SPECIAL ISSUE FOR THE 500TH YEAR OF CHRISTIANITY

VOLUME XCII / NO. 6 · APRIL 30, 2021 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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500th an n iversar y o f th e

ARRIVAL OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE PHILIPPINES

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WITNESS The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

EDITOR: MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA

Pope Francis:

FILIPINOS BRING JOY TO THE WORLD POPE FRANCIS praised Filipinos for being bearers of joy to the world, in a Mass at the Vatican commemorating the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.

“I want to thank you… for the joy you bring to the whole world and to our Christian communities,” the Pope said at St. Peter’s Basilica on March 14 (PH time).

He declared that Filipinos, through their “discreet and hardworking presence” worldwide, have become faith personified.

“Five hundred years have passed since the Christian message first arrived in the Philippines. You received the joy of the Gospel: the good news that God so loved us that he gave his Son for us. And this joy is evident in your people,” the Pope said.

He also commended Filipinos for being “smugglers of faith.”

“I have often said that here in Rome, Filipino women are ‘smugglers’ of faith! Because wherever they go to work, they sow the faith. It is part of your genes, a blessed ‘infectiousness’ that I urge you to preserve.

Keep on bringing the faith, the good news you received 500 years ago, to others,” he said.

As Filipinos mark Christianity’s quincentennial in the country, the Pope said the celebrations should be centered around missionary work and evangelization.

“On this very important anniversary for God’s holy people in the Philippines, I also want to urge you to persevere in the work of evangelization – not proselytism, which is something else. The Christian proclamation that you have received needs constantly to be brought to others. The Gospel message of God’s closeness

Pope Francis delivers his message to mark the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines in a Mass at the St. Peter’s Basilica

‘‘

Five hundred years have passed since the Christian message first arrived in the Philippines. You received the joy of the Gospel: the good news that God so loved us that he gave his Son for us. And this joy is evident in your people.

—Pope Francis ON THE QUINCENTENARY OF PH CHRISTIANITY

Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle delivers a message to Pope Francis on behalf of the Filipino community in Rome.

cries out to be expressed in love for our brothers and sisters,” he said.

“Never be afraid to proclaim the Gospel, to serve and to love.

With your joy, you will help people to say of the Church too:

‘she so loved the world!’ How beautiful and attractive is a Church that loves the world without judging, a Church that gives herself to the world.

May it be so, dear brothers and sisters, in the Philippines and

Borongan bishop:

‘Continue being smugglers of faith’ MARKING the arrival of Christianity in Homonhon 500 years ago, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez urged Catholic families to promote the gift of faith to younger generations during the thanksgiving Mass at the St. John the Baptist Parish in Guiuan, Eastern Samar on March 17. “[Ang] pagturo sa paniniwalang ito at ang katotohanan sa paniniwala ay magsisimula sa mga pamilya. Hindi lamang mga materyal na bagay ang ipamamana para sa future kung ‘di mas higit pa na ipamana sa kanila ang katatagan ng paniniwala,” Varquez said, citing the theme of the 500th anniversary festivities, “Gifted to Give.”

Echoing Pope Francis, Varquez also called on the faithful to continue “smuggling the faith.”

“Binigay sa atin ng Panginoon ang paniniwalang ito para makapagbigay din tayo sa iba [at] ipagpatuloy pa rin natin ang ating

Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan

mga ginagawa kasi maganda ito,” he said.

‘Learn from history’

President Rodrigo Duterte urged Filipinos to appreciate and learn from the “rich history” of the Philippines to safeguard its sovereignty during the unveiling of the quincentennial marker at Veterans Park of Calicoan Island in Guiuan on March 18.

Duterte said he hoped that the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s arrival would “reinvigorate the historical and socio-civic

consciousness of the Filipinos, especially among the new generations.”

“The history of the country should make Filipinos reflect on the past and look beyond their future. We should therefore honor those who have toiled in order for the Philippines to become modern, progressive and ever-thriving as what it is today,” he said.

Despite the expedition having led to the colonization of the Philippines by Spain, the president stressed that “Filipino people can find relief in the knowledge that they have gone far in their efforts to correct the mistakes of the past.”

“As inheritors of this complicated yet glorious past, the duty now rests on our shoulders to continue the aspirations of our forebears,” he said.

Homonhon ► PAGE 5

in every part of the earth,” he added.

Tagle: Christianity is God’s gift to PH

Former Manila archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle,

prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines was a gift from God. “The coming of the Christian faith to our land is God’s gift. [N]ow, the Philippines has the third largest number of Catholics in the world. This is truly God’s gift,” Tagle told the Pope in a message following the Mass at St. Peter’s.

Tagle said the Filipinos’ faith has helped them overcome challenges and remain hopeful despite calamities.

“By God’s grace, Filipino Christians have continued to receive the faith—one of the sources of hope—in facing poverty, economic inequality, political upheavals, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and even the current pandemic.”

Tagle also said that the Christian faith has shaped the Filipino culture and nation.

The Philippines has more than 90 million Christians.

The Mass was concelebrated by Tagle and Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Pope’s vicar in the Rome diocese.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, only 100 people were allowed inside the basilica. The Mass was also streamed live for people to watch around the world.

The Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff released a copy of the Papal Mass booklet on March 14. It contained texts and songs in Italian, English, Filipino, Cebuano and Latin.

On March 1, Pope Francis declared a jubilee year with plenary indulgence for the quincentennial celebration of Christianity in the country that began on April 4, Easter Sunday.

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO AND SOPHIA T. SADANG

Thomasian Cardinal Jose Advincula is new Manila archbishop POPE FRANCIS has appointed Thomasian Cardinal Jose F. Advincula as the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, which had been “sede vacante” for a year.“The love of Christ made present in every celebration of the Holy Mass impels us to proclaim the Gospel we have received to all the world,” the papal envoy said in a message sent to the Diocese of Maasin.

Advincula, 68, will serve as the 33rd archbishop of Manila. He will succeed Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who is now at the Vatican as a prefect of Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Before being promoted to the rank of cardinal in November 2020, Advincula was the archbishop of Capiz, a post he took over in 2012.

