Kuwentong Peyups
Atty. Dennis Gorecho
Aswangs in UP Lantern Parade as symbols of corruption
Vibrant floats of Filipino folklore monsters as symbols of corruption flooded the academic oval of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman during the annual Lantern Parade last December 17, 2025.
The 103-year-old tradition was kept alive as more than 30 lanterns were showcased.
The College of Fine Arts (CFA) “Maligno sa Gobyerno” contingent featured colorful glowing huge lanterns of paranormal creatures that are traditionally depicted as evil predators.
These creatures are linked with “corruption” that manifests in two ways: the moral corruption of the creatures themselves and as metaphors for real-world political and societal corruption, greed, and systemic abuse of power.
The lantern titled “Manananggal” was declared first place, “Tikbalang” for second place, “Bacobaco” for third place, and “TikTik” for fourth place.
Most of the entries are “Aswangs” which is the umbrella term for shape-shifting evil creatures (vampires, ghouls, viscera suckers) described as “a community of predators, perfectly integrated into society, making it nearly impossible to tell the neighbor from the nightly ghoul”.
Manananggal is a self-segmenting creature, whose upper body separates to fly and hunt for victims, while Tikbalang is a half-human, half-horse creature.
Bacobaco is a powerful, monstrous creature in Zambales mythology, often described as a giant sea turtle that could bore into mountains (like Mt. Pinatubo) or even become an Aswang.
Tiktik appear as a bird or other forms known for its distinctive “tik-tik” sound. It often mimic natural sounds to deceive targets, embodying primal fears of unseen threats and hidden predator. The tiktik sound signals its presence while hunting pregnant women and their unborn babies, using a long tongue to reach victims, with the sound growing quieter as it gets closer.
These creature’s insatiable hunger for human flesh parallels the way corruption “eats away at the nation’s vital organs” like healthcare, education, and infrastructure funding.
They reflect the form of corruption that detaches itself from its human context and operates with impunity under the cover of darkness.
I have celebrated my birthday week inside the UP Diliman campus several times, in most instances coinciding with the traditional Lantern Parade.
The parade traverses the UP Academic oval canopied by over a hundred years old sturdy acacia trees that are silent witnesses to the travails of the Diliman denizens.
The Lantern Parade started in 1922, inspired by the folk practice of carrying lanterns of various shapes and sizes to light the way to the early morning December Masses or misa de gallo during the Spanish period.
The lantern parade was institutionalized in 1934 by UP President Jorge Bocobo “so that students can have a frolicsome activity before the year ends.”
The Christmas event transformed into a venue for protest with an activist motif in 1969 just before Martial Law and went on hiatus from 1970 until 1976.
During its comeback in 1977, participants carried torches while parading around the Academic Oval, unmoved by the ominous atmosphere of Martial Law.
“From its beginnings as a simple homage to an old Christmas tradition to the elegant, colorful, sometimes controversial creations that strut (or sometimes sputter) around the UPD academic oval each Yuletide, the Lantern Parade has evolved into an event that reflects both the people and milieu of its time, depicting the changing social and political landscape of the University and indeed, the country,” according to the UP website.
With this year’s theme is “Abé-abé,” which means “togetherness” or “unity” in Kapampangan. The lanterns became platforms for larger messages tackling relevant national and global issues such as attacks on human rights, climate change, environmental degradation and corruption.
Several lanterns depicted crocodiles as a symbol of corruption, echoing calls for accountability.
The entries were judged according to compliance with the theme, materials used, presentation and visual effects, and eco-friendliness. There are two sets of winners: the first set from among the entries of participating colleges and offices and the second set from hall-of-famer CFA.
The carousel-themed lantern “Abé-abé sa KALsada” of the College of Arts and Letters won first place, followed by Asian Institute of Tourism, the College of Architecture, the School of Archeology, and the College of Home Economics.
“Let the brilliance of UP shine the light of hope. Today, in the midst of darkness, UP must be dealers in hope,” UP President Angelo Jimenez said in his message.
The lantern parade is a reminder that UP molded us to fight for the causes we believe in, trained us for the skills we need to communicate ideas and rally others to effect changes in society.
(Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.)
