On 11 October 2025, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), through the UP System flagship initiative— the UP Ventures for International and Transformative Academia (UP VINTA), participated in “The World in Pingtung— Cultural Market. Cultural Performance. Interactive Experience.” held in Pingtung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
UPOU’s participation in the festival was part of its continuing efforts to reach out to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Taiwan. The team aimed to introduce UPOU’s open and distance e-learning (ODeL) programs and promote accessible higher education opportunities for Filipinos working abroad.
During the event, UPOU representatives— Asst. Prof. Lorena Jean Saludadez, Asst. Prof. Lloyd Lyndel Simporios, and Ms. Janelle Ebron— engaged with Filipino and some Taiwanese attendees and shared information about the University’s academic programs, admission procedures, and online learning platforms.
Asst. Prof. Lorena Jean Saludadez and Asst. Prof. Lloyd Lyndel Simporios representing UPOU at the Pingtung Cultural Festival in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
According to Asst. Prof. Saludadez, the activity was a meaningful opportunity to personally connect with and assist OFWs they had previously visited under the UP VINTA initiative. She also shared that there were OFWs who traveled for around four to five hours just to visit the UPOU booth at the Pingtung Festival— a testament to the strong interest of Filipinos abroad in pursuing quality and flexible UP education. She emphasized the importance of expanding such outreach initiatives to make UPOU’s presence more accessible to Filipinos across different parts of Taiwan and beyond.
The booth also featured UPOU’s information materials, including brochures and flyers about undergraduate, graduate, and non-formal courses offered through open and distance e-learning (ODeL). Festival attendees expressed their appreciation for UPOU’s efforts to make higher education more accessible to OFWs— how the flexible learning mode could help them upskill and advance their careers without leaving their jobs abroad.
Overseas Filipino Workers visit the UPOU booth during “The World in Pingtung” Cultural Festival in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
The encounter highlighted the importance of creating more localized and frequent outreach activities to bring UPOU’s services closer to Filipino communities overseas. The engagement in Pingtung reaffirmed UP VINTA’s mission to continuously expand its reach and support Filipinos worldwide through transformative, inclusive, and borderless education.
Written by Kimberly Rose Robles | Edited by Lorena Jean Saludadez | Photos by Janelle Ebron
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