He was bishop of San Carlos in Negros Occidental from 2001 to 2011.

Advincula finished his bache-

lor’s degree in theology at UST and earned his licentiate degree in Thomasian Cardinal ► PAGE 3

WITNESS

The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

UST parish opens celebrations for 500th anniversary of Christianity in PH UST Parish Priest Fr. Paul Talavera, O.P. encouraged Catholics to fulfill their mission as Christ’s stewards by actively participating in ministry, during a Mass for the opening of the 500th-anniversary celebration of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.

“Hindi lang po ang mga active na parish servants ang kailangan tumulong sa ating parokya. Kailangan natin ma-realize na tayo ay nakikisama at miyembro ng parish kaya tayo ay may responsibilidad din sa ating simbahan,” Talavera said in his homily at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.

(Active parish servants are not only the ones who need to help our parish. We need to realize that we must take part as members of the parish because we have a responsibility in our Church) He added that being stewards of God was a mission bestowed during baptism.

Talavera also said the abolition of the arancel system, or the practice of collecting fees for Mass offerings and the sacraments, paved the way for churchgoers to “extend their generosity” to the Church.

“Ang ating mga sakramento ay libre. Libre nating natatanggap ang biyaya at libre din ito ibinibigay. Ngayon, tatanggalin na ang rate [ng mga sakramento] at depende na ito sa generosity ng mga tao sa ating simbahan,” he said.

(Our sacraments are free. We receive our blessings freely and they are given freely. Now, the rate [of the sacraments] will be removed and it will depend on the generosity of the people

The official 500YOC logo

in our church to make donations.)

The UST Parish will celebrate the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the country by holding a profession of the Dominican laity, distributing the “500 Years Mission Cross” to members of the parish, and sending off images of the Santo Niño to basic ecclesial

communities.

“In line with the theme Missio Ad Gentes (mission to the nations), tayo ay ipinapadala upang ipahayag ang ating pananampalataya. [S]a mission cross, nakasulat ang pangalan nina Hesus at Maria na nagpapaalala ng ating pagka-Kristiyano at misyon,” Ta-

lavera said.

(In line with the theme “Missio Ad Gentes”, we are harbingers of faith.

The names of Jesus and Mary are written on the mission cross to remind us of our Christianity and mission.)

UST Parish ► PAGE 11

‘800, 500, 80’: God has helped us through the years—new OP PH prior provincial THIS YEAR marks the 800th death anniversary of St. Dominic de Guzman, the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines and the 50th founding anniversary of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

These milestones prove that God has been guiding his people through the years, Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P., the new prior provincial of the Order of Preachers, said during his installation at the Santo Domingo Church last Feb. 2.

“Sometimes when we feel disheartened by the things that we go through—like this pandemic—it’s a good time to remember the God who has journeyed with us through 800, 500 and 50 years,” he said in his acceptance message.

“We may have gone through a lot but that is part of the journey. There is hope because we believe in mercy and healing,” he added.

De la Cruz was named the 13th prior provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines last Jan. 18, during the 12th Provincial Chapter held in Caleruega, Batangas was spearheaded by the Convent of Saint Albert the Great.

The Dominican province, which will celebrate its 50th founding anniversary on Dec. 8, was also urged to emulate the wisdom of Jesus,

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‘Go out of your comfort zones; be missionaries,’ Catholics urged as Manila opens quincentennial celebration MANILA Apostolic Administrator Broderick Pabillo urged the faithful to step out of their comfort zones and become missionaries of the people as the country marks the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines this year.

“We open today the Year of the Mission. Let each of our communities enter into the missionary mode. We go out of our comfort zone to reach out to the peripheries,” Pabillo said in his homily during the Archdiocese of Manila’s opening celebration for the quincentennial at the Manila Cathedral on Feb. 6.

“Our mission is to shout out the good news – this is what evangelization means,” he added.

Pabillo called on parishes to utilize digital media and not be afraid of technology.

“The digital way of connecting to people and evangelizing will be with us to stay, even with the coming of the vaccine (against Covid-19). Let us invest, let us improve, let us learn to bring God’s word in the world of the internet,” he said.

“Let us not say that ‘I am too old for this.’ The internet is not only for techies and for the young. It is also for us seniors.

And let us not be afraid of this technology. It has great potential for the good (of people),” he added.

The jubilee for the quincentennial of Christianity will be held on April 4, Easter Sunday.

The year is themed “missio ad gentes,” or mission to the nations.

The Eucharistic celebration was concelebrated by Archbishop Charles John Brown, the new apostolic nuncio to the Philippines.

The Archdiocese of Manila covers the city of Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasay, and San Juan. The mayors of the five cities were invited and given a “500 Years Mission Cross” during the event.

Comfort zones ► PAGE 9

Thomasian Cardinal

Fr. Filemon de la Cruz recites his Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity during his installation as head of Filipino Dominicans.

“learn from mistakes of the past and find favor in God as a province and as individuals.”

“This is what I pray for the province,” de la Cruz said.

De la Cruz emphasized that his duty as prior provincial is to “continue teaching, evangelizing and building the capabilities” of the Dominican brothers.

“In our journey, people get wounded. There is a need for mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation. We need to seek it in our own lives and desire to be a blessing,” he told the Varsitarian.

Prior provincial ► PAGE 11

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canon law at the Pontificia Università San Tommaso D’Aquino or the Angelicum in Rome.

He was born on March 30, 1952 in Dumalag, Capiz and was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Capiz on April 14, 1976.

In 1995, he served as rector of the St. Pius X Seminary in Roxas City, Capiz. He became parish priest of St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Dao, Capiz in 1999.

Advincula was also vice chairman of the Committee on International Eucharistic Congresses and the Office on Women of the Catholic the Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Sometimes when we feel disheartened by the things that we go through—like this pandemic—it’s a good time to remember the God who has journeyed with us through 800, 500 and 50 years.

—Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, Jr., O.P. DURING HIS INSTALLATION AS PRIOR PROVINCIAL

FROM PAGE 2

De la Cruz

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO

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NEWS

The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

ACTING NEWS EDITOR: LAURD MENHARD B. SALEN

UST is ‘School of the Year’ for 7th straight year in Quill Awards THE UNIVERSITY was named School of the Year for the seventh straight year in the 8th Philippine Student Quill Awards, which recognizes outstanding communication-related works by students nationwide.

UST bagged the most number of recognitions and special awards, including 15 merit awards and six excellence awards, during the virtual awarding ceremonies held on March 25.

“The most coveted prize in the Quill Awards is, of course, the work of many individuals, and I congratulate the 21 winners of the awards of excellence and the awards of merit from UST… Indeed, the Thomasian field for communication and creative excellence continues despite the pandemic,” UST Acting Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P., said in his acceptance speech.

UST Angelicum College was the second runner-up in the School of the Year category, while De La Salle College of Benilde was the first runner-up.

The Varsitarian, the 93-year-old official student publication of the University, bagged eight of UST’s 21 competition awards this year.

UST awardees from the Tiger Media Network (TMN), Tomasian Media Circle and Talents (Tomcat) and several com-

UST Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. delivers his acceptance speech during the 8th Philippine Student Quill Awards, where UST is named School of the Year for the seventh straight year. (PHOTO FROM BERNADETTE FRANCISCO)

munication students brought home 13 awards.

Tomcat’s recruitment campaign, “#UnravelTheGlory,” earned the “top communication management” award.

TMN’s segment “Life After UST,” which won the best use of graphics award in the 81st Intercollegiate Broadcasting System College Media Conference, bagged the top award for Covid communications—a new category in the competition.

UST Angelicum College also won four awards for a short film, two documentaries and a music video.

The Philippine Student Quill is the junior division of the Philippine Quill Awards, which recognizes professionals and students from public and private sector organizations that excel in the field of communication.

It follows the International Association of Business Communicators’ Global seven-point scoring system, with seven being the highest. Entries with a 5.25 score win a Merit Award, while entries with a 5.75 score or higher win an Award of Excellence.

JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ AND JOANNE CHRISTINE P. RAMOS

Hospital in talks to buy Covovax vaccines for workers’ ‘immediate family’ UST Hospital (USTH) is in talks with pharmaceutical firm Unilab, the local distributor of the Covavax Covid-19 vaccine for the private sector, for the procurement of vaccines for its employees’ immediate family members.

USTH and Unilab officials discussed the details of the vaccination in a meeting on Monday, April 5, which was streamed live on Facebook.

The vaccination drive aims to inoculate USTH employees, their immediate family members and their extended family members (only if they are living in one compound) with the Covavax vaccine.

Unilab Medical Director Dr. Nancy Bermal said the Covovax vaccine has shown a 96.4-percent efficacy rate against the original Covid-19 strain.

It was also found to be 86.3-percent effective against the UK strain and 48.6-percent effective against the South African variant.

Fourth-year allied health students of

the University will be eligible for inoculation, based on the vaccine priority list set by the government.

UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta said the administration was coordinating with USTH for the students’ inoculation.

The Covovax vaccine was developed using the spike protein of SARS-Cov-2, which is common to all Covid-19 variants.

Bermal said the vaccine could cause mild side effects such as headache, fatigue and muscle pain.

She stressed that the vaccine is safe to be administered to adults (18 years old and above), people with co-morbidities, people with weak immune systems and women past the first trimester of pregnancy.

Government-procured Covovax vaccines are expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2021 or about July, pending emergency use authorization of the Food and Drug Administration.

Unilab will provide 7 million doses of the Covovax vaccines to industrial workers in hospitals and other essential industries.

USTH as vaccination center

During the meeting, Unilab Vice President for Sales and Channel Development John Dumpit expressed interest in partnering with the USTH for the screening, monitoring and managing of the vaccines. He said the campus was “fantastic for mega-site vaccination” due to its size.

USTH Medical Director Charito Malong-Consolacion said the hospital was willing to work with Unilab for inoculation.

On March 26, the Commission on Higher Education said the USTH would be used as a Covid-19 vaccination center for the government’s expanded inoculation drive.

JACQUELINE B. MARTINEZ

The private division of UST Hospital on Leon Ma. Guerrero Drive.

‘V’ website cited in 2020 Catholic Social Media Awards THE VARSITARIAN, the 93-year-old official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas, received the Best Catholic Organization Website award in the 2020 Catholic Social Media Awards (CSMA).

The “V” was cited as the “most inviting, updated and followed Catholic organization website that has carved out a digital niche for itself by providing regular content, appropriate and innovative design and interactive elements” during the virtual awarding ceremonies held on April 11.

The publication bested finalists Verbum Dei Philippines and Dominus Est. The Varsitarian had to adjust to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Laurd Menhard Salen, acting news editor of the publication, said in his speech.

“The total shift to digital proved to be

a challenge because of the old systems to which we have all been accustomed. Working as a team and allowing the whole publication a reasonable room for adjustment while still moving with a sense of urgency eventually helped us get back on track,” he added.

The Archdiocese of Jaro won Best Diocesan Website while the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino de Cebu was named Best Parish Website.

In 2016, CSMA named the Varsitarian’s Twitter account, @ varsitarianust, the Best Catholic Organization Twitter.

CSMA, organized by Youth Pinoy in collaboration with Areopagus Communications Inc. under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Media Office, recognizes individuals and organizations that promote hope and faith through online means.

JAMILAH B. ANGCO

Contact tracing via StaySafe app enforced on campus THE UNIVERSITY will start using the contact tracing application StaySafe on a trial basis starting April 12, the Office of the Secretary General has announced.

In an advisory dated April 9, UST said all those who will enter the campus, including those visiting the Santisimo Parish Church and the UST Hospital, are “advised” to download and use the Stay Safe application to “ensure convenient entry into the premises, subject to compliance with relevant health and security protocols.”

StaySafe is an online platform that consists of a website and a mobile application.

It is used as the primary contact tracing system in the country. It has features like citizens’ registration and

health condition reports, real-time Covid-19 updates and QR code generation and digital logbook systems.

