Upon expressed need of the SDO, represented by its Assistant Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Elvira B. Catangay, the University’s academic and training programs on teacher education, data science and analytics, information and computing sciences, and music were bared by UST officials as possible focus areas for future trainings. UST officials also shared how service learning programs are embedded in course work and community development initiatives, as well as how guidance and counseling services are delivered.

In her message to the SDO officials, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl R. Peralta, DrPH expressed the University’s willingness to partner with DepEd SDO-Santa Rosa City. College of Education Dean Pilar I. Romero, PhD also shared how the College and the University have been engaging with public school and diocesan school teachers in terms of capacity-building. UST’s teacher education programs have been certified as Centers of Excellence since 2008 by the Commission on Higher Education and most recently, by the Teacher Education Council.

UST officials who joined the consultative meeting are Assistant to the Rector for Santa Rosa Philipina A. Marcelo, PhD, College of Education Dean Pilar I. Romero, PhD, College of Education Regent fr. Roman Santos, O.P., Conservatory of Music Dean Maria Alexandra I. Chua, PhD, College of Information and Computing Sciences Dean Christopher D. Ladao, MS, Counseling and Career Center Director Janice T. Ocray, MA, RGC, Communications Bureau Director Philippe Jose S. Hernandez, MEng, Simbahayan Community Development Office Assistant Director Christian Rey Rimando, MSPT, UST Santa Rosa Office Executive Assistant Seigfred Prado, PhD, and Data Science and Analytics program coordinator Arturo Patungan, PhD.

Representing the DepEd SDO-Santa Rosa City were Dr. Catangay, Curriculum Chief Luhinia M. Ofren, EdD, Senior Education Program Specialist Jason G. Sagaysay, Education Program Supervisor Maricel S. Saguinsin, Senior Education Program Specialist Jeanne Elaine T. Sangalang, Planning Officer III Adolfo C. Ibayan, and Education Program Specialist II Mouller M. Lumague.

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On January 14, 2025, University Rector and Research and Endowment Foundation, Inc. (REFI) President fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD signed the memorandum of agreement with Dr. Belo, who consolidated support from Wilcon Corporation, Anstay Reality and Development Corporation, Markeenlo Realty, Inc., and Adije Realty and Development Corporation, to fund the four-storey institute with twenty-five laboratories.

In attendance were REFI officials led by Executive Director fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P., as well as UST officials led by the Vice-Rector for Finance, fr. Roberto L. Luanzon, Jr., O.P., SThD, DL, Facilities Management Office Director fr. Dexter A. Austria, O.P., Assistant to the Rector for UST Santa Rosa Philipina A. Marcelo, PhD, Office for Grants, Endowments, and Partnerships in Higher Education Director Levine Andro H. Lao, MA, Executive Assistant for UST Santa Rosa Seigfred Prado, PhD, Project Management Assistant Shikara Poblete-Jose, MSc, and Facilities Management Office Assistant Director Albert Surla, MSc. Joining Dr. Belo were Wilcon Depot, Inc. President and CEO Lorraine Belo-Cincochan and Executive Vice-President and Chief Product Officer Careen Belo. Legal counsel Atty. Sheila Pasicolan was also in attendance.

With a total ground floor area of 1,555.83 square meters, the facility will provide much-needed room for UST’s research activities, which are currently done in the Manila campus. With the added space, the various research centers will have counterpart spaces to pursue studies on the following areas: food security and safety, health and well-being, environmental sustainability, energy, information and communications, and materials and product innovation. The institute is expected to be completed in December 2025.

In 2024, UST was hailed as the country’s top higher education institution for Interdisciplinary Science Rankings by Times Higher Education. Earlier that year, on January 26, 2024, the project broke ground, a few meters away from the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center.

Dr. Belo is one of UST’s most decorated alumni. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications engineering in 1973, was named The Outstanding Thomasian ALumni awardee for Engineering Practice in 2022, and was conferred the Doctor of Commerce, honoris causa degree, in September 2023.

