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| Congen Germie Usudan with alumni from 4 Phl universities gather despite the hoisting of T3 |
The University of the Philippines Alumni Association in Hong Kong took the top slot in “Rambulan 2024” (UAAP Barangayan sa Hong Kong), a friendly competition among alumni of four of the country's top universities, held on Saturday at Repulse Bay Beach.
UPAA had initially tied with One La Salle Hong Kong
for the top prize, each with 26 points, but prevailed in the tie-breaking
contest, “Tono Henyo”, or a name-that-tune
(and singer) contest.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
The other groups that competed were the University
of Santo Tomas Alumni Association, which took the third prize; and the Ateneo
Alumni Association, which due to a lack of participants, came out fourth.
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| UP alumni proudly display the champion's trophy |
Opening the friendly was Consul General Germinia Aguilar-Usudan,
a graduate of both UP and UST, who praised the alumni for getting together in a
show of camaraderie and sportsmanship, and remarked how she was enjoying the
fine weather, despite the hoisting of typhoon signal no 3 that morning.
Congen Usudan also used the occasion to honor her
predecessor, the late Assistant Secretary Raly Tejada, who keenly supported the
alumni associations’ effort to gather together, and lend support to some of the
Consulate’s projects, like the overseas voting for Filipinos.
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| La Salle alumni with their 2nd prize trophy |
Eight fun games were played during the day-long
event - “Isang Bucket Ka Lang,” “Tono Henyo,” “Hula Hoop Relay,” “Hugot Buntot”,
“Third PAArteh (3-legged race), “Putukin Mo Ang Lobo Ko,” “RamPak (a sustainable
dress pageant) and the UAAP Cheer Dance Competition.
La Salle won four of the games, notching the top
score of 4 in each, but fell to either 2nd or 3rd position in the rest. UP managed to even out the score by taking the second
slot in four of the other games, each worth 3 points.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Up until the cheering dance contest, UP was leading
by one point, but La Salle caught up and drew a tie when it was announced the
winner in what should have been that final face-off.
In the ensuing tie-breaking “Tono Henyo” contest,
UPAA scored a perfect 5 as against 2 for La Salle, to take the first-prize
trophy.
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| The contested trophies, with the UST alumni in the background |
Two non-alumni, Marichie Biscocho from Mapua University and
Albert Yu from Polytechnic University, acted as judges for the RamPak and Cheer
Dance Competition.
Ayalaland Hong Kong sponsored all the trophies, as
well as two one-night stays at Seda Hotel which were awarded to both UP and La
Salle.
UPAA HK is headed by Maritess Turingan, One La Salle by Jaerey Velasco, USTAA by Jan Yumul, and Ateneo AA by Joms Ortega.
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| Ateneo's Joms Ortega gamely joins the dress-up pageant for his school |
This was the fourth 'Rambulan' to be held in Hong Kong since its launch in 2014, with the aim of reviving the spirit of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines' (UAAP) annual sports competition in the city.
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