SINTA 2014

Back at Dulaang Sibol

“Alalahanin, Gunitain...nang puso nati’y wala pang galos, pangarap nati’y wala pang gapos!” Those are just one of the few lines that Mr. Onofre Pagsanghan has embedded in my mind. SINTA, Mr. Pagsi’s adaptation from the Broadway play “The Fantastics” opened in 1975 and has run for hundreds of performances with most of the nights Mr. Pagsanghan’s daughter Stella playing the lead role adn Jimmy Hofileña playing Narding and Fred Ortiz as Matanglawin. As a matter of fact, the play was put into the big screen with Ariosto Reyes playing Narding.

Joji Quintos and Jocot de Dios as

Mang Anding and Mang Pedring

SINTA eventually recasted in the 90’s wherein the lead roles had Cholo Mallilin and Johnny Bondoc alternating as Matanglawin and Jimmy Bondoc playing Narding.  This year, the old and new members of the cast members of Sinta converge once again not only to reprise their roles but also to help out the Sibol Hesus School Foundation Inc. which was also founded by Mr. Pagsi. Sibol Hesus School Foundation Inc will be sponsoring scholars to the Ateneo de Manila High School and as Tito Lopez said in his speech before the play started, Scholarships don’t come cheap since the tuition fees of the Ateneo is now at P 150,000 a year while Miriam College runs at P 135,000.00 so if you do the math just having a scholar study for six years in the Ateneo will equal lots of money.

One of my favorite scenes

The February 7 and 8 playdates of SINTA had notable Dulaang Sibol Alumni take on most of the "age appropriate roles" with Joey Hofileña playing Matanglawin, Dr. Joji Quinto as Mang Anding, Atty. Jocot de Dios as Mang Pedring, Ali Figueroa as Redentor dela Rosa and Dave Ingles as Tibo. Veteran musicians took over the music of SINTA with Kedy Sanchez and Poch Ambrosio taking on the guitars. This was the February 8 playdate which I watched. The two remaining playdates will be on February 14 and 15, 2014 respectively. Tickets are included with each P 250.00 donation for the February 7th and 15th shows while P 500.00 for the February 8th show and P 1,000.00 for the February 14th Valentines day show. Donations outside of these are encouraged and will be warmly received.

Ali Figueroa as Redentor and Dave Ingles as Tibo

If ever there is a chance you want to help out and donate to the Sibol Hesus School Foundation Inc. directly you can contact either Dr. Jojo Mendoza (jojomendoza@yahoo.com) Dr. James Simpas (jbsimpas@ateneo.edu) and Tito Lopez (czlopez@gmail.com).   Donations can come even anytime since six years in high school will definitely need lots of money and the time to solicit money from family and friends will be harder since a lot of us have already given to various projects related to the Yolanda tragedy. A friend of mine once said that one thing nice about the Ateneo is that Ateneans take care of themselves and this is something definitely very "Sibol like" and definitely very "Atenean like!"   I am just lucky to be associated with Mr. Pagsi and the Dulaang Sibol family because it has helped me become a man for others.  So to my friends reading on, be the miracle and hope you can contribute to this cause.

 The music crew

Note from Dr. Jojo Mendoza (2/14/14): Due to the public's demand of SINTA, the show will be extending its 2014 run with new shows on February 21,22,28 and March 1, 2014 at 7:00 pm at the Tanghalang Onofre Pagsanghan (Dulaang Sibol). For ticket reservations, you may contact Mrs. Sylvia Aldana at the Ateneo High School English Department, Cholo Mallillin at the Ateneo College Office of Student Affairs, Atty Tito Lopez at crzlopez@syciplaw.com or through Dr. Jojo Mendoza 0915-7871899. 

SINTA Alumni Night

They came they saw they conquered. Last month I got excited with the fact that Dulaang Sibol will be showing once again its long running play SINTA which is now in its 34th year of playing at the Tanghalang Onofre Pagsanghan.  Last year and also this year I was invited to perform for the February run of Sinta. Unfortunately this year I was so tied up with the STI National Youth Convention that I wasn't able to join them or even watch the show.  I was just happy that Dulaang Sibol Alumni were able to put up the show all for the benefit of the SIBOL HESUS Foundation..

