The Hobo returned on a Monday afternoon of December 8, 2025, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a special non-working holiday that capped a long weekend and, on paper, the sort of date when attendance might be low. Yet by 4:00 p.m., nearly 70 brods and sisters had already gathered at the specially bedecked Bahay ng Alumni, lingering, waiting less for a program to begin than for the long-anticipated act of breaking bread with brothers and sisters across generations. The number would eventually breach 300, the target attendance, a metric that, by any measure, rendered the program a massive success.

As dusk settled, the evening formally opened with an invocation led by Vangie Balba-Abella ’90, followed by the National Anthem shown on video, projected on the LED walls that framed the stage and carried a live feed throughout the hall.

The revival of the Hobo in 2025, after a long hiatus, was no accident. It was very much the brainchild of the Chairman of the Board of the Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association, Inc. (USPAA), Eric Gene C. Pilipil ’86, who conceived it even before the election of the current Board of Trustees and set it in stone from the outset as a ‘must-do’ undertaking of his term.

The Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association (SDPAA) was quick to lend its support. Many of the sisters had never attended a Hobo before. Still, they nonetheless agreed to set aside their usual Christmas gatherings in favor of a tradition they knew largely by reputation. More than a hundred signed up early, and in the days leading up to the event, both brods and sisters were tight-lipped about the preparations to maximize the surprise factor.

Eric opened the program by invoking the image from Genesis: the Lord forming man from the dust of the ground, breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, and man becoming a living being. “It is not good for the man to be alone,” he then said. The message was clear. The Hobo was not merely a social gathering; it affirmed that life is meant to be lived with others.

He went on to remind the sisters present that their loyalty was valued. “Your brother Upsilonians have not forgotten your loyalty,” he said. Citing the Sigma Delta Phi motto, Cor Unum Via Una—one in heart, one in mind, one in the communion of spirit—he framed the Hobo not simply as nostalgia, but as a fellowship of kindred spirits.

SDPAA President Mona Lacanlale ’68 followed. She introduced the SDPAA trustees and spoke of the parallel histories of fraternity and sorority, distinct yet long intertwined. Her remarks perfectly highlighted the evening’s central theme: “Brods and Sisters for Life.”

“I reacted very positively to the proposal of holding a joint Hobo between the brods and sisters. The intentions were clear, and it was explained in a very cordial and brotherly way why reviving the tradition would be good for both organizations. I saw it as a way of building a better relationship.

“There is something very peculiar about the relationship between brods and sisters. Calling it a bond can sound clichéd, but there is an instant feeling—almost like magic—when you discover someone is a brod or a sister. For me, that alone is reason enough to celebrate the relationship. Both organizations have a long history, and it would be a waste to let that go. Traditions like the Hobo help preserve it, grounded in mutual respect, support, and camaraderie.”

USPAA President Gerry Sirios ’89 then took the floor. He spoke of the many who had worked behind the scenes, particularly in relief operations. “We all know that we all work hard,” he said, recalling the help extended across different efforts. Against that backdrop, the gathering felt earned. “So it’s just proper that we get together,” he added, “and then celebrate.”

After the speeches came the celebration, ably hosted by Nikki De Vega ’97 and Charvy Parra ’89. Resident and alumni sisters performed dance numbers that signaled that the night’s formalities had given way to fellowship. The resident brods also performed a number. Soon after came the first raffle segment, drawing early cheers as prizes, sourced through the generosity of Sis Marife Recinto ’83, found their winners.

For Charvy, one of the hosts and a member of the Hobo Committee, this was precisely the balance he had hoped to strike. “Personally, I wanted a night dedicated to the brods and sisters to experience sentimental longing and fond remembrance of the past,” he shared. That intention carried through even in the details: venue, food, and flow. “That’s why, kahit nakakahiya, I dressed up appropriately for the event.”

Charvy oversaw much of the night’s logistics: the venue, catering for 300 guests, including drinks (beer, wine, and single malts) sourced with help from Sis Marife, and crew meals, served from lunch through dinner as the technical teams began ingress as early as 10 a.m. Chitong Rivera and Raul Paras contributed three large lechons. The lights and sound, two LED walls with live feed, the band coordination with Marc Comia 2017, and the stage and photo wall design, handled with Phillip Alpajora 2014 and Marc, ensured that the evening looked and felt as deliberate as it was warm.

“I was delighted by the effort that went into this year’s Hobo. What I expected to be impromptu turned out to be thoughtfully prepared—and it brought back the brother-sister camaraderie the Hobo was known for,” said Pauline Reyes ’89, one of the early attendees.

President Mona insisted that she pay for the catering. Raul Paras ’90, Vice President of the USPAA and head of the Membership Committee, together with Charvy, handled additional payments and tips to suppliers, keeping the machinery of the night running smoothly.

