It was a day like no other. Last November 10 2012, the Phi Kappa Mu Fraternity and the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority booked themselves for their much awaited team-building event, Phisiklaban. Set as the very first activity of the second semester, the Phisiklaban is a day-long team builder and semester starter made to kick-start the upcoming months with a blast. Initially conceived to foster camaraderie between the most venerable fraternity of the UP College of Medicine and the premier medical sorority of the Philippines, as well as to welcome the latest additions of brods and sisses to the fold, the Phisiklaban has easily grown to be the landmark event that ought not to be missed.
Preceded by a hearty meal that featured mouthwatering delights fresh off the grill, the festivities began at around 2’oclock in the afternoon at the Amante Residence in Quezon City. Under the supervision of hosts Erik Tonggol and Gellai Ursabia, participating brods and sisses were divided into four teams, each represented by the colors orange, green, yellow, and purple. The mechanics were simple: the teams were to participate in four games, the results of which were to be tabulated using a corresponding scoring system. For every game, the team that finishes last has to send one brod and one sis to perform their unique reflexes in front of everyone in attendance. Upon tallying the overall scores, the team with the highest point total receives the crown and bragging rights for the year; on the other hand, the team that comes in last will have to have all its members perform reflexes after the games.
After a grueling, fun-filled afternoon wherein the teams were made to create team mascots and cheers, identify members of the opposing teams, fit as a whole on gradually shrinking areas of manila paper, and eat delicacies which ranged from ampalaya shakes to the ever dreaded peanut butter and polvoron sandwich, the teams retired from the playing field as the scores were tallied. With a display that did much justice to every aspect of the word impressive, the Green Team deservedly walked away with the spoils of the competition after winning almost every event and only finishing as low as second place. On the other end of the table, the members of the Purple Team, with heads held high, performed their reflexes proudly as they finished last among all four teams.
As the program was brought to a close, as if on queue from the heavens, what began as a cloudless day just a couple of hours before suddenly turned to rain, forcing the participants to retire into the comforts of roofed interiors. The night was then rounded out as brods and sisses feasted as one on bilao upon bilao of pancit, plates of steaming ribs and barbecue, mounds of rice, and platefuls of puto. So as to provide a means of entertainment while eating, reflexes, both individual and group, were performed starting from the younger batches all the way to the most senior of participants, making everyone cheer and laugh their hearts out with both surprise and amazement.
Truly a day to remember! Congratulations to Brod Erik Andrade Tongol Phi 2011 for organizing and making this year’s Phisiklaban overly enjoyable and undeniably unforgettable.
All for Phi!
