Entitled “Buhay ka pa ba, Kultura? (Are you still alive, Culture?)Delineating the Cultural Identity in the Lifestyle of Communal Stakeholders – The Case of Biñan City, Laguna, Philippines”, the work was a qualitative narrative inquiry penned by Asst. Prof. Jame Monren T. Mercado, MACHS; Asst. Prof. Dr. Avi Ben P. Andalecio, PhD; Ms. Catherine C. Mondejar, Mr. Alec P. Bagcus, Ms. Jhoa Nna A. Quinsayas, and Mr. Sean Maynard M. Solis. 

The commended work featured the cultural identity of the community stakeholders in the City of Biñan, Province of Laguna, Philippines, through the perspectives of developmental and societal stakeholders.

Based on the findings, a Local Cultural Identity Ecosystem was proposed, reflecting the local community’s diverse views and experiences concerning cultural identification, awareness, development, and sustainability.

The research work was one of the project outputs of the Cumpas, Biñan!: City Cultural Management and Development Plan 2024-2033, in partnership with the City Government of Biñan, Laguna, and the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School – Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (GS-CCCPET).

The University funded the conceptualization of the basic research for A.Y. 2024-2025 under the Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCCSED).

ICRTH was organized by Responsible Borneo, Sarawak Research Society, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila and Cavite, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and the Philippine Association of Researchers for Tourism and Hospitality, Inc.

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In a June 10, 2025 letter, the Rector, Very Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD, called the new consoritum a “mechanism for collaborative planning, innovation alignment, resource sharing, and inclusive development in support of the AANR sectors.” The Rector described joining the AANR consortium to be of “strategic importance” and one that will strength “inter-institutional collaboration and [optimize] regional resources”.

As a founding member, UST will actively contribute to the achievement of the Consortium’s goals by sharing institutional expertise, research outputs, and capabilities. It will likewise help chart the new Consortium’s programs and activities aligned with DOST-PCAARRD and the Department’s strategic pillars.

The new Consortium is composed of UST, Adamson University, Colegio de Muntinlupa, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Quezon City University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, and the Technological University of the Philippines. Attending the signing ceremony was Assoc. Prof. Michael Jorge N. Peralta, MS, Executive Assistant for Intellectual Property and Research of the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation and Manager of the Innovation Technology Support Office.

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Signed by key academic leaders from both institutions, the formalized partnership will pave the way in developing an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) campaign for the City of Antipolo, with the theme “Antipolo Awaits: Giving a New Perspective on the City’s Tourism Landscape.”

This collaborative project brought together BS-Tourism Management seniors and AB-Communications students from UST Angelicum College. Through their inputs from various lenses, they fused their expertise in crafting comprehensive marketing strategies to revitalize Antipolo’s tourism appeal.

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Updated as of June 23, 2025.

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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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In the June 2, 2025 joint memorandum signed by Department of Education Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Fatima Lipp D. Panontongan and Assistant Secretary Malcolm S. Garma, UST was included in the list pilot schools, both public and private, this School Year 2025-2026. In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Senior High School Principal Mary Erika N. Bolaños, PhD, expressed delight at UST’s inclusion in the list because “being a pilot school means DepEd sees the kind of work and commitment we put into education. Being part of this pioneering initiative allows us to contribute meaningfully to national educational reforms while ensuring our students continue to receive a future-ready, values-based education.”

Bolaños further added that UST’s “long-standing tradition of academic excellence, coupled with our strong sense of community and collaboration, places us in a unique position to provide grounded, data-informed feedback to DepEd.” She highlighted the interdisciplinary learning and close collaboration with the tertiary programs and industry partners as potential sources of experience-based data that DepEd may find useful in the eventual national rollout. Being UST’s largest academic unit with over 5,000 students, UST was classified as a “very large school,” a perfect venue to test the viability of the new curriculum in such setting.

UST, which has implemented six tracks/strands, including the innovative Health-Allied Strand, is now joining the country in the transition to a more streamlined implementation of the curriculum. The Principal allayed concerns on the loss of tracks and strands and the specialized training each brings: “The integrity of our strands and tracks will be preserved. [Instead of strands] we are offering pathways to their chosen career or tertiary program, providing electives that are helpful for them. Our programs, namely Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Music, Arts, and Design; Business and Entrepreneurship; Sports and Life Skills; Health Allied and Wellness; and Humanities and Social Sciences, are still there, strengthening the vertical articulation of our SHS programs with the University’s tertiary offerings.”

