When United Senior Citizens party-list rep Mila Aquino Magsaysay was sent an invitation by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) through its founder Cecil Guidote-Alvarez to attend the forum on the tribute to a Korean theater artist who paved the way to the integration of Filipino stage artists and Korean culture in the early 70s, she was excited to discover the partnership of the two countries in the arts.
"I am honored to have been invited by my friend Cecil Guidote-Alvarex to sit as a panelist in this tribute to a key person in Korean theater to be able to see the development of the Korean heritage and its progress through the years," Aquino Magsaysay said in her opening speech and a huddle at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City recently.
The occasion was a homage to the living treasure of Korean theater, the veteran, iconic and head of the Seoul Institute of Arts Duk Hyung Yoo who directed Isagani R. Cruz's play "Alamang" in 1971 during the celebration of the International Theater Institute (ITI) held in the Philippines and participated in by different countries.
According to Congresswoman Magsaysay, it was an honor to have met Duk and listened to his experiences directing Filipino actors.
"According to Congresswoman Mila, on behalf of all Senior Citizens in the country, may we be part of the integration of theater and the elderly," echoed Zeny Marcelo-Poe, common-law-wife of the late action star Conrad Poe and one of the social communications staff of Aquino Magsaysay.
Meanwhile, Duk Hyung Yoo and Cecil are still very active in world theater since they became colleagues at the La Mama Theater in the US in the 70s and 80s.
Meantime, during Mila's birthday recently, Guidote-Alvarez's friend and fellow artist Frank G. Rivera dedicated a poem for her, thus:
"Dalawang beses lang tayong nagkatagpo
Ngunit para itong sa mundo pumuno
Napag-alaman kong ang iyong adhika
Ay sa kapakanan naming matatanda
Kinakatawan mo diyan sa Kongreso
Ang 'senior citizens' na siyempre gaya ko
Napakapalad ng bayang sinisinta
Sa Kultura't Sining ay may damdamin ka
Sa mga may edad maraming pagsubok
At aming sandata'y dito hinuhugot
Sa kaarawan mo binabati kita
Sa katulad namin ikaw ang sandata
Maraming pagsubok at mga tagumpay
Sa buhay mo, MILA AQUINO-MAGSAYSAY...
(We have only met twice, But the world seems to be filled, When I knew that your advocacy is for the elderly, Representing them in Congress, Senior Citizens like me, Lucky this country because, Culture and arts have spots in your heart, Aged people have many challenges, Our weapons stem from these, On your birthday I am wishing you, You are the weapon among us, There are many triumphs in your life."
#MilaAquinoMagsaysay #PETA #CecilGuidoteAlvarez #Korean #DukHyungYoo #Alamang #Entertainment #OpinYon #WeTakeAStand
Photo Caption: Mila Aquino Magsaysay (second from left) with Korean theater artist Duk Hyung Yoo (second from right) with other guests at PETA Theater Center (Photo Credit: Boy Villasanta)