Busy week here in Cebu

From May 6-8, simultaneous significant events will be held in various areas of Cebu.

At the University of the Philippines Cebu, the CCAD (College of Communication, Art, and Design) will host the UP Cebu Communication Program Research Forum (DUKITUKI) 2026 on the theme: “Communicating Risk, Living with Disaster: Voices, Vulnerabilities, and Futures in Cebu.”

Some very interesting/relevant May 6 special topics included: "Understanding Cebu's Environmental Vulnerabilities: Climate Systems/Data/Hazard Projections (by Dr. Jonnifer Sinogaya, Professor of Physics, UP Cebu Department of Biology and Environmental Science), "Communicating Risk on the Ground: Disaster Preparedness and Response in Cebu (by Ret. Col. Dennis Pastor, Head, Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), and, "The Purok System of San Francisco, Camotes: Strengthening Communication  (by Municipal Mayor Alfredo Arquillano Jr).

Those interested to know more about this UP Cebu CCAD May 6-7 events can check these following links: for access the Official Program, Book of Abstracts, and other DukiTuki 2026 materials - bit.ly/dukituki2026bookofabstracts- and to pre-register for your forum attendance:  https://bit.ly/DukiTuki2026OnlineRegistration.

Then, of course, there is the widely publicized 2026 ASEAN 48th Summit chaired by the Philippines and hosted by Cebu from May 6-8.

Tight security, transport rerouting are among the preparations for the meeting of heads of state and senior officials from the 11 ASEAN member-states.

We wonder whether similar prior preparations and safety nets have been done in consultation and agreement especially with those in the informal sector (the street, the small store and market vendors, the local public transport passengers, drivers and operators, others) whose daily routine and earnings will be affected by the ASEAN Summit that will focus on the theme: “Navigating Our Future, Together” and will tackle urgent regional priorities, including energy security and disaster resilience.

Cebu CSOs (civil society organizations) welcome the initiative of Indonesia’s Foreign Policy Community to provide a platform for broadened participation through the “ASEAN For The Peoples Week 2026 with the following activities: “ASEAN Journalist and Digital Storyteller Capacity Building Fellowship (at Movenpick Hotel), Southeast Asia Lecture Hall (at the University of San Carlos), Track 1.5 ASEAN Community Forum, and ASEAN Community Town Hall” (both at Movenpick Hotel) that aim “to consolidate policy-relevant insights and cross-sector recommendations that contribute to discussions leading toward the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila. It aims to strengthen cross-sector connections across ASEAN, ensure dialogues are increasingly informed by public perspectives and expertise, promote clearer and more accessible public narratives on ASEAN priorities, and reinforce the use of credible multi-stakeholder platforms for sustained regional engagement.”

Kaabag sa Sugbo Foundation Inc., RCE-Cebu (Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development) and Cebu National University will partner for The Asean Community Town Hall Panel Session 1: “SDGs in ASEAN: Progress, Gaps, and the Way Forward.”

With most nations still lagging behind meeting the targeted 17 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs by 2030 (only 35% are on track, with modest gains), this particular panel will discuss how and whether ASEAN (home to more than 670 million people with continuing, compounded crises and challenges) can “strengthen collaboration” and partnership to move towards a better region/world with peace, prosperity for people and planet, where no one is left behind.

Dr. Crina Tañongon, Dean, UP Cebu-CCAD and RCE-Cebu Board Director, will serve as moderator of this panel with the following speakers: Ambassador Nelson Santos, Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste on International Relations, Dr. Ir. Dadan Hindayana, Head of National Nutrition Agency of Indonesia (TBC), Dr. Phyu Phyu Thin Zaw, Lecturer of School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong, Jose Ma. Luis Montesclaros, Research Fellow of RSIS, and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Our sincere thanks to Catherine Ruiz of Kaabag-Sugbo, Aureishia Huang and partners for facilitating/coordinating Panel Session 1.

Warm welcome to all 2026 ASEAN participants!