PAPATAG joins Sumuroy Day celebrations

The Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc. actively participated in yesterday's celebrations of Sumuroy Day, which was spearheaded by the Local Government Unit of Palapag.

June 1 of every year has been declared as Sumuroy Day by the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Palapag last March, pending the approval of the national government. It is in honor of Agustin Sumuroy, a native Palapagnon who led the first and largest organized armed resistance of the people of Samar against the Spanish colonizers from 1649 to 1650.

PAPATAG had contributed efforts in lobbying to the SB for the enactment of a Resolution in this purpose. This is in accordance with PAPATAG's adherence to giving utmost importance to Palapag's local history and heritage.

Part of the audience during the first part of the Sumuroy Day celebrations

The first part of the tribute was a short program yesterday morning, wherein the guest speaker was Prof. Estrellita Pinca, herself a Palapagnon residing and working in the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman. She was a historical research grantee of the National Historical Society and had published several articles in local publications on the same topic. Her talk yesterday centered on the need for local historical research, citing the lack thereof.

The guest speaker, Prof. Estrellita Pinca from the University of Eastern Philippines

The highlight of the program was a wreath-laying ceremony beneath the Sumuroy Monument at the Palapag public plaza, led by municipal officials and school heads.

Some of the municipal officials and school heads present

The second part of the celebrations was the free public showing of PAPATAG's 46-minute digital film "Epiko ni Sumuroy" in the evening. Prior to this, the cast and crew of the movie held a caravan around the poblacion to announce and invite the Palapagnons to join the evening's activities.

A brief but symbolic candle-lighting ceremony preceded the film showing. A Waray poem entitled "360", depicting the 360th anniversary of the start of the Sumuroy Revolt, was recited while members of PAPATAG and the audience lit candles beneath the Sumuroy Monument.

Then the finale...

PAPATAG estimates the film showing audience to number from around 300 at the start of the film, to around 700 at the end. The first Sumuroy Day observance this year was indeed successful and colorful, with the active participation of PAPATAG.

PAPATAG produces first epic film in Palapag!

The Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc. successfuly finished "Epiko ni Sumuroy", the very first epic film made entirely in Palapag by Palapagnons themselves.

The 46-minute digital movie shot in sepia tone portrays the heroism of Agustin Sumuroy (formerly known as Juan Ponce Sumuroy or Juan Agustin Sumuroy), a native resident of Palapag who led the first and largest organized armed resistance of the people of Samar against the Spanish colonizers from 1649 to 1650.

The film stars PAPATAG members who have just attended the 2009 Summer Workshop on Creative Drama sponsored by PAPATAG and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) last April 26-30. This film serves as the workshoppers' output, which was supposed to be a stage play with the same title due to be shown on June 1, newly-declared Sumuroy Day by the Sangguniang Bayan of Palapag. Because of lack of time and preparation, the PAPATAG Executive Committee members decided to do a breakthrough film instead, which they believed needed less time and effort than a live stage performance.

With just 3 weeks before the show date, the cast and crew of Epiko ni Sumuroy managed to finish all aspects of the project, including hand-crafting of props and costumes, scriptwriting and reading, actual filming, and the equally difficult job of digital editing.

Despite the exhausting filming schedule in order to beat the deadlines, the cast and crew enjoyed the unique experience, especially because some of the shooting locations were actual historical and heritage sites, including the 17th Century Old Church Ruins in Palapag poblacion, and the ruins of the stone sentinel tower locally known as "balwarte", located in Brgy. Talolora, which was alleged to be actually used by Sumuroy during his time.

Despite PAPATAG's meager financial resources, the cast's acting that needs improvement, and the crew's technical shortcomings, Epiko ni Sumuroy is a great success since the objectives set by PAPATAG before commencing the project have all been met. But the success is yet to be proven come show date.

Here are some snapshots during the filming:

Ralph Pacle, portraying Agustin Sumuroy, poses with children

on his way to a filming location in Brgy. Talolora

The actor poses atop the ruins of the stone sentinel tower

alleged to be actually used by Agustin Sumuroy during his time;

this is located somewhere along the boundaries of Brgy. Talolora and Monbon

A snapshot of an actual fight scene between Sumuroy's forces and Moro raiders from Mindanao

A snapshot of an actual fight scene between Palapagnons and Moros from Mindanao

The camera crew, Paul Go (sitting) and Jeremy Evardone (lying)

Filming a scene along the ricefields of Sitio Cale, Brgy. Magsaysay

Filming a scene along the beaches of Brgys. Talolora and Monbon

Filming a scene inside the actual 17th Century Old Church Ruins in Palapag poblacion

