Act Seven
'TAKING' THE REGION
It must be recalled that in those years there is no MIMAROPA yet but the group of 11 provinces is known as Southern Tagalog Region.
The Marinduque Office of the Department of Education, Culture & Sports (DECS), approached Obligacion to handle the provincial drama entry to the regional competition on culture & the arts. A revised version of “Mis Lagrimas A Ti”, now retitled “HIMAGSIK NG BUDHI” was brought to San Jose, Batangas for the competition with some 25 actors from MNHS and ICC. Virtusio was tapped to direct the play by Obligacion.
The Marinduque Office of the Department of Education, Culture & Sports (DECS), approached Obligacion to handle the provincial drama entry to the regional competition on culture & the arts. A revised version of “Mis Lagrimas A Ti”, now retitled “HIMAGSIK NG BUDHI” was brought to San Jose, Batangas for the competition with some 25 actors from MNHS and ICC. Virtusio was tapped to direct the play by Obligacion.
In the end it was awarded 2nd runner-up. But the champion in ALL the competitions in culture & arts was Batangas.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), in Gasan in cooperation with the municipal government was to handle the “Pugutan” presentation in 1997. The mayor approached Obligacion for assistance in terms of provincial funding and the conduct of the activities. He introduced Virtusio to the mayor and the parish priest recommending him to direct their Holy Week play. PIC commissioned Obligacion to write a new play on the Passion of Christ and the involvement of Longinus. Apparently the Celso Carunungan script introduced in the 70s had been altered many times by whoever organized the annual “Pugutan” and now considered incoherent.
On condition that the “Pugutan” play would not take the place of the Easter Sunday street festival observed in Gasan as was the experience in Boac, Obligacion agreed to write it, in consultation with Fr. Arevalo of PIC who provided some literature. “SA NGALAN NG KATOTOHANAN" (changed to “KASAYSAYAN NI LONGHINO”, without authorization from this playwright), was finished by end of January 1997 in time for the start of rehearsals the following month.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Independent Church (PIC), in Gasan in cooperation with the municipal government was to handle the “Pugutan” presentation in 1997. The mayor approached Obligacion for assistance in terms of provincial funding and the conduct of the activities. He introduced Virtusio to the mayor and the parish priest recommending him to direct their Holy Week play. PIC commissioned Obligacion to write a new play on the Passion of Christ and the involvement of Longinus. Apparently the Celso Carunungan script introduced in the 70s had been altered many times by whoever organized the annual “Pugutan” and now considered incoherent.
On condition that the “Pugutan” play would not take the place of the Easter Sunday street festival observed in Gasan as was the experience in Boac, Obligacion agreed to write it, in consultation with Fr. Arevalo of PIC who provided some literature. “SA NGALAN NG KATOTOHANAN" (changed to “KASAYSAYAN NI LONGHINO”, without authorization from this playwright), was finished by end of January 1997 in time for the start of rehearsals the following month.
Curiously, however, the play’s programme drafted by the director was an insult to the playwright (another no-no).
Why? The name of the priest in his capacity as “Katulong sa Produksyon” (Production Assistant), and that of the director in huge letters occupied a wide space on top of the printed page. In small letters somewhere under the names and positions of the production and technical staff was the following entry: “Dialogues by: Eli Obligacion”, referring to the playwright.
A couple of years later the same script, now corrupted, would be presented several times elsewhere in Marinduque by a new playwright: Virtusio.
A couple of years later the same script, now corrupted, would be presented several times elsewhere in Marinduque by a new playwright: Virtusio.
By this time, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) then sponsored a national competition on theater arts for the promotion of the government’s land reform program. For the regional competition Obligacion accepted the challenge to write and direct a new play based on a storyline provided by DAR and adopted to the local situation. Students of Cawit National High School who were mostly children of farmers and fishermen were the choice as players. They were given a new identity as “BALANGAI PEOPLE’S THEATER”. “ARKO”, Marinduque’s entry was awarded 2nd runner-up (again) in the competition participated in by the region’s eleven (11) provinces. It was held at Imus, Cavite.
It was DAR's turn to cover the expenses.
The winning play was presented in Boac upon the invitation of the municipal government for the celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the Marcopper mining disaster, and for the municipality’s Philippine centennial celebration at the Boac riverside arena.
(to be continued
