University of Santo Tomas: A 400-Year Legacy of Education in Asia

The University of Santo Tomas (UST), also known as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines, stands as a testament to centuries of academic excellence and enduring legacy. Colloquially known as "Ustê," this private Catholic research university is located in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Miguel de Benavides, the third Archbishop of Manila, UST holds the distinction of having the oldest extant university charter in Asia.

Founding and Early Years (1611-1785)

The foundation of the university can be traced back to Miguel de Benavides, a Spanish friar who arrived in the Philippines in 1587. He later became the bishop of Nueva Segovia and the third Archbishop of Manila in 1602. Before his death in 1605, Benavides bequeathed his library and personal property, valued at ₱1,500, to establish an institution of higher learning. Domingo de Nieva and Bernardo de Santa Catalina, Dominican priests, were the executors of his will.

In 1609, King Philip III of Spain received a request to open the college, which arrived in Manila in 1611. The university was officially founded on April 28, 1611, with the signing of the act of foundation by Baltasar Fort, Bernardo Navarro, and Francisco Minayo. Bernardo de Santa Catalina secured a building near the Dominican church in Intramuros, Manila, to house the college.

Inspired by universities in Spain and Spanish America, UST initially operated as the College of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario). In 1617, it was renamed College of Santo Tomas (Colegio de Santo Tomás) in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, a prominent Dominican theologian.

In 1624, the Colegio was authorized to confer academic degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Arts.

Classes officially started in 1612.

Royal and Pontifical Recognition (1785-1947)

Throughout its history, the University of Santo Tomas has received several titles recognizing its significance. In 1785, King Charles III of Spain granted the title "Royal University" in recognition of the administration and students who defended Manila against the British invasion.

In 1865, Queen Isabella II of Spain gave power to UST for the supervision of all secondary schools.

Pope Leo XIII declared UST a "Pontifical University" in 1902. Later, in 1947, Pope Pius XII bestowed upon it the title of "The Catholic University of the Philippines". UST is the only remaining Pontifical university in Asia. The Vatican's official directory lists it as one of only 24 Pontifical universities in the world.

Expansion and Relocation (1906-1945)

In compliance with the requirements of Act No. 1459, also known as the Corporation Law of 1906, the University was incorporated. The application contained the following statements: That the name of the corporation is and will be known as the "Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas" and abbreviated as "University of Santo Tomas", "that the corporation is located in Manila with its main office at 139 Calle de Sto.

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In the early 1900s, Francesca Bustamante Bayot donated a large piece of land (21.5 hectares) in Sampaloc, Manila, to the Dominicans. This allowed the university to expand outside Intramuros. In 1927, the Main Building was opened at the new Sampaloc site. It was the first earthquake-proof building in the Philippines.

The university moved from Intramuros to its present site in Sampaloc, Manila, in 1927 due to increasing enrollment. The new campus covers 21.5 hectares.

World War II and its Aftermath (1941-1945)

With the coming of war once again in 1941, the university was again closed, and when the Japanese entered the city in early January of 1942 they set about collecting all American and British citizens, as well as other civilians that could potentially be problematic to their new regime, effectively using the complex for the same purpose the Americans had used Bilibid Prison for Japanese and German residents before they abandoned the capitol.

During World War II, the Japanese military turned the UST campus into an internment camp. Soon after Japanese forces entered Manila in January 1942, many Americans and other Allied citizens were brought to the university camp. The camp held 3,259 people. All university buildings, except the seminary, printing press, and two floors of the Main Building, were used by the Japanese. The prisoners stayed in the Main Building, the Education Building (now UST Hospital), and other smaller buildings. The university authorities worked with the prisoners and Japanese officials.

As the American Army approached in late January, the Japanese confiscated the meager foodstuffs remaining in the camp, as the garrison prepared for the defense of Manila in a suicidal stand.

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During the liberation of Manila in 1945, the university buildings in Intramuros were destroyed. The Japanese burned them on February 8, 1944.

Post-War Developments and Expansion (1946-2011)

A movement to have more Filipino leaders in the Dominican Order in the Philippines began in 1951. Filipino Dominicans wanted to hold important positions in UST. This movement reached its goal when Leonard Legaspi became the first Filipino rector of the university in 1971.

In 1925, UST became one of the first universities in the Philippines to require English as the main language for teaching, replacing Spanish.

In that year, 24 women enrolled in Pharmacy. The university had already been giving midwifery certificates to women since 1879. More departments opened to women later, like Education in 1926 and Medicine in 1932.

As of 2013, UST had about 45,000 students. This included 33,000 undergraduate students and 5,000 students in medicine, law, and graduate programs.

After 400 years, the university has five main areas of study: Science and Technology, Arts and Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Medicine and Health, and Religious Studies.

Quadricentennial Celebration and Recent Developments (2011-Present)

The university celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2011. Plans for this event included new academic programs and improvements to the university's buildings. Improvements are ongoing at the Sampaloc campus. The Plaza Mayor in front of the Main Building and the Quadricentennial Square were built in 2006. The Quadricentennial Square includes a sculpture, a fountain, and an alumni walkway. The UST Tan Yan Kee Student Center was built to provide more space for student activities. The UST Benavides Cancer Institute was also established in 2006. Another big project was building a new, modern, four-story gymnasium. It cost P800 million and can seat 5,792 people. It was finished in time for the 400th anniversary. The Thomasian Alumni Center, a 10-story building, is also being built. The UST Publishing House started a project in 2001 called "400 Books at 400!". They aim to publish 400 books by the 400th anniversary.

Notable Alumni

Over its long history, the distinguished alumni of the university included Dr. Jose Rizal, a hero of the revolution against the Spanish considered the greatest national hero of the Philippines, Presidents of the Commonwealth Manuel Quezon and Sergio Osmena, and the Japanese puppet President, Jose Laurel.

Controversies and Student Activism

The official UST student handbook says students cannot join or create "unrecognized organizations" that have "illegal or immoral purposes." It also prohibits "unauthorized student activity." Because of these rules, some students have been suspended or expelled.

In August 2020, the university's Office of Student Affairs (OSA) said that student groups needed permission to post anything on social media. They also had to give their advisers full access to their social media accounts.

During the 2023 student council elections, the student newspaper, The Varsitarian, wrote that fewer students were participating in elections.

In February 2024, the OSA told a student organization called TomasinoWeb to remove a photo they posted. The photo showed students from the College of Information and Computing Sciences (CISC) entering a 7-Eleven store. The university said the photo made CISC students look bad because their uniform looked like the 7-Eleven employee uniform. TomasinoWeb was also warned that they might not be recognized as an official student group.

Many groups inside and outside UST said this was an "attack on press freedom." Hundreds of UST alumni signed a petition asking the university to change its "strict and outdated policies." The university's Office of Public Affairs said they are working to solve the issue.

In March 2024, a representative filed a resolution asking the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged censorship and threats by the UST Office for Student Affairs.

The University Seal

The current seal of the university is set in a modern French shield quartered by the Dominican Cross. The surrounding inscription reads the full name of UST: Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila, and the foundation year, 1611. The symbols are set on a field of Marian blue.

Campuses

The UST in Manila is the main campus of the University of Santo Tomas System, which comprises three other existing campuses and one upcoming UST campus in Santa Rosa, Laguna. UST Angelicum College is located in the Santo Domingo Church complex in Quezon City. It offers basic education programs, a home study program, and undergraduate programs. UST-Legazpi, formerly known as the Aquinas University of Legazpi, is located in Legazpi, Albay. UST Santa Rosa is a 40-hectare campus in Laguna that will offer undergraduate programs in science and engineering.

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