MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP is calling on students and supporters to wear white at the much-anticipated Cheerdance Competition (CDC) on Saturday, framing the event as both a celebration of athletic excellence and a statement of shared values.
In a statement Thursday, the league said the color white was chosen in response to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ call for a symbolic show of “collective action against corruption and the pursuit of accountability.”
“We believe that every performance is an opportunity to inspire not just excellence on the floor, but also excellence in character,” said UAAP Special Events Committee head Jennifer Seret. “By joining the UAAP community in wearing white, we celebrate unity, hope, and our shared commitment to integrity.”
UAAP Season 88 president Fr. Rodel Cansancio of host school University of Santo Tomas echoed the message, stressing that the cheerdance stage has become more than a venue for competition.
“The Cheerdance Competition is not just a showcase of skill and teamwork, but a platform to inspire values-driven action,” he said. “Sports can inspire values beyond competition. We stand for integrity.”
The push for white comes after fans clad the Araneta Coliseum in the same color during a recent Ateneo–La Salle match, filling the venue from the lower boxes to the rafters.
This year’s CDC will open with a first-ever anti-corruption cheer — a symbolic routine meant to set the tone before the teams take the floor.
Below are the themes for the Season 88 cheerdance teams:
- UP Pep Squad – Filipino Christmas
- UE Pep Squad – High School Musical
- Adamson Pep Squad – Exploration
- La Salle Animo Squad – Baseball
- Ateneo Blue Eagles – Sing
- NU Pep Squad – Ninja
- FEU Cheering Squad – Filipino Childhood Games
- UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe – Halloween
The UAAP said it hopes the sea of white in the stands will serve as a reminder of the community’s commitment to integrity, unity, and hope as the country’s top cheer squads take center stage.
