Photo by Adlin Joey Almencion

Thousands of students occupied the Martin Hall last Nov. 27 afternoon as performers from Kaliwat Performing Artists Collective staged a musical play entitled “Mindasilang”.

The said play, which is a term coined from ‘Mindanao, Bagong Silang’, is all about “Mindanao’s aspiration for peace, told from the eyes of a lumad, Muslim and Christian.” The play also discussed concerns about the complicated situations in Mindanao between the government and the tri-people community.

“The theater group (Kaliwat Performing Artists Collective) is more of advocating issues here in Mindanao. We were inspired to create Mindasilang because of the situations here in Mindanao,” said production-manager and performing artist Sheila Labos.

Through the initiative of the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC) and with the support of the Office of the University President, the event was materialized as a collaboration from different organizations and departments of the University. This includes the Madaris Volunteer Teachers Program Office, Al Qalam Institute, Mindawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogues, departments of Theology, Political Science and History, the Arrupe Office of Social Formation, and the talents of Kaliwat Performing Artists Collective, Inc.

The 29-year old theatrical ensemble divided its performances into two: the Matinee and the Gala shows. The Matinee artists staged an earlier performance before a huge crowd of students. Meanwhile, the Gala show prepared another set of seats for an evening performance since the Martin Hall can only accommodate a crowd of around 3,000, and thus they had to manage another show for another batch of audience.

The proceeds of the play will be donated to the Madaris Volunteer Teachers Program.