PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL SATTELITE BAYAMBANG CAMPUS BAYAMBANG, PANGASINAN

A REACTION PAPER IN PHILIPPINE WRITINGS POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACT OF PASINAYA 2012
(The CCP Open House Festival)

Respectfully Submitted by:

MR. BONNIE R. DE GUZMAN

Respectfully Submitted to:

MRS. SALOME M. MONTEMAYOR

Date of Submission: 17 March 2012

POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACT OF PASINAYA 2012

(The CCP Open House Festival)
A Worth It Decision

I was elated that in our Philippine Writings Subject in Graduate School, our professor decided not to give us a Final Exam (which will be a great cram if ever it will be pursued). Instead, she encouraged us to watch something at CCP. I wondered what that which we will watch in that place is. I was somehow excited but slightly bored: excited because for the first time, I will see how CCP looks like and bored because I thought of that as those staged in Repertory Philippines in Greenbelt, Makati City but the performances Ive watched their, like Jack and the Beanstalk and The Sleeping Beauty (that was when I was in college) are all amazing and impressive. However, I talked to myself hoping to see something new in this upcoming trip. When our professor announced that our estimated expenses totalled to PhP 500.00 (that covers fare back and forth and the PhP 20.00 entrance fee in the CCP), I was surprised that it was too affordable. Why are they just going to collect this small amount as entrance fee? What are these performances that they will showcase for worth this amount? I was quite curious about this. But there is a strange feeling of mine that my decision in joining this trip is worth to be proud of.

Getting to Know

I was somehow regretful when the day of our trip to CCP came. It so happen that February 26 is our Barangay Fiesta. There we will see our relatives whom we did not see for long time. But I cant do anything because grade is being sacrificed in here. We could still have our fiesta next year. (sighs)

By the way, before we go to our trip, I made a research on the history of the place we will visit: the CCP. (CCP stands for the Cultural Center of the Philippines) I was amazed with how CCP evolved from rugs to riches. I realized its story is like in a drama series.

"On the first year, I'll cover the soil. On the second year, I'll drive the pile. On the third year, the building will rise. On the fourth year, the curtain will rise" Imelda Marcos to John Rockefeller in 1966. Twentieth artistic performances were staged at public plazas but in Manila, The Manila Grand Opera House served as performances venue. It was improved and was called Metropolitan Theatre. Philippine-American culture Foundation, however, raised funds for this new theatre. In the meantime in 1965, Imelda Marcos at a proclamation rally in Cebu for her husband's bid for the Presidency expressed her desire to build a national theatre. And when Marcos was elected president, he created Executive Order No. 60, establishing the Cultural Centre of the Philippines and appointing its board of directors. They needed an amount of PhP 15 million to completely finish the project. So what the former president Marcos with the First Lady did is that they used the fund of the government, solicited help to other sectors and did fund raising activities. However, this was opposed by many like Senator Ninoy Aquino when he strongly objected to the use of public funds for the centre without congressional appropriation and branded it as an institution for the elite. But Marcos continued on their project for the theatre which was launched before his 52nd birthday with the three-month inaugural festival. This was attended by California Gov. Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan is accompanied by President Marcos at the opening of the CCP. However, CCPs budget got low so the directors decided to pass a bill which would convert the Center to become a non-municipal public

corporation and allow it to use the principal of the CCP Trust Fund to pay off some of its debt. It also supports the 5% subsidy from the collected Amusement Tax annually. But this bill was not passed. However, When Marcos declared Martial Law, he signed a proclamation which is a modified version of the proposed bill which transforms the Centers role from being a performance venue to an agent that promotes art and culture throughout the country.
This paved way to many improvements such as the institution of National Artist Awards and its partnership with its very first resident company, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. After

Margie Moran bagged the Miss Universe 1973 award, it was also agreed that CCP would also attempt to host for the said prestigious pageant. However, when the term of Corazon Aquino came, she made a lot of transformations to CCP: appointment of new Boards of Trustees, improvement of the facilities, redefining its mission and objectives from glitter and glamour to the pursuit of "a Filipino national culture evolving with and for the people" and finally, partnership of other resident companies to CCP like the Philippine Ballet Theatre, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group and Tanghalang Pilipino.

A Call to Celebration!

