2nd part of ‘UP Naming Mahal’ unsung, unfelt

2nd part of ‘UP Naming Mahal’ unsung, unfelt

Members and officers of UP Alumni Association-Toronto pose for posterity at RK MacMillan Lakefront Promenade Park in Mississauga on Saturday, Aug. 20. PHOTO: HG

By Amy G. Ada

When I was in UP in the early 80s up to the early 90s, I learned to sing UP Naming Mahal, the university hymn. As a graduate student of this great university, this was my first UP song. When I migrated to Canada and joined UPAA-Toronto in 2002, I noticed that the UPians here preferred to sing the first part of UP Beloved, the earlier version of the hymn, together with the first part of the UP Naming Mahal. This puzzled me since I love singing the second part of UP Naming Mahal.

At the “Battle of the Grid Iron Chefs” picnic of UPAA-Toronto, while singing the two hymns, which were printed beside each other on the song sheet, one moved the eyes to the next song and stopped where the song prematurely ended.

On my way home, I lingered on the second part of the UP Naming Mahal and asked myself, what if we sung this part of the UP hymn in UPAA-Toronto events?

Luntian at pula, Sagisag magpakailanman
Ating pagdiwang, bulwagan ng dangal
Humayo’t itanghal, giting at tapang
Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan
Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan

This makes me wonder, if we sing the second part of the UP hymn in UPAA-Toronto events like in the “Battle of the Grid Iron Chefs”, would they end “fun and successful” just the way it was on that Saturday?

Just like the premature ending of the singing of the UP song, the “Battle of the Grid Iron Chefs” ended prematurely last Saturday. A fitting ending of the event would have showed a pitch to make socially relevant and service oriented gesture to the community and/or to the country. What would have made the ending of such a gathering more fitting, in a UPian way, was to connect it with a project that has an impact on our beloved Alma Mater, half the world away whose educational tradition and values we so proudly claim and own as we forge our lives in our chosen country. The ending of the picnic would have been more fitting, in a UPian way, if we can make these “fun and successful” events tools to continuously and constantly make UPians be beacons of hope for a better Philippines whereever they may be.