UP Centennial Kick Off: January 8, 2008

 

Prep 65 who went to the Centennial Kick off were: Pinky, Ana B., Rory, Luis and Maripaz. Meron pa bang iba na hindi namin nakita?

 

Other prepians we saw were the announcer, Jo Asprec, Riza Baldoria, Andy Bernal and Miss Alarcon. Andun daw si Victor, sabi ni Andy Bernal. Si Lulu Carandang Bravo was one of the torchbearers. We saw Teresa Valencia in Chocolate Kiss Cafe.

 

Pinky and I went together early, but even at past 3 pm ay hindi na makapasok ang vehicles sa University Ave so we took the Fairview jeep, got off at the Human Rights, and walked to the University Ave where the contingents were already marching. Una kong nakita yung mga naka-bahag na UP Baguio delegation.

 

We walked towards the Oblation Plaza. Met two men with big boxes of red and green balloons. Ipinagbibili po ba yan? Hindi daw. Pahingi kami. Para lang po sa UP Manila ang mga ito. Ay, doon po kami nag-high school, sa Padre Faura. He, he, he! Binigyan kami ng tig-dalawang balloons!

 

Lakad, sige, lakad. Ayun, may mga seats reserved for the UPAA. Tena, life member ako ng UPAA, sabi ko kay Pinky. Upo kami dun sa vacant row at the back. Uy, si Jo Asprec, nasa row in front of us, naka-hat pa. Itinuro si Riza sa unahan niya.Saka yung announcer sa sound system tent sa likuran namin, na binati ko by waving my balloons. Si Miss Alarcon, andun sa may front row, pinuntahan agad ni Pinky.

 

Nang magawi si Andy Bernal dun sa area, tinawag namin si Miss Alarcon who wore her beautiful centennial vest for the first time for a prep picture taking. Now I am not sure kung nahatak rin namin si Willie Caballa for the photo op.

 

Parang Lantern Parade pala yung marching of the contingents. Since we were in the VIP area, napanood namin yung mga magagandang presentations nila and dinig namin ang mga annotations ng announcer, pati na yung "Will the beautiful young lady in white please get down from the scaffolding of the sound system? Baka po bumagsak ang ating equipment."

 

A helicopter kept circling the area to rain confetti on the celebration. Skydivers dropped from the sky. They flew labels of the differnt UP units as well as the UP Ang Galing Mo! slogan for the centennial celebration.

 

We saw Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon, Santanina Rasul sit with the UP officials.

 

Nagugutom na kami. Pinagsaluhan ang baon kong maruya, saka yung oranges ni Jo. May nagbigay rin ng bottled water na katabi niya.

 

Pina-clear ang Oblation Plaza for the dragon dance saka yung lighting of the torches. Pinagkaguluhan ng media si Fernando Javier, 100 year old civil engg 1933 grad who had the first torch. While the torchbearers were being announced and passing on the light, tumutunog naman ang carillon. May Belgian carilloneur who will stay here for a week to teach young people how to play it.

 

Ano sa palagay mo, Pinky, ngayon na tayo mag-dinner? Sige. Hindi namin hinintay yung lighting of the cauldron. Nadinig namin ang pangalan ni Lulu Carandang Bravo as one of the torchbearers. Saka si Richard Gomez pa pala.

 

We proceeded to Chocolate Kiss Cafe where Pinky charmed the waiter named Caloy to seat us ahead of the one page list of reservations. Sige na iho, gutom na gutom na kami saka matanda na kami. Ang sarap ng pasta putanesca saka devil's choc cake plus the conversation with Teresa Valencia of prep 67. O Maam, okay lang kayo? Yung mga nauna sa inyo naghihintay pa rin sa labas, Caloy said as we asked for our bill.

 

Opps! May text si Ataboy andun daw siya sa likod ng Oblation. Very frustrating ang pag text and pag call dun sa UP kagabi, panay failure! Nag text pa rin ako with several re-try na nasa Chocolate Kiss kami.

 

Balik na kami sa Quezon Hall. Nasalubong ang throng who probably came from the just concluded program. Papunta lahat to dinner! Buti na lang solved na kami!

 

Nako, puno na ang amphitheater. Akyat kami sa Quezon Hall stage. Nasalubong si Pres Roman. Kinamayan ko at ni-congratulate. Thank you for coming, sabi niya. Uuwi na raw ba kami. Hindi pa, Ma'am, may hahanapin lang  diyan sa Oblation Plaza.

 

Nasalubong rin namin si Luis sa steps ng Quezon Hall. Papunta na sa concert.

 

Ang daming tao sa Oblation Plaza, panay ang pose dun sa lighted cauldron. Eto na uli ang text ni Ataboy, mukhang nasa Chocolate Kiss na. Failure uli ang text and call so give up na ako talaga na makikita namin siya.

 

Akyat uli sa Quezon Hall. Si Maripaz naman ang nakita. Kadarating lang daw niya. Nandito si Luis and Rory, sabi namin.

 

We crossed the stage to see where we can position ourselves. Pinky, okay yang puesto nila sa hagdan, o.

 

Dun kami sa basement ng Quezon Hall. May upuan dun. May isang Lantern Parade na doon ako pumuesto, napanood ko lahat ang presentations.

 

Ay, hindi kita yung video screen sa puesto namin. Iho, puede ba kaming makisali diyan sa hagdan? Okay naman sa kanila. Ibinibigay pa nga nung isang girl yung chair niya, nahiya naman ako.

 

Ang ganda ng concert! Excellent sounds. Kahit dinadaan-daanan kami nung video person dun sa hagdan nila at medyo nasasabit pa sa amin yung cables, ayos lang. Palagay ko nga napa- pan pa kami nung spotlight, eh.

 

Yung award-winning UP Manila Chorale na napanood ko sa Linz in Austria ay kumanta both dun sa earlier program sa Oblation Plaza saka sa concert. Kanta rin yung sa UP Baguio. May solo vocalist ang UPLB and very energetic yung performance ng Street Dancers nila. We saw a close up backview of the Singkil dance from UP Mindanao. Of course much applauded yung Pep Squad. Tulig kami sa tambol na nasa likod lang namin!  Ryan Cayabyab played and sang his composition, Salamat sa UP. When we all stood up as one and sang UP Beloved (UP Naming Mahal sa mga mas bata) accompanied by the UP orchestra, lumobo ang puso ko!

 

Push on Up ang orchestra accompaniment hg fabulous fireworks display. Kanta kami ni Pinky, siempre! Maya-maya nasa likod na namin si Luis. We kept shouting, " Ang ganda!" for each burst of fantastic unfolding of lights that filled the sky. Indescribable ang ganda!  Hay, talaga! High na high ako!

 

Natapos ang programa. Si Luis ay nag-ober da bakod dun sa Quezon Hall, hindi namin kaya. Kaya nawala ang pag-asa naming makisakayan sana.

 

Pumunta kami sa 3rd floor of Quezon Hall on the talking elevator, ayos ba, Pinky?

 

Then nakilakad kami with the rest of humanity dun sa University Ave. Ang daming vehicles, wala  man lang mag-offer ng ride!

 

Nung may mag-cutting trip na Pantranco jeep, takbo kami with the young people and managed to get the last seat. Kinandong ko si Pinky, and that was how we got to Philcoa with our balloons pa nga!

 

Ang saya-saya ng UP that night! It was the most festive that I have seen UP in a long long time.