One With ASEAN 2025: UST MAM leads the celebration of Southeast Asia's cultural diversity with grassroots cooperation at its core
By Marielle Isabel Altuna
The UST Model ASEAN Meeting (MAM), along with the UST Asian Studies Society, held the annual One With ASEAN (OWA) celebration on May 5, 2025, at the Quadricentennial Park and Thomas Aquinas Research Complex. For the first time, UST MAM took the lead in organizing the event, transitioning from its traditional role in conducting simulations to spearheading this on-site gathering.
In line with the theme, “Strengthening Grassroots Cooperation for Regional Transformation,” the event focused on encouraging regional unity within Southeast Asia by empowering local communities and fostering collaborative efforts at the grassroots level.
The first half of the event featured each block as they showcased booths, which highlighted their assigned countries. The blocks prepared engaging presentations, incorporating interactive games and creative gimmicks to emphasize the unique aspects of their respective nations. The participating blocks and their assigned countries were: 1ASN1 with Brunei Darussalam, 1ASN2 with Cambodia, 2ASN1 with Lao PDR, 2ASN2 with Myanmar, 3ASN1 with Singapore, 3ASN2 with Vietnam, 4ASN1 with Indonesia, and 4ASN2 with Thailand.
Photos by Janna Lagman/UST Asian Studies Gazette
In the second half, cultural video presentations from the various ASEAN countries assigned to each block were showcased. The audience was also treated to performances by Furasia, the Official Dance Guild of the Society, alongside intermission numbers by Asian Studies students, adding an extra layer of entertainment and cultural immersion to the celebration.
Photo by Dean Barbaso/UST MAM Publicity Committee
During the awarding ceremony, the winners of the Best Booth Award were announced, with 1st runner-up going to 1ASN2 (Cambodia), 2nd runner-up awarded to 2ASN1 (Laos), and 3rd runner-up conferred to 3ASN2 (Vietnam). The champion title for the Best Booth Award was claimed by 1ASN1 (Brunei).
For the Best Cultural Performance Award, the 3rd runner-Up was 2ASN2 (Myanmar), followed by 3ASN1 (Singapore) as the 2nd runner-up. The 1st runner-up title was tied between 1ASN2 (Cambodia) and 4ASN2 (Thailand), while 1ASN1 (Brunei) claimed the championship once again.
In the Overall Awards, 2ASN1 (Laos) and 3ASN1 (Singapore) shared the spot for the third place, 3ASN2 (Vietnam) secured second place, and 1ASN2 (Cambodia) took first. Ultimately, the champion of the event was 1ASN1 (Brunei), who excelled in multiple categories and was recognized for their outstanding contributions throughout the celebration.
