NEWS
BY Elodie O’Callaghan · 11 November 2026
Many students can often feel alone on campus, especially if they have come a long way to study in Cork. There exist societies that represent students from every corner of the world, with societies in UCC already representing the cultures and languages of Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Africa and the Caribbean, and the Slavic countries. The Philippines had not seen such representation in University College Cork (UCC), or any college in Munster, before this year.
Hello and maligayang pagdating to the UCC Filipino Society, the newest addition to the roster of UCC Societies. Alongside their official announcement, they have confirmed that their AGM will take place on Friday, the 13th of November at 4pm.
University Express corresponded with Leena Vijay, one of the founding members of FiloSoc, to learn more about how the society came about and to take an early look into what they have in store for their inaugural year. University Express first sought to understand what had motivated Leena and the founding committee to establish the society. In her response, Leena recalled:
“I remember going with friends to Clubs and Societies Day, excited to meet people who shared our cultural background. That experience made me realise how much it would mean to have a space where Filipino students could see themselves represented and feel a sense of belonging.
For years, I wished there was a Filipino society. In my final year, I decided to finally go for it. I wanted to create a community where Filipino students could celebrate our culture and share our experiences while welcoming people from every background to be part of it.
I want to create the community I would have loved to find in first year and something that will continue to welcome students for a long time.”
Until now, Filipino culture has not been represented by a dedicated society in any universities in Munster. University Express asked Leena what kind of events the society is looking forward to bringing to campus for the first time. The founding member replied that:
“We’re hoping to offer a mix of cultural celebrations, food events, film screenings, sports events and collaborations with other societies so there are plenty of different ways for people to get involved. Filipino culture will always be at the heart of our events, and we are excited to find ways to bring Filipino and Irish traditions together.
Our first planned event is a Pasko Party, a Filipino Christmas party to coincide with College Christmas. We want to offer an alcohol-free College Christmas celebration where students can enjoy Filipino food, music and company. My hope is that it will feel like a home away from home for Filipino students whilst giving everyone else a welcoming introduction to our culture.
Another event we have planned is a screening of Forgotten Island, the animated film inspired by Filipino culture and mythology before exams begin. Looking further ahead, we’d love to collaborate with other cultural societies and hopefully hold an Ube Pancake Tuesday event, bringing a purple yam popular in Filipino desserts to a tradition celebrated in Ireland.
Above all, we want our events to give people a chance to connect, make friends and enjoy sharing our cultures.”
Joining a society for the first time can be scary, and founding a society even more so. Few students are brave enough to take that leap, although many dream about it. University Express asked Leena what it was like to take that leap and what experiences she was able to draw from. Leena explained:
“This is my first time being directly involved in running a UCC Society. I’ve regularly attended society events as a student, but I’ve never previously served on a society committee so this is also a big learning moment for myself.
Student life has always been a big part of my time at UCC. I’ve been a Peer Support Leader for four years now as well as a Student Ambassador for five.
Those experiences have taught me a lot about supporting students and helping people feel welcome, which I’m excited to bring to this role.”
The first year as a new society can be daunting, but equally exciting. Bringing a new perspective and new events to campus for the first time is extremely valuable for student life. Cultural exchange societies are at the heart of this. Towards the end of the correspondence, University Express asked Leena how other students can get involved with FiloSoc, to which Leena responded that:
“Students can join us through the UCC Clubs and Societies Portal and follow us on Instagram at @UCCFiloSoc, where we’ll share our upcoming events and all related news.
We’re also holding our AGM on November 13th at 4pm, and further details are on our Instagram page. We’d love anyone interested in helping shape the society, sharing ideas, running for a role or to simply know more about the society to come along!
Students from all backgrounds are more than welcome. Whether you want to reconnect with Filipino culture, learn something new or simply meet people, we would love to have you join us!”
Throughout her correspondence with University Express, Leena conveyed how the formation of this society was a true passion project for her. Whilst taking a step to join (or even found) a new society may seem intimidating, there is seldom a person you will meet who regrets taking that leap.
University Express also contacted Josh Hanover, President of UCC Societies, to obtain the Societies Executive’s perspective on the establishment of the new society. In his email response, Josh welcomed the addition of FiloSoc:
“I’m delighted to see the establishment of the UCC Filipino Society, now bringing the number of active groups under the umbrella of UCC Societies to 110. Myself and the Societies Executive really loved seeing all of their proposed plans for the year, and we are now excited to support them in making these a reality.
I firmly believe it is the student-led nature of societies that make them so special, right from the ground up, and it is a privilege to have such an incredible variety of them on offer here in UCC - one of the largest in the country. Cultural societies in particular were my first step into this exciting world, and where I learned the ropes in being a Chairperson, so it is a very full circle moment for me to be able to support the next generation of this cohort.
I’d also like to thank our New Societies Officer, Brian O’Carroll, who puts in a tremendous amount of work as a volunteer in meeting with every student interested in starting up a society of their own, providing tailored advice to each group, and ultimately guiding those who are successful through the process.”
As mentioned before, students interested in joining the UCC Filipino Society, running for a position on its committee, or simply attending any of its events can find further information on its Instagram account, @UCCFiloSoc.
