Aimed at promoting the diverse cultures of the six provinces of the Cordillera region, the University of the Cordilleras’ Saeng ya Kasay Cultural Ensemble performed at Chonbuk National University (CBNU) in Jeonju, South Korea.
As part of the South Korean university’s 70th Founding Anniversary and International Students Fair, UC was the lone Philippine delegation and presented a 15-minute routine featuring 10 different dances accompanied by 11 kinds of indigenous musical instruments and garbed in the traditional attires of Mountain Province, Kalinga, Ifugao and Benguet. Other performers in the fair were students from China, Rwanda, and Vietnam.
Consul General of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul Christian de Jesus said the UC students and their performance promotes inter-cultural understanding and friendship among nations specifically with South Korea. He also acknowledged the group as cultural ambassadors.
Saeng ya Kasay’s performance is rooted from UC’s founder Atty. Benjamin Romero Salvosa’s vision of UC being in the forefront of the preservation and promotion of Filipino culture and values. Fittingly called “Saeng ya Kasay” which translates to “Torch and Shield,” the groupresonatesits role in sharing and preserving the rich Cordilleran heritage.
In 2016, UC entered a tripartite agreement with CBNU and Ludong University in China to open the Asian Cultural Education Center (ACEC). The ACEC was established to promote and preserve the heritage of each country across Asia. /UCC
