#mc2027

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LITERARY: Balang Araw Sisinag Sisina

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Tunog ng kabataan: Banda rito, banda roon!

Musika ang maituturing na pandaigdigang wika na taglay ang kapangyarihang pag-ugnayin ang mga taong may iba't ibang pinagmulan. Partikular sa UPIS, nagsasama-sama ang mga estudyante dahil sa pagmamahal sa sining ng musika at pagtatanghal. Madalas na napapanood ang mga estudyanteng ito sa entablado ng Battle of the Bands—ngunit, naisip mo na ba kung ano ang nagaganap sa likod ng mga ilaw at hiyawan ng madla? Halina't kilalanin natin ang student bands ng UPIS!

Banda Trenta

BANDA TRENTA. Litrato ng bandang Banda Trenta. Kuha ng Banda Trenta.

Mula sa Batch 2030 ang Banda Trenta na binubuo nina Allyssa Sarenas sa main vocals, Niño Sumayo sa back-up vocals at rhythm guitar, Renson Villareal sa lead guitar, Enzo Padilla sa bass, Aaron Dela Cerna sa keyboard, at Sean Eting sa drums. Bilang kauna-unahan at nag-iisang banda sa kanilang batch, napagdesisyunan nila ang pangalang “Banda Trenta” mula sa mungkahi ng magulang ni Niño.

Isa sa mga miyembro nila, si Niño, ang ilang beses nang nakapagtanghal nang solo. Nais niyang ibahagi ang karanasan sa kanyang mga kaibigan, kaya inimbitahan niya sila na magtanghal bilang isang banda. Naging Banda Trenta ang kanilang grupo nang sumali si Allyssa bilang main vocalist. Nagkaroon din sila ng pagsasaayos ng roles ng bawat miyembro upang maihanda ang kanilang banda sa LAGABLAB: Battle of the Bands 2025.

Nakahiligan nilang tugtugin ang mga kantang Original Pilipino Music o OPM. “Bagay ito sa vibe na gusto naming iparating—‘yung chill lang, pero may angas,” ika ni Niño. Bukod dito, isinasaisip din nila ang pagpili ng tutugtugin upang magkaroon ng spotlight ang bawat miyembro sa isang kanta. Hindi nila pinalalampas ang bawat pagkakataon na tumugtog at makapagtanghal; patunay rito ang mga events na kanilang nilahukan tulad ng LAGABLAB: Battle of the Bands 2025, MCLive 2025, HIMIG: Battle of the Bands 2025, at AKWE 2026. 

“Ang hindi namin malilimutan na karanasan ay [sa] tuwing nasisira ang drumsticks ni Sean, tuwing may performance,” banggit ni Niño. Sa kabila ng mga problema, nagagawa pa rin nilang idaan ang mga ito sa pagtawa. Higit pa rito, mas pinapahalagahan nila ang bawat minuto na nagtatanghal sila sa entablado.

“You don’t have to wait until you’re good. Start while you’re bad. Start while you’re shy. Start while you’re still learning what a G chord is. Most people think bands begin when everyone is skilled. Hindi. Bands begin when people decide ‘let’s do it,’ even if sablay pa. You will sound messy at first—and that’s okay. You’ll forget lyrics. You’ll mess up timing. You’ll lose competitions. A band isn’t just about music, it’s about commitment. [Mag-]practice kahit walang upcoming performance.”

°Fahrenheit

°FAHRENHEIT. Litrato ng bandang °Fahrenheit. Kuha ng UPIS Media Center.

Kabilang sa bandang °Fahrenheit ang mga vocalist na sina Ashley Abella at Daniel Cobico, rhythm guitarist na si Elijah Aggasid, lead guitarist na si Brianca Sumayo, bassist na si Yumi Adaya, at drummer na si Jacob Maramag.

Matapos ang kanilang unang pagsabak sa LAGABLAB: Battle of the Bands 2025 noong nakaraang akademikong taon, nakaranas ang °Fahrenheit ng ilang pagbabago sa pagitan ng una at huling pakikilahok nila sa BOTB. Ibinahagi ng banda na kilala sila dati bilang FOURTH° (Fourth Degree) na binuo lamang ng apat na miyembro na sina Brianca, Ashley, Yumi, at Jacob. 

Taong 2025 nang mapagdesisyunan nila na magdagdag ng dalawang bagong miyembro bilang paghahanda para sa BOTB ng BULONG: UPIS Fair 2025-2026. “FOURTH° opened its door for two new members—a male singer and a rhythm guitarist, namely Daniel Cobico and Elijah Aggasid—thus completing our music,” ayon kay Brianca.

Kasabay ng panibagong lineup ng banda, tuluyan nang pinalitan ng FOURTH° ang kanilang pangalan at ginawa itong °Fahrenheit. “While FOURTH° was limited to a single temperature point, °Fahrenheit embodies a full scale, offering us greater flexibility and a broader range of possibilities to achieve our goals,” paliwanag ni Brianca.

Naging malaking tulong naman ang iba't ibang kinabibilangang banda at musical backgrounds ng mga miyembro sa pagbuo at paghubog ng kanilang banda sa kung ano ito ngayon. 

Bagaman magkakaiba ang pinagmulan ng mga miyembro, madali silang nagkakasundo sa kung anuman ang gusto nilang tugtugin—na kadalasang OPM at pop music. Malimit nilang piliing tugtugin ang mga kantang humahamon sa kanilang kakayahan sa musika, upang pag-igihin ang kanilang pagiging musikero. “We make sure to add something new and unheard of—sort of like our own special twist to the songs,” dagdag ni Brianca.