Forty-three years of celebrating Philippine Arts and Culture. Forty-three years of Excellence and Fun. Cultural Center of the Philippines for these number of years, still stick to its Mission-Vision Statement in nurturing and promoting artistic excellence, Filipino aesthetics and identity, and positive cultural values towards humanistic global society. Bringing its artistic programmes and activities to the public and reaching out to Filipinos in the regions, CCP has become a tireless advocate for social change, and a place of beauty and sanctuary for rest and recreation. I was quite proud and happy that CCPs activities such as the yearly Festival that they celebrate have reached me and my colleagues. For as low as For as low as 20 pesos, we were able to see all we can from over a hundred performances from the nations different performing arts group: THE PASINAYA 2012: CCP OPEN HOUSE FESTIVAL.

Its More Fun in The CCP!

I never knew that February is the Philippines Arts Month. CCP has commemorated the end of this month through an open house festival, the Pasinaya known as "the largest multi-arts festival in the country involving almost 5,000 artists and 300 shows in a single day." Its really more fun in the CCP! For as low as twenty pesos, we were able to watch more than hundreds of performances from the nations different performing arts. More than two thousand artists from dance, music, theater, visual arts, literature and cinema took part in the festivities. They were led by the resident companies of the Cultural Center of the Philippines - the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the UST Symphony Orchestra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Tanghalang Pilipino, Bayanihan Philippines National Folk Dance Company, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Ballet Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theater and the winners of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists. Pasinaya 2012 highlighted the Dinagyang Festival peformed by the Tribu Lunok of Iloilo City National High School. Every possible venue at the CCP is used: theaters, lobbys, hallways, promenade areas, the alley beside the Production Design Center and are zoned according to the genres of music, theater, dance, film, literature, visual arts, children and family, variety and the artists market. We were so enticed to choose what venue to go because there are doors in all the corners. Among the performances that we have watched are the following:

The Highlight of Pasinaya 2012: DINAGYANG FESTIVAL

CCP has brought Dinagyang to Manila live in performance! It was my first time to see the Tribu Lunok of Iloilo City National High Schoo performing Dinagyang Festival and I felt I was really in Iloilo that time. With their world class performance, I was really perfectly speechless. hahaha

Theatre Zone (Kids Act)

This is our first destination and this performance is my most favourite because of the impressive children performers. Its like I was in Repertory Philippines that time. If I pay hundreds there, at CCP I just paid PhP 20.00 and I can still watch other kinds of performances.

The CPU Handbell Choir

With their peculiar performance, I felt like Im in the heaven because of the sweet sound their handbells create. I was actually beside my professor and she told me to close my eyes to feel more the music. But when I looked at her, shes taking a nap beside an old man. They looked like lovers their so we took pictures of them. We call that picture Beauty and the Beast. Hahahaha

The Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa

With the combination of ballet and interpretative dance, this performance made our mouth closed as and watched slowly their amazing body movements. I looked at every movement of the dancers and they all make a perfectly wonderful performance which gained resounding applause as they ended.

The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company

With their fascinating costumes,

movements and choreography, I felt the spirit of being a Filipino as they danced some traditional dances (with modern twists). They really deserved to be exposed and perform outside the country

If I am just living at Pasay, I wont mind going home late. HEHEHE Sad to say but we needed to leave. I wont forget sitting on the furry floors of CCP while waiting for the opening of the venues. Its a nice experience because all of us did the same. Its so hard to stand up waiting for a half an hour. But its worth it. The experience itself was worth the generous P20 donation, as it covers the entire day with unlimited access to different activities.

and Its Political, Social, and Cultural Impact

It is indeed grander to conclude that Philippine Arts Month is a festive. Pasinaya was all about that last 26th of February, 2012 in its seventh season. It brought Philippine artists all over the country in a celebration of music, dance, theater, visual, film, literary, workshops and a lot moreorganized by none other than the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I personally would want to visit CCP again for the next year if there is an opportunity. I will wait for the highlight that they will showcase for the next season. Really, Pasinaya 2012 is an eye opener, a tireless advocate for social change, a place of cultural peculiarity and beauty

and sanctuary for rest and recreation. Pasinaya 2012 has indeed left an impact politically, socially and culturally not only to me but to all its thousand viewers who graced the largest multi-arts festival in the country.