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Dr. Papa, who leads the three-year project which began in July 2024, said that the project aims to “isolate bacteriophages infecting various clinical strains of A. baumanni collected from different hospitals and to produce a working prototype of phage formulation—composed of characterized bacteriophages that show high viability for therapeutic use.” In particular, the study aims at potential intravenous administration of the treatment using bacteriophages, which are a group of viruses aimed at targeting bacteria.

So far, the team has collaborated with ARSP sentinel sites and tertiary hospitals to collect water samples and doing enrichment set-ups and testing the filtrates. The team also procured necessary equipment, which will be transferred soon to the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

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Central to the discussions was data gathering strategies in Junior and Senior High Schools (JHS and SHS) across Santa Rosa to directly involve learners and their families in making UStaR’s future offerings correspond to their educational aspirations and future plans.

Also present in the meeting were Dr. Seigfred V. Prado, Executive Assistant at UStaR, and Mr. Adolfo C. Ibayan, Planning Officer III of the School Governance and Operations Division.  Catangay and Ibayan expressed their support on the strategic plans of the University for UStaR and welcomed opportunities to collaborate with UST, most importantly, in responding to the urgent demand for quality teachers in the region, recommending that UST consider offering undergraduate and graduate programs in Education.

Beyond academic program planning, DepEd officials shared areas where UST could play a vital role in enhancing teacher training, particularly in Senior High Schools in the City of Santa Rosa. Considering the established strengths of the University as evidenced by the international and local accreditation of its academic programs as well as performance in various educational activities that measure student outcomes, DepEd officials suggested areas for collaboration, which include Values Education, Special Education, Sports Science, Guidance Counseling, Music and Fine Arts, and Technical-Vocational Programs. They also proposed sharing of UST’s best practice in integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), technology, and community development into teaching methods.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Partnerships

Following discussions of mutually beneficial opportunities in broad strokes, the officials agreed to identify specific opportunities in a follow-up meeting in January 2025 at the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center (UST-TTCIC) with an expanded group of officials from both sides. This meeting will explore immediate collaborative opportunities and lay the groundwork for long-term initiatives that address the City’s educational challenges and determine the wealth of bigger opportunities that can arise from such collaborations. Consistent with the University’s vision regarding its expansion plans, UStaR’s collaboration with DepEd Santa Rosa can help define the University’s role as a key player in the City’s educational landscape.

This engagement highlights UST’s commitment to aligning its future academic offerings with the needs of the Santa Rosa community, fostering meaningful partnerships, and delivering impactful educational programs that benefit both learners and educators with long-term benefits to the City and the CALBARZON Region.

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In her Messages at the opening of the event, Mayor Arcillas emphasized the initiatives taken by the City from years ago in integrating the SDG global objectives in the City’s local programs, which now culminate to Santa Rosa becoming a pilot city in adopting the UN ESCAP Tool.�� “I wholeheartedly endorse this initiative, cognizant of the prestige and responsibility accompanying our role as a pilot city,” she said.�� She mentioned how she issued Executive Order 13 Series of 2024, creating the Technical Working Group (TWG) that shall be responsible in crafting the City’s VLR.

A few days before the two-day Consultation-Workshop, Prof. Marcelo and other officials of the University met with the Vice-Mayor, Hon. Arnold B. Arcillas, and the CPDO Coordinator, EnP. Ermin V. Lucino, MPM, to align many aspects of the short- to long-term plan for UST Santa Rosa with those of the City of Santa Rosa.  Vice-Mayor Arcillas and EnP. Lucino recognized UST Santa Rosa as an important private Higher Education Institution (HEI) partner of the City, particularly in its initiatives to become a ‘Smart City’, the characteristics of which are consistent with the SDGs.  In his Message at the Consultation-Workshop showing how the City has been continuously pursuing opportunities to collaborate with its stakeholders to achieve the SDGs, EnP. Lucino shared that the City was planning to establish a Technology Business Incubator (TBI). However, “with the University of Santo Tomas bringing their TBI at their Santa Rosa campus, we need not establish our own. We just have to partner with them,” he said.  EnP. Lucino emphasized that this sharing of expertise and resources leading to inclusive economic prosperity is consistent with SDG #17 (Partnerships for the goals) and other SDGs interrelated with it.    