Features like heat maps, response systems and contact tracing for case management of local government units are also integrated in the app.

The office also advised Thomasians to continue regularly updating their health status in the Thomasian Online Medical Services and Support portal.

The UST Hospital, likewise, urged Thomasians to provide only truthful information about their health conditions and possible exposure, citing Republic Act 11332 or the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public StaySafe app ► PAGE 9

LITERARY The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

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‘Literature therapy’: Poets discuss how writing can ease pandemic stress THOMASIAN POETS are proposing literature as a form of therapy for mental disorders and anxieties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera Jr., a pioneer of poetry therapy in the Philippines, described literature as an enlightening and empowering tool, which could be used as an outlet for one’s mental struggles.

“Sining ang nagbibigay ng kahulugan o kapayapaan sa atin,” the former Varsitarian editor in chief said in his talk during the online mental wellness and writing event “Write Side Up!”

“Ginagamit ko noon ang tula bilang terapiya sa may cancer, AIDS, sa batang lansangan, sa mga comfort women, sa mga gumagamit ng bawal na gamot, sa mga naipit sa digmaan, sa mga biktima ng likas at likhang kalamidad,” he added.

Nadera obtained a degree in psychology from UST in 1984 and finished his master’s studies in clinical psychology in 1996.

The award-winning poet also said that literature could

help a person decode uncertainties and anxieties amid the pandemic.

Ramil Digal Gulle, a two-time Palanca awardee, discussed how writing could help a writer understand better his thoughts and feelings.

“When we are writing, empathy is very important, and what is connected with empathy is the ability to perceive and recognize facts, the ability to perceive and recognize what is the truth from a lie,” he said.

“What we’re seeing during the pandemic, especially in social media, are many forces around us not only eroding

Gulle

our mental health, but also eroding our capacity to respond effectively and heal ourselves from mental health challenges.”

Gulle urged poets to use

Nadera

literature as a tool for healing themselves and helping others struggling with mental illnesses.

“Writing is just sound and sense imprinted on the page.

‘Humor makes effective social critique’

Homonhon

HUMOR can be used to defuse tension around controversial topics and raise awareness on social issues, two Thomasian writers said in a webinar on humor and satire on Apr. 26.

But in doing so, writers must be sensitive, sensible and steer clear of offensive humor, Prof. John Jack Wigley and Asst. Prof. Joselito de los Reyes said.

“Sensitivity at sensibility—there are tasteless insulting jokes and there are people who cannot seem to distinguish healthy humor from offensive humor,” de los Reyes said.

He said writers must first recognize their target audience and the purpose of their work.

“Understand the medium: Saan ilulunsad? Stage? Classroom? Social media? Each medium ay may katangiang naiiba. Different mediums, audiences and demographics require different senses of humor or jokes,” he said.

De los Reyes said the goal of writing humor is to evoke thought.

“Hindi kailangang nakapagbabago, tama na ang makapagnilay ang mga mambabasa. Dahil sa panahong ito, mas madaling tumawa kaysa sa mag-isip,” he said.

Wigley encouraged students and

On March 17, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Quincentennial Committee (NQC) unveiled the Homonhon marker, recognizing the country’s role in the fifth centenary anniversary of the circumnavigation of the world.

Rene Escalante, NHCP chairperson and NQC executive director, emphasized the importance of Homonhon in the history of the country.

“Magellan thought these people from Suluan would attack them.

They could not understand each other at first yet our ancestors understood the language of humanity.

Pigafetta may not have captured the nuance of this gesture and the symbolism of Homonhon to our ancestors, but what our ancestors exhibited is typically Filipino,” Escalante said in his speech.

“We call it pakikipagkapwa in Filipino psychology or the sense of seeing someone as an extension of yourself. It’s a uniquely Filipino value worthy of celebrating this 2021 quincentennial commemorations in the Philippines—and it all happened here in Homonhon,” he added.

De los Reyes

aspiring writers to explore humor as a genre, noting that Filipinos are naturally humorous people.

“If you can laugh at humor, then you can write humor and be funny,” he said.

Wigley

De los Reyes and Wigley spoke in the webinar, “Pluma: The UST Literary Society Creative Writing Seminar on Humor and Satire,” held via Zoom.

SOFIA BERNICE F. NAVARRO

It is taking the best words and putting the best words in the best order so we can transfer accurately what’s inside one mind to another mind.”

SOFIA BERNICE F. NAVARRO

FROM PAGE 8

The NHCP and the NQC will unveil 34 historical markers in Visayas, Palawan and Mindanao between March 16 to Oct. 28 as part of the government’s quincentennial commemorations.

The Juan Sebastian Elcano Spanish Navy Training Ship arrived in Cebu last March 20 to reenact the Spaniards’ first contact with Filipinos 500 years ago.

“The marking of the 34 sites of the Philippine route of the Magellan-Elcano expedition is in solidarity with the international project of tracing the route of the unprecedented achievement of humanity and science, which proved that the world was indeed round,” the NQC said in a Facebook post.

NQC said that a “significant part of the history of the first circumnavigation of the world happened in the Philippines,” which led to several significant events: Filipino ancestors extending compassion to Magellan’s crew, the blood compact between Magellan and Rajah Colambu, the country’s first Easter Mass, the Christian baptisms in Cebu and the Battle of Mactan.

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO WITH REPORTS FROM SOPHIA T. SADANG

Translation preserves history, gives texts ‘afterlife’ TRANSLATION of literature is important in the archival of works and giving them an “afterlife,” poets said in an online lecture about translation mounted by the Mindanao Creative and Cultural Workers Group on March 4.

Hope Sabanpan-Yu, chair of the humanities division of the National Research Council of the Philippines, said that through translation, literary texts are given new meaning and purpose to readers.

“The afterlife of this text is determined by how it lives on from its first publication and lives all throughout history,” she said, Researchers must also pay attention to how translators and interpreters of original texts impose

their presence in their translation works.

“It is important to look at this translator-author relationship as the translator’s motivations and self-awareness, and the tensions caused by the power asymmetries at play in the translating encounter,” Sabanpan-Yu said.

