by Ervin John P. Villanueva
(IN PHOTO: Participants of the LANDAS 2025 event join together in a lively dance, setting the stage for the event’s festivities. Photo taken by: Ervin John Villanueva)
The University of the Philippines Los Baños Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (UPLB OICA) and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) conducted the event titled LANDAS 2025: Serye ng Panayam Hinggil sa Estetikang Oryentasyon” at the DL Umali Auditorium Lobby on 17 February 2025, launching the university’s commemoration of National Arts Month.
The opening lecture, titled “Forum Theatre on National Democracy,” took an alternative approach by eliminating traditional distinction between audience and performers. Instead, participants engaged in activities grounded in the concept of “Bigay at Tanggap” which is a participatory format adapted from European theatre practices.
The event began with a unified dance accompanied by an orchestra. Attendees were given slips of paper to complete the phrase, “Para sa akin, ang Pilipinas ay…” This activity set a reflective tone for the day’s discussions.
(IN PHOTO: Prof. Emmanuel Dumlao, sets the tone for the discussion with a poem highlighting themes of national democracy. Photo taken by: Ervin John Villanueva)
Prof. Emmanuel Dumlao opened the formal discussion with a poem on national democracy, followed by Prof. Laurence Castillo, OICA director, who recited “Aralin sa Ekonomiyang Pampulitika.”
Guest speaker Ferdinand M. Gaite, third nominee of the Bayan Muna Partylist, led a role-playing exercise where attendees acted as lawmakers, deliberating on policies like wage increases, the repeal of the TRAIN Law, and the integration of Filipino in the education system. Gaite emphasized the importance of aligning education with national development, criticizing the “miseducation” of Filipino students and the country’s consistently low international assessment scores.
“Mayaman ang Pilipinas ngunit bakit naghihirap ang sambayanang Pilipino?” was a central question raised during a theatrical performance illustrating societal issues like corruption and inequality in the Philippines.
IN PHOTO: Discussion of Ferdinand M. Gaite, third nominee of Bayan Muna Partylist. Photo taken by: Ervin John Villanueva)
The event concluded with a tribute to the victims of the Martial Law era. Participants wrote the names whispered to them at the beginning of the lecture on the asphalt road in front of DL Umali and lit candles in their honor.
The “LANDAS” lecture series will continue with more sessions on February 24 and March 3, as part of UPLB Fringe 2025, OICA’s month-long celebration of National Arts Month.