One of the portable cameras used, an old model JVC camcorder

which still uses mini-DV cartridges (instead of hard disk memory storage)

Some of the cast and crew of the Epiko ni Sumuroy

The film's cast and crew are as follows:

RALPH PACLE as Agustin Sumuroy

LEONARDO REBATO as Babaylan / Amay ni Sumuroy

ALVIN ARANDIA as Padre Miguel Ponze Barberan

RYAN DUARTE as Don Pedro Caamug

RON HABANA as Don Juan Ponce

ADAN MUNCADA as Juan Gomez de Tres Palacios

JUDE REMEDILLO as Andres Lopez de Asaldigui

KENNETH DEANANEAS as Capitan Gines de Rojas

ROY RONATO as Capitan Francisco de Sandoval

ROEL LARA as Capitan Juan Fernandez de Leon

ALDRIEX PANCHO as Alferez

RICA CAPANGPANGAN as Iroy ni Sumuroy

ALVIN BARCUMA and ALVIN DOLON

as Pinuno san mga Lutao

GILBERT CALUMPIANO and EMAR MONTIBON

as Vicenzo Damiane & Julio Aleni

SHANNAH PORLON and ALVIN DOLON

as Mga Suruguon san Prayle

NIEL PORLON, EMAR MONTIBON, JUDE REMEDILLO,
GILBERT CALUMPIANO, LEONARDO REBATO, NUL PORLON

as Mga Sundalo nga Espanyol

ZALDY CUYOG, ALLENIL AFRICANO, MHADELLYNNE EVARDONE, SHANNAH PORLON, LESLIE OLCHONDRA, MENCHIE BALANG

as Mga Palapagnon

RP PANCHO, NUL PORLON, ALDRIEX PANCHO,
ALVIN BARCUMA, ALVIN DOLON

as Mga Lutao

---

Casting: MARIGIL GO

Acting Coach/Consultant:

JENNIFER EVARDONE

Costume, Props, Set, & Make-up:

CEL CALVO, LEONARDO REBATO,
KENNETH DEANANEAS, DRYAN NUEVA

Finance, Logistics, & Food:

MARIBEL BALANG, MARIGIL GO,
CHANITO GORGONIA, GEMMA CALOT

Camera:

PAUL GO and JEREMY EVARDONE

Lights:

PAUL GO, EMIL GO, Mr. & Mrs. JULIO EVARDONE, Sr.

Music:

PAUL GO and JEREMY EVARDONE

Narration: Dr. HAYDEE EVARDONE

Script, Direction, & Editing:

JEREMY EVARDONE

PAPATAG and NCCA conduct Creative Drama Workshop

The Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc., in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), successfully conducted a 5-day Summer Workshop on Creative Drama from April 26 to 30, 2009 at the Divine Mercy Academy of Northern Samar campus in Dionesio Village, Brgy. Tinampo, Palapag.

The NCCA granted PAPATAG's request for this workshop, and sent Fray Santy Leaño, CSFP, a member of the NCCA's Committee on Dramatic Arts for the Visayas, to be the major facilitator and workshop director.

The workshop was participated by 30 young talents -- some were resident members of PAPATAG while some where new recruits, some were high school students while some were out-of-school youth.

Here are some pictures taken during the 5-day workshop:

A copy of the certificate given to Fray Santy Leaño;

Certificates of Participation with similar design

were distributed to the 30 workshop participants

The workshop ended through a showcase package of various cultural presentations by the participants, wherein the public and the participants families were invited to watch for free. This culmination activity was held at the church plaza of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish on the evening of April 30.

The 2009 Summer Workshop on Creative Drama was aimed at training old and new members of PAPATAG, as well as non-member youth, who would be the cast members of the prospected stage play "Epiko ni Sumuroy", which was targeted to be publicly shown for free on June 1, 2009, newly-declared Sumuroy Day by the Sangguniang Bayan of Palapag, pending the approval of the national government.

PAPATAG is now registered with SEC

After around 3 years of actively serving the Palapag community through various cultural and artistic programs and activities, the Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc. is now duly registered with the Philippine government's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

PAPATAG's application for registration and all other required documents for a non-stock corporation were sent to the SEC in Mandaluyong, Manila last March 2009. After accreditation, the Certificate of Incorporation bearing the SEC official seal was signed by Mr. Benito A. Cataran, Director of the Company Registration and Monitoring Department of the Commission, on April 21, 2009.

