by Frederick Michael R. Evidor
Secretary, UST Medicine Student Council
The UST Medicine Student Council (UST MSC), in cooperation with the UST Medicine administration and the different student organizations of the Faculty, spearheaded the Faculty’s annual Medicine Advocacy Week entitled “Oro Del Mundo” from February 19 to 23, 2018 at the St. Martin de Porres Building.
The week started off on a high note with a back-to-back championship by the UST Medicine Glee Club and the UST Terpsichorean Circle in the 2018 MedGroove MedRhythmia, an annual inter-medical school chorale and dance competition organized by the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges – Student Network (APMC-SN) last February 18, 2018 at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo de Manila University.
An opening ceremony was held at the Medicine Auditorium on the morning of February 19, 2018. The main beneficiary of the Medicine Advocacy Week, a nonprofit youth organization called Cancervants PH which served to bring hope and medical assistance to pediatric cancer patients, was introduced to the UST Med community by its founder Ms. Mots Venturina. The special guest speaker Mr. TJ Manotoc of ABS-CBN News talked about the realities of living with mental illness and how one could seek help. The UST Medicine Glee Club also performed their winning MedRhythmia contest piece “Better World”. The opening ceremony ended with an address from Dr. Ma. Lourdes D. Maglinao, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, as well as a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to formally open the Medicine Advocacy Week. A Eucharistic celebration headed by the Faculty Regent Rev. Fr. Angel A. Aparicio, OP was held after the opening program.
A week-long food fair was also organized by the UST MSC, inviting various food concessionaires to set up shop in front of the St. Martin de Porres Building. Free ice cream sponsored by Magnolia Philippines – San Miguel Foundation was also given away to medical students at the food fair.
St. Martin’s Cup, an Amazing Race-inspired obstacle course competition sponsored by Sip Purified Water, was held on the afternoon of February 19, 2018 at the UST campus grounds. Students from the various year levels represented their sections in a race designed to test medical wits and agility. Winners received trophies and gift certificates from Jollibee.
The Thomasian Medicine Advocates (TMA) 2018, a pageant competition for UST medical students, was held on the night of February 19, 2018 at the Medicine Auditorium. The pageant winners for this year’s TMA were Francis Fuller of 3B and Frances Paglinawan of 3D, and both will be competing to represent UST-FMS in the upcoming Thomasian Youth Ambassador and Ambassadress.
A blood drive entitled “Juan Life Juan Blood”, for the benefit of the Philippine Blood Center of the Department of Health, was held on the second day of the Advocacy Week (February 20, 2018) at the UST Medicine Museum.
Fantasia: Naturevolution 2018, a student pageant advocating the use of recycled materials and concern for the environment, organized by the UST Medical Missions Incorporated – Student Group (UST MMI) and the UST Medicine Glee Club, was held on the night of February 21, 2018 at the Medicine Auditorium. The pageant winners for Naturevolution 2018 were Iñigo Yutangco and Patricia Santos, both from 3D.
The 2018 Medicine Student Awards, organized by the UST MSC in cooperation with the various academic departments of the Faculty, was held on February 22, 2018 at the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Auditorium. This awarding ceremony served to recognize last year’s academic achievers excelling in the different subjects in the medical curriculum, the top ten students per batch, and the official student representatives of UST-FMS in various international and local academic competitions. Also recognized were the departments of the year and the outstanding faculty and support staff.
Gold Rush: the UST Medicine Variety Show was held on the night of February 22, 2018 at the Medicine Auditorium, featuring performances from the UST Terpsichorean Circle and the popular local bands The Ransom Collective and Ben&Ben.
To cap off the Medicine Advocacy Week, the 32nd Annual Freshman Night was held on February 23, 2018, at the UST Medicine Auditorium, which celebrated the various talents of UST-FMS Batch 2021 in band performance, dancing, and acting. The overall champion for the Freshman Night was Section 1D.
