By Ryanne Czarina Villegas
The Inter-Dormitory Sports Fest has always carried a certain buzz—an energy that seems to gather in the corners of every dorm hallway. For many residents, it is more than a string of matches, it is almost like an annual reminder of what the dorm community feels like at its peak.
As Dorm Residents Council (DRC) President Emman Abuton puts it, “The event exists to unite Silliman University dormitories in the spirit of community through sports and games, friendly competition, building friendships and connections, all while aiming to uphold sportsmanship.”
Unlike the previous dorm fests, this year’s edition stood apart because of its timing. Instead of the usual March or April schedule, the event, held in November, navigated a university calendar slowly returning to its pre-pandemic rhythm.
“This is the second Inter-Dorm Sports Fest this 2025,” Abuton shared. “We picked November because student residents don’t yet feel academic pressures, and it aligned with Charter Day and the long weekend. It felt like the right moment for everyone’s energy.”
Behind the scenes, the event was made possible through the combined hands of organizers, volunteers, and dorm representatives working in quiet but constant coordination.
The DRC worked closely with the Silliman University Student Government Dorm Life Committee (DLC), sharing responsibilities across planning, logistics, and, of course, manpower.
“DRC has limited resources, so we reached out to the SUSG DLC for help,” Abuton explained. “Likewise, they depend on us for permits, budgets, and approvals. Its co-existence was smooth and collaborative,” they added.
Dorm officers also played a vital role, helping with announcements, voicing concerns, and ensuring that any major decision mirrored what residents actually needed.
However, the path to the event’s opening day was anything but smooth. Planning only began in October, a month heavily packed with deadlines and finals rush. Communication often lagged as students juggled exams, and things took a heavy turn when the initial budget proposal was rejected.
Abuton admitted, “We thought the Inter-Dorm Sports Fest wouldn’t push through. It felt like hope was slipping.”
It took a call from Sir Princeton Apura, the Student Housing and Residents Division (SHRD) head, during the semester break—and Abuton returning to Dumaguete earlier than planned—to rebuild the proposal from scratch.
With support from the SHRD and Dr. Edna Calingacion, dean of students, the budget was finally approved. This meant only ten days to prepare, which was one of the biggest challenges, but the organizers were determined.
Even with preparation hurdles, the essence of the sports fest remained intact. With spirit, community, friendly competition, and genuine connection. In line with the Dormitory Manual, the event continues to highlight unity over rivalry.
“It was never meant to be viewed as a competition,” Abuton said.
The ultimate goal of the fest was teamwork, coordination, and sportsmanship—so that dormers can extend friendships and make more memories as part of their Silliman experience.
As the event unfolded, engagement came naturally. The organizers leaned on motivation from dorm officers, the fun-first environment, and ultimately, the thrill of a little competition. With all these in combination, dormers were gradually able to have fun and enjoy themselves as the games began.
Unfortunately, no event is free from surprises. The first night brought a venue conflict—the gym’s badminton courts were unexpectedly occupied by junior high athletes training. Despite having permits, communication gaps forced the matches to be transferred instead to the inner red courts beside the basketball court, resulting in a very delayed start.
Then came the second challenge, the weather. During Sunday and Monday, tropical depression Verbena left the Monapil courts slippery and unusable. Thus, the organizers were left to reschedule the remaining events.
“We had no choice but to reroute everything to the SU Gym,” Abuton recalled. Heavy rains also delayed volleyball officials on Monday night. “These were things beyond our control, but we made do.”
Kate Piedad, member of the DRC organizers, also expressed how the occasion went very well, better than she expected—given the circumstances.
Through the obstacles, challenges, delays, and unforeseen circumstances, alas, the event was successful. Dormers concluded the games with a smile on their faces and the pride of their dorms behind their back. Once again, another core memory to keep in their college life.
Looking ahead, the DRC hopes to refine the growing student-led model of the Inter-Dormitory Sports Fest. Unlike pre-2025 sports fests, which were led by dorm managers, this new structure places responsibility entirely on dormers. To make the transition smoother, the organizers are developing evaluation forms and are even considering creating a comprehensive guidebook.
Although Abuton admitted that it was a big cultural shift, he is positive that the next sports fests will be easier once the future leaders have a clear manual to follow.
In the end, this year’s Inter-Dorm Sports Fest wasn’t defined by perfect execution, but by resilience and the shared desire to keep the tradition alive. Even through delays, storms, enrollments, and deadlines, the dorm community showed up for one another.
Whatever it may be that comes in the way of a Sillimanian dormer canon event, it is evident that the spirit of Silliman shines brightest when students move and celebrate together.
