20/09/2026
A First Week of Listening and Service: Fr. Aytona assumes Office at UST General Santos
Rev. Fr. Christopher Jeffrey L. Aytona, OP, STL, MA, began his first week as Associate Vice Rector for Administration of UST General Santos with a firm commitment to listen, understand, and serve.
During his first week, he met personally with the Associate Vice Rectors, directors of academic and administrative units, and members of the institutionβs various offices. Each unit presented its functions, responsibilities, accomplishments, and plans for the academic year. They also shared the challenges they face, while Fr. Aytona sought to determine how his office might assist in addressing them.
These consultations served a purpose beyond familiarization with the institutionβs operations. They were intended to foster a culture of collaboration among offices that, while distinct in their responsibilities, share a common mission: to advance the work of the institution and serve the Thomasian community with competence, commitment, and compassion.
Strengthening Institutional Processes
Several initiatives were introduced to promote coordination, consistency, and institutional identity.
Foremost among them was the adoption of a unified correspondence format aligned with that of the Office of the Secretary-General of the University of Santo Tomas. The measure promotes uniformity in official communication and reinforces UST General Santosβ ties to the traditions and standards of the University.
Fr. Aytona likewise initiated the establishment of an institution-wide Events Committee and a Crisis Management Team. He also emphasized the importance of processes governing the recognition of student organizations and of the institutionβs compliance with Commission on Higher Education guidelines on off-campus activities. These measures aim to ensure that programs are properly coordinated, responsibly implemented, and consistent with the standards expected of a Thomasian institution.
The newly organized Events Committee has since begun its work. Its initial meeting brought together key offices for the preliminary planning of Paskuhan 2026, one of the most anticipated celebrations in Thomasian community life.
Engaging Students and the Wider Community
Fr. Aytona also underscored the importance of strengthening the public presence of UST General Santos. As the institution continues to grow in Mindanao, he emphasized the need to make its mission, programs, and identity more visible to the communities it serves.
Students hold a central place in this effort. Fr. Aytona gave particular attention to empowering student volunteers and recognized student organizations, regarding them as important partners in carrying the Thomasian mission beyond the campus. Through organizations, service initiatives, outreach programs, and advocacies, students put their Thomasian formation into practice and bear witness to the values they have received.
Each student volunteer, each recognized organization, and each meaningful community engagement extends the reach of Thomasian education in Mindanao. Such education is not confined to classrooms, laboratories, or offices. It is expressed wherever Thomasians serve, lead, and contribute to the life of the community.
Affirming Thomasian Identity
Underlying these initiatives is a sustained emphasis on Thomasian identity. Fr. Aytona stressed that every program, activity, and communication of the institution should reflect this identity. Thomasian identity is more than a name or an affiliation; it is lived in the manner by which the institution serves its students, engages its communities, and carries out its work in fidelity to its Catholic and Dominican heritage.
Rooted in the pursuit of truth, this identity finds expression in competence, commitment, and compassion. It calls the institution to excellence while remaining attentive to the needs of others. It likewise affirms that education is not merely the transmission of knowledge, but the formation of persons prepared to serve society with integrity and generosity.
During the same period, Fr. Aytona worked to ensure the smooth implementation of transactions and activities among the units under his supervision. Efficient administration, in his view, is itself a form of service: when offices work together with prudence, clarity, and purpose, the institution is better able to fulfill its educational and pastoral mission.
The Way Forward
The work ahead will require continued dialogue, coordination, and shared responsibility. The direction set during these first days, however, is clear.
UST General Santos is called not only to bring quality education to Mindanao but also to bring with it the spirit and mission of the University of Santo Tomas. That mission is carried forward in every classroom, every office, every student organization, and every Thomasian who makes the institutionβs values present in the wider community.
For Fr. Aytona, the first week marks a beginning. Yet it already reflects a fundamental principle of Thomasian service: to listen well, to work together, and to allow every undertaking of the institution to lead others closer to truth, service, and the common good.
