Calling all piña fabric artisans! The stage is set for them once again to showcase their unique talents in the art of weaving, dyeing, embroidering, and embellishing piña as the Lourdes Montinola Weaving Competition launches its 5th edition and welcomes new entries from all over the Philippines. The country’s premier piña weaving contest is back and will be one of the highlighted activities during HABI Philippine Textile Council’s Likhang Habi Market Fair slated October 14-16, 2022. The annual competition seeks to encourage piña weavers to keep to their traditional craft, continue creativity in weaving, and innovate their piña weaving techniques.
1st Place-“Sintas” by Raquel Eliserio. Image by Lisa Lorenzo
“We see weavers coming up with both traditional and innovative techniques, [and these] play a role in strengthening awareness and patronage of piña,” says Lourdes Montinola, founder of the competition, chair emeritus of the Far Eastern University, and author of “Piña,” the 1991 book about the Philippine pineapple textile.
2nd Place-“PS Diamond” by Perlie Feleciano of La Hermiña. Image by Lisa Lorenzo
To join, participants must submit a panel that’s at least two meters long. More than 50 percent of the body of the cloth must be made of piña, and must come with a detailed description and a photograph showing the weaver working on his/her entry. Entries must be submitted to the HABI Office, 962 May Street, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. Deadline for submission is on Sept. 30, 2022.
As with last year’s competition, the 5th Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition will give out three major cash prizes: P50,000 for the first-place winner; P30,000 for second; and P20,000 for third.
3rd Place-“Jannalyn” by Jannalyn Rasonable. Image by Lisa Lorenzo
Major winners from last year’s competition were Jannalyn Rasonable of Elizabeth Rasonable Piña Weaving, who bagged third place with her piña with polyester embroidery titled “Jannalyn”; Perlie Feleciano of La Herminia Piña Weaving, whose “PS Diamond” featuring fine details of the sinuksuk and tablero rengge techniques earned her second place; and first-placer Raquel Eliserio, whose “Sintas” showcased a new method of embellishment of the same name, combined with sinuksuk, in-stripe, and rengge techniques on a mixture of piña, cotton, rayon, and silk.
Two special awards, the Philippine Innovation Award for Textile Innovation and Nadres Award for Outstanding Young Weaver will also be given out, respectively, by Filip + Inna (a fashion brand championed by Len Cabili) and the Nadres family, whose business, for generations, has been the creation of some of the best barong products in the Philippines.
Innovation Award – “Iñigo” by Carlo Eliserio. Image by Lisa Lorenzo
Last year, out of the 42 entries which were displayed at the Silverlens Gallery, these two special awards were given, respectively, to 25-year-old Carlo Eliserio from Aklan for his unique ability to combine different fibers such as piña, cotton, polyester, and silk in his piece titled “Iñigo”; and to 13-year-old Delara Beltran, who used a handloom to create her piece titled “Sampaguita” showcasing the traditional sinuksuk design.
Young Weaver Award -“Sampaguita” Delara Beltran. Image by Lisa Lorenzo
“The surprising thing about the contest is that every year, better and more exquisite pieces are entered. With the Young Weaver Award, it became evident that young people are into practicing the craft, thus ensuring a resurgence and continuity,” says Habi President Adelaida Lim.
Through this competition, Gino Gonzales, co-author of the fashion history book, “Fashionable Filipinas” and one of last year’s judges, says the country is “reminded of the many possibilities of piña and its design process.”
He adds, “I am reminded of the fact that there are other points of view on what we can wear. They’re not just art forms; they’re things that you want to put on your body.”
Interested parties may call HABI: The Philippine Textile Council T: +63 921 849-6974 or send an e-mail to support@habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com for more information.
CCP Arthouse Cinema holds a special screening of National Artist Fernando Poe Jr.’s Alupihang Dagat (1976) to celebrate the 2022 National Heritage Celebration on July 8, 2022 (Friday), 2pm, at the Tanghalang Manuel Conde (CCP Audio-Visual Room).
In Alupihang Dagat, set in a humble fishing village where the men sail out to sea and the women stay behind to dive for sponges, Gomer learns of about the disappearances of seafaring youngsters upon returning from an extended voyage and soon sets out in his tiny skiff to get to the bottom of things.
Eventually, he stumbles upon the island hideout of a band of modern-day pirates who, under the leadership of a female captain named Odessa, are responsible for kidnapping and enslaving many of Gomer’s friends and neighbors.
There will also be a back-to-back screening of Nadjoua Bansil’s Bohe: Sons of the Waves (2012) and Emmanuel Dela Cruz’s Gabon (2007) at 4pm to commemorate the Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
Gabon tells the story of how far a young Maranao girl takes to heart the promise to her parents that she will finish a school exam. The title comes from an old Maranao folk lullaby which means cloud. Shot in one day in Marawi, Lanao del Sur, just before Ramadan, Gabon features an ensemble cast of grades 2-4 students from the MSU Integrated Laboratory School and the alumni of Sining Kambayoka.
