

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How can schools promote sustainability using a whole-person and whole-school approach? This question was answered during the April 22, 2025 (Tuesday) webinar organized by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Innovative Teaching and Educational Delivery.

In the webinar, Inst. Fermin Antonio D.R. Yabut, PhD of the UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy presented relevant sustainability frameworks, including Education for Sustainable Development and Greening of Schools. Yabut spoke of the importance of gathering feedback from multiple stakeholders, whose support is crucial to embracing a sustainability mindset. Meanwhile, Aqo Partners Founder Maricar E. Baticulon talked about communicating and reporting sustainability, which is crucial for helping the community and other schools learn about how each school is progressing.

The two lectures were followed by a panel discussion that presented sustainability according to the threefold thrust of universities: teaching, research, and community development. Asst. Prof. Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo, MA of the Institute of Religion spoke about sustainability as practiced in teaching/instruction, while biologist Prof. Cecilia I. Banag-Moran, Dr. rer. nat. of the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences.

The webinar, attended by over two hundred fifty participants from all over the country, was a contribution to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through raising awareness and maximizing avenues to help stakeholders learn, relearn, and unlearn practices on sustainability.

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Published in the Journal of Religion and Health, a Q1 Scopus-indexed journal under Springer Nature, the paper titled delves into the medical potential and moral considerations of gene editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9. These tools offer promising treatment avenues for rare conditions prevalent in the Philippines, such as Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type I, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Hunter Syndrome.

Authored by Dr. Mary Anne Chiong (Faculty of Medicine and Surgery) and Dr. Allan Basas (Institute of Religion), the study begins with a clear and accessible overview of gene editing, presenting its transformative capabilities in combating these genetic disorders. The researchers used the three aforementioned diseases as case studies to highlight the real-world implications of scientific innovation in a local context.

But the paper goes beyond biology. Rooted in the Catholic doctrine of Imago Dei—the belief that every human is made in the image of God—the authors explore the ethical and theological implications of gene editing. They draw a firm distinction between somatic gene editing, which targets individual patients for therapeutic purposes, and germline editing, which alters DNA in a way that can be passed to future generations—raising complex moral questions.

Utilizing the See-Judge-Act framework, a staple of Catholic social teaching, the study provides a structured ethical evaluation of gene editing in light of Church doctrine on human dignity. It calls for thoughtful application of science that not only heals but honors the sacredness of life. The authors emphasize that while gene editing holds immense medical promise, it also carries a profound ethical duty. Science, they argue, must always remain grounded in faith and directed toward the service of human dignity and the common good.

In a nation where disparities in healthcare are significant and religion plays a central societal role, the study calls for a united effort among government leaders, healthcare professionals, and faith communities. Strengthening the implementation of the Rare Disease Act and ethically guided investments in gene therapy could revolutionize care for the most vulnerable members of society. Ultimately, this paper is more than a scientific exploration—it’s a moral call to action. It asks us to consider how we care for those most in need, with compassion, justice, and an unwavering commitment to life.

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Beginning with the crisis response

With the mobility restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, community-based rehabilitation (CBR) services also had to shift modality. The paper “Community-based rehabilitation in the time of pandemic: Experiences of parents of children with disability” (co-authored by BS Occupational Therapy students Balangue, Chua, Ilagan, Juan, Labaco, and Noh, and academic staff Asst. Prof. Karen S. Sagun) conducted focus groups with parents whose children received CBR and found that they saw the potential of telecoaching to continue availing services, provided that the digital divide and initial doubt on technology can be overcome.

Building on the previous year’s focus groups, a second study was conducted a year later, focused this time on access of low-income households to community-based telerehabilitation. The paper “Exploring the accessibility of community-based telerehabilitation for children with disabilities from low-income households” was co-authored by BSOT students Ryanne Nicole H. Alava, Kristine Therese S. Cablay, Katelyn A. Dagdag, Francis Rowelle P. Lagman, Kvaern Edgar S. Nocos, Jamela Y. Quidilla, Nina Mari M. Tan, along with Sagun. It was recently published in the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (Volume 16, Issue 2).

The second study found the need to provide a comprehensive approach to helping low-income households overcome access issues. In particular, affordable technology, family support, and policy advocacy must be provided by a combination of stakeholders: healthcare professionals, policy makers, and family beneficiaries. If the needed support is provided, technological competency and service delivery flexibility as well as telerehabiltation sustainability may be attained.

