When I was young and 25

It was 1992, I was just a quarter of a century, and the President was Fidel V. Ramos. During his term, the Philippines was dubbed “Tiger Cub of Asia.” However, it was also the year that strong storms visited the country. The roaring Asian cub became a purring kitten, cold and wet, every time Mother Nature unleashed its wrath.

Three prominent figures hogged the headlines that year. First Lady Ming Ramos, with her clean and green campaign that led to the beautification of open spaces in Manila, the cleaning of Pasig River, and the sprucing up of Mehan Garden and the establishment of Arroceros Forest Park, considered as one of the remaining “lungs” of the congested, polluted and populated City of Man, the other lung of course, Luneta Park.

Dubbed by his followers and supporters as the First Bakla then, Ricky Reyes, who received support from FL Ming, rolled out the “Isang Gunting, Isang Suklay” caravan that changed the lives of many gay men and women who were in financially challenged situations. Reyes and his battalion of glamor technicians taught and trained thousands to learn the basics of hair cutting, coloring, perming, makeup and all things that make one look and feel beautiful, from head to toe, inside and out.

The other lady of prominence, without doubt, was Rosario “Baby” Arenas. She was a socialite and patroness of the arts. This former Blue Lady brought Luciano Pavarotti to have a concert held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), which happened two years after 1992.

If we are to believe the news that circled and swirled about Madame Arenas, her label as “First Baby” need not be explained.

Pop goes the world

In 1992, the biggest song was Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” produced by David Foster, the main love anthem of The Body Guard where the pop star starred opposite Kevin Costner. It stayed for 14 weeks at the US Billboard charts, was awarded Grammy’s Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, and it became a worldwide hit.

Other major hits of the said year that had immense radio play in majority of Manila’s FM stations were “End of the Road” from Boys II Men, “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams and “Jump” by Kris Kross.

Gone grunge

Grunge was the in fashion of 1992 and its most prominent muse was the waifish super model Kate Moss and the hip hop jock Marky Mark now known as the actor Mark Wahlberg.

Staples of the grunge era included flannel shirts, oversized sweaters, slip dresses and skirts, crop tops, ripped or wide leg jeans. The appearance, sweaty faces, racoon eye makeup, disheveled hair, dirty, not taking the shower look for days over all-look.

My inner ballerina

In 1992, I worked as PR assistant in the Manila Metropolitan. Of course, the MET is the beautiful art-deco edifice in the center of Manila by Juan Arellano.

Inside the MET, discovered and enjoyed the musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Flower Drum Song and The Mikado, these were the last two musicals that had the stamp of approval of the Met’s executive director Conchita Sunico.

When she died in 1990, the main theater was named Tanghalang Conchita Sunico. Adjacent to the theater was a marker where it was written the MET will be the theater for “the true, the good and the beautiful,” words that are associated with the longest reigning Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos.

In its dance studio, as part of my perks as an employee, I had formal modern jazz and basic ballet lessons.

In its experimental theater venue, known then as the Dalubdulaan, performed in Frank Rivera’s Oyayi, directed then by Danny Mandia, I played the character of Eleonor Roosevelt-Batongbacal.

Rivera said I was the best interpreter of “Pusong Tigang” the solo musical number of Eleonor. He documented my performance in a book, which said that in all the shows we did inside the Dalubdulaan, no one suspected that I was not a real “female, female” and it was always a pleasant surprise to him that when we did the cast bowing, the applause I received were always thunderous.

It was also in the MET when I first become acquainted with theater legend and master Tony Espejo of the Gantimpala Theater, one of the artistic companies in residence at the MET. The other one was Rolando Tinio’s Teatro Pilipino, with his immortal beloved and eternal muse Ella Luansing.

Now, the MET is back to its art deco glory. Sadly, they sacrificed the dance and music hall, and the Dalubdulaan.

Under the present stewardship of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) who owns it, yes, they produce what Tita Conching used to do — musical extravaganzas that highlight key musical eras.

Still, with no real “artistic director” to map out a cultural season, the promise of the MET being the people’s theater continues to be only in paper, but never realized.

It’s potential to be the home of the most important Philippine theater forms, namely, the Komedya, Moro-Moro, Senakulo and Sarswela remains a dream. It has no in-house artistic companies. No new Filipino artists being nurtured and to become experts in the said theater forms. And it has not developed an audience, a paying one at that, that not only appreciates, but supports Philippine theater.

The other major arts and culture movement that happened in my 25th year was the establishment of the NCCA. Among its most significant projects, to mention a few, are the Buwan ng Sining, Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, Dayaw, Pambansang Buwan ng Pamana and Pambansang Araw ng Sayaw.

As the lead agency for arts and culture, it has never given an official statement to concerns and issues that plague the arts and culture sector, and the committees that are directly affected by heritage sites’ destruction, censorship, lack of support to theater arts companies and other artists that comprise the identified seven arts, and no voice with regard to the embracing of Korean popular culture. No care to the dwindling number of the cinema goers and the current sorry state of Philippine cinema.

Do we have to wait for another 25 years for the NCCA to truly lead the reforms needed and the cultural revolution it must be implementing?

TRIBUNE is silver

Congratulations to DAILY TRIBUNE on its silver anniversary. May it continue to serve its public and the country with news that knows no fear nor favor. May it carry on to be the broadsheet that brings the truth and nothing but the truth. May it not be just a silver lining, but a bright light that brings the news that matter and the news that make the people think and do something for the greater of all.