PAMANA: a docu-musical tribute to NInoy and Cory Aquino A REACTION PAPER

Photo coutesy ng PETA

I.                    Title of the Play

The play as entitled Pamana (Heirloom is a special tribute to the late Senator Benigno ‘’

“Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and to his wife, the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

As what the title itself suggests, it is all about the heirlooms of the two democracy icons in establishing a stronger and freer republic. It enlist the vast amount of contribution the two had made in instilling nationalism in our hearts and of how the values itself, as heirlooms, can be used in the future of the country

II.                  Genre

The genre is a docu- musical, meaning, it showcases documentaries of the past, some important points of history and a collection of facts that makes it aside from being a source of entertainment, it do also serves as a history teller as well.

Yes, it is musical. The show features original songs inserted in every scene that will clearly emphasize its thought. Solos, duets, chorals and even dance choreographies are gloriously pitched throughout the play.

III.                Time and Place

The wat6ching experience is awesome. The time allotted for the play is just right to relax after a busy day. Just simple and is short, not too late for a student like me and not too early as well.

Meralco Theater truly is a really nice place. From the security, accommodators, ushers, and usherettes and even the building work hand in hand for the smooth flow of the program. The most important is, I get comfortable and Miracle Theater gives this majestic watching experience.

IV.                Playwright

The play actually features three generation: past, the present and the modern generation.

The writer, Rody Vera, made it well of how dialogues differ between each generation. The language of the Martial Law, makes it differ from the language of the freer period and is barely different with the ways of the folks, OFW’s and of the cyber generation. The lines made its moods clear, the anger of the activists, the sorrow of a widow, and the longing of a youth.

V.                  Directions

Stage directors Maribel Legarda and Melvin Lee did a fine job in directing Pamana. The play, though lacking of elaborate props, did a simple yet a great spectacle. The stage is organized conquered by the actors and actresses. But the most important point in their directions, message is clearly conveyed and that is success.

VI.                Production

The production is not that really elaborates but is simple as I think it is of what the theme requires. The props are limited but that makes it simple and is, beautiful.

Costumes are just right as it features the fashion of Martial Law and the Post Democratic period of our government. Everything is just right as of what the play needs in order to be justified. Executive Producer Jun Reyes, together with his team added these background videos along with the spectacle. The documentary stuff made it easy to tell the story.

VII.              Musical Scoring

This is a musicale and as expected that it must be a great musical experience. Composers Ryan Cayabyab and Manoling Francisco S.J., two of the country’s great musical pioneers, impacted much on the show as they feature the musicality of OPM.

Singers did well in giving justice on each masterpiece. Everyone deserves a round of applause.

VIII.            The story flow

The story is as great as of how smooth it tells itself and of how it justified the heirlooms of the two.

The play started in the presentation of a short glimpse of history creatively and uniquely showed by monologues of LOLA Ason and Trina. It is based as of how the two are engaged in the historic events.

Lola Aon, a street sweeper, gets mad of activists as they lavishly leave garbages after their programs during the Marcos dictatorship. And being a “tukayo” of the late President, she represented the portion of Filipinos that are greatly affected and moved by nationalism as urged by her husband, Turo.

“Trina”, a teenager, grandchild of Lola Ason, has not witnessed those stuffs but is greatly affected by his Lola and of when she witnessed the death of Cory.

The first part explicitly narrated the two eras simultaneously in their own view of history.

The next part is the Post-Cory era where corruption and poverty arises. Edgar, Trina’s father, moved to Switzerland as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in his belief that there’s no more hope in Philippines.

His father urged Trina and Lola Ason to go with him. But Lola Ason disagrees and reasoned out that she will better die in Philippines than to leave his country.

Ason died and Trina was pushed by his father but he refused strongly for she believes on her future here at Philippines and the country itself has this future brought by the heirlooms of Ninoy and Cory.

IX.                Symbolisms

The characters in the poem signify something.

Lola Ason depicts the living fervor of nationalism and love of country as cause by Ninoy and Cory

The death of her is an imagery of the death of the generation that signifies democracy.

Turo, her husband, defines the urge in our hearts to fight for freedom as of how Turo encouraged Lola Ason.

Edgar signifies the lost of the fire because of widespread corruption and temptations of poverty. He may be a sort of breeze that stops the fervor burning.

Trina, as a young people, is the symbol of candle rekindling that even without Ninoy and Cory with us, but with their heirlooms instilled in every Filipinos, there is still hope for the country.

Trina’s move to oppose his father is the rekindling of the fire to set up his own stride to continue the walk toward national progress and to still believe that there still hopes for the Philippines.

