University News

A PUPian's Courageous Journey to the WCOPA

Jan Vincent Lanuza, Gicel Roger Salvilla, Feature Story, Communication Management Office

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_{Photo Courtesy: Frances Marie Akol}

Frances Marie Akol, a graduating Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPeA) student from the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), has claimed 2 silver medals in the Acting - Contemporary and Vocals - Original Works categories at the 28th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) sa Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, from July 13 to 21, bringing international pride to the Sintang Paaralan.

From church plays to standing on the world as an Artista ng Bayan

Her accomplishment, she noted, was a culmination of her passion and dedication—growing from performing at simple church and classroom plays to performing at the international stage. She then credited her program for this transition.

“This is the first door that opened infinite possibilities for me as a performer. Through the multiple productions I have joined into, I have established my confidence on stage. From this point onwards, I only told myself to go in every go-sees that will pass through my feed, answer every link to an audition form that will be sent in our GC, and say yes to every invitation I will receive.” Akol said.  

When she decided to showcase her gift of performing on the world stage, she recounted, the love and support that she received from PUP, more specifically from the BPeA community, fueled her to make the most of her opportunity.

“With the help and support of my BPeA Community, Friends, and Family, I have reached something I never would have thought I would be able to. After all, they are the ones who inspired me to keep on going. To see their smiles and hear the loud cheers and claps is enough for me to push forward into performing. Because I wanted to touch their hearts in a way I could not do in just saying them verbally.” She remarked.

“I would not have taken a different path or regret every step I took in walking with PUP BPeA. I stood on the world stage because I was in the group chat made for BPeA students in PUP. I stood on the world stage because the people in this community shaped me into becoming a great performer. I stood on the world stage because of my home and identity—ang pagiging Artista ng Bayan.”

Courage and a mixture of faith

Reflecting on her journey, she remarked that while she is not the perfect performer, she is a brave performer—mustering all of her courage to take all the steps to become better and grab all opportunities presented to her which allowed her to perform on the world stage.

“Because of the steps I took and the doors I opened, I was able to be where I was today.” She mused.

With her accomplishment, she hoped that she is not the last PUPian to enter WCOPA or other international stages. She urged her fellow Iskolar ng Bayan to be brave and take that leap of faith as they embark on fulfilling their dreams. 

“The experiences you have will never not be enough as long as you prepare, rehearse, and have the right support group. Most importantly, this is something that you need to remember: take the first big step, and the next steps will become easier as you climb your way up to your success. It will be scary at first but that fear will turn into fulfillment. I never regret taking this step. It was hard but it helped come to this point in my life. I will be honored to join my fellow PUPians in bringing pride to our University and the country.” She stated.

“Who knows? One of the PUPians may be the next World Champion and bring home multiple medals of gold.” She added. 

In addition, in that same competition, Vincent Carlo Abratigue, a PUP Open University System (PUP-OUS) alumnus, received multiple distinctions, including gold medals in acting category, comical acting, and dramatic acting, a bronze medal for Vocal World category, and a New York Film Academy Scholarship. 

The achievements of both Akol and Abratigue reflect the University's commitment to nurture learners to excel both inside and outside the classroom. It also reinforces PUP’s presence on the international stage.

The accomplishment also advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by demonstrating how quality and accessible learning empowers students to develop their talents, excel in their chosen fields, and represent the Philippines on the international stage. It also supports SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth by highlighting the role of education in preparing learners for opportunities in the creative industries, and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities by showcasing how access to quality public education enables students from diverse backgrounds to compete and succeed globally.