The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), through the University of the Philippines Ventures for International and Transformative Academia (UP VINTA), in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Honolulu, brought its Learning Caravan to Hawaii on 11 August 2026, marking its farthest engagement to date.
Titled “Talk Story: A UP VINTA Learning Caravan in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Learning Caravan gathered 28 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who participated onsite at PCG Honolulu and online via Zoom. The event brought together Filipino communities in Hawaii, representatives of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu, and the UPOU delegation for discussions on . It was a venue for an open and conversational exchange on education, learning, and opportunities for collaboration.
Members of the UPOU Delegation and participants of the Talk Story: A UP VINTA Learning Caravan following discussions on opportunities for learning and collaboration. (Photo courtesy of PCG Honolulu)
More than the usual UP VINTA learning caravan, the activity served as a platform for participants to share their questions, experiences, and learning interests. Through the conversations, ideas and possibilities for collaboration also emerged, including potential partnerships with Hawaii-based institutions and training and workshop opportunities for Filipino community organizations, all toward making education more accessible and responsive to the needs of Filipinos across borders.
UPOU Chancellor Prof. Joane V. Serrano presents an overview of the UPOU during the Learning Caravan.
UPOU Chancellor Joane V. Serrano, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) Dean Assoc. Prof. Roberto B. Figueroa, and Information and Communication Technology Development Office (ICTDO) Director Assoc. Prof. Reinald Adrian DL. Pugoy shared information about UPOU and UP VINTA, including opportunities and initiatives for Filipinos beyond the Philippines.
FICS Dean Assoc. Prof. Roberto B. Figueroa Jr. (left) and ICTDO Director Assoc. Prof. Reinald Adrian DL. Pugoy (right) discuss the UPOU programs with the Learning Caravan participants.
PCG Honolulu Deputy Consul General Pamela F. Durian-Bailon closed the formal program by thanking the participants and organizers and expressing hope that the exchange would lead to further engagement and collaboration with Filipino communities in Hawaii.
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Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu Deputy Consul General Pamela F. Durian-Bailon delivers her closing remarks during the UP VINTA Learning Caravan.
The conversations continued beyond the formal program, as participants and officials gathered over refreshments and engaged in informal exchanges and networking. In these moments, the spirit of “talk story” came full circle—not simply as a conversation, but as a way of building connections, sharing experiences, and creating opportunities for learning and collaboration among Filipinos, even on the other side of the world.
Written by Mary Rose Alingasa | Edited by Lorena Jean Saludadez, Primo G. Garcia and Anna Cañas-Llamas | Photo Courtesy of PCG Honolulu)
