The Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (OVRAA), in collaboration with the Center for Innovative Teaching and Educational Delivery (CITED), hosted the second GRACE Session on October 28, 2025, at the Tan Yan Kee Audio-Visual Room of the University of Santo Tomas.
GRACE Sessions are biannual capacity-building activities designed to provide ongoing guidance and opportunities for growth in key areas essential to academic staff approaching retirement age (61 to 65 years old), helping them prepare to navigate a new chapter in their lives.
This session placed emphasis on the spiritual, digital, and financial domains of wellness. Its objectives were to:
1. Facilitate continuous engagement in spiritual practices.
2. Utilize digital platforms meaningfully and safely.
3. Explore effective strategies for managing finances and investments.
Rev. Fr. Pablo T. Tiong, O.P., Vice-Rector for Religious Affairs, delivered an inspirational message to the attendees. Rev. Fr. Art Vincent M. Pangan, O.P., SThL, Acting Regent of the College of Education, provided a lecture on Spiritual Wellness. Mr. Efraim A. Fernandez, MA, LPT, Subject Area Lead Teacher and Learning Area Coordinator for Media Education and Digital Literacy, served as the resource person for Digital Wellness. For the Financial Wellness domain, Asst. Prof. Celso Noel Aban, MEntrep, Manager of the DOST TOMASInno Center–Technology Business Incubator, and Mr. Jose P. Magsaysay, Founder of Potato Corner and President of Josebizco, Inc., shared practical insights and strategies for managing personal finances and investments.
Asst. Prof. Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo, MA, served as the session moderator.
The GRACE Sessions underscore the University’s commitment to the holistic development and well-being of its academic staff, particularly those transitioning into retirement, by nurturing their spiritual growth, digital adaptability, and financial stability.