Spanish Era

On April 28, 1611, Msgr. Miguel de Benavides together with Father Domingo de Nieva and Father Bernardo de Santa Catalina, founded the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario. It was originally conceived as a school to prepare young men for priesthood. It was later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas in memory of the foremost Dominican Theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas. Its original location was within the famous "Walled City" of Manila known as Intramuros.

As a college it already enjoyed the authority to confer academic degrees as early as 1619. The authority became permanent when Pope Innocent X raised it to the status of University of Ecclesiastical and Civil Studies on November 20, 1645, and in 1680, was subsequently placed under Spanish Royal patronage. The Institution has, from the beginning, always been under the governance and administration of the Order of Preachers.

In 1785, King Charles III of Spain bestowed upon the Institution the title Regalia and awarded the Crest of Loyalty or Muy Leal for the exceptional loyalty shown by the administration and students in volunteering to defend Manila against the British invasion. On September 17, 1902, Pope Leo XIII granted it the title Pontificæ (Pontifical) and in 1947, Pope Pius the XII enhanced the new title to The Catholic University of the Philippines.

On September 27, 1762, the Spanish authorities in Manila were caught unaware by the arrival in Manila Bay of a fleet of thirteen English warships with 6,839 armed men on board, jointly commanded by Admiral Samuel Cornish and General William Draper. The Most Rev. Fr. Domingo Collantes, Rector and Chancellor of the Colegio de Santo Tomas, organized a notable battalion of 200 Thomasians, 20 - 22 years old, to fight for the defense of the city. The Santo Tomas Plaza in Intramuros became their military training ground.

The following day, the English forces landed south of the walled city of Manila (Malate district today). The acting Governor, Archbishop Manuel Antonio Rojo, mobilized the city defenders composed mainly of 500 Hispano-Filipino regulars (King's Regiment), 200 Thomasian volunteers and 80 Filipino artillery men. He also called for auxiliaries from the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan and Laguna. The defenders bravely resisted and for three times tried to lift the siege from the invaders.

On the fourth night of the siege, however, the English artillery succeeded in making a breach in the city walls. On the following day, 400 English soldiers entered the city of through the breach. To prevent further slaughter, Archbishop Rojo surrendered the city of Manila to the invaders. On the 10th of October, Manila was placed under the authority of Lt. Gen. Dawson Drake.

The King of Spain highly commended the heroic deed of the Thomasian volunteers and bestowed upon them the Muy Leal (Sp: Very Loyal) seal and their institution was awarded the title Regalia.

American Period

Before the Commonwealth was inaugurated, the American authorities pay little attention to the Philippine's need for an adequate defense system. In 1921, the Wood-Forbes mission called the attention to the need for an "adequate locale organization of the Philippine people for the defense of the islands against aggression" and recommended to the U.S. administration that it should "at once take the necessary steps to organize, train and equip such a force".

Philippine Commonwealth

In the early part of the 1930s, however, the fear of foreign aggression, notably Japan, led the Commonwealth to consider the problem of national security an urgent one, which must take priority over other problems in the Philippines. In 1936, the National Assembly passed the National Defense Act (Commonwealth Act No. 1) requiring all able-bodied Filipinos to undergo military training for defense purposes in times of national emergency or external invasion.

President Manuel L. Quezon requested and obtained the services of General Douglas MacArthur in formulating the defense system. MacArthur, who had by this time retired as Chief of Staff of the United States Army responded to Quezon's request. The appreciative President conferred upon the doughty General the title "Field Marshall of the Philippine Army".

As a military adviser to the commonwealth and chief of the United States military mission to the Philippines, MacArthur, with the assistance of Major Dwight Eisenhower, was largely responsible for the country's defense system.

MacArthur's defense plan envisioned the organization of a citizen army composed of two forces: a regular force, including the Philippine Constabulary, and a reserve force that would increase each year through a continuous program of training 21-year old able-bodied men for a period of five and a half months. Preparatory Military Training (PMT) in the elementary and high school levels and the Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) in the collegiate level would help supplement the regular government training given the recruits.

On September 3, 1936, the University of Santo Tomas School Senate (nowadays known as Student Council) approved the steps to organize the ROTC making Military Science and Tactics compulsory to every able-bodied male student of the university, thus giving birth to the UST Golden Corps of Cadets.

The University of Santo Tomas organized the UST ROTC in 1936 making it one of the first institutions to implement the National Defense Act of the Commonwealth Government. The officer tasked to organize the first cadet corps was 1Lt. Ceferino Garcia. Prof Juan Nakpil was commissioned to design their gala uniform for parade purposes. Maj. Alfredo Ramirez assumed his post as the first commandant on September 28, 1936. Seven hundred enthusiastic male students made up the first batch of ROTC cadets.

Cadet Enrique Quema, who later became the Assistant Secretary for President Garcia, served as the first Corps Commander. Cadet Colonel Mariano Alimurung later on took over Quema's post and was awarded the Sword of High Command by the Cross and Sabers Fraternity. Alimurung became the first Filipino doctor to successfully perform a heart transplant and is one of the founders of the Makati Medical Center.

