AFTER YEARS OF subdued celebrations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bedans went all out this year to cheer for its student-athletes competing in the 99th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as San Beda University (SBU) saw the return of its annual Pep Rally at the Robert Coyiuto Jr. (RC) Gym, last September 27.
Julia San Jose, the Vice President for Internal Affairs of the Student Council (SC), noted how the “longing, excitement, and healthy pressure” of reviving a face-to-face Pep Rally after three years was the drive to pursue such an event in the first place.
Preparations for the said event were efficient as the entirety of the SC and its committees were “on-board” in the planning and tasking of responsibilities, to name a few. Furthermore, the Council’s strategy of establishing a ‘vision board,’ which organized the duties into three stages (planning, outsourcing, and execution), helped in overseeing the duties necessary to implement coordination.
“I think it is effective insofar as nakita naman natin last Wednesday, lahat ng aspects ng Pep Rally, from food distribution, ushers, even sa stage design, well-coordinated from or within the [SC] and the [SC] Executive Committee,” San Jose added.
The event started off with a mass celebrated by the Rector-President, Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. Maranan, O.S.B., setting up the stage for what was to be a blessing for the Bedan athletes in their upcoming games. Injured or not, the athletes wholeheartedly participated in the Pep Rally to support their brothers and sisters as they carry out their mantra for this year of “Carrying Legacy, Striving for Victory.”
The Indian Yell reverberated across the RC Gym, following the lead of the SBU Band and the Red Corps. The Bedan community also chanted the other cheers and yells that are a huge part of the rich history and culture of the University.
Part of the festivities was the headdress modeling competition, which San Jose considered as one of the segments unique from the previous pep rallies in years past. The headdress theme focused on the event’s theme, wherein various departments of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) competed, but the Junior Financial Management Association (JFINMA) ultimately won the competition.
Another highlight of the Pep Rally was the introduction and show of talents by the Bedan athletes. As every athlete went to the dance floor and showed off their moves, the gym was filled with excitement, laughter, and amazement from the crowd, which were enjoyed by the entire Bedan community.
“’Di namin ini-expect na mag-fufull blast performance yung iba, talagang two to three minutes song palong-palo, lahat yun may choreo – it’s new, it’s refreshing, it lightens the mood na hindi mo aakalain yung mga athletes na seryoso sa klase or seryoso in-game kapag sasayaw mo sila ng ganon,” said San Jose.
The event culminated with a bonfire, along with a fireworks display and a rekindled sense of community amongst Bedans together singing the Bedan hymn to end the Pep Rally. Ultimately, San Jose took pride in how “there’s this sense of one Bedan community” during the whole duration of the pep-rally as the success were pioneered by the support of the SCs from the CAS, Senior High School (SHS) level, and the College of Nursing (CON), along with the participation of the administrators, team coaches, and the entire Bedan community.
Although San Jose observed how some mishaps transpired in regard to the communication lines between the SC committees, nonetheless she is looking forward to the entirety of the council’s continued improvement in the upcoming events.
For his part, Prof. Marvin Reyes, PhD., the CAS Prefect of Student Activities, attested to how this year’s Pep Rally was especially “joyful, meaningful, and colorful” considering the three to four years of being held back from pursuing tradition due to the pandemic.
Unique from its previous iterations, Dr. Reyes further acclaimed that “If I will compare this to the previous Pep Rally, because most of the athletes are very much engage with the program, and they really enjoyed it, I really feel like they really enjoyed it.”
Asst. Prof. Pamela Tendero, MBA on the other hand, the moderator of the Bedan Musicians’ Guild (BMG), Bedan Dance Theatre, and the San Beda University Chorale (SBUC), as well as the College’s Administrative Officer, took much pride on how its student-performers hyped up the entirety of the event as evidenced by the accounts of the many Bedans present. For her, it was ‘extremely joyous’ to have the Bedan community cheer in support of the student-athletes—a feeling which became dormant ever since the halt of the pandemic.
As the Bedan student-athletes compete in the 99th NCAA season in hopes of bringing home the bacon, Dr. Reyes hoped for the ‘sustained winning spirit’ amongst Bedan athletes until the end of the season.
San Jose also assured the student-athletes that “the student council is open to your concerns, grievances, and anything that we can help, the student-council this year’s very open to help you.”
Yet of course, being student-athletes that they are, Prof. Tendero noted that their sense of being first and foremost students must never be forgotten amidst the pressures and obligations of being an athlete.
Equally significant, Dr. Reyes and San Jose asked for the ‘roaring’ support of the Bedan community in this preluding entry before the games, as such encouragement “it’s our pride, it’s our trademark not only as a Bedan in terms of sport, but Bedan in general.”
(with D.S. Elijah de Castro)
Photo by Jannine Salinas
