Construction magnate Alice G. Eduardo and Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier of the Supreme Court of the Philippines were among the 11 recipients of the 2024 Thomasian Outstanding Alumni (TOTAL) Awards on 27 September.

The TOTAL Awards is a biennial recognition ceremony dedicated to Thomasian alumni for their “significant and exemplary contribution to the society and the Church.” It is the highest honor bestowed by the institution on graduates.

Commerce alumnus Alice G. Eduardo is the sole recipient of the TOTAL award for Accountancy, Business and Management. Dubbed a “Woman of Steel,” Eduardo established a tough reputation in the male-dominated infrastructure sector as the head of Sta. Elena Construction, one of the leading construction firms in the country and a key player in the development of premier entertainment complexes and hotels, power plants and highways among others.

She is also celebrated for her charity work in children’s education, healthcare, and the Church. The alumnus was previously inducted in Tatler Philippines’ lineup of the most influential Asians in 2022, and lauded as one of Forbes Asia’s “Heroes of Philanthropy” in 2018.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier has been in the law profession for over 40 years, and has handled various positions in the government prior to her appointment in 2019 by former president Rodrigo Duterte as the 182nd Associate Justice of the country’s highest court. She is also the current chairperson of the Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns and a co-chairperson of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices Working Group on Cross Border Disputes Involving Children.

Before pursuing law, Lazaro taught social studies for six years at the Lakandula High School, Ramon Magsaysay High School, and Manila Science High School and transitioned to lecturing on legal studies after obtaining her law degree from UST. She is recognized for her contributions in the Law and Judiciary category.

Other recipients, including Special Awardees, are as follows:

Health Allied

•Sr. Maria Marissa R. Viri, RVM

Media and Entertainment

•Nestor Cuartero and Lito Zulueta

Medicine

•Catherine S.C. Teh

Music, Arts, Literature, and Design

•Edgar D. Doctor,

Architect Jose Pedro C. Recio

Science and Technology

•Hasan Fard

Service to Humanity

•Grace Tan Caktiong

Service to the Church

•Assoc. Prof. Pilar I. Romero, PhD

Young Thomasian Achiever Award (Special Award)

•Asst. Prof. Paul Anthony M. Pangilinan

Thomasian Family Award

•Ling Family

Posthumous award

•Engineer Mariano S. Agoncillo

In its 21st year, UST celebrated success, community, and faith in Thomasian competence with new and familiar faces that once passed through the halls of the university and now are making momentous strides into the world beyond the classroom.

In her speech, TOTAL recipient Sister Viri, RVM, emphasized that while Thomasians may part ways with the campus, the lessons and values that the students pick up “never leaves them, never leaves us.”

“As we receive this award, we are even more determined to uphold the ideals of the TOTAL Awards as we are expected to continue striving for excellence and serve as role models for future Thomasians,” she added.

All achievers in their own right, the alumni have made a name for themselves that transcend the confines of their motherland, and continue to inspire contemporaries and the youth to strive, too, for greatness with grit and compassion.

“Pursuit of excellence is never a solitary journey; hard work and determination are not sufficient formula for success but they must be coupled with a commitment to serving others, especially those in the peripheries,” said UST rector Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., who gave the closing remarks for the event.

“Success is not the result of sheer talent but is the outcome of perseverance, resilience, a profound sense of purpose, and unconditional trust in God.”

Organized by the UST Alumni Association, Inc., the first conferment of TOTAL honors began in 1993, and was intended to be an annual event until its adjustment in 2009 as a biennial celebration continued to this day.