“There are misunderstandings, silences, interruptions and refusals to understand, and there are distortions and voices that impose themselves over one another,” she added.

UST Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies Asst. Director Ralph Semino Galán said the translation of literature is important in preserving written history.

Sabanpan-Yu

“For us translators who are doing translation of the local languages, the translation task is usually, partly also a work of excavation; it is

Galán

archival work,” he said.

“You go to the libraries, to the archives, to pore over magazines published decades ago to retrieve

the work. And by retrieving them, resuscitating them, giving them new life, iyon [ang nagbibigay] ng afterlife sa text.”

Sabanpan-Yu emphasized the role of translators in the propagation of ideas. “[Translators are] agents involved in the writing and circulation of the narratives that construct culture in very concrete ways,” she said.

The lecture, titled “The Complex Responsibility of Translation,” is part of a series of online lectures hosted by Mindanao Creative and Cultural Workers Group in celebration of the 2021 National Arts Month.

SOFIA BERNICE F. NAVARRO

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INFOGRAPHICS BY CATHERINE PAULENE A. UMALI, CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES, AND ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA

WI

The Vars

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sitarian APRIL 30, 2021

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OPINION The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

There’s every reason to celebrate 500 years of Christianity President Duterte’s assertion that the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines was no cause for celebration is just wrong. For one, the Christianity the Spanish colonization brought was embraced by Filipinos and was made part of the country’s national identity. Five hundred years later, and 123 years since the Spanish rule ended, more than 80 percent of the population are Roman Catholics. In saying that the arrival of Spaniards merely brought “subjugation,” Duterte is arrogantly ignoring—if not revising—history.

Duterte, who pushes the country to compromise in order to maintain a good relation with China, even urged Filipinos to learn from the experiences of our ancestors so that “we may never again allow any other tribe to compromise our sovereignty” during his speech on

the 500th year of Magellan’s arrival in the country. In 2019, he even said celebrating the anniversary of Christianity is a “celebration of the day when the heroes of my country were slaughtered.”

When we study Philippine history, it is a staple that we learn

Sincerely adamant MARIEL CELINE L. SERQUIÑA about Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan’s “discovery” of the Philippines, which eventually led to three centuries of Spanish rule.

After the first baptism that took place in Cebu, the Spaniards spread throughout the country and our people were subjected to coloniza-

tion for three centuries.

As the Philippines marks the half-millennium of the arrival of Christianity in the country, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines is adamant that this event must be celebrated. After all, Christianity and colonization came bundled.

A balanced assessment of the contribution of Christianity and the Church to the country as a whole is needed – this includes consideration for both the lights and shadows, the blessings and shortcomings. There are many blessings to be grateful for these last 500 years. It will take a longer article to discuss

in detail how Christianity and the Church proved to be an integral part of the country’s rich culture and history.

Yes, we were colonized—that in no way should be disregarded nor romanticized. Filipinos experienced hardships on Polo y Servicio or Forced Labor, and Encomienda system when Spanish hacienderos control Filipinos living within their boundaries to work for 12 hours, six days a week to cultivate crops to pay as “tributes.” But in the 17th century, through the efforts of Manila first bishop Domingo de Salazar and Sincerely adamant ► PAGE 10

Duterte is the stubborn old root of all our pandemic woes

EDITORIAL

Free the Sails MIGUEL LOUIS M. GALANG “WE’RE NOT back to square one,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque declared despite the astronomical surge in Covid-19 cases, a year since the government first imposed quarantine restrictions in what eventually became one of the world’s longest lockdowns. Indeed, more than a year removed from confirming the first case, the Philippines seems to remain as clueless and confused. The country has suffered recession, thousands of people have died and millions have lost their jobs, but there seems no end to the crisis.

Pantry poopers THANK HEAVENS somebody got to shut up National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, even at least for now.

Parlade’s red-tagging spree has reached a new height of idiocy and brazenness with his recent insinuations about the rise of community pantries, likening them to the work of Satan. The food donation campaign, started by Ana Patricia Non along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City two weeks ago, has unsurprisingly drawn lockdown-afflicted local folk in dire need of relief, and inspired similar charitable operations in Covid-19-hit areas across the country. But to the controversial military officer, it’s all devilish leftist deception and propaganda.

Unfortunately for the government’s anti-communist insurgency crusade, Parlade keeps on behaving like a man possessed, foaming in the mouth and hurling invectives even against civic initiatives that are evidently just being

responsive and charitable, and of which he has no business scrutinizing. He can surely do his job a lot better—maybe he can now—if he reads his Bible more (oh, heck no, even the devil quotes the Scripture!), and stops bullying and tormenting anyone at will. Whether he is right or wrong in his assumptions that the pantries are communist fronts, his indifference and Bible-referenced invectives are intolerable at this time of too much misery and diminished hope, largely due to the incompetence and mismanagement of the Duterte government.

The NTF-ELCAC representative has to refrain from acting like Martial Law is back to deliver us from evil, even Editorial ► PAGE 10

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We have that to worry about, plus the fact that the ones calling the shots for our country’s Covid-19 response have developed “lockdownitis,” an unhealthy obsession with putting the country on lockdown instead of rethinking their ill-prepared, reactfirst-act-later actions.

We could have been spared from the coronavirus, or at least abated its impact, had the government issued travel restrictions early on against China, the origin of the virus, despite the revisionism of Beijing and its vassal here, Duterte, “Peking’s Duck.” It’s easy to say in retrospect; it’s a “what-if” that has for sure plagued every Filipinos’ mind by now, but at the end of the day, Duterte had been totally complacent and ignorant since the start. Unlike our neighbors Singapore and Taiwan that had swiftly responded to the situation and imposed travel bans, President Duterte was more concerned about saving face in front of China instead of banning travelers from the coronavirus epicenter. In a disappointing but not-surprising move, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III echoed his master’s sentiments like the loyal lapdog he is and reasoned out that singling out China might raise questions about why the Philippines would not impose restrictions on other countries. It’s a deadly combination of idiocy and incompetence—two severe symptoms of lockdownitis.

