For years, the Biñan Youth Performance Council (YPC) has served as the brewing pot for the cultivation of local talents, particularly in the field of theatre arts, in Biñan City, Laguna.
This month, the Biñan YPC is now ready to spread its wings and take the national theatre community by storm.
Starting July 25, the YPC Stage, the new professional touring arm of the YPC, will present its "Mapanakit – Mga Dulang Bittersweet" play series at the University of the Philippines – Diliman campus.
The staging of "Mapanakit" at the UP Diliman Campus is a huge step forward for the Biñan City YPC, which had been one of the forefronts of the Biñan City local government’s “culture-based development” stratagem.
Among the recent presentations by the group include Lagunense playwright and Palanca Award winner Frank G. Rivera’s “Ulan, Ambon, Baha” last September, a “sarswelang Pinoy” that tells the story of love, community struggles, and the challenges brought by environmental neglect.
Stories of 'bitter reality'
"Mapankit – Mga Dulang Bittersweet" first premiered in Biñan City last December 2025, as part of the council's 20th anniversary celebration.
The series consists of three short plays by playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc, one of the most perceptive voices in contemporary Philippine theater, which “promise a show of theatrical power: intimate, raw, and resonant.”
These works were brought to life under the direction of BJ Borja, head of the Biñan City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) and an accomplished theater director in his own right.
In a social media post last year, YPC had said “the production presents a new generation of YPC members who take the stage as actors, bringing fresh energy to YPC’s legacy of excellence and cultural service."
These three plays include:
- "Ang Liknayan ng Ating Mga Katawan", a 2023 Palanca-winning play, an intimate and arresting piece that examines the hidden chambers of our bodies and the stories they carry.
- "Ilihan at Kalinaw: Ang Lihim na Istorya ng mga Buringkantada", a haunting and poetic exploration of memory, myth, and unspoken truths of a Bicolano myth.
- “Ganito Ang Pangarap Kong Kasal,” a tender, incisive work about vows, expectations, and the spaces between what we promise and what we become.
The cast includes Ross Pesigan and Jury Sanchez in "Ang Liknayan ng Ating mga Katawan"; Gab Pangilinan and Euden Moje in "Ilihan at Kalingaw"; and Kokoy de Santos, Phi Palmos and Loudette Barias in "Ganito ang Pinangarap Kong Kasal."
The creative team includes production designer Carlo Pagunaling, lighting designer Gabo Tolentino, sound designer Arkel Mendoza and creative director Carlo Cannu.
“At its core, ‘Mapanakit’ reflects shared Filipino experiences — heartbreak, longing, healing, and hope — allowing audiences to see themselves on stage. Its relatable themes make it highly engaging for students, young professionals, cultural advocates, and general theatre-goers alike,” theatre advocate Toots Tolentino, known by his professional moniker ArtlinkPh, wrote in his social media page.
"Mapanakit – Mga Dulang Bittersweet" will be staged at UP Diliman's KAL-IBG Theater on July 25, 26, August 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., with a special gala performance on August 7 at 7:00 p.m.
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