Interbyu ni Abigail Jashael Bagabaldo

1. Can you state your name, who you are, and your nature of profession?

Ako si Beverly Wico Siy, isang nanay na manunulat, copyright advocate at full time government employee.

2. What are your ideas or stand about women's rights and health?

Palagay ko, dapat ang gumagawa ng mga batas at polisiya tungkol sa karapatan at kalusugan ng babae ay mga babae mula sa sari-saring kultura ng Pilipinas, edad at social status. 

Walang say dapat ang mga lalaki rito. Kahit sila ay doktor. Pagsalitain ang babaeng doktor kung kailangan ang opinyon ng doktor. 

Dapat din, libre ang check up ng mga babae, lalo na ang mga buntis at senior citizen.

Dapat din, hindi pulis ang nagha-handle ng mga reklamo patungkol sa abuse dahil marami sa mga pulis ay abusado sa power. This kind of police will never understand the POV of abuse survivors. They will always blame the women. And abuse is always about power. 

3. Do you consider women in Philippines having full equality with men? Why or why not?

No, not full equality hanggang ngayon. Hangga't may insidente ng gahasa at abuso sa kababaihan ang isang lipunan, walang equality sa lipunan na iyon. 

Totoong marami na tayong mga achievement at natutupad na pangarap dito sa ating bansa, ngunit hindi ibig sabihin niyon ay even na ang playing field. Kaya tayo may naa-achieve ay dahil doble ang kayod natin at pagpupunyagi. Ang ating lipunan ngayon ay mas friendly pa rin sa mga lalaki, mas open sa lalaki, sa mga trabaho, opportunity at matataas na posisyon. Dahil ang mga nagde-decide kung sino ang magha-hire sa kanila, ang magbibigay ng opportunity at magluluklok sa kanila sa matataas na posisyon ay dominated pa rin by men. 

Kaya malaking bagay na dumami ang babae na may executive powers at positions.

4. What issues relating to women's health and human rights do you  consider important? Are these evident in your country? Or is it lacking?

Some women can answer the number 4 questions better than I can. Kaya sasagutin ko na lamang ito nang batay sa aking kinabibilangan na sector: ang arts and culture community sa PIlipinas.

I think the people with power and authority in this community must consider the women's nature, life cycle and biological clock when they decide about policy making, grants, awards. Sa CCP, may parangal kami na para sa mga visual artist at may limit sa edad ang puwedeng parangalan. I find this unfair to women visual artists especially those who chose to become mothers. Opkors, mahihinto ang artmaking nila at magiging second priority ito kapag pinili nilang magbuntis at manganak at magpalaki ng bata. Posibleng mabalikan nila ang kanilang sining kapag malaki na ang kanilang mga anak. At malamang ay may edad na sila by that time, 40s, 50s, at lalagpasan na sila ng award ng CCP dahil hindi na sila qualified sa edad. 

Kaya sobrang kaunti ang babaeng napaparangalan ng gawad na ito. Kaunti na nga ang babaeng visual artist, lalo pang kakaunti ang magka-qualify para sa parangal. Napupunta sa lalaki ang  oportunidad na maparangalan. Kahit na napakaraming babae ang napakahusay sa visual arts.

Sa larangan naman ng panitikan, napansin ko na kapag ang babae ay nagsusulat tungkol sa kanyang pagkababae, sa dugo, sa regla, sa mga panganganak, ito ay hindi masyadong pinapansin at pinahahalagahan. Diary lamang iyan, journal lamang. 

Dahil ... ano nga ba naman ang bago, hindi ba? Every day occurence! Napakakaraniwan.

At isa pa, parang nakakadiri ang mga bagay na ito. 

Pero ang nakakapagtaka, kapag ang lalaki, nagsulat ng nobela tungkol sa patayan o kaya sa madugong digmaan, kaliwa't kanan na pagkitil ng buhay, ang taas ng tingin sa kanya, automatic na ito ay panitikan, at mataas na uri.

Bakit ganern?

5. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your gender?

Oo naman. 

A few years ago, tinawagan ako ng isang government agency to be an intellectual property advocate from the publishing industry. I immediately said yes and I was happy to be one. Excited na excited ako. I was asked to give a date for a photoshoot. I didn't reply right away because I was pregnant with Dagat and I had to check the dates that I had no doctor's appointment. Nang sabihin kong buntis ako, parang nagulat ang kausap ko. The person was really really nice and careful with words, pero naramdaman ko rin na that person was ready to give up on me and cancel the invitation. Siguro naisip niya, baka mapaano pa ako sa photoshoot. Totoo naman. At siguro naisip din niya na baka ma-hassle din sila. 

Sabi ko na lang, naipapamana ang copyright. I can be your poster girl for that. I will come up with taglines that you can use for the promotional materials. I think that convinced the person to continue the coordination with me. So, in 2015, I became one of the IP and book ambassadors of the country. I was the only female ambassador in our batch. Kasabay kong nahirang sina Kenneth Cobonpue, Bob Ong, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario and if I remember it right, si Noel Cabangon.

But as I said earlier, women have to work harder than men. 

This situation is a good example. I am sure the rest of the men did not have to offer the organizers copyright  and IP taglines for the promotional materials to be considered for the position. 

6. What advice would you have for young women growing up in the Philippines in this period of time?

Don't lose hope. 

Tayo ang pag-asa. 

As long as we are willing to fight for our rights, there will always be hope. Be ready also for a long ride. Malayong-malayo pa tayo sa tunay na maayos at disenteng lipunan para sa ating mga babaeng anak at apo, but we have allies, friends, families to travel to that destination. So, get up, put that lipstick on, let's enjoy the fucking ride.

Cycle pala

 Inaatake na naman ako ng lungkot. 

Medyo ikinatuwa ko naman sa aking sarili na na-identify ko agad siya. At naisip ko, regular pala talaga itong darating. Parang may season o buwan o linggo na magpaparamdam ito sa akin.

Nauumay ako sa aking ginagawa. I don't give my best na sa current projects namin. Sa iba ko pang ginagawa at sa pamilya. Parang laging secondary energy lang ang ine-exert ko. Ang dami ko kasing ginagawa talaga. Ang tendency ko ngayon ay lalong mag-aksaya ng oras. Parang I refuse to get things done. Ang weird, ano?

Then I suddenly realized kung ano siya. 

Kalungkutan.

Same thing na umaatake sa akin from time to time. Yes, kalaban itey. Kalaban na predictable, so bentahe sa akin ang nature niya. Matutukoy ko ano ang mga puwede kong gawin. At mauutusan ko ang isip na ilihis ang tuon sa nananaig na damdamin.

I have to do something new. Iyan ang gamot ko sa sakit na ito. 

Lately, naglalaro ako sa cellphone ko. As of now, nasa stage 300 something na ako. Ang goal ng laro ay mapagsama-sama sa isang test tube ang magkakakulay na liquid. 

Nagbebenta rin ako ng mga gamit sa Facebook Marketplace. Mga gamit nina Dagat at Ayin, laruan,  costume, damit, libro, punda. Nakatatlong benta na ako. So far, so good. Maayos ka-deal ang mga utaw. Dalawang Imus, isang Caloocan. Mga mudrakels like me. Nakabenta rin ako ng ilang gamit kay Incha. Ibinenta niya sa Mindoro. Ang key pala sa FB Marketplace ay basta i-post mo lang kung ano ang ibinebenta mo. Huwag umasang mabebenta agad. O may sale ka agad. Ang importante, active ang post mo. Isang araw, may magpi-PM na lang sa iyo. Iyon na.

Nagde-declutter na kasi ako ng mga gamit dito. Sikip na sikip na ako sa bahay na ito. Nasusuka na ako sa dami ng gamit. Nasusuka na ako sa saradong mga pinto at bintana.

Sabik akong lumabas. Although purposeful ang lagi kong paglabas. Kung walang tiyak na pupuntahan ay sa bahay lang talaga ako, nag-iisip ng dahilan para lumabas, hahaha! 

Gusto ko uli mamasyal. Saan kaya magandang magpunta? Sayang at di ko mabitbit ang mga bata.

Bukas, maglalakad-lakad ako. Baka subukan kong magbisikleta sa Roxas Boulevard. May libreng bisikleta doon. Loaded nga lang ako. Biyaheng Panulat sa buong umaga, tanghalian sa opisina. Pero libre ako sa hapon. 

Nagkyutiks ako kahapon, kamay at paa. Naglinis ako ng cupboard kahapon. Nagpunas ako ng mga cabinet ni Papa P kanina. Saka kaunting hagdan. Nag-jumping rope ako. Ang hirap naman. Ang ikli ng jumping rope.

Gusto ko pala ang routine na kape ako sa umaga. 

Natatawa ako sa kabalintunaan ng aking sitwasyon. I married Poy for who he is. Consistent. Very stable ang damdamin. Priority ako at ang pamilya namin. Hindi nagbago.

E, iyon din ang reklamo ko. Ako, hindi rin naman nagbago. I always want something new. I am always spontaneous. Biglaan ang mga bagay-bagay. Buhay ako kapag ganyan. Feeling ko kasi, lagi akong pinapaboran ng langit. Kapag nagpaplano, mas lalong di nangyayari o may pangit na ending. 

So, paano kaya ito? Baka ikamatay ko ito, a? Hahaha! Putcha. Ang weird, ano?

Nagtitingin pa rin ako ng sasakyan: Jhun Dominguez, MRZ Trading, 888 Cars, Sir Bags, NGT Trading, PS Bank repo, Security Bank repo. Pero ang reality, hindi ako makakabili. Dahil takot ako sa utang at wala akong sapat na cash para makabili ng sasakyan, kahit man lang ng 2nd hand. Isa pa, na-realize ko, lahat ng sasakyan ngayon, garahe lang. Minimal na talaga ang biyahe-biyahe. So, bakit ako bibili ng sasakyan namin ngayon, di ba? 