Noong HIMIG: Battle of the Bands 2025 ang kanilang unang pagkakataon na makapagtanghal bilang isang buong banda na may anim na miyembro. Kaugnay nito, nakapag-uwi sila ng kanilang unang podium placement at itinanghal bilang 2nd Runner-Up. “This latest BOTB was unlike any other because we embraced the challenge of bringing in new members and taking the risks that come with it. Fortunately, our efforts paid off, and we managed to make it onto the podium for the first time,” ika ni Brianca.

“Music isn't just sound; it serves as the language of the soul. When we look at sheets of music, we don't simply see notes on paper. We see a vision […] and when different people come together with their different styles, stories, and emotions, this vision comes together. But none of that happens without passion. If you're starting a band, don't overthink the perfect moment to put yourself out there. Music grows when it's heard. It's about inviting the audience into the vision that we saw in the music that we play, to convey and let others feel it for themselves.”

DOGYOUTH

DOGYOUTH. Litrato ng bandang DOGYOUTH. Kuha ng DOGYOUTH.

Binubuo ang DOGYOUTH nina Hannah Pedrasa at Andre Baladad sa vocals, Luisa Figueroa sa rhythm guitar, Mika Dela Cruz sa lead guitar, Joaqx Morong sa bass, at Faith Mendoza sa drums. Sa orihinal naman na mga kanta, nagtutulungan sila sa pagsulat at pagbuo nito. “From the bare bones of the song, we each add ideas and give feedback to refine the dynamics and each of our parts, tulad ng mga hits nina Faith at Joaqx, [guitar] solos ni Mika, at harmonizations nina Hannah at Andre.” paliwanag ni Luisa.

Bago maging DOGYOUTH, biruan ng grupo na “Kalbong Agila” ang dapat na pangalan ng banda. Napagpasyahan nila ang pangalang DOGYOUTH, dahil mas catchy raw ito at konektado sa “Azkals”—ang pangalan ng isa pang banda ng kanilang bahista na si Joaqx. Nabuo ang kanilang banda dahil sa kagustuhang sumali nina Faith, Mika, at Joaqx sa TANGHAL: Battle of the Bands 2023. Mula rito, niyaya nilang sumali si Hannah bilang bokalista ng banda. Taong 2024, naimbitahan nila si Luisa bilang gitarista; sa sumunod na taon, sumali naman si Andre bilang isa pang bokalista. 

“Karaniwan ay tinutugtog namin ang mga OPM songs,” banggit ni Luisa. Isa ang OPM sa madalas nilang pinakikinggang genre at isa rin daw ito sa mga patok para sa karamihan. Bukod dito, bukas naman sila sa iba pang uri ng tugtugin at handang aralin ang mga kantang nagugustuhan ng bawat miyembro. Nakatugtog na rin sila sa maraming event katulad ng UPIS Battle of the Bands, Junior-Senior Promenade o JS Prom, debut, at iba pang okasyon na dinadaluhan ng mga miyembro. Para sa kanila, enerhiya ng BOTB ang pinakatumatak at hindi nila malilimutan. “The feel of being on stage and performing what we worked for is so rewarding,” ika ni Luisa.

“Keep trying and take every opportunity! Dalawang beses [na] hindi na-qualify ang DOGYOUTH sa BOTB, pero ngayon ay 2nd place [1st runner-up] kami. Kung gusto niyo[ng] magbanda, by all means, go for it. Malayo ang mararating ni[n]yo, lalo na if mag[ka]kaibigan kayong mga band members, dahil [n]ando’n na ang inyong chemistry! DOGYOUTH will be supporting you, guys. Get, get, awoo!”

Garaheadz

GARAHEADZ. Litrato ng bandang Garaheadz. Kuha ng Garaheadz.

“Kami ang Garaheadz!” karaniwang sinisigaw ng banda sa tuwing magpapakilala. Nanggaling ang pangalang ito sa salitang “Garahe,” kung saan nag-eensayo ang banda. Galing naman sa isang sikat na banda—ang Eraserheads o minsan’y kinikilala bilang E-headz, ang “headz” sa kanilang pangalan. Isa ito sa mga paboritong banda ng mga miyembro ng Garaheadz o G-Headz. 

Binubuo ito ng mga vocalist/rapper na sina Charlize Abundo at Lucas Lagunzad, drummer na si Reo Castro, guitarist na si Troy Dela Torre, at bassist na si Sara Lazaro.

Nabuo ang Garaheadz dahil sa nais nina Troy at Reo na bumuo ng bagong banda. Habang pinag-iisipan kung sino ang mga posibleng maging miyembro, naisip nilang kinakailangan nila ng ibang bahista, dahil nais namang masubukan ni Troy na maging gitarista ng kanilang banda. Nang malaman ito ni Sara, nagboluntaryo siyang maging bahista ng banda, kahit na wala pa siyang karanasan sa pagtugtog ng bass. Nang umatras ang orihinal na bokalista ng banda, pinalitan naman ito ni Charlize, at kamakailan ay sinamahan ni Lucas sa pagiging bokalista.

Bagaman iba-iba ang pinagmulang karanasan sa musika at banda ng mga miyembro, naging madali at maayos ang kanilang pakikipag-ugnayan sa isa’t isa. Sa mga dinaanang pagsubok sa musika, tulad na lamang ng hindi pagkakaroon ng pagkakataong makapag-podium sa mga nagdaan nilang mga banda, nais nilang makabawi mula rito. Isa sa mga rason ay ang kanilang passion at determinasyon upang tanghaling kampeon sa HIMIG: Battle of the Bands 2025.

Pinakapaboritong tugtugin ng Garaheadz ang rock/rap, kaya kabilang sa setlist nila noong LAGABLAB: Battle of the Bands 2025 ang “Upuan” ni Gloc-9, sa bersyong rock. Magmula noon, ito na ang naging main theme ng kanilang banda dahil sa mataas na enerhiyang natanggap nila mula sa madla.

