NDMC Celebrates ASEAN Cultural Day
Notre Dame of Midsayap College (NDMC) celebrated ASEAN Cultural Day on August 25, 2026, at the Bulwagang Genoveva Deles Jaranilla, bringing together students, faculty, and non-teaching personnel (NTP) in a celebration of the rich cultures, traditions, and shared aspirations of the ASEAN community.
Held in celebration of ASEAN Month, the activity featured the participation of the different academic and non-academic units, with each group representing an ASEAN country. Students, faculty, and the NTP wore ASEAN-inspired attire based on their assigned country. A highlight of the celebration was the cultural fashion walk, where pairs of representatives proudly showcased the ASEAN-inspired attire of their assigned countries.
The Kalipunan ng Nagpapadalubhasa sa Araling Panlipunan (KNAP), a school organization of Social Studies majors of the College of Education (CED), organized an ASEAN cultural exhibit featuring the cultures and traditions of the ASEAN member states, providing the audience with an avenue to learn more about the region's diverse heritage and cultural practices.
Moreover, Fr. Romeo S. Saniel, OMI, DBM, Executive Director of the Oblate Missionary Foundation – Inter-Religious Dialogue (OMF-IRD), who served as the Guest Speaker emphasized the importance of understanding and valuing diversity while recognizing the bonds that unite people across cultures and nations.
The ASEAN Cultural Day also reflected NDMC's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:
SDG 4: Quality Education. Beyond the classroom, the activity provided students with an opportunity to learn about ASEAN cultures, traditions, and identities through active participation and cultural engagement.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by fostering inclusion, respect for cultural differences, and appreciation of diverse identities and traditions.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, through its promotion of intercultural understanding, respect for diversity, and peaceful relations.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through the collaboration of NDMC's different colleges and units, the Kalipunan ng Nagpapadalubhasa sa Araling Panlipunan (KNAP), with external partners, including the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as well as the Oblate Missionary Foundation – Inter-Religious Dialogue (OMF-IRD).
By learning about the cultures of its ASEAN neighbors, the NDMC community strengthened its appreciation of the region's shared identity and its vision of a more connected and cooperative Southeast Asia.