Isip ko ay inegosyo. But I already know what will happen to me. This will take me away from my kids. Tiyak na lagi akong wala sa bahay! Hahaha! Baka naghahatid ng goods, nagbebenta, etc.

Pero kailangan talaga akong magkaroon ng bagong danas.

Either sasakyan or property! O kaya magbenta ako ng mga ganyan. Maiba lang ba.

Sa sobrang buryong ko, piniem ko na si Vins. Kako ay ituloy na namin ang stock market 101 talk ko. Nag iisip pa ako ng pamagat ngayon.

I will be really busy na pala. Setyembre na. Kailangan na naming maghanda for Performatura!

Ano ba iyan? Iniisip ko pa lang ay napapagod na ako.

Paalam!

Jamir Garcia obituary

 Jamir Garcia 

(September 5, 1978-November 26, 2020)

OPM singer, Vocalist, and Metal Rock Musician

Known for his raspy voice that complemented the rap metal music of their band Slapshock,  frontman  Vladimir “Jamir” Salenga Garcia was born in Pampanga on September 5, 1978.  His father initially disapproved of Jamir's pursuit of a career in the music industry. Jamir even had to take and finish an auto mechanic degree at Samson Tech to please his father. 

Jamir cited Korn, Limp Bizkit and Deftones as some of his strongest musical influences.

Consistently kind and soft-spoken, Jamir Garcia was also known for his tattoos and piercings.  He had more tattoos all over his body than any other rocker, with his right ear pierced as big as one-peso coin. He had tattoos on his neck, arms, tummy, back. The address where Jamir stayed during his younger years was honored on his body: #66-B, Gumamela St., Roxas District, Quezon City.

Jamir credited his big brother Chris Garcia (a renowned tattoo artist who used to work as a researcher at NASA and now runs his tattooing business in Virginia Beach, USA) for the artwork inspired by the style of Botong Francisco. Because no tattoo artist would do it on him, Chris himself did the tattooing of his legs. Their New York-based brother Sonboy is just as heavily-tattooed.

Jamir joined the Slapshock as lead vocalist in 1998. With his stage presence and showmanship, he led the band to its niche in the local rock music landscape, with their kind of sound that meshed hip-hop and metal. Their live shows were always jampacked.

Slapshock released songs that became a hit, like “Agent Orange," “Cariño Brutal,” “Langit,"  “Salamin,” “Luha,” "Sigaw," and “Anino Mo” among others.  The band's songs express Filipino sentiments. Jamir once described their process of creation and work: “Being from a Third World country, I’m in touch with the people’s angst and anger. We’ll go on writing about things that affect our daily lives— love, hate, struggle.”

The band had won NU Rock Awards for Artist of the Year in 2001 and 2002. Their album "Project 11-41" was also nominated for the Awit Awards’ Album of the Year.  It was a slick and melodic nu metal album-- and arguably their best effort... It had tracks that proved to be classics such as “Get Down,” “Queen Paranoia,” and “Numb,”  according to ABS-CBN writer Rick Olivares. 

Jamir performed the official theme with international Filipino musician apl de ap for the historical biopic “El Presidente” in 2005. 

Hardworking and professional, Slapshock was the ambassador of the clothing brand Dickies. It was also among the main and regular bands of the Red Horse Beer Pambansang Muziklaban.  Slapshock was the first Filipino band to perform at the Dubai Desert Rock Fest in 2008.

In the band's 20th anniversary, they  experimented with an album published in a different media. It was called Atake, and they  marketed it as a “USB-only release” accompanied by a free bandana (Jamir’s trademark head gear, a popular item among their fans). The band performed around the world (Malaysia, Sarawak in Borneo, Dubai and several East Coast USA cities) as part of its 20th-anniversary tour.

Slapshock’s manager Kevin Arnedo shared Garcia’s propensity for working under pressure. “During the 'Carino Brutal' EP recording, Jamir spent a whole day writing the lyrics. Then in the evening, he was laying down his vocal tracks.”

Inspired by the sacrifices of medical workers, policemen, and volunteers during the COVID crisis, Jamir wrote a new song called “Sana Pag Gising.” He said in the Inquirer,  “The song started nung mga nakikita ko yung frontliners na hindi man lang nila mayakap ang mga anak nila so, yung song ay nasa perspective ng isang frontliner at tungkol sa hirap at dasal nila– na sana pag gising tapos na ‘to lahat.” He passed the song to his bandmates while they are all in their respective quarantines. Jamir together with Lee Nadela (bass guitar), Lean Ansing (guitar), Jerry Basco (guitar) and Chi Evora (drums) took advantage of digital technology and collaborated separately in their respective studios/homes– sending audio and video files back and forth until “Sana Pag Gising” came into reality.

The group disbanded in October 2020. Over the course of its 23-year career, Slapshock released seven full-length albums through PolyEast Records (formerly EMI): 4th Degree Burn (1999), Headtrip (2001), Project 11-41 (2002), Novena (2004), Silence (2006), Kinse Kalibre (2011), and Atake (2017).

A father of five, Jamir passed away in their home in Quezon City in November 26, 2020.  He was 42 years old.

Callalily lead vocalist Kean Cipriano thanks his friend,  “I have the utmost respect for this person. He wasn’t just a skillful musician. He accorded me respect, which I didn’t readily get from other artists, especially when I was starting out... I remember, one time while we were eating together at an airport, he told me, ‘Don’t be afraid to turn down offers that aren’t worth your value, because bigger and better things would surely come later. Don’t ever compromise your value.’ “I knew that it wasn’t just a business advice, but a life advice. And it’s something I carry with me until now.”

Richard Manabat obituary

 Richard Manabat 

Agosto 12, 1971- Setyembre 2, 2021

VLF Actor at Performer sa Teatro, Pelikula at Telebisyon

Propesyonal. Walang attitude. Life of the party. Ito ang mga salitang ipinanlalarawan ng mga kaibigan at katrabaho ni Richard Manabat sa kaniya.

Ang Kapampangan na si Richard Manabat ay isang versatile na aktor sa teatro, pelikula at telebisyon. Siya rin ay isang fight director. Nakatulong nang malaki sa kanyang ginagawa ang pagiging chief instructor sa Aikido Brotherhood Club at pagiging guro ng arnis at judo.

Ayon sa anak ni Richard na si Vermont, teatro ang naging dahilan kung bakit minahal nito ang sining ng pag-arte. Si Richard ay bahagi ng dulang Noli at Fili Dekada Dos Mil ni Nicanor Tiongson, sa direksiyon ni Soxie Topacio (2015). Di matatawaran ang pagganap ni Richard sa Mga Eksena sa Buhay ng Kontrabida, isang dula ni Dustin Celestino sa Virgin Lab Fest ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas. 

Regular din siyang aktor ng Sandbox Productions, Inc., Regal Films, at PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association).

Ayon pa rin kay Vermont, panonood ng pelikula at serye ang bonding nilang mag-ama, "at kung minsan ay mayroon kaming notes sa harapan namin. Sa kadahilanan na ikikritiko namin ang pinanonood, kung ano man ang nakita naming maganda at mali sa perspektibo namin, isusulat namin ito, hahanapin at magdidiskusyon kami kung ano ang ugma na shot, acting, lighting at iba pa."

Ganito kaseryoso sa kanyang sining si Richard. Marami na siyang naging pelikula, at ang ilan sa pinakahuli na kanyang pinagganapan ay Filemon Mamon (2015), isang musical comedy na pelikulang hango sa librong pambata, Fallback (2017), isa sa mga pelikula ni Jason Paul Laxamana, Mina-Anud (2019), Utopia (2019), sa panulat at direksiyon ni Celestino, at bilang Commanding Officer ng  Mindanao (2019) sa direksiyon ni Brillante Mendoza.

Si Richard ay isa sa mga aktor ng The Travel Teleserye ng GCTV Cignal, at A Love to Last ng ABS-CBN. suki rin siyang performer sa mga programa at show ng GMA-7.

"Kayo ang kayamanan ko," ito ang turing ng ulirang ama na si Richard sa kanyang maybahay at tatlong anak.

Pumanaw siya noong Setyembre 2, 2021 sa edad na 50 dahil sa COVID.

Nagpupugay ang mandudulang si Celestino sa husay at kabutihan ni Richard Manabat, "Huling tagay para sa iyo, kaibigan. Para sa iyong mga di malilimutang karakter, para sa matatalas na bato ng linya, para sa lahat ng tinakot mo bilang kontrabida, para sa lahat ng pinatawa mo't pinaluha sa entablado at pelikula, para sa buhay na nagmula sa gulo, pero nauwi sa kabutihan at kabuluhan."

Virginia Reyes Moreno Obituary

Virginia Reyes Moreno

April 24, 1923- August 14, 2021

Dramatist, UP Film Center’s Founding Director, and The High Priestess of Philippine Poetry

Virginia Reyes Moreno, also known as Virgie Moreno, Piling Arkanghel, and Aling Barang, was a poet and playwright. Known as “The High Priestess’’ or “Empress Dowager of Philippine Poetry,” which was conferred by no less than the National Artist for Literature Jose Garcia Villa, she was a founding member of The Ravens, a literary barkada from the University of the Philippines Writers Club which was formed after the Japanese occupation. The Ravens would continue to write and publish as individuals and as a group through the years.

The only female Raven, Virginia Moreno was born in a bahay na bato in Juan Luna Street, Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila, on 24 April 1923. She was the daughter of ship captain Jose Moreno, Sr. and rice trader Felicidad Reyes. Fashion designer Pitoy Moreno was her younger brother. She studied at Torres High School and received her bachelor of philosophy and master of arts degrees in English literature at the UP. She was a member of the UP Writers Club and worked on the staff of the Literary Apprentice. At 22, she went to the United States of America as a scholar, her first trip abroad. Later on, she received a certificate in creative writing at the University of Kansas, and a certificate in French civilization from Sorbonne, University of Paris, France. She was a writer in residence at the University of Iowa International Writers Program from 1973-1974.

