TIGERS FOREVER

IT WAS late Monday afternoon and despite the deadline, the people in the GMA 7 newsroom were still glued to the television, watching the thrilling rubber match between the UST Growling Tigers and the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles. Among them was UST Journalism graduate Sandra Aguinaldo, who literally ignored her deadline to cheer the Tigers.
Meanwhile, Join the Club frontman Biboy Renia and his former classmates were lucky enough to secure seats inside the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum to witness game 3. With people still queuing for already sold-out tickets outside the venue, he could not care less about his far-flung general admissions seat.
Aguinaldo and Renia were just two of the countless UST alumni who showed that graduating from the University does not necessarily mean putting out the burning school spirit as well.
Three cheers…
Just when Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia, a 1987 AB Philosophy graduate and current director of the Archdiocese of Manila’s Center for Exorcism, thought he would need to muster all his abilities to exorcise the bad “spirits” haunting the Tigers, with death taking John Lee Apil unexpectedly and typhoid fever striking key players, UST ended its misfortunes with an exciting Finals win.
The Tigers were underdogs at first but with a never-say-die attitude and the “three ps” of Coach Pido Jarencio— Pride, Puso, Palaban—the Tigers wowed the Thomasian community and the whole nation .
“The recent victory was sweeter because the team was perceived as an underdog at first, ‘yun pala, Growling Tigers talaga,” Aguinaldo said.
Bethune “Siot” Tanquincen agreed. He said the Tigers displayed the heart of a champion even if everyone had counted them out.
“They really showed big hearts in the way they played during the tournament by not giving up when everybody else doubted them,” said Tanquincen, who was part of the 1993 Growling Tigers squad which had an unprecedented 14-0 sweep of the elimination round en route to the championship.
And what better way to celebrate this win with a victory party/concert held last Oct. 4, which was graced by topnotch local bands, among these, Join the Club, which is composed of Renia, Pao Santiago, Migs Mendoza and Congie Lulu.
“We stayed until the celebration ended, and we could definitely feel the triumph and success,” said Renia, who entered UST in 2001 as a Music major.
Meanwhile, former Senator Francisco Tatad, an AB Philosophy alumnus and former Varsitarian literary editor, felt it was time for UST to reign again in UAAP’s men’s basketball.
“It’s about time Santo Tomas made it to the top,” Tatad laughingly said. “The UST team was excellent in the past and I hope this is the beginning of recovering the Tigers’ old glory.”

Victory!
Seated among a sea of blue along the patron bay, director Gil Portes heard a face-painted Atenean shout, “Tuition mo, allowance ko lang!”
He was enraged and the famous film director cried “Cut!”
“I immediately reprimanded the girl for branding Thomasians as economically challenged,” he said.
Eventually, UST had the last laugh.
After bowing to Ateneo in the first round of eliminations by 36 points, nobody thought that UST would fight back.
It was utter happiness for Aguinaldo, who teased his Atenean nephew. Tanquincen also ribbed his brother, who is an Ateneo graduate.
Tatad, who is not much of a sports fan, had not much to say before the final game between UST and Ateneo. With two of his children being true-blue Ateneans, he was virtually overpowered in the house.
“But when my children came home and they were very quiet, I said, that means you lost and we won!” Tatad said as he recalled letting out a boisterous laughter to tease his children.
However, for Victor Emmanuel Carmelo “Vim” Nadera Jr., former Varsitarian editor in chief and current director of the University of the Philippines Institute of Creative Writing, the Tigers’ win was more monumental for debuting coach Alfredo “Pido” Jarencio.
“Sa ganang akin, parang nakabawi siya sa pagtatagumpay nila sa UAAP,” he said of Jarencio, who never tasted a UAAP title as a Glowing Goldie.

Real to reel
Despite being cellar dwellers after the opening round, the Tigers proved that they have what it takes to become UAAP champions. Their dedication to fight back through adversity inspired Portes.
“I heard them (Tigers) mumble their prayers and it really moved me,” said the 1965 AB Philosophy graduate, who always sat at the patron’s bay.
The Tigers’ miracle run has inspired him to come up with what he does best: a movie. As director of world-acclaimed movies such as Mga Munting Tinig, Gatas sa Dibdib ng Kaaway, and Saranggola, making the movie seems an easy task for Portes. However, it could be his biggest challenge yet—for he will be working with non-professional actors in coach Jarencio and the Tigers.
“It is not a technical film on how to win a championship, but about the hard work that one does to achieve victory,” he said.
Under the tentative title of The Underdogs, the documentary-drama will feature Jarencio and the Tigers’ fabled journey to the UAAP Men’s Basketball championship, UST’s first in a decade.

Inspiring crowd
The overwhelming alumni support for the Tigers from noteworthy Thomasian professionals, media personalities to big-league basketball players, really wowed the triumphant Tigers, particularly finals MVP Jojo Duncil.
“Seeing them (alumni) during the games boosted our morale and somehow eased the pressure on us,” Duncil told the Varsitarian, referring to former Tigers Dennis Espino, Chris Cantojos, Nino Gelig, Cyrus Baguio, Gilbert Lao, Mel Latoreno, and Gerard Francisco.
“Their presence was very valuable to us,” Duncil said. “Being their successors, they gave us strength.”
In a UAAP championship series where UST was tagged as an underdog, the alumni proved that they could ignore work and troop out from their busy offices and comfortable abodes, rain or shine, to don the University’s colors and cheer their hearts out for the Growling Tigers. Despite long ticket lines, power interruptions, and typhoon Milenyo, they showed that no amount of misfortune could dampen their support for their beloved alma mater.



The Cover



The Back Cover