Entertainment editor Art Tapalla admires film and theater producer, director, writer and actor Vince Tanada’s guts and glory.
“Ang tapang niya (he’s brave),” Art exclaimed after watching “Juan Luna Isang Sarsuela” at the SM North EDSA Skydome on a Sunday afternoon. “Ganyan ang dapat sa mga direktor at mga taga-showbiz (Directors and showbiz people should be like him).”
It was because Vince, a true blue Quezonian from Gumaca (a town among the CALABARZON region) was very vocal in his speech after the showing of the musical.
“Bakit ba pinagbabawalan kaming ipalabas ang dulang ‘Juan Luna’? Eh, katotohanan naman ang ipinapalabas namin. Pinuntahan ako ng mga taga-Department of Education para patigilin ang pagtatanghal namin. Nakipag-usap ako sa kanila at sinabi ko na mahalagang dula ang ‘Juan Luna Isang Musikal’ dahil nagpapakita ito ng katotohanan sa ating bansa (Why do they prohibit us to show ‘Juan Luna’? What we are expressing here is truth. Some people came to our show and tried to stop it. I talked to them and told them the play is very significant because it shows the realities in our country).
“Bakit ba binabago nila ang kasaysayan? Mali ‘yon. May kalayaan tayo para malaman ang katotohanan tungkol sa buhay ni Juan Luna, isang magaling na pintor. Binaril niya at napatay ang kanyang asawa. Bakit itatago natin ‘yon sa mga mamamayan (Why do they distort history? That’s bad. We have the freedom to know the truths about the life of Juan Luna who was an excellent visual artist. He shot and killed his wife. Why do we hide it from the public?).
“Sining ang ipinapakita namin. Mahalaga ito para sa ating mga kabataan para may matutunan sila. Bakit inaalis nila ang mga karapatang ito sa kabataan? Nagbayad sila sa panonood ng dula namin, pagkatapos ay pagbabawalan kaming itanghal ito (What we are showing is art. This is important for the students to know. Why do DepEd deprive the youth of this information? They paid for watching it then why do they prohibit us from its showing).
“I don’t like DepEd,” exclaimed Vince, a grandson of the late nationalist Lorenzo Tanada.
Tanada said that after a heated argument with DepEd, the play was allowed to be staged.
And the audience loved it.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews #DepEd #VinceTañada