X.                          Best Performances

Lola Ason depicter got the greatest cheer from the crowd because of her great acting prowess. She has this pristine brightness in giving life on numerous monologues in the play and her character as an inspiring grandmother really touch the heart of her audiences.

XI.                        Lights and Sounds

The scoring of music in every scene is just enough and is creative. The mood and emotional drive in each scene was clearly emphasized and greatly accentuated by the music.

The lights ability to settle the mood of the audience has been perfectly done by the technical staff. Though, therewere some glitches that are quite distracting, over-all, executions, application of each sound effects and light maneuvers was planned greatly.

XII.                     Social Relevance

Ninoy and Cory alone cannot change the nation but with their heirlooms from them imbibed in the hearts of every Filipinos, we can achieve our national goals and aspirations. Greatly shown by of how People Power Revolution was executed to achieve democracy out of dictatorship.

This is the soul of their legacy, and this justifies their dream of having a society with its people helping themselves and striving hard to modify their community to became an ideal society.

This has never been an impossible dream. People Power Revolution had made it before just by a text message that rekindles the fire of the Filipino people.

And to solve today’s dilemmas, there will be no more text message that will remind our social responsibility on our society. It was already passed on by an heirloom. All we need to do is to set our hearts on fire and let the fervor burning.

XIII.                   Recommendations

As a recommendation, extend this stage play to other school and universities so as to the young generation will greatly realize as of how great they had done in building this modern-day society.

Pamana-----a docu-tribute to Ninoy and Cory (review)

 Ninoy and Cory alone cannot change the nation but with their heirlooms for the generation imbibed in every hearts...no doubt, we can achieved our national goals and aspirations... They have done it before during the People Power Revolution,, so do we? ------------excerpt from my reaction paper...

Isa akong ALIEN!!!

Noong una'y akala ko iyon ay para lamang sa mga aanga-anga,
akala ko'y iyon ay para sa mga eengot -engot sa kalsada,
sa mga mayayaman at matitinding mamustura,
di ko alam na isa pala akong ALIENG naligaw sa Maynila.

Sa aking pagtahak sa mataong landas ng Pureza
tungo sa kolehiyong aking sinisinta,
ang sementadong kalsadang akala ko'y ligtas na tulad sa Valenzuela
ay isa rin palang huwad na Rectong nagkukubli sa mata ng balana.

Pagdaong ng aking paa sa kolehiyo
hinanap ko ang aking slim phone,
di ko ito makita...
binaligtad ko ang loob ng aking bag,
ang dormitoryo, ang mga kahon, ang kabinet,
ngunit wala akong makita....
kahit anong pilit.

Di ko na siguro kaya pang mapagtakpan
na ako'y naisahan,
na ako'y nanakawan
nabiktima ng mga isnatser na naglipana sa lansangan.

Isa ako sa mga aanga-anga
kabilang sa mga eengot-engot
hindi naman mukhang mayaman
pero isang ALIENG naligaw sa Kamaynilaan.

Totoo ngang sila'y naglipana
wala na silang takot,
di lang sa D.Jose,
sa buong Maynila sila'y kilabot.

Sa araw-araw kong pagtahak sa buhay na pasikot ng Pureza
marahil isa sila sa aking nakakabangga,nakikita sa tuwi-tuwina,
di ko sila kilala, di ko alam kung nasaan sila

Isa lamang ang alam ko.... ginawa nila akong ALIENG naligaw sa Maynila.

Alam mo na ba ang Gagawin mo Matapos Basahin Ito?- Marc Ace B. Palaganas

Mabilis ang paggalaw ng mga kamay ng orasan. Mabilis ang paglipas ng bawat Segundo, minute, oras, araw, buwan at taon. Hindi mo namamalayan ang paglisan ng panahon. Mahirap itong habulin.

Sa dami n gating dapat gawin, may panahon ka pa bas a lahat ng bagay? Mahirap na may makalimutan o makaligtaan. Sapagkat hindi na maibabalik ang nakalipas na pagkakataon.

Sa ganitong sitwasyon, malaki ang maitutulong ng malaking kaalaman sa pag-badyet ng oras o Time Management.

Sa ating mga mag-aaral, malaki ang maitutulong nito sapagkat naituturo nito ang tamang paggamit ng at ang pag-iwas sa pagka-gasta nito sa di makabuluhang bagay. Marami tayong dapat pagtuunan at sa tulong nito, magiging produktibo tayo sa bawat sandali ng buhay.

Isang magandang halimbawa nito ang paggawa ng Time-Table. Isulat ang oras at Gawain na naaayon sa isang buong araw. Maglagay ng oras para kumain, matulog, at magpahinga. Siguruhing walang makaliligtaang Gawain.