In Bohe: Sons of the Waves, five Badjao boys learn the value of mangroves in Malitam Island, where they escape from the conflicts and constant abuse by pirates and ordinary folks. Through this newfound knowledge, they plan to save their island from sinking due to harsh weather and other man-made causes.
Due to lack of money to buy the seedlings, they decide to steal them from the sanctuary. Little do they know what they are about to lose. Will these seedlings become their tree of hope or will this hope drown their dreams of a stable home? The hope of these young sea gypsies will be the frustration of their elders.
The film puts the spotlight on Sama Palau (commonly known as Badjaos), the second largest sea gypsy community in the world from the Southern parts of the Philippines.
The film screening aims to revisit our artists’ historical works to create consciousness, respect, and love for the legacies of the nation’s cultural history among the Filipino people and learn from these films. This is in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Philippine Film Archive, and the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film.
A Tribute will be given to eight exemplary personalities who were proclaimed National Artists, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Theater on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 5pm.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte conferred them the Order of National Artist in the field of dance, theatre, film and broadcast arts, literature, music, and fashion design, in a ceremony held last June 16 at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang. They were declared as the new National Artists by virtue of Presidential Proclamation no. 1390 signed on June 10.
The newly declared National Artists are Agnes Locsin (Dance), the late Salvacion Lim-Higgins (Fashion Design), the late Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Film and Broadcast Arts), Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Lee (Film and Broadcast Arts), Nora Cabaltera Villamayor aka Nora Aunor (Film), Gemino Abad (Literature), Fides Cuyugan-Asensio (Music), and Antonio Mabesa (Theater).
Agnes Locsin is a choreographer, director, and teacher. She is dubbed as one of the “most progressive contemporary choreographers in the Philippines,” for she distinctively utilizes Filipino beliefs, rituals, and ethnic traditions in her choreographies, concepts, and direction, which she was able to beautifully merge with her knowledge in Western dance techniques and called it “neo-ethnic.” Among her successful works are Babaylan, which won second place in the Tokyo International Choreography Competition in 1993; Taong Talangka (Man-Crab); Salome which won second place for dancer Camille Ordinario in the 1994 Concours International de la Danse in Paris, France; and narrative works like one on the life of the mythical hero Labaw Dungon in the epic Hinilawod from the island of Panay.
Salvacion Lim-Higgins, known to the fashion world as “Slim’s”, is credited for innovating and transforming the look of terno into a world-class silhouette by combining the elements of Philippine costume with European couture details and construction. She was known for her exquisite drapery, constant and evocative use of indigenous materials such as piña and jusi, referencing ethnic motifs in her modern dresses, and forward-looking and cutting-edge approach to fashion. Lim-Higgins introduced draping into traditional costumes and developed “convertible ternos.” Filipiniana took a more nuanced look through the eye-catching costumes she created for the Bayanihan Dance Company.
Marilou Diaz-Abaya was a film and television director and screenwriter. She began her career in the 1980s and was part of the generation that defined what is today remembered as the “Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.” Her notable works are Brutal (1980), which marked Diaz-Abaya’s clear directorial style and unique feminist voice, as she emerged as a bold experimenter of storytelling structure and a fierce creative protester of the harrowing plight of women in a male-dominated society; Moral (1982), which offered a nuanced commentary on the expectations and burdens placed onwomen’s shoulders against which they explore their desires and navigate their shifting place in society; Karnal (1983), where the perverse entanglement of paternalism, desire, and drive for control results in a violent tragedy; Milagros (1997), where she moved away from pointed advocacies and delved instead on an enigmatic exploration of feminine desire and innocence; Sa Pusod ng Dagat (1998), which further explored the complex meaning of womanhood; Jose Rizal (1998), the biopic of the national hero; Muro-Ami (1999), portrayed the lives of exploited children in the illegal practice of reef hunting; Bagong Buwan (2001), endeavored to tell a fair and informed story about war-torn Muslim Mindanao; and Noon at Ngayon: Pagsasamang Kay Ganda (2003), which tells the story of four middle-aged women who have weathered life’s storms and reconciled with their pasts.
Ricardo Lee also known as Ricky Lee is a screenwriter for film and television, journalist, playwright, and a multi-awarded fictionist who published several novels, plays, essays, and short story collections along his screenplays and screenwriting manuals. He has demonstrated his mastery of writing historical films, literary and true-to-life adaptations, political, courtroom, and dramas, the stories of “outsiders” and marginalized figures such as laborers, prostitutes, rebels, migrant workers, and gay people, and his consistent elevation of all manner of genre fare, from horror to tearjerkers to comedies. Lee emerged in screenwriting in the late 1970s as part of the generation of filmmakers who ushered the “Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.”
Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, also known as Nora Aunor, has been in different fields for more than four decades—film, television, music, and stage. Her journey to fame started when she joined and won a local amateur singing contest in a radio program called “Darigold Jamboree”. She came to be known as the girl with the “golden voice” with the unique tone of her voice. It was Tower Productions that gave her the biggest break: the title role in D’ Musical Teenage Idols, opposite Tirso Cruz III. Sampaguita Pictures’ 34th-anniversary presentation was also a Nora-Tirso starrer, Fiesta Extravaganza, and that is when people began referring to her as “Superstar”. Succeeding years would see her taking on a wide variety of movie projects, showing her versatility by making comedies, melodramas, and musicals. Her extensive filmography with 170 films is not only matched but exceeded by the number of awards and citations she has received from local and international organizations.
Dr. Gémino H. Abad is a writer, critic, scholar, literary historian, and anthologist with numerous books and literary awards including ten poetry volumes, nine volumes of literary criticism, two volumes on his own poetics, two short story collections, a five-volume historical anthology of Philippine poetry in English, and a six-volume anthology of Philippine short stories in English, from 1956 (the year where the late Leopoldo Yabes’ anthology left off) to 2009. Several of these books have received national literary awards such as the Gawad Dangal ng Lahi given by the Carlos Palanca Memorial Foundation; the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for his poetry; the CCP Award for Poetry; the Ani ng Dangal Award of the NCCA; the UMPIL’s Gawad Alagad ni Balagtas for lifetime achievement in poetry and literary criticism; the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan sa Larangan ng Panitikan from the City of Maynila; the Manila Critics’ Circle National Book Award for poetry, for anthology, for personal anthology; and the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards for the short story, essay, and poetry.
Professor Emeritus Fides Cuyugan-Asensio’s more than six decades of involvement with the art of opera displays her dedication and passion to bringing inaccessible Western dramatic idiom into Philippine theaters for the Filipino opera enthusiasts to experience and learn from. She’s dedicated to opera and musical theater, which enriched the Philippine artistic scene. Her exceptional achievements in many years of exemplary service to the field such as performing, teaching, producing, and directing opera and theater productions, contributed to a Renaissance of classical musical theater in the country. Her performance of Sisa in Felipe de Leon’s Noli Me Tangere became a hallmark in the country’s musical theater history.
Antonio “Tony” Mabesa, known as the Lion of the Theater, was a director, actor, and teacher who greatly contributed to the growth and diversity of Philippine theater. His theater teaching, formalism as aesthetics, and methods of production have made an impact on his students. He was a professor, artist and mentor who will be remembered for his lessons on discipline, commitment and respect for theater.
The Order of National Artists (Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.
The Order of National Artists was established by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972 to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.
The National Artist Award is given every three years by the President of the Philippines in the month of June. To date, there are a total of 81 National Artists, including those newly proclaimed.
Tickets for the public will be given starting 3 PM at the CCP Ramp.
In observance of health and safety guidelines, those attending the event are advised to read the CCP protocols for Alert Level 1: https://bit.ly/CCPNewNormal.
Turning 53 this year, the main building of the Cultural Center of the Philippines will finally have its long-overdue facelift through a three-year rehabilitation plan starting this year until 2025.
The plan emanated from the building audit done from 2018 to 2019, which became the basis on what needed to be addressed and rehabilitated.
“The building audit diagnosed the extent of the repair needed. The evaluation of the data gathering indicated that there are problems with multiple-site damages such as leaks, corrosion and structural weaknesses brought by water seepage, earthquakes and fatigue. Further, we have to update the Center’s fire protection, environmental protection and other building codes,” shared CCP chairperson Margie Moran-Floirendo.
CCP president Arsenio J. Lizaso iterates that the center is a source of pride for all Filipinos, and a showcase of the best of the Philippine arts and cultures. This is why there is a strong need to rehabilitate the CCP.
“The Filipino audience deserves a national center of culture where they can enjoy the arts in comfortable surroundings redesigned for the times. Our artists need new and better stages and venues to showcase and display their talents and abilities. We need venues that can fit more modern productions, as well as globally-competitive staging facilities and equipment. We need training facilities for our actors, dancers and other performers,” Lizaso said.
The entire project costs approximately Php950 million; Php440M has been earmarked for the first phase, and Php515 for the second phase which will (cover – include) the renovation of the hydraulic pit, the freight elevators, light and sound systems for the theaters.
