History

Kultura Pilipinas, the University of Oregon's Philippine Student Organization was concieved in 1986. The small founding group started with the aim of providing Filipino students a sense of community, something that was non-existant before Kultura Pilipinas started. The group was conceptualized by business major Ruben Zamora, a junior at the time. During his studies at the University of Oregon, Zamora, born and raised in Manila, felt an urgent need to develop a group that would foster the needs of his fellow Filipino students; a link to back home. At the time, Filipino students, albeit few, did not have the resources to cope with the sometimes daunting challenges associated with living in a foreign country.

"KP has been a great vehicle for us to showcase our culture" comments Valentina Zamora, one of the founding members of KP, as well as Ruben's sister. Although the group started out with only nine members, KP not only provided a sense of family for the Filipino students, but more importantly, it acted as a solid foundation from which the Filipino students could interact with American and international students on campus and establish a relationship with the Eugene/Springfield community.

Supported by the Associated Students at the University of Oregon (ASUO), and being an umbrella group of the International Student Association (ISA), KP began interacting with the campus and Eugene community more so than anticipated. Forming the backbone of KP's outreach programs was Filipino Night, a cultural show that involved the efforts of many sources. Generations of KP members, several of Oregon's Philippine American chapters, as well as dance troupes from as far as Corvallis and Portland, all took part in the yearly cultural shows which presented many different aspects of the Filipino culture.

The banner years for KP were 1996 and 1997 because former President of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino visited the University of Oregon. She was the guest of honor at KP's tenth annual culture night and also was the feature speaker at the University's 120th commencment speech. She also recieved the first honorary degree in 48 years from the University of Oregon.

Today, Kultura Pilipinas continues to build a strong, solid foundation at the University. It has evolved into an organization not only for Filipinos, but for Filipino-Americans as well as miriad of peoples with different backgrounds. In the Fall of 1998, the group broke-off from it's long time umbrella organization, ISA. This break signifies an evolution and ongoing progress of Kultura Pilipinas, which as the group continues to grow, it will also help to teach and understand Filipino culture, history, and traditions.

The emphasis on family that binded the organization in its infancy is still deeply rooted within the organization and has been instilled within the membership, as well as having fun while becoming educated about the Philippines. Many activites have involved other student organizations such as the Asian Pacific American Student Union (APASU), Vietnamese Students Association (VSA), Jewish Student Union (JSU), Black Student Union (BSU), and Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) broadening the scope of cultural awareness throughout the University's community.  KP will continue to serve the community in the numerous forms such as the Eugene Asian Celebration, Children's Story Telling, and KP's Annual Culture Night. Kultura Pilipinas has and will continue to etch its niche in the multicultural community, fostering cultural awareness and diversity.

Mission Statement

To increase the awareness and understanding of the Filipino culture through community service and outreach.