POLITICAL IMPACT
Whatever success the Pasinaya 2012 has reaped and will still reap for the next seasons is attributed to the foundations that it received from its conception to birth. As we can recall, Imelda Marcos, the wife of Ferdinand Marcos, initiated this. It was just a desire of Imelda for having a national theatre perhaps because she loves watching cultural performances. However, this was opposed by many like Ninoy Aquino because they used the fund of the government to build this without congressional appropriation and branded it as an institution for the elite while Gloria Macapagal Arroyo agreed to the statement of Ninoy when she said that the national theatre is imposing and elitist. However, due to changes, from the concept of elitist, the national theatre now known as CCP brought is programmes and activities to the public and to all regions of the country. CCP coordinates to the different local governments in relation to the events, outreach programs or other activities they will initiate. It was actually the first time that CCP has got in touch with the local government, hoping that itll be the start of tapping the regional local governments. This now will enhance and empower more the cooperation not only of the national but also local government in making the significant success of the history of CCP, of all Filipinos and of the country.

SOCIAL IMPACT
CCP has indeed become many things to Filipinos. Its not only an artistic institution, a champion of arts and artistic excellence but also an advocate of social change. CCP will tirelessly spread social changes now that they have reached not only the elitist but even the most important ordinary Filipinos.

CCP has been aiming in transforming lives of the Filipinos not only through this open house festival but also through reaching people personally hand in hand. The CCP has been supporting The Philippine High School for the Arts, government-run
secondary school for artistically gifted and talented children and adolescents. This institution implements a special secondary education curriculum and support programs committed to the conservation and promotion of the Filipino artistic and cultural traditions. In simple words, this serves as the training ground of those next generation artists who will also make the Filipinos and the Philippines proud.

Since 1977, PHSA strives to develop the expertise and potentials of its young artistsscholars, faculty, and staff as cultural workers dedicated to achieving the schools thrusts characterized by an unwavering pride in the Filipino people's artistic and cultural traditions. Aside from academic and artistic training, PHSA provides its students with opportunities to develop their social skills that will contribute to their development as artists for others. Outreach programs of CCP also gave way to social changes to the various Filipino people of different regions.

PANDAY KULTURA

Organizational Development Program Forum Series on Arts, Culture & Governance towards facilitating, building and strengthening linkage & cooperation between the artists, the local government and the private sectors.

KUTITAP

Isang Piging ng Kabataang Makasining The Filipino children celebrating arts, culture and traditions

The 2011 KUTITAP was re-designed for the benefit of the children who suffered from the heavy floods caused by typhoons Pedring and Quiel. The CCP Outreach & Exchange Division brought an Art for Healing Program in Hagonoy last Nov. 09 and Calumpit on NOv. 11. More than 800 kids ages 5 to 11 were treated to cultural performances and participated in theatrical activities focusing on the importance of good health, cleanliness and protecting Mother Earth! Our sincerest gratitude to all artists and performing groups who offered/shared their artistic talents to the children in Hagonoy & Calumpit Also, the CCP, through its Creative Industry programme, seeks to promote the artistic sector as a vibrant and vital contributor to the national economy. CCP wants the arts not only to focus on excellence and 'art for art's sake' but to be medium for advocacy to help change the lives of Filipinos.

CULTURAL IMPACT
Culture is a way of life and CCP made cultural life worth celebrating through its various activities programmes that aim to promote Filipino arts, culture and traditions. The Pasinaya 2012 Open House Festival alone was rich in artistic and cultural traditions which define us Filipinos that we are a race with unique things to be proud of. Indeed the CCP has The CCP has helped discover, support, train, and encourage Filipino artists. It has spurred the creation of, through its various programmes; a body of original Filipino works that help us define ourselves as a people and a nation. It has sought to democratize the arts in terms of access to arts - among all sectors in the Philippines society and geographically through the outreach programmes and Arts for the People Programme. Throughout the past 43 years, CCP has covered all provinces of the Philippines. It has been the leading artistic institution in the country in utilizing the power of arts for social transformation. Furthermore, it has been the catalyst for the creation of cutting edge works by young artists.

Celebrating Art! Celebrating Culture! Celebrating Life!

My strange feeling before going to CCP did not fail me and the PhP 20.00 pesos we paid for entrance fee, I think, was the most significant amount I have spent in my whole life. I never imagined myself watching all I want for just PhP 20.00 where in fact, each live performance, if watched in ordinary seasons, cost more than that. On the other hand, what I realized much is that we indeed have rich artistic and cultural traditions which the resident companies of CCP have shown. With this, I appreciated so much the tireless efforts of the board of trustees and the working committees behind the perfectly great success of Pasinaya 2012. It was my first time to watch it but I am hoping that its not the last. I would also like to thank our professor, Mrs. Salome M. Montemayor, for introducing this to us. Life is a culture and art worth celebrating! It is indeed more fun in the Philippines!