LAST Jan. 17-24, San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) held its annual Sto Nino festivities to commemorate the arrival of Catholicism in the Philippines. However, one cannot celebrate the success of an event without thanking the people behind it—the Pista ng Sto. Niño 2024 themed “Dakilang Gabay sa Pagsasamang Paglalakbay” owes its success to the countless individuals who made it possible. 

Hermano Mayor’s Highlights

This year’s Hermano Mayor was Atty. Juan Ruffo Chong, Dean of the School of Business, Accountancy, and Management (SBAM). In an interview with THE BEDAN HERALD, Atty. Chong was asked about the ultimate highlight of this year’s festivities; “The last day,” he said, “because even when I was a high school student here, the last day was actually the highlight of the entire Sto. Niño festivities.” He expressed pride that students and faculty members continued the procession despite the rain. The following mass and closing ceremonies, featuring a concert from the band Lola Amour, were also huge successes. According to Atty. Chong, the first day’s opening ceremony, which was a collaboration among all the stakeholders of the tertiary schools, was what made him the proudest of the Bedan community.

Making an Impact

The Marketing and Promotions of this year’s Pista ng Sto. Niño was headed by the Dean of the School of Arts, Sciences, and Teacher Education (SASE), Dr. Rosario Mielma Aquino. Gino Antonio Rivera III, Communication and Media Studies (CMS) department chair, headed the executions as the executive producer. Rivera outlined the challenges in promoting the event, including budget, time, and resources. Planning for the event started in October last year. However, such an event typically requires at least six months for effective coordination with other departments, cost management, and communication. The planning was also affected by the Christmas break. 

According to Rivera, he was asked by Atty. Chong to handle and execute the promotions with an ‘impact.’ “When I heard the word impact, of course, as a [communications] major as someone who works for the industry, ‘yun ‘yung naging basis namin, how can we deliver the results with an impact.” To achieve this, they used real-time postings across various platforms, considering the materials and media releases needed to ensure consistency in the theme.

Return of the Crown: Mr. and Ms. San Beda is back

This year’s festivities also marked the return of the Mr. and Ms. San Beda pageant, which had been on hiatus for five years. The Student Executive Council (SEC), led by Professor Roma Wynn Sedo, Dean for Student Affairs, handled the event. In an interview, Ms. Roma shared her thoughts on the pageant’s comeback, “At first, we had a hard time on how we were going to relaunch it since the pandemic happened,” she said, “and then five years ago during the pre-pandemic the practices of the pageant was not that hyped,” Dean Sedo added. 

The pause caused by the pandemic presented challenges in conceptualization, including why it should be celebrated with the Sto. Niño and planning the details, both big and small.  Organizers also faced challenges such as encouraging candidates, implementing rules and regulations for various categories, and ensuring a professional appearance suitable for the tertiary school’s reputation. To overcome these challenges, they consulted with experts, including different pageant coaches, to ensure the event's success. Dean Sedo also said she would like to see the ‘Mr. and Ms. San Beda’ become an annual part of the Sto. Niño events. 

It takes a Village

The success of the Pista ng Sto. Niño 2024 was undoubtedly a result of collaborative efforts involving every Bedan, from primary school students to those in graduate studies, as well as every member of the administration and faculty. These festivities celebrated the collaboration within the SBCA community— as One San Beda!