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Written by Aliah Nicole Brillante Visuals by Jayvee Fulgencio and Caster John Tabora As announced in the myUSTE student portal, the University of Santo Tomas proceeds to the refunding of unused fees from the second term of AY 2019-2020. This is following the recommendation given by the Office of the Vice Rector of Finance last May 3, 2020 to credit the refunds to this term’s total fees. After months of evaluation, the university decided to give a 60-percent reduction in the common miscellaneous fees and university-wide charges applied in the second term of the last academic year. The refund will be reflected in the monthly balance of students who are currently paying in installment, while students who already fully paid their accounts will have to fill out an application form. The deducted amount depends on the year level and college or faculty affiliation. As for the adjustments on the table of fees for first term AY 2020-2021, charges in medical and dental, cultural, drug-testing, energy, physical infrastructure development, retreat and recollection, and sports will be suspended. There will also be at least 50 percent reduction for the other fees not mentioned. The processing of refunds started last August 27, 2020, wherein application forms were deployed via the myUSTE student portal. Students will have to access the forms for the available refund options for them which will depend on whether they have fully paid accounts or they have outstanding balances from the second term and summer term of AY 2019-2020, and first term of AY 2020-2021. The table below shows the methods for claiming the refund. Accomplished application forms on refund of fees are to be submitted to Ms. Brenda Cabile (brenda.cabile@ust.edu.ph), Student Accounts Assistant in-charge of the faculty of engineering. Students can download the PDF of the application form under the “Downloadables” tab in their MyUSTe portals.

Written by Aliah Nicole Brillante Photos taken by Leighla Sto. Tomas The EXCITE 2020 week-long series ended yesterday with the Interactive Zoom Hangout broadcasted through Facebook live. Aldrei Jann Verdan, the Engineering Student Council (ESC) interim president, officially started the program with his welcome remarks. Shortly after, Prof. Philipina Marcelo, Ph.D., dean of the Faculty of Engineering, greeted the participants with an opening address. The first guest speaker, Engr. Venice Zaila Alolod, Chemical Engineering department faculty member and UST Engineering alumna, shared her personal experiences as an engineering student, and some pieces of advice to survive college. Following the speech was an a cappella performance from UST Engineering's One Voice Chorale. The attendees were then asked to join different Zoom rooms for the breakout sessions. During the split sessions, facilitators hosted games and allowed the freshmen to interact with each other. On another talk delivered by Engr. Chiny Vispo, UST Engineering alumna, she emphasized the importance of involvement in college organizations. Afterward, the Engineering Dance Troupe entertained the participants with a TikTok-inspired presentation. The last guest speaker was Engr. Yong-An Chiu, UST Engineering alumna, and former "Going Bulilit" actor. He spoke about life as an engineering student and advised the freshmen to make the most out of their college journey. Engineering students Samuel Vinoya, Mikee Retoriano, Alriz Go, and Andre Roque, forming the band Illumina, serenaded the freshmen with a Filipino song cover. Kyla Christine Sarcos, Haiza Baccay, and Gabriel Delid, project heads of the EXCITE series, concluded the program with a speech of gratitude to the attendees, as well as the team behind the freshmen week. Over 200 engineering freshmen participated in the interactive Zoom meeting. Nicole Montero, the team head for communications of the UST Network of Electronics Engineers, and David Pascual of the UST ESC hosted the event.

Written by Allen Atienza and Laurence Gabriel Arellano Photos taken by Marco Paolo Aganon and Jann Kaizer Tena The UST Faculty of Engineering welcomed the Engineering freshmen to the university and faculty through EXCITE, a freshmen week-long series. The event was held via Facebook, Twitter, and various conference platforms from August 24, 2020 to August 26, 2020, and was headed by the Engineering Student Council (ESC). Presided by Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard Ang O.P., the university-wide Freshmen Orientation Mass was broadcasted via Facebook Live on Monday morning, marking the start of the freshmen week activities. “To the freshmen, the road ahead may be a bit rough, and the current situation might take some time to getting used to, but it also presents numerous opportunities to discover and successfully navigate new and exciting learning experiences.” Very Rev. Fr. Ang said in his homily. Shortly after, ESC released an Audio Visual/Video Presentation (AVP) officially opening EXCITE 2020, followed by games and six short episodes of how it is like to be an engineering student at UST. On Tuesday, the local organizations of the Faculty of Engineering posted their respective introductory publication materials and videos. This was immediately followed by activities prepared by Operations Research Society of the Philippines UST Chapter (ORSP), Cisco Networking Academy Gateway Engineering (CNAG), and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The day concluded with the posting of publication materials and opening AVPs of the mother organizations of the faculty, in preparation for the events on the third day. Earlier this day, the mother organizations conducted a whole day event accommodating each department’s freshmen students. The host organizations were the Association of Civil Engineering Students (ACES), the Chemical Engineering Society (CHES), the Electrical Engineering Circuit (EEC), the Industrial Engineering Circle (IEC), the  Mechanical Engineering Club (MEC), and the Network of Electronics Engineering Students (NECES). When asked about her experience regarding the online EXCITE week, Kharyle De Guzman, a first year Civil Engineering student, said the event was a huge benefit for her since she was able to gain knowledge about the different organizations in the faculty. “First of all, the freshmen week could’ve been more fun and exciting if there’s no pandemic. Looking on the bright side, the UST ESC successfully conducted the EXCITE 2020 and it was indeed amusing,” De Guzman told Thomasian Engineer in an online interview.