Transitioning to the blended modality

It was not only classes that transitioned to the blended delivery, as CBR for indigent children with disabilities (CWD) also eventually adopted the blended mode. Dubbed Flexicoaching, the QC Kabahagi Center’s CBR program was tested for its effectiveness using a quasi-experimental research design that delved into retrospective records review. This the third study conducted by Thomasian researchers, this time by Sagun, along with students Balloon, Defiño, Guerrero, Managuelod, Oliva, and Riñoza in 2024. The paper, entitled “Examining the caregiver’s perception of occupational performance and satisfaction in community-based rehabilitation using blended online and onsite therapy,” found primary caregivers’ perceived occupation performance and CWDs’ satisfaction were positive in a blended modality. The program enhanced “social and educational participation, validating its potential as a sustainable service delivery model for children with disabilities in urban poor communities.”

Scaling the efforts

The fourth paper, entitled “Effectiveness of community-based flexicoaching from low socioeconomic background using goal attainment scaling, used pre-test and post-design for the quasi-experimental study alongside the Goal Attainment Scale to measure intervention success for CWDs. The Flexicoaching program was found potentially valuable not just for occupational therapists, but also for physical therapists, and speech therapists, after validating remarkable effectiveness among 88.67% of the participants, who were part of the 406 cases reviewed.

According to QC Kabahagi Center Director and Department of Occupational Therapy academic staff Asst. Prof. Karen S. Sagun, MSOT, MRS, “the partnership between UST and QC Government through the Kabahagi Center exemplifies how academe-government collaboration can advance multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in health, education, and reducing inequalities.” The findings of the four studies provided informed evidence-based rehabilitation services that have been made accessible to urban poor communities and thus addressed social disparities.

Sagun added that while the collaboration began as a crisis response by BS Occupational Therapy students to see the effectiveness of Flexicoaching, the partnership has now shown “continuous development of community-tailored rehabilitation approaches.”

The GCARSIH award, which looked into Filipino-developed programs that targeted an identified priority health need of a community, fetes transformative partnerships that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through integrated local governance, health innovation, and academic excellence. Among the selection criteria used were degree of innovativeness, significance, potential for further research and scale, inclusiveness, effectiveness, affordability, and participatory and co-owned nature.

Sagun acknowledged the invaluable support of Quezon City Mayor Hon. Ma. Josefina Belmonte, the QC Kabahagi center staff, UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences Dean Anne Marie C. Asron and Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Dean Ma. Lourdes D. Maglinao, along with the units’ officials, academic staff, researchers, and students. Sagun added: “This recognition honors the power of collective innovation in healthcare delivery. From dedicated frontline workers of the government to academic partners and the participatory leadership of the city, each stakeholder has contributed to building a sustainable model of inclusive, community-based rehabilitation services. The partnership has become a launchpad for healthcare innovations while nurturing generations of professionals deeply committed to serving vulnerable communities.”

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The discovery of the new species was a result of using “an integrative approach of morphological, biogeographic, and molecular biology techniques to describe a tarantula species.” The technique likewise succeeded in resolving “taxonomic issues on the genera Selenobrachys and Chilocosmia, which were synonymized under the genus Orphnaecus.

With the discovery, the group continues its work on discovering bioactive components that may have therapeutic potential from spider venom. The research program is funded by the Department of Science and Technology and has been named GAGAMBA – Gamot mule sa Gagamba at Mananaliksik ng Bayan.

Authoring the paper were Thomasian researchers Darrell C. Acuña, Maria Mikaela U. Dumbrique, Lorenz Rheum P. Ragasa, Charles Nylxon C. Noriega, Assoc. Prof. Myla R. Santiago-Bautista, PhD, Asst. Prof. Leonardo A. Guevarra, Jr., MSc, and Asst. Prof. Maricel C. Rañido, PhD. They were joined by Anna Beatriz R. Mayor, Gregorio Antonio Florendo Jr., and Mary Jane A. Fadri of Romblon State University, and Volker von Wirth of Theraphosid Research Team – Eitting, Germany.

Santiago-Bautista, Guevarra, and Rañido are academic staff of the Department of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy. They are academic researchers at the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences.

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