The centerpiece of the night was the Alaskahan, co-hosted still by Nikki and Charvy. Thankfully, it unfolded without incident. No one walked out. No one took offense. No grievances lingered. It was sharp, but affectionate. Charvy set the stage with “12 Days of Pilyoship,” sang to the tune of “12 Days of Christmas.” It is easy to have a picture in your head of the brods and sisses singing:

“On the first day of Christmas, Santa gave to us / Upsilonians na Puro Gwapo

“On the second day of Christmas, Santa gave to us/ Two pretty GAs”

Until finally it reaches the 12th day:

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Santa gave to us/Kiss and then Hug /

Brods approach the Sisters /

Lovely Sisters Dancing /

Brods na romantic /

Super seksi Sisters /

2 poging Bossmen /

Smart Brods & Sisters /

GORGEOUS Sigma Deltans /

Mga Machong Brods /

Sweet KISS sa SIS /

Two pretty GAs /

Upsilonians na puro GWAPO

Another performance came from Sis Mari Anenias, who, singing a duet with Nikki to the tune of Karen Carpenter’s “Close to You,” teased the brods with a song entitled “Close Sa Sis,” poking fun at those who always seemed to appear, hoping to get a little closer to the sisters. The lines went as follows:

“Close Sa Sis

“Why do Brods Suddenly appear / Everytime we are near? / Know na this, gustong maging / Close sa Sis!

“Kunwaring pumuporma lang / Mahangin, ang yabang! / Know na this, gustong maging / Close sa Sis!

“In the Basement long ago / The brods would sometimes squabble, for a sister's heart to make their dreams come true! / So they'd put their best foot forward, waited for a smile but often got a Shoo!

“Bakit ba? All the brods in town, follow us all around?/ Know na This, gustong maging /

Close sa Sis!”

Alan Austriaco, defending the honor of the brods, would not let this pass and sang about the dearth of recruits of the Sigma Deltans to the Tune of “It’s Raining in Manila”:

“Walang recruit ang Sigma Delta/ Hindi niyo ba Napapansin? / (Nawawala ang sisters natin)

Lima na lang ang Sigma Deltans/ Hindi niyo pa Pinapansin/ Mag recruit naman kayo oh, Kahit mukha pang …”

The sisters answered in kind. The ’87s returned with a vengeance through their performance of “Nosi Ba Lasi,” delivering it with full rock-star energy—singing and dancing with pointed emphasis, and making clear that the Sigma Deltans had as much bite as they did spirit. The lyrics are as follows:

NOSI BA LASI
Wag nang pansinin yang naninira sa atin
Basta’t alam ng lahat na tayo ang mas magaling
Namimintas sila upang di mabisto
Na ang kalidad nila ay sadya lang pang-kanto.
Nosi, nosi ba lasi
Sino, sino ba sila?
Nosi, nosi ba lasi
Sino, UPSILON lang pala!
Gwapo daw sila at pinag-aagawan
Mukhang may tama at di alam ang katotohanan.
Pero’ng totoo, pag may Sigma Deltan
Tiklop, tameme at nag-aatrasan naman.
Nosi, nosi ba lasi
Sino, sino ba sila?
Nosi, nosi ba lasi
Sino, UPSILON lang pala!

In both form and spirit, the evening consciously sought to mirror the Hobo as it was meant to be, much as described by Victor “Chito” Avecilla ’79 in his article “The Hobo Tradition” in the Upsilon Sun—a night defined not by competition, but by good-natured banter, marked by song, dance, games, raffles, and shared amusement. Fittingly, after the alaskahan came a reconciliation of sorts, when Chito, drawing on his expertise in the tango, took to the dance floor with Roni Coquia ’70.

The event took a lighter turn with the segment honoring brods and sisters who had married, hosted by Sis Armi Treñas ’87, a reminder that some fellowships, over time, quite literally become families. A second round of raffles followed, again hosted by Nikki and Charvy, before Raul ’90 offered Thanksgiving remarks, expressing gratitude for the work, the trust, and the night itself.

The formal program closed with ritual: the Sigma Delta Phi Hymn, led by Bing ’98, and the Upsilon Sigma Phi March Song, led by Charvy ’89. After that, the structure dissolved entirely. The band played. Dancing followed. Conversations lengthened.

By 9:00 p.m., senior brods and sisters were still there—lingering, laughing, and staying well past what Charvy jokingly called their “bedtime.”

What made this Hobo different from others was simple and decisive: it was a large gathering shared fully with the sisters. Asked how he would explain the Hobo to someone outside the fraternity, Charvy put it plainly: “We are the only organization on campus that has this.”

Throughout the night, distinctions faded. Age, batch, and status disappeared when everyone sang together—whether brod or sister, alaskador or audience. Younger brods experienced what earlier generations once took for granted. Older brods rediscovered that the Hobo could still succeed, even without the gupitan.

“Congrats to the organizers (Sisters and Brods) and all attendees of the Hobo. It was the best — best in everything! Everyone is clamoring for a repeat next year. We simply missed the camaraderie and fun we had during our time,” exclaimed Evelyn Aliling ‘69 after the event.

Why does the Hobo still matter? For Charvy, it felt like stepping into history. “It made me feel like I was experiencing the things the brods and sisters did during those Barn Dance times,” he said—stories once read or heard, now lived again.

Should it return? His answer was immediate. “Definitely.” Asked to describe the night in one sentence, he did not hesitate: “One for the Ages.” And long after the lights dimmed and the stage was cleared, what remained was captured best by Charvy that evening: “We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun.”

That, perhaps, is the most accurate account of the night the Hobo returned.

— With contributions from Dinah Sabal Ventura ‘89 and Charvy Parra ‘89