Nakapagtanghal na sila sa iba’t ibang mga event tulad ng mga batch events, debut parties, MCLive, at BOTB. Sa lahat ng mga ganap na ito, hindi nila malilimutan ang mga oras na binalik ng madla ang enerhiya ng kanilang performances. “In those moments, the performers are not only just the 5 of us, but also the entire crowd filled with people just as passionate about music […] all brought together by the common love for music. In those moments, it always felt like UPIS was one,” ayon kay Lucas.

“Have fun over everything and keep your passion strong, because there will be a lot of external factors that will try and take it away from you, situations that will test your love for music. [...] So, enjoy it, go through it, learn from it, but most of all, cherish it. [...] I don't regret getting hurt, failing. ‘Yung mga times na pumiyok ako, na-bash, at napahiya sa stage, it all led to me growing not only as a performer, but as a person. Having a band taught me how to fail successfully and learning how to bounce back, and that is something that you will be able to apply to your life forever, and it can all start—with your band.”

Ngayong laganap ang teknolohiya, malayo na ang naaabot ng musika, lalo na para sa mga kabataan—mula sa pakikinig hanggang sa pagbuo nito. Hindi naging hadlang ang kanilang edad upang tumayo sa isang entablado at makapagtanghal sa harap ng madla. Para sa mga bandang katulad nila, hindi lamang ito basta-basta—isa itong pagbabahagi ng kanilang talento at pag-ambag sa sining ng musika. Higit pa rito, naging daan ang musika para mahanap ang kanilang tunog, makabuo ng pagkakaibigan, at matuklasan ang sariling pagkakakilanlan. Para sa inyo, ano ang musika?

Ito ang #MusiCalye, tinig ng kabataan.

// nina Kimberly Celso, Lyra Interno, at Andrea Rebaldo

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LITERARY: Paano Ba Sabihin Na Gusto Kita?

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LITERARY: BET niya kaya Ako?

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UPIS elects new student leaders for A.Y. 2026-2027

The UPIS Commission on Elections (COMELEC), composed of members of the Senior Council, held the Pamunuan ng Kamag-aral (PKA) and Year-Level Organization (YLO) elections for the Academic Year 2026-2027.

The student elections were conducted online, with the UPIS COMELEC overseeing the process alongside the candidates. Official online ballot forms were sent out to the students through Google Classrooms as part of the voting system implemented for this year’s elections.

To begin the preparation of the upcoming student elections, UPIS students and candidates participated in the Miting de Advance for grades 3-6 and 7-10 PKA and YLO elections which was held via Zoom on the 27th of April. Its aim was to allow students to view and engage in the candidates’ final campaign for their respective parties. It featured a question and answer portion where a party and independent candidates were given the opportunity to showcase and explain their platforms to the student body. Voting officially began on April 28 through a digital ballot form distributed via Google Classroom and closed on April 30. 

The Winning Parties 

Official Results were released on May 7, 2026. Seen in the following tables below are the elected parties for the Academic Year 2026-2027.

The KABAYANIHAN partylist, headed by Aufi Severos, promotes programs that make learning more engaging and participative for students. Their plans include activities such as an Escape Room challenge where students have to answer questions in order to escape, as well as Human Number Line, an activity where students arrange themselves in ascending order to encourage communication and cooperation skills among classmates. They also proposed The Marshmallow Architecture, which develops creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills through tower-building activities. With the full slate of KABAYANIHAN being elected, the party aims to push through with these projects, creating a more interactive and enjoyable learning environment for students

For the 7-10 elections, the full partylist of “LIKH” won the elections, introducing 4 major platforms under the acronym “LIKA”, which reflect the values and global they aim to promote within the student community. Led by Patrick Batigue, the party advocates for inclusivity, student service, community empowerment, and principled leadership. “L” stands for Lahat Kasama, which emphasizes inclusivity and involvement among students, while “I” represents Isko Paglingkuran, a platform focused on providing reliable student services and support for students facing academic and personal struggles. “K,” or Komunidad, I-angat, highlights unity and community empowerment in addressing challenges together, and “A,” or Aangkla sa Prinsipsyo, promotes honesty, transparency, and accountability in leadership. Through these initiatives, the party aims to create a more supportive, united, and student-centered environment within the UPIS community. 

The AETHER partylist, headed by Erin Monique Velasco, focuses on a platform that serves their fellow classmates academically, and a student body that creates connection. By promoting strong communication, they wish to encourage other students to feel safe in their school environment. Their party promises to conduct projects such as online reviewers, raffles, an interactive bulletin board, and a shop facilitated by them, that all offer a helping hand to not just their batchmates but to other students of the UPIS community as well. With their full party winning the elections, they wish to officially push through with these projects in the coming academic year. 

The TELEPONO partylist, headed by Amanda Beatrice Evasco, won with their full slate, advocating for creating meaningful connections between every student to provide their batchmates with a memorable 8th Grade experience. Each member expressed their support for quality education, organization, integrity, and upholding the core values of UPIS. The party also endorsed future projects to be held named ‘What’s UP There?’ that provides their batchmates with materials for academic and emotional support, ‘Benta31’ that is helpful for student-owned businesses, ‘DecBoard’ where they design bulletin boards with recycled materials, and other meaningful projects to lend a hand to their fellow students. 

BIDLISIW means “rays of the rising sun”, with this winning partylist led by their president Josel Angeleen Apdian. For them, this holds a profound meaning which makes them stand with their slogan which states “sa bawat tanong at pag-aalinlangan, BIDLISIW ang pag-asa na lagi mong maasahan”. Due to their batch having some detachment, their partylist aims to build a stronger sense of communication by building a community that aims to help and uplift one another. With this, their main goal is to improve the unity within their batch. They promote unity, open-mindedness, and respect while upholding the proper decorum with the help of their leadership. 