For friends who have been out of touch, the Dulaang Sibol Theatre has since been renovated and named Tanghalang Onofre Pagsanghan which is a fitting tribute to the man who  has devoted more than fifty years of molding young minds into what they are now - and that includes me. Mr. Pagsi said "Lahat na yata ng kasabay ko wala na....Moro Lorenzo was my classmate in High School, now he is just a statue and gym outside.  Fr. dela Costa who used to be my teacher is now a building!" Buti na lang this theatre is named after me!"

Mr. Pagsi usually gives a short speech before each presentation and what caught my mind was the playbill that he held which was given to him by Brother Jim Dunne years back signifying that the play "The Fantastics" from has just celebrated its 40th year in broadway. And for those who have watched SInta know that Mr. Pagsi watched the Fanstastics back then in the 60's when he was in New York and combined it with his imagination to create the longest running play in the country.

One thing new with the play is that I think it is now on its third set of casts.  When Sinta opened in the 70's Atty Jimmy Hofileña and Stella Pagsanghan (Mr. Pagsi's daughter) topbilled the cast together with notable Sibolistas Ray Miranda, Henry Totanes and my favorite Matanglawin Fred Ortiz. A lot of Sibolistas have played different roles like Mang Pedring, Mang Anding, Redentor, Tibo and the Pader but Jimmy, Stella and Fred definitely defined the roles of the three lead characters.  In the 90's a new cast was created and Jimmy Bondoc together with his older brother Johnny played Narding and Matanglawin respectively.  Johnny also alternated with my batchmate Cholo Mallilin while Joey Oreta and Blue Avelino later on became fixtures as Mang Anding and Pedring.  

Many Sibolistas have come and played various roles with Sinta, but unfortunately the beauty of the play is not with the actors, its with the genius of how Mr. Pagsi wrote the script and the meanings that with them. Imagine, SINTA will be pushing for forty years in the near future and the beauty and purity of what Mr. Pagsi wrote still echoes through the minds of many Sibolistas, Ateneo students and Dulaang Sibol loyalists.  I believe that I will be blogging more about SINTA performancesin the near future. Great Job guys.

Year Ender 3 - Fave Events in 2008

My Top 5 Favorite Events for 2008

STI 25th Anniversary Celebration

25 Years of quality education is what STI brags about. Not only does STI do wonders in the field of education but when STI handles events expect it to be a monumental one. Celebrating SIlver was the theme and the event was a culmination of a month long celebration in honor of STI's 25 years of Quality ICT education. Just read the events that happened on that day.

Celebrating SIlver - http://mhelgarrido.blogspot.com/2008/09/sti-25th-anniversary-celebration.html

SINTA

Many years ago Dulaang Sibol recasted the longest running stage play in the country-SINTA. When I was in High school i was a long time understudy of some roles and eventually got to play some in the later part of the original casts run in the early 90's. I was just so happy to be invited to perform and mix it up with the young one's. Most probably Sinta will have another run this February.

Blog Story - http://mhelgarrido.blogspot.com/2008/02/sinta.html

OUR LADY'S LITTLE PRINCESS

This event is all about our family! I thank my Mom, Lola Mae to the kids for making things happen. SHe was the moving force in making my neice Ma. Angelica "Bujoy" Garrido win this event. She was on top of every solicitation, follow up and everything. Also, if not for my brother Arnel and his wife Timmy, Bujoy would have not gone far. Next stop, other pageants hahaha.

http://mhelgarrido.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-ladys-little-princess-2008.html

BELLY DANCE FESTIVAL

What used to be a dance recital eventually became a show and then as the years passed they gathered the best belly dancers in the country and staged the event in Glorietta for all to see. The show was long but seeing one of my best buds dance and show off her belly dancing skills was enough for me to enjoy. Unfortunately the day I went to watch I was so tired and spent that I went home right after the show.

Highlights of the BellY Dance Festival http://mhelgarrido.blogspot.com/2008/07/belly-dance-festival-2008.htm

ATENEO ALUMNI HOMECOMING

For me, the best part of the event was SEEING and TALKING to friends I have not seen in years. Like what I mentioned, so much people to talk to so little time. I enjoyed the stories and even just hanging out with friends who I use to have fun with and even the ones who had fun at my expense. I was not even in High School when this jubilarian batch was there but I have lots of friends from their batch. Like what I said, this early I am already looking forward to the next Ateneo High School Homecoming.

http://mhelgarrido.blogspot.com/2008/12/ateneo-alumni-homecoming-2008.html

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