The ceremonial singing of school hymns will now take place before games instead of after them, beginning this UAAP Season 79, the UAAP board announced in a press conference earlier today.
UAAP Board president Rev. Fr. Ermito De Sagon, O.P. stressed that the change was made to give the school hymns the respect that they deserved.
“It’s better that we do it properly at the beginning of the games so that everybody can sing it more solemnly, as expected,” he said. De Sagon also revealed that the board unanimously agreed to the change.
However, it will still be up to the school’s discretion whether they will sing their respective hymns post-game.
“Schools can still choose to go on and sing their after the game as well,” De Sagon added.
“Ateneo requested that they will have a different song for the beginning of the games as their usual song is for the end of the game.”
The tradition of singing the school hymn after games in the Philippines was started by the De La Salle University, whose students and alumni started singing their alma mater song after games in 1964.
Since then, the tradition caught on,, bringing images of victors basking in jubilation while sharing a moment with the entire community. There have also been lasting pictures of losers with heads bowed, braving the debilitating feeling of losing to hold their arms high to thank their fans and schoolmates.
