LAUGHTER WILL take center stage at UST as improv comedy group SPIT Manila brings wit with a cause and transform spontaneous humor into an evening of purpose.
The comedy group will perform in “HILOM, TULONG at TAWA: A FUNdraising Improv Show with SPIT” on May 9 at the UST Frassati Auditorium.
The event seeks to raise funds for Bahay Aruga, a free halfway house in Paco, Manila that shelters children undergoing cancer treatment. It is organized by the UST Pax Romana Central Coordinating Council in partnership with the UST Office for Student Affairs and local Pax Romana units.
‘Funny-tical’
According to project head Andrei Morla, SPIT Manila was chosen as the main performer because of its strong reach and social awareness.
“Their authenticity, combined with their ability to bring joy and lightness, makes them the right fit to help us communicate a message of hope, healing and solidarity,” Morla of the UST Pax Romana Central Coordinating Council told The Flame.
Morla believes SPIT’s connection to the cause will also deepen the significance of its participation as the group unifies advocacy and comedy.
“Knowing that they have a personal connection to the cause—having had a member who passed away due to cancer—makes their involvement even more meaningful and sincere,” he said.
“Through this, we are able to make the advocacy more accessible and engaging, proving that even in joy and humor, there is space to inspire awareness, solidarity and meaningful action.”
Gifting hope
James Laoag, president of the Pax Romana Arts and Letters unit, recalled how his group first entered Bahay Aruga during its Christmas outreach program.
“Last December, we collected donations from various members of the Artlets community as an informal, personal initiative among us Paxies. We turned them over to Bahay Aruga as part of a simple outreach program for Christmas,” Laoag said.
During one of the activities, a child drew a television set when asked for a Christmas wish.
“Not for me, but for my family back at home,” the child said.
The quiet selflessness of that response became a turning point.
Morla said the moment had inspired the organization to transform a personal initiative into a broader advocacy for the Thomasian community.
“It is rooted in a promise we made during our first encounter with Bahay Aruga—that we would come back, not only as Pax Romana AB, but as the entire Thomasian community,” he said.
“This event is our way of fulfilling that commitment, transforming a single outreach into a sustained mission that is impactful, purposeful and enduring.”
Laoag added that SPIT’s improv comedy offers more than entertainment as it creates space for what he calls “communal hope.”
“Improv comedy brings people together in this way,” he said. “It becomes a simple but powerful expression of communal hope. This solidarity of laughter is not just the means for raising funds, but is the very thing we hope to help bring to Bahay Aruga,” Laoag said.
Despite limited financial resources, the project moved forward without major setbacks. Morla explained that the organization was unable to use certain funds because Bahay Aruga was not yet an official University partner during the early planning stages.
“As an interest-based student organization, our funds are limited, and we were unable to use our CSF,” he said.
Still, Morla believes the initiative signals a longer-term direction for the organization.
For him, the project marks the beginning of a more sustained advocacy, with plans to organize outreach efforts addressing specific causes each year.
“As a student religious organization, we are called not only to serve, but to bring the spirit of Christ to others— we hope to share not just material support, but also hope, compassion, and a sense of presence that reflects Christ’s love,” Morla said.
Spoofs for a cause
Mick Garcia, co-project head of the event, said improv offers a fresh and meaningful platform to communicate Bahay Aruga’s message of hope and healing to a wider audience.
“Improv, in its spontaneity and authenticity, allows us to communicate messages of hope and healing in a way that resonates more deeply,” Garcia said.
Proceeds from ticket sales and donations will help fund Bahay Aruga’s daily operations, including medication, maintenance and facility improvements.
Beyond the event, Laoag urged the Thomasian community to continue supporting the cause by donating and amplifying awareness of pediatric cancer through the children’s stories.
“We hope to tell their stories, accompanying them in both sorrow and joy, in hardship and hope,” he said. “Even in the darkest situations, we find hope in each other—in laughing together, in staying together,” Laoag said.
Donations remain open for food, household and cleaning supplies, medical and personal care items, and creative materials for the children of Bahay Aruga through Pax Romana Central’s donation drive.
Following the event, Bahay Aruga will be recognized as an official partner community of the UST SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office, marking a step toward sustained collaboration.
“HILOM, TULONG at TAWA: A FUNdraising Improv Show with SPIT” will be held on May 9, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the UST Frassati Auditorium. The event is open to both Thomasians and non-Thomasians. Tickets are still available, priced from P2,500 to P3,000. F — with reports from Ron Kyle Gabrielle Reyes
