UP community gives illuminating messages through beautiful lanterns in annual parade

The University of the Philippines Diliman on Friday celebrated its annual Lantern Parade, the theme of which focused on surpassing difficulties and challenges faced by the country.

This year's theme is "Pumailanlang", which means "to soar."

The festivities featured colorful lanterns, created by the students themselves, that illuminated the UP academic oval.

But the parade served more than just showcase the creativity and ingenuity of the students. Many of the lanterns underscored societal issues faced by the country such as attacks on human rights, climate change, environmental degradation and the muzzling of press freedom.

The event also saw protests and calls to actions from various colleges, student organizations, and Bakwit Lumad students from Mindanao.

Similar to previous parades, this year's competition announced two sets of winners: one set from the entries of academic units, except for the College of Fine Arts (CFA); and the other one from entries of the CFA classes.

The College of Arts and Letters bagged first place in the Academic Units category.

Coming in second place was the College of Social Work and Community Development, while the College of Science won third place.

The College of Home Economics and College of Music clinched honorable mentions.

Entries from the College of Fine Arts (CFA) blocks were judged in a separate category. The CFA lanterns had marine-themed designs as they focused on pressing issues.

The CFA lantern depicting corporate greed bagged first place; the lantern portraying Spiritual issues won second; the lantern embodying Coral Reef-related issues placed third; the lantern featuring tourism issues clinched honorable mention.

All the entries were judged on the basis of adherence to the theme, materials used, presentation and visual effects and eco-friendliness. 

The UP Lantern Parade began in 1922 and was institutionalized in 1934.

The school's long-standing tradition has historically drawn huge crowds that gather on the sidelines of the school's academic oval to marvel at the creations of the UP community.

—JCB, GMA News