Written by Laurence Gabriel Arellano Photo courtesy of UST Teletigers Esports Club and Lee Kevin Tiu Cutero Third-year Mechanical Engineering student Lee Kevin Cutero called shots for the Teletigers in the AcadArena Mobile Legends: Bang Bang National Cup last August 23. The Teletigers dominated the PUP Isko as they swept the best-of-five Finals series to claim their first title. “The win was unexpected considering that PUP and FEU are strong teams. We had an underdog mindset going into the finals until we won game one where we regained our confidence.” Cutero said in an online interview. The team holds team practices regularly as well as individual practices for times they can not play together. “We try to practice as much as a team when we have time such as weekends when we do not have classes. As an individual, I have been active in amateur tournaments since the start of the year where I learned how to draft and shotcall efficiently. I think that experience helped me as a captain to lead my team and secure wins.” The team captain said. “I considered this win as a reward to our hardwork and to the Telecubs who were our supporters. I strongly believe that we would not be here without the support of the whole Teletigers Esports Club organization.” He added. The win books the Teletigers a ticket to the PVP Esports Campus Championships 2020 as the official Philippines representative.

Written by: Allen Atienza Hard to earn, yet easily stolen, cash is literally the power on paper. The more you have it on you, the heavier it actually is. It can be a liability on a mental level, and although credit cards try to solve that problem, you still fear being robbed of your wallet. But what if you could use your phone? What if you could store your hard-earned money in a gadget, an E-Wallet, that the majority of people in the world possess? Right now, the Philippines is experiencing a new inbound norm; the “Mobile Banking”. So, why should you try Mobile Banking? What is its edge over cash or even bank accounts? 1. Convenience and Efficiency With a mobile bank, you can register quickly. E-Wallets such as Paymaya and GCash can process a transaction at the scan of a QR Code. It is quick, clean, and you can even send money to another person’s mobile bank. Majority of e-wallets even allow overseas transactions. 2. Discounts, Cashbacks and Offers Mobile bank subscriptions have frequent discounts and cashback offers. This is really USEFUL for paying bills, because cashback offers sometimes give you back money by a PERCENTAGE. The bigger the cost, the better the savings. 3. You can Track your purchases When you load, purchase, and do other transactions with your mobile bank, it leaves an actual record for you to keep track. If you are confused on how you manage your money, you can just check the e-wallet record. 4. Security E-wallets were made in the intention to minimize the amount of physical cash carried. Along with user password protection, it also has modern encryption, keeping user information private. The likelihood for having vulnerabilities in e-wallets are minimal, since it would be very costly to hack one. 5. Limited Risk If you are wise as the majority of e-wallet users, you will only put about a few days or even a few weeks’ worth of pay. If you lose your phone, you just lose the account with its loaded money. It is a minor setback compared to losing access to an entire bank account by losing your wallet, along with the number of credit cards that are stored within it Now, we talk about which e-wallets are worth noting. Here are a few e-wallet companies to help you, especially if you are interested in starting out. #1: GCash First on our list is the Ayala Corp-led e-wallet—GCash. Standing amongst the top finance apps, GCash features bills payment, QR payment, and even loading prepaid numbers. It also has a point system that serves as a loan service, and an investment platform. #2: PayMaya PayMaya can serve as a virtual MasterCard. That means you can use it for other options that require details found only in debit cards. You can also transfer cash from one PayMaya account to another, so you can just send each other PayMaya load instead of looking for the nearest loading station. #3: Coins PH Coins.PH is an e-wallet you can use without a credit card. What sets it apart from the others, is that it can be used for cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, or even Ethereum. Not only that, it can also be used to reload beep cards. #4: GrabPay Grab, one of Asia’s top mobile technology companies, made GrabPay. It is better known for its easy payment process for Grab ride and Grab express deliveries. They even give out 100php cashback in SM Cinema tickets. #5: PayPal Used by lots of online freelancers (full or part-time), Paypal is an American e-wallet company that has been considered a powerhouse in an international level, meaning it can be used as a worldwide payment system. Although there is a service fee in receiving money, it does not charge sending it. Here’s a side by side comparison of the e-wallets’ features: Source: Rappler Mobile wallet companies are aiming to modernize the Philippines' payment system. While they’re aggressively competing for both consumers and merchants to adopt, it’ll still take some time before modernization takes place. Right now, only a handful of users are using e-wallets, and it is up to us if we would like the retrofitting to be a success. References: AlliedWallet. (2017, August 02). Secure E-Wallets: Read About Mobile Wallet Security. