‘Maling tigre ang kinulong’: Thomasians poke fun at ‘newly-barricaded’ tiger statue
By Ian Patrick Laqui
The new “happening” on the Tiger statue at the Plaza Mayor stirred different reactions from Thomasian netizens today, Oct. 7.
This is after the University enclosed the new tiger statue with stanchion barriers and removed the coins from its mouth.
At the start of the preliminary examinations, some Thomasians made the tiger’s mouth as a wishing well where they dropped coins and wishes, believing that the Tiger could help them pass their exams.
An instant noodle, a piece of calamansi, and credit and debit cards were also seen at one instance.
“Maling tigre yung kinulong,” multiple users said, hinting to a former presidential candidate whose supporters brand him as a “tiger.”
“Matic cum laude kapag na-shoot yung piso sa bibig,” a user said.
“Ito yung tinatawag na shoot your shot,” another user said.
“Mas may challenge mag bato,” another user said.
Meanwhile, Fr. Dexter Austria, director of the University’s facilities and management office, urged Thomasians to pray to God and ask help from the saints instead of making the tiger statue as an alleged “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. Yes, the tiger statue is not an object of devotion to begin with. Pray to God through the saints for intercession instead. #justsaying,” Austria said in a Facebook post on Oct 6.
A religious Facebook page also cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church, pointing out that superstitions can affect the “worship we offer the true [G]od.”
“Praying to the University Tiger is idolatry, fellow Thomasians. It cannot hear your prayers nor will it intercede for you before God because it’s just a statue. You want someone’s intercession? Ask for the Virgin Mary’s or Thomas Aquinas’,” they said in a Facebook post.
Before the “wishing tiger mouth,” some Thomasians also believed that touching the tiger’s crotch would help them get to the latin honors.
The new tiger statue, resembling a Bengal Tiger, was unboxed at the Plaza Mayor last August after the freshmen welcome walk.
