Chemical Engineering Performance Rate Lands at 64.55%; Kusuhara Ranks 6th

The University of Santo Tomas - Chemical Engineering Department (UST-ChE) garnered a satisfactory performance rate in the 2015 Chemical Engineering licensure examinations held last November 13-15.

According to the results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) on Novermber 23, UST-ChE got a 64.55% passing rate, a percentage equivalent to 71 passers out of 110 examinees, which is not far from than last year’s 69.7%.

A screengrab from the official results released by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Results in full may be viewed here.

The University of the Philippines-Diliman topped the exam with an 93.90% passing rate in which 77 out of 82 examinees passed. The national passing rate was pegged at 52.32%.

The rules set by the PRC states that a university must have an 80% passing rate with at least 40 or more examinees to be included in the top performing schools.

One Topnotcher from UST-ChE

One Thomasian, Leo Ryuji Dua Kusuhara of Batch 2015, ranked sixth (6th) in the list of top ten examinees, having achieved a 82.90% score. Efforts from the UST-ChE Department to improve the passing rate include a faculty-peer group review project (ExChEl), improved integration course, and a voluntary mock board exam which was facilitated by the ChE Department.

UST-ChES Holds Environmental Awareness Seminar

news by Queen Desiree Dalisay, Darwin Eugenio, John Edward Dupaya

photos by Darwin Eugenio

In line with an increasing demand for environmental awareness and sustainability, the UST Chemical Engineering Society – Community Development Committee (UST-ChES ComDev) held an environmental awareness seminar last November 12 aptly titled “TRAVERSE: Transformation vs Environment - A Chemical Engineer’s Responsibility on Environmental Awareness”.

The event was conceptualized by its project heads, John Andre San Miguel of 5ChE-A and Sam Denielle Tugaoen of 2ChE-D, both members of the Community Development Committee of UST-ChES. The project heads successfully managed to invite five distinguished guest speakers coming from various environment-related government agencies. The seminar was held at the Engineering Conference Hall of the University of Santo Tomas.

Engr. Dolores Velasquez focused on the Clean Air Act

The Speakers and Their Topics

The first speaker, Engr. Dolores Velasquez, OIC, Chief – Air Quality Management System of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) discussed the Clean Air Act and its relevance to the chemical engineering profession. She mainly emphasized the role of chemical engineers in preventing or curtailing air pollution. Engr. She emphasized that chemical engineers are often in the managerial position in a process and, aside from the sanitary engineers, chemical engineers can also sign the Air Quality Status Reports. She also explained the different testing parameters for the quality of air.

Engr. Divine Camarao focused on the Clean Water Act

She was succeeded by her partner, Engr. Divina “Divine” Camarao who proceeded to discuss the Philippine Clean Water Act and how the chemical engineering profession can be of great use to the wastewater treatment industry. The two engineers served as the first batch of speakers for Topic 1: “Chemical Engineer’s Role for the Environment”.

A 4th-year student asking a question in the first open forum.

Before the first batch of speakers was given a token of appreciation, a short open forum was held. Afterwards, a short intermission song number was performed by Gio Castillo and Pauline Losaria of the UST-ChES Performance and Recreations Committee.

Gio Castillo (seated) and Pauline Losaria (standing, right) performing
an intermission song number.

John Andre San Miguel (center-back) awarding the certificates to the two engineers.

The two engineers were succeeded by the next speaker, Rasheilla Yanina T. Antasuda, an Environmental Management Specialist II of the DENR-EMB. She mainly discussed Hazardous Waste Management and how chemical engineers can help implement Republic Act 6969 - "Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990."

Ms. Rasheilla Antasuda discussing RA 6969

An open forum for Ms. Rasheilla Antasuda

A game was held as an ice-breaker before the last set of speakers were called.

After a brief open forum for students with inquiries directed to Ms. Antasuda, a short intermission game was held to lighten up the mood of the conference attendees. Game winners won prizes supplied by event sponsors M Lhuillier and Clothesline. Afterwards, the last batch of speakers whose topics cover Nuclear Awareness and Nuclear Environmental Applications was introduced by the emcees. Engr. Haydee M. Solomon of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) discussed the applications of irradiation to the wastewater treatment industry. Her senior partner, Dr. Vangeline Kinilitan Parami, Ph. D., discussed about nuclear energy and its distinctiveness compared to coal and oil-based energy.

 Engr. Haydee Solomon (top) and Dr. Vangeline Parami Ph.D (bottom)

The last open forum for the third batch of speakers was held afterwards. A group photo was taken before the event was formally closed by the singing of the UST hymn.

A photo collage of the events that transpired during the last open forum session.

Reaction of the Project Heads

Being quite an environmentalist herself, Sam Tugaoen of 2ChE-D, one of the two project heads, is optimistic that the seminar instilled a lot on the minds of her fellow chemical engineering students just as much as it did in hers. She hopes that the seminar left an imprint on the minds of the attendees, take what they heard and put it into action, for they will primarily be agents of the environment.  She also said, “As chemical engineers, dapat tumutulong tayo sa mga ways [to reduce pollution], yung knowledge natin, dapat gamitin natin to help our environment and our country.”

