The University of St. La Salle (USLS) is proud to host the 2026 ASEAN Celebration in the Negros Island Region, organized by the Commission on Higher Education – Negros Island Region (CHEDRO-NIR), at the St. La Salle Coliseum on 3 August 2026.
Carrying the theme, “Navigating Our Future, Together,” the celebration commemorates the 59th ASEAN Founding Anniversary and brings together higher education institutions and stakeholders across the region to celebrate ASEAN unity, cooperation, and shared aspirations for the future.
Higher education leaders, faculty members, staff, students and International Relations Officers (IROs) from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor will come together to promote ASEAN awareness, intercultural understanding, and
regional cooperation.
Reflecting CHEDRO-NIR's commitment to advancing internationalization and strengthening partnerships among HEIs in the region, this event provides a strategic platform for fostering ASEAN identity through academic exchange, intercultural learning, and institutional collaboration while aligning higher education initiatives with regional and global priorities.
The celebration will feature opening remarks from Raul C. Alvarez Jr., REE, Ed.D., CESO III, Regional Director and Director IV of CHED Negros Island Region. Inspirational messages will be delivered by Hon. Shirley C. Agrupis, PhD, Chairperson of the Commission on Higher
Education; Hon. Michelle A. Ong, PhD, CHED Commissioner; and Christine Nabor-Ferrer, EdD, Director IV and Director-in-Charge of the CHED International Affairs Service.
Participants will engage in cultural exhibits, micro-credentialing seminar-workshops, intercultural forums, and discussions on internationalization.
By convening academic institutions and key education stakeholders, the 2026 ASEAN Celebration in Negros Island Region reinforces the region's role as a proactive contributor to ASEAN integration.