UST: New Home of the Bar Exams

My alma mater, De La Salle University Manila, has traditionally been the venue of the Bar Exams, with lawyers-to-be gathering inside the campus to take the exams that would make or break their legal future. However, a grenade attack last during last year's exams, as well as the construction of our new Centennial Hall have made the Supreme Court of the Philippines reconsider the venue of the exams. That honor now goes to the Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas (or University of Saint Thomas, but no one in their right mind would call it that here in the Philippines).

Popularly known as "Uste" (oos-teh), UST is the oldest university in Asia at over four-hundred years. Founded in 1611, it is also the largest Catholic university in the world in terms of student population in a single campus. Uste is definitely one of the best universities in the country, and is famous for the medical disciplines that it offers.

I also cannot help but think that as much as I love the neoclassical design of La Salle structures, Uste's New World feel is also pretty breath-taking:

UST's crest.

UST's varsity crest.


Well then. I suppose the Bar Exams have found a fitting home :)

Read more here; pictures from here and here. UST history courtesy of UST website.

Jay~