UST Quadricentennial Project gets P5M from MVP-led firms

MANILA, Philippines - As it celebrates its Quadricentennial anniversary in 2011, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) moves forward with the same commitment to community service and quality education that has been the hallmark of its 400-year history.

Supporting the university’s long-term agenda are firms under the Manny V. Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) that pulled together P5M to help fund Simbahayan, the centerpiece project of UST’s Quadricentennial anniversary. These include the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co., Smart Communications, Inc., Meralco, and Maynilad.

The five-million check was turned over to UST rector Rev. Fr. Rolando V. De La Rosa, O.P., by PLDT-Smart Foundation trustee Ramon R. Isberto during an affair hosted by the university in line with its yearlong Quadricentennial celebration.

“This donation is greatly appreciated and will go a long way because Simbahayan is not just for the Quadricentennial milestone but is actually an ongoing project,” says Father Rector De La Rosa. 

Simbahayan, which stands for “Tomasino para sa Simbahan, Tahanan, at Bayan,” consolidates all community service initiatives conducted separately by the university’s faculty, students, alumni and administrators. 

“We intend to implement 400 community development projects all throughout the Philippines through different kinds of interventions such as education, housing and environment, livelihood, formation for peace, and health care,” explains Michael Angelo Malicsi, director for Alumni Relations of UST.

Until recently, much of the funding for UST’s community services had been shouldered by the school, with additional support coming from its alumni in the form of modest financial help and services.

“They come here to commit their help through their expertise. Engineers and architects participate in our housing projects. Our teacher graduates help in the literacy program. And our alumni priests help in our peace program,” says De La Rosa. 

“That’s why now, we are tapping the help of some other institutions. So far, it is Mr. Pangilinan who has responded positively.”

Aside from the P5M donation, Smart services are also being made available to UST.   

Beth Lui, president and CEO of ePLDT, refers to the support as “Kuarta at Kahon.”

“It’s not just cash. We are also bringing in services that can actually help the UST community.”

These include the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), of which UST is now a partner school. Established in 2003 by Smart, it is a first-of-its-kind industry-academe partnership that aims to elevate the level of engineering and technology education, particularly in the field of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE). A Smart Wireless Laboratory is set up within the campus of each partner school.

“Many of our employees are graduates of UST. So it’s also a way of giving back. Through SWEEP we are able to share our technical expertise especially in wireless communication,” says Lui who herself is a product of the College of Commerce.

Also made available to UST is the Infoboard, Smart’s web-based group broadcast service that offers various SMS facilities with different functions and capabilities catering to the needs of a certain organization or community.

With its own Infoboard Service, UST can provide, upload and manage customized information. It also enables both the university and the Thomasians to send and receive information through text on their customized school SIM.

“It is a P2.5-million service. And we are happy that UST is among the first 100 schools we are offering the Infoboard Service to for free,” says James Bernas, head of the Community Solutions Group of Smart.

Commemorative SIMs and limited-edition call and text cards with the UST logo were likewise turned over. 

“The linkage between the academe and the business sector works beneficially both ways. They help us upgrade our education system, facilities, instructional materials, etc. Then we produce better graduates and they have better employees and industry leaders. So this initiative by Mr. Pangilinan, showing interest in educational institutions, is very good indeed,” says De La Rosa.

“And I hope that, just as the Simbahayan that he has committed to support is ongoing, his help will be ongoing too,” he adds smiling.