Blown-up Lady Gaga, giant Gundam, glittering fairies grace UP Lantern Parade

To college students, the first day of Christmas break is definitely worth celebrating. Not only does it mean that Christmas is right around the corner, it also signifies the end of tests and terror profs — at least for the next couple of weeks. The iskolars ng bayan understand this sentiment perfectly, which is why every year, sometime during the second week of December, they hold the University of the Philippines (UP) Lantern Parade, a competition pitting college against college, org against org, isko against isko, to see whose lantern burns the brightest. This year, the parade took place on December 16, Friday on the Diliman campus. The parade stayed true to tradition this year, but its theme, Pasko 2011: Isang Unibersidad, Isang Komunidad, actually aimed to bring the campus and the community together. This year’s theme rang true as hundreds of UP students, faculty, and alumni from different UP campuses across the Philippines lined the 2.2 kilometer Academic Oval and jam-packed the ampitheater just to witness the 89-year-old tradition take place. Of course, UP being UP, the parade incorporated a lot of socially relevant issues. Many lanterns called for the passing of the RH Bill. Others demanded LGBT equality. Some asked for transparency and responsiveness in the government, while some protested frat violence. A lot of floats also demanded greater state subsidy for UP students. The UP College of Music came in renaissance costumes, and, true to their college, performed songs while they were on their way.

The UP Babaylan’s presentation was not so much a lantern parade than it was a purple pride march involving glittering fairies, debonair men, and Kermit Tesoro heelless shoes. Even the Samahan ng Manininda sa UP Campus had their own lantern, which was inspired by the everyday fare that they sell to students. The UP Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT) won third place for their sarimanok inspired lantern, while the UP College of Arts and Letters took second place. First place went to the UP College of Home Economics, who paraded in native couture. Exempted from the competition, for obvious reasons, was the UP College of Fine Arts, whose collection of larger-than-life lanterns included a rotating Darna/Narda figure, a giant light-up Gundam, and blown-up caricatures of Lady Gaga and Kanye West. Their spectacle of a parade was saved until the very end — a perfect prelude to the fireworks show sponsored by the Beta Epsilon Fraternity. At least three people were reported injured after the fireworks show at the Lantern Parade went awry Friday night. The injured included an elderly woman who fell and hurt her shoulder, according to a report on radio dzBB Saturday. The lantern parade has grown so much over the years that even those who are not from the university take part in the festivities. But no matter how warm outsiders are received at the parade, there are some things about it that only true iskolars can understand — the event will always belong exclusively to them. As UP President Alfredo E. Pascual said as he closed the festivities, “Hindi ka taga-UP kung hindi ka naging bahagi ng Lantern Parade… Hindi ka taga-UP kung hindi naging bahagi ng iyong gunita ang diwa ng Lantern Parade.” —KG/HS, GMA News