Dr. Danilo C. Bernal, the 12th President of USTNAI was one of the honorees during The 7th Distinguished Thomasian Alumni Night (DTAN) held last November 26, 2022 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) BGPOP Alumni Center Building. The DTAN, organized by the UST Alumni Association, Inc. (USTAAI) in partnership with the UST Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) honors an alumnus/alumna for exemplary leadership and service to the university, the community and in his or her field of endeavor. DTAN honorees continues to illuminate and bring pride and honor to UST with their commitment to selfless service. 

Dr. Bernal received a replica of the ‘Arch of the Centuries’ along with nursing co-honorees including Dean Rowena Chua, May Parsons, Amelita Sison-Navarro and Irma Bustamante-Gavino. This triumphant Thomasian symbol serves as a memorial to the distinguished men and women, heroes, martyrs and saints, who had passed through the University's portal and out into the world to live a life of faith, hope, and charity.

It is the University of Santo Tomas Nurses Association International’s position to maintain the utmost impartiality, fairness and consistency with the principles of Conflict-of-Interest statement, to provide clear guidelines and a position of neutrality associated with candidate’s statements when in the process of seeking office or positions on the Board outside of the USTNAI. These candidate statements are designed to inform stakeholders of the candidate’s intent and reasons for running for office.

As a not-for-profit professional organization, the USTNAI does not and will not endorse any candidate profiles and statements that may be posted on social media platforms or official website.

Should a USTNAI member request to post candidate statements on their own behalf on USTNAI’s social media sites (i.e., Facebook or Meta, Twitter, etc.), an accompanying disclaimer on the content and a non-endorsement shall accompany the candidate’s campaign statements or postings.

Disclaimer: The USTNAI is not responsible for the content of this campaign post, and in no way endorses the campaign statement therein.

The recently concluded Houston Marathon last January 16th, 2022 featured one of our own USTNAI board member, Reggie Antonio, RN, MSN, PCCN who completed a half marathon (13.1 mi) clocking at 2:09:42.

In today’s feature story, I had the opportunity to talk with Reggie regarding the half marathon that he has successfully completed. This story is about commitment, determination and simplicity of purpose.

When asked about what prompted him to start running marathons, he’s quick to say that he initially started cycling then eventually was inspired to take up running in 2019 and completing his first marathon in January, 2020. Preparations took three months prior to entering the marathon. This training gave him excellent opportunities to relieve stress, “clear his mind” if you will, with the intent of being better version of himself. Creative ideas for USTNAI were borne out of this training.

Preparing for the Marathon

To run a half marathon, he developed a routine and the discipline to running slow at first and building up gradually for endurance. Due to the weather in Houston, he prefers early morning or late night runs while the temperature is much cooler. At times if the weather is hot, he opts to cycling at home. The cross-training involves 3-4 miles of running and then cycling at least 3-4 days/week.

Running with a Purpose

With running a marathon (or half marathon) Reggie hopes to accomplish not only by being healthy but more importantly by inspiring his children to enjoy the outside. So, instead of his children being in front of the computer,  he is able to re-direct their physical energies and encouraging them to be involved in and to find volunteer opportunities for marathons events. Now, his wife also has joined running and so what’s started as an individual effort, has now become a family affair for the Antonio household.

When asked about what he wants others to know about him, Reggie says this:

“…. I am content with overall simplicity in my life, I’m God-loving and consider myself as a servant leader…”. The last words during this interview, he emphasized this, “Do everything with a Purpose.”

About Reggie Antonio

Reggie graduated Class 1993 from the UST College of Nursing, Manila, Philippines.

He relocated to Beaumont, Texas in 2003 initially. He is currently residing in Pearland, TX working as an Administrative Supervisor at the Michael E. DEBakey VAMC. Additionally, he also works as a part-time Supervisor (PRN) at the HCA Healthcare in Pearland, TX. Presently he serves as the USTNAI VP for Central and president-elect for USTNAAMH 

As a USTNAI Board member, this year alone, he’s instrumental in several of the programmatic initiatives such as Alay ng Puso Mask project targeted to raise funds for the UST nurses at the UST Hospital during this pandemic. He is also spearheading the community outreach initiative for Siquijor in 2023. Last year’s success of the first USTNAI Solidarity Run and this upcoming April-May, 2022 Run are primarily attributed to Reggie’s tireless efforts and speaks well of his servant leadership role within USTNAI. He is encouraging everyone to register and join this Solidarity Run in April-May this year and offer support to the Community Outreach initiative. Please visit USTNAI SOLIDARITY RUN Website for details about the Solidarity Run.

Congratulations, Reggie! See you all at the Solidarity Run.

by Sallie Poepsel , Communications & Marketing Chair

As a general rule the USTNAI will abide by the Guidelines set forth by the CDC and consistent with the State and Venue guidelines to protect attendees and maintain public health safety. The following will be enforced during the USTNAI Convention at the ORLEANS Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 8-10-2021.

• All participants shall wear masks during the event except during scheduled meals.
• Social distancing as recommended by CDC and through Public Health announcements.
• Disinfecting solutions will be available at all times for participants to use for washing/disinfecting hands
• Screening participants through the following:
• • Vaccination record – digital or hard copy
  • COVID19 tests within 72 hours, if unvaccinated
  • A brief comprehensive questionnaire to assist in determining symptoms and exposure to COVID-19
• Exercise precautions to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 through mechanisms of identification and screening as described above, contact tracing for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated participants and reporting of known indications of COVID-19 symptoms and infection. These steps will be conducted in partnership with and in collaboration with the venue management and staff.

