DUPB performs "Ang mga Kabataang Makabayan" for Arts Month celebration

Dulaang UP Baguio (DUPB) performed their first act titled "Ang mga Kabataang Makabayan" (The Patriotic Youth) Thursday, February 13 at the UPB Powerhouse. This was in line with then celebration of arts month. The said performance was also a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the First Quarter Storm (FQS).

"Ang mga Kabataang Makabayan" was the first of the three-part series that tackles the societal issues before the martial law. "Dito tinackle nila yung issues nung panahon noon na nakikita pa rin ngayon like for example yung price hike, presyo ng gasolina, pati yung pangdadahas sa mga aktibista," stage manager, Sofia Vinuya said.

(The first act tackled the issues that are still prevalent until today. For example, issues of price hike, oil prices hike, and red tagging of activists.)

The Committee in Culture & the Arts (CCA) asked the institution to prepare performance in accordance with the celebration of the Arts Month. Vinuya mentioned that the piece was selected for the upcoming anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on the 25th.

"Sabi lang nila mag-prepare ng performance since timely naman siya ito nalang yung pinili naming piece," Vinuya pointed out.

(They only asked us to prepare a performance and since it was timely, this was the piece we have chosen.)

On the Commemoration of the First Quarter Storm

The cast of DUPB played the roles of student activists during the Marcos regime as they prepare for a picket addressing different societal issues.

Angela Estrada who played the role of Carol, a sophomore activist in charge of making the placards, believed that it was important to remind the people today that we must rise and fight just like how the activists fought back then.

“Kailangan magpalabas ng mga ganito upang mamulat ang masa sa mga tunay na nangyari noon, maipakita ang mga isyu na kinaharap noong panahon ng 70’s sa pamumuno ni Marcos, at ipaalala sa mga tao na dapat pa rin tayong tumindig at lumaban ngayon tulad ng paglaban ng mga aktibista noon. Dahil ang mga kinaharap nilang mga suliranin ay hindi naman nalalayo sa mga problemang hinaharap natin sa kasalukuyang administrasyon,” Estrada said.

(We need these kinds of performances in order to make the masses aware of the real events of the past, reveal the issues faced by the people under the leadership of Marcos during the 70’s, and to remind the people that we must rise and fight today just as how the activists fought then. Because the problems they faced do not go far beyond the problems we are facing today.)

DUPB members singing 'Ang Masa'. From left to right: Ingrid Esquilla, Anggelica Asinas, Angela Estrada, Fiona Advincula and Rostum Alanas. Photo credits to Jovel Rivera

Denise Jamias, the Vice-chairperson for Externals of Innabuyog-Gabriela Youth UP Baguio, emphasized the importance of having these kinds of performances. She mentioned that what the people are experiencing now was not different from the tactics to repress freedom before. “Importante syempre yung mga pagtatanghal ng DUPB na ganon kasi not everyone in UP naman eh may knowledge about it kahit na may History 1 kasi ‘diba pinasadahan lang naman natin and yung pang-masa na arts or theater isa sya sa mga reachable or accessible na platforms or avenue para ma-tackle yung mga ganitong issues para mapalawig yung diskusyon about it. Tsaka di naman nalalayo yung nararanasan ngayon sa dati kasi very same pa rin yung tactics ng estado sa pag-atake sa academic freedom or freedom in general,” she affirmed.

(DUPB performances such as this one are important as not everyone in UP is knowledgeable about it although we have History 1 as a subject, the discussion was simplified.  Also, the arts or theater for the masses is one of the reachable or accessible platforms or avenues on tackling issues like these which paved the way for a more profound discussion. More so, what the people are experiencing now is not different from the tactics of the state to repress academic freedom or freedom in general before.)

Jamias added that the FQS was a series of protests and rallies in the first quarter of the 1970's where students, specifically Kabataang Makabayan, were at the forefront. The protests tackled the worsening conditions like inflation and the Marcos constitutional conventions.

DUPB’s series of performances will proceed until February 25, the anniversary of the EDSA People Revolution. The final part of the series is scheduled to happen on February 27 at the Teatro Amianan.