DESPITE REPORTS about rampant corruption and abuse of power, there was no stopping the Paskuhan festivities in UST, which was capped by the Dec. 19 grand concert that filled Thomasians’ shoes with mud and their hearts with a renewed appreciation of the value of faith in the midst of difficulties.
With the theme “Light Among Us, Hope Through Us,” the 2025 Paskuhan celebrations centered on Christmas as a sign that God remains present even in society’s toughest trials, standing with Filipinos in the fight against abuses and injustice.
Because of the downpour in the afternoon, the UST Open Field was filled with mud and the attendees ended up becoming like travelers with muddy footwear, adventurers who brave the elements to achieve a goal. In the case of the attendees of the grand concert, the aim was to unwind and to strengthen bonds while upholding a tradition rooted in faith and solidarity.
For Thomasians, rain has become a recurring companion to the University gatherings, but this time, it was not there simply to crash the party.
The downpour made tons of noise that got people moving, and rather than stop the show, it brought the attendees together, becoming a common experience that brought joyful memories.
Students on the spotlight
This year’s Paskuhan season brimmed with familiar traditions and novel experiences.
Yuletide melodies reverberated through the Santisimo Rosario Parish church walls during the Conservatory of Music’s gala concert “A Season of Light and Hope” on Dec. 2. The musical event marked the start of the month‐long festivities alongside the opening of the Paskuhan Pop-up Village.
Photo by Elena Christine Cancio/ THE FLAME
The following evening, the Paskuhan Night Market opened on V. Concepcion Street, organized by the Commerce and Business Administration Student Council. The area lit up with food stalls, numerous novelties such as charm sellers and photobooths, and even performances from musicians and visitors alike; almost like an extension of the Thomasian holiday cheer late into the night along Dapitan.
On Dec. 17, the panunuluyan took center stage after the Paskuhan Mass, with volunteers reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. Before the grand concert, the Central Student Council unveiled the first Paskuhan-themed lightstick — turning Thomasians themselves into stars in a sea of lights.
Photo by Elena Christine Cancio/ THE FLAME
Better late than never
A noticeable shift this year was the later date of the Agape, the University-wide fellowship feast where free meals are shared across colleges.
Traditionally held at the start of December — when students are still juggling exams and requirements — this year’s Agape took place on Dec. 17, just days before the finale of the celebrations.
For some, like Computer Science junior Sydney Padua, the change was surprising since these events would often be held before the examination period.
“Bakit after exam ‘yung Agape? Nakakagulat kasi dapat, diba lagi, it’s always before?” she said.
(Why was the Agape after the exam? It’s surprising because usually, it’s always before, right?)
Photo by Bryan Joseph Arcangel/ THE FLAME
Yet College of Pharmacy senior Chie Mendoza appreciated that the shift had coincided with the end of their faculty’s last stretch of academic requirements.
“We were still looking forward to the earlier (celebrations) because that’s [what] we’re used to. But somehow, it became better because of the after-finals (season),” he said.
These same sentiments were echoed by Behavioral Science junior Andrea Isabelle Mondigo, the head of mobilization from the Central Student Council.
“Ngayon parang nae-emphasize ‘yung feeling and joy of Christmas na, ‘Uy, makakapagpahinga na ako,’ ‘Uy, makakapag-celebrate na ako nang maayos,’ ” she said.
(“Now, the feeling and joy of Christmas were emphasized in a way that, ‘Hey, I can finally rest,’ ‘Hey, I can finally celebrate properly.’)
BINI & Ben, back at it again
The Paskuhan concert, the pinnacle of the Thomasian holiday experience, amassed a total of 48,309 attendees by 10 p.m., marking the second consecutive increase since 2023.
A mix of new and returning artists graced this year’s production.
Soloists Amiel Sol and Zack Tabudlo stepped foot for the first time on the tigers’ ground. Rob Deniel was back right away at serenading the crowd following his stint in the UAAP Season 88 opening.
Ben&Ben marked their third appearance on the Paskuhan stage, six years after their last performance in 2019. The nine-person ensemble tugged at Thomasian heartstrings with beloved classics like “Sa Susunod na Habangbuhay,” “Araw-Araw” and “Bibingka.”
Photo by Ryan Franco Verano/ THE FLAME
But it was not all mushy for the folk pop band. Its members made a political statement when they called for an end to corruption before performing “Kapangyarihan,” a song about holding those in power accountable for their wrongdoings.
During the act, the crowd saw red — as red as the lights that enveloped the stage.
“Ikulong na ‘yan, mga kurakot (Lock them up, they are corrupt),” the students chanted.
The nation’s girl group, BINI, who once again headlined the show, danced the night away despite some technical difficulties. Although there were comments about BINI not performing their familiar hits, its talented members still electrified the audiences with their showmanship and their chanting of “Go Uste.”
Photo by Elena Christine Cancio/ THE FLAME
Senior high school student Sebastian Santos, was ecstatic about the artists that the University were able to tap for the concert.
“I was like, ‘I’m actually (going to) see these people perform in real life?’ First, I saw them through a screen. I never thought I’d be able to see them perform,” he said.
Nursing sophomore Eshe Sta. Ines, who first entered the University about four years ago, shared her joy that the performers now were more familiar to her compared to previous years.
“I think that UST really listened to the students on who to bring back and I’m glad that they spent their budget on them,” she said.
Aside from the guest performers, the yearly Tunog Tomasino concert held last Nov. 28 sprouted a new set of aspiring performers into the lineup. Thomasian bands Golf and Sunsets, Csig and Opmium took the stage and sang covers of well-loved songs.
