UP Centennial Kick-off Parade is a festive starter of year 2008! It’s definitely a must-see event. We are always been reminded to give something little back to the university. Giving part of my time to a celebration of the Alma Mater is as good as donating gold. The posts all around the world wide web as January 8 is approaching made me uber-excited and stirred my Isko blood. I am proud to be an Iskolar ng Bayan. One way to prove it is to participate in the kick-off event.

I escape from the corporate world I stepped in after graduating from UP Diliman. I took a day off from work. I prepared my camera and its batteries to take snapshots until I drop. I also brought along my backpack containing laptop. Darn! Work is always with me!

It was as early as one in the afternoon when I returned to UP Diliman, ang Tahanan ng mga Isko at Iska. I already felt the spirit of the event. It’s something more than cheering competitions that I had attended before. The University Avenue was just blocked when I arrived so I decided to walk from Garcia Avenue to Quezon Hall and started to take pictures. From that moment, I could already sensed that it’s really worth absence in work and brushing elbows (literally) with the matatapang and the matatalino crowd.

It’s only one in a one hundred years event. My lens, my blog and I don’t want to miss it. My post is quite late. But the set of pictures and on my Multiply are another fresh narratives of the immortal event.

Most of the time, I am scene-stealer. But I decided not to sing this time.

The Carillon Tower.

Students and guests were walking bound to Quezon Hall.

This is how cheering champions rehearse.

Karitorcade.

Isn’t it romantic? UP President Emerlinda Roman. Ganda ng lola mo!

My next fashion statement. UP Vanguard on their full battle get-up.

UP Fight!

Nag-iIKOT na photographer! I wish I had that gimmick too!

Panalo ang taga-UP Baguio! I heard their instructor shouting ‘Ipagmalaki na Ifugao tayo!’

Fine Arts from Fine Arts

Parking lot. Toki and ikot jeepneys of the UP Fine Arts previously presented during the Lantern Parade last year.

Parang nasa Lantern Parade na rin ako last year.

Towed! Nasiraan daw kasi.

Dancing Oblation mascot to the tune of Papaya.

A skydiver about to land in a university field. I thought they will land on Quezon Hall rooftop.

The cauldron some minutes before the 100th torch bearer lighted that thing.

Some side stories in this cauldron area as the emcee kept on reminding us to stay away:
One is that I was next to an unattended and very heavy bag. No one from the crowd on the circumference claimed it. Because of our fear on having a tomorrow’s headliner ‘UP Centennial Bomb Blast’ with alumni as the victims, we called the attention of that one-star general. (Sorry, I forgot your name. But thank you!) He called the UP tanod’s who were busy on grabbing their shares of mineral water. After the thirst of one’s heroic tanod was quenched, he carried the bag. It would be a decisive moment if that thing blasted off.

Second is that I stood next to an Engineering alumna who I overheard that she graduated with IE degree. I asked her if she’s an alumna of Industrial Engineering Club. ‘CIEM!’, she responded. Wahaha. Sorry!

The Goblet of Fire

‘Sandaang taon na tayo!

I learned from their blog posts and photoblogs that fellow CS Firefoxes also joined and enjoyed the event. The original Lobo (firefox nga di ba?) love team – Ia and Phillip, the famous-name-in-ERP Carlos who was with Pepoy and Ish. The brothers who I met the next day for TriNoMa food tour, Noel (get the lyrics, chords and mp3 of the theme song from his site) and Sir Rom also made it there.

If I cannot take someone on a Valentine’s date next month, I would go to the UP Fair. Mas masaya ‘to definitely!

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