And what’s more distressing is that the country did go into quarantine, but without a clear and sustainable strategy on how to flatten the curve and get out of the world’s longest lockdown in the process.

One may argue that dwelling in the past is counterproductive and it’s best for everyone to just move on. But when it’s the same mistakes being made and the same narratives playing out a year later, something definitely is wrong.

Hospitals are running out of beds due to the exponential rise in Covid-19 cases. The labor force is stalled once again while households are clamoring for even more ayuda.

Calls for free mass testing and active contract tracing have only become louder and more insistent. And how did our leaders respond? Meter stick PR courtesy of Duque because the public definitely needs to be reminded to practice physical distancing more than a year into the pandemic. The country’s testing czar Vince Dizon dismissed calls for mass testing when maximum testing is the only way to find out who needs to quarantine and who needs immediate hospitalization. And finally, the government declared another season of ECQ, but this time in the form of this newly-instituted “NCR-Plus bubble” because the majority of the infections are in fact coming from Metro Manila and the adjacent Calabarzon region.

Free the Sails ► PAGE 9

FEATURES

The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

EDITOR: JISELLE ANNE C. CASUCIAN

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Free the Sails FROM PAGE 8

The solutions the Duterte government has been coming up with are non-solutions. They are confused strategies that seem like problem-solving misfires. And because they’re using the same-old, non-effective formulas, the situation is only getting worse. If only there was a calculator for pandemic problem-solving, Duterte’s ways would surely be syntax errors.

Earlier in March, the state-run People’s Television Network was in hot water after they mistakenly tweeted “#DutertePalpak” in what they called was a “malicious post” But whether it was intentional, they made a point.

The pandemic has not only exposed the country’s barebones healthcare system, but also the ineptitude of our leaders. In other nations, prime ministers and health chiefs have heeded their critics’ call—which is to say, the public—and stepped down from their posts to let someone more capable, more effective take over.

Definitely it’s not only the pandemic that is the problem. One problem is situated in Malacañang, someone who’s jogging at night.

Ladders to Literacy volunteers pose for photos with the program’s children beneficiaries. (PHOTOS FROM QJIEL MARIANO)

Nursing student aims to change lives by advancing literacy

BY MA. DYANNE MIRASOL P. REYES

EDUCATION is a calling for College of Nursing sophomore Qjiel Mariano, who has set up a program that promotes literacy among Filipino children.

Mariano was recently acknowledged by the US-based organization Youth Service America (YSA) for his “Ladders to Literacy” program which aims to teach children how to “read and write while simultaneously helping them recognize the problems in their community.”

“It may not seem much, but literacy will determine the future of our generations [and] must be treated as a life skill,” he told the Varsitarian.

In 2018, the Philippines ranked last in reading comprehension among 79 countries.

The “Ladders to Literacy” program was recognized for increasing youth literacy rates and helping youth advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their own ways.

“Ladders to Literacy” volunteers not only teach children how to read and write; it also allows them to publish their own story books. Amid the pandemic, Mariano’s group has set up online storytelling classes to reach children despite curfew and quarantine restrictions.

He said the program’s system creates “a ripple effect where literacy is championed.”

“Through the program, we are able to give them a platform to become changemakers and help fellow children falling behind in school learn how to read and write. There is a different level of empowerment when someone is educated and he is able to teach others afterward and we let children feel that experience by helping them document their stories and giving them a voice to make a difference,” he said.

“This project means investing in the future of children and their communities.”

Aside from YSA, the “Ladders to Literacy” program had also received citations from the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (Tayo) Awards, the Jesse Robredo Grant Competition, the Global Institute for Youth Development and the ESD Okayama Awards in Japan.

When he was a UST

Comfort zones FROM PAGE 3

Nursing student ► PAGE 10

UST’s ‘Mang Tootz’ sets up own Maginhawa-inspired community pantry IF YOU’RE A THOMASIAN, chances are you’ve heard about or eaten at Mang Tootz, home of the famous “banana rhum-a” on P. Noval Street.

And while UST has been mostly empty during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mang Toots Vergara himself has set up a community pantry to continue satisfying the hunger of people in his food house’s vicinity.

Inspired by the community pantry in Maginhawa Street, Quezon City, Vergara and his wife started their own installation and are offering free food items like vegetables and food packs donated by residents for families affected by stringent community quarantine protocols.

“Na-inspire lang kami doon sa Maginhawa community pantry talaga. ‘Yun lang talaga ‘yung inspiration naming mag-asawa [at

sinubukuan] namin siyang gawin, tapos napansin namin, tumulong ‘yung [pamilya] namin, tumulung ‘yung ibang friends,” Vergara told the Varsitarian.

Written on the community pantry stall are simple “rules” about how it works: “Magbigay ayon sa kakayanan; kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.” (Give what you can and take what you need.) “[Hindi] nito masasagot ang root cause ng kagutuman pero okay na din na pantawid gutom sa mga nangangailangan. Mahirap magtrabaho, mag-aral at lumaban habang kumakalam ang [tiyan],” Vergara said.

Vergara said that aside from his friends and family, other people have also dropped by to give food item donations anonymously, which he said caused a “ripple effect” in the community.

On April 4, pilgrim churches will open the “holy door” to kick off the jubilee celebrations.

Among the 10 churches designated as pilgrim churches in Manila are: Manila Cathedral, Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia, Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. Niño de Tondo and San Pablo Apostol Parish.

The launching of the localized celebration of the Christianity quincentennial in the Archdiocese of Manila coincides with its 442nd founding anniversary as the Mother Diocese of the country.

M. A. O. CASTILLO AND S. T. SADANG

StaySafe app FROM PAGE 4

The first community pantry to have emerged and gone viral amid the Covid-19 pandemic is the one along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City.

JAMILAH B. ANGCO

The community pantry on P. Noval Street is set up in front of the Mang Tootz Food House. PHOTO BY JAMILAH B. ANGCO

Health Concern Act.” Under the act, any person who does not report or respond to notifiable diseases or health events of public concern shall be sanctioned with a fine of P20,000 to P50,000 and/or imprisonment of one to six months.

