1. Asst. Prof. Maureen Gelle-Jimenez, MA
The health crisis has affected each one of us in varying ways and levels. Problems with the magnitude of a pandemic are not easy to overcome, but keeping the bayanihan spirit alive enables us to hurdle the challenges and difficulties that come our way. Love, kindness, and prayers really go a long way. This has been a learning experience for all of us and I am hopeful that whatever it is that we have learned would lead us to become better, stronger, and wiser individuals.
2. Maria Ranja Victoria Porras, UST Economics Society President S.Y. 2021-2022
At times like this, everything seems like a hopeless case and that no matter what we do, nothing is going to improve our situation. When everything is falling apart, it’s easy to succumb to the darkness. But just as we reach the darkness, a beam of light would call to us, reminding us that we are strong and that we are not alone in this battle. It won’t be easy for the light to overpower the darkness. But it would prevail. Just like how you would prevail against your battle with negativity. Let us not forget that after every storm, there will be a rainbow, and a pot of gold will be waiting for us at the end of the rainbow.
3. Patrisha Louise Alindogan, 4M4 Class President S.Y. 2019-2020
Keep living your best life, even if it means that you will struggle. Keep living in joy and in pain as yin is to yang. You will realize that you needed whatever you had to go through to get you to where you’re destined to be. It always works out in the end, whether in the way you planned it or not. One day, you will look back and be surprised at how much in life you have survived, and it would be your greatest story to tell.
4. Emmanuel Tacsagon, Office of the Dean’s Clerk
To all the students who are at home with their families, make use of the time for bonding with your family members. Find time also to go over your academics. To those who are far from their families, keep in touch through your gadgets. And most of all, stay safe by staying at home and follow the orders of the government. Together we can defeat COVID-19 by constant prayer. With God, nothing is impossible.
5. Jhordya M. Soriano, Commerce alumna; Cum Laude - BSBA Major in Financial Management; Editor-in-Chief of the UST-Commerce Journal (Batch 2016-2017)
In these trying times, our overall wellness should be above all.
To anyone who is struggling, it’s okay not to be okay. Take a pause and take things slow. Build positive mental habits along the way. Wake up early and fold those sheets. Breathe in some fresh air (take advantage of the lessened air pollution) and stretch some muscles. Remember that we are at a time when self-preservation has become a privilege.
To anyone in the frontlines, we thank you for being on call. May you be free from any harm. To others who are well and healthy, please stay at home, wash your hands, and don’t forget to help others when you can. The only way to beat this pandemic is when we take care of each other. God bless you all!
6. Asst. Prof. E. Vivien S. Magbata, Ph.D., Department Chair
Our otherwise “normal” existence was stirred and affected beyond what we could have imagined months ago. We have been forced to deal with a situation that excused and spared no one. In Finance parlance, this is a “market risk”, external to us, therefore we cannot “diversify” nor eliminate [it]. But we can manage our reaction to it, as our self is currently the only thing we can influence. We take care of our physical health, our primary defense. Our mental health is to be looked after. Equally significant, check our spiritual health. This crisis will definitely leave us with lessons. No matter which Supreme Being we believe in, we recognize the inadequacy of our achievements as human beings.
The world will never be the same again … and someday, we will look back at this time in our [lives] and find meaning in this experience.