“May
your work be compelling and original. May it be profound, touching,
contemplative and unique. May it help us to reflect on the question of what it
means to be human, and may that reflection be blessed with heart, sincerity,
candor, and grace. May you overcome adversity, censorship, poverty and
nihilism, as many of you will most certainly be obliged to do. May you be
blessed with the talent and rigor to teach us about the beating of the human
heart in all its complexity, and the humility and curiosity to make it your
life’s work. And may the best of you—for it will only be the best of you, and
even then only in the rarest and briefest moments—succeed in framing that most
basic of questions, ‘How do we live?’ Godspeed.”
That’s
the message sent by American actor—and producer, screenwriter, and
director—John Malkovich to fellow workers in theater on the occasion of the
50th anniversary of World Theater Day, to be marked on Tuesday, March 27.
In the
Philippines, the occasion was observed the other week in ceremonies spearheaded
by the International Theater Institute/Earthsavers Dream Academy headed by the
redoubtable Cecile Guidote Alvarez. In a message, Unesco Director General Irina
Bokova highlighted “the special role of culture” in these times of
environmental challenges and swiftly changing societies. “New approaches to
sustainable development will be effective only if they are sensitive to local
identities, values and world views—in short, if they put people at their
center.”
This is
entirely in step with the staging of a “Creativity-Bio-Cultural Diversity
Dialogue Workshop for Peace and Sustainable Development” on the occasion of
World Theater Day. “We have here all the key words for fostering a dialogue
that recognizes the intricate links between biological diversity and cultural
diversity, and the role of human creativity for transforming our societies,”
noted Bokova.
* * *
Speaking
of powerful and moving theater, for the 12th year, V-Day Manila, a benefit
performance of the award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues,” goes onstage at
the Music Museum on Saturday, March 31.
V-Day
Manila is produced by “the socially engaged and provocative theater group” The
New Voice Company, to raise funds for Lila Pilipina, an organization of
Filipino “comfort women.”
This
special one-night performance features stage, screen and recording stars—as
well as acclaimed journalists and activists. Leading the cast is “screen legend
and film star” (I can just see her raising her eyebrows at such an accolade)
Boots Anson-Roa and international singing star Kuh Ledesma. And would V-Day be
V-Day without the presence of multimedia actress and director Monique Wilson?
After all, it’s Monique who’s provided the fire and the passion the last 12
years to hold V-Day events in the Philippines and around Asia, highlighted by a
guesting at
V-Day’s
10th anniversary show in New Orleans, together with other international stars.
Also in
the cast are leading ladies of the Philippine stage—Joy Virata, Pinky Amador,
Tami Monsod, Juno Henares, Sheila Francisco, Roselyn Perez, Madeleine Nicolas,
Gina Wilson and Mae Paner—as well as acclaimed singers—Cynthia Alexander, Leah
Navarro and multiawarded actress/singer Aiza Seguerra and actress/host Giselle
Toengi. Also featured are the younger generation of rising theater actresses—Angelina
Kanapi, Christine Carlos, Ampy Sietereales, Christine Escudero and Angela
Padilla, as well as NVC resident actresses Denise Bontogon, April Celmar, Rona
Lou San Pedro and Nikki Ventosa. Other special guests include multiawarded
actress/writer Bibeth Orteza, celebrated news anchor Ces Drilon, well-known
journalist Dolly Anne Carvajal, respected women’s rights activists Anna Leah
Sarabia, Edna Aquino, Jamie Tapales-Oakes, Rep. Emmi de Jesus and former Rep.
Liza Maza, leading OB-gynecologist Dr. Marlyn Ruaro and Gabriela’s cultural
group, Sining Lila.
* * *
Moving
on to matters beyond theater, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) last week
became the first medical facility in the country to install the low-cost,
durable neonatal equipment provided by the Breath of Life (BOL) program of the
East Meets West (EMW) Foundation.
The BOL
addresses the urgent need to provide “effective treatment for commonly
occurring, but potentially life-threatening medical conditions in newborns,
such as respiratory distress and jaundice.”
With
$80,000 in funding from the Lemelson Foundation, and in collaboration with
medical engineering firm Medical Technology Transfer Service and local
nonprofit partner Consuelo Foundation, the BOL provides innovatively designed
respiratory therapy machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP) and
phototherapy devices to alleviate infantile jaundice and infant warmers to help
preterm babies suffering from hypothermia.
The
donation to PGH includes eight CPAP machines, 12 phototherapy machines and 10
infant warmers as well as an infection control system. At PGH, some 2,000
babies are born premature or sick each year, about half of whom are admitted to
the Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In the next year, the BOL equipment
will allow PGH to address the needs of at least 1,000 babies at high risk of
hypothermia, 150 newborns with immature lungs, and 250 infants with severe
neonatal jaundice.
“Our
collaboration with EMW is fully in line with our goal of providing the best for
the Filipino newborn,” said Dr. Resti Ma. Bautista, a neonatologist at PGH.
“With full-scale implementation of the BOL program, we look forward to
significantly improving patient services and specialized training in neonatal
healthcare at the PGH, as well as targeting relevant research objectives in the
field of maternal and child health.”
Rina
Jimenez-David
Philippine
Daily Inquirer
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