ALL roads lead to España.
University of Santo Tomas (UST) on Wednesday announced the much-awaited UAAP Season 88 opening ceremony on Sept. 19 at its own turf at the UST Grandstand and Open Field followed by the explosive weekend kickoff of the centerpiece basketball tournament at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Keeping its hosting tradition to open the season at home compared to other schools in big arenas and coliseums, Santo Tomas vowed a start like no other with an expected crowd of 25,000 to 30,000 like its annual Paskuhan concert.
“Now the gates of España are wide open. The stage has been set,” declared UAAP Season 88 President Rev. Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP, in the league’s pre-season presser on Wednesday at the Dr. Robert Sy Grand Ballroom, Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, OP Building in UST campus.
“To the UAAP community, we are more than ready to give it our all and release the loudest roar this season.”
With a theme of “Strength in Motion, Hope in Action,” Santo Tomas’ opener will feature three parts: mass in celebration of Jubilee of Hope Year, opening proper and the finale concert before the basketball season kicks off the following day.
Instead of a simple parade, Santo Tomas will also extend its tradition to all student-athletes of seven other member schools with its iconic “Thomasian Welcome Walk” before lighting the cauldron, and unleashing a drone and fireworks display to declare the games open.
“We’re taking it to another level, bigger and bolder than ever before. The spotlight is now on UST. We fully recognize the great responsibility that comes with this undertaking, but we are more than ready to rise to the challenge,” added Mr. Cansancio, almost a decade since hosting the UAAP Season 79 in 2016.
That year, Santo Tomas unveiled an original soundtrack (OST) titled “Dare to Dream” and it will be no different this season with the launch of an OST similar to the season theme “Strength in Motion.”
The official OST, composed by assistant professor Louell Baldoza from UST Institute of Religion, is interpreted by Santo Tomas alumnus, OPM singer-songwriter and former Callalily band frontman Kian Cipriano.
Mr. Cipriano sang it for the first time at the press conference on Wednesday and will headline the finale concert during the opening day as Mr. Baldoza was also recognized for his winning composition over 12 other entries in UST’s songwriting competition last March.
“UST stands out as the only UAAP school that consistently comes up with a theme song whenever it hosts the league,” beamed Mr. Cansancio, who leads UST’s Institute of Physical Education (IPEA) and now the UAAP’s Board of Managing Directors.
“There were two judges who wanted sana Filipino anthem, but after deliberation, they really wanted the song ‘Strength in Motion, Hope in Action’ because of the text that is very Thomasian in spirit. It is very positive, it is very inspiring,” said Maria Alexandra Chua, UST Conservatory of Music dean, and Season 88 committee head for theme song. — John Bryan Ulanday