Sa paggamit nito ay marapat na walang makaliligtaang Gawain. Disiplina sa sarili ang kailangan. Matutong tumigil kung Time’s up na. matutong kumilos hangga’t may oras pa. sulitin ang bawat sandal.

Ang Time Management ay isang disiplinang bilang mag-aaral ay dapat nating matutunan.tinuturuan tayo nito sa paghawak n gating oras, hinuhubog tayo upang maging produktibong tao at higit sa lahat, DISIPLINADO.

Imulat mo ang Iyong Mata, Kabataan- Marc Ace B. Palaganas

Malamig… hagupit ng bagyo’y humahampas sa buong kamaynilaan. Masarap mamaluktot,magbalot sa kumot, kahit anong ingay ay wala akong pakialam… tilaok ng manok, tunog ng alarm clock ,boses ni inay, kulog ng kidlat, tikatik ng ulan sa yero. Maingay ang paligid…pero ayoko munang imulat ang aking mga mata.
Pagmulat… mahirap ngang imulat ang mata mula sa pagkahirati sa matagal na pagkakahimbing. Masarap matulog, mabuting huwag na lamang makialam sa anumang nangyayari sa paligid. Mabuting wala na lang alam, iyang ang lagi kong sambit. Mabuting huwag na lamang makisangkot sa kasalimuutan ng buhay sa daigdig.
Social awareness… pagkamulat ng mata ng lipunan. Isang bagay na kinalimutan ng mga musmos na kaisipan. Tila ata’t di bahagi ng lipunan. Kabataang inaakalang pag-asa ng baan. Pag-asa nga bang maituturing kung inosente’t walang malay sa ginagalawang kapaligiran?
Sa mabilis na pag-inog ng mundo, dumating na rin ang iba’t-iba at sari-saring mga pagbabago. Suliraning nagpabago sa ikot nito at siyang nagpabaligtad sa agos ng buhay. Araw- araw tayong ginigising ng mga problemang nagpangiwi sa bawat umaga. Kabataan ngayon ay nasasangkot maging sa patayan, nakawan, terorismo at marami pang uri ng krimen na di mo aakalaing kaya nating mga kaabataan.
“Bilang isang mag-aaral, ang magagawa mo para mabago ang mundo?”, isang tanong na nagbuhat mula sa labi ng aking guro sa Araling Panlipunan. Tumibok ng mabilis ang aking dibdib. Kinabahan ako. Walang anu-ano’y nasambit ko ang katagang social awareness. Hindi ko alam kung paano pero ang talagang tanong na naglaro sa isip ko, alam ko ba tlaga ang sinasabi ko?
“ Huwag na tayong lumayo”. Ito ang mga huling katagang namutawi sa aking mga labi. Sa puntong ito’y naganap ang isang pagbabago sa aking buhay. Nabuksan ang aking mga mata, mata na noo’y ayaw kong idilat, na sa di kaginsa-ginsa’y namulat.
Ang puso ko’y gusting lumukso, tumalon, su mabog, gusting kumilos, gumalaw, gumawa ng pagbabago. Isang tanong ang lumikha ng pag-aalinlangan sa aking naisin… Ano naman ang magagawa ko?
Sa mga maliliit na gawa, nagsisimula ang pagbabago, totoo…isang dramatikong pagbabago. Pagbabagong hindi lamang nagbubuhat sa kamay ng iilan, sa pag-iisip ng isang tao o sa pakana ng piling-pili o mga natatangi.
Tunay na maliliit lamang ang kamay ng kabataan. Taglay nga’y maliliit na tinig at kapangyarihan. Isang katotohanang likas na nagaganap. Hindi it marapat na maging isang hadlang, sa halip, maging kalakasan. Ang pinagsama-samang kamay ay makapagdudulot ng mas malaking pwersa, pwersang makapagdudulot ng pagbabago, pagbabagong magdadala sa inaasam na klase ng pamumuhay… matiwasay at mapayapa.
Ito na ang tamang panahon… panahon ng pagkamulat. Panahon ng paggising sa natutulog na diwa ng kabataan. Ang ingay ng kapaligiran ay nakabibingi. Sabay-sabay alisin ang talukbong, iunat ang mga baluktot at nanlalamig na paa’t kamay, imulat ang mata sa isang umaga ng pakikibaka at pakikisangkot. Tayo ay humanda sa nagbabadyang…PAGBABAGO.

Without Pork Barrel

There will be no more other Napoles,
There will be no more other thieves to be subjected to citizen arrest,
There will be no more temptations,
There will be no more other reasons to commit a crime.

There will be no more other crocodiles
Lolong had passed away so as do this sorts of legislators,
There will be no more other lost funds,
There will be no more other treasure chest filled with money withdrawn from the nation's cabinet.

