FOR THE first time in its 30-year history, the UST Yellow Jackets (YJ) will have women at the helm of its cheerleading and drumline departments.
Raeza Jacob and Janaya Manalad, who serve as the external and internal vice presidents of YJ, achieved a historic milestone by being elected the first female head cheerleader and head drummer in the history of the pep squad.
For Jacob, this achievement signifies the commencement of an era of more inclusivity.
“As the first-ever female head cheerleader of YJ, I’d like to believe that we started a new culture and a new history for YJ,” Jacob told the Varsitarian.
“I hope for more inclusivity, not just for athletes and not just for organizations, but for society as a whole, to be more open to equal opportunities regardless of gender. If a person is talented, we shouldn’t let gender hinder them from doing what they can.”
The official pep squad and drumline of UST conducted its election among its members last June, where Jacob and Manalad emerged as the sole female nominees for their respective positions.
Manalad said she and Jacob share a deep sense of camaraderie and consider each other as role models.
“We started seeing each other as icons and we realized that we too can have a place in a very male-dominated organization,” Manalad said.
“From there alone, you know that there will be challenges or struggles as a female, just like everywhere else in the world, but, she became very inspiring, and she always motivates us that if men can do it, we can match or even surpass them.”
Among the current set of officers in the YJ, only the president is male, while the remaining positions are held by females.
To become an official member of the YJ, individuals initially join as applicants before progressing to the status of “trainees.” Once they are promoted to “residents,” they become official members of the drumline. Scholarships are only applicable after achieving residency.
Jacob, who is currently a junior majoring in Asian studies, began her journey with YJ as an applicant in July 2022 and advanced to the status of trainee in December of the same year. She has now reached the level of resident, which qualifies her for the scholarship granted to YJ members.
As for Manalad, she joined the Yellow Jackets in September 2020 during the pandemic period and successfully completed the required qualifications in May 2021 to officially become a member of the squad.
Jacob hinted that in the upcoming Season 86, the Yellow Jackets are planning an all-women performance and intend to involve more females in their “trads,” which are exhibition performances during the halftime of UAAP basketball events.
YJ’s origins trace back to 1993 when it was introduced as the UST Bangers. The following year, the Bangers joined forces with the already-established Salinggawi Dance Troupe, a collaboration that led to UST’s triumph in that season’s cheerdance competition.
The group underwent a name change in 1997, adopting the name “Yellow Jackets” in homage to the University’s official color. Yellow jackets are a type of predatory wasp that are often identified by their distinctive black and yellow coloration.
YJ eventually gained official recognition as a campus organization in 2001. with reports from Jose Gabriel V. Ignacio
