THE grand Paskuhan concert is just around the corner as UST launches a lineup of activities leading up to the anticipated culmination of the month-long Paskuhan festivities on Dec. 20.
For the third consecutive year, the concert on Dec. 20 will remain exclusive to UST students, employees, and alumni due to security reasons, according to UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P.
UST Campus Safety and Security Office Director Juliano Parena outlined the updated security measures and protocols for Thomasians and alumni in the Paskuhan 2024 information session on Nov. 27.
Here’s what you need to know about the protocols for the grand Paskuhan concert.
Entry, re-entry, and exit protocols
UST gates will open at 6 a.m. on the day of the concert. Entry will close at 7 p.m. for students, faculty, and staff, and at 8 p.m. for alumni, according to Parena.
Thomasians may enter Gates 1 and 3 on España Boulevard and Gate 9 on Dapitan Street, while alumni will be accommodated exclusively through Gate 11 on Dapitan Street.
To ensure that only authorized attendees enter the campus, security personnel will conduct bag inspections and require students and alumni to scan their IDs upon entry. Wrist tickets will be issued to attendees.
Deadly weapons, large bags, illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and e-cigarettes, focused light devices, flammable items, and glass containers are strictly prohibited.
In a change from previous years, students will now be allowed to re-enter the campus through Gate 3 on España Boulevard and Gate 9 on Dapitan Street. Parena said this adjustment is meant to accommodate students who want to go out to buy food or run errands.
“We’re hoping that we would still be able to make the entry faster now. One of the key changes this year is that there would be assigned re-entry gates also because of the fact that some students would be here very early tapos nagutom at [lumalabas],” he said.
Three tents will be set up at Gate 14 (Lacson Avenue). These are designated entry and re-entry sites for Thomasians and will also provide priority access for the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
A barricaded pathway will be installed near the UST Hospital to ensure the safety of attendees.
Paskuhan attendees can exit through Gate 2 (España Boulevard), Gate 10 (Dapitan Street), and Gate 14 (Lacson Avenue). Gate 5 on España Boulevard will be reserved for suppliers and performers.
UST will implement carless days during the Agape feast on Dec. 13 and the grand Paskuhan concert on Dec. 20.
Line cutoffs, crowd control
An estimated 35,000 to 37,000 attendees are expected during the grand Paskuhan concert.
To manage the crowd, UST will monitor the campus using aerial technology, according to Parena. Gates may close earlier than 7 p.m. if the venue reaches its “safe capacity.”
“I’m hoping na mas agahan po nila kasi we also we have to look at the crowd density. ‘Pag sobrang dami na rin ng nasa loob, of course we have to ensure the safety of everyone,” Parena told the Varsitarian.
Attendees already lined up outside before the cutoff announcement will still be permitted entry, Parena said.
Last year, UST shut its entrances at 7 p.m. during the Grand Paskuhan Concert, leaving some Thomasians, including faculty members and alumni, waiting outside the entrance gates. Some 39,638 Thomasians attended the 2023 grand Paskuhan concert.
Parena said UST has coordinated with government agencies such as the Philippine National Police, the Manila Fire District for the fireworks display, and the Manila Risk Reduction Management Office. Barangay officials will assist during the event.
