UST Main Building and Plaza Mayor. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The University of Santo Tomas, this year’s UAAP hosts, will do away from the traditional opening rites when the country’s premiere collegiate league unfurls on Sept. 3.
Gigi Kamus, IPEA department secretary of UST, said an Olympic-style opening ceremony will be staged in a separate date unlike in the previous years where the festivities are held the same day as the men’s basketball tournament opener.
“In the previous years, the players who will be playing in the first day are a bit tired after participating in the opening and the waiting time in between the ceremony and the games is just too long,” Camus told reporters Tuesday during the UAAP Season 79 media briefing held at Multimedia room of the Quadricentennial Pavilion at UST.
Apart from making sure the athletes are well-rested before plunging into action, Camus said launching the latest season at UST’s shores is also a way of showcasing the beauty of the school.
“We want to highlight the athletes this time and not the usual event. We also want the other universities to share the Thomasian culture with them,” she said.
“We want them to experience the activities we have here for the UAAP.”
Three major activities are lined up during the day, starting with the introduction of ballroom dancing as a demonstration sport this season set at 3 p.m. The ceremony, which will be held at the Plaza Mayor, comes after at 5:30 p.m. while a concert, where the official theme song for this season will be played.
“It will be simple, but we will welcome you with our warm smiles and the Thomasian way of reaching out.”
Camus also assured that the school is ready in case of the bad weather.