UST Paskuhan

Last updated
UST Paskuhan
UST at Christmas2007.jpg
Christmas decorations at UST during Paskuhan in 2007
StatusActive
FrequencyAnnual
Years active25
Inaugurated19 December 1991 (1991-12-19)
Previous event20 December 2024
Next event19 December 2025
Attendance42,000 (2024) [1]

The Paskuhan is the culmination of the university-wide Christmas activities of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. The annual tradition started in 1991. [2] The programs of Paskuhan are held during the last week or last day before the Christmas break of the university. In 2014, however, because of the change in the academic calendar of the university, it was scheduled in the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 2014. [3] It was later rescheduled to December 11, 2014, because of Typhoon Ruby. [4]

Contents

Event

One of the highlights of the celebration is the Panunuluyan or the re-enactment of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph's search for a place for Mary to give birth to Jesus Christ. The Paskuhan Mass comes shortly after and is usually presided by the university rector. Current students and university employees are also treated in the Agape or the campus-wide banquet. [5] The Agape in Paskuhan started in 2011, following the Agape of the Quadricentennial Celebration. [4]

In some editions of the Paskuhan, the celebration started with a festive parade from the different faculties and colleges.

History

Beginnings

The first Christmas celebration in the university was held on December 19, 1991, with the theme, “Paskong Tomasino, Paskong Filipino ’91.” It featured a Holy Mass, held in the UST Grandstand, the Panunuluyan, which was participated by the different faculties and colleges, and an inter-collegiate lantern-making contest. A 14-foot Christmas tree was also erected at the UST Grandstand where students placed their donations for the victims of the Mount Pinatubo eruption and Tropical Storm Uring (International name: Thelma) in Ormoc City. [2] [6]

It was in 1993 that the celebration was formally named as Paskuhan. The celebration was a simple gathering spearheaded by the then UST Treasurer Fr. Tereso Campillo, O.P. [7]

A more festive Paskuhan was held in 1994 to celebrate the upcoming World Youth Day in January 1995. It featured for the first time the 80-foot Christmas tree, which was first designed by UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts professor Rey Mañago. [7]

Succeeding years

In 2004, funds for the celebration were donated to the victims of the 4 typhoons that struck the country. [8]

Present day (2009-present)

In 2009, the Paskuhan was entitled as, 4 horas, 4 dias, 4 hundred days, 400 years to coincide with the university's countdown programs of the Quadricentennial Year. The celebration began at 8:00 p.m. of December 18, until 12:00am of December 19, which was 4 days before December 22, exactly 400 days before January 28, 2011. [9]

The Paskuhan Mass in 2012 was celebrated by the Very Rev. Bruno Cadoré, O.P., the Master of the Order of Preachers and chancellor of the university. Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P., the university rector, served as the homilist. [10]

In 2013, the celebration served for a cause as mass offerings were donated to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (International name: Haiyan).

In 2014, the Paskuhan festivities were moved from December 8 to December 11 because of Typhoon Ruby (International name: Hagupit). [11] The forthcoming visit of Pope Francis to the university in January 2015 became the main theme of the celebration. [4]

The programs in the 2015 edition were likewise modified because of the Typhoon Nona (International name: Melor). The Mass was moved to the Quadricentennial Pavilion and the concert was held at the UST Practice Gym.

The festivities returned in-person in 2022 after 2 years of holding it virtually. The month-long celebration began on December 2, 2022, with the staging of the Christmas Concert at Plaza Mayor, opening of the campus lights, and Agape. [12] [13]

The Paskuhan was also one of the events used by UST in theming the opening ceremony of UAAP Season 88 in 2025.

