By Er Pilotin [Class 2021] and Hanna Ho [Class 2022]
Photos courtesy of the UP Regionalization Students Organization
The UP Regionalization Students Organization (RSO) celebrated its annual RSO Week from the 18th through the 23rd of February, 2019, at various locations around the UP College of Medicine campus.
This year’s theme, Tad’man, is taken from the Maranao language, meaning “to recall.” According to overall head Lheanna Solis (Class 2023), the theme was selected as a reminder “to look back; to recall our why’s, to remember the values of this organization, our purpose and our passion to serve amidst the hustle and bustle of medical school life.”
Each day of the week also had a subtheme:
- Monday: Kalangkapan (“Anunsyo”)
- Tuesday: Katembangan (“Aliwan”)
- Wednesday: Kapaganad (“Matuto”)
- Thursday: Idayda (“Awit”)
- Friday: Kapapagariya (“Kaibigan”)
- Saturday: Mipagpeda (“Alongside”)
A photo exhibit greeted students, faculty, and staff on Monday morning, commencing the six-day-long festivity. Located at the ground floor of Calderon Hall, the exhibit featured winning photographs from the Mukha ng Bakasyon photo contest held last semester.
On Monday evening, RSO members and applicants ate in the spirit of solidarity through a Boodle Fight at Buenafe Hall. Before the customary dinner, an icebreaker group activity was held for all guests. Dr. Edelina de la Paz, one of the organization’s advisers, gave the welcome remarks for the event.
The Laro ng Lahi was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Sports Science and Wellness Center (SSWC). Applicants and members played patintero, dodgeball, and calamansi race, among other games.
A cash prize of 1500 pesos awaited the champions of the annual Tagisan ng Talino, held Wednesday evening at CH 222. Questions focused on Filipino pop culture, and were categorized into Easy, Average, and Difficult, with a final Jeopardy stage. The champions were Aldrix Anarna, Karen Amora, and Chryz Bagsic, all LU4 students. A raffle draw was also held during the event. Raffle prizes included a travel organizer, a gift certificate worth 500 pesos, and a chiffon cake.
On Thursday, a large group of RSO members and applicants serenaded patients in the Cancer Institute. Aside from the staple “Hawak Kamay”, other songs rendered were “Harana”, “Count On Me”, and “I’m Yours”.
The fifth day of RSO Week was celebrated with a HOHOL (hangout hangout lang) amongst the applicants, aimed at strengthening the batch bond. Regionalization Program (RP) students from 2023 representatives organized a night of fun-filled team-building activities for those present. Each game was structured to help forge the spirit of camaraderie, teamwork and solidarity. The night ended with dinner and karaoke.
On Saturday, the applicants together with the officers of the organization conducted an outreach activity for the Elderly Care Association in Payatas, Inc. (ECAPI) at the Ina ng Lupang Pangako Parish in Payatas, Quezon City. The activity consisted of free clinics, as well as public health lectures on diabetes, hypertension, nutrition, and hygiene.
The use of the Maranao language in this year’s theme and the daily subthemes continues the tradition of representing the regions through language. Maranao was chosen so that others can “appreciate the uniqueness of the language of our Maranao Igsuons,” says Solis. The theme names were selected by a research committee formed from among the applicants, in collaboration with members from the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Previous RSO Week themes were derived from Cebuano and Ilocano.
The RSO week served as a break for the organization as it finalized preparations for its flagship event, the 6th Philippine Conference on Community Health (PCCH). Themed “Aninag: Pagkilala sa mga Usapin at Lingkod-Bayang Humuhubog sa Kalusugang Pangkomunidad,” it featured Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo as keynote speaker. The 6th PCCH was held on March 2-3, 2019, at the UP Manila grounds.
With special thanks to Jan Petros Esparagoza and Lheanna Solis