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.alliedwallet.com/blog/blog-posts/secure-e-wallets-gaining-competitive-edge/ Bayugo, J. (2020, March 12). 8 Best Mobile E-Wallets in the Philippines. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://grit.ph/mobile-wallets/ D. (2020, June 10). Why You Should Use a Digital Wallet. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/resources/8-reasons-to-use-a-digital-wallet/ Devanesan, J. (2020, July 24). The Philippines is going cashless – finally. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://techwireasia.com/2020/07/digital-payments-are-finally-soaring-in-the-philippines/ Discover. (2020, June 10). Why You Should Use a Digital Wallet. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/resources/8-reasons-to-use-a-digital-wallet/ Lake, R. (2020, July 14). Get the Lowdown on How Credit Cards Work and How to Use Them. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/how-do-credit-cards-work-5025119 Lamiel, C. (2018, December 16). Mobile Wallet Apps in the Philippines. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.yugatech.com/software/mobile-wallet-apps-in-the-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR02ev3zHTkZmPXJFZDyWCYfkg9owVvoV9ho7N0kwPEuS7lnlbpvUsaL-KM Lew, A. (n.d.). Digital payment scene across Asean. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from http://www.alexlew.com/2019/06/digital-payment-scene-across-asean.html Noda, T. (2020, February 05). 17 E-Wallets in The Philippines You Should Know. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://fintechnews.sg/26724/fintechphilippines/e-wallets-in-the-philippines/ PinayTeenInvestor. (2020, March 3). 20 Top e-Wallets in the Philippines: Their Pros and Cons. Retrieved from https://pinayteenvestor.com/top-e-wallets-in-the-philippines/ Pineda, A. (2020, February 18). 15 Budgeting Tips: How to Budget Your Income and Expenses Effectively. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://grit.ph/budget/ The RinggitPlus Team. (2019, December 15). Frequently Asked Questions About E-Wallet Security, Answered. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://ringgitplus.com/en/blog/e-wallet/frequently-asked-questions-about-e-wallet-security-answered.html Staff Writer. (2020, July 19). Digital payment grows in Philippines amid COVID-19 fears. Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Digital-payment-grows-in-Philippines-amid-COVID-19-fears

Written by Jeff Alfonso Image Courtesy of Engr. Laurito Prof. Evelyn R. Laurito, Ph.D., former chair of the Chemical Engineering (ChE) Department retired from teaching after rendering 44 years of service at the University of Santo Tomas (UST). She was honored by Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., alongside 36 other faculty member retirees, in an online video tribute on Facebook last July 30, 2020. Starting in 1976, Prof. Laurito had the longest tenure among the roster of retirees. According to her, loyalty to the university and the love for teaching is what motivated her to stay in her profession. She also added that one has to strive hard to become a model to fellow teachers and be a passionate learning facilitator to students. “Grow academically, be an expert in an area that you love by finishing a masters and doctorate degree; do not get tired of learning,” she advised for faculty members who are just starting. When asked about her stay at UST, she said “I have spent the best years of my life as a student, teacher, and parent at UST; this is my second home and I have known no other.” It is also in the university where Prof. Laurito met her husband, Prof. Alberto Laurito, former dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and where her four kids finished their school from elementary to college. Apart from her teaching experiences, she also shared her personal encounter with three popes who visited the university. “I am happy that this is also where I have seen up close three popes, Pope Paul VI and Pope Benedict, when I volunteered as crowd martial; Pope John Paul II, who held my face and my husbands', and kissed my 4 kids, when our family was chosen by UST to give an offering related with Family Values in 1995.” During her stay, she was appointed as chair of the ChE department from 1990-2003, was the acting ChE chair from March – July in 2015, and officer-in-charge of the Industry, Government, Academe, Alumni Relations Program (IGAARP) from January - July in 2020. Prof. Laurito was also the former chair of various committees particularly textbook, library, and Conceive Design Implement Operate (CDIO) Initiative, coach of EdTech Educational, content manager of UST eLEAP, and adviser of the ChE Society (ChES). “I am giving a lot of e-Learning technology training now, it's one of the things I can pursue further,” she stated as part of her retirement plans.

