AB Velada: Glimpse of the Past
A day of going back in time happened in the Faculty of Arts and Letters on the last day of August as Artlets joined the AB Velada as part of the “Buwan ng Wika.”
The word ‘Velada’ is a term in Spanish which means a big celebration usually held at night while chanting traditional vows.
In this event, Artlets were encouraged to wear Barong Tagalog or Filipiniana to perceive a sense of nationalism.
Wearing traditional clothes allowed the Artlets to remember the Filipino’s traditional way of living.
The event’s main objective was to remind the students of the tradition Filipinos have, Artlets Student Council (ABSC) Treasurer Rafael Arellano, said in an online interview.
“We want to remind the Artlets of the rich heritage we have as Filipinos. Being liberal arts majors and as Filipinos, it’s important to fight and live for our culture. AB Velada aims to become that significant start to continue being proud of being the hospitable, resilient Filipinos that we are,” he said.
He sees that this event could be of great impact to the students of the whole university if it would be implemented again.
“If this could be implemented in all faculties/colleges, it would be more impactful not only for the Artlets, but to the whole Thomasian community,” he added.
On plans of continuing this event in the upcoming years, he said he is hopeful that the next Executive Board will add improvements if they implement the project as well.
Velada Tomasino, a university-wide event, was celebrated first on June 20, 2012 and last June 24, 2014.
It was an event that aimed to look back and celebrate the meaningful history of the University of Santo Tomas in order to prepare for its future. FRANCHESCA ELIJAH-MARI VIERNES