UST, the country’s top accredited university, celebrates multiple accolades

The University of Santo Tomas is now the Philippine university with the most accredited programs.

This distinction was given during the 50th founding anniversary of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) on 1 December.

UST secured the greatest number of Level IV accredited programs. These said programs will now be "highly respected as very high academic programs in the Philippines and with prestige and authority comparable to similar programs in excellent foreign universities," PACUCOA states.

PACUCOA also honored Thomasian professors, with Graduate School academic staff Lucila O. Bance, PhD as Outstanding Accreditor. Graduate School academic staff Belen Tangco, PhD, Faculty of Pharmacy officials Aleth Therese L. Dacanay, PhD, Frieda Z. Japan, PhD, and Edilberto P. Manahan, PhD received Service awards. Meanwhile, former Science Dean Emeritus Carmen Kanapi was given a Posthumous Award for Service.

UST also gained recognition for producing multiple top notchers in the Professional Regulation Commission licensure examinations, specifically BS Accountancy, BS Architecture, BS Medical Technology, and BS Nutrition and Dietetics Program.

The university also welcomed a string of accomplishments as it entered the month of December.

On 1 December, UST Tiger Radio was crowned Station of the Year in the first edition of the International Student Broadcasting Championship (ISBC). The online radio broadcasting organization also bagged the Talk Presenter, Best Content Creator, Best Social Media Execution, Best Sports Presenter, and Best Content/Programme Director awards.

For this year's BAR exams, UST remained a consistent top-performing law school in the Philippines, scoring 85.25 percent, joining Ateneo de Manila (94.08 percent), San Beda University (92.2 percent), University of San Carlos (90.91 percent), and University of the Philippines (89.45 percent). Ephraim Bie is this year's top passer.

Bie, who is also a UST Journalism undergraduate, is the university's first graduate to top the Bar exams in over 20 years. He joined four Thomasian top notchers: former justice Roberto Concepcion, former Philippine president Diosdado Macapagal, former senator Jose Diokno, and Arlene Maneja, who is a current member and partner of Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan's Special Projects, Banking, Finance & Securities, and Corporate Services group.

UST emerged as the top-performing school in the September 2023 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers, in which 228 out of 230 Thomasians passed. Dulce Arellano and Chelsea Taiga shared the top spot for elementary teachers nationwide with 94.40 percent.

Meanwhile, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe won second runner-up in the highly-anticipated UAAP Cheerdance Competition on 2 December with their impressive Blackpink-inspired performance.

Finally, the UST Growling Tigresses won against the NU Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 86 women's basketball finals at the SMART Araneta Coliseum with a score of 71-69. This historic win marked the end of the NU Lady Bulldog's seven-year streak and their first championship after 17 years.

With the UST Growling Tigresses' consistent and impeccable performance, Tantoy Ferrer won the Finals MVP award in her final season in the UAAP.