This year another graduate in the university made it to the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP). She is Jihan Santanina Santiago, a decorated graduate of the university in April 2010 being BSFT magna cum laude and recipient of various awards like the Most Outstanding Student Award, Outstanding Leadership Award and for having an undergraduate thesis adjudged as most outstanding in Applied Science category in the search conducted by the Phi Delta Honor Society of Science.
An annual phenomenon, the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines are selected from the array of exceptional Filipino students – those who are academically excellent and are manifesting leadership abilities, social responsibility and moral values. A search is conducted to facilitate in determining them.
A project supported by the RFM Foundation, CHED, the Rotary Club of Makati Central, the National Bookstore, and the RFM Group of companies, the TOSP program accordingly honours these ten selected outstanding students through the TOSP Awarding Ceremony, with this year held on October 7 at the Heroes Hall of the Malacañang Palace, Manila. The country’s recent president, His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III personally handed over the award. Ms. Santiago got a plaque for being in the TOSP while Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, VSU’s president received the certificate of recognition given by the TOSP National Executive Committee in gratitude of VSU’s contribution to the success of the 2010 TOSP National Program.
Being the second student in the university’s college to enter the TOSP, Ms. Santiago reveals in an interview that being in TOSP was beyond her expectation as she explains, “VSU does not have a yearly nominee for the search and this fact made me think that it is not really easy to be in the shortlist.” However, she did not deny that she had hoped for it as she disclosed, “It fascinates me to see excellent people displayed in tarpaulins or streamers in front of our university, and, since I was a kid excellence has been inculcated in my mind by my father, and that I consciously dreamt more of becoming just like them.”
Seeing her TOSP recognition as greater responsibility rather than fame and honor, Ms. Santiago has set it as a link for her personal campaign against degradation of the environment and of the youths’ demeanour. Says Jihan, “Contributing in my small ways for a healthy environment and a bright future for the next generation is what I desire to leave as a legacy that is why I consider it as a sign of my life-long service commitment to my countrymen.”
Part of her campaign plans is replicating the principle of the organization that she used to steer as student – the Terrestrial and Aquatic Restorations by Students Immersed in Environmental Reforms (TARSIER) in their hometown and its nearby towns. “Through TARSIER I will help implement rainforestation in the whole island of Pilar for its watershed and habitat restoration, then, promote and expand it to the neighboring municipalities of Poro, Tudela and San Francisco in Camotes Cebu,” she discloses. While Ms. Santiago, as graduate in Food Technology wants to involve herself in a project on food safety and other food related issues in the communities she mentioned.
Meanwhile, Ms. Santiago studies MS in Food Science and Technology and works as instructress at the Department of Food Science and Technology in this university.
