By Dana Meryll Gapas

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—The 2025 Region 1 SCUAA Games and PASUC Culture and Arts Festival officially kicked off on February 24, 2025, at Ilocos Norte’s architectural wonder, the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium.

With over 1,800 student-athletes and artists from various State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the region, the event promises to showcase talent and sportsmanship until February 28.

The delegation includes 359 athletes and artists from the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) Stingers, 352 from the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC) Panthers, 361 from the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) Sharks, 358 from the Pangasinan State University (PSU) Golden Lions, and 388 from the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Stallions.

During the opening program, former university and PASUC-1 officials were recognized for their service to higher education in the region. Among those honored with certificates of appreciation were former PSU and PASUC-1 President Dexter Buted, 7th MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis, and immediate past MMSU OIC-President Prima Fe R. Franco.

Moreover, around 5,000 MMSU students delivered a ground demonstration performance featuring “Salamin” by BINI and “APT” by ROSÈ and Bruno Mars, adding vibrancy to the opening program.

In his keynote address, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc warmly welcomed the participating SUCs and wished them luck.

“The most important thing [you need to remember] is to respect your opponent, respect your referee, and respect the game,” he told the athletes, artists, and coaches.

MMSU last hosted the regional higher education sports, cultural, and arts competitions in 2020, just months before the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The FEM Stadium, which serves as the event’s venue, recently won the ArchDaily 2025 Building of the Year Award in the Sports Architecture category—an accolade recognizing excellence in design, innovation, and sustainability on a global scale. The facility boasts a seating capacity of more than 12,000.