CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Technological University (CTU) has apologized to the country s Muslim community for its lapse in judgement concerning their concept of their Sinulog dance presentation during the Sinulog 2024 ceremonial opening at the Cebu City Sports Center last Friday.
CTU represented the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) clad in a traditional Muslim costume along with an image of Sr. Sto. Nino.
The concept for the ceremonial opening is that 17 contingents from the different colleges and universities in the city would represent each region in the country and dancing in the Sinulog in a spirit of solidarity.
However, Mayor Mohammad Ali Matabalao of the City of Cotabato, one of the areas under the BARMM, issued a statement posted in the local government unit s Facebook page concerning the matter on behalf of the Bangsamoro Cotabatenos.
He said that while they recognize Sinulog festival s role in celebrating Filipino culture and its efforts to include diverse cultural expression, what CTU presented inadvertently caused considerable distress within the Bangsamoro communities.
Matabalao urged CTU to initiate a constructive dialogue with the Muslim communities, adding that such act of goodwill and understanding would significantly contribute to the harmonious spirit the festival seeks to promote.
He suggested a future collaboration with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of BARMM.
Such partnerships are essential in ensuring cultural representations at the festival are both respectful and accurate, thereby fostering an environment of inclusivity and true cultural celebration, he said.
The Cotabato City mayor also hoped that the incident would pave the way for a deeper cultural understanding and reinforced unity.
Despite what happened, though, he extended his warmest wish for a joyful Sinulog celebration.
The Bangsamoro Peoples Party (BPP), through its Facebook page, also expressed its sentiments concerning CTU s presentation.
The dance appeared to portray an unclear narrative for those unfamiliar with history: that Muslim communities in this country were subject to Spanish colonial rule. It is important to stress that this historical account is inaccurate and does not align with the actual history of the region, it said.
BARMM has a rich cultural and historical heritage, and we hold great respect for the histories of other regions in our diverse nation. However, it is essential to ensure that cultural representations are accurate and do not perpetuate historical inaccuracies, it added.
Just like what Matabalao said, the Sinulog should be an opportunity to foster understanding and appreciation of our diverse cultures.
Moving forward, BPP said, it likewise hoped for a collaboration to ensure that cultural depictions are accurate and respectful of the histories one seek to represent.
It, too, also wished for a joyous occasion in Cebu.
Others, though, bombarded CTU with criticisms online. In response, CTU apologized.
To our beloved Muslim Brothers and Sisters, we, the Cebu Technological University (CTU) community, write to express our deepest and most sincere apologies for any offense or disrespect caused by our Sinulog dance presentation during the Sinulog Festival Launching organized by the Sinulog Foundation Inc., read part of the statement posted on its Facebook page.
CTU said, it understood the concerns and deeply regret that elements of its performance was insensitive or disrespectful towards towards the Muslim culture and religion. It said it had no intention to cause harm or offense.
We are truly sorry if any aspect of our presentation came across as such, the school said.
CTU stressed that they value and respect the rich cultural and religious diversity of our community, including the significant contribution of the Muslim communities to the growth of Cebu.
Inclusivity and understanding are core values of our university, and we strive to celebrate all cultures with sensitivity and awareness, it said.
In the same statement CTU promised to commit to learn from the experience and take steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur again while doing a thorough internal review of their performance practices to identify areas to improve their understanding and respect for diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
We understand that apologies alone cannot fully repair the hurt caused. However, we hope that our sincere remorse, commitment to learning, and proposed actions demonstrate our genuine desire to build bridges and foster understanding between our communities, it said.
CTU likewise said that it is open dialogue and take all necessary steps to ensure a more inclusive and respectful university, at the same time hope to earn back trust and collaboration in the future. (CEBU NEWS)