Students from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) gathered on 8 May 2025–both onsite at the Multimedia Center Theater, UPOU-DICT Building, Diliman, Quezon City, and online via Zoom, to celebrate the Metaverse Festival—a two-day event that showcased student-led virtual cultural exhibits in an immersive digital environment.
Hosted by FICS Dean Roberto B. Figueroa Jr. with the assistance of Assistant Professor Margaret J. Suarez, the festival was organized by students of MMS 198 to serve as a dynamic platform to present their projects hosted in Frame VR, a web-based virtual space. These exhibits were shared with fellow students from UPOU’s Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS), Bachelor of Education Studies (BES), and international participants from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) and Osaka University, as part of the University of the Philippines’ Student Exchange Program.
The theme of the exhibition was to highlight Filipino cultural identity in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each virtual booth explored aspects of Filipino life and heritage using the concept of cultural universals, incorporating traditional values, practices, and even Filipino cooking recipes. One of the festival’s highlights was a communal singing of “Bahay Kubo”, which underscored the spirit of shared celebration and intercultural learning.
The Metaverse Festival continues for two days, with the second day conducted entirely online, reflecting UPOU’s commitment to blended, accessible, and globally engaged education through immersive technology.
Written by: Jerome Suplemento II | Edited by: Joy Rebulanan
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