Themes

Titles and crowd attendance
DateTitleEstimated crowdRef.
December 19, 1991Paskong Tomasino: Paskong Filipino ’91 [2]
December 16, 2004 [6]
December 20, 2006Pride, Puso, Pasasalamat!
December 15–19, 2008Kwentong Pasko, Kwentong Tomasino! [14]
December 18, 20094 horas, 4 dias, 400 days, 400 taon50,000 [9]
December 15–17, 2010Pasasalamat sa 400 Taong Biyaya75,000 [15] [16]
December 15–16, 2011Pagsalubong para sa ika-5 Siglo100,000 [15]
December 18 and 21, 2012Pagdiriwang sa Pananampalataya70,000 [17]
December 20, 2013Pasko sa Puso Ko60,000 [5]
December 11, 2014Pagdiriwang ng Pagmamalasakit:
Tomasino Kaisa ni Papa Francisco at ng Simbahan sa Pasko.
Paskuhan Full Blast		70,000
December 17–18, 2015A Thomasian Celebration of Christmas
and the Jubilees of Mercy
and 800th Dominican Foundation Year.
December 15–16, 2016Paskong Tomasino Para Sa‘yo60,000 [18] [19]
December 1–20, 2017K.o.K. (King of Kings)60,000
December 3–21, 2018Light from Light, Prince of Peace70,000
December 2–20, 2019For Unto Us, A Child is Born.105,000
December 2-19, 2022Pananabik, Pagbabalik, Panunumbalik51,845 [12]
December 2-21, 2023Witnessing the Joy of Christmas39,368[ citation needed ]
December 2-20, 2024Ever Thankful, Ever Hopeful42,665 [20]
November 28 - December 19, 2025Light Among Us, Hope Through UsTentative [21]

Light displays

Since 2011, a pyromusical by Dragon Fireworks culminates the program.

Projection mapping was incorporated in 2015, where the UST Main Building was used as the surface.

A drone show by DroneTech was introduced in 2019 during the "Agape", and again in 2024.

References

  1. ↑ Zapanta, Logan Kal-El M. (2024-12-21). "UST's grand Paskuhan concert draws 42,000 attendees" . Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  2. 1 2 3 Cangco, Elora Joselle (17 December 2012). "Ang Paskong Tomasino (The Thomasian Christmas)" (in Filipino). The Varsitarian. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  3. ↑ UST moves college opening to July site, ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs , retrieved December 26, 2014
  4. 1 2 3 #InquirerSeven UST Paskuhan 2014: Yea or nay?, Lifestyle, Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 14, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Paskuhan 2013 draws crowd of 60,000 The Varsitarian. Accessed December 21, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Christmas in our hearts Archived 2014-12-27 at the Wayback Machine The Varsitarian Vol. LXXVI, No. 8 • December 16, 2004. Accessed December 26, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Lubang, Nina; Paje, Kacelyn Faye (16 December 2009). "Ang tradisyon ng pagbibigayan sa Paskuhan (The Tradition of Sharing every Paskuhan)" (in Filipino). The Varsitarian. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Paskuhan mirrors Thomasian charity, solidarity, spirituality. The Varsitarian Vol. LXXXVII, No. 5 • December 15, 2015. Accessed March 26, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Paskuhan draws crowd of 50,000 The Varsitarian. December 19, 2009.
  10. ↑ UST celebrates centuries of Christian faith with Paskuhan 2012 www.gmanetwork.com. Accessed December 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ UST's Paskuhan Postponed due to Typhoon Ruby, Lifestyle, Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 6, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Cua, Aric John (October 27, 2022). "In-person UST Paskuhan returns". The Manila Times. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Paskuhan festivities ng UST, nagbabalik matapos ang 2 taon". ABS-CBN News. December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  14. ↑ UST Holds Paskuhan 2008 UST.edu.ph Archived 2014-11-10 at the Wayback Machine Accessed December 17, 2011
  15. 1 2 Breaking News - Paskuhan looks forward to UST's fifth century The Varsitarian. December 17, 2011.
  16. ↑ UST holds Paskuhan 2010 as a Celebration of Thanksgiving UST.edu.ph Archived 2014-11-10 at the Wayback Machine Accessed December 17, 2011
  17. ↑ UST Paskuhan draws crowd of 70,000 The Varsitarian. Accessed December 28, 2012.
  18. ↑ Paskuhan pushes through despite rain The Varsitarian. Accessed December 28, 2016.
  19. ↑ LOOK: UST’s Paskuhan 2016: Honoring Xmas with a meaningful homily and lots of festive fun site, News5 , retrieved December 28, 2016
  20. ↑ Zapanta, Logan Kal-El M. (2024-12-21). "UST's grand Paskuhan concert draws 42,000 attendees" . Retrieved 2024-12-21.
  21. ↑ Sison, Ella Mae A. (2025-11-22). "UST announces calendar for Paskuhan 2025" . Retrieved 2025-11-22.
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