EMBASSY WELCOMES VISITING CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

By: Embassy of the Republic of the Philipppines, Seoul

Seoul, 31 October 2019. In the middle of festive events in celebration of 70 years of Philippines-Korea diplomatic relations, the Philippine Embassy opened its doors to outstanding cultural groups from the Philippines who performed recently in South Korea.

(Clockwise) FEU Dance Co., Voices of the South Children's Choir (VSCC), Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble, and the Filipino Youth Choir poses with Embassy officials.
First was the Far Eastern University (FEU) Dance Company that participated in the 2019 Andong Mask Festival and World Mask Play Competition. The dance company, led by its Artistic Director Mr. Eduardo Malagkit, performed the dances of Moriones, Babaylan and Pintados Festivals at the Andong Mask Festival and was awarded 3rd place in the competition.

Second was the Voices of the South Children's Choir (VSCC), a 40-member community-based choir from Davao City, which won second place in the Youth and Ethnic Performance Categories of the 2019 Busan International Choral Competition. Mr. Peter Ian Buaya, Conductor of the Voices of the South Children's Choir, and twelve (12) VSCC choir members called on Ambassador Noe A. Wong and gave a short performance at the Embassy on 22 October 2019.

Third, Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Wong on 23 October 2019 and performed an excerpt from Dagon sa Hoyohoy (Talisman of the Breeze), a musical on the life of Francisco Dagohoy, a Boholano who led the longest Philippine revolt against the Spanish colonial government. The 25-member Kasing Sining was led by its Artistic Director Mr. Lutgardo Labad, eminent theater director and film composer.

Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble participated in the Gyeryongsan Mountain International Festival and also performed at the Seoul Institute of Arts and M Onnuri Center, both in Ansan City. The performance of Kasing Sining in Korea is the contribution of the Province of Bohol to the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of Philippines-Korea Diplomatic Relations.

Lastly, the Filipino Youth Choir from Cebu City led by Maestro Dennis Gregory Sugarol visited and performed at the Embassy on 30 October 2019. The Filipino Youth Choir is the counterpart of the Korea Youth Choir, and together they are known as the "United Youth Choir." The United Youth Choir was specially formed by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to perform during the celebratory events in Cebu City and in Seoul for the 70th Anniversary of the Philippines-Korea Diplomatic Relations and the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit. The United Youth Choir enchanted a highly appreciative audience at the Sejong Arts Center in Seoul on 29 October 2019. END