Written by: Mary Andrew Dalogdog Metallurgical Engineers from the UST Graduate School presented their research projects in a plenary session entitled "Metallurgy: Minerals Project Presentation" held via Zoom last August 8, 2020. The event was attended by graduate and undergraduate Chemical Engineering students, some Engineering faculty members, and key people from the Curtin University - Western Australia School of Mines (CU - WASM) and Australia Awards. Officially starting the session was an opening remarks delivered by Prof. Maria Natalia R. Dimaano, Ph.D., Program Lead of the Graduate School Engineering Programs Cluster. Prof. Michael Anthony C. Vasco, Ph.D., Dean of the UST Graduate School, and His Excellency Steven J. Robinson AO, Australian Ambassador of the Philippines, gave a welcoming and congratulatory message, respectively. Afterwards, the following engineers presented their projects: Engr. Princess R. Parubrub, M.Eng.Sc. on "Separation and Purification of Scandium from Oxalic Leach Solutions of Nickel Laterite Process Residue"; Engr. Maria Joriza C. Bondoc, M.Eng.Sc. on "Technospheric Mining of Cobalt from Nonferrous Slag" and; Engr. Julius Christian Conrad A. Puentes, M.Eng.Sc. on "Rare Earths Recovery from Monazite Ore using Oxalic Acid with Multi-stage Rare Earths Oxalate and Hydrogen Peroxide Leaching." A question and answer portion was conducted through an open forum for the attendees of the session. Ma'am Milali Javellana, DPM, Program Director of the Australia Awards and Alumni Engagement Program - Philippines, gave her final congratulatory remarks. The session concluded with a closing remarks delivered by Mr. Richard D. Alorro, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer at Curtin University - Western Australian School of Mines. Engr. Aldrin Lorrenz A Chan, M.Sc hosted the event. Parubrub, Bondoc, and Puentes completed their Master of Engineering Science (Metallurgy) degrees at the CU - WASM under the "1+1" Dual Degree Program. Moreover, Bondoc and Puentes also attained the highest weighted average in the said program for the School Year 2019-2020.

Written by: Allen Atienza Most of us possess or are at least familiar with a scientific calculator, the tool for efficient computations of complex equations. In other words, you will be using it a lot in your days as an engineering student. The Scientific calculator is “smart”. It can calculate complex equations in a matter of seconds. HOWEVER, we have to be smart in how to use it as well. Our minds need to be familiar in keys, its shortcuts, and functions in order to use its full potential. Let us have a quick review over the parts: Basic parts of the scientific calculator (Casio fx-83ES) from https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/pluginfile.php/94799/mod_oucontent/oucontent/781/e8efec61/0d6daecf/figure13.jpg You can fiddle around with the keys, experiment around before or after trying calculator techniques. It is up to you. Once you are feeling comfy and familiar with your calculator, it is time to introduce some basic and essential calculator techniques/fundamentals. #1: PEMDAS Scientific calculators follow PEMDAS, the rule in which part of the equation is prioritized first. This is super helpful to keep in mind, because you can avoid solving complex problems part by part, and just solve it in one straight equation. You must also be very careful since inputting the equation wrong will definitely give you a wrong answer, so you have to be very confident in how you arrange your equations. #2: CONSTANTS and CONVERSIONS Most common calculators such as the CASIO fx-570ES, fx-570ES Plus, fx-115ES, fx-115ES Plus, fx-991ES, and fx-991ES Plus have conversion and constant functions with a list two-digit code number codes on the back of the calculator's slide cover. What you simply need to do is press SHIFT, then press CONV or CONST. When you do, the calculator will prompt you to enter a two-digit number code. What CONV does is you enter the value of a given measurement in order to convert it to its value in another mode of measurement (e.g. km to miles, inches to ft). The CONST function allows you to access numerical constants such as gravity. It saves you the trouble of having to memorize every single conversion and constant needed. #3: SHIFT SOLVE The list would not be complete without this infamous scientific calculator technique. Pressing SHIFT then SOLVE saves time on algebraic expressions. Do note that calculators such as fx-82ES fx-83-ES and other older models do not have this feature. If you can see SOLVE in your function keys, it means you can execute this technique. Let us use a linear equation for example. 