She taught literature, humanities, and cinema for many years at UP. She became the founding director of the UP Film Center in 1976 and served as its head until her retirement in 2003. It was through her pioneering efforts that cinematic arts as a discipline gained an enviable place in the Philippine academe, according to the Film Center, now known as the UP Film Institute. She also served as chair of the UP President’s Committee on Culture and the Arts.

Outside the academe, she chaired the UNESCO Culture Committee of the Philippines. She also managed Los Indios Bravos Café in Malate, Manila, which was a well-known meeting place for artists and writers.

Many of Moreno’s poems appeared in the Literary Apprentice. Her collection Batik Maker and Other Poems came out in 1972, which were the same poems that won first prize in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature. There were only 13 handcrafted copies of the Batik Maker and Other Poems made for its 1975 launching at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Writer, bookmaker, and fellow Raven Hilario S. Francia meticulously crafted and stitched each copy of the book. Her poems were translated into Japanese and Bahasa Indonesia and published in international magazines. They were also included in textbooks and anthologies such as The Ravens, 1980; A Native Clearing, 1993; and The Ravens 2: An Anthology, 1996. She also crafted essays and short stories in English.

She wrote several plays, including Mariang Makiling; Glass Altars, written and published in the Literary Apprentice in 1952.  She wrote Giting Kayumanggi (Brown Nobility), a historical pageant performed by the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company for the Independence Day 1964 celebrations at the Lincoln Center in New York. She also penned Straw Patriot, written and published as a playbook, in 1967. It was translated into Filipino by Wilfredo Pascua Sanchez as Bayaning Huwad. It was the first play staged by the Philippine Educational Theater Association at its new theater in Fort Santiago, Manila, on 29-30 December 1967.  She then wrote Indio Spoliarium in 1971, which won honorable mention in the CCP Literary Contest in the same year.

Aling Barang received fellowships and observation grants from the Rockefeller Foundation; the Breadloaf Writers Workshop and a theater observation tour, 1954; the French Centre of Drama, 1972-1973; the British Arts Council in 1972; and the British Film Institute, the French Republic, the Yugoslavian Film and Drama Institute, and the Swedish Film Institute, all in 1978.

Teresita Herbosa, a former student, shared, “I saw her flag down a UP Ikot, got into the front seat beside the driver, in all her glory, wearing a black and white mini-dress, in white high heels, with thick black sunglasses ala Breakfast at Tiffany’s and holding a black and white umbrella. She symbolized the art scene at UP Diliman in the 70s.” 

Virginia Moreno received the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the French Republic in 1979. It was a national honor bestowed on academics for their valuable contributions to education and science. She also won Don Pablo Roman Prize for “The God Director” in 1981, South East Asian Writers or S.E.A. Write Award in 1984, and the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan award from the city of Manila in 1991. She received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas for poetry in English from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas in 1993.

Her most famous play, The Onyx Wolf, which she wrote for six days and six nights with Jorge Arago typing as she dictated, won third prize at the CCP Historical Playwriting Contest in 1970. It was published as a playbook in 1971. The Onyx Wolf was adapted into dance by Alice Reyes as Itim Asu and became one of the inaugural presentations at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio V. Tolentino in 1971. It was directed by Rolando Tinio, who later became National Artist for Literature and Theater. The written work received an award from the Southeast Asian Theater Organization International Literary Prize in 1972.  It was later listed as the lone Philippine entry in Avant-Garde Staging around the World (1974). Also known as La Loba Negra, it was adapted again for stage in 1984 and 1990. A new version entitled Itim Asu: 1719-2009 was presented by dancer Myra Beltran: It was a multi-media concert and was shown from 2009-2012 at the Dance Forum Studio, West Avenue, Quezon City, RCBC Theater, Makati and UP Diliman, Quezon City.

Beltran, the choreographer of the Itim Asu: 1719-2009, shared on her Facebook timeline, “She wrote, ‘the race needs mute women for the long wail.’ It is not easy to sustain that. One feels alone, burdened - the weight of memory. By her example though, I learned that this feeling, this inner stance, can be parked on the back burner, so to speak, and one can put one’s feet up, laugh out loud, enjoy the wine. But always, to pay attention, to be attentive when Itim Asu reveals herself again. Because she will, Tita Virgie taught me, at certain moments of history.  That is why in her play within a play, she was able to string a timeline from Rajah Sulaiman, Fr. Jose Burgos, Jose Rizal, with Huseng Batute, playwright, the one who would narrate it, the bearer of memory. As I discerned, by the witness of her play, the timeline extended on through to Ninoy Aquino. And at the time of the premiere of my version of Itim Asu, Cory Aquino’s death was still fresh, and her son had just announced his candidacy - as if the fleshing of Itim Asu at that moment was fulfilled.”

Another version of Itim Asu was scheduled for a run starting February 2020 as part of Ballet Philippines’ 50th season at the CCP, with music by National Artist Antonino Buenaventura and choreography by Reyes, now a National Artist for Dance. Aling Barang was able to watch the special one-off presentation before the rest of the performance dates were canceled due to the national health crisis.

She passed away in her home in Malate, Manila, on 14 August 2021. She was 98.

She lived in the same house that became a shelter for rebels, revolutionaries, insurrectionists during the Martial Law. Writer Babeth Lolarga, a former student of Aling Barang, said, ‘it was a safehouse below the radar of the military. After all, her younger brother, Pitoy, dressed high society, including First Ladies.’

The Malate home she called Café Orfeo continued to welcome writers and artists, such as the regulars of the Los Indios Bravos and those that looked up to her as a mentor and friend. Virginia Moreno would organize lunch and dinner parties, intimate poetry readings, and music events, complete with opera and singing activities. She continued to grace film festivals, exhibits, and book launches with her presence. She frequented events as the guest of honor. She would share stories to friends and strangers about her experiences during the Japanese occupation, her travels abroad, her relations, and the local arts and culture scene, then and now. It was always with lively rhetoric, humor, and wit.

Virginia Moreno was the president of the J. Moreno Foundation, a charitable organization established by her brother Pitoy that provides grants for UP Manila College of Medicine interns and financial support for the Philippine General Hospital Children’s Ward and the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts. The spirit of compassion runs in the family, for she was well known for helping those who are in need. Her bionote in the book Ravens in Love was surely written by another writer for it said: “Virgie,” added Villa, “has always supported the arts and fellow artists. I myself has been a recipient of her support, morally and substantially.” And Villa mentioned some of his hospitalization bills -redeemed personally by Virgie Moreno -while he was confined in a New Jersey hospital under the care of his Filipino doctor friend Dr. Eugene Pulmano. The nephew of the late expatriate Filipino artist in France was also a recipient of her support when he had to go to Paris to attend his dying aunt in a Paris hospital in 1994.

 

Buntalo (maikling sanaysay)

 Nakasulat uli ako kahapon!

Salamat sa Palihang Lila na inorganisa nina Ivie Urdas at Tala Tanigue. Salamat sa writing prompt mula kina Ivie at Cheska Lauengco: mga babae sa Olympics.

Matagal ko nang naiisip itong mga sinabi ko sa akda. Kaya natuwa ako na may writing prompt na para dito. At may palihan pa. Additional motivation para makapagsulat. Pero ang goal ko kahapon ay makatula. Umpisa na ng oras ng palihan ay naglilista pa lamang ako sa journal ng mga salitang associated sa boxing. Walang ni isang taludtod. So ni-let go ko muna ang tula.

Miss ko na ang palihan. First things first. In a matter of minutes, binago ko ang goal. Ginawa kong makapagsalang ng akda sa palihan. Kaya nagsulat na muna ako ng mga bagay na gusto kong sabihin.

Salamat sa mga nakasama kagabi: Ivie, Cheska, Kaye Oyek, Ka Adelma Salvador, Agatha Bagares, Lauren Chua, at Anna Liza Gaspar, na nakasakay ng kotse at lumilipat-lipat mula barangay hall hanggang munisipyo sa Ilocos, para lang sa mas maayos na internet. Salamat sa kuwentuhan, bahaginan ng talino, at komento sa mga akda.

Buntalo

ni Beverly Wico Siy

Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit itinuturing na sports ang boxing.

Ang goal ay mapatumba ang kalaban sa pamamagitan ng rapidong mga suntok. Sa pamamagitan ng kirot. Itinatanghal na mahusay ang tao na nagdudulot ng kirot sa kapwa, gamit ang sariling kamao.

Sigurado ako, lalaki ang nag-imbento nito.

Kung nireregla ka ay di mo maiisip na gawing contest ang buntalan. Buntalo ang dapat itawag diyan. Talo ang sumusuntok at nasusuntok. Sa mata, ilong, bibig, dibdib… hindi dibdib, suso! Suso. Sikmura. Hindi sikmura. Tiyan! Tiyan na may bituka’t karugtong ng fallopian tubes, na karugtong ng matris, na binabahayan ng bata at pinagmumulan ng mens.

Reglamento pa lang, below the belt na.

Kung nireregla ka at boksingero, kailangan mong ipagdasal sa lahat ng diyos na huwag matapat sa araw ng dalaw ang araw ng basagan ng mukha at sikmura. Baka umapaw ang napkin mo habang sinasangga ang suntok ng iyong katunggali. Katunggali na ang puntirya ay ang namamaga mong mata at putok mong bukol sa sentido.

Foul.

Dahil walang tumatawag ng foul.

Sa loob at labas man ng ring.

Lalo na sa labas ng ring. Ang mga manonood, ay, ano pa nga ba kundi puro lalaki? Naghihiyawan. Nang walang mayaw. At kung may ma-knock out sa dalawang babae, sila pa ang unang nagdiriwang.

Ubos na ang oras. Pagang-paga na ang mukha ng magkalaban, pero wala pa ring bumabagsak. Sino sa kanila ang nakarami ng suntok, nagpakatas ng dugo, nakapagpaalog ng utak, nakapagpalamog ng laman? Sino ang nanalo?

Isang kamao ang itinaas sa ere!

At nagwagi na naman ang mga tite.