Photo by Ryan Franco Verano/ THE FLAME
The night was then capped off with the much-awaited eight-minute pyro-musical show. Beats from the soundtrack of the Filipino fantasy series Encantadia, mashed with hits such as “Golden” from the newly released K-pop movie Demon Hunters, accompanied the fireworks display.
When the sky joined the celebration
Before the pyro brought color to the skies, a surprise from above painted attendees in the tones of Earth.
During the set of Tunog Tomasino 2025 second runner-up, Opmium, at about 3:15 p.m., what started off as a light drizzle eventually became a thrashing downpour, prompting attendees to seek shelter at nearby tents and fixtures while waiting for the rain to cease.
Already used to rains during important occasions, several Thomasians arrived with plastic sleeves ready to shield their shoes, but they were still half expecting the sky to blow up at any second. The downpour stirred concern as well as a sense of camaraderie that made the moment unforgettable.
Others were hoping the rain would stop so they could enjoy the evening to the fullest because it was heavier than anything they had ever seen at Paskuhan. Nevertheless, others saw the storm as part of the celebration and found significance in the occasion.
“For the first time during Paskuhan, it only rained this hard. As they say, when the rain pours, there will be many blessings,” Pharmacy student Chie Mendoza said.
Photo by Jessica Luna/ THE FLAME
Students stayed in the field with their shoes soaked in mud. For a graduating College of Information and Computing Sciences senior, Justin Mendoza, the rain sealed the night into a memory.
“Fourth year na ako, last ko na [na Paskuhan]. It’s really memorable, lalo na umulan pa nang malakas,” he said.
(I’m a fourth year student, it’s my last [Paskuhan]. It’s really memorable, especially since it rained hard.)
Some students decided to enjoy the moment as the rain persisted, viewing the weather as an integral part of the experience rather than a hindrance.
“The rain itself is not really a hassle for me, but more of a good experience. It’s just an additional experience because what are the odds that we will celebrate Easter in this kind of weather?” Eric Templanza, a fourth-year Faculty of Pharmacy student, said.
Amid the puddled walkways, the rain became part of this year’s Paskuhan story. Each drop seemed to carry its own reminder that celebrations rarely go exactly as planned.
UST Faculty of Arts and Letters Secretary Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio noted that while floods and showers are familiar to Thomasians, rain of this kind during Paskuhan is rare.
“Let’s treat the rain as part of the memory of Paskuhan. The rain is not new to us, the flood is not new to us,” he said.
Setting hope alight
As it got darker, the field shone with Thomasians lighting up the air with lightsticks,
Paskuhan 2025’s theme, “Light Among Us, Hope Through Us,” was woven into the spirit of Thomasians singing and moving together through rain-soaked grounds, despite the challenges the country had faced that year.
Photo by Patricia Kyle Malicdem/ THE FLAME
After a year marked by frustrations, such as corruption-tainted flood control projects and other systemic issues, students like Kelly Abayari, a freshman in Political Science, found ways to move forward with small sparks of hope.
“Even though there are difficult things or situations that are currently happening to us, everyone is still moving forward,” he said.
“That’s what we need, a true sense of unity. We should not only think about ourselves but also about others — what will be good for them.”
Despite academic pressures and the burdens of daily life, Padua finds her relief within her circle of friends.
“Kahit mahirap ‘yung academics, mahirap na paglabas mo ng school, ang hirap ng gobyerno, ang hirap ng transportation, basta makita mo ‘yung friends mo dito na masaya, I think it makes us see a little bit of hope,” she said.
(Even when academics are tough, and even more so when life outside school feels difficult, with the challenges of governance and transportation, seeing my friends here happy gives me a sense of hope)
Yet the conversation on hope was not blind optimism.
Yve Young, an Advertising Arts senior, reflected on a deeper form of hope that is tied to accountability. She urged Filipinos to move beyond mere resilience, to demand transparency and competence from leaders with a hope that was active and not passive.
“We should be more head-on and assertive with those who should be held accountable,” she said.
Pushing through
Despite the muddy field and the heavier realities beyond the campus walls, Paskuhan 2025 stood as a reminder that hope does not wait for perfect conditions.
Even in the face of setbacks, Abayari pointed to the light that can be found in people who continue to protest, especially the youth.
“‘Yung light kumbaga na laging may hope pa rin kaya laging may lumalaban, especially ang youth ngayon, may boses pa rin at ‘yun ‘yung light na binibigay ng each Thomasian,” he added.
(The light that always has hope is why there are always those who fight, especially the youth today, who still have a voice, and that is the light that each Thomasian gives.)
As the term drew to a close, senior students found meaning in having something to look forward to. Mendoza shared that Paskuhan became a breather from the demands of internships and academics, symbolizing both an ending and a promise of rest.
“Paskuhan 2025 gave me hope because it helped me look forward to something that will happen this year. Paskuhan has become a hope that it symbolizes the end of a semester or of the year,” the graduating student said.
Photo by Maria Zowie Gabilo/ THE FLAME
Achilles Peralta, a College of Science alumnus, described Paskuhan as a memory that Thomasians would return to years from now, one that may remind them of the moments when their efforts yield rewards.
“Paskuhan comes after the time of the final exams. This is something that you will look back on when you get older. I was once part of this. I hope that we are reminded of our efforts as students of the University, and that makes Paskuhan more meaningful for us,” he said. F – from reports by R. M. Dacuycuy, T. R. Dayrit and B. J. M. Paz