John Andre San Miguel of 5ChE-A, one of the two project heads, expressed immense gratitude to all the people, friends and co-members of ChES, who helped in the event. “[Thank you so much] to my supportive friends na nagpromise umattend kahit busy sila[,] to all those who attended the seminar. [Hindi] talaga ako makapaniwala napuno yung [Engineering] Conference Hall.” he said in social media.

Throughout the entire seminar, plenty of advice and explanations about the need of awareness in the environment was given to future chemical engineer majors. The main overarching theme, giving importance in protecting the environment, was successfully discussed by the three batches of speakers.

UNSEEN: UST ChES Holds Grand Acquaintance Party 2015

news by Jardine Bonifacio

The UST Chemical Engineering Society (UST-ChES) held its annual acquaintance party last October 29, 2015 at Elements at Centris in Quezon City—an anticipated event, with the theme, “Blacklight Party”, where students were asked to wear something that will glow under the UV light.

Despite the heavy traffic jam in the metropolis, the students were still able to attend the party, which began at 6 o’clock in the evening. The program was graced by an invocation led by Carlaine Cruzado and JP Tagapan, followed by the national anthem and to officially start the event, all students warmly welcomed Carla Rae Evaristo, the Senior Internal Vice President of UST-ChES, proudly announced in her opening remarks that this year’s grand acquaintance (GA) party had left a mark in UST ChE’s history for having all the tickets sold out and was even asked to produce more. The party had been even more entertaining with the presence of the ChE Department professors; some were even up for song and dance numbers which made the whole ChE crowd in the mood for more.

Members of the ChE Faculty having fun with the ChE Students’ Grand Acquaintance Party

Photo Credits: Carl Rosales (UST-ChES Memdoc)

The party never went dull with the presence of the two jubilant hosts, Jerrod Rivera and Aldjon Yap, who helped the organizers bring life to the activities prepared for the students. There were three activities prepared for everyone: the Lights Camera Act Song, Categorical Order and Sing-A-Zoo, which kept everyone active before the buffet table were opened for dinner.

Before dinner, the first intermission number of the night was performed by the ChE Chorale members, Carlaine Cruzado, Jericho Zacarias and Jaymarie Aera Baquiran. For a better ambience while having dinner, 6 song numbers were prepared by some ChE students, namely, Ervin Jayag and Pauline Losaria with John Raphael Manuel playing the guitar; Nickole Codico with Ariane Shayne Arenas playing the piano; Jay Russell Avendaῆo, who made the crowd go wild with his rendition of Night Changes; Aliquot, a band consisting of 4 members: Judge Bradley Chua, Ronald Ryan Noriega, Vincent Clark Padrigon and Anthea Bettina Fresnoza; the Jacket Club and lastly, the Baltimore, where Harvey Lechago and Mark Jed Dela Cruz and Patrick Dela Cruz are its members. Thereafter, Engr. Emile Punzalan, the department chair, together with the Jacket Club, had prepared a piece entitled “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5 that made the audience sang along with him.

Engr. Mark Emile Punzalan, ChE Department Chair, with some ChE students, performing Maroon 5's "She will be loved"

Photo credits: Jobie Tuscano  (UST-ChES Memdoc)

The dinner was followed by the pageant kick-off that had been divided into two parts, particularly the lights-off ramp and the introduction of candidates. All sections and year levels cheered for their different bets for the upcoming ChE Pageant 2016.

Before the shindig had started, everyone was simply surprised for the outstanding performance showcased by the ChE Dance Crew, which turned all the students to groove on the dance floor as the beat dropped signalling that the party had already begun. The rave, which started around 9:30 in the evening, ended at 12 midnight. The ChE students all conveyed the same message about their acquaintance party—it was indeed an amazing night to remember.

The UST-ChES Quality Assurance Committee served as the main facilitator of this year's grand acquaintance party.

UST-ChE Department Holds Mock ChE Licensure Examinations

news by Darwin Eugenio and Dana Pineda
photos by Merryl Marquez (The Reaction Photojournalist)

In line with its efforts to improve the performance of the university in the licensure examinations, the UST Chemical Engineering Department along with the UST Chemical Engineering society – Student Affairs Committee hosted a three-day mock Chemical Engineering Licensure Examinations last October 20 to 22.

Originally scheduled to start as early as October 19, the mock licensure exams were delayed by a day due to the suspension of classes in the university during the onslaught of Typhoon Lando (Koppu). The three day examination pushed through on October 20, Tuesday. The examination was held in the General Chemistry Laboratory (Lab 9) and was primarily facilitated by designated Chemical Engineering students with an hourly shifting.

