UST’s ‘Paskuhan’ focuses on the birth of Christ

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) opened its annual Paskuhan celebration with a Eucharistic celebration and the ceremony of Lighting the Campus last Dec. 2. The celebration focused on the theme “For Unto Us, a Child is Born.”

Also highlighting the celebration is an exhibition of more than 100 Belen or nativity scenes organized by the UST Museum which features the collection of Rev. Fr. Genaro O. Diwa.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and UST alumna Manila Vice Mayor Maria Shielah “Honey Lacuna”Pangan, M.D. where the special guests for the lighting ceremony.

Performers from the UST Conservatory of Music accompanied the gradual lighting of the campus. The historic campus glowed in the traditional colors of red, yellow and green, while some decorations shone brightly in white, purple and blue.

Some two million energysaving lights and a 70-foot tall Christmas tree lighted the campus.

In the context of sharing, the UST SIMBAHAYAN Community Development Office and Office for Student Affairs identified the needs of partner communities and academic units responded generously through the TulongTomasino gift boxes.

For the first time since the Paskuhan tradition began in 1991, a drone show was included. There were two sets of aerial shows, with 50 and 180 drones, respectively, which culminated the opening night of the Paskuhan.

The fireworks display came at the onset of the campus lighting, which illuminated the Main Building in dazzling colors and design.

Other activities that followed the opening of Paskuhan last Dec. 2 were a Christmas Concert, at the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church (UST Chapel), where performers from the UST Conservatory of Music sang songs in line with the theme “Christmas Around the World.” They were accompanied by the UST Symphony Orchestra.

The Christmas concert included university choirs such as Coro Tomasino, Liturgikon Vocal Ensemble, and partner community choirs such as the Aeta Community Choir and Parents Advocate for Visually Impaired Children’s (PAVIC) Choir.

UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Dagohoy who delivered the welcome remarks, said: “The annual UST Christmas Concert is a way for us Thomasians to express through music our thanksgiving for the countless blessings God has bestowed upon this University throughout the years.”