The elected partylist SCinta led by their president Elin Danielle Lim, aims to prioritize students’ well-being and promotes low stress and balanced approach to school requirements. For them to create a memorable year, they support personal wellness and lasting experiences. With this, they have a Reviewer Distribution Services which emphasizes on helping their batchmates academically by providing interactive reviewers through online documents.

The Purpose of the Election Process COMELEC Chairperson and President of the outgoing Senior Council, Angela Masangkay, shared that the election process follows a strict set of guidelines based on the student handbook, which are implemented annually to ensure fairness. The screening procedures that all winning candidates went through are also considered vital and are conducted to verify that all aspiring student-leaders meet the required qualifications before being officially recognized. She explained that all requirements are equally important, and failure to comply with even one may result in disqualification. 

Chairperson Masangkay shared that one of the main challenges this year was the shift from a planned face-to-face set up to an online election, which required adjustments in schedules— aside from other challenges such as delays in document submissions, errors in candidacy forms, and difficulty contacting some candidates due to the online set up. Despite these challenges, the COMELEC continues to emphasize the importance of participating and encouraging students to keep voting wisely in the coming academic years.

//by Zoe Garalde & Caily Destajo

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Sa Likod ng Telon: Diwa ng Tanghalan sa Bayan

“Sa ilang sandali, magsisimula na ang ating pagtatanghal,” iyan ang kadalasang naririnig natin bago magsimula ang dula. Malugod nating inaabangan ang mga aktor, eksena, musika, at iba pang elemento ng teatro na inihanda ng produksiyon para sa ating mga manonood. Ngunit, ating buklatin ang mga pahina ng teatrong Filipino. Matagal nang nakatatak sa ating bansa ang teatro bilang isa sa makulay at makabuluhang sining—ngunit, hindi lamang ito libangan. 

Halina’t buksan natin ang telon ng tanghalan at itapat ang ilaw sa diwa na hatid ng teatro!  

Ano ang Teatro? 

Isa sa mga sangay ng sining ang teatro, kung saan ito ay itinatanghal. Inilarawan ito bilang mimesis, sinaunang salita mula sa Greece na nangangahulugang isang kilos na kumakatawan o paggagaya sa realidad ng mundo sa pamamagitan ng sining. May iba’t ibang gampanin ang mga miyembro ng teatro: direktor, aktor, stage manager, set designer, technical designer, at iba pa. Nakapaloob din dito ang iba pang mga anyo ng sining gaya ng pagsulat, musika, sining biswal, at higit sa lahat, ang performance. 

Masasabi natin na sumasalamin sa kulturang Filipino ang teatro. Itinatanghal dito ang karanasan, kaugalian, at mga isyu ng bansa. Halimbawa, ginagamit ang dula bilang kasangkapan upang matugunan ang mga kontemporaneong isyu sa lipunan at punahin ang sistema ng pamahalaan. Tinutugunan nito ang tiyak na pangangailangan ng mga Filipino. Hindi lamang pag-salamin sa kultura ang hatid ng teatrong Pinoy, kundi pinapalawak nito ang ating pagkamalikhain sa musika, pagsusulat, pag-arte, at iba pa. Naging daan ito upang umunlad ang panitikan ng Pilipinas.  

Kasaysayan

Kung imitasyon ng mga kilos na halaw sa totoong karanasan—'yan ang Katutubong Tula.

Likas sa ating mga ninuno na magkaroon ng mga ritwal, sayaw, tradisyon at awitin. Naging paraan ito sa paggaya nila ng mga bahagi ng kalikasan, paglago ng ani, pagkakaroon ng anak, kuwentong bayan, at iba pa. Inilarawan ito bilang mimesis. Ginamit din ito bilang pagsamba sa mga Diyos noon.   

Makikita ang bakas ng dula sa mga tradisyunal na epiko, tulad ng Biag ni Lam-ang ng mga Ilokano at Hudhud ng mga Ifugao. Bagaman ang mga ito ay tulang pasalaysay, ang pag-awit at pagganap sa mga tauhan nito ay nagsisilbing pagtatanghal sa lokal na lente na naglalarawan sa mga karanasan, paniniwala, at hamon na kinakaharap ng mga katutubong Pilipino na patuloy na ipinapasa hanggang sa kasalukuyang henerasyon. 

Mula sa panahon ng oral na tradisyon hanggang sa kolonisasyon, malaki ang naging pagbabago ng teatro sa Pilipinas. Kung noon ay nakatuon ito sa mga ritwal, komunidad, at ugnayan sa kalikasan na karaniwang pinamumunuan ng isang Babaylan gamit ang katutubong wika; sa panahon ng mga Espanyol, teatro ang naging instrumento ng Kristiyanismo at pagpapalaganap ng dayuhang pananampalataya.

Nakatuon sa kwento ni Kristo Hesus ang karamihan sa ipinapalabas na dula noong panahon ng pananakop ng Espanyol. Naging daan ito sa pag-angat sa imahen ng mga Espanyol at pagpapatibay ng kanilang dominasyon. Nagkaroon ng ‘di magandang imahen ang mga katutubo dulot ng layunin ng Espanya na Kristiyanisasyon, itinuring nilang walang galang ang mga ito. Sa kabila ng paggamit ng mga mananakop sa teatro, patuloy rin ang pag-iral ng mga dula na mas malapit sa danas at interes ng mga Pilipino. Sa panahong ito, mayroong sekular na teatro (komedya at hindi relihiyoso) at relihiyosong pagtatanghal (senakulo, pasyon, siete palabras, atbp.) 

Sa panahon ng kolonisasyon ng Amerikano, ipinatupad ang Sedition Act kung saan ipinagbabawal ang pagbanggit ng kahit anong tungkol sa kalayaan ng Pilipinas at anomang laban sa Amerika. Ang teatro ang isa sa mga pangunahing ginamit ng mga Pilipino para idaan sa sining ang paghihimagsik. Kaugnay nito, lumaganap ang mga sarswela at drama, kasabay ang muling pag-usbong ng nasyonalismo. Nagsimulang gamitin ang teatro bilang rebolusyon upang ipaglaban ang kalayaan ng bansa mula sa mananakop. Sa huling yugto ng kolonisasyon, umusbong naman ang bodabil. 