There will be no more scams,
There will be no more other  Solon getting fluff,
There will be no more jingling pockets,
lesser news, lesser TV exposure.

Legislators will legislate, will make finer laws and not projects exec. branch are ought to do,
There will be no more other congress people having faces printed on tarpaulins,
There will be no more other "suhol", "lagay" and sorts of enveloped gifts,
There will be lesser corruption
.
.
if and only if...
There will be no more pork that will sustain the life of these abusive lawmakers

MARC ACE : defined

God never committed a mistake in His process of creating Humans. But in contrast of that truth, we often insist that nobody is perfect. This may sound confusing. However, the being that will be featured in this essay may not be the ideal, or the perfect, but one thing is for sure, God made him great.


M- an of 5 ft. I know God never lacks of materials in building my physique. Yes, I’m short, is that a big deal? Small are terrible, as an old adage suggest, but let’s face the reality, I’m always underestimated. They just don’t know how huge the giant existing inside of me is.

A-ce of the crowd. As a citizen of the country, a resident of Valenzuela and now a student of P.U.P., I will never stop exercising my gift of shepherding. Leading them as a leader designed like a servant.

Me, Myself and I

R- izal’s son- In Bob Ong’s taxonomy of students, I can classify myself in this category. He said, “ they are endangered species, straight “A” students, but well- rounded not geeks, teacher’s pets but are not suckers, king of math, science and English ( omit the math) but never lacks time on extra-curricular activities and some sort of gimmicks” [translated].

C-hristian faith- based. As an individual, I make sure I will not chase from God the pen as He writes my auto-biography. I really enjoy portraying the role of Marc Ace and His passion really delights me.

A-chiever., I really desire to fulfill many things but the longest term of all my goals is to be a broadcast journalist. Honestly, my first plans is to be a student of Broadcast Communication, but because of the major twist given by PUP’s deadly slot cut-offs, I was redirected in this program. However, they sound parallel. I have no more choices, God has written.

C-amaraderie and peer collector. The best citation I treasure is the “Most Sociable” award, I consider it better than numerous academic and extra-curricular awards I had received.

E-xcellent. I see myself as an asset of excellence in the field of broadcast journalism. I will never stop learning and will continue committing my life with my wife, my pen and in my another woman, my skills.

This acrostic sounds so very traditional but this just show how I define myself as God sees me, and of how this name will mark an ace in the industry of journalism.

Clear our paths by Marc Ace B. Palaganas, journalism student, PUP

“Clearing the paths while laying new foundations to transform the Polytechnic University of the Philippines into an epistemic community.”Well, that is an excerpt from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ vision as the country’s premier state university.
In my daily pace as a student of PUP, especially of the College of Communication, I am used with the messy pavement that welcomes me as I walked through the path toward my college. Pureza Ext. has always been a very busy street letting thousands of people from different walks of life pass through it.
Along with that are those sort of cycles; bicycle, tricycle and even pedicab running through the cement, along with vendors comprising its length. The not-that -wide way was shrank smaller because of those queues made by cars parked along the sidewalk. And the most irritating of all, dredging operations and rehabilitation done whenever it is rainy days
With those( these are just few of those), Pureza carry this heavy burden having narrowed pathways not because of how urban planners made it but because of those messy decorations brought by add-ons lavishly put along the way.
One incident I had experienced (this is just one of those), a tricycle bumped my leg hastily and it is all because of the lost of sidewalks and portions of the roads not even fitted to cater two lanes.
The problem brought by these mess, aside from the heaviness, is the accidents made by bumping incidents happening between a man to a vehicle, to an object, to wild animals( and their poof), and even to another man. This has always been the problem.
Monumento is another case. This one is a sort of a portable “tiangge” (bargain stores of pirated materials), composing the supposedly wide sidewalks toward the monument of Bonifacio.
But at one time, when I got off the LRT station, I was surprised with new scenery that welcomed me. A clearer view of the Liwasan, clear sidewalks and finally, I get rid of the messy pavement, the garbage brought by the vendors, damp, bumping bodies and noisy vendors.
It was like refreshing scenery.
But the next day, portable is portable, the real Monumento is back. This scenario is not just evident with these two stated streets but also along the secondary roads webbing through the Metropolis.
These road spacers are mere distraction. We must see this dirt strolling down our major streets. And of how many times we are blocked by those disturbances and inconvenience, been caught with accidents or worst, heavy traffic, we must act for clear roads and safe sidewalks.
If the government really wants to ease the traffic, lessen road accidents, diminish crimes like snatching and stealing and promote tourism as well, they must enforce the law concerning it.
Clear our paths, for sure, development and progress will never get unclogged.