The University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute (UP RI) ended calendar year 2024 by joining the annual UP Diliman Lantern Parade last December 18. The 2024 UP Lantern Parade had the theme, “Nilay at Sikhay” (Reflection and Perseverance), and was participated in by colleges, Academic units, Administrative offices, organizations from the different UP campuses, as well as community groups and institutions.
The parade kicked off from the University Avenue and made its way around the Academic Oval, ending at the Quezon Hall field behind the Oblation Plaza. There were two sets of winners, one of which will come from participating colleges and offices and the other from competing classes of the Lantern Parade Hall of Famer, College of Fine Arts.
Since its establishment in 2016, UP RI has participated in the Lantern Parade under the UP Office of the President. This year, representatives from the UP Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center, Research and Creative Work (RCW) Division, Knowledge Sharing (KS) Division, Education Division, Institution Building (IB) Division, Administration Office (AO), and Office of the Executive Director (OED), were present at the event. UP President Angelo ‘Jijil’ Jimenez also joined Executive Director Dr. Mahar Lagmay, Knowledge Sharing Division Director Dr. Likha Minimo, former Education Division Director Dr. Emmanuel Luna, and the rest of the UP RI group for a brief moment during the parade.
From the early 1920s to its institutionalization in the 1930s and revival in the late 1970s after the declaration of Martial Law, the UP Lantern Parade has maintained a tradition of reflecting the social and political landscape of the country. The lanterns and floats created by the UP Community have always been forthright about significant university and national issues.
The floats in this year’s parade interpreted the theme in creative ways, presenting messages about campus issues, press freedom, human rights violations, open data, environmental issues, climate change actions, and climate justice, among others. UP RI representatives brought placards with a QR code that linked to the NOAH website, where people can easily access and learn about natural hazards in their areas. The parade is not only an avenue for creativity and inclusivity, but a venue for meaningful conversations in building local capacity and increasing social awareness especially about climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
The Lantern Parade is a reminder that the university has molded us to fight for the causes we believe in and become catalysts of change for the betterment of society. UP RI, being true to its purpose in becoming a proactive hub of innovative information for climate change mitigation and adaptation, will continue to conduct research and improve existing data to further empower local communities towards true resilience.