TPSF HistoryThe liberal arts and philosophy had been taught in the University of Santo Tomas since its foundation in 1611. The Faculty of Philosophy and Letters was established in 1896 and the College of Liberal Arts was founded in 1926. In 1964, these two colleges were merged and was given the general name of Faculty of Arts and Letters. Courses offered then were Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Literature, and Bachelor of Philosophy. In the course of time, new majors were offered. In Academic Year 1971-1972, the Faculty of Arts and Letters started to offer the degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science, together with eight other majors.
In 1972, martial law was declared in the country and all student organizations were abolished and banned thereon. In 1980, the UST Political Science Society was founded, and amendments were made in its Constitution. In the same year, a Political Science senior, Atty. Reynaldo 'Bong' G. Lopez, who was President of 'Pax Romana' (a religious student organization) spearheaded the founding of the Arts and Letters Student Council, despite the prohibitions set by the regime. In 1991, the UST Political Science Society became the Political Science Forum. Its Constitutional Commission, which convened in AY 1992-1993, was headed by Alvin Carullo and worked under the aegis of Prof. Ferdinand E. Limos. It adopted the Constitution on January 21, 1993, and was ratified through a plebiscite. In the same year, TPSF published its first academic journal, 'The Political Science Journal', featuring scholarly works by political science practitioners from different universities (including members of Congress), TPSF members, and alumni. The 1992 Constitution provided that officers are to serve from the beginning of the second semester of the academic year up to the end of the first semester of the next. Due to compelling reasons, the Policy Board, in 2007, issued Resolution No. 2007-07 and proposed an amendment to the Constitution, transferring the date of the regular elections from the end of the first semester to the second Friday of February (near the end of the academic year). TPSF has been a factory of leaders, with its members occupying posts in university-wide organizations such as the Central Student Council, the Student Organizations Coordinating Council, and the Arts and Letters Student Council and its Board of Majors. |
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Members of the 1992 Constitutional Commission
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TPSF Presidents from 1992 to Present
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Alvin A. Carullo
Chairperson of the Constitutional Commission
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
4B6 Mary Eleanor G. Ablanque Regino D. Kalingking 3B5 & 3B6 Imelda R. Bravo Joffrey F. Mata Loreta R. Garcia Princess U. Tomas Prof. Ferdinand Estepa Limos Adviser of the Constitutional Commission; Program Coordinator for Political Science (AY 1992-1993) |
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