Riel Jaramillo Hilario Obituary

 Riel Jaramillo Hilario

CCP Thirteen Artist Awardee, Sculptor, Curator, and Respected Critic of the Arts Market

June 20, 1976-August 5, 2021

Riel once said, “Art is My Religion, and I am a Priest of that Faith.”

Born on June 20, 1976 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Ronald “Riel” Jaramillo Hilario came from a family of traditional furniture makers and wood carvers. He grew up in Tondo, Manila, and moved to Laguna when he was accepted in the visual arts program of the Philippine High School for the Arts. He also received training in santo-making under his uncle Jose Lazo in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur in his teen years. At the University of the Philippines, he studied painting and art history.

Since Riel’s first one-man show in 1996 up until 2001, he exhibited paintings and drawings. Come 2002, he gave more attention to wood carving and the tradition of rebulto-making that his family in Ilocos was known for.

Riel revealed in an interview with travel blogger Glenn Martinez, “there were a number of factors that made me shift my focus on sculpture, especially wood carving as my main practice. But there are two major ones I can cite. First, I had several encouragements from peers, my teachers and from collectors as my initial attempts to do wood sculpture were received well. It was Roberto Feleo who directed me to research rebulto-making in Ilocos Sur in my senior year at PHSA. I had a few forays into wood carving but it was only in 2001 that I showed my first series at Pinto Art Museum, to be followed by a solo of freestanding works at Boston Gallery in 2005. Second, it served as my self-directed therapy … I had schizoid visions and dreams that were terrifying and disturbing I felt the need to find an outlet that was more tactile than painting or writing. The following year I started carving wood sculptures based on the tradition of the rebulto, but following the urgings and suggestions of my visions. The practice had a cathartic effect, and also helped me refocus my cultural work to do research on the craft.”

Equipped with lessons from his mentor, the independent curator Roberto “Bobi” Valenzuela, Riel worked as a curator for Boston Gallery in Quezon City and Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo City for a number of years. He also served as secretary of the National Committee on Art Galleries of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, under the leadership of Sid Hildawa. He also became part of the Sungdu-an 3 National Travelling Exhibit with his collection of works entitled “Iconologia” (2003), which toured several art spaces in the country, including the Cultural Center of the Philippines. And then he co-founded the educational program called Art Informal in 2004.

Riel went full-time in sculpture in 2008, and presented his series “Aniwaas” at Art Informal after a year. From 2010-2011, he had “Bario Balasan” at Art Informal, while “If an Apostle Looks In No Monkey can Look Out” and “Astral Projections” were presented at The Drawing Room Contemporary Art in Makati City. He was one of the ten winners of the 2011 Manila Art Awards of the Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards. His rebultos, installations and other works have graced shows and art fairs abroad namely in Singapore (ArtStage 2011 and 2012) Hong Kong (HKArt 11), Delhi (India Art Summit ’11), London (Stories of Dreams and Realities, Rossi & Rossi Gallery), Basel (Scope Basel 2011) and Jakarta (Lintas, Edwin Gallery, 2011).

Architect Cesar Aljama said, “I can still remember how I was immediately struck by his artwork, "Namongan: The Conception of Lam-Ang," the first time I chanced upon it on display at the dining hall of Sitio Remedios Heritage Village in Currimao, Ilocos Norte… There was something in the rebulto, depicting the conception of the Ilocano mythical warrior-hero Lam-Ang, that evoked religious undertones and indigenous mysticism of a vintage santo. I stood in front of it for quite a while to admire the austere gracefulness of the polychromed wooden sculpture with intricate curvilinear designs from nature delicately carved on it. I could just imagine the passion that went into the creation… I could tell the artist was exceptionally intense.”

Riel also dabbled in writing about Philippine contemporary artists. His biographical essays  were included in the book Without Walls (2011) by Winrum Publishing.

The year 2012 was a highlight in his career. He became one of the recipients of the 2012 Ateneo Art Awards, and was among the eight national winners of the Philippine Art Award. Riel was the artist-in-residence in Paris at the 2012 Cite Internationale des Arts, through the Philippine Artist Residency Program of Alliance Francaise de Manile. The CCP recognized his hard work and unique talent by naming him as one of the recipients of the Thirteen Artist Awards.

Then he went to New York for a residency sponsored by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and to Malaysia courtesy of the Asian Cultural Council. He held solo exhibitions there through these opportunities. He was later named Elizabeth McCormack and Jerome Aaron Fellow with regards to his ACC grant.

This multi-talented artist continued to work with wood, found objects, metal, paper, canvas and other materials to produce art that were described as ageless contemporary sculptures on antique, and mythical and surreal images straight out of a religious-folk experience. He presented them in solo and group exhibits in the local and international art scene. He also continued to accept residencies in various parts of the globe, such as Nanji, Seoul, South Korea and Amsterdam, Netherlands. He augmented his knowledge by attending international conferences on museum work, gallery work and curatorial work.

With more than 20 years of experience as an artist and curator, he advocated for the rights of the Filipino artists. He used social media to showcase his latest carvings, sketches and projects, but it was also a space where he shared ideas on the Philippine art market and business models for art venues that are just and fair, especially for the Filipino creators.

During the COVID crisis, he regularly posted on social media a series of portraits in graphite on paper. It featured friends, mentors, and Filipino artists, with captions that expressed his gratitude to the subject of his art. In August 5, 2021, his life was claimed by COVID-19. He was 44.

At the time of his passing, Riel was preparing for the Philippine’s ‘Bangkota’ Pavilion for the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai.  He created human bird hybrids called Limokon and Timamanukin for this event. His curator for the pavilion Marian Pastor Roces said, “I’d like to think that after his sudden passage to the afterlife a few hours ago, indeed to becoming avian-human himself, Riel flies free.”

by Beverly Wico Siy

Joseph Israel Laban Obituary

 Joseph Israel Laban

Cinemalaya Filmmaker, Writer, Documentarist

March 9, 1981 - July 25, 2021

Joseph Israel Laban was an award-winning journalist and independent filmmaker. He was a Fulbright Scholar and held a master’s degree in documentary filmmaking from New York University where he was a recipient of the NYU Graduate School for the Arts and Sciences Scholarship. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of the Philippines  Diliman.

He was born on March 9, 1981 in Boac, Marinduque.

In 2002, the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature recognized a one-act play he wrote about domestic violence. He was a Fellow of the Bangkok-based Southeast Asian Press Alliance 2007 (SEAPA) where he reported on the post-conflict situation in East Timor. In 2008, he contributed to the book “Wrongs Against Rights: Impunity Across Southeast Asia.”

In 2011, Laban directed, wrote and produced “Cuchera,” a film about the plight of Filipino drug mules. It was screened at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Toronto International Film Festival - Discovery Section, as well as other festivals including Stockholm, Fribourg, Cleveland and Belgrade.

 In 2013, he directed, wrote and produced the film “Nuwebe”, also under the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. For his work on this film, he won Best Director at the 2015 ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards in Sarawak, Malaysia. It has been screened at more than fifty international film festivals including Montreal, Vancouver, Geneva and Goteborg. It has won several international awards from festivals like the Queens World Film Festival (Best Director), Harlem International Film Festival (Best Actress) in New York City, Lume International Film Festival (Special Mention) in Brazil and Festival Internacional de Cine Puebla (Special Mention) in Mexico. For this film, he also won Best Director at the ASEAN Film Festival and Awards.

In 2014, he produced the film Children’s Show directed by then first-time director Roderick Cabrido. The film won the Special Jury Award at Fantasporto: 35th Oporto International Film Festival in Portugal; Special Jury Award, Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay, and Fantastic Cinema Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Fantastic Cinema Festival of the Film Society of Little Rock in Arkansas, USA; Grand Prize at the Gwangju International Film Festival in South Korea.

In 2015, he directed, wrote and produced the micro-budget experimental film “The Sister.” The film has  won awards at the Harlem International Film Festival (Best Cinematography) and the Guam International Film Festival (Best Actress). It also competed at the Dhaka International Film Festival and the Black Movie Festival de Films Genève. He also attended Berlinale Talents at the Berlin International Film Festival. That same year he participated in EngageMedia Southeast Asia Video Camp in Myanmar; he attended the Taipei Produire au Sud Workshop conducted by the Nantes Festival des 3 Continents. He participated in the INTERDOC Masterclass in Serbia. 

In 2016, Laban produced and wrote the film "Purgatoryo" directed by Cabrido, where he won the Best Screenplay award with co-writer Denise O'Hara at the QCinema International Film Festival. Also in 2016, he co-produced the film "Tuos" again directed by Cabrido, starring Ms. Nora Aunor. "Tuos" won the Audience Choice Award along with four other technical awards at the 12th edition of Cinemalaya. That same year, he participated in The Asian Pitch in Taipei, Taiwan and Tokyo Docs in Tokyo, Japan.

In 2017, Laban directed, wrote, and produced the film "Baconaua," where he won as Best Director at the 13th Cinemalaya Festival. The film also won the Special Jury Prize and Best Cinematography award, and hailed by the Young Critics Circle as the best film of 2017. “Baconaua” had its international premiere at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival where it was awarded the Asian Cinema Fund Post Production Grant. Laban also won the Best Screenplay award at Cinemalaya for his work on the short film "Bawod" directed by Ilonggo filmmaker TM Malones. Laban attended the Docs by the Sea International Documentary Forum in Bali, Indonesia on the same year.

In 2018, he was a Fellow of the New York University Production Lab – Development Studio. The NYU Production Lab is a prestigious and competitive screenplay and film development program. It functions as a creative content incubator for the entire NYU Community. From more than 200 applications, they ultimately selected six fellows, including Laban, the only fellow  from Asia. He also attended the 21st Ricky Lee Scriptwriting Workshop in the same year.

In 2019, he was part of the International Jury of the Pune International Film Festival.