“Providing truthful information around your current condition does not only protect you but also the people around you. Let us all be conscientious and play an active part in ending this pandemic,” the hospital said in a Facebook statement.

CHARM RYANNE C. MAGPALI

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COMICS The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

ART DIRECTOR: JAN KRISTOPHER T. ESGUERRA

REST ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA

LAGI NA LANG CATHERINE PAULENE A. UMALI

TOMAS U KARL JOSHUA L. ARON

Editorial

FROM PAGE 8

if his lord and master, President Duterte, has already practically packed his administration with a host of former military and police officers who would mostly do greater good just chilling up in retirement heaven.

With all talk—mostly gusts of hot air, and little to show—Parlade embodies the vacuity in leadership and competence that has led to a Covid-19 response that has fallen flat on its

deflated face. That after a year of pestilential woes and economic crisis, the situation is worse than when it all started, and we’re still looking around and begging for vaccines.

Parlade and company should take into account the President’s shamefully persistent intimacy with, submissiveness to and reliance on China—a giant of a red blob and a monster of a bully and tormentor.

If they haven’t, they can thereby red-tag Duterte and his communist comrades, too, anytime.

It’s a national disgrace that huge donations and vast supplies of purchased vaccines are coming from China, whence the Covid-19 virus came. Many Filipinos are being inoculated with vaccines developed in laboratories in the totalitarian country where it has come from in the first place, and

they will certainly avoid it if they can still wait for other sources of vaccination.

If the likes of Parlade and Badoy have already been vaccinated with the doses from China, they will not need to look farther than the West Philippine Sea—no, not even the lowly free-food stands in a Quezon City village—to see communism at work.

Anyway, it’s already in their blood.

Nursing Student FROM PAGE

Junior High School student, Mariano established the youth organization Streets to Schools, under which he launched his literacy program.

While juggling academic requirements and managing organizational duties had been difficult, Mariano said he will continue to campaign for education for sustainable development in Philippine classrooms to ensure that people can “co-create change while being in school.”

“Children need to take action on the SDGs as it is not only the government’s job or the United Nations’ duty. It’s everyone’s responsibility,” he said, “We hope that our Ladders to literacy project becomes a global model of innovation where countries can use this idea to solve the problems in their community alongside children.

Courtesy call of Ladders to Literacy volunteers with the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines

Sincerely Adamant FROM PAGE 8

UST founder Miguel de Benavides, Filipinos became a part of the Spanish empire after they voluntarily recognized Spanish suzerainty.

Within three centuries, the Philippines was “Europeanized:” Social institutions such as religion, government and education that we have today, and the pueblo system was introduced, which became the blueprint of our present urban and rural community structures. The University of Santo Tomas, the oldest university in Asia, serves a proof of the European influence in the country given that a university is a European institution.

The colonization also introduced diverse rituals such, traditions, and new technologies that make up the present Philippine culture and nation.

In his book “Culture and History,” the late National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin noted that Spaniards brought wheeled plough for farming, agricultural products such as corn, sugar and tobacco, and the first European novel “Don Quixote” and other literature during the Spanish Siglo de Oro or Golden Century. They also introduced Western music and instruments such as guitar and the Bamboo Organ of St. Joseph Parish in Las Piñas and dances such as Pandaggo and Cariñosa. The Spaniards also gave the Filipinos the “guinisa” and other Hispanic cuisines. In both sour and sweet, the arrival of the Spanish and Christianity has shaped who we are now as Filipinos.

We cannot acknowledge the hardships our ancestors experienced while disregarding the advancement that our country has made and vice versa. Celebrating the 500th anniversary of a historic event inevitably requires looking back.

Both had happened, and both should be remembered because the suffering and atrocities are part of our story as Filipinos.

And as we go beyond 500 years, may the events of fighting for our independence and inherited values serve as our manual to be firm with our rights as a democratic country and to be more inclusive in the sectors of our society.

May the commemoration of the introduction of Christianity in the country serve as the dawn of welcoming the new era of evangelization, one without exploitation, and without at the expense of freedom and humane treatment. In 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II even conveyed the words “never again” as he asked forgiveness for the Church being utilized for colonization.

As we welcome the year 2021, which was given the theme Missio Ad Gentes or To the Nations by the Philippine Catholic Church, we should not only celebrate our beloved Christian faith but also the Filipino identity that would not have been strong and solid had 500 years ago not happened.

We should not only reevaluate our views of the past but also navigate our country with values we harbor from the past to a better future for everyone.

SPORTS

The Varsitarian APRIL 30, 2021

EDITOR: FAITH YUEN WEI N. RAGASA

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To cut cost, UST tells athletes to clear dorms during pandemic UST’S STUDENT athletes have been asked to retrieve their belongings from dormitories provided by the school around Sampaloc, Manila, with sports events still on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic “We continue to pay for the rental of these dormitories. Until recently, the University has decided to vacate them in order to cut down on the expenses,” Athletics Director Fr. Rodel Cansancio told the Varsitarian.

Some team coaches explained that UST administers a “scheduled approach” for athletes to get their things.

An athlete would not be able to obtain their things without permission from their coaches or the dorm supervisor, who schedule

pick-up dates per room to avoid overcrowding.

For students who are in provinces, UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics will keep their belongings in extra rooms at the Quadricentennial Pavilion (QPav) if they are unable to get them before April 30. In some instances, things were delivered to students via courier service.

Athletes from the taekwondo, tennis, poomsae, baseball, beach volleyball, athletics, volleyball and chess teams confirmed that they

‘‘

We continue to pay for the rental of these dormitories.

Until recently, the University has decided to vacate them in order to cut down on the expenses

have been clearing their dorms the past week while some teams such as Women’s Basketball cleared their rooms last year.

The director reassured that the University will re-rent dorms when it is deemable to do so.

“We plan to rent these dormitories again for our student-athletes should the situation allow it,” Cansancio said.

