The UP Cebu Design Program is set to launch DES/INYO 2026, its annual Design Week, carrying the theme “RE•PORMA: Design as Rebuilding.” Happening from June 1 to 7, 2026, the weeklong celebration also commemorates two major milestones for the program: its 20th anniversary and the 10th year of its Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab).
This year’s DES/INYO invites students, creatives, industry practitioners, and the wider community to reflect on design as an intentional act of rebuilding; not simply restoring what once existed, but reimagining systems, spaces, and relationships for a more thoughtful and inclusive future.
“Re·porma is not only about patching what’s broken; it’s about asking what deserves to be rebuilt, and how we can rebuild it better,” shared Asst. Professor Jay Jore, coordinator of the Design Program.
The main events of DES/INYO 2026 will take place at the Northwing of SM City Cebu from June 5 to 7, marking the festival’s move to a larger and more public venue that reflects the continued growth of the annual exhibit. Through this transition, the Design Program hopes to bring student works and research initiatives closer to the communities they are meant to serve, making design more accessible and inclusive.
Among the highlights of the three-day public exhibit are the Annual Design Student Exhibition, showcasing selected works from students across all year levels; the PROPEL Student Design Pitches, where students present innovative concepts to members of the creative industries; the Annual Fashion Show featuring experimental wearable designs; and the Mundo Design Awards, recognizing excellence in creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation.
The Design Week also coincides with the opening of the Annual Design Thesis Exhibition, Tagbo: Where Design Meets Urban Futures, which opens on June 1 at The Kabilin Center.
“We give a great amount of emphasis on creative growth and part of the way we foster that here is not only through our instruction but exposure and recognition,” said Design Program Instructor Kil Camalongay, a multidisciplinary designer and artist specializing in product design, branding, interiors, and visual communication.
For two decades, the Design Program has continued to shape generations of product designers through a philosophy grounded in experimentation, creative problem-solving, and socially responsive design practice.
“We don’t just teach students to make objects. We teach them to see systems; to redesign the relationships between people, materials, and place,” said Asst. Professor AJ Mallari, whose work focuses on social innovation, crafts systems, and artisanal production.
Anchored on the theme “RE•PORMA: Design as Rebuilding,” this year’s edition frames design as a collective and transformative process, one that rebuilds from ruins and creates spaces rooted in care, justice, and intention. Expanding on the themes explored in previous editions, DES/INYO 2026 emphasizes collaboration between designers and communities in shaping more adaptive and meaningful futures.
Beyond exhibitions and showcases, DES/INYO 2026 also serves as a gateway for prospective students interested in pursuing design education at UP Cebu. During the event, visitors may learn more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Product Design and the Certificate in Fine Arts Major in Product Design programs, including the Talent Aptitude Test (TAT) admissions process for Academic Year 2026–2027.
“As students, we are learning not just to design objects, but to design possibilities; for our communities and for the future we want to live in,” reflected Diana Sumalinog, DES/INYO 2026 Festival Curator and third-year UP Product Design student.
Check out DES/INYO’s Schedule of Activities below:
June 1, 2026
RAFI The Kabilin Center
- Opening Ceremonies of DES/INYO 2026
- Opening Program: Annual Design Thesis Exhibition
- Tagbo: Where Design Meets Urban Futures
June 2–3, 2026
- PROPEL Portfolio Presentation PechaKucha
- PROPEL Portfolio Presentation
June 5, 2026
Northwing, SM City Cebu
- Opening Program
- RE•PORMA: Design as Rebuilding – Annual Design Student Exhibition
- Exhibit Walkthrough with Guests
- DECINE UP Creatives Mixer
June 6, 2026
- PROPEL Student Design Pitches
- Annual Fashion Show
June 7, 2026
- PROPEL Student Design Pitches
- Design Trivia
- Awarding Ceremonies
- Mundo Design Awards
- Student Design Excellence Awards
We hope to see you at DES/INYO 2026!