Tomorrow, Saturday, April 6, 2023, at 2 pm at the Open-Air Auditorium of the Rizal Park, Filipino people will witness the historic game of jousts in hybrid version.
Who will emerge the winner in this year’s BaRaptasan, a Balagtasan competition with a twist?
From music artist and arts manager Michelle Nikki Junia to the ordinary Juan and Juan de la Cruz, everyone will be all ears and eyes on this contest which is a project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Committee on Arts Education.
“BaRaptasan is a brainchild of our committee. It is part of our program Kanto Kultura which encourages the progress and development of the grassroots and the ordinary street corners’ arts and culture,” said Michelle Nikki.
According to the written accounts of writers Florence Atabay and Lia de Jesus, “for a mambabalagtas, verbal joust and poetry are so much more than a way to express complex emotions and stories. While it was born as a form of entertainment during the bleak era of American colonialism, Balagtasan—a form of traditional verbal jousting—became a venue to discuss socio-political issues that besieged contemporary society.
“Through facts, rhymes, and clever lines, the mambabalagtas would exchange discussions on the pros and cons of a topic relevant to the community. When it first happened on April 6, 1924, Balagtasan became the rage.
“Town folks would gather at the plaza and listen to mambalalagtas defend their stand on certain social issues. While it seemed like a verbal display of one’s mastery of the Filipino language, it became a powerful tool to engage the public and create informed conversations on social realities.
“But through the years, with the advent of new entertainment platforms, verbal jousts became few and far between in recent times.
“With this in mind, the CCP on the centennial celebration of the Balagtasan has embarked on a new project to make Balagtasan and other types of verbal jousts remain in the consciousness of the Filipino people, especially the young generations.”
The ten finalists to battle it out on the supremacy of the BaRaptasan include Ang Mga Supling ni Angela, Bagong Koronadal Advocates (City of Koronadal), Barapbida Normalista, DMD, El Setecientos, Harayasista Group, Lakbay Iral, Rapper sa Pinas, Tanglaw, and Waraptasan.
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