In this age when Filipino youth aspire beyond personal success and toward a better nation, based on a 2025 study, Foundation University reignited the hopes and dreams of its students in the form of hundreds of water lanterns sailing across the sea during this year’s Dal-uy Festival along Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete.
Over 7,000 people were in attendance for the university’s solemn tradition to welcome the new academic year, bringing together students, university staff, and the wider community, in a meaningful celebration of reflection and connection.
“Our goal is to encourage our students to understand their purpose within and beyond the school’s walls, look deeper within themselves, and envision the future that they want to live in. The Dal-uy Festival is meant to be a spiritual and uplifting moment for both our students and staff,” said Foundation University President Victor Vicente “Dean” Sinco.
From simple dreams
The Dal-uy Festival began as a simple gathering of Foundation University staff at the campus’s Social Garden back in 2000 to welcome a new academic year. In 2010, the ceremony officially became a university-wide celebration along Rizal Boulevard.
“Years ago, most of the students simply wished to pass, to graduate, or to get a good job after graduation. Eventually, these wishes grew beyond their academic performance for the year: now, students are also thinking about their families and the hardships they are facing, and the simple act of sending a water lantern across the sea is their way of sending their hopes for a better future,” Sinco recounted.
Zero environmental impact
Living up to its standing as a sustainable campus, Foundation University ensures that the Dal-uy Festival is a zero-waste celebration every year.
In line with the city’s environmental ordinance, plastic folders and bamboo planks are used for the water lanterns and are collected after the event to be reused for next year’s festival. Materials that can no longer be reused are sold, with the proceeds going to supplies for the university’s student scholars. With the help of local fisherfolk and authorities, they retrieve most, if not all, of the lanterns.
“Every year, we have seen how the Dal-uy Festival has brought a sense of belonging and community to the participants, and their shared responsibility in turning the hopes and dreams of the youth into reality,” Sinco said.
Learn more about Foundation University’s projects and upcoming events by visiting https://www.foundationu.edu.ph/ or following Foundation University on Facebook and Instagram.
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