“Leave the superstition behind.”
The University of the Philippines System Ugnayan ng Pahinungód once again urged the examinees taking the UP College Admission Test, August 1 and 2, to donate their used pencils instead of breaking them for good luck. Like last year, when the Pahinungód initiative began, the pencils will be given to underserved learners in identified beneficiary schools.
The superstitious practice went viral online in 2024, where examinees on video and in photos were breaking their pencils after taking the UPCAT, then leaving them at the base of the Oblation monument in UP Diliman as some form of offering. The actions were criticized on social media as both illogical and wasteful.
This phenomenon was recognized by the UP System Office of the Assistant Vice President for Public Service as an opportunity to redirect the emerging post-UPCAT practice into something more meaningful and useful to more people. Through UP System Pahinungód, the pencil donation drive was born — a coordinated effort across the UP System involving various university offices, student organizations, faculty, and administrative and support staff.
According to the Pahinungód website, last year’s pencil donations reached over 11,000, which were distributed to underserved students in partner schools.
This year, a partnership with the Office of Admissions and the UP Association of Biology Majors was established to further strengthen the initiative. With donation drive stations placed in all participating UPCAT testing centers, Pahinungód’s call for lucky pencils is driven by one hope: “One small donation can help write someone else’s success story.”