0 = 4x2 +5 In order to generate an “=” sign in an equation, press ALPHA then CALC. Use the cursor keys to edit the equation to your liking. To input variables press ALPHA then ‘)’, which will generate a variable X. It is important that your variable is X because most calculators will only accept X as an inputted variable. As soon as you finish making your equation, press SHIFT then SOLVE. The value of X will then show itself. You can also use it for more complex situations such as parabolas and other curvilinear equations. #4: STORAGE OF VALUES In engineering, you will deal with a LOT of precise values. Normally, you write down values as exact as you possibly can. But sometimes writing can be tedious and time consuming, so we try to cut corners. We can avoid cutting corners by using the STORE function. To use it, you must first have a value on your output (the values showing on the lower right corner). If you have a value you want to store you can just input it then press =, which will display it on the output. Then, press SHIFT then RCL (which has STO as its shift counterpart), then press any variable present in your calculator (A, B, X, Y, etc.). Your input display would look like this: ANS -> A #5: CLEARING MEMORY Clearing the memory and history of a calculator isn’t technically a “technique”, but you need to do this every once in a while because your calculator has saved settings that might hinder your future solutions. Fortunately, you can clear its entire memory by pressing SHIFT then 9 (which alternate function is CLR). You will be prompted with 3 options; press 1 for Setup, press 2 Memory, and press 3 for All. Press 3 and all stored values and revert setups to computation mode. It’s a clean slate where you can reset and start again. BONUS TIP: EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BEST TEACHER. Practice makes perfect. Participation encourages growth. Simply having knowledge of the techniques will not help you bring out the best of your calculator. Ready your calculators when the professor is discussing, when you study old and new topics, and when you review for your exams. Nothing beats knowledge than experience. Professors occasionally teach you calculator techniques of their own, so it’s best ready to learn. You will not be fazed by complex problems if you have simulated lots of problems on your own using your calculator. There will be many calculator technique seminars, many people who use their calculators efficiently, and many struggles that you will only have your pen and calculator beside you. Make your scientific calculator your own, and use it the best you can. Sources: https://mathalino.com/article/calculator-engineering-board-exam https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=4256&printable=1 https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-clear-the-memory-on-a-scientific-calculator#:~:text=When%20one%20or%20more%20options,from%20scratch%20for%20optimal%20use.

Written by: Carlo Castillo Ilang linggo na lang at preliminaryong pagsusulit na, at tambak na rin ang gawaing pang-akademya. Nang malaman mong kanselado ang klase sa susunod na linggo, umapaw ang iyong tuwa. Sa wakas, makakapahinga ka na muna. Lahat ay sabik na sabik magsiuwi noon sa kani-kanilang siyudad at probinsya. Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, yun na pala ang huling araw ng klase. Ang mga ngiti sa iyong mukha ay unti-unti ring napawi. Ang ilang linggo ay nauwi na sa ilang buwang pagkabartulina. Ang pandemya ay mabilis na kumalat. Para itong isang magnanakaw sa madilim na gabi, walang habas sa pagkuha ng pangarap, plano, at buhay ng mga tao. Habang tumatagal napagtanto mong hindi lamang ang pandemya ang nag-iisang kalaban, nariyan din ang sarili at ang sistemang kinagagalawan. Noong una ang dami mong gustong gawin habang quarantine. Makakapanood ka na ng mga pelikula’t ibang palabas, makakatulog ka na nang walang sagabal, at makakapag-aral nang maayos tutal ikaw naman ay nasa bahay lamang. Akala mo magiging madali ang lahat, pero hindi mo alam ay simula na pala ito ng matinding kalbaryo. Ang dating puno ng pag-asa ay napalitan na ng pangamba. Pilitin man ang sariling kumilos, may mga araw na nakakapagod kahit wala ka namang ginagawa. Magpapatugtog na lamang ng musika, lalaksan ang volume, at pilit sasapawan ang ingay sa loob ng isip. Pumikit man ay nakikita pa rin ang mga senaryong ipininta ng iyong utak. Ramdam mo nang antok na ang iyong katawan, ngunit sadyang ayaw magpatalo ng iyong isip. Minu-minuto