Written by Nicanor G. Tiongson
Directed by Soxie Topacio
July 17-19, 24-26, 31, August 1-2, 7-9, 2009
10am and 3pm
Rates:
Walk-in : P300.00
Blockbuyer: P250.00 (minimum of 50 tickets)
If Jose Rizal had written his two novels today, what issues would he raise? Who would Ibarra and Maria Clara be? How would he have portrayed the villains Fray Salvi and Fray Damaso? Who would be the equivalent of Elias, Pilosopong Tasio, Basilio, Isagani, and Padre Florentino?
Would he have ended his second novel the way he did in 1891? Inspired by the national hero’s powerful critique of the “social cancer” festering in the very heart of late 19th century Filipinas, this modern play with humility and concern reflects on the “reign of greed” in contemporary Philippine society. It seeks to underscore the continuing relevance of Rizal’s characters and the validity of his social analysis today. But it also highlights the differences in the conditions of the 19th century and those of our time.
An idealistic but naïve Ibarra Marasigan, the newly-elected mayor of Maypajo town in the province of San Lorenzo in Southern Tagalog, decides to put a final stop to the deforestation of the Sierra Madre. The logging operations continue in spite of the total log ban imposed by the national government after the floods of 2002, which killed 3000 citizens and destroyed more than 200 houses. He finds loyal support for this cause in Fr. Ino, parish priest of Maypajo, Mr. Atanacio, the principal of Maypajo High School, Kapitan Badong, the present chief of all barangay chairmen in Maypajo, and, most of all, Clarissa Santos, his childhood sweetheart and now fiancé. The latter, with the help of Basilio and Isagani, develops alternative livelihoods for logging-dependent families. But as Mayor Ibarra makes more vigorous moves against deforestation, he uncovers the whole web of corruption which implicates his future father-in-law and godfather Governor Santiago Santos, Provincial Commander Colonel Salvador (Salvi) Salvatierra, and Monsignor Damaso, bishop of the newly-established diocese of San Lorenzo. Against the advice of his supporters, the irascible and impatient Ibarra prematurely confronts the forces of corruption and is easily crushed by them. He is removed from office by “people power”, his fiancé is blackmailed into marrying Salvi, and his childhood friend Kumander Elias of the National Liberation Army dies while covering Ibarra’s escape from prison.
Three years after, Ibarra has risen to the leadership of the NLA. Now feared as Kumander Simon, he leads personal, punitive attacks against the individuals who caused his downfall as mayor of Maypajo. Meanwhile, Basilio and Isagani, whom Ibarra’s late father had sent to college and who initially helped Ibarra in his anti-deforestation campaign, have now come into their own. Realizing that real change cannot come from leaders alone but from the citizens themselves and that without inner change “the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow,” Basilio and his fiancé Juli have established and now manage a very successful cooperative in Maypajo funded by OFW’s like themselves, which does not only empower farmers economically but helps to transform their values as well. For his part, Isagani, with moral support from his rich girlfriend Paulita, has founded and now edits a community newspaper in Maypajo which exposes corruption and combats logging. Both friends no longer believe in Ibarra as Kumander Simon. But still the latter is able to blackmail Basilio into joining an operation to eliminate Salvi and “liberate” Clarissa. The operation fails, with tragic results for Simon’s comrades, when Simon is frozen by despair after he learns of Clarissa’s death at the hands of Salvi. Simon is then exposed by the principled Kumander Sally as an opportunist and counterrevolutionary. Expelled from the NLA, Simon and his handful of loyalists plan his final revenge which will happen during the grand wedding reception of the tragic Paulita in the Bishop’s palace. Although Simon is able to kill Salvi, plans go awry again and Simon himself is shot while trying to escape. The wounded Simon seeks refuge in the cave of his and Elias’ childhood, where he prepares himself for death with the help of Father Ino.
In the epilogue, the main characters of the play, in body or in soul, scatter the ashes of Simon to the air, the waters, and the earth, hoping that every Filipino will assume the responsibility of effecting inner transformation even as they combat the evils of their society. In the final song, the characters pray that every Filipino will discover his or her own burning light and let this shine out bravely, so that the forces of darkness and greed may be banished from themselves and their land.
Dates available for booking of mobile presentations:
August to November 2009