Sa panahon ng Kontemporaneong Teatro (1966–Kasalukuyan), muling nagkaroon ng pambansang kamalayan. Mas binigyang-diin ang tunay na kulturang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng pagsalamin sa mga panlipunan at makasaysayang isyu. Nag-explore din ng iba’t ibang estilo sa pagbuo ng pagtatanghal.

Mga Makabuluhang Teatro 

Tinalakay ng tatlong dulang ito ang ating kasaysayan, mga isyung panlipunan, at paglago bilang tao.

Bilang Makapangyarihang Sining

Sa bawat pagtatanghal, hindi lamang kuwento ang ibinabahagi sa entablado, kundi bahagi rin ang kasaysayan at kultura ng mga Filipino. Sumasalamin ang teatro sa mga karanasan ng mga manunulat, nagtatanghal, at sa kolektibong karanasan ng bayan. Natatangi ang teatro sa ibang sining biswal tulad ng mga pelikula dahil isinasagawa ito nang live at interaktibo—kaya mas dama ang bawat tagpo at emosyon sa mismong pagtatanghal.

Higit pa rito, hindi lamang sa tanghalan nagaganap ang mga dula. Sa anyo ng street theatre, kadalasan nagiging daan ang teatro upang magpahayag at pumuna sa mga isyu na kinakaharap ng bansa. Makikita ito sa mga kilos-protesta at pampublikong pagtitipon kung saan tinatalakay ang mga suliraning panlipunan at binibigyang-boses ang mga mamamayan. Sa ganitong pagkakataon, malinaw na ang teatro ay hindi hiwalay sa lipunan, kundi aktibong nakikilahok dito.

Ayon sa artikulo mula sa University of the Philippines, paalala ni Professor Glecy Atienza, na naging bahagi ng drama club ng UP High School at parte ng Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), na para sa mga mayroong angking dedikasyon sa teatro, mahalaga ang pagiging malikhain upang manatiling buhay ang kamalayan sa sariling nasyon. Dagdag pa niya, kapag nauunawaan natin ang halaga ng mga bagay sa paligid natin, nagkakaroon tayo ng mas malalim na pagtingin sa nasyonalismo.

Sa panayam naman ng SBS Filipino kay Norbs Portales, senior artist-member ng PETA, nilalayon ng mga pagtatanghal na pukawin at hikayatin ang mga manonood upang pag-isipan ang mga bagay na dapat at hindi na dapat ulitin mula sa nakaraan. Upang mula rito ay sama-samang makabuo ng mas malaya na bayan. Gaya ng bisyon ng PETA, itinuturing ang teatro bilang isang sining na mayroong kakayahang baguhin ang lipunan tungo sa mas maayos na kinabukasan.

Next Act!: Pagsigla ng Teatro

Matinding dagok ang dinanas ng teatro noong pandemya nang tumigil ang mga pisikal na pagtatanghal. Upang makasabay sa sitwasyon, sinubukan ng ilang teatro na ilipat ang pagtatanghal sa birtwal na plataporma sa pamamagitan ng annual festival na The Virgin Labfest—na binubuo ng mga one-act na dula na bago, hindi pa natatanghal, at hindi pa nasusubok. Subalit tumigil din ang pagsasagawa nito nang birtwal noong 2021. Hindi pa rin naging madali ang pananatiling buhay ng produksyon, lalo na’t bago pa man ang pandemya, maituturing na limitado ang madla at kulang sa malawak na promosyon ang teatro sa bansa. Dahil dito, maraming produksiyon ang nahihirapan magpatuloy dahil sa kakulangan sa pondo.

Sa kabila nito, itinuturing na “Golden Age” ang kasalukuyang panahon para sa teatrong Filipino. Matapos ang lockdown, mas dumami ang tumangkilik sa mga pagtatanghal. Naging mahalaga ang papel ng social media sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon, dahilan upang mas maraming manonood ang maabot. Ayon kay PETA President Melvin Lee sa Lifestyle Inquirer, matapos masanay ang publiko sa online na libangan dulot ng ilang taong pandemya, naghahanap ang marami ng mas totoo at mas interaktibong karanasan—na naibibigay ng live theatre.

Malaki rin ang ambag ng Original Pilipino Music (OPM) sa mga dulang musikal at mga kuwentong hango sa pelikula o tradisyonal na kuwentong Filipino, dahil mas madaling nakakabuo ang mga ito ng koneksyon sa manonood. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy ang pagdami ng mga pagtatanghal sa iba’t ibang parte ng Metro Manila. Sa pamamagitan ng mga programang inilulunsad ng mga kumpanyang tulad ng PETA, Tanghalang Pilipino, at Repertory Philippines, mas nagiging posible ang pagtatanghal sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa. Limitado man, mayroon ding mga aktibong grupong panteatro sa mga unibersidad at lokal na komunidad; ilang patunay na muling nabubuhay at lumalakas ang diwa ng teatrong Filipino.

Mga Mukha ng Entablado

Sa bawat pagtatanghal, hindi lamang isang tao ang dapat kilalanin. Mayroon mga mukha sa harap ng entablado na nakikita ng mga manonood, at mga mukha sa likod ng entablado na tahimik ngunit napakahalaga ang ambag sa pagbuo ng mga dula. Narito ang ilang mga matagumpay na personalidad sa larangan ng teatro.