ipapatay-sindi ang cellphone, wala ka rin namang makakausap dahil panigurado ay tulog na ang iyong mga kaibigan at ayaw mo rin namang mangambala. Pagtingin sa orasan ay alas tres na nang umaga; susubukan na lang makatulog ulit dahil mamaya ay may online class ka pa pala. “Kaya ko pa ba?”; ang malimit mong tanong sa iyong sarili. Kinabukasan, pilit bubuuin ang pira-pirasong sarili. Kinakailangan mong sumali sa zoom meeting para makahabol sa klase kahit pa labag ito sa iyong kalooban. Alam mo rin naman kasi sa sarili mo na wala ka namang maiintindihan. Habang ang iba’y nakakasunod sa diskusyon ni ma’am, ang iyong isip ay lumilipad. Natapos na ng iyong mga kaibigan ang pinapagawang problem set, napanood na rin nila ang mga naka-upload na aralin, at nag-aaral na rin sila para sa nalalapit na pagsusulit. Samantalang ikaw ay walang usad. Bubuksan sana ang iyong laptop para kumilos, ngunit makikipagtitigan ka lamang sa itim na screen. Wala kang makitang repleksyon ng iyong mukha, blanko at madilim, hindi mo na makita kung saan ka pa tutungo o kung may papatunguhan nga ba. Sa kabila nito’y maaalala mo na malayo na rin ang iyong tinahak. Muli’t ipapapalala sa sarili ang mga pangarap sa buhay at aasang “sana matupad” ang mga ito. Ibaling man ang atensyon sa TV at social media, tila wala ka na ring makitang nangyayaring maganda sa paligid. Nakakawalang gana na rin ang mga balitang iyong natutunghayan. Nakakasawa ang bawat late night talks ni tatay, ni wala ka man lamang nasasagap na kongkretong plano maliban sa mura, pangungutya, at mga salitang walang katuturan. Habang talamak ang inkompetensya at kawalang-katarungan, patuloy pa ring naghihirap ang mga kapwa Pilipinong lalong nalugmok sa kahirapan. Napasara na ang “oligarkong” network, naipasa na ang batas laban sa “terorismo”, at nagkaroon na ng “mass recoveries.” Ngunit, libo-libong Pinoy pa rin ang walang trabaho. Habang hinuhuli ang mga lumalabag sa quarantine guidelines, malaya pa rin ang mga opisyales na napatunayang hindi sumusunod sa batas. Nakakagalit ang harap-harapang paglapastangan; hindi mo rin maiwasang ihayag ang iyong saloobin. Pero sabi ng iyong mga nakakatandang kamag-anak, “puro kayo reklamo, wala naman kayong ambag.” Kahit anong paliwanag ang iyong gawin, sa huli’y nananatili pa rin ang kanilang kulay dugong lente. Nais mo lang naman ng tunay na pagbabago, na magkaroon ng mabuting balita sa gitna ng kawalang-katiyakan. Matayog ang iyong pangarap para sa bayang sinilangan, ang makita itong tunay na malaya — “nawa’y ang mga ito nga ay mangyari.” Nalalapit na naman ang pasukan. Batid mong magiging mahirap lalo ang pagharap sa bagong normal — pisikal, mental, at sikolohikal man. Hirap man kayo ngayon sa pinansyal, ngunit gumawa pa rin ng paraan si itay at inay para may ipanghulog sa matrikula. Malabo man ang hinaharap pero may natitira pa ring liwanag sa iyong mga mata. Sa kabila ng iyong mga pinagdadaanan, nais mo pa ring matamasa ang inaasam-asam na toga’t diploma. Puno man ng takot at pangamba, may mahinang tinig na umaalingawngaw sa maingay mong isip na nagsasabing, “Hiraya Manawari.” Huwag mo sanang isipin na ang iyong nararamdaman ay hindi tama. Mahirap ang panahon ngayon at normal ang lahat ng iyong pinagdadaanan. Humingi ng tulong kung kinakailangan, alagaan at maging mabuti sa sarili, at higit sa lahat huwag sisihin ang sarili sa mga bagay na wala kang kontrol. Lubak-lubak at madilim ang iyong tatahakin. Maaari kang madapa nang paulit-ulit bago makarating sa patutunguhan. Huwag mong kalilimutan ang munting musmos na nakakubli sa iyong puso. Gaya ng isang paslit, madadapa, masusugatan, at iiyak ngunit babangon muli. Tandaan na hindi masama ang mangarap nang mataas para sa sarili at sa bayan. Ikaw si Crisostomo Ibarra na naniniwala sa kapangyarihan ng edukasyon upang maisaayos ang bansa. Kagaya naman ni Simoun, hawakan mo rin ang iyong lampara. Ngunit, gamitin mo itong instrumento ng pagbabago. Paalabin at panatilihin mong nagbabaga ang ningas nito at gamitin ang apoy ng pag-asa upang pailawin din ang lampara ng ibang tao. Ilang buwang pagsubok na ang iyong pinagdaanan. Marami ka na ring napagnilayan, nakita ang mga anomalidad sa paligid, at naranasan ang hirap ng buhay sa gitna ng pandemya. Batid mo sa sarili mo na mabigat ang iyong nararanasan, pati na rin ng libu-libo pang mamamayan sa panahon ng krisis. Nawa’y magsilbi ang lahat ng ito bilang panggatong upang patuloy na magliyab ang silakbo ng iyong damdamin, patungo sa iyong mga pangarap. Pansamantala, sabay-sabay muna nating hangarin ang pinakamalaking “sana mangyari,” ang makalaya sa kadena ng pandemya.

