At UAAP Season 88’s Cheerdance Competition, the league is calling on fans to don white in a show of unity and integrity amid calls for accountability and collective action against corruption.
Come Saturday, November 29, the Mall of Asia Arena won’t just be a stage for flips, jumps, and perfect pyramids—it is expected to be a sea of white.
For UAAP Season 88’s Cheerdance Competition, the league encourage the fans to wear white in keeping with the theme, ‘Strength in Motion, Hope in Action,’ highlighting both athletic excellence and values of unity, integrity, and hope.
The initiative comes after UP, Ateneo, and La Salle cheering squads staged performances calling for anti-corruption during this season’s basketball games, using their routines to spotlight the country’s governance issues.
[ALSO READ: More than a game: Ateneo, La Salle, and UP unite for stand beyond UAAP basketball]
Furthermore, the initiative also aligns with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and their call to wear white as a unified stand for accountability.
"The Cheerdance Competition is not only a showcase of skill and teamwork but also a platform to inspire values-driven action," UAAP Season 88 President Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP of the University of Santo Tomas said.
"We hope this initiative encourages everyone in our community to stand together for integrity and hope," he added.
UAAP Special Events Committee head Jennifer Saret also bared: "We believe that every performance is an opportunity to inspire not just excellence on the floor, but also excellence in character."
Defending champions NU Pep Squad aim for back-to-back Cheerdance titles and their ninth crown in the past 13 years, facing stiff competition from the UP Pep Squad, UE Pep Squad, Adamson Pep Squad, DLSU Animo Squad, Ateneo Blue Eagles, FEU Cheering Squad, and the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe.
[ALSO READ: Rewind the routine: UAAP Cheerdance Seasons 84–87 recap]
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.