In consideration of the evolving nature, changes and uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 variant surges, the USTNAI has put forth the following plans in anticipation of the planned convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1. Every effort will be made to provide regular and timely updates to registrants using multiple media platforms:
   • Email alerts
   • Facebook
   • USTNAI website – www.ustnai.org
2. The USTNAI will adhere to CDC recommended guidelines and the State and Venue restrictions for hosting events during COVID-19.
   
   
3. In case of event cancellation prompted by COVID-19 restrictions, the following cancellation provisions for registrants shall apply:
   1. Immediate notification to registrants within 24-48 hours of cancellation via email, FB and website postings
   2. Full refund of registration fees, minus membership fees
   • Provide options:
   • • donate all or portions of the refund amount
     • refund the full amount
     • receive credit for future USTNAI convention

According to Time Magazine, the Philippines is the most exposed country in the world to tropical storms. It is not unusual for the Philippines to have an average of twenty typhoons a year, with about three to five as more devastating than others. Compounding the current Covid-19 pandemic, having these unanticipated natural calamities further compounds the present scenario necessitating donations of funds and relief goods. Within three weeks these last two months, the whole of Metro Manila was submerged, disrupting relief and rescue efforts, especially to the most affected areas of the Bicol and Cagayan Valley Regions.

The University of Santo Tomas Nurses Association International’s (USTNAI) Executive Board and members have witnessed these occurrences on the media channels and are conscious of the most needed help. To some members and officers, this is another stress and cause of worry that have affected their loved ones. The Association feels the pain and angst of our families, especially in positively affected areas. We witness the formidable task of relief efforts, including rescue efforts, repair of damaged and ravaged areas, and the misery manifested in peoples’ faces while demonstrating intense resilience to survival.

The Association decided to extend its assistance to help those who do not have any other recourse to maintain basic needs. Despite the Association’s constraints in its mission and goals, the Association has to get out of its way to spare whatever it can to assist during this time of need. We continue to seek the guidance of the Almighty to grant us the wisdom to seek resources to meet basic needs and at the same time intensifying our Faith and pray for His provisions that human efforts cannot. Through USTNAI’s Alay ng Puso Program of the Community Outreach Committee, all our relief and rehabilitation efforts to aid the victims of Typhoon Rolly & Ulysses will be coordinated with the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association, Inc. (USTAI)

For His Greater Glory,
USTNAI

The much-awaited UST College of Nursing’s Diamond Jubilee initially scheduled for January has been postponed to November of 2021. This is to give ample time to plan for this significant event and momentous milestone of the college. This decision was in anticipation of the current impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic which up to now, the control and prognosis of the pandemic is still uncertain.

With the hope that the epidemic will be better controlled by then, the USTNAI will also plan its national convention during this occasion. It should be remembered that the UST College of Nursing usually celebrates its college (nursing) week during the month of November. It will be an opportunity for all alumni to have a good nostalgic experience of their college days as they will join the rest of the students engaging in the various college life activities- songfest, oratorical contests and beauty pageant. Even if this is going to be a college event, it will also be timely for the next International Nursing Conference. This will be a dual-purpose for USTNAI delegates who are planning to attend this event.

Although the specifics of the event now back to the drawing board, the USTNAI will be actively involved in the planning that will include jubilarians’ recognition, an international conference and national/international awards.

Since the creation of UST Alumni Affairs, jubilarian medallions have been given to all USTNAI jubilarians that have attended USTNAI Conferences and Leadership Summit

Mary Dioise Ramos-Tamayo ‘04 is this year’s recipient of the PNAA Nursing Excellence Award in Research. This is one of the five major PNAA given out every year which include Education, Clinical and Community Service. Ramos-Tamayo’2004 from the UST College of Nursing then her Master of Arts in Nursing at UST in 2009 and her Doctor of Philosophy from Georgia State University in 2018.

She has a long history of leadership participation in her young professional career particularly as the immediate past president of the Philippine Nurses Association of Georgia. Aside from her chapter activities she has a massive involvement and engagement in various national committees of the Philippine Nurses Association of America’s Scholarship and Policies and Procedure Committees.

Along with the other four major awardees this year, Mary Diose Ramos-Tamayo shall receive her award virtually during the virtual PNAA National Convention this July. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society (MuPhi at-Large Chapter)

Ramos-Tamayo is the immediate past president of the Philippine Nurses Association of Georgia who was the leader in planning the national convention last year. She was also a speaker at last year’s USTNAI Convention and Leadership Summit last year in New York.

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) which is an IRS rule that says you need to start taking distributions from certain retirement accounts that you own. It is the minimum amount that a retirement plan account owner must withdraw from his/her IRA account each year when you reach the age of 70 ½.

Gifts from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) have been particularly attractive in recent years. Let's say you withdrew $5000. You can transfer this amount to an eligible charity like USTNAI. This is known as QCD or Qualified Charitable Distribution. These funds have to come from your IRA and be paid directly to a qualified charity. This special distribution can satisfy your RMD amount and be excluded from your taxable income. This strategy is very beneficial for people who do not itemize.

If you do not take withdrawals, or you take less than you should, you'll face a potentially disastrous 50% federal penalty tax on what you should have withdrawn.

Our organization is looking for donors especially for those celebrating their 50th anniversary and are ready to make a charitable gift. USTNAI will work with donors to determine an effective and appropriate plan to match their specific charitable desires.

If you wish to donate, you can reach us at ustnai.info@gmail.com or call us at 1-805-881-8880.

We sincerely hope that you will continue to support our organization and its endeavors.

Photo Credit: Gloria Palisoc (BSN Class of 1968) handing a donation of $5000 through RMD to UST CON Regent Fr. Julius Factora, O.P. & Dean Susan Maravilla with Jane Macagba & Jean Uy from USTNAI during the 2018 Annual Convention in San Diego, CA.