ENCHANTMENT OF FAIR MANILA: 84 BEAUTIFUL YEARS OF THE SAMPAGUITA INTERLUDE

by Ramil L. Cuerdo

“In the daintiest collar clinging, with one bud like a pendant swinging, round the neck of the gentle and beautiful one, How happy and fortunate now!”

Numerous tributes have been expressed before, written or otherwise, praising the immaculate, beautiful Sampaguita, its delicate blossoms and gentle aroma likened to the beauty and sweetness of the ideal Filipina. The fabled flower has been synonymous to everything that is Filipino, and is always present in every formal Filipino occasion and pageantry, such as religious festivities, weddings, and graduation celebrations.

Centro Escolar University prides itself as an institution that recognizes the values and attributes of the ideal Filipino, and is hopefully personified by the ideal Escolarian, as beautifully represented by the Sampaguita: modesty of character similar to its white petals; loyalty and sincerity, like its sweet, gentle fragrance; firmness and courage, like its green stalks and sturdy sepals.

In 1938, through the creative spirit of Dr. Paz Policarpio Mendez, the very first Sampaguita Interlude was held, a glittering affair celebrating the achievements of the recently concluded school year, and at the same time an elegant opportunity to pass on the duties and responsibilities of the graduating seniors to the juniors who will succeed them. And now, after a three-year hiatus of face to face celebrations, the familiar tunes and movements of this beloved University tradition will once again be seen and heard on its 84th staging.

The solemn rites will begin with the recitation of the charming poem “Fair Sampaguita” by the Alma Mater, usually the highest academic achiever of the graduating class. The ceremonial book and torch are then bestowed by their bearers to their junior partners. The highlight of the ceremony is the imposition of sampaguita garlands, wherein the seniors and juniors exchange garlands as a symbol of purity and loyalty, with a promise to nurture the virtues of the ideal Escolarian, and a tangible symbol of turnover and acceptance of duties and responsibilities. In between these rites, traditional Filipino songs alluding to the sampaguita are sung: Francisco Buencamino’s El Collar de Sampaguita, Sampaguitang Mabango opus La Flor de Manila. The famed flower formations are made to the tune of these Hispano-Filipino melodies.

This year, there are five solemn rites of Sampaguita Interlude: three clusters from the Manila campus, one from Makati, and one from Malolos. Manila and Makati’s venue is at CEU Manila North Quadrangle while Malolos’ venue is at CEU Centrodome. Below are the schools that compose each cluster of CEU Manila.

Cluster 1 School of Dentistry

Cluster 2 School of Accountancy & Management/ School of Education-Liberal Arts-MusicSocial Work/ School of Pharmacy/ School of Science and Technology

Cluster 3 School of Medical Technology/ School of Nursing/ School of Nutrition & Hospitality Management/ School of Optometry

The 84th Sampaguita Interlude is scheduled on July 21, 2023 after the baccalaureate mass.