AUREATE 2025: Reaching A Crescendo of Passions
By: Charmaine Buenafe
With the sky awash in warm golden light, Spectrum 2025 has achieved its peak. From 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM, its final brushstrokes were sealed with AUREATE: A Maestro of Colors at the St. Paul Activity Center for Excellence (SPACE).
After a week of unity and pride through the student body’s various departments, it was time for students, parents, faculty, and visitors to witness this year’s SPCP fair conclude with a grand finale. With Chleo Toledo and Danna Pascual at the helm, the Student Coordinating Team ensured that the event progressed smoothly, executing plans made with the production team since November of 2024.
Keeping the audience engaged throughout the night were emcees Miel Santiago and Shelby Salang. After their opening spiel, SCT President Chleo Toledo led the crowd with a prayer, followed by a few words from Ms. Trycia Galang, the representative of AUREATE 2025’s sponsor, International Students Connect.
The program did not keep its audience waiting as it immediately proceeded with the acts. For the pre-show, several Paulinian bands took the stage, performing renditions of popular hits. First on the spotlights was Aplianim, followed by Curvyspines, and finally, Hermosa. Rey Cariaso, a P-Pop soloist, stepped to the forefront shortly thereafter with covers of “Gento” by SB19 and “Dilaw” by Maki, before ending it with his own single entitled “Rumble.”
To reserve energy from the audience and give ample time for the next performers’ setup, a ten-minute break was initiated, during which, International Students Connect and Coca Cola Philippines were acknowledged as AUREATE 2025’s sponsors. WhenInManila.com was also recognized as AUREATE 2025’s official media partner.
The downtime was enough to gather the spirits needed for the main acts of the night. HEY JUNE! was the inaugural performance, coming back to the SPACE after 2 years, with their songs such as “ORASAN”, “Panahon”, and “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”, among others.
“We’re very happy and excited to be back kasi it’s been 2 years we remember how energetic, appreciative, and supportive you Paulinians are! Sobrang saya that when we returned, grabe yung pag-welcome niyo sa’min…Even the warmth and love nyo na-feel namin,” expressed Coey Ballesteros, the bassist and back up vocalist of HEY JUNE!
Building on the Paulinian high, Moonstar88 amplified the energy as screams echoed throughout the venue even before their performance began. They set off with “Gilid” and wrapped up with the much requested “Torete”. Moving on from this, the SPACE was immediately filled with a signature of horns as Lola Amour marked their SPCP debut and thrilled the crowd with a mix of songs such as “dahan-dahan”, “Fallen,” “Raining In Manila”, and more.
“Overall Aureate is what I believe to be an extremely successful event. Taking into consideration the setbacks we had in terms of the behind the scenes preparations, we were truly able to pull through and bring forth an event that was able to bring joy to our audience,” remarked Pascual, who was both the Overall and Tech Head of the program.
To bring the event to a close, the Spectrum Production Teams went front and center for the customary Spectrum Jingle, shedding light on the faces who allocated months of preparation and hard work to deliver an event with a lasting impression.
As the final notes of the jingle echoed through the SPACE, it became clear that Aureate was more than just a culmination of student efforts — it was a testament to the vibrant and ever-dedicated spirit of SPCP. The night may have drawn to a close, but the memories of the grand finale will linger, inspiring the Paulinian community to continually aim for the best, fueled by the same unity, pride, and passion that made Spectrum 2025 an unparalleled experience.