In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Cheryl R. Peralta, DrPH stated that “the UST SHS program has always been structured as a pre-baccalaureate program. Since its inception and implementation in the University, our SHS strands have been aligned with our baccalaureate degree programs, allowing us to take advantage of our comprehensive degree offerings as a higher education institution to prepare students for their future careers, beginning with their basic education. We are fortunate for the opportunity to conduct inter-level collaborative planning sessions, particularly between baccalaureate and graduate programs, to identify gaps and overlaps in the various curricula and effectively plan curricular modifications to ensure attainment of expected learning outcomes and competencies. We have been doing these collaborative planning sessions since the COVID-19 pandemic, even when we were still operating online, and these allowed us to anticipate concerns much earlier and implement measures to address them sooner.”

Despite the reduction in subjects to be taught, VRAA Peralta added that “UST is committed to contextualizing the SSHS curriculum to our institutional approach and available resources, including implementing retooling programs for academic staff to ensure that they will be able to continue teaching in the SSHS curriculum.” The SHS Principal stated: “We are committed to a just and compassionate transition. We are engaging in a comprehensive capacity-building program to upskill and retool our faculty to respond to the curricular shifts.”

On June 11, 2025, the Senior High School rolled out its first retooling session, with more capacity-building sessions expected in the coming month.

Photo Credits: UST Senior High School Professional Development Committee

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The University also produced three topnotchers: Napoleon Mui placed 2nd after scoring 85.70%; Franchezka Magtira landed at #9 with her 83.90% score, and, lastly, Francheska Balisi and Marielle Yau shared the #10 spot with their 83.70% score.

The Professional Regulation Commission administered the licensure exams, which saw a 65.16% national passing rate.

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The event was held in partnership with the 19th Manila Foods and Beverages Expo (MAFBEX).

The event featured the Philippines as a premier food and beverage industry niche, staging dynamic competitions alongside live cooking demonstrations, product launches, and industry forums.

The Winning Entries from the College are as follows:

Culinary Cluster

Great Hawker Challenge – Champion
Participants: Simon Atienza, Grant Bravo, and Phoenix Ygat
Coach: Chef Ramona Olga D. Olga Ko

Cake Decoration – Champion
Participants: Hannah Pillarina, and Vida Umali
Coaches: Chef Gay Labay and Chef Everest De Leon

Guiltless Temptation – 1st Runner-Up
Participants: AJ Casilao and Mikaella Valle
Coach: Chef Kathlyn Tisha Ortaliz

Hospitality Cluster

Creative Cocktail – Champion
Participant: Dominique Pineda
Coaches: Ms. Mary Angel D. Elacion and Mr. Ramil Quiñonez

Tablescapes Table Setting Competition – 2nd Runner-Up
Participants: Neil Ocampo, Christian Cenit, and Aien Limon
Coaches: Mr. Robin Meneses and Mr. Karl R. Baroro

Tourism Cluster

Food Tour Guiding – 2nd Runner-Up
Participant: Jenrose Camorongan
Coaches: Asst. Prof. Maria Concepcion A. Ang and Asst. Prof. Jame Monren T. Mercado
Calm Down Karen – 2nd Runner-Up
Participant: Jenzel Singian
Coaches: Mr. John Jerick C. Santos and Ms. Maye Araneta Gutierrez

Under the theme “YHE Festival of Flavors: Whispers from the Earth,” the event showcased the talents, creativity, and professionalism of the next generation of hospitality and tourism leaders.

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Times Higher Education recently released in 2025 Impact Rankings, which saw UST take the #2 spot among Philippine private universities. UST ranked in the #3 bracket or the 601-800, sharing the spot with Saint Louis University Baguio as well as state universities in Caraga, Ifugao, Leyte, and Ilocos Norte.

UST’s strongest suit was Sustainable Development Goal #5 – Gender Equality, which saw a jump from the 301-400th ranking in 2024. Next were Life Below Water (SDG 14) at 201-300th, Quality Education (SDG 4) at 301-400th and Reduced Inequalities at 301-400th.

While UST’s rank has held steady since 2021, it has shown improvement in the overall score. The latest edition ranks 2,526 universities from 130 countries or territories based on their contributions to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the THE website, Asian universities “claim more than half of all places in the rankings, and 10 out of the 17 individual SDGs rankings are now led by an Asian university.”

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