Named after a Desaparecido, New CCP Festival Brings Issues of Today to Stage

'Bata, Banta, Bantay, Tayo, Tayog, Bantayog' by the PHSA Student Ensemble

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has staged Pista Rizalina, its newest arts festival tackling current social, political and cultural issues. 

Ongoing until September 24 at CCP’s different venues namely Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Studio Theater), Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Bulwagang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater) and the Manila Film Center, read more about it below:

“Billed Pista Rizalina: A Festival of Arts and Ideas, the event selects a particular artistic expression as the main platform and engages it with a topic of urgency, relevance or potentially high engagement with the public.  Possible intersections are explored such as theater and empathy (pagmamalasakit), contemporary music and gender equality, dance and social media, digital arts and truth telling, among other aspects. Pista Rizalina brings together artists and thought leaders in conversation with the public to map out the terrain of issues and stimulate a public discourse in the most participative, accessible and creative way.

The festival is named after Rizalina Ilagan, a young activist who was arrested by unidentified men in July 1977 during the Marcos regime. Pista Rizalina aims to call attention to the universal, collective trauma brought about by arbitrary arrest, disappearance and the negation of rights.

Likewise, the Pista is a platform to highlight the current administration’s national policy of developing the cultural value of “pagmamalasakit”, or empathy, (Ambisyon 2020, Philippine Development Plan). It hopes to break the silence and fear surrounding enforced disappearances and the violation of rights. It attempts to rekindle the stories of those traumatized by political repression and engage these issues with next generation audiences to recuperate what has been lost/disappeared.

Besides engaging the theater arts as a platform with issues concerning human rights and empathy, it also features a Festival of Art Works, Public Conversation, Interactive exhibit and Flash performances.  Other events include a guest kulintangan ensemble and the Aga Mayo Butocan, master kulintang player, to name some.

National Artsit for Visual Arts F. Sionil Jose's 'Pragres' will be directed by JK Anicoche and will feature the PHSA Student Ensemble

Nine plays will be presented at Pista Rizalina. These are National Artist for Visual Arts F. Sionil Jose’s “Pragres” directed by JK Anicoche and featuring the PHSA Student Ensemble, Ruel Aguila’s “Maliw” directed by Chris Millado with Bembol Roco, Sheryl Lara, and Lhorvie Nuevo, Nicolas Pichay’s “Isang Araw sa Karnabal” directed by Chris Millado with Paolo O’Hara, Skyzx Labastilla and Lhorvie Nuevo, Juana Change’s “Tao Po” directed by Ed Lacson, Jr. featuring Mae Paner, Rody Vera’s “Indigo Child” directed by Jose Estrella featuring Skyzx Labastilla, Chris Millado’s “Buwan at Baril in EÞ Major” directed by Andoy Ranay featuring JC Santos and Angeli Bayani, Bonifacio Ilagan’s “Pagsambang Bayan The Musical” directed by Joel Lamangan, Nicanor Tiongson’s “Aurelio Sedisyoso” (a season production of Tanghalang Pilipino), and “Bata, Banta, Bantay, Tayo, Tayog, Bantayog” by the PHSA Student Ensemble.

Other activities expected are a live streaming of the community reenactment of the Escalante Massacre to be mounted by the Escalante community and the Negros Theater League, Film Screenings of Aureaus Solito’s “Pisay”, Joel Lamangan’s “Sigwa”, Chito Roño's "Dekada ‘70", Mike de Leon's "Sister Stella L.", Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil's "Indigo Child", the GMA documentaries entitled “Busal”, “Alaala” and “Ilaw ng Marawi”; Livestream Talkbacks with the playwrights, directors, cast of the plays, thought leaders and audiences as well as with directors, writers and cast of the films.”

'Aurelio Sedisyoso,' a season production of Tanghalang Pilipino)

Tickets are available at all TicketWorld outlets. For more information, please call the CCP Marketing Department at 832-3706.

(TEXT AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF CCP)