Sulyap 2.0 Shines the Spotlight on the Talent of UAE-Based Filipino Creatives
Filipino talent, creativity, and collaboration take center stage at Sulyap 2.0.
Filipino creativity and talent took center stage at Sulyap 2.0: Padayon sa Kapuluan ng Pangarap (Onward Through the Archipelago of Dreams).
Held at the Theatre of Digital Art in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last August 31, the show was organized by TRIBE, a subcommittee of the Philippine Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates, and co-created by 63Kolektib in partnership with the Emirates Literature Foundation (ELF) and Theatre of Digital Art (TODA).
Sulyap’s second edition offered audiences a richer, more immersive celebration of Filipino talent through theatre, dance, music, and visual arts.
“Congratulations to TRIBE and 63Kolektib. You are now the new torchbearers of Philippine culture all over the UAE and to a global audience,” said Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, H.E. Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver.
“Thank you for this glimpse,” Ambassador Ver added. “But more than a glimpse, you invited us to dive deeper, to look at our roots once again and attach ourselves to our country, especially for those in the second and third generations here.”
“I hope you continue to carry the torch, burn brighter, and shine the light for all Filipinos in the UAE,” he concluded.
An Visual Voyage Onstage
Sulyap 2.0 dazzled the audience with a theatre performance by 63Kolektib, vibrant cultural dances by United Filipino Culture and Arts, and soulful vocal performances from Dubai Vocal Ensemble.
Striking key visuals by Baybayin script artist Gino Banola added a more dynamic and deeply cultural touch to the show, taking everyone on a journey across an imagined chain of islands that embody the unique story of the Filipino spirit.
The Spirit of Community and Collaboration
For TRIBE President Bethoven Filomeno, Sulyap 2.0 is “more than a performance.” It was made possible by the collaboration of partners, venues, and volunteers who helped bring the performances to life.
“It is a celebration and sharing of Filipino culture with the UAE’s diverse community,” he said. “By creating platforms like this, we hope to inspire more collaborations and opportunities that highlight the creativity and talent of Filipinos on the global stage. ”
Frequently Asked Questions
Sulyap 2.0: Padayon sa Kapuluan ng Pangarap is a Filipino cultural showcase organized by TRIBE and co-created by 63Kolektib. Its second edition was held at the Theatre of Digital Art in Dubai, UAE, featuring theatre, dance, music, and visual arts by UAE-based Filipino creatives.
Sulyap 2.0 was organized by TRIBE, a subcommittee of the Philippine Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates, and co-created by 63Kolektib in partnership with the Emirates Literature Foundation and the Theatre of Digital Art.
The event featured a theatre performance by 63Kolektib, cultural dances by United Filipino Culture and Arts, vocal performances by Dubai Vocal Ensemble, and key visual installations in Baybayin script by artist Gino Banola, creating a multi-disciplinary celebration of Filipino creative expression.
Sulyap 2.0 illustrates how UAE-based Filipino communities are building cultural platforms that elevate Philippine creative talent beyond the archipelago. Events like this position the Filipino diaspora as active contributors to the UAE’s arts landscape, not only as a workforce but as cultural producers.
Cultural showcases like Sulyap 2.0 extend the reach of the Philippine creative economy — valued at over P1 trillion — into diaspora markets. By creating platforms for Filipino artists abroad, organizers generate visibility, collaboration opportunities, and international networks that feed back into the broader Filipino creative sector.
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