The City’s VLR TWG is being supported by the UN ESCAP Team led by Mr. Omar Siddique.  The TWG, through EnP. Lucino, recommended to ESCAP to team up with SDG experts from UST to assist in preparing the City’s VLR.  Prof. Marcelo received the recommendation favorably for UST to collaborate with UN ESCAP and the VLR TWG of Santa Rosa.  “The University’s decision to develop UST Santa Rosa as its Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship external facility is precisely to be in a better position to serve in nation-building and in addressing global issues through collaboration and cooperation.  We welcome opportunities such as this.  UST will definitely take part in this landmark endeavor of the City of Santa Rosa every step of the way.  We are proud to be a part of this initiative,” she said.

The activity was organized by the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) of Santa Rosa as lead organizer with support from other offices of the Santa Rosa City government and various national government agencies such as the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).  It was attended by Santa Rosa LGUs, representatives from the industry, the education sector and other stakeholders of the City.

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The Future is in Santa Rosa
UST Rector Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD said that this important edifice symbolizes the continued fulfillment of UST’s hope and dreams in Santa Rosa, Laguna as it complements two of UST’s goals: enrichment of research ecosystem and synergy among disciplines. “Interdisciplinary approach is valuable since it takes into account diverse perspectives to solve complex problems. No one discipline has the monopoly of all solutions and answers. We will have to all work together,” fr. Ang said.

Slated to become a hub that sharpens creativity and enhance the skillsets of Thomasian researchers, while fostering a more efficient utilization of resources, UST-WitBIRIn will be a niche of harmonious collaborations and breakthroughs that will shape the society through its six interdisciplinary areas, namely:

1) Food, Security, and Safety

2) Health and Well-being

3) Energy

4) Environmental Sustainability

5) Information and Communications

6) Materials and Product Innovation

Named after the Wilcon Depot Founder who generously donated for the construction of the edifice, UST-WitBIRIn is the first of the three important institutes that will comprise the UST Sta. Rosa Research Complex (UST StaRRCo). In his message, fr. Ang pledged to the Sta. Rosa, Laguna local government officials, namely, Mayor Arlene Arcillas and Vice-Mayor Arnold Arcillas, that this edifice stands as a beacon of change that is envisioned to make Sta. Rosa as the “Smartest City” in Luzon.

Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Rev. fr. Jannel N. Abogado, O.P., DThPatSc also highlighted that UST-WitBIRIn will aid the University in its mission to make an impact to people’s lives and society more efficiently through its research and innovation goals.

In his message, Dr. William T. Belo, a class 1973 alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering, expressed his gratitude to the Thomasian Community that enabled the construction of a research institute where great minds and learners can all get togethe for the love of advancing knowledge and uplifting people and society’s lives.

“UST has been consistent in determining and fulfilling her mission to generate advanced knowledge to form competent, compassionate graduates. This interdisciplinary institute is envisioned to provide a setting for the professors and students to work in synergy together,” Belo said.

On September 28, 2023, the University of Santo Tomas conferred the Doctor of Commerce degree, honoris causa, upon Faculty of Engineering alumnus to Bello.

Architecture
JSLA Architects co-founder and partner Ana Mangalino-Ling shared that the edifice will house 25 laboratories. The said edifice stands as a testament to the fusion of classical inspiration with a modern interpretation, boasting a design that embodies key concepts of symmetry, balance, and proportion.

“The design speaks of the enduring knowledge remaining infinite, and through across different perspectives, time, places, fields, and professions.” Mangalino-Ling said.

UST-WitBIRIn spans 8,311 square meters and stands at 23.20 meters.

The JSLA Architects and the Monolith Construction and Development Corporation will spearhead the construction of UST Sta. Rosa – WitBIRIn.

The time capsule containing news clippings, a rosary, a Dominican cross, and other mementos were buried in the site, in solemn ceremonies witnessed by university officials, researchers, and industry partners.

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