Being raised exposed to sports, I never really had anyone telling me to pursue photography, let alone getting a degree in journalism. My plan was simple: train every day after dismissal, compete, and then, after getting out of high school, let life take its course on you.

Clearly, life had a different plan for me.

I will always remember my first time picking up a camera; it was like, as they say, love at first sight. Since I never owned a camera back then, I tried my best to get hold of one at every event, literally going through the ropes every chance I got.

After getting rejected by my high school publication, which was heartwrenching to say the least, I looked for other ways to cover events, working for the student council, providing special coverage for teachers, that was when the publication reached out to me again and asked if I wanted to be a contributor, the first ever title I will hold in my life.

Being a contributor means you can provide content for the publication, but you’re not officially part of it. For me, that was more than enough; that was my shot. I had no idea why I was this determined to cover our school events, but there was always this thrill that comes along with it, you get to be at the front seat of your school’s events, and most importantly of all, you get to document and let the whole community see.

That opportunity alone directed the future of this kid from San Mateo, who doesn’t even own any camera, let alone knows how to edit in Lightroom and use manual mode to take photos.

I always wanted to get into UST; it somehow felt like home for me, not too far from my previous school, culturally wise. I had my chance during SHS to go there, even bid farewell to my classmates, surprise, surprise, I chose to let go of my slot and stayed with my friends in Marikina.

Eventually, that turned out to be a formative choice as my last two years in my previous school gave me a glimpse of what lies ahead. It wasn’t great, had experimental content to produce, had my first taste of content being taken down, a recurring theme by the way, but it finally made me decide to let go of sports and pursue my passion in journalism.

Stepping digitally through the Arch of the Centuries, being part of the “pandemic batch,” it was a bittersweet moment since the Roarientation and Welcome Walk was always a freshie’s first experience in the multitude of events within the University.

Another two-and-a-half years of online learning wouldn’t hurt, right?

Well, it was more of a routine at this point.

It was hard, navigating through an entirely new environment digitally. Yes, you’re in a new college, but you can’t even explore the campus. Yes, you have new friends, but you can’t even meet them or go outside. Those years spent online zoomed by quickly, and the next thing we knew, we were finally allowed to live out the true Thomasian Experience.

Innovation, Passion, Dedication

(Photo of TomasinoWeb P.Y. 17)

TomasinoWeb has always been part of my plan in college, and I’ve known of its existence since high school. But I never knew that being a part of this organization would shape me into who I am today.

Starting out, I just wanted to continue what I like to do, taking photos of events at the University. But the level of skill and competition within the University is far too high, which forces me to up my game, a challenge more than welcome for me to take in.

I knew I wouldn’t have a hard time since I was surrounded by some of the most talented leaders and staffers in the University, from writers, artists, and photographers, they all had something to teach, and the content they put out goes a long way.

Being a student journalist is a humbling experience; comments can be harsh, work literally asks you to go beyond your position, and it’s a thankless job.

Thankless job indeed, I had my moments, considered resigning a lot of times, but at the end of the day, it’s those who you surround yourself with.

Maybe the true TomasinoWeb was the friends we made along the way.

I poured my love for sports into covering UAAP, four seasons of pure action and drama, something the organization gave me, which rekindled my dream of being an athlete while combining it with my current passion for photography and journalism.

Being part of the room where it happened

(Photo by Lance Bernardino/TomasinoWeb)

February 2024 brought TomasinoWeb into the national spotlight, not for content too extreme to see, but for a photo of two students entering a convenience store on the first day of the Type-B season.

The night this photo was posted, the page was already being contacted by some administrators, for many, that would be a normal periodical thing to happen for the Organization, but I never knew that this would balloon into something big.

Two meetings were held the next day, both of which made me overthink whether that was the end. But during those meetings, I was also accompanied by people who were trying their best for the Organization to stay alive.

Our then President, JC Zamora, despite being the direct hit from the administration, chose to fight and write for the sake of the Organization. I knew that it wasn’t easy because things were different this time, so I knew I had to play my part.

The week unfolded with many interviews from the mainstream media, and that’s when the gravity of the situation hit me. There were also many people who extended their help to us, we weren’t alone in this fight.

One thing happened after another, and I couldn’t thank those people enough who fought for us, for the overarching issue of press freedom, and for those who genuinely believed in what TomasinoWeb actually is.

From the classrooms to the streets, the support that surrounded us was so much that a simple message from that random classmate was enough to make me cry. Although I know that we still haven’t done much to repay them, I believe that those who will come next will continue what we stand for and what we fight for.

(Miguel Angelo Sumalinog, outgoing President)

Batch 2025’s Baccalaureate Mass was showered with disappointment and uncertainty, but throughout that storm, I was surrounded by the best of people who chose to smile and made the most out of the situation.

To my loving family, my Mom, Dad, Kayla, Lolo, Lola, Tita Taya, and all those who supported my ventures in life, thank you for giving me somewhere I can run home to whenever I needed the unconditional love, I’ll make sure to not waste all your efforts for me and one day repay you with good food and good memories.

To MJ, ang aking dating taga post na ngayon ay partner na sa buhay, thank you for being there no matter what, for being a shoulder I could lean on. You showed me that love can indeed go a long way, and taught me that I am never alone in this adventure we call life.

To my main UST tropa, Erwin, Barbs, Mau, Liam, thank you for giving me a reason to enjoy college life once more, for picking me up during the time when I was lost, and for all those random moments when we just agreed to do the craziest things our short time together has to offer us.

My dormies, Ruiz and Lance, thank you for making those sleepless nights worth it, the usual question of “Nasa dorm ba kayo?” I’ll miss 1605, and I’ll surely miss the memories we made together.

To Pao, Pat, Cha, Radi, Liana, and all of those who I got to work with in the publication the years, thank you for giving me an experience I will never forget, an experience that surely taught me how to work with various talented people in a system that puts you to the test. I’ll miss our work together and the quick “breaking” news that we had to make, and the coverage we had to cover.

Of course, to Xyrah, Ernest, Phillip, and Doc, some of the most influential people I had encountered during my four-year stay in UST. Thank you for believing in me and in what I can do. You guys are the best people I have, and I am so happy to call you my friends.

And finally, to TomasinoWeb, the love I poured for this Organization is something I will never regret. There may be its highs and a whole lot of lows, in the many paths I could’ve chosen in my college life, I still would choose this Organization in all of them. As I put my lens cap back on, I trust the next generation to capture Thomasian history as it unfolds.

Four years in UST. If I were to sum it up into one sentence, it was a rollercoaster of great moments, big learnings, and constant development, all congested into a myriad of experiences. I learned that it is okay to take the leap of faith, step out of your comfort zone, and move on when you feel like this isn’t the place for you anymore.

I’ll surely miss the walk from BGPOP to Dapitan after a grueling session of Media Law, a depressing feeling that was quickly replaced by laughter with friends inside our dorm room.

What comes next? I don’t know, but I’m sure that it will all be for the better. Wherever I may land in this chaotic world, I’ll always bring with me those who believed in what I can do and the teachings that came along with it.

We’ll stumble, we’ll fall, but that’s okay, that’s life. I know that the world is wide enough for all of us, and may we continue to remember to live for what we love and serve for the greater good.