To Love Again

AKO'Y ISANG TOMASINO
by Gerardo M. de Leon
Vocal: Sam Velarde
Piano: Darryl Paloay

Verse 1
Nalagpasan mo ang mga pagsubok
Di mabilang na mga bagyo
Kahit ilang baha man ang danasin
Kasaysayan mo'y hindi kayang anurin

Verse 2
Ang 'yong sahig, dingding, mga pintuan
Saksi sa yong dakilang nakaraan
Tinamnan ng tama puso't isipan
Mga bayaning sa silong mo ay nanahan

Chorus
Nag-iisa ka lang
Pinagpalang Pamantasan
Apat na siglo nang nagtuturo
sa kabataan
Pagmamahal sa Diyos,
Karunungang may dangal
Ako'y nagagalak matawag na
Isang Tomasino!

Verse 3
Ang ngalan mo'y hindi nadudungisan
Ilan mang siglo pa ang magdaan
Dahil ika'y Kanyang iniingatan
Tunay kang binasbasang paaralan

Chorus
Nag-iisa ka lang
Pinagpalang Pamantasan
Apat na siglo nang nagtuturo
sa kabataan
Pagmamahal sa Diyos,
Karunungang may dangal
Ako'y nagagalak matawag na
Isang Tomasino!

Coda
Nagsisilbi sa kapwa
Naglilingkod sa bayan
Nagmamahal sa Diyos
May karunungan, may dangal
Ako'y nagagalak
Ako'y isang Tomasino!


Just this afternoon, I attended the orientation for Freshmen Travel Management students and parents of UST-CTHM. I actually went out of my way to be there. I was telling Alex, “May makakapunta kaya dito?” as it was held on a weekday and at one o’ clock in the afternoon.

Surprisingly the auditorium was jam-packed. I couldn’t help but burst with pride when Rev. Fr. Romulo Rodriguez O.P., JCD, the Regent, asked if anyone of us graduated from UST. I think there were only 3 or 4 of us who stood up. Even though it was a different college, it still felt like a homecoming to me. Most of the administrators and faculty members were Thomasians like me.

Never mind if it was a two-hour trip from San Pedro. I was glad to be there. When they played the UST Quadricentennial Song and the UST Hymn one after the other, I was almost teary-eyed. As I introduced myself to the College Secretary, Atty. Gezzez Giezi G. Granado (a UST BS Tourism graduate who claims he initially wanted to be a flight attendant but took up Law instead) and to Mr. Fredeswindo Medina, the Chairperson of the Travel Management Program, I told them, “Nabubuhay po ang Thomasian spirit ko.”

No eklavu, no chorva. It is true. On our way home, I was happily narrating to Alex the almost-four hour experience inside the Albertus Magnus Bldg. (that’s Educ building to the “older” Thomasians) auditorium. Now I understand why some parents prefer to enroll their children to their alma mater. It’s really like coming home, walang mapagsidlan ng tuwa, pagmamalaki, at pagmamahal. Lalo na siguro kung nag-AB si Cae.

Napakasarap maging Tomasino. I love you USTe.