DUPB honors Dulag, Kalinga in performance

Dulaang UP Baguio (DUPB) presented their second act in a three-part-series titled “Kaigorotan, Lumaban!” on Thursday, February 20 at the UPB Powerhouse and Oblation Grounds.

The performance depicted how the Kalinga province resisted the Chico Dam Project or the power generation project of the former President Ferdinand Marcos.

This depiction was in honor of Macli-ing Dulag, who led the resistance of the project and was assassinated in 1980.

Head of DUPB Benjamin Meamo III emphasized the importance of having performances viewed by the public on the struggles of people especially in the Cordillera.

“Maganda na nagpapalabas ng mga ganitong bagay para mas mamulat pa’yung mga estudyanteng hindi ‘rin namuhay nung mga panahon na iyon, para mabigyan sila kumbaga ng perspective,” Meamo said.

(It is good to perform these kinds of performances to educate, to bring awareness and to give perspectives to students who were not able to witness such events.)

Novie Grace Jayme, DUPB’s Director and Musical Director clarified that what DUPB has been doing every Thursday was not a play, but a performance that brings awareness to its audience.

“Hindi siya formal na play na kailangan mong magbayad ng ticket para panoorin ‘to. Dumadaan ka lang pwede ka manood saglit, dumadaan ka lang saglit pwede kang may mapulot na aral, pwede kang may mapulot na historical fact or may idea ka sa kaganapan noon,” Jayme clarified.

(It’s not a formal play where you buy tickets to be able to watch the performance. If you drop by for a moment, you can watch the performance and learn historical facts and ideas of the events in the past.)

DUPB ended their performance with two songs: “Panaglagip” (Pag-alala) which has lyrics that stem from the struggles of the Cordillera and “Bumangon Tay' Amin” (Tumindig Tayong Lahat), a song about how the unity of the different sectors of society can bring change to the current system.

DUPB will perform their last act on Thursday, February 27, commemorating the anniversary of the EDSA Revolution.

By: Jaira Palpallatoc