The Varsitarian
Circulation 25,000 copies per issue | | |
Website | www.varsitarian.net |
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The Varsitarian (Varsi, The V, or V) is the official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Founded in January 1928 by a group of students led by Jose Villa Panganiban, it is one of the first student newspapers in the Philippines. It is published fortnightly. The lampoon issue is called The Vuisitarian. Tomas U. Santos, the mascot of The Varsitarian, is a Thomasian who represents the students of the campus. He is usually seen accompanied by a talking, and quite cynical, T-square.
Aside from publishing the school paper, The Varsitarian holds the Inkblots national campus journalism fellowship, hosts the Cinevita Film Festival, and organizes the Pautakan, the longest-running campus-based quiz contest in the Philippines. It also organizes Ustetika, the country's longest-running university-based literary competition, and the Creative Writing Workshop, which celebrated its 10th year in 2014.
The Varsitarian also publishes other editorial supplements such as Montage, Tomasino, Breaktime, Amihan, and Botomasino.
History
The first issue of the Varsitarian came off the press on January 16, 1928, with Pablo Anido as the first editor in chief. However, the title of the "father of the Varsitarian" is given to
The Varsitarian co-founded the College Editors Guild of the Philippines on July 25, 1931, along with
Previously limited on publishing articles on university issues, the Varsitarian started reporting on national issues as well during the 1960s and 1970s.[1]
Through the years, the pages of The Varsitarian would be graced by the likes of: Teodoro Valencia, Joe Guevarra, Felix Bautista, Jose Bautista, Joe Burgos, Antonio Siddayao, Jess Sison, Jullie Yap-Daza, Antonio Lopez, Rina Jimenez-David, Neal Cruz, A. O. Flores, Jake Macasaet, Fred Marquez, Mario Hernando, Alfredo Saulo, Alice Colet Villadolid, and Eugenia Duran-Apostol. The titans of Philippine literature learned writing in "the Varsitarian": Bienvenido Lumbera, F. Sionil José, Celso Al Carunungan, Ophelia Alcantara-Dimalanta, Paz Latorena, Cirilo Bautista, Federico Licsi Espino, Wilfrido Nolledo, Rogelio Sicat, Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Norma Miraflor, Eric Gamalinda and Vim Nadera.
In March 2001, a Varsitarian article with information obtained from whistleblower
The Cultural Center of the Philippines' Encyclopedia for the Arts has an entry for The Varsitarian, the only school paper in the country to be listed.[4]
Amid the national debate on the merits of the
Extra-editorial activities
Inkblots
The Varsitarian hosts the annual Inkblots, a journalism workshop catered to campus journalism. The first Inkblots was held in 1999. In its 2011 edition, lecturers included musician and journalist
Cinevita
Starting from 2007, the paper hosts the Cinevita Film Festival, its annual film program. Its 2011 lineup included films Peñafrancia: Ikaw ang Pagibig by
Pautakan
The Varsitarian organizes the Philippines' longest-running campus-based quiz contest called Pautakan. Almost all of the universities' constituent colleges and faculties participate in the event. The hosts for the 2011 event were former
Ustetika
Ustetika is the country's longest-running university-based literary competition, founded by Vim Nadera in 1986. It bestows UST's highest literary award for students, the Rector's Literary Award. In 1997, the 1st Parangal Hagbong was introduced during the 13th Ustetika Awards to pay tribute to two great Thomasian writers, Rolando Tinio and Rogelio Sicat.
Creative Writing Workshop
The Creative Writing Workshop, formerly the Fiction Workshop, started some time in 2004 and recently celebrated its 10th year in 2014. Its name was officially changed in its 9th year in 2013. It is an exclusive workshop facilitated by premier poets and fictionists for 12 to 16 Thomasians. Some of the panelists who graced the workshop include Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, Carlomar Daoana, Jun Cruz Reyes, Eros Atalia, Joselito Delos Reyes, Rebecca Añonuevo, and Vim Nadera.[12]
References
- ^ a b Ma. Guerrero, Amadis (2007-02-12). "Saga of the campus press". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "History". College Editors Guild of the Philippines. n.d. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ Pangalangan, Raul (2010-08-05). "Mandatory ROTC? Remember Mark Chua". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "Campus press history exhibit at UST Museum". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ Sauler, Erika (2012-10-09). "UST student paper calls Ateneo, La Salle lemons and cowards". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ Lapeña, Carnela (2012-10-09). "UST publications adviser apologizes for 'Varsitarian' editorial". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "UST disowns Varsitarian's stance vs 'lemons, cowards'". Rappler. 2012-10-13. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "Varsitarian holds campus journalism fellowship". Manila Bulletin. 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "UST's Varsitarian to hold 'Inkblots 2009'". ABS-CBNnews.com. 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "UST Varsitarian holds CineVita 2011". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2011-03-13. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "Sanlo @18 enshrines statue of San Lorenzo". Manila Bulletin. 2011-02-28. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
- ^ "10th Creative Writing Workshop: 'Go back to the basics'". The Varsitarian. The Varsitarian. Sep 15, 2014. Retrieved Nov 26, 2014.