On Friday, December 15, UP Diliman’s yearly Lantern Parade took place with over 50 contingents presenting their various floats and lantern designs.
According to Dr. Nestor Castro, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs, this year’s theme “Paaralan, Palaruan,” which highlights the university’s historical role as a political and cultural playing field. Critieria for this year’s lanterns should include using recyclable materials and the creativity of the presentations.
Student organizations, university departments, to the campus community fearlessly made their voices heard as many expressed their sentiments blatantly through effigies and statement placards protesting against the Duterte administation. Burning issues—Metro Manila’s unsolved traffic problems, the proliferation of fake news, historical revision, human rights, and the violent war on drugs, among others—stood out in this year’s parade.
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Photo by Luna Tekh/InterAksyon.