During Bulawan: The CCP 50th Anniversary Gala, chairperson Moran-Floirendo spearheaded the fund-raising project for the rehabilitation and renovation of its facilities, with BDO Unibank Inc. underwriting the gala concert and donating the first Php1 million.
“We’re hoping for additional fundings from the government so we can include other important elements. We envision that when fully-renovated, the CCP Main Building would last for another 50 years,” said CCP administrative manager Teresa Rances.
The rehabilitation project of the Tanghalang Pambansa (CCP Main Building) begins at the fourth floor, roof deck and the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater). Next two years, the plan targets the other floors. Renovation works will continue to the upper and lower basements until 2025.
“The priority right now is the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater). When we installed the new escalators, from the ground to the top floor, we realized that the flooring of the Main Theater lobby escalators is directly connected to the ceiling of the LT backstage. We need to repair the ceiling,” shared Rances.
Based on the plan, the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) will be the last to be rehabilitated, probably starting in 2024. This includes the renovation of the hydraulic orchestra pit, which has not been changed since it was installed in 1969.
The freight elevator, which is often used to bring massive sets, heavy equipment, and musical instruments straight to the theater stage, will also find a new lease in life. Both theaters have flooring problems, and wooden planks on the walls have termite infestations that must be addressed.
The building foundation will have some strengthening works, but its overall condition is still quite stable.
“When CCP was built in 1969, they used good construction materials. Even 50 years later, the building has no major structural problems even with major earthquakes and other natural phenomena we have experienced. We might not be able to see underneath the sea level. There are portals that support the CCP building, we can’t go further than that. There are cracks on walls, but the foundation is still stable,” shared Rances.
The audit report also showed that there was a need to overhaul the electrical lines and the drainage system. The old drainage system has too many corroded metal pipes.
The CCP plans to construct a new outdoor cistern tank at the South Parking area to supply water to the Main Building and the nearby Production Design Center (PDC). It will also supply water to the Fire Protection System, which will be built side by side with the cistern tank. It will generate water for the sprinklers. Although a foam-type fire system has been installed in areas where artworks are located to protect CCP’s valuable assets.
“Originally, the water source was located at the ASEAN Park. But that became the sewage treatment plant. The CCP worked on it during the pandemic to make sure that clean water goes out to the bay, and whatever we process in the sewage plant can be used to water plants around the complex,” shared Rances.
Currently, the sewage plant is connected to the CCP Main Building and the PDC. This year, the CCP intends to connect the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater) and the Finance/Administrative Building to the plants.
A new electrical line has been installed, running from Buendia to CCP, passing through the Liwasang Kalikasan and the Power Center before connecting to Black Box Theater.
“Some of these renovations have been done at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have started upgrading our mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire system. We will also start the structural retrofitting. We start with what we can with the budget that we have,” said Rances.
Some works that have been done included: changing the centralized air-conditioning system from a single 350-capacity unit to six units of 60-ton cooling units. Glass window panels were replaced, as well as carpets and marble trims.
The fountain has been refurbished. Nozzles and fixtures were repaired, and lights were replaced with LED lights. The chandeliers have undergone rehabilitation too.
“We were lucky to be able to tap the same companies that designed and built the fountain and chandeliers in 1969. When we bid out the fountain renovation, the daughter of the original designer sent their proposal. It was the same with the chandeliers,” shared Rances.
The rehabilitation plan takes into consideration the current environmental conditions, including the effects of Climate Change. Take for instance, the two major power banks, as well as the generator, have been transferred from the lower basement to the new Power Center in the South Parking area.
“Because of the Climate Change, the surge of water is quite different now. There was a time when establishments around the complex and along Roxas Boulevard were flooded due to a typhoon. The lower basement is already below sea level, and we anticipate that the water could surge in, reach the power banks and might cause an explosion. By bringing them out, we hope to prevent that kind of problem in the future,” shared Rances.
The materials used for the rehabilitation – from the kind of waterproofing, the replacements for the corroded parts, the type of cement, among others – have been studied and considered to adapt to the current climate.
“We move slowly but surely. Every detail is being studied, from the materials down to the work itself. We look for the best possible options. Being by the bay in reclaimed lands needs a thorough consideration,” said Rances.
The project is made possible through the CCP Board of Trustees through the Ad-Hoc Committee on Renovations which is led by trustees Stanley Seludo and Marivic del Pilar, and the Office of the CCP President. The Administration Services Department (ASD) will oversee the whole project, and work with project management firm Oscar R. Ruivivar and Associates and construction company Vista Green Builders.
The Center has been blessed to have its own engineering team who undertakes the responsibility to bring the building to its former glory.
“Our engineers regularly monitor the health of an ageing structure, and we are fortunate that we have an excellent in-house team, project managers, and the contractor who won the bid,” said Moran-Floirendo.