Si Antonio “Tony” Mabesa (1935–2019) ay isang gradweyt mula sa UP Rural High School, nakapagtapos ng Bachelor of Science in Agriculture sa UP Los Baños, at founder ng Dulaang UP, ang pangunahin at opisyal na organisasyon sa teatro at performing group ng UP Diliman. Kilala siya bilang direktor, aktor, at tagapagturo na nagdirekta ng higit 170 mga produksyon na itinanghal sa lokal at internasyonal—kaya, tinagurian siyang “Lion of the Theater” at isa sa mga founding father ng teatrong Pilipino.

Dating Art Director ng Media Center 2014 sa UP Integrated School (UPIS), ngayon isa sa mga matagumpay na aktres sa teatro at pelikula si Lance Reblando (aktres). Nagsimula siyang umarte noong walong taong  gulang pa lamang siya sa Dulaang UP, at mula noon, nagkaroon siya ng iba’t ibang roles, kabilang ang mga children’s parts at gay characters. Binasag niya ang pamantayan bilang unang babaeng trans na gumanap bilang leading lady na si ‘Julia’ sa ‘Walang Aray’ (2025) ng PETA. 

“Father of Philippine Stage Design,” ayan ang tawag kay Salvador F. Bernal (artist). Ipinakita niya ang kanyang pagkamalikhain sa pagdisensyo at paglikha ng mga kasuotan, set sa entablado, at disenyong pamproduksyon. Mahigit 300 na orihinal na disenyo ang kanyang nagawa. Ang kanyang mga obra ay nagpahusay sa mga pagtatanghal ng Dulaang UP, Tanghalang Ateneo, Tanghalang Pilipino, atbp. 

Diwa ng Dula

Tunay na makapangyarihang sining ang teatro dahil sa pagsasalamin nito sa lipunan sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng social at political issues sa anyo ng dula at musika. Nagsisilbi itong plataporma para maipahayag ang sarili o identidad, mapabuti ang lipunan, at magsilbing simbolo ng pagpapalaya sa masang Filipino. Isa rin itong paraan ng cultural preservation dahil sa pagpapanatiling buhay ng mga tradisyonal na kwentong Pinoy. Bilang mga mag-aaral, dapat pahalagahan natin ang papel ng teatrong Filipino dahil ito ay nagtataguyod ng edukasyon, nagpapalalim sa ating panitikan, nakapupukaw ng emosyon, at tinutulungan tayong maging mulat sa iba’t ibang isyu.  

Sa UPIS, isa ang Filipino Drama sa mga inaalok na interest course sa Grado 12. Sa klaseng ito, itinuturo ang iba’t ibang aspeto ng teatro. Kung mayroon kang interes sa pag-arte, pagdirek o anuman na pasok sa larangan ng teatro, baka it’s a sign na para sa’yo ang Filipino Drama! Ngunit, kung curious ka lamang, walang mawawala kung susubukan! 

// nina Fate Florentino at Thrizah Ramilo

Mga Sanggunian:

Bernal, Salvador F.. (2015). In V. Almario (Ed.), Sagisag Kultura (Vol 1). Manila: National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved from https://philippineculturaleducation.com.ph/bernal-salvador-f/

Cambridge Dictionary. (n. d.). mimesis. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/mimesis 

Da Silva, S. (2019). WATCH: 7 types of theatre in the Philippines. The Theatre Fans Manila. https://theaterfansmanila.com/7-types-of-theater-in-the-philippines/

De La Cruz, C. I. (2025, July 29). More shows, new audiences: How Philippine theater is experiencing a renaissance. Esquire Philippines. https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/arts-and-entertainment/philippine-theater-renaissance-a3690-20250729-lfrm2 

Diliman Information Office. (2019, October 8). Mabesa, 84. University of the Philippines. https://upd.edu.ph/mabesa-84/

Gallaga, W. (2025, November 27). Dissecting the much-hyped local theater boom. 

Lifestyle.INQ. https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/556177/dissecting-the-much-hyped-local-theater-boom/

Gill, M. (2024, December 19). 5 distinct types of theatre in the Philippines. StageLync. https://stagelync.com/news/5-distinct-types-of-theatre-in-the-philippines

Policarpio, A. (2026, January 29). For Lance Reblando, rest isn’t complacency. Lifestyle.INQ. https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/562518/for-lance-reblando-rest-isnt-complacency/

Solitario, J. M. (2018, June 19). Theatre for community and nation. University of the Philippines. https://up.edu.ph/theater-for-community-and-nation/

The Virgin Labfest returns to the stage. (2022, May 11). BusinessWorld.  https://www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2022/05/11/447456/the-virgin-labfest-returns-to-the-stage/#:~:text=May%2011%2C%202022%20%7C%2012:,Marco%20Via%C3%B1a%20and%20Tess%20Jamias

Tiatco, A. P. (2011). Situating Philippine theatricality in Asia: A critique on the Asian-ness/Philippine-ness of Philippine theatre (s). JATI-Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 16, 131-150. https://peradaban.um.edu.my/index.php/jati/article/download/6032/3744

Tiatco, S. (2020, July 23). A simplified history of traditional theatres in the Philippines (Part 3). Tanghal Kultura. https://tanghal-kultura.org/2020/07/23/a-simplified-history-of-traditional-theatres-in-the-philippines-part-3/ 

Timbol, E. S. (2025, January 2). 2024 was the year Philippine theater bounced back. The POST. https://thepost.ph/arts-culture/2024-theater-philippines-roundup/

Villaraza, L. A. B. (2017). Yesterday, today, and tomorrow: a study of Aurelio Tolentino's articulation of nationalism and identity through theatre in the Philippines during the American colonial period. Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 6759. https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/6759

Violata, A. (2019). Pagpapanatili ng kuwento ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng teatro: PETA. SBS Filipino. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/filipino/fil/podcast-episode/preserving-the-philippines-history-through-theatre-peta/p2rmsbcil

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UPISymphony: A closer look into the minds of student songwriters

Time and time again have us students been tasked to write stories for school. Fictional or not, we have squeezed our minds trying to compose the best prose, impress with our vocabulary, and be ever so meticulous with our grammar. But beyond the scores, the deadlines, and the grades, stories are also written in chords, verses, and melodies—some of which you may hear in competitions like the yearly Battle of the Bands (BOTB), and others simply tucked away in the privacy of someone’s notebook.

