UST Civil Engineering Department

UST Faculty of Engineering Honors Retiring Educators for A.Y. 2025–2026

The UST Faculty of Engineering successfully hosted a testimonial tribute to honor its retiring faculty members for Academic Year 2025–2026. The event recognized the educators who have dedicated their lives to fostering academic excellence and molding the next generation of compassionate, competent, and committed Thomasian engineers.

Joining the celebration, the Department of Civil Engineering extended its profound appreciation to Assoc. Prof. Peter S. Lim, MSc, MBA, MABE, and Mr. Gregorio D. Llanes, Jr., MT.

Both educators have been vital to the growth of the department, serving as mentors, leaders, and inspirations to both their colleagues and students. The entire Faculty of Engineering wishes them a peaceful, fulfilling, and joyful retirement as they embark on this next chapter of their lives.

UST Civil Engineering Chair Strengthens Ties with Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta

Asst. Prof. Ryan A. Ramirez, PhD, Chairperson of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Department of Civil Engineering, conducted a multifaceted academic visit to Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY), Indonesia, from May 19–22, 2026.

The highlight of the visit was a general lecture titled "Eyes in the Sky, Boots on the Ground: Mapping Earth's Shifts from Space and Site." Dr. Ramirez presented his insights to a diverse audience of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as UAJY faculty members.

Beyond the lecture, Dr. Ramirez met with UAJY academic officials to explore strategic partnerships. Key areas of discussion included:

• Mobility Programs: Student and faculty exchange initiatives.

• Academic Synergy: Joint online and onsite seminars.

• Research & Mentorship: Co-advisorships, joint research projects, and collaborative publications.

The visit also included an extensive tour of UAJY’s five major laboratories: Structural and Building Materials, Soil Mechanics, Transportation and Surveying, Construction Management, and Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering. The four-day engagement concluded with a cultural immersion trip, further strengthening the regional bond between the two institutions.

Constructing Dreams, Completing the Blueprint

MEET THE PARENTS 2026

A celebration of perseverance, hard work, and the structural bonds that made it all possible. We cordially invite our graduating students and their parents to a special morning of recognition and fellowship with the faculty, academic, and administrative officials as we mark the successful completion of the program.

Event Details
• Date: May 29, 2026, Friday
• Venue: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, O.P. Auditorium
• Registration: Starts at 7:30 AM
• Program: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Reminder: Baccalaureate Mass kits will be distributed immediately following the ceremony. To receive your kit, please ensure you have completed the department’s Senior Exit Survey.

Let’s celebrate the completion of this milestone as one Thomasian CE family.

A Celebration of Excellence: 74 New Thomasian Civil Engineers
The University of Santo Tomas Department of Civil Engineering cordially invites the community to a Thanksgiving Mass and Testimonial Dinner on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, starting at 3:00 PM at the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Auditorium.

We will begin by offering a Mass in gratitude for the divine guidance that sustained our graduates, followed by a celebratory dinner honoring the hard work and inspiring journeys of our 74 new Thomasian Engineers.

Please join us for this milestone event as we reflect on their achievements and renew our shared commitment to engineering excellence. Your presence will greatly enrich this celebration of faith and professional success.

Civil Engineering Excellence at the Top

We proudly celebrate Mr. Mark Francis A. Añasco for graduating at the top of his class from the UST Faculty of Engineering. His exceptional dedication was officially recognized on May 22, 2026, where he received the prestigious Rector's Academic Award for Academic Excellence at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

While we honor these stellar academic achievements, we also recognize that true success is built on more than just high marks. In the journey of a professional, it is one's attitude and character—rather than just grades or Latin honors—that truly define a person and their impact on the world.

The Department of Civil Engineering is incredibly proud of you, Mark! Continue to lead with integrity, set new trends, and define the highest standards of the profession.

📷 Thomasian Engineer

Celebrating Excellence: Highlights and Gratitude from The CEARCH 2026

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, we extend our sincere gratitude to all oral and poster presenters, panelists, and attendees who contributed to the resounding success of The 2nd Civil Engineering Annual Research Conference Hub (The CEARCH 2026).
Held on May 7, 2026, at the Engineering Conference Hall, the event was defined by your valuable insights and engaging discussions. Your participation transformed the conference into a truly inspiring platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration within the civil engineering community.

We would like to give special recognition to our award winners:

Best Oral Presentation: Mr. Josh Raeniel Pasia and team
Best Poster Presentation: Ms. Marie James Palisoc and team

Your outstanding work exemplifies the innovation and excellence that The CEARCH aims to foster. Thank you for being a vital part of this milestone, and we look forward to seeing you at future events!

UST Civil Engineering Faculty at CIGOS 2026 in Vietnam

The UST Department of Civil Engineering congratulates Asst. Prof. Ryan A. Ramirez, PhD, for his successful oral presentation at the 18th International Conference on Geotechnics, Civil Engineering and Structures (CIGOS 2026), held last April 16-17 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Dr. Ramirez presented the undergraduate research titled "Numerical Investigation of the Slope Stability of Road Embankment Derived from Mixed Recycled Concrete Aggregates and Granular Soil." Completed during A.Y. 2024-2025, the study was co-authored by Vanessa Bianca Cadsawan, Charles Khao, Mark Kevin Ogalino, and Rendel John Reyes.

The research, which aligns with the conference theme "Innovation in Planning, Design and Civil Infrastructure for Resilient and Sustainable Transformation," is set to be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering series and will be indexed in Scopus. This achievement underscores the Department’s commitment to advancing sustainable infrastructure on the global stage.

PUBLICATION ALERT: The UST Department of Civil Engineering is pleased to announce that the undergraduate research, "Volumetric Seepage Modelling Using Soil Moisture Data from Sentinel Satellite Imagery," has been officially published in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. This study, completed during the A.Y. 2023–2024, by Alvin Allen Manuel, Jessie Mae Allyson Co, Christabel Jane Rubio, and Ryan Ramirez, establishes a new framework for monitoring the structural integrity of the Pantabangan Dam through advanced remote sensing techniques. By employing a paired PolSAR-Optical approach from Sentinel satellites, the research successfully quantifies the complex relationship between soil moisture levels and volumetric seepage.

The findings demonstrate that while environmental factors like heavy rainfall during the wet season can impact performance, the model achieved a high degree of accuracy during dry periods. Specifically, when remotely sensed data was integrated with reservoir water level measurements, the model yielded a strong correlation. This highlights the significant potential of using satellite-based monitoring as a viable, non-invasive tool for infrastructure safety and water resource management.

This work was recently featured at the 2026 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Computer, Data Sciences, and Applications (ACDSA 2026). The department invites you to explore the methodology and detailed results of this study through the IEEE Xplore portal at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1109/ACDSA67686.2026.11467623.