The CCP makes sure that it remains true to the original blueprint designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin, hoping to preserve it to the extent possible.
While the rehabilitation is underway, the Center plans to document the process and share it to the community, particularly the architecture students, through various platforms.
This can be used as a reference on rehabilitation of architectural heritage buildings and other cultural sites in the country. It can help in the studies on how architectural designs are affected by topography and Climate Change. There will be interesting things for architects, construction companies and students.
Lizaso hopes that once the rehabilitation has been done, the new CCP complex will become a tourist destination, drawing people from all over the Philippines and the world. It will then become self-sustaining, and will no longer need big government financial subsidies.
“In the end, we aim to be at par with theaters worldwide, in terms of technology, space and content. A country’s theater is a landmark. The CCP is the home of the Filipino artists, and it should be a tourist destination. For the artists and cultural workers, the wish list is long. Work and rehearsal spaces are needed. But with the rehabilitated building, we can be at least assured that the structural health of the building will last fifty more years,” concluded Moran-Floirendo.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is proud to present Daloy, the first solo exhibition of artist Clint Rey Policarpio. The venue grant exhibition, which was originally scheduled in 2020 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will run from 23 June to 24 July at the CCP’s Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco (Little Theater Lobby).
Daloy is a collection of Policarpio’s works from 2012 to the present, which depicts an understanding of a lively Filipino community, with its rich history, nature, customary beliefs, and personality. Filipino art and culture are huge influences in Policarpio’s works, where concepts manifesting the life of its people and their surroundings flourish and continue to evolve. The impact of temporal experiences, of what’s seen and what’s felt, forms an inspiration for his lasting composition—detailing a scenic impression of places, events, and Filipino practices in a purely panoramic view, leaving more to the imagination.
Title: Noon | Medium: Oil on Canvas | Size: 203 x 358 cm | Year: 2013Title: Basaan sa San Juan | Medium: Oil on Canvas | Size: 203 x 353 cm | Year: 2013Title: Panginoon ko ang Dagat, Ulap, Bundok at mga Puno | Medium: Oil on Canvas | Size: 215 x 355 cm | Year: 2020
Clint Rey Policarpio (b. 1988) is a visual artist and muralist based in Valenzuela City. He’s participated in mural painting events, group exhibitions, and numerous art competitions. Policarpio has been awarded the Grand Prize in competitions such as the Shell National Student’s Art Competition (Watercolor category, 2013) UST Annual On-the-spot Painting Competition (2013), the Blood Center of QC Art Competition (2013), and the PNOC Painting Competition (2013). He was also a Finalist in the 2015 Metrobank Art and Design Competition, the Runner-up in the 2013 DFA Aseana Art Competition, and was given 1st Honorable Mention in the FEU On-the-spot Painting Competition in 2014.
Title: Ika-dalawampu’t pito ng Abril, taon labing-lima dalawampu’t isa | Medium: Oil on Canvas | Size: 213 x 292 cm | Year: 2019Title: Puno ng Pasko at ang mga Ngiti ng Isang Milyong Katao | Medium: Oil on Canvas | Size: 200 x 353 cm | Year: 2014
Exhibition hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, and are extended until 9pm on evenings with shows at the CCP Main Theater. For inquiries, contact the CCP Visual Art and Museum Division, Production and Exhibition Department, at telephone 8832-1125 loc. 1504/1505, email vamd@culturalcenter.gov.ph or through social media pages www.facebook.com/ccpvamd, www.instagram.com/ccpvamd, www.twitter.com/ccpvamd.
Look back at the socio-political landscape of the 1980s Manila through the CCP Arthouse Cinema’s back-to-back screenings of National Artist Lino Brocka’s “Macho Dancer” and National Artist Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night” on June 3, 2022 (Friday), starting at 2 PM, at the Tanghalang Manuel Conde.
Macho Dancer follows the story of a handsome teenager from the mountains who journeys to Manila in an effort to support his family after he was abandoned by his American lover. With a popular call boy as his mentor, Paul enters the glittering world of the macho dancer. National Artist for Film Lino Brocka captured a world of male strippers, prostitution, drugs, sexual slavery, police corruption and murder in this classic film.
In Manila By Night, the hidden nightlife of ordinary people living in Manila unveils. Lovers and families’ conflicts are radically pitted against each other as they live in the night streets rampant with drugs and prostitution. The outstanding narrative explicitly unravels the various characters and episodes. This landmark film of National Artist Ishmael Bernal depicts the darkness of city life so vividly that it was once prohibited to use the word “Manila” on its title.
Those interested to watch, please pre-register through this link: https://bit.ly/38RCR03.
In collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Philippine Film Archive, and the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film, the film screenings celebrate the National Heritage Month, and commemorate Bernal’s death anniversary on June 2.
