‘Morality, uprightness’ not considered in choosing awardees —USTAAI president

The UST Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI) did not consider morality and uprightness in choosing Thomasian Alumni awardees this year, its president said on Tuesday.

"Yung core values na nabanggit sa plaka, yung competence, commitment, compassion, relative 'yan eh, sino ang puwede magsabi na walang competence? Kasi noong kino-consider namin sa totoo lang, hindi na namin tiningnan yung morality, uprightness," USTAAI president Henry Tenedero said in an interview on Unang Balita about the alumni association's award to Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

Tenedero reiterated that the association chose its awardees on two main criteria: a Thomasian graduate and in government service.

Uson finished medical technology in 1998 in UST and entered the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in 1999.

Tenedero also insisted that the granting of the alumni award was not based on political color.

"Kaya iyong sa 27 na napili ng committee, 20 sa kanila ang dumalo at walang political color kasi iyong mga dumalo galing sa Kongreso, merong mga nasa opisisyon, merong nasa lahat," he said.

‘Wag mahalin ang taong matalino’

Amid the uproar, Tenedero stood by the association's decision to confer the Thomasian Alumni Award for Government Service to Uson and the other recipients.

"Ang turo kasi ng magulang ko sa akin, magmahal at magrespeto ka ng taong maging sino ka man. 'Wag mo mamahalin ang taong matalino, mataas ang IQ, magaling etc. at kapag ako ay nagsisimba, 'yan din ang naririnig ko sa mga homily o sermon ng mga pari na kailangan love thy neighbor," he said.

He admitted during the interview that the bashing against him and the alumni association hurts him.

"To be honest masakit sapagkat ilang beses po ako nainterview ng Varsitarian during the day and then kahapon meron pa ring pumunta sa akin. Pinilit kong in-explain ang mga proseso. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan nila sabihin iyong mga ganoong bagay, katangahan, koruspyon at lahat," Tenedero said.

"Para bang ano, wow, after all these series of interviews na pinaliliwanagan namin kayo, kung anong nangyari, mayroong pang dumalo mismo nung event...I think it's part of the freedom of expression, masakit pero kailangan tanggapin," he added.

The University of Santo Tomas' official student publication, The Varsitarian, condemned the alumni association's award to Uson.

It said the USTAAI leadership "ignored her (Uson) dubious track record and controversy it had elicited is sheer incompetence, irresponsibility, stupidity, and even corruption." —Marlly Rome Bondoc/ALG, GMA News