In more than just a month of organization and training, the Corps marched for the first time before the viewing public during the first Commonwealth anniversary parade on November 15, 1936. The Corps' uniform at that early stage, were of bluish color with the pants having an inch-wide gold stripe piping. They used a tin-helmet that resembles the ones worn by the French troops during the Second World War. It was later changed to khaki with waist length shirt and tan shoes.

The first regent was Rev. Fr. Jesus Valbuena, O.P. who was then the Secretary General of the University. He was succeeded in 1938 by the Very Rev. Fr. Jose Ortega, O.P. Cadet Alimurung, who called himself "Cadet Marila", was the first Cadet Editor, then called "Brigade Editor" to the Varsitarian. He was succeeded in 1939 by Jose Feria, who called himself "Cadet Jofre", both as Corps Commander and Brigade Editor.

A year after the Corps was established, the Rector Magnificus of the University created the Honorary Corps of Lady Sponsors (1937) with Miss Maria Aurora Quezon, the president's daughter, as the first Honorary Colonel - the Lady Sponsor of the High Command. After only a year of existence, the Corps obtained the rating of "Superior" - the highest rating by military standards - in the annual tactical inspection. During the first inter-ROTC meet, the Corps rated second fiddle of the more experienced State University (UP) ROTC Unit.

The Corps grew bigger and better from a regiment (4 battalions, around 800 cadets), it grew to a brigade numbering more than 1,500 cadets. During the XXXIII International Eucharistic Congress held in Manila on February 3-7, 1937, the Corps participated and garnered countless awards and praises.

On March 1939, the first batch of Advance ROTC Cadets graduated in a precedent setting ceremony. They were 24, among them:

Name

• Mariano Alimurung Cdt Col, Corps Comdr
• Jose Peña Cdt Lt Col, Bde Ex-O
• Ramon Morada Cdt Maj, Bde Adj
• Antonio Samia Cdt Col, 1st Inf Comdr
• Eduardo Gil De Montes Cdt Col, 2nd Inf Comdr
• Salvador Nosce Cdt Maj, Regmt Ex-O
• Carlos Vergara Cdt Cpt, Adj 2nd Inf
• Apolonio Abola Cdt Maj, 1st Bn, 1st Inf
• Carlos Arguelles Cdt Maj, 2nd Bn, 1st Inf
• Antonio Delgado Cdt Maj, 3rd Bn, 1st Inf
• Conrado Gutierrez Cdt Maj, 1st Bn, 2nd Inf
• Ignacio Nebrida Cdt Maj, 2nd Bn, 2nd Inf
• Santiago Tan Cdt Maj, 3rd Bn, 2nd Inf
• Estanislao Feria Cdt Cpt, Coy A, 1st Inf
• Vicente Cembrano Cdt Cpt, Coy B, 1st Inf
• Felino Palafox Cdt Cpt, Coy B, 1st Inf
• Miguel Estrada Cdt Cpt, Coy C, 1st Inf
• Abraham Posadas Cdt Cpt, Coy E, 1st Inf
• Maximo Tabeta Cdt Cpt, Coy G, 1st Inf
• Sergio Jalbuena Cdt Cpt, Coy H, 1st Inf
• Crisanto Navarro Cdt Cpt, Coy L, 1st Inf
• Fausto Zamora Cdt Cpt, Coy D, 2nd Inf
• Alfredo Del Mundo Cdt Cpt, Coy E, 2nd Inf
• Vicente Raval Cdt Cpt, Coy G, 2nd Inf

World War II

Thomasian blood and sweat flooded the battlefields of World War II. Two Thousand (2,000) cadets volunteered for the defense of the country. After the war, on September 13, 1946, the ROTC program was reactivated through General Orders No. 528, HPA under new rules and with a strength of 2,000 men. The commandant was former Major Manuel Cabal who later became the AFP's top brass. The first post war Corps Commander was Roberto Maravillas. He succeeded Ramon Diaz, The Corps Commander before the war broke out in 1941.

On January 1948, the Cross and Sabers Fraternity presented to the Honorary Corps of Lady Sponsors their fraternity pins in what seemed to be the first post war activity of its kind, perhaps even the first of its kind. The Corps Commander was C/Col Constante Agbayani.

Present Day (NSTP)

With the introduction of Republic Act 9163 (National Service Training Program), the ROTC became optional and thereby requiring female members to be inducted to the Cadet Corps if they so choose to take up ROTC.

With a handful of Active/Reserve Officers and Enlisted Personnel at his disposal; LTC Colonel Meliton S. Sangria (INF) PA re-organized the cadet corps to 3 Brigade strength with 3 Battalions each. 2 of which are regular infantry type brigades, and the other a Service Support Brigade.

