Paskong Paulino 2023: Celebrating Love, Joy, and the Heartbeat of Filipino Culture
by Rae Sablaon | The Paulinian
Photo by Enrico Cabalfin | The Paulinian
Pamparam season is now officially back! St. Paul University Manila celebrated Paskuhan 2023 on December 15th with the theme, “Celebrating Love, Joy, and the Heartbeat of Filipino Culture.” Paskuhan 2023 demonstrated the culture and talent of each department that presented Filipino Christmas traditions. The festive performances and cultural displays highlighted unity and diversity within the Filipino heritage, immersing the Paulinian Community in a vibrant interpretation of the theme.
To kickstart the event, a Mass, presided over by Rev. Fr. Jude Genovia, SSC, was held in the Fleur-de-lis Theatre. In his homily, Father reminded us to repent during the Advent season. After the Eucharistic Celebration, the Paskuhan program began as the SPU Manila Chorale led the audience in singing the Philippine National Anthem. To entertain the audience and keep the mood going, Mr. Earl David Ong, Editor-in-Chief of The Paulinian, and Ms. Mika Navarro from the Public Relations and Marketing Office hosted the game “Tumpakners.” Participants were drawn from the audience, from the Senior High School Faculty, and College Departments.
After the short game, the College of Business and Management danced to different remixes of top Christmas song hits. The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences presented a skit portraying the plight of nurses who work overtime during Christmas. Thirdly, the Senior High School students also presented a skit and sang some Christmas songs. The College of Music and the Performing Arts serenaded the crowd with Christmas hymns, and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education performed a riff-off of Christmas IDs, including the Pamilyang Paulino, the official Christmas ID of SPU Manila.
After the presentations of the different departments, the Tanghalang St. Paul (TSP) performed a number about two siblings sharing a sweet moment as a gift to each other during Christmas time. The annual “Grant-A-Wish” program followed, where students, faculty members, and staff granted the wishes of several non-academic personnel.
The announcement of winners then followed, where judges, Mr. Lamer Morales and Ms. Ivy Coronel awarded the following:
Crowd Favorite: College of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Best in Costume: College of Business and Management
Most Creative Performance: Senior High School Department
Best Pop Culture: College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences
Most Festive Spirit: College of Music and the Performing Arts
The judges then received a token of appreciation after the awarding.
The University President, Sr. Ma. Evangeline Anastacio, SPC, then extended congratulations to the performers and gratitude to the benefactors. She also said that “Christmas is about Jesus, a profound gift representing hope, love, and Divine Grace…” a poignant reminder of the season's significance.
As the event came to an end, the much-anticipated annual Pamilyang Paulino Music Video was presented, featuring the staff of SPU Manila: Ms. Edetha Balaba and Mr. Dante Fermin conveyed their heartfelt gratitude to the entire SPU Manila community. Additionally, the narrative of Dr. Lourna V. Tagay, Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, took center stage, chronicling her remarkable three-decade journey in the university.
