GENERAL SANTOS CITY — UST General Santos (Gensan) wrapped up its first-ever Paskuhan with a concert on Dec. 18, reflecting UST Manila’s Christmas traditions while adapting to the size and resources of the Mindanao campus.
Fr. Edmund Nantes, O.P., UST GenSan’s associate vice rector for administration and finance, said the branch campus wanted to foster the same “Thomasian brand” and traditions of the Manila campus.
“We only have 126 [students], so proportionately, we will have our celebration according to our means,” Nantes told the Varsitarian. “We have pooled our resources. We have asked each office to have a slice of their budget to give to Paskuhan.”
UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. presided over the Paskuhan Mass in the morning, followed by the “Panunuluyan,” a dramatization of Joseph and Mary’s journey to search for a suitable lodging to give birth to Jesus.
The concert featured Thomasian violinist Merjohn Lagaya, actor Kristoffer Martin, and members of the Dragon Heart Taekwondo Academy.
UST GenSan students also delivered performances such as plays, band sets, and song numbers.
A 12-minute pyromusical display capped the concert, illuminating the facade of the Gensan Main Building.
Unlike at UST Manila, where the grand Paskuhan concert was made exclusive to Thomasians after the Covid-19 pandemic, UST GenSan opened its doors to outsiders, allowing each student to invite up to five guests.
“We have a huge campus, so why not invite everyone? It’s also a way of spreading joy and encouraging people to consider UST as the school for their children,” Nantes explained.
“I want to open this [to outsiders] because, in Ligaya, we have to be true to the name of our barangay. We like to spread joy in Barangay Ligaya,” he added, referring to the barangay where the 82.2-hectare campus stands.
Josephine de Castro, acting director of the Office of Student Affairs, said UST GenSan made sure to include activities designed for Mindanaoans in its Paskuhan festivities.
One of this was “Makibata,” where children from various religious backgrounds were invited to visit the campus during the Agape, the Thomasian Christmas feast, on Dec. 17 to receive gifts and meals.
UST GenSan began its Paskuhan celebration with a lighting ceremony simultaneous with UST Manila on Nov. 29. Students and staff illuminated the first Christmas tree at the Mindanao campus, inspired by its pioneering, Thomasian, and Mindanaoan identities.
“The concept of beauty is not exclusively Christian. It is universal. It embraces all peoples,” Nantes said of the Christmas traditions incorporating Mindanaoan themes.
“Thomas, who is our patron, is respectful of truth wherever it is found. And truth has something very close to it… it’s beauty,” he added.
Students ‘fulfilled’
Bai Sherifa Mantil, Central Student Council president and pharmacy freshman, expressed her pride as one of the pioneering students who helped organize the first Paskuhan celebration at UST GenSan.
“I feel very fulfilled…despite the shortcomings that we experienced, despite the busy schedules that we had, we were able to make this event very successful and memorable,” she told the Varsitarian.
“We were able to witness and to make history as the first ever [Thomasians] to celebrate [Paskuhan] in this campus,” she added.
Entrepreneurship freshman Brazel Jagodilla described the Paskuhan celebration as a much-awaited experience for him as a Thomasian.
“It was overwhelming but a dream come true,” Jagodilla said. “Given the fact that UST GenSan is just starting, this Paskuhan celebration already exceeded my expectations.” Contributed by Romeo Artemis P. Suzara with reports from Hannah Joyce V. Andaya, Louelle Marie P. Bumalay and Rev E. Dela Cruz
