In a moment that transcended school rivalry, the halftime of the much-anticipated UAAP collegiate men’s basketball finals rematch between De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines turned into a powerful call for national accountability — uniting the Animo and the Maroon spirit against a shared enemy: corruption.
Despite the heated atmosphere inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the Green Archers held a narrow 46-41 lead over the Fighting Maroons, both sides paused their chants and cheers for a higher purpose.
At halftime, the DLSU Animo Squad and the UP Pep Squad transformed their performances from displays of school pride into an act of solidarity.
The Animo Squad did its chant-driven routine, while the UP Pep Squad wowed with a performance that blended high-flying tosses and dance sequences.
In the finale, the DLSU Animo Squad joined the UP Pep Squad at center court, echoing the iconic “Unibersidad ng Pilipinas” chant with a message: “Ikulong na ’yan, mga kurakot.”
The performance closed with the Lasallians doing the Oblation pose while the Iskos and Iskas of UP did the “Archers Stance.”
That slogan, first heard during the September 21 mass demonstrations against corruption, has since become a rallying cry.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Beyond the joint performance, fans from both sides also heeded a nationwide call from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, supported by DLSU Sports and the Nowhere to Go But UP Foundation, encouraging the public to wear white every Sunday in October as a stand against corruption.
And so, instead of the usual sea of maroon and green, the Big Dome turned into a wave of white with sprinkles of green and maroon.
#WATCH: “IKULONG NA ‘YAN, MGA KURAKOT!”
The UP Pep Squad ✊ and DLSU Animo Squad 🏹 joined forces at halftime in a stand against corruption 🇵🇭#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/L3pTjPuFkZ
📹 @ernesttuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/ZdZWfSHn3Z
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 19, 2025
