The Cebu Technological University issued an apology to the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for alleged cultural misrepresentation and cultural insensitivity.

The performance of the CTU dance troupe for the opening ceremony of Sinulog 2024 activities on January 12, 2024 got the ire of netizens in BARMM for the reported inappropriate use of the hijab and the praising ritual with the icon of the Santo Niño inappropriate to religion, faith, and culture.

A netizen identified as Shim Mastura Buday pointed out that the “school and the City of Cebu should be ashamed of this ignorance. Respect our culture.”

Another netizen, Anwar Karis Mumbas, said that the incident was never about religion, but the misrepresentation of cultural tradition.

He said that the depiction has trampled upon Bangsamoro pride and tarnished the identity.

“Nevertheless, we commend your institution for initiating a public apology and hopefully this will not happen again in any future celebrations in the country,” Mumbas wrote on comment tab.

CTU on its official social media page said sorry to the Muslim community.

“We understand and deeply regret that elements of our performance may have been perceived as insensitive or disrespectful towards your culture and religion. We assure you that there was absolutely no intention to cause harm or offense, and we are truly sorry if any aspect of our presentation came across as such.

“We value and respect the rich cultural and religious diversity of our community, including the significant contribution of the Muslim community to Cebu's vibrant tapestry. Inclusivity and understanding are core values of our university, and we strive to celebrate all cultures with sensitivity and awareness.

“We are committed to learning from this experience and taking steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. We will be conducting a thorough internal review of our performance practices to identify areas where we can improve our understanding and respect for diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

“Please be assured that we have learned a significant lesson from this incident and will work diligently to ensure that such mistakes are never repeated,” according to salient points of the statement.