the Parades go on

Thursday, November 15th, I went to UP early in anticipation of the horrendous traffic that the Lantern Parade will generate. (It wasn’t so horrendous, as I later found out. In the first half of the day, I accompanied Pink to the Antipolo MTC to submit an Explanation. I was able to arrive at UP at around lunchtime.)


The folks at the Admin Building changed the format of the Parade this year, owing to our lack of budget. The paraders were all relegated to walking. Floats weren’t allowed in the contest anymore- though I did see at least one that joined the parade, I think it was from CHK- hauling our varsity players atop them. (Aren’t they supposed to be physically fit? Couldn’t they have walked?)


One fundamental change to the event was the leasing of the Oval perimeter to vendors who’ll be wanting to sell their wares. The result of which was the transformation of the Acad Oval into what looked like an emaciated tiangge. Hardly any vendor rented space. Or maybe that was supposed to be the general idea, I don’t know. That too many of the vendors will unnecessarily commercialize the event.

To add to the woes of the Diliman people, the Admin blocked all entry into the Oval to all vehicles since the start of the week. There was a short moment of confusion when people were asking themselves where they were supposed to pass to get to where they were going.


The Parade started at around 5pm. Which provided enough lead time for the staff at the College of Law to don their uniform shirts together. I think Our Lantern was supposed to be some sort of Unity theme- which the students didn’t get wind of. So much for unity. We’ll say that we’re too busy preparing for the Malcolm Madness, which is scheduled to start at 6pm, by which we mean, 8pm.

Which is why Dean Carlota is planning to decree that the Madness and the Lantern Parade should not thereafter be held on the same day.

I don’t know if he can do that, but it would be a great idea for the College of Law to get its act together and maintain a united front when it came to UP activities. I think we’ve endured a fractious façade for so long that it’s gotten the Dean tired and wanting an upheaval. I’ll say kudos to our new Dean.

Besides hardly any guy in Law has the time nor the expertise to create an award winning Lantern. All we’ll be able to muster is to… don yellow shirts and walk to the judging area together.

There is a moment of, when did the Dean last see a Lantern Parade? Aren’t there supposed to be lanterns in a lantern parade?

Of course, we’re all lawyers and would-be lawyers; we’ll eventually find a way to get around that problem.


In all, the Parade went by quickly- quicker than any of the Parades I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen eight). Probably because we don’t have any money to make it as long.

And yet, if the Parade will foster the sort of college/ school unity that it’s meant to instill, then money or no money, the Parades must go on.