CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) region 10 led the celebration of 55th ASEAN Month through a cultural showcase and commemorative event at Misamis University in Ozamiz City Misamis Occidental.

This year, with Cambodia's ASEAN chairmanship theme, "ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together" CHED region 10 highlighted ideas on how ASEAN efforts as a unified regional bloc help its member states address opportunities and challenges globally.

Freddie T. Bernal, PhD, regional director, CHED region 10 shared the many challenges in so many fronts including education.

“Now that we are easing off the pandemic, flexible learning is here and how we can possibly internationalize our higher education institutions using also flexible platform, online and onsite,” he said.

Director Bernal also discussed the need to transition to digital learning as it is the way of the present and the future.

“The higher education community including the faculty members and students should learn about digital technology. We have to address that in the post pandemic era,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Karen Belina F. De Leon, president, Misamis University shared they continue to break barriers amid COVID 19 from traditional learning to a virtual learning space. "Quality cannot rest, it has to go on, no matter what," she said.

The 55th ASEAN celebration in Misamis University also featured a Hors d' Oeuvres Display where known appetizers, starters or small dish in different ASEAN countries are arranged such as Indonesia’s chicken satay, tahu goreng krispi, pastel goreng, risoles and virgin sunrise, Vietnam’s Banh Mi and more.

Meanwhile, Higher education institutions (HEIs) all over the region represented a particular ASEAN member-country by wearing colorful and elegant costumes. (JMORucat/PIA10)