PAPATAG is also properly registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). This registration with the two government agencies is expected to give PAPATAG actual chances at gaining legal access to government support through various means, including financial grants and fundings for various cultural projects, after the appropriate accreditation procedures of the concerned government bodies.

However, with or without these government financial support, PAPATAG as an organization has proven its independent fiscal and managerial competence in planning, organizing, and implementing quality and effective cultural and artistic projects that truly serve the Palapag community through the years.

PAPATAG members attend Festival Management Workshop

Three members of the Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc. attended a 3-day Festival Management Workshop sponsored and organized by the Provincial Tourism Office and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) last April 1-3 at the Ibabao Hall, Provincial Capitol Building, Catarman, Northern Samar.

The PAPATAG members were Cecil Calvo (head, Vicual Arts Committee), Kenneth Deananeas (member, Visual Arts Committee), and Jeremy Evardone (head, Theater Arts Committee). Along with them was another delegate sent by the Local Government Unit of Palapag, Mrs. Flora Sabalza, the Municipal Tourism Officer. The official invitation for the workshop was originally sent to the LGU, but was also open for interested individuals or non-government organizations.

Here are some of the pictures taken by staff members of the Provincial Tourism Office:

Part of the workshop wherein the participants from Palapag interact

with other delegates from the Second District of the Province

PAPATAG delegates actively participate in the discussions

The delegates from the Second District of Northern Samar,

with Ms. Josette Doctor (Provincial Tourism Officer)

and Mr. Jaime Antonio (resource person from the NCCA)

The participants of the workshop, together with

Ms. Doctor, Mr. Antonio, and some Provincial Tourism Office staff

The workshop was aimed at educating and training the local tourism stakeholders in the appropriate and effective planning, organizing and management of local festivals in every municipality of the province, that would eventually lead to the conceptualization and actualization of a provincial festival reflective of the distinct Northern Samar culture and tradition.

The most important inputs from the main topic presented by the resource person from the NCCA, Mr. Jaime B. Antonio, were the framework for understanding local culture and traditions, and the basic concepts on planning and management that relates to festival organizing.

Mr. Antonio also stressed the importance of cultural development policies, programs, and activities of both the local government and the non-government institutions in relation to local festivals and tourism management. He pointed out, and the participants agreed in unison, that no tourism development could be fully achieved without cultural development; suffice to say that scenic spots and beautiful sights were not enough to boost local tourism.

PAPATAG was the only non-government cultural organization that was able to participate in this Festival Management Workshop.

Harana sa Plaza Part 2!

The Palapag Culture and Arts Guild (PAPATAG) Inc. succesfully held Harana sa Plaza Part 2, a free Valentine concert featuring local artists in Palapag, with the special participation of Viva Hot Babe Maui Taylor, on the night of February 14 at the Palapag Gymnasium.

The show was co-sponsored by Congressman Paul Daza of the first district of Northern Samar, Mayor Ricardo Daiz, Vice Mayor Noli Moslares, and the Local Government Unit of Palapag.

However, prior to this, the members and officers of PAPATAG had some serious thoughts whether to go on with the show, considering (first) that Maui Taylor's brand of entertainment was not reflective of PAPATAG's wholesome and non-sexist orientation, and (second) that the major show sponsors were politicians and PAPATAG was careful not to be indetified with any political camp. But after ample deliberations, the positive outweighed the negative, and PAPATAG decided to organize the free concert, which was a sequel to the first Harana sa Plaza held in February last year.

The following are some of the snaphots taken during the show:

Local musicians Norberto "Bentoy" Ponce, Jun Olchondra and "Balete" Verano

Young singer Charlito Senolos, Grand Champion of the 2008 KARANTAYAW

Pre-fiesta Amateur Singing and Dancing Competition

Another budding local talent, Madonna Potot

Local vocalist Elaine Capate (left) and Che Durens (right) from Catarman

Another Palapagnon who performs in and out of Palapag, Mr. Paul Go

The special guest, Viva Hot Babe Maui Taylor

Ms. Taylor, having fun with the show's sponsors

Members of PAPATAG, the organizer of Harana sa Plaza Part 2

Ms. Taylor, posing with some of the show's sponsors

The show started at around 7:00 in the evening with front act performances of local talents singing both popular and local love songs. Maui Taylor arrived at around 9:00 o'clock and performed for about 30 minutes, sending the crowd into a kilig frenzy and lots of laughter. After this the concert and jamming continued until around 12:00 midnight.

PAPATAG assessed Harana sa Plaza Part 2 to be a huge success in terms of quenching the Palapagnons thirst for entertainment, as well as in the overall management of the event. This was also PAPATAG's first major activity for 2009.