MANILA (UPDATE) — The traditional yearend Lantern Parade of the University of the Philippines Diliman on Wednesday returned to the campus after two years as pandemic restrictions eased.

The school’s colleges settled for smaller floats that still hit with messages on current events.

The College of Arts and Letters' (CAL) lantern depicted a woman riding a bike which became a supplementary mode of transportation during the height of COVID lockdowns.

"Malaking tulong ‘yong bike. Ito ‘yong nagtawid sa atin sa kabila ng pandemya, ng kahirapan para makapagpatuloy na mabuhay at maghanapbuhay,” UP Diliman CAL Dean Jimmuel Naval told ABS-CBN News in an interview.

"Simula uli tayo, pero dapat masigla na tayo at paghandaan natin ‘yong mga susunod na darating na delubyo. Katulad ng kawayan, humahapay tayo pero bumabawi tayo, bumabalik tayo sa dating atin,” he added.

Other groups, such as the UP multisectoral alliance, made an onion-shaped lantern labeled “Golden Era” to criticize the Marcos Jr. administration for the socioeconomic struggles of Filipinos.

Freshman student Bryce Macaya from the College of Mass Communication was excited to finally experience the annual tradition.

“Siyempre, we would really like to get along together bilang isang community na mag-celebrate the year that was here in 2022, and we, looking forward to the next year, and that’s how we celebrate it here in UP Diliman with the Lantern Parade,” he said.

“Alam namin na part talaga ng culture ng UP ‘yong Lantern Parade, kaya sobrang excited kami na bagong pasok pa lang kami sa UP Diliman, lalo na sa time na bumabalik tayo sa face-to-face.”

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The comeback of the Lantern Parade marks the return as well of face-to-face classes next semester, UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Luis Maria Bo-ot told ABS-CBN News.

This year’s theme is “Bagong Tahak, Bagong Galak” (New Direction, New Joy).

“Matagal na panahon, hindi nagkita-kita ang mga tao sa isang okasyon na medyo magaan at masaya. Ito ang kahalagahan ng unang face-to-face Lantern Parade pagkalipas ng higit na dalawang taon,” Bo-ot said.

The school official hopes that this year's Lantern Parade would remind the UP community of the traditions they have on campus.

“It’s more of a morale (and) spirit, right and everybody is ready to come back to their works,” he added.

"The campus would start to stir up again with the usual vignettes like jeepney rides and walking around the academic oval. Part of being a UP person is you have to be very familiar with the culture and in the sights and the sounds of the campus itself."

The UP’s Lantern Parade tradition began in 1922 inspired by the practice of carrying lanterns to December masses.

Aside from being a showcase of creativity by members of the UP community, the lanterns and their presentations have also been an avenue for commenting on social issues.

Here are the winners of this year’s Lantern Parade:

UP academic units category

• 1st place: College of Arts and Letters
• 2nd place: College of Science
• 3rd place: College of Social Work and Community Development
• Honorable Mention: Asian Center
• Most Sustainable Award: College of Law

College of Fine Arts category

• 1st: Sierra Madre
• 2nd: Political Circus
• 3rd: Sarimanok
• Honorable Mention: Bayanihan

A cash prize of P50,000 each will go to the lanterns adjudged the best among the UP academic units and in the College of Fine arts.

A “most sustainable lantern” will also be awarded P20,000.

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