Written by: Aliah Nicole C. Brillante Having conducted the latter part of the second term and the special term of Academic Year 2019-2020, the Faculty of Engineering assures more confidence and readiness for the upcoming opening of classes on August 13, 2020. Part of the preparations being made by the faculty members of the different departments are intensive trainings and extensive workshops on lecture and laboratory delivery. Alongside this, adjustments on group-based activities, and student participation and assessments are also being observed. “Ngayong special term, marami kaming ginawang adjustments so kung ikukumpara mo yung conduct ng online classes between special term tsaka second term, malaki ang pagkakaiba [During the special term, we made a lot of adjustments, so if you would compare the conduct of online classes between the special term and the second term, there’s a notable difference],” Engr. Nelson Pasamonte, Mechanical Engineering department chair, said. “Ang masasabi ko lang more confident ang mga faculty ngayon sa delivery ng online classes [I can say that the faculty is more confident on its delivery of online classes],” he further added. Yet, Pasamonte also mentioned that a lot of adjustments are still needed to be made, especially if online classes spillover to the second term. Engr. Angelo Dela Cruz, Electronics Engineering (ECE) department chair, said the challenging part about online classes is addressing student assessment. “Last second term, we simply relied on student’s moral values and assumed that the results of the assessments reflect the learning of the students,” he stated. As for the new academic year, Dela Cruz told that the ECE department will be “focusing on giving open-ended assessments/exams to increase the level of integrity and use specially designed rubrics to assess the outputs of the students.” In addition to the aforementioned difficulty, according to Pasamonte, laboratory classes are the department’s main dilemma since it requires a hands-on approach. Yet, he also mentioned that they are recording teaching demonstrations and opening discussion boards for questions on the experiments and skill-based activities. Aside from providing academic advices, the faculty is also open for discussions on other concerns, such as the mental well-being of its students. “We aim to help alleviate, even a little, the mental stress to students caused by this pandemic. Hence, humanized, humorized, and help prevent mental health issues (3H-approach),” Dela Cruz stated. Contrary to the expected decline of the number of enrollees due to the pandemic, the faculty asserts that majority of the students are going to continue with the online learning. This is based on the surveys deployed by the different departments prior to the enrollment. The upcoming first term will be a blended asynchronous and synchronous teaching and learning approach. Synchronous meetings will be recorded so students who missed the actual lecture due to interconnectivity problems or other difficulties will be able to watch it at a later time. As for the concerns of some students’ lack of internet connection, it can be noted that the University of Santo Tomas provided data plans with free pocket WiFi to students who signed up for the “Connectivity Assistance Program.”

Written by: Allen Atienza The Philippines is surely transitioning into a digital phase, as schools aim to establish online classes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That is why UST and Acer Academy have put up a Faculty and Student Purchase Program (FSPP), setting discounts for laptops, along with an optional availing of coverage for accidental damage. As of now, there are no stocks that can be bought under the FSPP. However, Acer Academy has another incoming batch of stocks to the UST Community on a lower discount. With another opportunity open to students, here is a quick guide for those who are interested in purchasing their products. How to Avail? The contact details (email, phone, and telephone number) are provided below. You can also contact MICROSMITH TECHNOLOGY’s Facebook page on the details of their special discount as they are also resellers for Acer Academy laptops. Once you are in contact with them, you should be able to discuss the details of the transaction. You can pay for the laptop via a bank deposit or PAYPAL. However, using Paypal to buy a laptop is unavailable at the moment. As for delivery, the fee is 500 at a minimum in Metro Manila. Anywhere farther or in more remote areas will have an additional charge on the delivery fee, depending on the courier. You can expect to get your delivery within 5-7 days if you are in the NCR region, 7-10 days if you are in other provinces. For more details, you can refer to the contact details given in the links below. Details of the Discounts The discounts range from 2000 pesos to 6000 pesos, and the accidental damage protection ranges from 1450 pesos to 3700 pesos, depending on the price of the laptop. These go along with freebies, such as an Acer Laptop Bag, a mouse with mousepad, etc. The links provided below show you brochures of the different laptops available, along with their specifications. BROCHURE 1 BROCHURE 2 There are several laptops with discounts, which might make it hard for you to decide. Here is a guide to help you choose your laptop. Laptop Series Each laptop has its trademarks and features, so it would be helpful to know the background of the different series of laptops that Acer has. Travelmate Travelmate series revolves around one concept: durability. Travelmate laptop features a keyboard life of at least 10000 presses, hinge life (flip open to close) of 25 000 flips, and temperature tolerance of 60 Degrees Celsius. It can withstand falls of at least 1.22 meters. They are lightweight, portable, features a responsive keypad, and outstanding battery life. Although the hardware is better than most laptops, some users have reviewed the screen quality of the laptops being cheaper than what they paid for. All in all, if you are a person who isn’t the type to do work in just one place, TravelMate laptops will suit you just fine. Aspire The Aspire Series are laptops designed for everyday consumer life. Acer Academy discounted two models, Aspire 3 and Aspire 5. Multiple threads on the internet have suggested you make your decision based on your needs. They are nearly the same, with Aspire 3 having both the cheapest