UPLB wins awards at 6th STRASUC Culture and the Arts Festival
UPLB students won various awards at the 6th Southern Tagalog Regional Association of State Universities and Colleges’ (STRASUC) Culture and the Arts Festival on Nov. 14-18 at the Pablo Borbon Campus of Batangas State University in Batangas City.
With the theme “Advancing Culture and the Arts as Strategic Resource for National Development,” the festival aimed to highlight the importance of the tertiary education culture and arts program as a vehicle for inculcating Filipino and universal human values.
Ryan Kristopher Sacopon, a BS Agricultural and Applied Economics student in UPLB, was crowned the STRASUC Festival King. He also bagged minor awards such as Best in Production wear, Best in Swimwear, and Best in Formal Wear. Together with Miss SLSU, he will represent Region IV at the National Culture and the Arts Festival in 2023. He is mentored and coached by Engr. Julius Cesar Cunanan.
With their coach Rusty Keith Placino, Zdenalie Pagatpatan, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student, and Madeline Ocampo, a BS Forestry student, bagged the silver medal in the vocal duet competition with their rendition of “Nais Ko” by Ryan Cayabyab.
Guinevere Esguerra, a BS Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship student, played the banduria and won third place in the competition for solo instruments together with her classical guitar instrumentalist, Hans Cedrick Espiritu. Kate Andrea Federizo, BS Agriculture, played the violin and won fourth place in the competition. Musical director Darren Vega coached both winners.
Two UPLB students, together with their coach Paul John Galagar, also won the visual arts competitions. Romela Aileen Bayaban, a BS Development Communication student, won second place in the charcoal rendering contest. Lynn Cristine Ang, a DVM student, placed third in the on-the-spot poster-making contest.
UPLB competed with 11 state universities and colleges in the STRASUC 2022 with its contingent led by the Department of Human Kinetics of the College of Arts and Sciences. (Text by Kyle Ramiel Dalangin and photos by Victor John Ergina)
