The 407-year-old University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Sampaloc, Manila is now expanding to Southern Philippines with the groundbreaking and blessing of the UST campus in Mindanao at Barangay Ligaya, General Santos (GenSan) City.

The ceremony started with Bishop of Marbel Dinualdo Gutierrez officiating at the blessing of the campus site last April while UST Rector Herminio Dagohoy led the groundbreaking rites.