and most expensive choices. According to a discussion in the Acer community, the Aspire 3 is family-and-student friendly, while the Aspire 5 is the practical and mainstream choice. However, the Aspire series cannot be bought under a discount and will now be sold under their original price. Specifications The specifications and details are confusing to read, but there is a way to gauge what are the better choices. It is helpful to at least have background knowledge of what the different details mean so you can choose a laptop that you feel like will help you. Take note that these specifications have different functions, but these go hand in hand, so choose your combination of specifications wisely. Operating System (OS) The OS is important software that allows the hardware to be utilized. Windows 10 is the only available OS, so there isn’t much to be discussed. Windows 10 is a common choice among everyday consumers and professionals. Most companies like Adobe create specific programs so that professionals can do specific tasks such as programming and building design. Processor The Processor is the heart of any computer. A faster processor means your apps load quickly, and you can run multiple apps without experiencing lag. There are 5 processors available, Intel’s as well as Intel Dual Core Celeron, Pentium Silver, Intel Core i3, i5, and i7. Intel Dual Core Celerons are better, since it has two cores, means you can multitask more efficiently. On the other hand, Pentium Silver are power efficient processors, especially if you want a laptop with a long battery life. They might not be powerful enough for more heavy duty programs, but you can use them completely fine on web browsing and office work. However, if you want a more powerful processor, you might need to consider a processor from the Intel Core series. Intel Core i3 processors are more lightweight than the majority of the Intel Core series. They are suited for small PC builds, consuming less power, and generating less heat. Intel Core i7 processors are the most powerful processor of the batch, as it has powerful processing speed, making them suited for video editing, video gaming, and even virtual reality programs. If you want a balance of less power consumption and better processing, Intel i5 is the mix of i3 and i7 that you might be looking for. Memory The Random Access Memory (RAM), is the short-term memory that your laptop temporarily requires to run programs and files. The better it is, the more choices and smoother your experience will be. It is the limit of what your computer can do. The minimum RAM is 4GB, but you can upgrade it to 16GB, depending on your budget. Getting 8GB RAM is a safer recommendation, as there are many engineering programs, such as AutoCAD, that can be used more effectively with more RAM. Storage Storage is mostly self-explanatory, as it shows how much data (from programs and files) is available to use. Most laptops have at least 1TB of storage, and can even have more. Other than the Chromebooks, there are two types of storage devices for laptops, the Solid State Drive (SSD) and the Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Programs and applications stored on the SSD operate faster, while HDD requires a bit more time to process information. The SSD suffers if you don’t leave extra space on it, however. You can use both, using the SSD to store your applications and programs, and your HDD to store your documents and media files. Graphics You have 2 options on graphics cards, which are Intel HD Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce. Graphics cards impact the rendering of images. So for those who are into video games, image and video editing, you need to keep this in mind. NVIDIA is generally better when it comes to overall performance, so pick them if you want better graphics. If you are not using the laptop for programs that render images, pick Intel as it uses less power and gives you more battery life. Investment The last thing you want to think about is how much of an investment your laptop will be. Here are a couple of questions you want to ask yourself before buying; Do you need a (new) laptop? Do you want one for a short term or long term usage? What is your budget? What do you want to do with your laptop? How important will your laptop be in your education, and possibly your career? Are you willing to invest more or invest less money in your laptop? All in all, the features and specifications of your laptop are selling points in which you want to gauge your investment.

Written by: Laurence Gabriel Arellano Image courtesy of Marvin Joseph Sarsosa Trillana The University Athletics Association of the Philippines announced the suspension of the remainder of the season 82 last March 10, putting athletes in limbo regarding their playing career. The suspension affected student-athletes of different sports in different colleges and faculties who are about to show their skills during the “second semester” of season 82. The pandemic sparked different kinds of fears amongst the student athletes. Electronics Engineering student-athlete Marvin Trillana feared that contracting the disease would ruin his playing career. “Siyempre nandoon yung fear na magkasakit ka, kasi once na magkasakit ka, parang back to zero na yung training and condition mo.” the former UAAP Baseball Junior Champion said. Student athletes devised their own plans of keeping themselves in shape and condition during the pandemic. “May self-training ako sa umaga with my father tapos may group workouts din with the team using Zoom,” Trillana said, in an online interview. Student-athletes view that online workouts are easier, but not better. “Mas madali yung time management ngayon sa training and sa studies kasi walang hard training, kaya mas namamanage ko yung time ko ngayong pandemic.” Trillana added. “Ngayong online, hindi po kami nakakapagmatch talaga, puro exercises and footworks para macondition yung katawan, wala po noong actual combat na super importante.” UST Fencer Cedric Pasan said. UST Fencer Joseph Amores prefers online training instead of face to face training during this pandemic. “Sa online naman nakakapag footwork kami, hindi lang po talaga kami nakakapag actual game, pero mas maganda pa rin po sana yung face-to-face training.” The ECE student said. “Okay lang namang matagalan yung pagbabawal ng face-to-face training, para rin naman po sa safety natin ‘to.” He added.