Dal-Uy 2026: A Festival of Hope
Foundation University once again brought the Greyhound community together for Dal-Uy 2026: Festival of Hope, an evening filled with lanterns, prayers, and wishes for the future.
As the sun went down, students, alumni, faculty, and members of the university community gathered off the waters of the Rizal Blvd., Dumaguete City to release their lanterns. One by one, the lights floated across the sea, eventually forming a bright line toward the horizon. The evening ended with fireworks, adding to the celebration.
This year’s Dal-Uy also continued the university’s efforts to make the tradition more environmentally friendly. The lanterns and wooden platforms were made using eco-friendly materials. Local fishermen also helped monitor the area and used nets and buoys to retrieve the lanterns after the activity, making sure that nothing was left behind in the water.
For many Foundationites, Dal-Uy is a chance to make a wish and look forward to what comes next. For Sweetheart Mae Palomera, an AB Broadcasting alumna from the Class of 2019, it was also a chance to return to a tradition she knew well as a student.
“Returning to FU’s Dal-Uy Festival always fills me with warmth and happiness. It feels like coming back to a place where my heart belongs, home,” she shared.
As a student, Sweetheart remembers making and releasing lanterns with her fellow Foundationites. Looking back now, she sees them differently. The tradition reminds her of three things: home, hope, and dreams.
Her own journey after graduation has not always gone exactly as planned. Like many young graduates, she once hoped for a good job, a good salary, and a good life. Over time, however, she learned that these things take hard work, sacrifice, and a willingness to keep learning.
She also learned to appreciate what she already has.
“At this stage of my life, hope means discovering a spark of light during life’s darkest moments,” she said. For her, simply waking up each day and knowing that she and the people she loves are well is already something to be thankful for.
This year, the lantern she released was less about asking for something and more about giving thanks.
Sweetheart shared that she is grateful for her family, the people close to her, and the blessings she continues to receive. She also expressed her gratitude to God for guiding her through the different stages of her life and for helping her keep going when things became difficult.
For the next generation of Foundationites, she knows that the years after graduation will not always be easy. There will be mistakes, unexpected challenges, and times when they may feel unsure about what comes next.
Her advice is simple: keep going.
She hopes students will remember to enjoy their time at Foundation University, continue learning, and hold on to the dreams they had when they were students.
She also hopes that one day, when they look back, they will be able to say:
“I’m good, I am still here and I am okay.”
“Keep your spirits high, cherish your time in college, keep dreaming and learning, and never lose hope. You’ve got this!” she said.
For her, coming back to Dal-Uy was a reminder of where she started and how much life can ch
ange after graduation. For the students who released their lanterns this year, it may be the beginning of another chapter.
Different hopes, different journeys, but one Greyhound community.
