The Philippine-American League hosted its Perlas Garden Banquet this Saturday in the Mandela Room, bringing together students to celebrate Filipino culture. The night featured a mix of traditional and modern performances and games that showed the audience the vivacity of Filipino culture.

The night began with a video introducing the E-Board and freshmen representatives, set to the tune of “The Spins” by Mac Miller and Empire Of The Sun, capturing behind-the-scenes moments of the organization getting their headshots. The video served as a prelude to a night filled with performances and community and immediately drew the audience into a celebratory atmosphere.

After the E-Board was introduced, they had a Tinikling performance, showcasing the traditional Filipino folk dance that mimics the movements of the Tikling bird as it dodges bamboo traps set by farmers. Captivating the audience with intricate footwork to traditional music, the E-Board seamlessly transitioned to new beats like “APT.” by Rosé and Bruno Mars. Following this, the organization’s freshmen representatives brought lively energy with their dance to “Cherry On Top” by BINI.

Benicio Alonzo, PAL’s president and junior double-majoring in computer science and mathematics, described the spirit of the banquet.

“We wanted something that obviously relates to our Filipino culture,” Alonzo said. “We wanted to include everyone and they know what we’re talking about. So basically, our known thing is pearls. We want to make it more green and vibrant, to make it more inclusive as Filipinos are all about family heritage. So it’s warm and welcoming.”

After the dances, there was a game of charades that brought laughter to the banquet as participants acted out quirky phrases for the chance to win some Smiskis. From mimicking a Fortnite emote to pretending to milk a cow, contestants kept the audience entertained with their interpretations. Phrases like “dress to impress” and “horse riding” added a touch of hilarity, as the contestants’ failures to guess the phrase proved more funny than the phrases themselves. The energy in the room was infectious, with cheers and laughter erupting as participants guessed the answers or completely missed the mark, making it one of the highlights of the night.

The hilarious charades session was followed up by a performance by the Taekwondo Club. Their performance began with a synchronized form set followed by fight scenes set to songs from “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” including a gripping performance akin to Agni Kai — a traditional firebender duel. The highlight of the act was the board-breaking segment, where members executed jaw-dropping stunts such as a blindfolded kick and a split kick that drew gasps and applause from the audience.

Gerald Pena Vargas, one of the Taekwondo Club’s senior advisors majoring in computer science, mentioned how one of his favorite parts of the performance was the club’s first Poomsae, where all the members were in synch as they moved through a series of pre-choreographed moves.

After the Taekwondo Club’s segment, the event’s emcees introduced the next game — a pool noodle fight. Contestants donned bells on their arms and legs, battling it out with foam noodles in a test of their agility and strategy. The goal was to strike opponents while protecting their own bodies, whose positions were given away by bells. With prizes like a Kim Chaewon flag and a duck plushie at stake, participants gave their all.

After the pool noodle fight, Alyssa Pagcaliwagan, a sophomore majoring in pharmacy, sang a rendition of “Second Best” by Laufey. Her performance highlighted her smooth, emotive voice, while her heartfelt take on “Ako’y Sa’yo, Ika’y Akin Lamang” by Daniel Padilla showed a deep connection to Filipino music. The crowd’s applause after each song reflected the raucous reception to each of her performances.

The evening concluded on a high note with a captivating performance by Paradox, a subgroup under the K-pop unit PARAMODA. Their set featured dynamic choreography to a mix of songs, including “Debut” by KATSEYE, “Fact Check” by NCT 127 and “ABCD” by NAYEON, blending K-pop influences with their high-energy dancing. The dances marked a vibrant end to an evening filled with culture, talent and community spirit.

“Filipinos are just like those fun people you see, we do whatever we want, no care in the world,” Alonzo said. “But we want everyone else to also join us in having a fun time. And that’s why we’re trying to bring to the banquet to everyone who’s coming that has never seen us before.”