Face-to-face training for non-professional athletes have been prohibited by IATF guidelines since March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. UAAP has been suspended since mid-season 82.

WITH REPORTS FROM ANNA CLARISSA

—Fr. Rodel Cansancio ATHLETICS DIRECTOR

BARLAM, JAMES PAUL GOMEZ, NINA ANGELA CRUZ AND MARK VILLEZA

Obiena eclipses PH pole vault record twice in one week THOMASIAN pole vaulter EJ Obiena has leaped to a new national record.

Obiena, just a week after extending his selfset Philippine indoor record to 5.80 meters, cleared a 5.86-meter jump in the pole vault event of the Orlen Indoor Cup 2021 at the Atlas Arena in Poland on Feb. 13 (PH time).

Obiena’s 5.86-meter vault is the highest cleared height by an Asian athlete since 2005.

However, Obiena accomplished the feat in three attempts, landing him in second place.

Sam Kendricks of the US cleared 5.86 meters in one attempt to snag gold.

Brazil’s Thiago Braz clinched bronze with a 5.80-meter clearance.

Obiena’s record run started at the Karlsruhe World Indoor Tour Meeting last Jan. 30 where he cleared 5.62 meters.

A week after, on Feb. 6, he vaulted 5.80 meters to clinch gold in the Internationales Stadionfest Indoor athletics meet.

The former UST trackster also competed in the star-studded Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais in Lievin, France on Feb. 10, where he finished fifth among a pool of world champions.

Obiena is among the Filipinos to represent the country in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

MARK ERNEST V. VILLEZA

UST Parish FROM PAGE 3

He added that the images of Santo Niño would help encourage families to pray for their mission.

“Ito din ay simbolo ng pagdalaw ng imahe ng Infant Jesus, ang unang imahe dito sa Pilipinas. ‘Yung version natin na may hawak na krus si Hesus ay tanda ng pagbibigay ng Panginoon ng kanyang buhay para sa atin at pagbibigay ng buhay para sa ating kapwa,” he said.

(It is also a symbol of the visit of the image of Infant Jesus, the first image here in the Philippines. Our version of the image, which is Jesus holding the cross, is a sign that the Lord gives His life for us and gives life for our neighbor.)

On Feb. 6, the Archdiocese of Manila launched the opening celebration for the fifth centenary of the arrival of Christianity in the country.

MA. ALENA O. CASTILLO

Obiena (FILE PHOTO)

Prior provincial FROM PAGE 3

He added that assisting Catholics in “flourishing as individuals” is among the missions mandated by the provincial chapter.

“In our vocation, we become part of the Dominican family and its history. We try to be a blessing to other people and live in time,” he said.

Celebrating 500 years of Christianity with charity

The new prior provincial urged Catholics to engage in charity works to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.

He also called on Thomasians to relaunch “Tulong Tomasino,” a relief campaign spearheaded by the UST Simbahayan

Community Development Office, to bring aid to residents affected by natural calamities, as a means to reach those in need.

“This [pandemic] is the time to challenge the potential of the University since we are a big University. Even though we don’t see each other, it shouldn’t prevent us from communicating and networking.

[Helping] does not stop when we feel okay,” he said.

Last year, a Tulong Tomasino relief drive was launched for the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.

“We are part of the Church, country, community, and family…. you’re expected to do your share,” de la Cruz said.

M.A.O. CASTILLO AND S.T. SADANG WITH REPORTS FROM JOENNER PAULO ENRIQUEZ, O.P.

UST Quadricentenntial Pavilion (FILE PHOTO)

Rondina, 8 more Thomasians join national volleyball team THE PHILIPPINE National Volleyball Federation has formally announced the full list of national pool members, which included nine more Thomasian athletes.

Tiger Sands Baby Love Barbon, Genesa Eslapor, Mer Jauculan and alumna Sisi Rondina made the cut for the 10-player beach volleyball pool.

Thomasian Jaron Requinton, 2019 SEA Games bronze medalist and UAAP Season 82 champion, qualified again in the men’s beach volleyball team.

Former UAAP MVPs Anthony Arbasto and James Pecana, who both play in pro teams Creamline and PLDT, respectively, were also picked.

In men’s indoor volleyball, alumni pro players Mark Alfafara and Jao Umandal remain in the national team.

Rondina, UST’s four-time UAAP MVP and 2019 SEA Games bronze medalist, emphasized the pride that comes with representing the country.

“Malaking bagay ang mapasama sa national team because hindi lang school mo ang nilalaban mo kundi buong Pilipinas na. Every athlete naman gusto mapasama and maglaro for the country. Pinapakita natin kasi kung ano ang kaya ng mga Pinoy na wala sa ibang country,” she told the Varsitarian.

Golden Tigresses Eya Laure, Imee Hernandez, Bernadett Pepito and Ria Meneses qualified for the women’s volleyball pool last April 28.

“In selecting the members of the pool, we put into strong consideration the athletes’ skills and potentials to improve, and as importantly, their dedication to flag and country, and their visibly innate qualities,” PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara said.

The PNVF announced that the pools will start training in June for two major tournaments: the Asian Seniors Women’s Volleyball Championship in August and the 31st SEA Games set from November 21 to December 2 in Vietnam.

National Team and UST coaches Paul Jan Doloiras and Odjie Mamon both supervised the bubble tryouts held from April 28 to 30 in Subic. All athletes and organizers of the event underwent RT-PCR tests 48 hours before the event to ensure safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

NINA MIKAELA CRUZ

“Be grateful for the gift of faith. Thank God for the people who gave you the faith and for all those to whom you will pass it on in turn.

Renew your enthusiasm for evangelization. Reach out to others and bring them the hope and joy of the Gospel.”

Pope Francis i n h i s h o mi ly fo r th e Mass at St. Pe te r ’s Basilica o n March 14, 2021 to co mmemorat e t he 500t h an n ivers ar y o f th e arrival o f C h ristianity in th e P h ilippin es

ART BY CATHERINE PAULENE A. UMALI, CHRISTINE ANGELIE P. ORINES, AND ATHEA MONIQUE Z. GALA