UST Paskuhan explained

UST PASKUHAN EVENT
Status:Active
Frequency: Annual
Years Active:25
Last:18 December 2022
Prev:20 December 2023
Attendance:50,000-110,000

The Paskuhan is the culmination of the university wide Christmas activities of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. The annual tradition started in 1991.[1] The programs of Paskuhan were held during the last week or last day before the Christmas break of the university. In 2014, however, because of the change in the academic calendar of the university, it was scheduled in the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 2014. It was later rescheduled to December 11, 2014, because of Typhoon Ruby.[2]

Event

One of the highlights of the celebration is the Panunuluyan or the re-enactment of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph's search for a place for Mary to give birth to Jesus Christ. The Paskuhan Mass comes shortly after and is usually presided by the university rector. Current students and university employees are also treated in the Agape or the campus-wide banquet. The Agape in Paskuhan started in 2011, following the Agape of the Quadricentennial Celebration.[2]

In some editions of the Paskuhan, the celebration started with a festive parade from the different faculties and colleges.

History

Beginnings

The first Christmas celebration in the university was held on December 19, 1991, with the theme, “Paskong Tomasino, Paskong Filipino ’91.” It featured a Holy Mass, held in the UST Grandstand, the Panunuluyan, which was participated by the different faculties and colleges, and an inter-collegiate lantern-making contest. A 14-foot Christmas tree was also erected at the UST Grandstand where students placed their donations for the victims of the Mount Pinatubo eruption and Tropical Storm Uring (International name: Thelma) in Ormoc City.[1] [3]

It was in 1993 that the celebration was formally named as Paskuhan. The celebration was a simple gathering spearheaded by the then UST Treasurer Fr. Tereso Campillo, O.P.[4]

A more festive Paskuhan was held in 1994 to celebrate the upcoming World Youth Day in January 1995. It featured for the first time the 80-foot Christmas tree, which was first designed by UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts professor Rey Mañago.[4]

Succeeding years

In 2004, funds for the celebration were donated to the victims of the 4 typhoons that struck the country.[5]

Present day (2009-present)

In 2009, the Paskuhan was entitled as, 4 horas, 4 dias, 4 hundred days, 400 years to coincide with the university's countdown programs of the Quadricentennial Year. The celebration began at 8:00 p.m. of December 18, until 12:00am of December 19, which was 4 days before December 22, exactly 400 days before January 28, 2011.[6]

The Paskuhan Mass in 2012 was celebrated by the Very Rev. Bruno Cadoré, O.P., the Master of the Order of Preachers and chancellor of the university. Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P., the university rector, served as the homilist.[7]

In 2013, the celebration served for a cause as mass offerings were donated to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (International name: Haiyan).

In 2014, the Paskuhan festivities were moved from December 8 to December 11 because of Typhoon Ruby (International name: Hagupit).[8] The forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to the university in January 2015 became the main theme of the celebration.[2]

The programs in the 2015 edition were likewise modified because of the Typhoon Nona (International name: Melor). The Mass was moved to the Quadricentennial Pavilion and the concert was held at the UST Practice Gym.

The festivities returned in-person in 2022 after 2 years of holding it virtually. The month-long celebration began on December 2, 2022, with the staging of the Christmas Concert at Plaza Mayor, opening of the campus lights, and Agape.[9] [10]

Themes

Titles and crowd attendance
width='15%' Datewidth='35%' Titlewidth='35%' English translationwidth='10%' Estimated crowdwidth='5%' Ref.
December 19, 1991Paskong Tomasino: Paskong Filipino ’91Thomasian Christmas: Filipino Christmas ’91
December 16, 2004
December 20, 2006Pride, Puso, Pasasalamat!Pride, Heart, Thanksgiving!
December 15–19, 2008Kwentong Pasko, Kwentong Tomasino!The Christmas Story, the Thomasian Story[11]
December 18, 20094 horas, 4 dias, 400 days, 400 taon4 hours, 4 days, 400 days, 400 years50,000
December 15–17, 2010Pasasalamat sa 400 Taong BiyayaGiving thanks to 400 Years of Grace75,000[12] [13]
December 15–16, 2011Pagsalubong para sa ika-5 SigloGathering for the 5th Century100,000
December 18 and 21, 2012Pagdiriwang sa PananampalatayaCelebration and Worship70,000[14]
December 20, 2013Pasko sa Puso koChristmas in my Heart60,000[15]
December 11, 2014Pagdiriwang ng Pagmamalasakit:
Tomasino Kaisa ni Papa Francisco at ng Simbahan sa Pasko.
Paskuhan Full Blast
Celebration of Compassion:
Thomasians One with Pope Francis and the Church in Christmas.
Paskuhan Full Blast
70,000
December 17–18, 2015A Thomasian Celebration of Christmas
and the Jubilees of Mercy
and 800th Dominican Foundation Year.
December 15–16, 2016Paskong Tomasino Para Sa‘yoThomasian Christmas for you60,000[16]
December 1–20, 2017K.o.K. King of Kings60,000
December 3–21, 2018Light from Light, Prince of PeaceTentative
December 2–20, 2019For Unto Us, A Child is Born.
December 2-19, 2022Pananabik, Pagbabalik, PanunumbalikLonging, Returning, Restoring
December 2-21, 2023Witnessing the Joy of Christmas

Light displays

Pyrotechnic display has always culminated the celebration. Since 2011, pyromusical has become part of the program.
Projection mapping was incorporated in 2015, where the UST Main Building was used as the surface.

