IN WHAT IS considered to be its “grandest and largest” celebration of the annual feast yet, the entire San Beda University (SBU) community united to honor the Holy Infant of Prague, endeared to Bedans as the Sto. Niño de Praga, at the 2024 iteration of the Pista ng Sto. Niño sa San Beda last January 26 to 28.
With the theme “Sto. Niño Huwaran sa Pangangalaga ng ating Likas na Tahanan,” derived from the papal encyclical Laudato Si’, the entire campus glistened with festive garb as the Bedan community gathered to celebrate the feast day of the Sto Niño de Praga. It is commemorated every fourth Sunday of January, with a variety of activities involving the participation of the student body and school administrators.
Describing the entire affair as a “unique Bedan tradition,” the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Prefect of Student Activities, Prof. Marvin Reyes, PhD., says that despite this year’s “all-out” programme, the 2024 Pista “can’t be compared with the previous years” since each year has its own “individuality.”
“’Yung color, ‘yung fun nandiyan…pa-bongga nang pa-bongga ‘yung opening…may mga distinguishing characteristics ang bawat taon,” Dr. Reyes added.
Day One
The first day of the Pista began with the students from the various schools and colleges of the University gathering in front of the school’s main gate to witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony that would signal the beginning of the three-day-long Pista. Mr. Benjamin Sonajo Jr., the Prefect of Student Affairs of SHS-Manila, said that “this year… ang dami talagang nag-submit ng activities. So ang expect natin ngayon ay napakakulay, napakagulo, napakasaya.”
Following this, the Integrated Basic Education Department (IBED) performed along with their crafted indigenous costumes and danced to the rhythm of the steel drums while marching throughout the vicinity of Mendiola. Through their costumes, the performers represented different regional festivals that honored the various images of Sto. Niño, namely: Sinulog, Dinagyang, and Ati-Atihan.
Afterwards, the Bedan community then gathered at the University Football Field for the opening program. In his welcome remarks, SBU Rector-President, Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. Maranan, OSB, inspired the community by emphasizing the importance of following the guidelines set by Pope Francis and the Church, saying, “Kaya naman patuloy ang ating pagsunod sa alituntunin na binibigay ng ating mahal na papa, Pope Francis, at sa tulong ng ating mahal na Simbahan, ating itaguyod ang tunay na pagmamahalan lalong-lalo na dito sa San Beda University… kaya ang pagkakaroon ng iba’t ibang kulay… ito ay ating ginagawa sa ating pagbibigay-pugay sa mahal na Sto. Niño.”
Subsequently, guided by the Campus Ministry Office (CMO), various images of the Sto. Niño were exhibited along the ground floor hallway of the St. Bede’s Hall. These images were blessed by Fr. Maranan with the presence of the institutional Dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Dominador B. Manlincon, LPT and the Vice President for Academics, Dr. Divina M. Edralin. The exhibit showcased multiple “devotional and venerated” images of the Sto. Niño, including Sto. Niño de Paz, alongside Nuestra Señora de Guia, the oldest image of Mother Mary in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the San Beda University Alumni Association (SBUAA) also actively participated in the celebration by commemorating the Golden Jubilarians of Batch 1974 and Silver Jubilarians of Batch 1999. The Association acknowledged the administration of the colleges, offices, and academic departments in SBU through an exhibit at the Lydia Tan Sy Building lobby. This exhibit featured every batch member of the Golden and Silver Jubilee celebrants, spanning from preparatory to the graduate schools, as well as administration members.
On the other hand, the University Plaza also teemed with students, administrators, teaching, and non-teaching personnel as they gathered for the “Community Feast,” organized by Mrs. Malou Divinagracia, the head of the food committee for the Pista. The event featured a diverse selection of Filipino food, including taho, lugaw, and various snacks, all offered free of charge. Ms. Tessie Barte, the Health Sciences Librarian, underscored the significance of the feast, stating that “the feast is important in instilling renewed faith and love for God” as well as “fostering solidarity and togetherness among Bedans.”
