VOLUME XCVIII / NO. 6 · MAY 15, 2026 · THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS · Manila, Philippines
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AGON GETS SECOND TERM AS CSC PRESIDENT Voter turnout for UST CSC elections dips 60 percent
Incumbent CSC President Annie Agon will lead the student body for a second term. Agon, a legal management junior from the Faculty of Arts and Letters, won the presidency with 16,581 votes, while 9,775 students left their ballots unanswered. This marks Agon’s third year in the CSC Executive Board following
EDITORIAL ► PAGE 4
The Senate — from ‘august chamber’ to chamber pot
her election as public relations officer (PRO) in 2024 and vice president in 2025. Last year, she assumed the presidency after the position was declared vacant. Legal management junior Franz Salangsang was proclaimed vice president after garnering 16,407 votes, while 9,775 students left their votes unanswered. The lone candidate for treasurer, communication junior Zedrich Daz, won the post with 16,020 votes, while 10,336 students left their votes unanswered. Fourth-year architecture student Mecaella Sean Capalar was proclaimed the PRO after garnering
11,414 votes, ahead of Errol Salamatin’s 5,152 votes. A total of 9,790 students left their ballots unanswered. Philosophy junior Clarence Mindo was proclaimed secretary later. He won 8,565 votes to win against psychology sophomore Elijah Viola, who drew 8,433 votes. The number of blank votes, which totaled 9,358, was larger than those obtained by the two candidates who contested the post. There were no candidates for CSC auditor. The Varsitarian hosted the “Botomasino: The Election Forum” on Monday, April 13, a week before electronic voting opened and the
release of the special Botomasino edition. Central Comelec Commissioner Marianne Pami told the Varsitarian any vacancies would be filled through an internal balloting process among CSC members. “In case of vacancy in any other position of the Executive Board, each member of the CSC shall nominate any local council executive board officer. From among the nominees, three shall be chosen by the CSC through secret ballot to become candidates for the position,” the CSC constitution states. The proceedings will be led by the CSC president, with the winner
‘V’ named Best Newspaper, Best News Website in New York awards By Louisse Raye Shara C. Santos
THE VARSITARIAN, the University’s 98-year-old official student publication, won seven awards at the 2026 Apple Awards of the College Media Association (CMA), one of the United States’ top student media competitions. This makes the Varsitarian the first student-led university publication from the Philippines and Asia to win in multiple categories in the CMA’s spring convention. The V’s print issue, “Filipinos Declare: No to Corruption,” produced by
Varsitarian editor in chief Chalssea Kate Echegoyen and layout editor Jed William Gocatek, and headlined by corruption-related stories led by Special Reports editor Ralent Penilla, won first place in the Best Newspaper category among Division 1 schools, or colleges and universities with at least 10,000 students. The “Traslacion 2026: Black Nazarene procession in Manila draws millions” photo album by photographers Djenhard Sapanhila, Ethan Guisama, and Maximilian Briones, won first place in Best Feature Photography. The Varsitarian website won
of the secret balloting deemed “resigned” as a local council officer. Central Board
The Comelec also proclaimed the winners of the local student council elections. The Central Board, the CSC’s legislative arm, will be composed of newly elected council presidents from the different academic units: • Genina Rilles (UST-AMV College of Accountancy) • Sophia Deligro (College of Architecture) • Natalie Santos (College of EdCSC PRESIDENT PAGE 2
ART BY AIDAN RAPHAEL F. CALUYO
THE UST Central Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed four Central Student Council (CSC) Executive Board officers on Saturday, April 25, with voter turnout slightly dipping to 60% after a week of voting.
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UST retains 601800 spot in THE Asia University Rankings 2026 By Amador Denzel M. Teston
► The Apple Award
first place in the Best News Website category. The ad entry, “11th UST National NEW YORK AWARDS PAGE 8
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THE UNIVERSITY maintained its position as the second best Philippine school in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, keeping its spot in the 601-800 bracket in the ranking’s 2026 edition. UST had an overall score of 23.330.8 after attaining the following marks in the five indicators: research quality (26.9), research environment (12.2), teaching (27.4), industry (21.1), ASIA RANKINGS PAGE 8
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