The epic hard court drama brought on by the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons’ journey from cellar-to-stellar status in this basketball-crazy Philippines gets a new happy twist with not just one, but two new “UP Fight” cheers from no less than Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.
Ryan Cayabyab, the Philippines’ National Artist for Music and a 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, is an alumnus and professor at the UP Conservatory of Music. Cayabyab composed his very first school cheers after being asked by fellow alumnus Ramon Eugenio who regularly attends the UP Men’s Basketball Team’s (UPMBT) games at the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
Cayabyab, who had also recently composed the 30th South East Asian Games theme sung by Lea Salonga, recounted to Rappler how Eugenio asked him to write the new UP Fight cheers on September 21, recorded it the day after with his daughter Krina and her boyfriend Stephen – both UP alumni – and sent the recording off to Eugenio.
Eugenio then gave a copy to Renan Dalisay, the founding chairman of Nowhere To Go But UP – the UP alumni volunteers network that orchestrated the support for the UP Fighting Maroons that is largely credited with providing conditions that allowed the rise of the competitiveness of the UP team which made its first finals appearance in 32 years at the UAAP Season 81 in 2018.
On September 24, Dalisay posted on social media the recording by Ryan Cayabyab.
Good News Pilipinas asked Renan Dalisay how the UP Fighting Maroons reacted to Ryan Cayabyab’s new cheers.
“Of course natuwa at flattered,” shared Dalisay who also noted how team’s UAAP campaign has spread far and wide. “Grabe talaga hype ng UP Maroons,” said the man who made the dream of a formidable UPMBT come true in just four years, complete with a talented line up that includes Kobe Paras and Ricci Rivero.
Ryan Cayabyab’s audio recording was also sent to the University of the Philippines Varsity Pep Squad which immediately started practicing the new cheers.
The UP Pep Squad released the videos of the two new UP Fight cheers on Friday and announced the launch at the UAAP games at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, September 29, during the Silver-winning UP Fighting Maroons’ match with defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles.
The UP Fighting Maroons goes into the Sunday games with a 5-1 record versus the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ 6-0.
CHECK OUT the story of the rise of the UP Fighting Maroons into the finals competitor of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
FIGHT UP! CHEER
FIGHT, UP! FIGHT, UP! FIGHT! FIGHT! GO, UP!
FIGHT, UP! FIGHT, UP! FIGHT! FIGHT! GO, UP!
FIGHT, UP! FIGHT, UP! FIGHT! FIGHT! GO, UP!
FIGHT, UP! FIGHT, UP! FIGHT! FIGHT! GO, UP!
FIGHT!
UP FIGHT CHANT
HEY!
FIGHT! UP FIGHT! FIGHT!
FIGHT! UP FIGHT! FIGHT!
FIGHT! UP FIGHT! FIGHT!
FIGHT! UP FIGHT! FIGHT!
WATCH the UP Pep Squad perform the two new UP Fight Cheers composed by Ryan Cayabyab for the UP Fighting Maroons and SEND your UP Fight cheers in the comments below!
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