AFTER two years of online performances and the streaming of archived works, the Virgin Labfest (VLF), the festival of untried, untested and unstaged plays, returns to live stage with 12 new works slated on June 16 to 26, at Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater).
For its 17th edition, VLF follows the theme “Hinga” to “underline the need to breathe, to be present and feel alive.”
“After being isolated in our houses, we now focus on the importance of community — the need to share space and time and revel in one another’s presence — and the urgency of theatre and performance,” said VLF festival director Tess Jamias who is sharing the role with TP associate director Marco Viaña.
Aside from marking its return to THB, its original home, VLF 17: HINGA reintroduces the practice of grouping plays into sets under shared themes and other commonalities.
Set A: Life is Full of Surprises revolves around life’s unexpected turns. This set features: Eljay Castro Deldoc’s Walang Bago sa Dulang Ito; Ma. Cecilia de la Rosa’s Mga Balo; and Bibeth Orteza’s Bituing Marikit.
Directed by J. William Herbert Sigmund Go and Tess Jamias, Walang Bago sa Dulang Ito follows the pursuit of a woman in understanding myriapods and how this would lead to bewildering encounters and finding herself preyed on by those in positions of power.
In Mga Balo, a writer tries to decide on the future of the play she is writing. She returns to her material and seeks the help of the widows who rightfully own the story. The play is directed by Adrienne Vergara.
Under the direction of Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Bituing Marikit tells the death of a man’s second wife and how much of a “bituing marikit” his wife is to their boys. The play was in memory of film and theater director Mel Chionglo.
Three plays show that fiction is stranger than life in Set B: Life is Strange Fiction. The plays are: BJ Crisostomo’s Absurdo: Event Day; Jerry O’Hara’s Liberation; and Juan Ekis’ ‘Nay May Dala Akong Pancit.
In Absurdo: Event Day, in between working as project coordinators at a massive end of the world party and dealing with absurd client demands, two co-workers must come to grips if their jobs have any ultimate meaning before time runs outs. Directed by Mara Agleham, Absurdo: Event day is part of a trilogy dealing with the craziness of the Philippine event industry.
Directed by Dennis Marasigan, Liberation is the story of three Japanese soldiers left behind to engage the enemy at whatever cost in a desperate effort and put up pocket resistance in southern districts of Manila in 1945. How would they act in the face of death?
In ‘Nay May Dala Akong Pancit, two siblings are stuck in a metaphysical loop of a Pinoy soap opera trope. Every time the older brother comes home with pancit, their mother dies. The siblings must now find a way to escape the loop and save their mother once and for all. Karl Alexis Jingco directs the play.
Stories of characters who are at a crossroad find their way to Set C: Life Choices, which include Mikaela Regis’ Unica Hijas; Andrew Bonifacio Clete’s Punks Not Dead; and Anthony Kim Vergara’s Student’s Handbook.
In Unica Hijas, two girls are called into the principal’s office after they were caught by a nun in an almost-kiss. With less than an hour left until their future is decided, the two are forced to confront each other, their past, present, and their own selves. It will be directed by Pat Valera.
Directed by Roobak Valle, Punks Not Dead is about a mother who complains to her son’s teacher regarding a discriminating item. As the characters argue about the item, the play shows what’s permanently inked with prejudice.
Student’s Handbook, directed by Erika Estacio, shows what happened when a few pioneer students were caught violating some of the institution’s most outrageous regulations. The rules were put into question and things started getting ridiculously clairvoyant.
Plays set in schools and involve life lessons that must be learnt and unlearnt are grouped together in Set D: School of Life. They are: Dustin Celestino’s Fermata; Ryan Machado’s Huling Haraya Nina Ischia at Emeteria; and George Vail Kabristante’s Bienvenuta Al Lido Di Venezia.
Directed by Guelan Luarca, Fermata follows the son of a dead celebrated musician as he investigates the truth about his father.
Directed by Regina De Vera, Huling Haraya Nina Ischia at Emeteria shows the endearing moment between a mother and her daughter as they prepare for the daughter’s departure. As the conversation gets deep, the daughter realizes that this might indeed be their last evening together.
In Bienvenuta Al Lido Di Venezia, a couple who works as Filipino domestic helpers for a wealthy contessa with Alzheimer’s conspired to poison their employer. But things have gone awry. The play is co-directed by Nanding Josef and Antonette Go.
VLF 17 will have a new component, Theater Talks, a curated forum series on theater and creative processes. To be live streamed during the festival, these talks feature theater practitioners who will share their know-how on production works and take in questions from the audience to elicit a lively dialogue on contemporary theatre-making.
The festival brings back its mainstay components such as the VLF Fellowship Program, with mentor Glenn Sevilla Mas and director Dennis Marasigan, and the VLF Playwrights Fair under the direction of Rody Vera and coordination by Beverly Siy.
