The UST Yellow Jackets and UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe stood against corruption during the halftime performances of the UST Growling Tigers and UST Growling Tigresses games on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The cheering squads displayed a banner bearing the Thomasian core values during the Tigers’ game, followed by the message “No to corruption.” In the Tigresses’ match, they carried a separate message that read “Fight against corruption.”

UST Yellow Jackets head cheerleader and external vice president Ervy Mae Omisol told TomasinoWeb that the core values are not only meant for the stage or the game but should also serve as everyone’s “moral compass.”

Omisol said that Thomasian student-athletes are among those directly affected during storms. These situations often disrupt their study and training schedules and put their safety at risk.

“Kaya as student-athletes, we are way… way more than just sports and books, nawa’y magsilbi rin tayong daluyan, or instrument of promulgating the truth, justice, and righteousness.”

The Yellow Jackets had long planned to incorporate the recent corruption issue into their halftime performance, thinking of how to deliver the message in a way that would leave a lasting impact on the audience—the Thomasian community, the Filipinos, and the people they believe should be held accountable.

“It is through these ways that we [express] our resentment and anger to [those] who have abused their power and [taken away] the bright future of what was meant to be ours, Filipinos,” Omisol said, referring to the role of student-athletes in speaking up against corruption.

“We are one in this fight. Not only for UST, [and] UAAP, but for the country,” Omisol said.

During the first round of the UAAP Season 88 basketball tournament, other universities also delivered similar anti-corruption messages.

Prior to the halftime performance, the University had already expressed its stance against corruption through different initiatives.

At the UST Day of Prayer for Truth and Good Governance on Tuesday, Oct. 21, UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. emphasized the need to denounce the worsening state of corruption in society and urged Thomasians to uphold integrity and accountability.

Among the initiatives organized by different sectors of the University were the Thomasian Walkout Against Corruption staged by the UST Central Student Council, UST Solidarity Night organized by the UST Faculty Union, and the Vicarial Accountability Prayer Rally Walk Against Corruption led by the Santissimo Rosario Parish.