What's the UP Sablay for and When Can You Wear it?

(SPOT.ph) Filipino-American sportswriter and ESPN host Pablo Sison Torre wore a sash that University of the Philippines graduates call the "Sablay" when he attended the star-studded Gold House Gala in Los Angeles. According to him, it's a tribute to Filipinos, but the homage rubbed up his countrymen the wrong way more than 11,700 kilometers away.

Harvard graduate Torre, who wore the green-and-maroon sash with Baybayin script that spells out "UP," was nominated as one of Gold House's A100 honorees who identify as Asia American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) for having "lasting impacts on the world of sports and gaming."

"So, just wanted to answer a couple [of] questions about the sash I'm wearing here, which is called a Sablay. And this specific one proudly belongs to graduates of the University of the Philippines [UP]. I didn't go to UP. But both of my parents, and both of their late fathers, did. So shoutout to my dad for letting me borrow his Sablay for one night, so I could pay tribute to all of them," he said in an Instagram post on May 9. 

His tweet, released a day before his Instagram post, was met with comments on the wrong use of the Sablay, with one Twitter user likening it to wearing a graduation toga to a non-academic function. Torre later apologized for borrowing and wearing his father's Sablay.

Also read: You Need to See The Big Bang Theory Nerds in Sablay

What's the UP Sablay for, anyway?

In case you're unfamiliar with the Sablay, it's the official academic costume of all 17 UP campuses, UP Mindanao said in a Facebook post this May 10 as "Sablay season" nears. In UP, Sablay is a symbol of success and years of hard work, not of failure.

The green-and-maroon loose sash inspired by the malong of Muslim Mindanao was first introduced in 1990 and was officially adopted in 2000. It bears the Baybayin spelling of "UP" and is designed with ukkil, which represents the growth of knowledge, while its geometric patterns pay tribute to indigenous cultures in the Philippines. It being hand-woven is a representation of hard work and "Philippine indigeneity."

"As a verb (isablay), it also means to put a precious object like a piece of cloth or garment upon one's shoulder, as a way of giving value and respect to this selfsame object," UP Diliman's Office of the University Registrar said on its website.

Instead of wearing the usual toga, in which students shift the cap's tassel from one direction to the other as a symbol of success, UP "students shift the Sablay from the right to the left shoulder."

Aside from students, it can also be worn by UP officials as it "marks the years spent in service to the University."

More than just a moving-up symbol, the UP Sablay is also a reminder of a UP graduate's mission to their country and their obligation beyond the classroom.

“It reminds me how we are all lifelong learners sharing the stake to serve the Filipino nation," journalism professor Mayette Tabada told Cebu Daily News.

Where else can you wear the Sablay?

Outside graduation, you can also use it only during other academic functions and events, UP Mindanao said. These may include:

• Recognition Programs
• Investitures of Chancellors and Presidents
• Awarding of Honoris Causa
• Official photo taking

How do you properly wear the Sablay?

Since it is an academic costume, it follows a specific dress code. It's a sign of respect for the official UP costume and "to preserve the solemnity and dignity of the occasions when it is worn."

For females:

• Dress color: Ecru/Beige/Cream
• Dress style: Preferably with sleeves or if sleeveless, worn with a shawl or bolero
• Dress length: Any length below the knee up to the ankle
• Shoe style: Formal shoes
• Accessories: Jewelry should be at a minimum preferably earrings and necklace only

For males:

• Barong top: Ecru/Beige/Cream
• Pants: Black
• Shoes and socks: Black

Note that the Sablay shouldn't be worn with a hat.

When storing or packaging it, it should always show the baybayin and the ukkil in front.

As a reminder of the importance of the UP Sablay, UP Diliman's OUR said: "The Sablay symbolizes our nationalism and the importance we put upon our indigenous culture, which are among the values learned from the University."