For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). Follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for latest updates.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines eases up to a better normal with artistic programming that answers to the call of the contemporary time. The premier cultural institution laid out its plans and projects for 2022 and the following years in a recent press conference held at the Main Theater Lobby.
“2022 will be a year for recovery. It will be a year when we march on to better normal and create a better future for our nation. We don’t know the long-term effects of the pandemic to the arts communities and our audiences, but this is the year we soldier on,” said CCP chairperson Margie Moran-Floirendo in her welcome remarks.
For artistic matters, the Office of the Artistic Director has been working on the inaugural season of the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theater), as well as the upcoming CCP’s 53rd anniversary.
2022 will be a year of recognitions, honoring exemplar Filipinos for their artistic excellence and numerous contributions to nation-building and empowering. The CCP, with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, will be proclaiming the new National Artists. The premiere art institution will also name the Gawad CCP Awardees.
The CCP Intertextual Division provides opportunities for artists to contribute to the canon of Philippine literature through its various events such as the National Children’s Book Day, the VLF Playwrights’ Fair, and Performatura.
The most-anticipated and well-loved festivals such as the Virgin Labfest, Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, and the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) return this year, with hybrid stagings and screenings.
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra returns with its concert season, starting September. The orchestra hopes to do an on-site Tricks and Musical Treats: A PPO Family Concert, the annual orchestral adventure for kids to appreciate, learn, and experience the different sounds of musical instruments in the orchestra.
Watch out for PPO Young People’s Concert online, featuring young talented soloists to be accompanied by the CCP resident orchestra.
NEW DIGITAL PROJECTS FOR ARTISTS
The CCP Board of Trustees recommends new programs and projects focusing on the Philippine rich cultures and traditions to develop the value of nationalism among the youth.
To be executed by concerned departments, the CCP BOT will roll out “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” where selected stories from the well-loved Filipino literary classics by Severino Reyes will turn into short animation films, the CCP Animation and Comics Grants highlighting the Filipino folktales and epics, and the CCP Game Development Grant. The output of these grants will be uploaded in the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts Digital (EPAD).
Aside from that EPAD will be continuously updated and enhanced with new contents, including the Media Gallery, a virtual repository of still and moving images, the Timeline of Philippine Art documenting the history and diachronic development of Philippine arts, and documentaries on Philippine theater particularly Sarsuwela, komedya, Sinakulo and Bodabil.
The CCP Channel, under the Cultural Content Department, will premiere its own productions such as #FromTheArchives educational videos based on the center’s events, #AllInADaysWork documentations of day-to-day activities of the cultural workers at the CCP, and The Buffeteria Conversations with cultural movers sharing stories about their arts.
Utilizing virtual reality through specially-made cardboard goggles, the CCP 360 Project brings more intimate experiences and unique perspective on CCP and its productions.
Soon to rise at a choice corner of the CCP Complex is the CCP Digital Hub, a one-stop-shop where the general public can access all CCP digital projects through touch screen wall monitors and other immersive devices. It will also have a pop-up cafe and a hole-in-the-wall boutique.
UPSKILLING THE ARTISTS, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC
The CCP expands its programs to include younger audiences, in support of the holistic development of children through arts. This year, the CCP Arts Education Department (AED) will hold the second Children’s Biennale in November.
AED launches Indigenous Lullabies, featuring poems and music of indigenous lullabies in music videos for parents and other nurturers. The lullabies from the regions are based on ethnomusicological research, arranged by an esteemed musical director, performed by contemporary artists and nurturers and visualized on-screen by young filmmakers.
Instructional videos on folk and indigenous dances from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be produced and distributed to educators. The videos will focus on the significance of the dance, music and costume, dance instruction and performance.
There are also ongoing projects: Young At Art, a series featuring children having conversations with artists, is now on its third season; Arts Online, a learning resource and lecture series for art educators; Sining Sa Eskwela, teacher trainings in the arts; Sining Galing art-based psycho-social activities; CCP Summer Arts Academy, a specialized teacher training program in the arts and K-to-12 arts and design; Hands-On Choral Workshop, among others.
The Production and Exhibition Department has been providing technical theater and design trainings on lights, set and sound. They also have an apprenticeship program which provides hands-on training and exposures in various performance genres and interactions with designers and technical theater practitioners.
REACHING THE REGIONS
The Cultural Exchange Department (CED) continues to expand its partnerships in the regions through its Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) program. Currently, the CED has 23 regional partners in Luzon, 19 in Visayas, and 18 in Mindanao.
Under the KSS, the CCP provides Apprenticeship Program for regional cultural workers and gives awards and recognitions to outstanding regional artists, cultural workers and organizations.