In this feature, we spoke to UPIS student songwriters about their history and experiences with songwriting, what drives them to write, the challenges they face, and the advice they have for those aspiring to write their own songs.

Intro: The First Line

Everyone starts somewhere, and everyone has something or someone who made them want to try writing a song.

Lucas Lagunzad, vocalist of Garaheadz, performs onstage at HIMIG: Battle of the Bands on December 16, 2025. Photo credit: UPIS Media Center

Lucas Lagunzad, one of the vocalists of the campus-favorite band Garaheadz, shared that what has always fascinated him about songwriting ever since he was younger was being able to fit the syllables of freestyled words into different beats and songs he’d come across in his daily life. He’d do this casually, for fun. But Lucas truly began taking songwriting and music theory seriously when he joined his first BOTB, alongside his previous bandmates in A2-Z. Every year, he’d been given the opportunity to hone his craft in the competition. With his accumulated skills, he even added a rap portion in his most recent original song with Garaheadz, Kumawala.

Noah Parungao of A2-Z sings onstage at HIMIG: Battle of the Bands on December 16, 2025. Photo credit: UPIS Media Center

Another competitor in the annual BOTB, Noah Parungao from the student band A2-Z, began her musical journey at eight years old, in an orchestra that she was a part of. This, she said, was what helped her build her skills in playing music. It wasn’t until she reached the age of 13, in her freshman year of high school, that she began to write her own songs. She recalls, “At that point, I was just in my room, playing the ukulele. Tapos I put a bunch of chords together, and then nagulat [na] lang ako [na] suddenly, I had words coming to my mind that I just pieced together.”

Zoe Garalde of Smudge plays guitar at HIMIG: Battle of the Bands on December 16, 2025. Photo credit: UPIS Media Center

Zoe Garalde of Batch 2027 and the student band Smudge remembers writing her own music ever since she was around the age of seven or eight years old. She started out by making random melodies and simple lyrics—until she received her first ukulele in third grade. Since then, she has taken to mastering the instrument while singing, giving her more opportunities to create her own songs.

Cassie Bacolod works on a musical score using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Photo credit: Cassie Bacolod

Also from Batch 2027, Cassie Bacolod doesn’t remember exactly when she’d started songwriting. However, she recalls the first instance of her writing a song being in the fifth grade, when she had thought of giving it a shot. She had grown to like music as a form of self-expression, and thought it would be nice to make some of her own, mostly for fun. 

Verse: The Rhythm of Inspiration

Inspiration sparks creativity. Whether it be life experiences, a meaningful message, or just a desire to express their own feelings, songwriters are motivated by something to keep writing and creating art to be enjoyed by all.

Among other things, Noah described music as a gateway into the experiences and emotions of others. “The coolest thing for me is that when you listen to a song—you know it's an experience of someone else, and you really feel that emotion with them. It's a way of showing how they felt in that time, or in that specific experience,” she said.

Cassie, meanwhile, often writes for herself and for her loved ones—as she personally thinks that music is one of her love languages. She added that music gives her a chance to be authentic with herself and her feelings. She’s mostly inspired to write when she wants to say something to someone she cares about, but feels as if words aren’t enough to fully convey what she intends to express.

Others offered similar sentiments. Lucas noted that he often turns to music as a way to cope and push through difficult moments in life, while Zoe shared that inspiration can come from almost anything—from memories and emotions to random ideas she keeps in a Notes app folder titled “random ideas for future projects.”

Bridge: The Hard Notes

Writing a song isn’t just about jotting down words that rhyme, nor is it about pressing a few keys on the piano. Numerous elements and techniques are considered and utilized by songwriters when writing or creating a song.

As most of us know, BOTB requires the addition of a student band’s original song in their setlist. This original song is supposedly written within the parameters of the current BOTB’s topic and theme. According to Lucas, these parameters can be limiting, especially in times when their band gets lost in the flow of songwriting and composing. This flow results in pages upon pages of scrapped lyrics that didn’t make their way into the confines of the competition’s parameters.

Zoe, on the other hand, finds the challenge in the composition of a song’s instrumental or accompaniment. “As a guitar player without perfect pitch,” she wrote down in a written interview, “I think the most challenging part is finding good chords that are in harmony with each other.” She shared that she often writes down the lyrics she has in mind first, then revisits and revises them to match the melody she eventually comes up with.

For Cassie and Noah, the hardest part lies in crafting the right lyrics. Cassie carefully considers rhythm, syllables, rhymes, and wording to ensure that she effectively conveys the feelings she wants to express. Noah shares a similar struggle, explaining that she prefers lyrics that go beyond surface meaning. To achieve this, she often incorporates literary devices such as analogies, metaphors, and other figures of speech to fully immerse listeners in the stories behind her songs.

Hook: The Joy of the Craft

Beyond the challenges of songwriting are the moments that make the craft deeply rewarding. For many of these student songwriters, the process itself—along with the opportunity to share their work with others—makes the effort worthwhile.

To Lucas, songwriting is and always should be considered as a privilege. A lot of factors can contribute to the hindrance of someone’s songwriting: illness, difficult life circumstances, or simply a lack of time, to name a few. But the fact that he has the time and the resources to partake in the art of songwriting, even more so that he’s able to write alongside talented individuals like his friends and bandmates, is in itself a privilege to him.

Noah, meanwhile, finds joy in how songwriting allows her to share her stories with others. She recalled that when she was younger, writing songs helped her express the things and experiences she often kept to herself. Now, what she appreciates most is when listeners connect with her work. “When people relate to it, it’s really nice,” she said. “I like it when people resonate with what I write.”

