FEU President Juan Miguel Montinola and Senior Vice President Maria Teresa Trinidad Tinio welcome De Anza College participants.
FEU International Relations Office
Far Eastern University (FEU), through its International Relations Office (IRO) hosted the three-week Study Abroad Program of De Anza College, USA from July 8 to 28 here in Manila. Organized by FEU-IRO, the program allowed students from De Anza to immerse in Filipino culture, art, academics, and gastronomy.
Delegates from De Anza were welcomed by the FEU Drummers and were received by administrators, such as FEU President Juan Miguel Montinola, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Teresa Trinidad Tinio, and IRO Director Driselle Pajuyo. In an opening ceremony at FEU’s Multipurpose Room, Evangeline Bautista, Vice President for Academic Development gave her opening remarks. The delegates then went on a guided tour, care of FEU Guides and were introduced to their FEU “buddies.”
Day 2 began with a lecture from Ameerah Milano, FEU’s Gender and Development Desk Coordinator on the history of Philippine community and society through “Filipinolohiya,” allowing the delegates to understand better the nuances of Philippine culture and society. After the lecture, delegates had a “Tinikling” workshop facilitated by FEU Dance Company instructors Michael Barry Que and John Albert Furing at the FEU Dance Studio. Delegates also visited the National Museum of Natural History on their third day with Dr. Pauline Basilia as their guide. The delegates next visited the San Agustin Museum and Fort Santiago in Intramuros with Dr. Romeo Galang as their guide, providing context to the exhibits and sites.
Delegates appreciate Spanish-colonial period paintings in San Agustin Museum. FEU International Relations Office
The fourth day focused on Philippine gastronomy and architecture, with Dean Harold Bueno of the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management delivering a lecture on Philippine Food Culture, and Architect Elmer Soliman delivering a lecture on the History and Development of Manila as a city. The delegates then went on a Binondo food crawl before visiting Binondo’s Museum at the Hotel Lucky Chinatown. To further learn about local Philippine art, the delegates went on a tour to Angono, Rizal, the Philippines’ art capital, guided by James Owen Saguinsuin who provided context and trivia to the artworks and cultural products seen by the group, including the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs, Carlos “Botong” Francisco Heritage Home, Blanco Family Musem, Nono Museum, and the Kampo de Angono where delegates’ portraits were sketched onsite by local artists.
Delegates take selfies with their portraits sketched by local artists in Angono. FEU International Relations Office
On the delegates’ second week, FEU’s University Research Center Director Juanito Anot Jr. led a discussion on Overseas Filipino Workers. Then, they received workshops from FEU Bamboo Band and FEU Chorale. The delegates immersed in the community at Gawad Kalinga-Paradise Heights in Tondo on their ninth day. Here, the delegates were assigned to their foster families and learned about their lived realities. After which, foster families received tokens from the delegates as an expression of their appreciation for being accommodated.
The De Anza delegation spent two days at FEU Cavite where they were welcomed by Dr. Myrna Quinto, its Executive Director. They attended classes by Dr. Matthew Nepomuceno who introduced the culture and history of Cavite, Dr. Sandra Yap who shared her expertise on Philippine ecology, and Dr. Romeo Galang who discussed the Silang Church Altarpieces, and their implications on ethnicity and worldview. Dr. Percival Paras discussed about the History and State of Philippine Education, while Reyette Paunan delivered a lecture on the Issues in Philippine Basic Education. The delegates also visited the oldest church in Cavite, the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria Church in Silang, as well as Biluso Elementary School where they handed out school supplies. On their last day in Cavite, the delegation had a boodle-fight-style lunch at Balinsayaw Restaurant.
Delegates eat with their hands in a boodle-fight lunch at a restaurant in Silang, Cavite. FEU International Relations Office
The delegates travelled to Pampanga for their third week and attended classes at Colegio de San Sebastian on the eating culture of Pampanga from the precolonial period to post-Mt. Pinatubo eruption delivered by Timothy Sanchez, and on heritage homes in Pampanga delivered by Architect Raquel Baquiran, Vice President for Academic Services. The delegates then learned about the rich culinary heritage of Pampanga as they lunched in Bale Dutung, and then went to Diaspora Farm Resort where they tasted local food such as pepalto (like the Tagalog palitaw or boiled sticky rice cake) and batirul (Kapampangan hot chocolate). The following day, the delegates listened to a brief lecture on Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines given by Dr. Rita Cucio. Selected participants then travelled to Porac, Pampanga to personally interact with the Aeta community there and learn more about their lived realities. The delegates exchanged gifts with the community and received fresh fruits in return. Due to inclement weather, the participants attended Institute of Arts and Sciences (IAS) Associate Dean Francis Esteban’s lecture online. The IAS associated dean gave a talk on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Region and ASEAN Integration.
Delegates listen to an Aeta community member share his and his community’s realities and challenges. FEU International Relations Office
On their last day, the delegates attended a closing program at Lanson’s Place, SM Mall of Asia where the participants shared their insights and realizations gained from the study abroad program. Karen Wang, a delegate taking up Asian-American Studies, said, “I am deeply grateful for the welcoming community at FEU, who taught me that rather than being a passive observer, I could become part of a wider network of social relations, commitments, and responsibilities. This journey has inspired me to consider how our travel choices can be acts of resistance and decolonization, encouraging me to look beyond a Westernized notion of self to see the interconnectedness of all beings.” She also commended those who worked to see the program through. “I truly appreciated their kindness, thoughtfulness, and dedication in creating and running a program that balanced education, service learning, and fun,” said Wang.
Another delegate, Sarah Gibbs, said she had a chance to be in touch with her Filipino side through the program. “The most rewarding experience was getting the chance to explore more about my Filipino identity and meeting other Filipinos,” said Gibbs. She also expressed her appreciation for the hospitality of Tamaraws. “I've never felt so loved and cared for by a group of strangers, who soon became friends, until I came here,” she said.
A delegate expresses her appreciation as she receives a shirt that commemorates their study abroad program. FEU International Relations Office
At the end of the closing ceremonies, the participants received their certificates and watched a highlight reel prepared by FEU Media Center, memorializing the experiences they had during their three-week stay in the Philippines.
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