When Field Demonstrations Return, an Intramurals Tradition Comes Alive Again

All roads led to the Bukidnon Provincial Capitol Grounds in the early morning of January 26, 2026, beginning with a festive parade from the Bukidnon State University main campus.

For the students who lined the streets and filled the open field, it signaled the long-awaited return of a beloved Intramurals tradition. But for Ms. Chandrani Yves “Shine” Ejem-Estrada, it was a trip down memory lane, a walk that felt like coming full circle.

In the early 1990s and 2000s, when she was still a student of the Elementary and Secondary Laboratory Schools, Shine had taken a similar road, marching with fellow students toward the Malaybalay City Grandstand for the opening of the Intramurals.

“One of my most memorable experiences was when I was in Grade 6 and chosen as the muse of the then BSC ESL,” she recalled. “We paraded around the campus and through the city before heading to the grandstand for the field demonstration. The excitement, the long walk, and the sense of pride I felt being part of the event are memories that have stayed with me through the years.”

This year’s Intramurals led somewhere new. Instead of the familiar grandstand, the parade culminated at the Provincial Capitol Grounds, hosting for the first time the opening of the university’s major extra-curricular event.

For Shine, now the supervisor of libraries at BukSU, the setting may have changed, but the emotions felt strikingly familiar as she watched her three daughters take part in the revived field demonstrations.

One of her daughters is currently in Grade 10 at the BukSU Secondary Laboratory School, while the two younger ones are in Grades 2 and 6 at the Elementary Laboratory School. The moment became deeply personal when her Grade 6 daughter, Alessandra, was chosen as muse for Team Blue, mirroring the role Shine once held at the same age.

“As a mother of three daughters, seeing them take part in field demonstrations is an incredibly proud and emotional experience,” she shared. “Watching my daughters create their own memories—much like the ones I cherished growing up—fills me with pride and gratitude.”

Reviving a Campus Tradition

The university Intramurals for Academic Year 2025–2026 marked the return of field demonstrations after several years of absence. From 2020 to 2024, the activity was suspended as BukSU responded to the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Lincoln V. Tan, Vice President for Culture, Arts, Support and Student Services, explained that “the nature of field demonstrations—requiring large gatherings, close coordination, and extensive rehearsals—posed health and safety risks during that time,” adding that student welfare and financial realities were also considered.

With face-to-face activities fully restored, the university deemed the moment right to bring back the tradition.

“The return of field demonstrations during Intramurals 2026 is a meaningful milestone for the university,” Tan said. “Intramurals 2026 provides an ideal platform—symbolizing not just a return to normalcy, but a renewed and revitalized student life shaped by resilience and collective recovery.”

Alongside the elementary and high school performers, all six colleges of the university mounted their own field demonstrations, presented as part of a friendly competition. Beyond the performances, the university hopes the activity continues to cultivate shared values among students.

“With the return of field demonstrations in Intramurals 2026, we hope to instill in our students a strong sense of unity, discipline, creativity and pride in being part of the BukSU community,” Tan added.