Central Philippine University

By Cyrus A. Natividad


The CPU Dance Company promotes and preserves Philippine Culture and the Arts.

Central Philippine University Cultural Affairs Office (CAO) keeps a tradition of arts with memorable events online (due to the prevailing Covid Pandemic) – presented through a premiere on CPUTV Channel Facebook page.

In observance of this year’s “Arts Month”, the CPU Dance Company of the CAO performed on February 17, 2021 in a cavalcade of dances entitled “HANDUMANAN” (A glance on Philippine Culture) featuring folk dances of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Relatively, the CPU Drilon Day Celebration on February 24 will present “PALANUBLI-ON” – to commemorate the 50th Death Anniversary of Dr. Rex D. Drilon, CPU’s First Filipino President. It will be a virtual presentation featuring the talents of different cultural groups under CAO – with special guest participants.

In addition, CAO’s Centralian Visual Artists Society (CENVAS) exhibits are on-going at Robinson’s Place Jaro, and also highlighting Dr. Drilon’s liqui-fiber portraits among other artworks. University President Dr. Teodoro C. Robles and his wife Ma’am Angel had a chance to visit the on-going Robinsons exhibits. The couple had their own lique-fiber portrait on canvas made by CENVAS artists.

For Valentine’s Day sake, CENVAS Artists offered free portrait for the first 12 customers at the mall (courtesy of Robinsons), and also did ‘on-the-spot’ portraits for couples (by request).

In an interview with Prof. Crista Sianson-Huyong, Cultural Affairs Director, she said, “It is good that we have sustained our cultural groups through the years- and all through the time that the COVID pandemic is affecting everybody.”

The Cultural Affairs Office under her management has several talent groups-providing dances, musical and instrumental presentations in each cultural event in CPU.