Human Rights on spotlight in January 2018 cultural activities
Date Posted: February 1, 2018 at 02:27 PM
Human Rights and other prevailing social issues became the highlight of the Cultural Affairs Office’s set of cultural activities scheduled for January 2018. Consisting of a musical and two films, the performance and screenings were held at the Adamson University Theater last January 23-25.
On the first day, a remake of Bonifacio Ilagan’s masterpiece Pagsambang Bayan, performed by Tag-Ani Performing Arts Society, made its way to the Adamson University theater stage. Pagsambang Bayan is a 1977 stage play written by Bonifacio Ilagan during the Martial Law era in the Philippines. This remake is now a musical and is directed by the award-winning director Joel Lamangan. This play talked about the atrocities and human rights violations that emerged during the Martial Law years and the succeeding incidents such as the Hacienda Luisita and Mendiola massacres. Pagsambang Bayan resembles a Eucharistic celebration and each bible verse is related to the problem discussed.
Following the stage play were two internationally acclaimed movies titled EJK and Broken Hallelujah, both directed by Roland Sanchez. EJK stars Mon Confiado, Leon Miguel, Felix Roco, Thaddeus Durano Jr., Sarah Patricia Gill, Federico Leop and Alvin Maghanoy and deals with the current administration’s drug war and the controversial extra judicial killings of suspected drug users and pushers.
On the other hand, Broken Halleujah takes on the issue of modern-day slavery and the prevailing problem of human trafficking. Starring Eliza Pineda, Kyline Alcantara, Rob Sy, Bani Baldisseri, Sarah Patricia Gill, Jun Nayra, Kate Brios, federico Leop, Alvin Maghanoy, Jon Boyet Romano, Jef Gaitan, and Deniece Cornejo, this film won several international awards for its outstanding depiction of the inhumane and violent world of human trafficking.
