University of Santo Tomas, Manila (must see)

The University of Santo Tomas, also known as UST, is a private Catholic research university located in Manila. Established on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Miguel de Benavides, Archbishop of Manila, it holds the distinction of being the oldest university in Asia that is still in operation today. It is also recognized as one of the largest Catholic universities globally in terms of student enrollment on a single campus. Managed by the Order of Preachers, UST has had the honor of being visited by three popes on four occasions: Pope Paul VI in 1970, Pope John Paul II twice in 1981 and 1995, and Pope Francis in 2015. Saint Thomas Aquinas is revered as the patron of the university, with Saint Catherine of Alexandria as the patroness.

The university comprises various faculties, colleges, schools, and institutes, each offering undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees, as well as basic education programs. Many of its degree programs have received accreditation from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development. Additionally, UST has been granted Institutional Accreditation by the CHED through the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines. In December 2013, it was acknowledged for having the highest number of accredited programs in the country by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities' Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA).

Among its alumni, known as Thomasians, are saints, Filipino presidents, heroes, artists, scientists, professionals, and religious figures, who have played significant roles in the history of the Philippines. The university's sports teams, known as the Growling Tigers, compete in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and have a consistent record of winning the Overall Championship. Moreover, the university campus has been identified as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its Archives are considered valuable documentary heritage worthy of inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.