SEASON 79 host University of Santo Tomas (UST) is preparing a unique opening ceremony in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on September 3 that will highlight the athletes and the competing universities.
To be staged inside the UST campus on España, UST Office of Public Affairs Director Dr. Giovanna Fontanilla and UAAP board member Gilda Kamus bared some details of the opening rites in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“The University decided to do the opening here [in UST] because we want the other universities to experience the Thomasian culture and the activities that we have here in UST,” said Kamus, also the department secretary of the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA).
“It will just be a simple ceremony, but we will welcome you with our warm smiles and the Thomasian way, we will try our best to reach out to each one,” she added.
According to Fontanilla, the theme of the opening ceremonies will be “Dare to Dream.”
“We’re starting to dream of a different way of opening ceremonies. That’s what we’re preparing for and we are excited,” Fontanilla said.
The opening festivities will start with a ballroom dance, a demo sport this season, to be followed by the parade of the competing schools at the Plaza Mayor. A concert will follow after the ceremonies.
This will be the second time in the history of the UAAP that the opening ceremonies will be held outside a stadium or coliseum and no ball games will be played.
Ateneo de Manila did it first at the Marikina Sports Complex in Season 74.
One of the highlights of the opening rites is the ballroom dancing.
“This is just the starting point in knowing the sport so we did dance camp for the participants from different universities and reached out to them to come up with this sport,” Kamus said.
The men’s basketball tournament will kick off on September 4, although the schedule of games has yet to be finalized by the UAAP board.