“Wishing well” no more.
Students of the University of Santo Tomas will no longer be able to offer items to the newly replaced tiger statue in Plaza Mayor after it was enclosed with stanchion barriers.
UST student publication The Varsitarian shared pictures of the barricaded iconic Bengal tiger figure on Friday with the caption, “NO MORE WISHING!”
It added that the coins placed by students inside its roaring mouth were also removed.
The tiger statue was barricaded after several instances of students placing coins, financial cards, a P1,000 bill and a pack of instant noodles in its mouth during their week of preliminary examinations.
Some students believe that the “offering” will manifest high grades, while others think the tiger statue will bring them luck in their studies.
Last Wednesday, UST Facilities Management Office director Fr. Dexter Austria O.P. reminded them that the figure “is not an object of devotion.”
“More than our moral obligation to take good care of our properties in UST, catechesis is urgently needed if we want to be faithful to the Church teachings as Thomasians,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Pray to God through the saints for intercession instead. #justsaying,” Austria added.
READ: New UST tiger statue becomes ‘wishing well’ during students’ prelims week
Last month, the university replaced its iconic tiger statue with a new figure showing the Bengal tiger standing 8 feet tall.