In Zoe’s case, the most rewarding moment comes at the end of the process. Finishing a song often leaves her feeling astonished at what she has created, especially when she is able to share the final piece with people she cares about.

As for Cassie, she values the process as a whole. She also views her songs as personal journal entries—ways of understanding herself and her emotions, and reflecting on how she has changed over time.

Break: Guiding You through the Melody

For those who plan on pursuing songwriting, or just want to dabble in the craft, they sometimes hesitate or need a push from those who might have more experience in writing a song. Somewhere along the line, we all need wise words from those who know what they’re doing.

“Always take advantage of your creative juice,” Zoe stated, “You’ll never know when inspiration will hit, or when life will incline you to do something, or write something.” Zoe believes that in creative mediums such as songs, there are no wrong answers, nor is there a format or any limitations in what you wish to create—for it is your medium, and your medium only. “Go for it as much as possible!” Zoe remarked.

As for those who wish to achieve their one-hit wonder, or get the formula right on the first try, Cassie believes that one should enjoy the process rather than overthinking it. Another important thing would be to “not fear the cringe,” and to “write down something that moves you or speaks to you.” “Try to really reflect and connect with your sentiments, your feelings, [and] what it is you want to write about,” said Cassie.

Echoing a similar word of advice, Noah mentioned that a lot of people have the tendency to cringe or feel embarrassed about what they’ve written or created. “But when you’re writing music, [and] you listen back [to] it, you should really be like, ‘Oh wow, that's good.’ The only opinion that really matters naman when you're making something—like a creative art—is your opinion and how you feel about it. And if you don't feel good about what you're writing or how you sound, it's not worth it. You should really enjoy and like your outputs,” she explained.

On the more life-focused side of things, Lucas emphasized the importance of finding your way back to your passions in songwriting and the things that make you happy. “Diamonds are made under pressure, pero always keep your heart true. Your passion dapat ‘yung leading compass mo. ‘Pag napunta ka na sa punto na hindi ka na masaya doon, you start to hate it. You start to hate the thing that you used to love so much,” he said. Pressure and stress go hand-in-hand. From this, the feeling of falling out of love for music may arise in a songwriter. To avoid such a thing, Lucas suggests, “Know when to take a break, know when to rest—because honestly, nasisira lang ‘yung mga bagay kapag too much stress is put upon [them]. Know how to identify when you’re tired. And basically, don’t push [yourself] kapag fatigued ka na. Kasi maliban sa ‘yung output mo papangit, it’s really not sustainable in the long run.”

Lyric Spotlight: A Line from a Song

Whether it’s your first draft or your latest finished piece, there are times in songwriting when you hit the right notes—or find the right words, making you even more excited to let the world hear your song.

“Sa bawat araw na napupundi ang ilaw ng mata mo / Bigat at pagod mo’y mababawi din / Ang himig mo’y iyo,” is a line from Garaheadz’s song Kumawala. Lucas said that the band associated this lyric with the feeling of losing joy for something and growing tired as students, as kids. Connecting that to a recent situation of theirs, he revealed that there were several external factors that almost kept them from joining the last BOTB. Nonetheless, they decided to push through—with the mindset of transforming all their stress and exhaustion into the drive to succeed. In the end, the BOTB stage became their outlet, a space where they could finally let go of the struggles and frustrations that had been weighing on them.

“These run down halls, traces of us / Mark the wood with our names / Looks exchanged, made up games / Nobody knows like we do.” This line is from All the Minutes—a song written by Zoe that also won her the award for Best Lyrics in the 2025 CA EMA Week Original Song Contest. The song is mainly about the pre-nostalgic feeling of being a high school student, mourning what would be the greatest years of one’s adolescence even though high school hasn’t finished yet. Zoe holds the song dear, as it is written about her friends and most cherished memories during high school. Notably, Zoe also stated that the song is inspired by the theory that the human brain plays its fondest memories in the last seven minutes of one’s life, hence the title of the song. “...Saying that before I die, you’ll be all the minutes,” Zoe said.

“I can’t quite give peace like God above does, but I’ll try to all the same.” This line is from a draft of Cassie’s work-in-progress titled Flowering Heart. She expressed that this line means that even though she doesn’t know everything or isn’t great at everything, she will try her best to provide her loved ones with peace and support them through their highs and lows. She writes Flowering Heart for the people she cares about and loves dearly, as comfort and reassurance that she will always be there.

From a song titled Scars, to be released in her upcoming EP, Noah recalls the line: “The waves don’t calm for me / Yet, ships set sail and come crashing at sea.” She explained that the waves symbolize the hardships and unexpected chances life brings—forces that are beyond her control that do not calm simply because she wishes them to. She further elaborated that the second half of the line reflects overcoming the tendency to remain within one’s comfort zone and choosing instead to explore the beauty of life beyond it.

Outro: A Chorus Yet to Come

As these students continue their journey—in school and beyond—their songs will evolve with them. What begins as a simple verse today may become a defining chorus tomorrow. For now, their music stands as proof that creativity finds its way, even in the middle of a busy school year.

// by Kei Bona & Zab Juanico

[upismediacenter]

LOOK: Batch 2030 hosted this year’s acquaintance party titled “Back to the Future” on January 26 at the UPIS 7-12 Gym. Organized by the Sophomore Association, the event aimed to strengthen bonds and promote camaraderie between the two batches.

In line with the theme, students dressed as their favorite cartoon or video game characters. Participants were also grouped for different team building activities, including Paint Me a Picture, Skyscraper Challenge, and Guess That Cartoon.

As part of the program, special band performances were held featuring R.A.N. from Batch 2031 and Banda Trenta from Batch 2030.

Written by: Fate Florentino Photos by: Elijah Dalet, Uno Macadaan, and Thrizah Ramilo