Examinees from ChE Batch 2015 during Day 2 of the
mock board exams

On the first day of the examinations, fifty-eight (58) out of sixty-five (65) registered examinees took the exam. The first day of the examination covered Physical and Chemical Principles, and lasted for five hours. On the second day of the examinations, fifty-five (55) registered examinees took the exam. Unlike Day 1, the second day of the examination lasted for a full ten hours as the coverage included core Chemical Engineering questions. On the final day of the examinations, fifty-nine (59) examinees took the exam which lasted for five hours and covered General Engineering principles and problems. In order to fully emulate the actual ChE licensure exams, examinees were required to use Mongol #2 Pencil and were required to eat their lunch or snacks inside the examination room as exiting the room except for lavatory reasons is prohibited.

Engr. Noel Sabarillo, a member of the ChE Faculty, oversaw the smooth facilitation of the three-day examinations. He led the checking of the exam papers an hour after the Day 3 Examinations ended. When asked about the results, Engr. Sabarillo said on Saturday that the results will be released in due time. (The Reaction correspondent got a peek of the results but was asked not to reveal any information.)

Engr. Sabarillo noted that some examinees who pre-registered failed to take fully all three exams due to many reasons. “Yung iba may klase, ‘yung iba may interview. May conflict sa iskedyul kaya ‘di nakapunta.” he said. He also noted the difference of the mock ChE board exams compared to the Integrated Course (ChE600) – a two-unit course offered to 5^th-year students in the second semester, saying “May mga ibang subjects kasing kasabay ang [Integrated Course], kaya di maka-focus ang mga estudyante. Hindi pa sila arál na arál. Ito kasing [ChE Mock Board Exams], tinatayang nakapag-aral na [para sa boards] ang mga estudyante.”

The 2015 November ChE Licensure Examinations will be held on November 13 to 15, 2015.

In 2014, the USTChE program garnered a 69.12% overall passing rate in the ChE licensure examinations.

UST-ChE Students Showcase their Sports Talents

news by Ezekiel Escoto and Patrick dela Cruz
photos by Bessie Mae Jose, Rica Glen Marchan, Erika Torres, Lara Lampano (UST-ChES Memdoc)

The Performing Arts and Recreations Committee organized a two-part event entitled “DRIVE: The ChE Varsity Tryouts 2015” held on September 11 and 18 at the Bombers Court Sampaloc, Manila that seeks to manifest the skills of Chemical  Engineering Students in basketball and volleyball.

Due to the exit of the senior players, respective teams in both volleyball and basketball need to fill the gap in order for them to compete in the next tournaments. In lieu of this, the feisty young aspirants, who are ready to take their game to the next level, lit their own fire as they show off their athletic side. Players who will be effective in the system will crack a spot on the team.

The Basketball team, led by team captain John Philip David and coach Nico Sardea, took out the gas from the cagers as they work on their drills to school their conditioning and fundamentals (shooting, dribbling, passing & etc.). Group workouts and scrimmages were done to promote communication and chemistry between the players on and off the court. Being a former hoopster of the team, Coach Sardea instigated the players that will push them to ball harder. ”Mahalaga ang disiplina sa bawat laro, kailangan tapusin niyo ang drills nang maayos, kung dito pa lang di niyo na magawa paano kapag actual game na.”, he stated.

After the successful 2 day tryouts, a 20-man training pool was screened from the hopefuls. The twenty (20) fortunate members include eight (8) players from last year’s roster and twelve (12) rookies.  Remarkable players stood out from the crop with their uncanny ability in each aspect of the game that will definitely help the team grab some W’s. Known as the team that lacks outside shooting, Gio Castillo and Kaile Miralo showed some brilliance by splashing a number of triples. Denzel Soliaban, Angelo Orallo and Toffee Paddayuman can pull off the run and gun with their speed and leaping ability. Nursing the paint with their size and post offense were Biel Dar and Alec Cortez. RJ Loring and Miguel Gloria slashed their way to the basket by being crafty with the ball which may attract defense away from the outside shooters. The 12-man lineup will be picked rigidly after a series trainings and evaluation.

Volleyball team

For volleyball, the torch was passed on to the triumvirate of Ian Micaller, Jerina Pangilinan and Daljit Singh; all of which are fifth year students. Their experience and volleyball IQ will surely help in leading the team. When asked about the performance of this year’s players, co-captain Ian Micaller said “Mas bonded, more improved, magagaling yung mga bata.”

Twelve (12) students tried out for the team. Notable potential recruits include: Eloisa Sariño and Dan Taplacido, known for their offence and defense skills, Thomas Mercado who possesses tremendous vertical leap and Trisdale Wong who has the potential to be one of the team's primary setters. This year's Engineering women's volleyball team captain, Renzi Barotac, also showed interest in joining the team, her being on the team this year will mean a solid lineup. Add the fact that the team will have regular training; and there the Chemical engineering department may have a title contender.

A ChES graphical announcement on the results of the tryouts.

Volleyball and Basketball final squads will represent the Chemical Engineering Department in the annual Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineering Olympics (PiChElympics) and Engineering Sportsfest. Athletes who will land a spot on any team will be acknowledged through the UST ChES Page.