Press Release
March 2, 2008

ANGARA HAILS CULTURE AS RP'S "TRUEST WEALTH"

Senator Edgardo J. Angara participated last Friday at the final run of Komedya Fiesta 2008, a cultural festival organized by the University of the Philippines College of Arts and Letters (CAL). Angara was hailed the event's hermano mayor for his support of the grand event that seeks to revive a theater form that has been performed for over three centuries.

"Amidst the great divisiveness gripping our nation, this festival is a way of affirming our identity and celebrating our country's rich heritage - one of our truest wealth as a people," said Angara.

Virgilio Almario, national artist for literature and dean of the UP CAL, led the organization of Komedya Fiesta, which featured comedia performances, an exhibition, an international conference and colloquium aimed at "promoting Philippine cultural expressions that unite us as a people."

"We should not slide into cultural vacuity and mediocrity," said Angara of the importance of events highlighting Filipino culture. "Culture defines our national identity, and mirrors and shapes our values, beliefs and aspirations as a people. It gives us humanness. It is, therefore, plain good sense to preserve and conserve our historical and cultural heritage to prevent cultural bankruptcy."

The festival recaptured the spirit of the komedya not only through performances of komedya groups from all over the country, but also through balagtasan and serenata ng bayan, which were popular up to the 60s. There were also traditional peryas with walkers, jugglers, fire eaters, higantes and mime performances.

Angara's enthusiasm to take part in this cultural revival is a confluence of several factors: he was once president of UP; he has authored and sponsored several laws on the promotion of arts and culture including the laws creating the National Museum, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Natatanging Manlilikha Award which bestows honor on the Filipino folk and traditional artists; and he currently chairs the UP Centennial Commission which raised P5 billion for the University.

Komedya, a play in verse of three or more parts, has common themes of strife between Muslims and Christians, the lives of saints, and the quest for love and honor - all infused with color and pageantry, choreographed fighting, delivery of verses and stylized movements. The great Francisco Balagtas wrote two komedya, Orosman at Zafira and Mahomet at Constanza - love stories set in tribal wars, betrayal and conflict.

Today, only six active theater groups scattered across the country perform the komedya.

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