In addition, PATHFIT1 and PATHFIT2 students from the CAS, alongside other Bedans from the various colleges of the University, gathered at the Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) Gym for a “Dance Fitness” event, organized by the San Beda Sports Science Association (SBSSA) and Dr. Bayani Matitu, the chairperson of the CAS Department of Human Kinetics. The Dance Fitness event also served as a culmination of the street dance event held earlier in the day,
Throughout the event, patrons also lined up for the “Peryahan sa San Beda” at Plaza Montserrat as it opened its gates to the public. The carnival featured staple rides provided by GoodGround Amusement Parks Philippines, such as Go-Karts, its Viking Swing, and Airforce Swing, adding an extra layer of enjoyment for Bedans and non-Bedans alike. The mini-carnival, organized by the CAS Student Council (SC), paid homage to traditional Filipino carnivals, aiming to make the experience “fun and memorable for everyone.”
Moreover, the SC, through its Vice President for Internal Affairs, presented a stage play entitled Ahon, in partnership with Kulturang Laya Bedista (KLB), San Beda Red Lens (SBRL), Bedan Pastoral Ministry (BPM), SBU Chorale (SBUC), and Bedan Musicians’ Guild (BMG). Directed by Arvin Camariño and Reychel Panganiban, Ahon is a musical stage play narrating the lives of three children with high hopes, despite their impoverished circumstances. In an interview with Panganiban, she shared that the play is a “depiction” of Catholic teachings, emphasizing the importance of putting family first no matter what.
In line with SBU’s celebration of the Pista ng Sto. Niño, various school organizations also initiated events aligned with the feast. One was “Waste Disposal: Learning About Laudato Si’, One Game at a Time” at the Lydia Tan Sy Grounds. Organized by the Society of Operations Management Students (SOMS), the event aimed not only to inform Bedans about Laudato Si’, but also to involve every student in the common objective of stewardship and ecological teachings. The event also incorporated fun and collaborative games to achieve its goals.
Moreover, during the festivities, the Bedan Scholar’s Guild (BSG), Kulturang Laya Bedista (KLB), and the Bedan Volunteers (BV) accumulated various books in their donation drive event entitled “A Bedan Tale for Joy” at the Fr. Juan Sabater Garden. Carl Angelo Casilag, President of the Bedan Volunteers (BV) and the activity’s chairperson, said in an interview that the collected books would be passed on to the children of the San Lorenzo Ruiz Student Catholic Center in Sampaloc, Manila.
(written by D.S. Elijah de Castro, Mika Isidro, Shelly Bocabel, Phoebus Villanueva and Veronica Balbin with Nate Soriano, Jennifer Gwyneth Fabros, Lawrence Rosales, Jake Evangelista and Manssel Latonero)
Day Two
For the second day of the Pista ng Sto. Niño, the Psychology Society of San Beda University (PSSBU), in partnership with the University’s Community Engagement Center (CEC), organized an event entitled, “Puhon Kaugmaon: Larong Lahi’y Kalinga Sa Kalusugan,” at the Psychology Laboratory. It aimed to “instill environmental consciousness” among the children of San Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Center and the CEC’s partner community in Pandacan, Manila. In the second event, “Puhon Kaugmaon: Indak Sa Panibagong Kalikopan at Lahing Lahi’s Kalinga Sa Kalusugan,” PSSBU participants disseminated the importance of sanitation and conserving energy to the senior citizens of the CEC’s partner community.
Apart from this, an event themed “Linis Kapaligiran, Alay Kay Sto. Niño” was also organized by the institutional Human Resource Management Office (HRMO). It was in collaboration with the San Beda Employees Association (SBEA) and the student-led Kapisanan ng Agham ng San Beda (KASB) along the school premises with the aim of promoting “a cleaner and greener” San Beda as a Laudato Si’ University. Prof. Liwayway H. Acero, Ed.d, the moderator of KASB, shared how the event was conducted “in order to reduce carbon emission or carbon footprints inside the campus through proper waste segregation.”
Moreover, the San Beda Economics Society (SBES) held its “Ecolympics” at the Robert Coyiuto (RC) Jr. Gym. The participants of the event mainly comprised of first to fourth-year economics students vying for basketball and dodgeball. The winners of the basketball competition were the juniors, while the sophomores placed as the first runners-up, followed by the seniors. On the other hand, the dodgeball competition had the junior economics students as its winners, the seniors as first runners-up, followed by the sophomores.