The Following Personnel Pioneered the Re-structuring of the UST ROTC after several months crisis:

• Colonel Alberto I. Gabriel MC (GSC) PA - Senior ROTC Consultant
• Lieutenant Colonel Meliton S. Sangria (INF) PA - Commandant
• Technical Sergeant Romulo S. Sabangan (Inf) PA - Chief Clerk
• Staff Sergeant Eddie Perez (SC) PA - Operations NCO
• Staff Sergeant Christopher H. Chua (Res) PA - Administration NCO/ Records NCO
• Corporal Rogine Emmanuel J. Panganiban (Res) PA - Asst. Records NCO/ Tactical NCO
• Airman First Class Raymond Agtarap PAF - Band NCO
• Master Sergeant Jun Romana (Res) PA - Senior Tactical Non-Commissioned Officer
• Master Sergeant Giovanni Sawyer (Res) PA - Tactical NCO
• Master Sergeant Mark Oliver Dela Cuesta (Res) PA - TActical NCO
• Technical Sergeant Dionisio Sadang (Res) PA - Tactical NCO
• Sergeant Gerald G. Lantin (Res) PA - TActical NCO
• Sergeant Jordan T. Lopez (Res) PA - TActical NCO
• Master Sergeant Olivia Antonio (Res) PA - Senior Tactical Non-Commissioned Officer (Females)
• Master Sergeant Eleanor Banlaoi (Res) PA - Tactical NCO

Uniform

In the early part of S.Y. 1953-54, the Cadet Corps, under the leadership of Cadet Colonel Luzvimindo B. Fajardo as the Corps Commander, drew up plans to put up a distinctive gala uniform. Cadet Colonel Paterno Villanueva fabricated the design of the new gala uniform. As a result, the "Special Regiment", under Villanueva's command, was created composed of the MP Battalion, the Model Battalion of three full-sized companies in addition to one Infantry Regiment and one Medical Regiment. The MP Battalion, organized a year earlier, became the nucleus of the newly Special Regiment. The new gala uniform's design and traditions were patterned after England's Buckingham Palace Guards - which have for centuries been the embodiment of discipline and pride, also noted for their pomp and splendor.

With a dashing Commandant (Colonel Albert B. Friedlander) and very supportive Rector (Fr. Rector Angel de Blas O.P.) and Regents (Rev. Fr. Agapio Salvador O.P. and Rev. Fr. Jesus Merino O.P), the Corps was riding the peak of its popularity. The relationship between the DMST and the UST Administration was excellent!

Organizational & Command Structure

Levels and Organizations

There are three main levels in the chain of command in ROTC. These are the following:

• Headquarters or University Level - This is the level that is immediately above the ROTC Unit or the DMST. On these level are the NCR RCDG and UST Office for Student Affairs (OSA).
• Unit Level - This is the level of the ROTC Unit or the DMST.
• Corps Level - This level is the level of the Corps of Cadets and Sponsors.

The main organizational units in defining the organization and chain of command of the ROTC unit are the following:

• UST Adminitration (via Office the Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs, or OSA)
• NCR RCDG (through 1301st Community Defense Center)
• DMST, or the ROTC unit itself
• The Tactics Group
• The Corps of Cadets and Corps of Sponsors

Department of Military Science & Tactics

The Department of the Military Science and Tactics - the University unit which administers the ROTC program in the University - is a special unit that reports directly to the Rector through the Office of the Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs.

Unlike any regular department, the DMST is not under any college-level unit (e.g., the Department of Physical Education is under the College of Arts and Sciences). Part of the reason is that its student base is from all colleges. Another reason is for its special needs and functions in carrying out its University- and Army-laden responsibilities.

Academic or University Unit

Like any unit of the University, the DMST/ROTC has the following broad responsibilities:

• Teaching
• Research
• Extension Services

Units

• Corps of Cadet Commissioned Officers
• Corps of Cadet Non-Commissioned Officers
• 1ST Cadet Brigade
• 2ND Cadet Brigade (Women's Auxiliary Training Brigade)
• Headquarters Special Support & Service Support Brigade
• Honor Guard Battalion

Commandants

• 1LT. Ceferino Garcia (INF) PA
• COL. Albert Friedlander
• MAJ. Alfredo Ramirez (INF) PA
• MAJ. Manuel Cabal (INF) PA
• MAJ. Reynaldo Sucgang (INF) PA
• LTC. Luzvimindo Fajardo (INF) PA
• MAJ. Demy T. Tejares (CAV) PA
• CPT. Rodolfo Batang (INF) PA
• MAJ. William N. Gonzales (INF) PA
• LTC. Meliton S. Sangria (INF) PA
• COL. Danilo Fabian (INF) PA

Umbrella Organizations

• Golden Cross and Saber ROTC Alumni Association
• Honorary Corps of Lady Sponsors and Alumnae

Notable Alumni

• LGen Alberto Fernando Braganza AFP
• LGen Pedro Cabuay AFP
• BGen Angel Sadang AFP
• BGen Luzvimindo Fajardo AFP
• BGen Nestor Castillo AFP
• BGen Vicente Ranjo Raval PC

References

• http://www.goldencorps.net/ - Official Website of the UST Golden Corps of Cadets
• Department of Military Science and Tactics, UST