As a documentarist, Laban started as a production assistant and producer of Probe. Eventually, he went on to produce and direct documentaries for Get Real! of Channel News Asia. He contributed video work to the The New York Times Video Unit and articles to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).  He was also the founder and festival director of the CineTotoo Philippine Documentary Film Festival.

He passed away at the age of 40.

At the time of his passing, he was the Creative Consultant of GMA News and Public Affairs, and was assigned to such programs as Front Row where he was executive producer, director and writer; and Reporter’s Notebook where he worked as head writer.

According to the Film Development Council of the Philippines, he participated in the Berlinale Co-Production Market Online Visitors Programme 2021. He was one of the Philippine delegates because his project titled "Guerra” and the movie "The Beer Girl in Yangon" which he co-produced with an Indonesian company are currently participating in the Open Doors Hub of the 74th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.

Director Jose Javier Reyes bids farewell to Laban, “Your passing is such a loss to Philippine independent cinema.  But your passion will never be forgotten and serves as an inspiration for the persistence of talent in an ever-changing climate of filmmaking.”

by Beverly Wico Siy

Domingo Goan Landicho Obituary

 Domingo Goan Landicho

Agosto 4, 1939-Hulyo 29, 2021
Premyadong Manunulat, Aktor, Guro at Anak ng Magsasaka

Kilala bilang Mang Domeng, ang manunulat na si Domingo Landicho ay nakapaglathala na ng 50 aklat ng tula, maikling kuwento, nobela, dula, talambuhay, literaturang pambata at mga aklat ng pag-aaral. Siya rin ay aktor  sa dula, pelikula at telebisyon.

Isinilang sa payak na pamumuhay si Mang Domeng sa Luntal, Taal, Batangas noong Agosto 4, 1939. Siya ay anak ng magsasaka. Nagtapos siya sa Batangas National High School at kumuha ng mga kursong Bachelor of Arts at BS in Journalism sa Lyceum of the Philippines. Tuloy-tuloy siya sa kanyang pag-aaral. Natapos niya ang kanyang MA sa Education sa National Teachers College. Nais siyang maging abogado ng kanyang mga magulang kaya siya ay nagtapos din ng Bachelor of Laws sa Lyceum. Ngunit pagsapit ng dekada 90, siya ay pumasok na sa pag-aaral hinggil sa lipunang Filipino. Noong 1994, nakuha niya ang kanyang Ph.D sa Pilipinolohiya mula sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.

Siya ay lumilikha ng mga obra at nagtatanghal habang siya ay nag-aaral.

Naging manunulat siya ng Bongga tabloid magazine ng pahayagang Manila Chronicle. Nalathala rin ang kanyang mga kuwento sa Philippine Free Press noong dekada 70.

At ayon kay Gardy Labad, “he has written a number of beautiful plays for PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) in the 70s! Staged at the Raha Sulayman Theater (in Intramuros) and at the La Ignaciana Wet Season Venue! Domeng was also an actor!”

Nagsulat din si Mang Domeng ng tatlong dula para sa Dulaang UP: Toreng Gareng (1977), Dapithapon (1978), at Elias at Salome A Musical (1997). Gumanap din siya bilang aktor na Pilosopong Tasyo (Noli Fili, 1992), bilang Guro (Ang Pagbabalik ng Madame, 1992), at bilang Brother Sammy (Ang Butihing Babae ng Timog, 1993).
Lagi siyang iniimbitahang magtanghal at magbasa ng kanyang mga tula sa mga poetry reading, vigil, piyesta, pagpuputong ng korona sa mga beauty queen, at iba pang mahalagang anibersaryo at pagdiriwang. Dahil dito, siya ay tinaguriang “poet of the people” o makata ng masa, gaya ni Huseng Batute. Ang kanyang mga tula ay itinatampok at itinatanghal sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas bilang bahagi ng extension program ng Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Sa kanyang mga tula ay laging tampok ang mga nangyayari sa bansa. Bago ideklara ang batas militar, lagi siyang nagtatanghal ng kanyang mga progresibong tula sa malalaking pagtitipon ng mga aktibista.

 
Ang tula naman ni Mang Domeng na “Kaya ng Pinoy” (The Filipino Can) ay regular na itinatampok sa mga rally sa EDSA, na may kinalaman sa People Power, sa pamamagitan ng grupong Kontra-Gapi, isang performing group na gumagamit ng mga katutubong instrumento sa paglikha ng musika. Ang tula rin niyang ito ay itinanghal ng Apo Hiking Society sa isang popular na TV program noon.

Sa kalagitnaan ng dekada 80, siya ang regular na makata ng Sic O'Clock News, isang sikat na TV program sa Channel 13. Itinatanghal din niya ang kanyang mga tula sa iba pang TV program, gaya ng Public Forum ni Randy David at Make My Day ni Hilarion Henares Jr. Itinanghal din niya ang kanyang tula bilang rap sa isang rally laban sa mga base militar ng mga Amerikano  noong kainitan ang isyu ng kanilang pananatili sa Pilipinas.

 
Gumanap din siya sa ilang pelikula. Isa rito ay ang "Year of Living Dangerously" sa direksiyon ni Peter Weir, at kasamang aktor sina Mel Gibson at Sigourney Weaver noong dekada 80.

Binabasa ni Mang Domeng ang kanyang mga tula sa sariling radio program na Iskolar ni Dr. Propesor sa Radyo Veritas noong kalagitnaan ng dekada 90. Karaniwan ding binabasa ang kanyang mga tula sa Radyo Balintataw ng DZRH, ito ay isang pangkulturang programa na pinamumunuan ni Cecile Guidote Alvarez.

Noong tag-init ng 2001, katuwang ang munisipyo ay nagsagawa ng palihan sa pagtula si Mang Domeng sa mga estudyante ng elementary at high school sa sariling bayan, ang Taal, Batangas.  Ito ay nagsilang ng isang koleksiyon ng mga tula ng 45 kabataang makata.  Dito rin itinatag ang Ugnayan ng Talino sa Adhikain ng Kapatiran (Utak).  Pangarap ni Mang Domeng na maging pambansang organisasyon ang Utak para maipalaganap ang mga adhikain ng grupo sa pagsusulat.

Noong 2002, siya ang kumatha ng Panalangin ng Bayan para sa State of the Nation Address ng Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Sa parehong taon ay kinomisyon siya ng dating secretary ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources na si Heherson Alvarez upang sumulat ng mga tula batay sa mga painting na gawa ng mga Filipinong artist, na bahagi ng Water Sail Festival sa Boracay.

Bilang guro ay matagal siyang naglingkod sa UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas. Siya ay naging Writer-in-Residence nito. Naglingkod din siya bilang associate director for criticism ng UP Likhaan Institute of Creative Writing. Siya ay ginawaran ng honorary title ng Professor Emeritus ng malikhaing pagsulat at panitikan sa UP Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura sa kanyang pagreretiro noong 2004. Isa sa mga naging proyekto ng UP DFPP ay ang paligsahan sa pagsulat at pagtatanghal ng mga malikhaing akda at tinawag itong Landichohan bilang pagpupugay kay Mang Domeng. Itinalaga namang Writer-in-Residence si Mang Domeng ng De La Salle University nang taong 2010-2011.

 
Taong 2013 naman nang siya ay magpinta at makapag-exhibit ng sariling visual artworks sa GSIS Museum.

Ang kanyang mga natanggap na parangal at puwesto sa loob at labas ng bansa ay ang sumusunod: siya’y naging pangulo ng 16th World Congress of Poets na nagdaos ng isang pandaigdigang kongreso ng mga makata sa Clark Field sa Angeles City, Pampanga noong 2000. Pinili siyang isa sa 2000 Outstanding Writers of the 20th Century ng International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England para sa taong 2000. Tumanggap din siya ng Artist Ambassador Award mula sa Artist Embassy International sa California, USA, noong 2000, Poet of the Millenium Award mula sa International Poets Academy, India, noong 2000 at Southeast Asian Writers Award noong 2003 sa Thailand. Pinarangalan siya ng Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) ng Gawad Balagtas para sa kanyang mga katha.

Tumanggap siya ng maraming Palanca Award, Catholic Mass Media Awards, KADIPAN Literary Contest Award, at Institute of National Language Awards. Naglingkod din siya bilang direktor para sa Asia of Poet Laureate International. Kasapi rin siya ng PEN International, at honorary member ng International Writers' Workshop ng University of Iowa, USA.

Si Mang Domeng ay pumanaw noong Hulyo 29, 2021 sa edad na 81.

Ang ilan sa mga tula, nobela at kuwento ni Mang Domeng ay inilathala bilang mga librong Paglalakbay, Mga Piling Tula (1974); Himagsik, Mga Nagkagantimpalang Kuwento (1972); Sa Bagwis at Sigwa (1976); Niño Engkantado (1979); Alay Katipunan ng mga Piling Tula (1984); Tula sa Ating Panahon (1989); Dupluhang Bayan at Dalawa pang Tula (1990);  Apoy at Unos Katipunan ng mga Tulang Popular (1993), Anak ng Lupa (1995), Ina at Ibang Katha (1998), Mata ng Unos (2003) na ayon sa guro at kritikong si Teresita Maceda, “this is the only novel in post-modernist style that deals fully on Marial Law experiences,” at Bathaluman at Ibang Kuwento (2005).

 
Isa sa mga nobela ni Mang Domeng ay itinanghal bilang Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize Winner. Ito ay ang Bulaklak ng Maynila (1995). Di kalaunan ay ginawa itong pelikula. Kinilala sa maraming pagkakataon at nailipat sa iba’t ibang plataporma ang nobela niyang ito. 