On that same day as well, the University’s Athletics Office, the SBUEA, Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, and the HRMO also put together a bike exhibit entitled, “A Carbon Free Transport,” at the Centennial Plaza. Ranges of bicycles were put on display, such as mini velo bikes, mountain bikes, and folding bikes. The rest were an arrangement of bicycle designs over the decades like Japanese city and British bikes. Mr. Anton Flores, CPA, the event organizer and the Director of Institutional Benedictine Mission and Identity Office, explained how the bike “is a very efficient means of transportation which will not require any fuel and therefore will not cause any pollution.”
For the day’s main, approximately 4,000 people sprawled throughout the Football Field as the campus opened its gates for “SIBOL: Himig ng Bagong Simula” concert featuring renowned artists such as KAIA, Shane G., Syd Hartha, DEMI, Autotelic, Nobita, Munimuni, and The Itchyworms. KAIA kicked off the concert with a performance of their song Turn Up. And after a series of performances by other acts, “The Itchyworms” closed the program, to which Jugs Jugeta, introduced the band’s bassist, Kelvin Uy, as an alumnus of the University. Cleverly, they played the first part of the Bedan Hymn and fused it with their number-one hit, Beer. They ended the evening with a performance of their other hit song, Penge Naman Ako N’yan.
(written by Alvin John Acayen, Veronica Balbin, Rizian Balleta, Gian Marcel Chiu, and D.S. Elijah de Castro with Paolo Vital, Jennifer Gwyneth Fabros, Lawrence Rosales, Nate Soriano, Prince Tagarino, Rcee Tenefrancia, and Thirdy Pabilico)
Day 3
During the third and final day of the Pista, the SBUEA and HRMO brought together SBU’s non-teaching personnel for “Beda Fit, Palarong Pinoy, at Salo-salo” at the RC Gym of the St. Placid’s Sports Complex. The festivities took a healthy turn with fitness instructor, Coach Anne Purca, leading the Zumba sessions that got everyone moving to the rhythm. The day further unfolded with Pinoy street games, sparking laughter and friendly competition among participants.
Moreover, the Pawshion Pet Show, arranged by the SC with SBU-Collective Action Towards Strays (SBU-CATS), took place at the Lydia Tan Sy Building Lobby. Various pet owners, both Bedans and non-Bedans, participated in the event to showcase their pets cladded in various trim styles and costumes. The event opened with owners showcasing their pets down the stage, all of which were dogs such as a corgi, shih tzu and schnauzer, to name a few.
Another highlight of the event was the Bedan community’s tradition of convening a solemn procession to honor the Sto. Niño de Praga around the vicinity of the San Miguel district. Traversing the immediate vicinity of the campus, this activity reaffirmed the community’s devotion to the child Jesus. The IBED gathered at the image of St. Bede the Venerable, while the CAS’ Business Cluster was led by carroza of the image of St. Anselm. The CAS’ Arts Cluster, on the other hand, convened at the image of St. Placid. Meanwhile, St. Scholastica stood as the patron of the College of Nursing (CON), while St. Benedict of Nursia was ahead of the College of Law (COL), and St. Maur was part of the College of Medicine’s (COM) delegation.
To end the day and the three-day festivities, a Eucharistic celebration, led Fr. Maranan marked the culmination of the Pista at the University Football Field. In his homily, the Rector-President encouraged Bedans to “grasp the essence of religious piety, preserve the communal love for Jesus, and accomplish the initiative of caring for the environment.” Following this, a fireworks display lit up the night sky. The evening was then capped off by a raffle organized by the Accounting Office, with prizes that included an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, a Honda Beat Premium, an Apple Macbook Air, and other cash prizes ranging from Php2,000 all the way to Php20,000.
(written by Alvin John Acayen, Rizian Balleta, Veronica Balbin with Dianne Magallon, Paolo Vital, and Prince Tagarino)
With the numerous events and activities organized during the three-day event, Dr. Reyes mentioned that the most essential part of the Pista was the procession and the mass. No matter how vibrant the other events were, he says that these will “not replace” the two core events, as they hark back to the time when the Pista was merely celebrated through Mass.
(written by Anne Julia Francisco and Paolo Ornos)