Pyromusical display at Paskuhan
width='25%' Datewidth='70%' Location and musicwidth='5%' Ref.
December 16, 2011
  • UST Grandstand
  • Santisimo Rosario Parish
Theme: Party Rock
  1. LMFAO - "Party Rock Anthem"
  2. Chris Brown - "Yeah 3x"
  3. Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP - "We No Speak Americano"
  4. Lady Gaga - "Just Dance"
  5. Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
  6. Maroon 5 - "Moves Like Jagger"
  7. Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette - "Hello"
  8. The Rembrandts - "Friends Theme"
December 21, 2012
  • UST Grandstand
Duration: 6:13
  1. "Somebody That I Used to Know"
  2. Rihanna - "We Found Love"
  3. PSY - "Gangnam Style"
  4. David Guetta - "Titanium"
  5. Maroon 5 - "Payphone"
December 11, 2014
  • UST Grandstand
[17]
Duration: 6:11
  1. The Treblemakers - "Don't Stop the Music"
  2. Clean Bandit - "Rather Be"
  3. Anna Kendrick - "Cups"
  4. Naughty Boy - "La La La"
  5. Disclosure - "Latch"
  6. The Barden Bellas - "Bellas Finals"
  7. Daft Punk - "One More Time/Get Lucky"
December 18, 2015
  • UST Grandstand
  • UST Main Building
Duration:
December 16, 2016
  • UST Grandstand
Duration:

Recent celebration with no firework display

Notes and References

  1. News: Cangco. Elora Joselle. Ang Paskong Tomasino (The Thomasian Christmas). 19 December 2015. The Varsitarian. 17 December 2012. fil.
  2. http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/179973/inquirerseven-ust-paskuhan-2014-yay-or-nay
    1. InquirerSeven UST Paskuhan 2014: Yea or nay?
  3. http://www.varsitarian.net/features/christmas_in_our_hearts Christmas in our hearts
  4. News: Lubang. Nina. Paje. Kacelyn Faye. Ang tradisyon ng pagbibigayan sa Paskuhan (The Tradition of Sharing every Paskuhan). 19 December 2015. The Varsitarian. 16 December 2009. fil.
  5. Paskuhan mirrors Thomasian charity, solidarity, spirituality. The Varsitarian Vol. LXXXVII, No. 5 • December 15, 2015. Accessed March 26, 2016.
  6. http://www.varsitarian.net/breaking_news/20091219/paskuhan_draws_crowd_of_50000 Paskuhan draws crowd of 50,000
  7. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/286871/cbb/ust-celebrates-centuries-of-christian-faith-with-paskuhan-2012 UST celebrates centuries of Christian faith with Paskuhan 2012
  8. http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/178958/usts-paskuhan-postponed-due-to-typhoon-ruby UST's Paskuhan Postponed due to Typhoon Ruby
  9. Web site: In-person UST Paskuhan returns . Aric John . Cua . The Manila Times . October 27, 2022 . December 3, 2022.
  10. Web site: Paskuhan festivities ng UST, nagbabalik matapos ang 2 taon. ABS-CBN News . December 2, 2022 . December 3, 2022.
  11. http://www.ust.edu.ph/index.php/university/678--ust-holds-paskuhan-2008.html UST Holds Paskuhan 2008
  12. http://www.varsitarian.net/breaking_news/20111217/paskuhan_looks_forward_to_usts_fifth_century Breaking News - Paskuhan looks forward to UST's fifth century
  13. http://www.ust.edu.ph/index.php/university/942-ust-holds-paskuhan-2010-as-a-celebration-of-thanksgiving.html UST holds Paskuhan 2010 as a Celebration of Thanksgiving
  14. http://www.varsitarian.net/breaking_news/20121222/usts_paskuhan_draws_crowd_of_70000.html UST Paskuhan draws crowd of 70,000
  15. http://www.varsitarian.net/news/20131221/paskuhan_2013_draws_crowd_of_60000 Paskuhan 2013 draws crowd of 60,000
  16. http://varsitarian.net/news/20161217/paskuhan-pushes-through-despite-rain Paskuhan pushes through despite rain
  17. http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/180344/starburst-fireworks-at-2014-ust-paskuhan-up-lantern-parade Starburst: Fireworks at 2014 UST Paskuhan, UP Lantern Parade