UST Paskuhan

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.[2] It was later rescheduled to December 11, 2014, because of Typhoon Ruby.[3]

UST PASKUHAN EVENT
Christmas decorations at UST. Paskuhan month, 2007
StatusActive
FrequencyAnnual
Years active25
Inaugurated19 December 1991 (1991-12-19)
Most recent18 December 2022
Previous event20 December 2019
Attendance50,000-110,000

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.[4] The Agape in Paskuhan started in 2011, following the Agape of the Quadricentennial Celebration.[3]

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][5]

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.[6]

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.[6]

Succeeding years

In 2004, funds for the celebration were donated to the victims of the 4 typhoons that struck the country.[7]

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.[8]

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.[9]

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).[10] The forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to the university in January 2015 became the main theme of the celebration.[3]

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.[11][12]

Themes
Titles and crowd attendance
Date Title English translation Estimated crowd Ref.
December 19, 1991 Paskong Tomasino: Paskong Filipino ’91 Thomasian Christmas: Filipino Christmas ’91 [1]
December 16, 2004 [5]
December 20, 2006 Pride, Puso, Pasasalamat! Pride, Heart, Thanksgiving!
December 15–19, 2008 Kwentong Pasko, Kwentong Tomasino! The Christmas Story, the Thomasian Story [13]
December 18, 2009 4 horas, 4 dias, 400 days, 400 taon 4 hours, 4 days, 400 days, 400 years 50,000 [8]
December 15–17, 2010 Pasasalamat sa 400 Taong Biyaya Giving thanks to 400 Years of Grace 75,000 [14][15]
December 15–16, 2011 Pagsalubong para sa ika-5 Siglo Gathering for the 5th Century 100,000 [14]
December 18 and 21, 2012 Pagdiriwang sa Pananampalataya Celebration and Worship 70,000 [16]
December 20, 2013 Pasko sa Puso ko Christmas in my Heart 60,000 [4]
December 11, 2014 Pagdiriwang 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, 2015 A Thomasian Celebration of Christmas
and the Jubilees of Mercy
and 800th Dominican Foundation Year.		 —
December 15–16, 2016 Paskong Tomasino Para Sa‘yo Thomasian Christmas for you 60,000 [17][18]
December 1–20, 2017 K.o.K. King of Kings — 60,000
December 3–21, 2018 Light from Light, Prince of Peace — Tentative
December 2–20, 2019 For Unto Us, A Child is Born. —
December 2-19, 2022 Pananabik, Pagbabalik, Panunumbalik Longing, Returning, Restoring [11]

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
Date Location and music Ref.
December 16, 2011
  • UST Grandstand
  • Santisimo Rosario Parish
 [14]

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
 [16]

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
 [19]

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
 [17]

Duration:

Recent celebration with no firework display
  • 2004
  • 2013

References
  1. Cangco, Elora Joselle (17 December 2012). "Ang Paskong Tomasino (The Thomasian Christmas)" (in Filipino). The Varsitarian. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  2. UST moves college opening to July site, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, retrieved December 26, 2014
  3. #InquirerSeven UST Paskuhan 2014: Yea or nay?, Lifestyle, Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 14, 2014.
  4. Paskuhan 2013 draws crowd of 60,000 The Varsitarian. Accessed December 21, 2014.
  5. Christmas in our hearts Archived 2014-12-27 at the Wayback Machine The Varsitarian Vol. LXXVI, No. 8 • December 16, 2004. Accessed December 26, 2014.
  6. Lubang, Nina; Paje, Kacelyn Faye (16 December 2009). "Ang tradisyon ng pagbibigayan sa Paskuhan (The Tradition of Sharing every Paskuhan)" (in Filipino). The Varsitarian. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  7. Paskuhan mirrors Thomasian charity, solidarity, spirituality. The Varsitarian Vol. LXXXVII, No. 5 • December 15, 2015. Accessed March 26, 2016.
  8. Paskuhan draws crowd of 50,000 The Varsitarian. December 19, 2009.
  9. UST celebrates centuries of Christian faith with Paskuhan 2012 www.gmanetwork.com. Accessed December 21, 2014.
  10. UST's Paskuhan Postponed due to Typhoon Ruby, Lifestyle, Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 6, 2014.
  11. Cua, Aric John (October 27, 2022). "In-person UST Paskuhan returns". The Manila Times. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  12. "Paskuhan festivities ng UST, nagbabalik matapos ang 2 taon". ABS-CBN News. December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  13. UST Holds Paskuhan 2008 UST.edu.ph Accessed December 17, 2011
  14. Breaking News - Paskuhan looks forward to UST's fifth century The Varsitarian. December 17, 2011.
  15. UST holds Paskuhan 2010 as a Celebration of Thanksgiving UST.edu.ph Accessed December 17, 2011
  16. UST Paskuhan draws crowd of 70,000 The Varsitarian. Accessed December 28, 2012.
  17. Paskuhan pushes through despite rain The Varsitarian. Accessed December 28, 2016.
  18. LOOK: UST’s Paskuhan 2016: Honoring Xmas with a meaningful homily and lots of festive fun site, News5, retrieved December 28, 2016
  19. Starburst: Fireworks at 2014 UST Paskuhan, UP Lantern Parade, Lifestyle, Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 18, 2014.
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