Jopay & other harvests

Even with the iconic main building and all its performance and exhibition venues closed for major refurbishing for at least two years, the Cultural Center of the Philippines has thankfully not stopped its artistic programs and creative endeavors. With the tagline of bringing the arts out of the building and into the streets, the CCP held last weekend the three-day Pasinaya2023 open house festival, on site and in person for the first time in three years, post-pandemic.

After a vegan (my first attempt at doing a fully non-meat menu) end of the 15-day Lunar New Year celebration (yes, we had tang yuan or sweet rice balls that is traditionally served on this day, which is the Lantern Festival) lunch, our gang headed to Roxas Blvd. to catch the final day of Pasinaya.

From the streets around the complex to the Front Lawn to the forested area (Liwasang Kalikasan) to the theater-in-the-street at Vicente Sotto to all the spaces in the new Black Box theater (Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez), dozens of events took place – from parades with marching bands and lanterns; music, dance and theater performances of all types; workshops galore, tiangges, puppet shows, animation, balagtasan involving artists and arts groups – professional, amateur, student – from all over the country, literally north to south, east to west. That’s certainly a mouthful, and indeed it was; fortunately, color-coded printed guides were issued daily to help the audience choose and navigate which events they wanted to join.

The guides served too as handy pamaypays (fans) and sun shades during the day when the clouds gave way to the blazing sun, and also as emergency call sign – the bright red backside of the 10”x10” guide noted: “In case of emergency, raise this side, our staff will come to your aid.” A big shout-out to the organizers, staff and volunteers for great planning and careful attention to such details.

Festival offerings went beyond the CCP complex, with the Paseo Museo or Museum Mile involving 13 museums around the area – from the National Museum to Fort Santiago, from museums in academic institutions (Adamson, College of St. Benilde, Philippine Women’s University) to the Maritime Museum and the Manila Clock Tower Museum (I wasn’t even aware of this museum; I must check it out soon), each with exhibits, performances and events scheduled. Shuttle buses were on hand to ferry the public around – for free.

As full and soul-filling as all these events were, what was most uplifting was the audience – thousands and thousands of mostly young people (there were a lot of strollers but I didn’t see any wheelchairs) filled the complex grounds, lining up for and watching shows, taking selfies, practising dance moves they probably just learned from the workshops, or just hanging around, enjoying the sun and the breeze and the open spaces. Some even had their pets in tow.

Our group of the not-so-young had to duck into the Black Box building for a cool respite after catching the PASP/ARDP dance performance at the Front Lawn in mid-afternoon; thank goodness for pamaypays and payongs (umbrellas)!

By 5:30 the sun had dipped behind the main building and the lawn was a pleasant space with a nice cool breeze. The stands and grounds were by then packed for the People’s Gala at 6:30. We joined National Artists Ricky Lee (film) and Alice Reyes (dance) in the audience; we had to move aside to avoid being photo bombers for the many pa-picture requests with these celebrities.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra started the show with an overture (Syudad by Von de Guzman), then the Banda Betis took over, with the audience enthusiastically joining in, singing along and waving their lit cell phones, when they played Jopay. I noticed our non-bagets row was the only one not singing along; I had to ask a bagets near me what it was – “Naku, trending yan ngayon sa mga bagets!” he exclaimed. I eventually found out Jopay was a Sexbomb dancer for whom the song was composed by Mayonnaise in 2004 – incidentally, the year Pasinaya started – and now revived thanks to Tiktok. You really learn something new every day.

Tanghalang Pilipino’s blockbuster Anak Datu, Ramon Obusan Group’s Kadal Tahu and Karatong, National Artist Agnes Locsin’s haunting pas de deux Elias at Salome and a closing overture of Philippine folk songs by the PPO closed a wonderful show and a most successful festival.

“See all you can. Workshop all you can. Network all you can. Pay what you can” (or even not at all) was what Pasinaya was all about. With over 3,000 participating artists in over 75 shows, Pasinaya2023 was a true break-out of the arts – Piglas Sining as this year’s theme went. This only proves and affirms that arts do matter in the life of the people, and that people matter in and to the arts.

Not just in its concert halls and theaters but out in the streets, on the lawns, among the trees, in the parking lots – that is where the CCP finds its audiences and fulfills its reason for being. Next year, Pasinaya will also be held in Mindanao, even as more venues will be added and more partnerships will be forged with groups and establishments around Metro Manila.

How I wish our government officials – legislators, members of the Cabinet and the bureaucracy, educators, arts administrators and especially those who hold and control the funding – had come to witness and enjoy this experience of art alive and kicking – dancing and singing, too – in the life of the people.

Pasinaya is a Tagalog word for the beginning of a harvest; the CCP’s Pasinaya is a continuing harvest of the arts and creative endeavors – and oh, what an abundant and rich harvest it is indeed!