Lakbay Sining, touring programs, continues this year with Art in the Workplace (Sining sa Tanggapan) and Local Tour Grants for communities affected by recent typhoons. Through Ugnayan sa Sining, CCP will hold a music camp and outreach concerts with the Sing Philippines Youth Choir.
After two years, the CCP Office of the President carries on with its outreach concerts and activities featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Bayanihan and other resident companies. This year, catch the PPO in Iloilo, Taguig, Manila Hotel, Laguna, Isabela, Cagayan, Bohol, Cebu, Samar and Leyte, while look out for Bayanihan in Palawan.
There will be Band Festival: Banda Rito, Banda Roon, in celebration of Tarlac’s 150th founding anniversary; classical concert featuring French conductor Cousteau, in celebration of the Philippine-France bilateral connections; Ventriloquist Festival and Turandot opera in partnership with the Philippine-Italian Association.
REHABILITATION OF THE CENTER
The Administration Services Department (ASD) executes a three-year rehabilitation plan of the Tanghalang Pambansa (CCP Main Building) from 2022 to 2024, starting with renovation of the fourth floor, roof deck and the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) and culminating with changes in upper and lower basements.
In the past years, the 50-year-old edifice has been showing signs of deterioration and has been undergoing renovations. During the pandemic, the ASD constructed STP, replaced the escalators, retrofitted the CCP Ramp, and replaced the Cooling Tower.
Beginning this year, the CCP Library and Archives will be relocated to the Design Center Building temporarily to make way for the impending renovation, which will set off the realization of expansion plans that includes a space for content creators and a multimedia research library.
For more information on CCP programs and projects, visit the website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). Get the latest through the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic limited the movement of people, the Cultural Center of the Philippines has begun developing some of its programs and projects in digital format for various virtual platforms. Thus, when the pandemic hit, streaming content online took a natural course.
Moving forward, a virtual building and theater tour package was developed to provide online art education and cultural content for everyone; especially, for those who cannot come over physically to the CCP by virtue of current quarantine protocols or geographic and logistical limitations.
Launched last February during the Pasinaya 2022, the CCP virtual tours also address the changes on how people consume arts in the new normal; and, usher in a new way to bring visitors back to the Center.
A project of the CCP Venue Operations Division (Production and Exhibition Department), the interactive 360 and/or 180-degree guided virtual tour takes visitors inside the CCP theaters, spaces, and other facilities, including the newly-built Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).
Facilitated via Zoom, visitors can see the interiors of the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater), with its famous stage tapestry “Genesis” based on an artwork of National Artist H.R. Ocampo. You can also head to the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) and the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater). Virtual visitors can also take a glimpse behind the stage.
The 30-to-45-minute tour utilized high-resolution photography, allowing a real on-site experience as if the visitors are walking through every corner of the artistic spaces with us.
Over 2916 photos, with 489 panoramas and 8 aerial shots were used to build a digital simulation of the actual physical spaces; creating an immersive virtual environment.
The guided tour is interactive allowing tour guests to ask questions and further explore the featured spaces through the assigned tour guide. It has embedded videos of the Visual Arts & Museum Division’s CCP Cultural Cache Online episodes and audio descriptions of the CCP visual arts collection displayed across various areas of the building.
Want to know more about the building’s history, its hallowed halls, and other trivia? There are Q & A sessions after every tour.
For tour inquiries email us at ccptours@gmail.com, call at 8833-2125 or 8832-1125 loc. 1412/1413.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines, in partnership with PinoyLUG, and with support from the Fernando C. Amorsolo Foundation, Inc., presents “Project AMORsolo,” an exhibition of LEGO® Bricks Mosaic artworks in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the proclamation of Fernando C. Amorsolo as the First National Artist of the Philippines in Visual Arts. The exhibition runs until May 29, 2022 at the CCP’s Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco (Little Theater Lobby).
The project, which commenced back in 2021, was set into motion under Code Name: AMOR with three teams of LEGO® enthusiasts each working separately on plates for three iconic paintings for National Artist Fernando C. Amorsolo. Using certified genuine LEGO® bricks, each team created artworks that bridge the past with the present, while bonding with co-builders to strengthen them as a team, just like LEGO®.
Project AMORsolo is a story of love and resilience in a family of LEGO® fans looking towards future generations who would create something new from the pieces of their past. It is a celebration of achievement through dedication, persistence, sharing, and building together which are the guiding principles of PinoyLUG.
PinoyLUG’s Project: AMORsolo exhibit may be viewed from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Hours are extended until 9pm on nights with performances inside the CCP Main Theater. To ensure everyone’s safety, read and download the Level 1 health protocols for exhibit viewing at bit.ly/StaySafeAtCCP prior to your visit.