Naglathala din siya ng aklat kasama ang asawa, at pinamagatan itong Supremo. Ayon sa UP Press: Ang dalawang akda sa aklat ay bunga ng magkahiwalay na panahon ng pagsulat at kapwa nagkamit ng pagkilala sa taon ng paglikha. Nagkagantimpala ang Supremo, dulang pampelikula ni Domingo G. Landicho, sa paligsahang itinaguyod ng Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas at UP Film Center noong 1976. Nagtamo ang Sa Ngalan ng Bayan, sarsuwela ni Edna May Obien-Landicho, ng Gawad Sentenyal sa Panitikan noong 1998 sa pagdiriwang ng ika-100 anibersaryo ng Pilipinas. Ang malikhaing panulat ng magkabiyak na manunulat ay waring itinadhanang maging bahagi ng isang aklat pangkasaysayan sa dalawang anyong pampanitikan. Ang paglalathala nito ay wari ding tunay na ipinaghintay at itinakda sa isang mahalagang tadhana: ang pagsalubong sa ika-150 taon ng pagsilang ni Gat Andres Bonifacio sa 2013. Kapwa naniniwala ang magkabiyak na pinakamabisang baluyan ng diwa ng kabayanihan ng lahi ang mga malikhaing akda. Ito ang magkatuwang nilang pagpupunyagi para ipalaganap ang kabayanihan ni Andres Bonifacio, na kanilang kinikilalang tunay na sagisag ng kadakilaan ng uring anakpawis.

Narito ang mabubuting salita tungkol kay Mang Domeng mula sa Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing:  Through the years, he has shaped Philippine literature with dozens and dozens of his books and contributions to publications, including “Supremo,” a dramatic play he had co-written with his beloved wife Edna May Obien. As Professor Emeritus of the UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, there is also no doubt about the many, many students he had helped grow.

ni Beverly Wico Siy

Paano Pumili ng Librong Pambata at Kung Paano Gumawa ng Rebyu para dito (Sanaysay)

Paano Pumili ng Librong Pambata at Kung Paano Gumawa ng Rebyu para dito

Ni Beverly W. Siy

Ako si Bebang Siy, nanay na manunulat, tagasalin, at government employee. Naglilingkod ako ngayon sa Intertextual Division, also known as Literature Division, ng Cultural Center of the Philippines.

I am a mother of three.

Ang panganay ko ay si EJ, nagtatrabaho siya ngayon bilang human resources personnel. Graduate siya ng BS Psychology sa PUP. Public school all the way. Challenge ang pera sa amin noong araw, 15 years kasi akong solo parent at hindi naman ako galing sa mayaman na pamilya. Ni wala akong pang-tuition para sa private school ni EJ. Kaya ang ginawa ko ay maaga ko na lang siyang in-expose sa libro. Kaso lang, dahil writer ako, malikhaing pagsulat major ako noong college, at major in panitikan sa MA, marami nga akong libro sa bahay, pero puro pangmatanda. 

Noon ako nagsimulang mangolekta ng mga librong pambata. 

Bumibili ako sa Booksale, sa mga ukay-ukay, sa mga sale ng Adarna House, isang sakay lang ng dyip ito mula sa aming bahay sa Quezon City. Bihira akong bumili sa National Bookstore, kasi laging regular price ang mga libro doon, mas mahal sa karaniwan kong budget para sa librong pambata. 

Kalaunan, ako ay nag-apply sa Adarna House bilang storyteller ng children’s books. Nagkaroon ako ng access sa mga bagong librong pambata na inilalathala nila. Nakakapili ako ng mga libro sa Adarna House para mapraktis ko sa aking pagtatanghal. Para akong may library ng Adarna Books.  Nahihiram ko ang mga ito, naiuuwi ko ito at naipapabasa sa aking anak na si EJ. 

Ano ang batayan ko sa pagpili at pagbili ng mga librong ipapabasa kay EJ? Una ay ang presyo, dahil limitado ang aking pera para sa libro. Solo ako sa pagkamagulang at freelancer ako noon, kakaunti ang kita. Ikalawa ay ang kondisyon ng libro, maayos pa ba? Maganda pa kahit luma? At ikatlo ay ang blurb, na maikling rebyu ng libro na kadalasan ay natatagpuan sa likod ng libro. At ikaapat, rekomendasyon o rebyu. Kapag nababalitaan ko na maganda ang libro, hinahanap ko ito at binibili para kay EJ.

Marami rin ang nagreregalo sa aking anak ng mga librong pambata. 

Dahil sa exposure na ito, si EJ ay nahilig sa libro. Pagsapit niya ng grade 6, nobela na ni Ricky Lee ang kanyang binabasa.

Namana ng mga sumunod kong anak ang koleksiyon ni EJ. Ang aking anak na si Dagat, isang autistic na 6 years old na bata, ay marunong nang magbasa sa wikang Ingles. Pang-grade 2 na ang kanyang kakayahan sa pagbabasa. Paano’y dinagdagan na ng aking asawa ang mga librong pambata sa bahay namin.

Ang bunso ko naman na si Ayin ay five years old at mayroon din siyang sariling koleksiyon ng mga libro. Nakakapagbasa na rin siya, pero mga basic na salita pa lamang ang kanyang nababasa. Kailangan pa nito ng gabay. 

Paano ko o namin pinipili ang mga librong bibilhin sa kasalukuyan? 

Noon, pupunta ako sa book shops o kaya sa anumang tindahan, titingnan, hahawakan, bubuklatin ang libro. Kapag nagustuhan at pasok naman sa budget, maganda ang blurb at rebyu, bibilhin na.

Ngayon, ang strategy naming mag-asawa ay tinitingnan namin ang pangangailangan ng bata, at ine-expose namin ang mga bata sa internet activities na may kinalaman sa libro: halimbawa, storytelling sa Youtube, Vooks na app, at iba pa. Madalas, kapag may nagustuhan sila, saka namin hahanapin ang libro. Tinitingnan din namin ang book reviews. Dagdag na dahilan ito para makumbinsi kaming bilhin ang isang libro. Lalo na kasi sa kaso namin, may kailangan kaming tugunan na espesyal na pangangailangan, gaya ng kondisyon ng autistic naming anak na si Dagat. 

Iyan ang aking pinaikling kuwento tungkol sa Kung Paanong Pumili ng Librong Pambata.

Magpunta na tayo sa pagrerebyu ng librong pambata

Bakit natin kailangan ang children’s book reviews?

Para sa kapwa

Para mapadali ang pagpili at pagbili ng libro ng mga magulang, lolo lola, tito, tita, ate kuya, guro at librarian

Sa dami ba naman ng libro, alin diyan ang maganda para sa sarili nilang bata?

Para sa industriya

Para dumami ang magkainteres sa librong pambata, rekomendasyon kasi ang book review. 

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Outlet ng mambabasa

Importanteng may outlet tayong mga mambabasa tungkol sa input ng ating pandama. Kailangan din nating maihayag ang ating saloobin tungkol sa danas natin sa isang libro.

Opinyon ng bata

Kaugnay ng ikatlong dahilan, importanteng naririnig din natin ang mga bata sa kanilang danas. Ano ang saloobin nila sa isang librong pambata. Book reviews give them a voice. A chance to speak.

Mas mayaman na pagdanas sa librong pambata!

Higit sa lahat, mas malalim ang unawa natin sa libro kapag nirerebyu natin ito. Mas nae-enjoy natin ang libro at ang danas ng pagbabasa

Narito naman ang mga sahog sa pagre-review ng librong pambata.

Ilagay ang sumusunod:

Ano ang title?

Sino ang nagsulat at nag-illustrate?

Anong taon at saan ito nilathala, sino ang naglathala?

Tungkol saan (konting kuwento tungkol sa libro)

Pumili ng isa o kaya isulat ang lahat:

Gusto o hindi gusto?

Bakit? (danas sa pagbabasa mo o ng bata mo)

Komento sa teksto (tig-iisang slide>>>>), sa wika, sa kuwento, sa tauhan, setting, problema, ending, salin (kung mayroon)

Komento sa art (tig iisang slide>>>>) drawing, hugis, kulay, layout, cover, back cover

Komento sa iba pang aspekto ng libro 

(tig iisang slide>>>>) gaya ng activities for kids, letter to parents/guardians, photo at bionote ng creators, binding, hardbound, softbound, size ng libro, font

Kanino irerekomenda? Anong uri ng bata ang matutuwa rito? Ilang taon?

Saan puwedeng ibahagi ang review?

Sa amiga, kaibigan, kapwa magulang, kapwa guro, kapwa librarian

Sa sariling komunidad (churchmates, schoolmates, kapitbahayan, sa preschool ng anak)

Sa sariling blog, website o social media (FB, IG, youtube)

Sa website o social media ng PBBY!

Facebook group ng mga mahilig sa librong pambata

Puwede ring subukan na ipadala sa publisher ng libro!

Dito nagtatapos ang aking talk.

Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo. Aabangan namin ang inyong children’s book reviews!

Nonoy Espina Obituary

 

Jose Jaime Llavore Espina, also known as Nonoy Espina

March 8, 1962-July 7, 2021

Veteran Journo and Press Freedom Hero

In the statement of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Jose Jaime Llavore “Nonoy” Espina was hailed as the press freedom hero worthy of admiration and emulation. From the Marcos dictatorship until the Duterte administration, he consistently served the Filipino people by upholding the truth.

Nonoy Espina had been a journalist from high school to college, editing University of the Philippines Visayas' Pagbutlak. He majored in humanities in UP Visayas Iloilo, where he was a member of the Silak Fraternity.   

A man of many talents, he drew, he danced, he composed, played the piano and sang, mostly jazz and blues,  in a distinct gravelly voice. He loved classical music and the blues.

He wore many hats, but he was first and foremost a journalist. 

He was member of community media group Correspondents, Broadcasters and Reporters Association—Action News Service, or COBRA-ANS, which was part of the “mosquito press” during the Marcos dictatorship.

He was also an editor of the local Courier, served as a correspondent of the defunct Today Newspaper and worked for a time in the Lifestyle magazine of The Manila Standard. He became an editor of the online news outfits Inquirer.net and InterAksyon. He sat as managing editor of the Dateline Philippines, one of the early independent online news portals.

Nonoy preferred to mostly practice his journalism in Negros Occidental, his home province.

Nonoy also helped colleagues deal with the traumas of the profession. He fought hard for press freedom but always liked to stress its natural link to all freedoms for all citizens and human rights.

