Our last project visit is The Philippine Educational Theatre Association and luckily they are performing today. PETA work in the Philippines and in Asia, using theatre as an educational tool.
Their play, written by Vincent de Jesus, who also composed the music, is called ‘Juan Tamad, the Devil and the 5 million votes’. The stylish and modern theatre was packed full of schoolchildren aged from 11 upwards. The point of the play is civic engagement and it is beautifully done in the style of a Filipino vaudeville cabaret.
Juan Tamad is a classic Filipino character (Tamad=Lazy). In the course of the play, he becomes transformed to Tama which means ‘upright’. He grows from being disengaged to realising that not only has he a part to play in the country’s political process, but also that ‘leaders may come and go’ but the community stays on. Interlaced with lively and catchy songs and dancing, the young audience is rapt and even we, who are not privy to the Tagalog moments (there are some English bits, in fact it is in Taglish) are pretty rapt. I loved it and I loved the energy and passion that went into it. If all the schools in the country could see this, then maybe there would be those 5 million voters in this May’s election.
It is interesting to end on this note, as it is clear that there is much work to be done in the Philippines, much good will, much talent, amazing and clever organisations pulling their weight, but without proper government backing, without policies that work, without government funding, it will continue to be an uphill struggle.
Tags: Juan Tamad, Philippine Educational Theatre Association, Tagalog, Vincent de Jesus
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