10/08/2026
๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
๐ ๐ฆ๐จ-๐๐๐ง ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ก๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
Weaving Mindanaoan culture into the nationโs musical landscape, the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) received the National Commission for Culture and the Artsโ (NCCA) 2021 SUDI National Music Award during the ceremony held at the Metropolitan Theater, Manila, on July 28, 2026.
Launched by the NCCA in 2020, the SUDI National Music Awards is a triennial recognition honoring individuals and organizations that have made lasting contributions to the richness, evolution, and heritage of Filipino music. Its inaugural ceremony coincided with the celebration of Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP), observed under Proclamation No. 933.
Heading the MSU-IIT IPAG delegation were Artistic Director Prof. Jay Rey Alovera, who also serves as Center for Culture and Arts (CCA) Director, and Executive Director John Michael Lagura. Their participation underscored the enduring mission of advancing Mindanaoan culture and fostering appreciation for local identities through the performing artsโan advocacy that reflects the spirit of the ๐ด๐ถ๐ฅ๐ช, an Ilocano word meaning celebrated, famous, or renowned.
Marking its 49th Theater Season, MSU-IIT IPAG showcased Mindanaoโs rich cultural heritage through Meshaq Dangelโs signature anthem, โEรค: Para sa Pagbabago,โ capturing the guildโs vision of a changing world grounded in truth and propelled by the unyielding courage to dream.
Beyond receiving the honor, Lagura highlighted the universityโs enduring commitment to MSU-IIT IPAGโs cultural mandate. โFor nearly five decades, MSU-IIT has served as a home and a pillar of support for resident groups like the [MSU-IIT IPAG]. In doing so, the university has actively championed the guildโs mission: elevating Mindanaoโs identity by bringing the regionโs rich, diverse musical expressions to the national stage,โ he emphasized.
Lagura further shared that the guildโs significant contribution to Mindanaoan culture lies in its receptive and collaborative process of translating cultural expressions into contemporary stage productionsโan approach refined through decades of artistic practice. He added, โBy grounding our work in a contemporary voice, we aim to facilitate engagement rather than dictate terms or alienate the youth, uniting them around a shared cultural commitment.โ
A total of 12 awardees representing the 2021, 2022, and 2023 award cycles were recognized during the ceremony. Joining the MSU-IIT IPAG among the 2021 honorees were Ben&Ben and the New Cebu Arts Foundation, Inc. The 2022 recipients included Alfonso โCokeโ Bolipata, Gary Valenciano, Maria Alexandra Chua, Regine Velasquez, and SB19, while Dr. Marie Jocelyn Marfil, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Singers, and Vincent De Jesus were honored for 2023. The National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) Foundation, Inc. was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nearly five decades on, the MSU-IIT IPAG carries Mindanaoโs stories far and wide, keeping its culture alive with every song, every stride. Now on the national radar, its latest honor stands as an ๐๐๐๐๐ฏ๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต testament to a legacy that continues to resonate, inspire, and rise.
Report by Ryan Tabamo
Proofread by Emmanuel Barabar
Graphics by Muammar Mohammad Taib