Espina was also among the first responders at the Ampatuan Massacre in Maguindanao in 2009. Writer Joel Pablo Salud recalls the lesson he learned from Nonoy as they covered this unfortunate event: always be wary of the narrative of those in power. Salud shares, “in the course of our coverage of the Ampatuan massacre, the clan which perpetrated the slaughter of 58 people, more than 30 of whom were journalists, began changing their image in the eyes of the media. They started referring to themselves as ‘freedom fighters,’ which at the onset lured some members of the local press to believe their claims. Nonoy saw through the lies and began raising the absurdity of that statement. Insofar as the 200 or so hoodlums involved in the mass slaughter were concerned, the clan needed to ‘elevate’ their status to ‘revolutionaries’ in order to garner sympathy from the public.”

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines honored Nonoy with the Marcelo H. Del Pilar Award, the highest honor that the organization gives its alumni. In its citation, CEGP called Nonoy “without doubt, a leading force in the defense of press freedom and freedom of expression in the country today.”

 

Like many journalists, he was materially poor. But in his devotion to the profession and our people he was, as Danny Fabella sang, hindi pangkaraniwang tao.

To his last breath, he waved that banner. Patriot, journalist, loving husband, father, and brother, he will not be forgotten. Nonoy is survived by his wife, Leny Rojo Espina, his children Mayumi Liwayway Rojo Espina and Daki Ojor Espina.

Early this year (2021), Nonoy had just turned over the NUJP chairmanship to the new set of officers, but even amid health problems he shepherded the union through challenging times for the Philippine press. Nonoy has always said, “we exercise press freedom not because we are allowed to. We exercise freedom because we insist on being free."

by Beverly Wico Siy

 

Ang Sentro para sa Batang Filipino sa Panahon ng Krisis (Sanaysay)

Ang Sentro para sa Batang Filipino sa Panahon ng Krisis

Beverly W. Siy

Marso 2020 nang magdeklara ng lockdown ang Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Gaya ng karaniwang Filipino, lahat kami sa aming munting opisina, ang Intertextual Division ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas ay nagulat. At napuno ng agam-agam. 

Paano ang mga nabinbin na trabaho, ang kailangang bayaran na mga alagad ng sining at manunulat? Paano ang mga proyekto namin na gaganapin sa loob ng Sentro? Totoo kayang matatapos din ang lockdown na ito? May trabaho pa kaya kami pagkaraan ng lockdown? May magagawa ba kami ngayon?

Pagsapit ng Abril, agad kaming sinabihan ng aming Vice President at Artistic Director na si Sir Chris B. Millado na irebisa ang aming existing na proyekto mula Hunyo hanggang Disyembre 2020, at gawin ang mga itong responsive sa krisis na dulot ng COVID-19. Kailangang makatulong ang aming mga proyekto sa bayan, kahit na may krisis, kahit na mahirap ang sitwasyon. Aniya, ito ang pinakamagandang pagkakataon para ipakita namin na ang aming mga gawaing pansining at kultura ay hindi lang para sa panatag na panahon, kundi para din sa panahon ng ligalig. Sapagkat ang aming mga gawain ay may malasakit, may pakinabang, dahil tumutugon sa kasalukuyang pangangailangan.

Kaya naman, ang taunang pagdiriwang ng National Children’s Book Day na ginaganap nang face-to-face sa Sentro/Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) ay kinansela ko noong 2020. Ito ay pinanukala kong maging website at e-book. Inaprubahan ito ng aking boss na si Mam Libertine dela Cruz, ang Officer-in-Charge ng Cultural Content Department, at ni Sir Chris. Kaya isinilang ang… Sa Pagbabasa, Hindi Ka Nag-iisa website at e-book! Ang pamagat nito ay hango sa tagline ng Philippine Board on Books for Young People para sa pagdiriwang ng NCBD 2020.

Ang https://sapagbabasahindikanagiisa.wordpress.com/ website ay koleksiyon ng mga akdang pambata tungkol sa COVID, lockdown, quarantine, at kooperasyon para sa kalusugan na gawa ng mga Filipinong manlilikha. Mayroon din itong komiks, artworks, tula, kanta, calligraphy, at mga video. Matatagpuan din sa website ang downloadable nitong bersiyon sa anyo ng e-book. Ito ay ginawa para kahit anong oras at kahit sa mga panahon na walang internet, basta na-download na ang libro, ay makakapagbasa ang mga bata, magulang, estudyante at guro. Ako ang nagsilbing patnugot. 

Ang mga nasa website ay makikita rin sa e-book maliban sa mga video. Dagdag na content sa e-book ang mga kuwento at artwork na gawa mismo ng mga batang sina Enzo Joaquin Tacorda, Kate Nicole Romero, Rene Antonio de Leon Salcedo, Carlos Miguel Barredo, at Lia Bettina Fave A. Espiritu. Ang e-book ay inilunsad sa Arts Express CCP Children’s Biennale noong Nobyembre 2020. At ang nagbigay ng mensahe ay si Virgilio S. Almario, Pambansang Alagad ng Sining para sa Panitikan. Ang tula niyang Maghugas ng Kamay ay inilathala sa e-book. Ito ay nilapatan ng musika at ginawan ng video ni Abigail Jashael Bagabaldo. Ang video ay nasa website habang ang musical notes ay nasa e-book.

Ang ibang departamento ng CCP ay naghandog din ng programa para sa bata at tungkol sa bata.

Halimbawa nito ay ang dulang Titser Kit na mula sa Production Management Services Division, Production and Exhibition Department sa patnubay ni Sir Ariel Yonzon. Katuwang ng CCP rito ang Writers Bloc at Tanghalang Pilipino. Itinanghal ito noong Hunyo 2020. Isa ito sa mga blockbuster na dula ng Virgin LabFest 2020 KAPIT: Lab in the Time of Covid (A Virtual Labfest Lockdown Edition). Ang VLF 2020 ay ang kauna-unahang theater festival na ginanap sa online na paraan. Ang Titser Kit ay pinangunahan ni JM Salvado bilang Patrick at Io Balanon bilang Titser Kit. Tungkol ito sa batang Lumad, si Patrick, at ang danas niya bilang bagong estudyante sa isang eskuwelahan na malayo sa kanyang kinalakhan na lugar at kultura. Nagtago at nanatili si Patrick sa bodega dahil pakiramdam niya ay ligtas siya doon, hanggang sa siya ay matagpuan ni Titser Kit. Ang dula ay isinulat ni Jobert Grey Landeza, samantalang si Adrienne Vergara naman ang direktor.

Noong Agosto 2020, mula sa Artist Training Division ng Arts Education Department sa pangunguna ni Mam Eva Mari Salvador, itinuloy ang recital ng Kabataang Gitarista sa sarili nitong Facebook page at sa FB page ng CCP Arts Education. Ang recital ay binubuo ng solo classical, akdang Filipino, at mga akdang popular. Ang KG ay isang grupo ng mga public high school student mulang Maynila, Pasay a0t Paranaque. Sila ay tumatanggap  ng free trainings  ng CCP sa pagtugtog ng classical guitar, sa patnubay nina Dr. Ivar-Nicholas Fojas, Fernando Sy-Changco III, David Tiongson at Edel Mark Bitao. Ang proyektong ito ay layon na ipakilala sa kabataan ang classical guitar at ang pagpapahalaga sa musika nito. Di naglipat-buwan ay nagdaos ng Classical Guitar Appreciation and Basic Instruction Series Workshop si Sy-Changco III sa pamamagitan ng Zoom, at ini-stream ito sa mga Facebook page ng Arts Online at Arts Education Department . Ito ay nagtagal nang limang sesyon. Ang guro ay dating kasapi ng KG, at ngayon ay naglilingkod rito bilang mentor.

Mula pa rin sa Arts Education Department ay ang Arts Express: CCP Children’s Biennale na ginanap sa online platform mula Oktubre hanggang Nobyembre 2020. Ito  ang ambag ng Sentro sa pagdiriwang ng National Children’s Month ng Pilipinas.

Ito ay nagbukas sa pamamagitan ng event na Tricks and Musical Treats: A PPO Family Concert, na handog pa rin ng Artist Training Division ng nasabing departamento. Taon-taon idinadaos ang concert na ito na ang layunin ay mailapit sa puso ng mga bata at mga pamilya ang musikang likha ng orchestra. Pinamagatang “A Virtual Adventure in Camp Melodia” ang 2020 edition, itinampok din dito ang mga nagdaang family concert na naging bahagi ng pelikula. Mayroon ding mga bagong pagtatanghal ng ilang kasapi ng Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Ang nagpadaloy ng programa ay si Liesl Batucan. Sa CCP Children’s Biennale din inilunsad ang MALA  (Movies Adapted from Literary Arts), isang serye ng puppetry film para sa mga bata at ang pinakauna rito ay ang Ibong Adarna. Ito ay bahagi ng Sining Sigla, ang virtual outreach program ng aming pangulo na si Sir Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso at ang kanyang tanggapan (CCP Office of the President). Ang manunulat ng MALA ay ang ventriloquist at writer na si Ony Carcamo, habang ang direktor naman ay ang pamosong aktor na si  Xian Lim. Mayroon ding segment na kung tawagin ay Curtains Up! Ito ay mga bago o kaya ay re-purposed na mga pagtatanghal sa teatro, sayaw at musika.

Nakipagkolaborasyon naman ang Tanghalang Pilipino at ang Anino Shadowplay Collective para sa isang serye ng pagtatanghal na nagtampok ng librong pambata, ang Pamanang Pahina. Ang mga librong ay ang Mga Giyera sa Katawan ni Mark,  isinulat ni Dr. Luis P. Gatmaitan, at iginuhit ni Ariel Santillan; Ang Bagong Kaibigan ni Bing Butiki, isinulat ni Yna Reyes, at iginuhit ni Jason Moss; at  ang May Mga Lihim Kami ni Ingkong, muli ni Dr. Luis P. Gatmaitan, at iginuhit ni Beth Parrocha-Doctolero. Nagbahagi ng karanasan at umawit din ang batambatang soprano na si Alexa Kaufman at ang  opera singer na si Gerphil Flores sa segment na Small Voice. Binigyang-buhay ng Philippine Ballet Theater ang kuwentong pambata na Cinderella, tampok ang choreography ni Ron Jaynario.

