The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), led by its chairman National Artist Virgilio Almario, spearheads the ASEAN Month Celebration with “Sama-Sama ASEAN” cultural show happening on August 25, 2018, 6:00 to 7:30 PM, at the Rizal Park Open Air Auditorium. The multi-arts concert is celebrated in accordance with Proclamation No. 282 (s. 2017) declaring August as ASEAN Month. This is also part of the regional commemoration of the 51^st Anniversary of ASEAN.

With cultural exchange at the heart of ASEAN cooperation, the “Sama-Sama ASEAN’ concert aims to enjoin Filipino audience in the regional celebration and further raise awareness about ASEAN, the values the cooperation fosters, and its role in the development of the country and the region.

In its mandate to sustain awareness about ASEAN in the Philippines, following the country’s chairmanship of the 50^th ASEAN anniversary in 2017, the Philippine ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) created a showcase of cross-cultural presentations and performances that feature ASEAN art forms, starting off with the ceremonial sounding of a gong, an instrument common to Southeast Asian musicscape, and a fitting rendition of the ASEAN Anthem and Isang Awit, Isang Mundo by the award-winning Mandaluyong Children’s Choir.

Aside from the showcase of musical prowess, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group stages “Glimpses of ASEAN”, an ensemble of cultural dances from the ASEAN member states, alongside a truly Filipino performance of the “Bungkos Suite” from the acclaimed Ballet Philippines, and the RPG Crew hip-hop shall grace the Open Air Auditorium’s stage.

De La Salle University’s Harlequin Theatre Guild performs spoken word pieces along with other presentations that heighten our appreciation of the different cultures of ASEAN nations.

Joining the multi-sectoral celebration in the Philippines are agency partners including the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Parks Development Committee and People’s Television (PTV).

For questions on the Sama-sama ASEAN cultural show, contact Ms. Rulet Salgado of the International Affairs Section of the NCCA through numbers 527-2192 loc 632. For further queries on this press release, please contact Mr. Rene S. Napeñas, Head of the NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office through numbers 527-2192 loc 625 or email your questions to ncca.paio@gmail.com.