Another successful year for Foundation University as they celebrate their 69th founding anniversary with their Dal-uy festival. Dal-uy from the word "daloy" which means "to flow" is an annual event of Foundation University Dumaguete to commemorate its Founder's Week celebration.
Dal-uy is a festival of dreams and hopes where all members of Foundation University gather around the beach ( Rizal Boulevard ) to launch floating lanterns carrying their respective wishes and prayers. Foundation University adapted Dal-uy festival from Hawaii's lantern festival. Lantern floating has its roots in Japanese Buddhist tradition.
The university usually celebrates the festival every June. Everything that's left from the previous years of the celebration of the Dal-uy festival that can be recycled is reused in the next year's celebration.
It is said that the festival was started way back 14 years ago, so it was in the early 2000 when it started but at that time only the employees and staff members of Foundation University were launching the lantern floating, only about 8 years ago wherein students were also participating in the said event.
The lanterns is composed of 1.5 inch wooden planks measuring 2 ft by 1.5 ft (2 ft x 1.5 ft). The participants write their respective wishes, prayers, or dreams in a recyclable plastic folder using a white-board marker (water-based) and are attached on the wooden planks with the barbecue sticks. Each lantern has a candle inside to light up before they are launched or floated.
WOODEN PLANKS
- Does not sink
- Are reused year after year
RECYCLABLE PLASTIC FOLDERS
- Are sold to recycling plants
- Profit from sale is used to sustain the school supplies and food of the university's work scholars
THE DAL-UY PROCESS
- A team of 50 men do the set-up at the Rizal Boulevard.
- Steel ladders are strategically placed along the shoreline.
- Layout of water buoys and nets in the perimeter area.
- Event starts with a dusk walk from Foundation University to the Boulevard.
- Students, administration, and friends float the lanterns.
- A team of 50 men in motorized fishing boats are already on standby asea at the perimeter area.
- While another team of 20 men clean the boulevard surroundings.
- All lanterns are accounted for.
(Bernandez, 2018)
The author of Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act, Former Bukidnon Congressman and Former Secretary of Environment Neric O. Acosta, Representative to the Governor and Former Negros Oriental State University ( NORSU ) Dr. Henry A. Sojor, Director of the Department of Science and Technology Atty. Gilbert Arbon, Representatives of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police, Representatives of the Negros Oriental Provincial Tourism headed by Ms. Myla Abellana, Raffy Duhaylungsod, Bebsy Lamis, the LGBTQ Council, friends from the University of Chicacgo join President Dean Sinco and Chancellor Faisal Alih in floating their lanterns of hope and dreams. (Bernandez, 2018)
According to Visit Negros Oriental, in retrospect, Dr. Vicente G. Sinco, University of the Philippines' eigth President, desired to help the underprivileged and poor young populace to acquire higher education by founding the then Foundation College in July 14, 1949. Symbolically, the floating lanterns serve as a reminder of Dr. Sinco's undying hope for the youth of the Filipino nation.
But recently, Micah Sinco, an environmental advocate, wrote a letter to the organizers of Dal-uy festival, expressing concerns that "many environmental risks that imposes".
As stated by Island News, a formal dialogue between Foundation University ( FU ) festival organizers and concerned environmental advocates was held last July 10 after an event sparked online controversy on its environmental impacts.
The meeting was attended by Micah Sinco and its fellow advocate Rhyn Esolana who were convoked by the organizers of the festival included Media Relations Officer and Content Manager Klein Emperado, Marketing Head Cyril Mapula, Secretary of Student Life Charissa Villanueva, and Alumni Relations Officer Febby Marton Rule. Rule stated that the university was open to this kind of concerns such as this to further clarify issues and things that were brought up to them.
In letter addressed to organizers, Sinco expressed concern over the "huge possibility wherein the lanterns could have escape the net" and caused for a possible "disruption of the ecosystem." ""Due to the change of tides and strong waves, some of the lanterns this year have gone beyond our nets. This is the first time this has happened for Dal-uy because of the weather," Emperado said. (Vestil, 2018)
Days passed after the said event, Nikki Blanca Rocaberte posted on her Facebook profile the materials from the lantern festival and was found in Dauin. Ian Santillan and his group of friends also found the materials in Bacong.
Foundation University president Arch. Victor Vicente "Dean" Sinco said: "We have been doing this event to allow spirituality to come through and also being sensitive to the environment. This has ties to the Obon Festival by the Japanese in late summer to honor ancestors. We just wanted to honor wishes and dreams."
Foundation University is a model university in environmental sustainability having been awarded by the Environmental Management Bureau ( EMB ) for four consecutive years as the Most Eco-Friendly Campus in the Philippines.
In line with the university's mission and advocacy of "education for the preservation of man and his environment," Emperado said this is why they have made it a point to be open about these concerns regarding the events they organize and arrive at an understanding through proper dialogue. (Vestil, 2018)
Sources:
- Bernandez, Girlie. Dal-uy Festival's Major Participants. Facebook, 9 July 2018, 8:19 p.m., https://web.facebook.com/girlie.bernardez/posts/10216133761272732. Accessed 20 July 2018.
- Visit Negros Oriental. 69th Founder's Day. Facebook, 15 July 2018, 6:42 p.m., https://web.facebook.com/VisitNegrosOriental/videos/663374037338550/?hc_ref=ARQWCuqzlkkEbO9cdlgrZVTxG6WNOkulSX2aQd1js-8KhelrZ5x2DOhlOkZLLrlAn6w. Accessed 20 July 2018.
- Bernandez, Girlie. About Dal-uy Festival. Facebook, 8 July 2018, 5:50 p.m., https://web.facebook.com/girlie.bernardez/posts/10216124009548945. Accessed 20 July 2018.
- CAMP SEWI. FU, environmentalists address lantern issue. Facebook, 18 July 2018, 10:44 p.m., https://web.facebook.com/AYEJ.PH/photos/a.482823875403724.1073741829.482512205434891/665558490463594/?type=3&theater. Accessed 20 July 2018.
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