Sa segment na pinamagatang Mga Kuwentong Karapat-Dapat ay itinampok ang mga akdang inilathala ng Center for Art, New Ventures & Sustainable Development (CANVAS). Ito ay ang “Tahan Na, Tahanan,” “Nadia and the Blue Stars,” at “Inang Kalikasan’s Bad Hair Day.” Ito ay isang storytelling event na nilahukan ng shadow play, sayaw, at musika at itinanghal ng Anima Tierra, Daloy Dance Company, at Anino Shadowplay Collective. Nagtanghal din si Abner Delina Jr. na siyang direktor ng event. Ang layunin ng segment na ito ay bigyang-diin sa mga bata ang halaga ng tahanan, lipunan at kalikasan. 

Hindi rin nagpahuli ang film bilang anyo ng sining sa CCP Children’s Biennale. Sa segment na Pelikulit ay nagpalabas ng maiikling animation film ang Film, Broadcast and New Media Division ng Sentro.

Isa sa pinakamahalagang bahagi ng Arts Express ay ang arts workshops na nilahukan ng mga batang 8 hanggang 12 taong gulang. Naroon ang Anino Shadow Collective na nagturo ng shadow play, nagturo din ng pagpapatugtog ng instrumentong banduria na bahagi ng rondalla si Sir Noli Rodriguez, ang direktor at conductor ng Philippine Women’s University JASMS Rondalla.  Sa Peek A Book Illustration Workshop ay natuto ang mga bata kung paanong gumawa ng sarili nilang libro gamit ang mga cut out na hugis. Nagbigay din ng basic puppetry workshop ang  Philippine Ambassador of Puppetry  na si Wanlu Lunaria.

Sa loob ng CCP Children’s Biennale ay may bahaging tinatawag na Arts Playground.  Naroon ang mga music event na pinangunahan ng Board Member namin na si Mam Nikki Junia ng MusikGarten. Ito ay nilahukan ng mga sanggol at bata na hanggang walong taong gulang. Nagturo din sa mga bata ng mga batayang dance movement ang CCP Dance Workshop School. 

Hindi lamang tungkol sa sining at pagtatanghal ang Children’s Biennale. Tungkol din ito sa mga komunidad at ugnayan. Ang segment na Arts Connect ay naglalayon na makapagsagawa ng cultural exchange at appreciation ang mga batang mula sa sari-saring kultura, background, at komunidad. Kabilang na rito ang mga batang kalye. Pinangunahan ito ng performance artist na sina Mae Paner, Kawa, at J.K. Anicoche, katuwang ang Komunidad X. Naging bahagi rin ng Biennale ang mga taga-Kutitap, sila ang kabataan ng mga komunidad ng katutubo. Nagbahagi sila, nagkuwento, at nagpakita ng kanilang kultura at tradisyon, kasama na ang mga pagkain, sayaw at musika, sa mga kapwa nila batang kalahok ng Art Trek.

Sa Biennale rin inilunsad ang Batang Sining Facebook page bilang platform para sa malikhaing pagpapahayag at mga collaboration opportunity para makagawa ng arts content na para sa mga bata, magulang, at guro. Ang Batang Sining ay nagsimula bilang  workshop noong 1989 at nakatuon sa pagpapakilala ng iba’t ibang anyo ng sining sa mga bata upang ang mga bata mismo ang makapaghayag ng kanilang mga sarili sa malikhaing paraan. Ito ay mula sa mga konsepto nina Rene Villanueva at Hermie Beltran (ang boss ko noon sa Intertextual Division). Ang dalawang ito ay siyang naging pangunahing tagapagtaguyod ng Batang Sining.  Sa Batang Sining ng Children’s Biennale ay nagturo si Dr. Luis Gatmaitan kung paanong magsulat ng kuwentong pambata sa Let’s Write and Tell A Story at kung paanong lumikha ng sariling libro sa session na Book Making. 

Naging espesyal na bahagi ng biennale ang book launch at workshop na “Cely’s Crocodile (Life and art of Araceli Dans Lee)” at paglulunsad at storytelling na “Sa Pagbabasa Hindi Ka Nag-iisa.” Ang dalawang ito ay handog ng Intertextual Division. 

Isa pang malaking proyekto ng Sentro ang inilunsad noong Nobyembre 2020. Ito ay ang digital edition ng  CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (EPA). Handog ito ng Cultural Research and Development Division sa patnubay ni Mam Libertine Dela Cruz. Ang CRDD ay kasama namin sa Cultural Content Department na pinamumunuan din ni Mam Libertine. Isa sa mga layunin ng CCP EPA ay ang matulungan ang mga bata sa kanilang pag-aaral, gayundin ang mga tech-savvy na estudyante sa kanilang pananaliksik. Ayon kay Sir Chris, ito ay ang “online version of the encyclopedia that can be viewed with the need of an internet connection and subscription. The website comprises up-to-date information about different art forms, as well as additional visuals like videos.” Kaya tamang-tama ang pagkakalunsad nito sapagkat naging remote learning ang moda ng edukasyon ngayong covid crisis.  Hindi pa natin mapagsama-sama ang mga estudyante at kaguruan sa iisang lugar. Mapanganib. Ayon pa kay Sir Chris, “the project is an answer to the challenge of contemporary times to access information right away without the constraints of distance and time.”

May siyam na section ang website. Ang section tungkol sa Peoples of the Philippines ay may tinatawag na mga master essay tungkol sa 54 na mga ethnolinguistic group, ito ay magkakasunod-sunod ayon sa alpabeto, mula Aeta hanggang Yakan. Ang iba pang section ay nakatuon sa walong uri ng sining: Architecture, Visual Arts, Film, Dance, Music, Theater, Broadcast Arts, at Literature. Ang bawat seksiyon ay nahahati sa Historical Essays, Forms and Types, Aspects, Works, at Artists and Organizations. Naglalaman din ang digital encyclopedia na ito ng daan-daang video excerpts mula sa mga pagtatanghal ng dula, sayaw at musika. Lahat ito ay mula sa napakalaki at napakalawak na video archives ng CCP. Sa kasalukuyan, higt sa 5,000 artikulo ang laman ng website. Mayroon din itong higit sa 5,000 larawan mula sa print edition. Bisitahin ang encyclopedia sa epa.culturalcenter.gov.ph. 

Marami pang ginawa ang Sentro para sa batang Filipino ngayong may pandemya. Hindi ko na ililista ang lahat dito at kukulangin talaga ako sa espasyo. Mahihinuha mula sa mga nabanggit na proyekto ng CCP, na kahit sa gitna ng krisis ay hindi nagpatinag ang Sentro. Mabilis itong tumugon, umagapay sa teknolohiya. Mabilis itong nagpalit ng estratehiya, ng lunan ng mga pagtatanghal. Mabilis nitong inaral ang mga posibilidad at pagkatapos ay migrate agad sa online platforms. Personal kong nasaksihan ang mga pag-a-adjust na ginawa ng mga taga-teatro para sa VLF 2020. Nasa kasagsagan na ng paghahanda ang VLF team para sa face-to-face na theater production nang biglang mag-lockdown. Nang lumipas ang shock ay balik agad sa trabaho ang core team. Napakaraming pagpupulong ang naganap, sa Zoom. Halos araw-araw ang kumustahan at updating ng bawat isa. Ang group chat ay abalang-abala sa dami ng dapat ikonsulta sa mga kasapi ng produksiyon. Naghiraman ng gamit, halimbawa ay props, dahil walang makabiyahe at bawal din ang pumasok sa CCP Main Building, naroon ang props. Kanya-kanyang rehearsal sa sariling mga tahanan, instant production assistant ang mga kasama sa bahay.

Sa aming division, napakapalad ko dahil ako at si Kuya Jeef Marthin Manalo lamang ang may edad. Mga bata ang kasama ko. Early 20s ang edad nina Erika Antuerfia, Marjorie Almazan, Stacy Anne Santos at Geraldin Villarin. Pisikal na malusog at maliksi, at mahusay sa gadgets, teknolohiya at social media. Nagsasagawa rin kami ng mga meeting sa Facebook Messenger. Sa umpisa, ang mga meeting namin ay bahaginan ng pangamba sa virus. Para bang palapit ito nang palapit sa aming mga barangay! Ngunit kalaunan, nang mahimasmasan kami ay back to work na rin. Umuusok ang group chat at email ng opisina sa maya’t mayang palitan ng mensahe at email. Kaliwa’t kanan ang follow up namin sa mga tao na kailangang hingian ng permiso para sa website at libro, kumustahan na ng ISBN mula sa National Library, pagsipat sa latag ng mga pahina at cover ng aming layout artist na si Ronie Chua Padao, pag-check ng video para sa paglulunsad, biglang napa-voice over si Erika, at marami pang iba. Kay hirap talaga. Ang inisip na lamang namin ay ang mambabasa at ang manonood. Dapat may matapos kami. Dapat may mailathala kami. Dapat may maitanghal kami. Dahil mayroong mambabasa. Mayroong makikinig. May manonood sa amin. Una na rito ay ang mga bata. 

Ipinagpapasalamat kong mabilis na nagdesisyon at nanindigan ang Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas: kahit sarado ang Tanghalang Pambansa, tuloy-tuloy ang Sentro sa paghahandog ng mga publikasyon at pagtatanghal upang tulungan ang mga bata, lalo na ang mga batang Filipino, na  tuklasin at danasin ang yaman at kagalingan mula sa sining at kultura ng ating bansa. 

Noon at ngayon, ang pangako ng Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas ay patuloy na alagaan ang haraya ng kabataan.