After performing its original musical theater production Aah Bakus! (The Belt!) for thousands of audiences in Negros Oriental, Cebu and Siquijor, the Youth Advocates through Theater Arts of Dumaguete City joined groups from Manila, Bicol, Ozamis City, Leyte, Baguio and Ifugao at the 2015 PETA Children’s Arts Festival held last May 29-31 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City to regale the Manila audiences as well as festival participants.
This was part of the PETA Advocate Right to Safety Zones project that seeks to promote positive and non-violent discipline as an alternative to corporal punishment.
Directed by Nikki Cimafranca, the musical was written by Junsly Kitay based on a PETA play Rated PG authored by Liza Magtoto.
Lauded by many in the audience was the fine singing of the cast to the original and catchy music used in the play composed by Earnest Hope Tinambacan, and arranged by his brother Juni Jay Tinambacan.
The festival also convened the PETA Arts Zone Project Partners’ Convergence (Zones Widened: Dialogues and Directions) where more than a hundred advocates for positive discipline, including YATTA, the BellTower Project, and Little Children of the Philippines from Dumaguete City gathered to share their experiences, gains, and insights in their cultural campaigns.
Resource persons included Cong. Barry Gutierrez of the Akbayan partylist, one of the authors of House Bill No. 4907 or An Act Promoting Positive and Non-Violent Discipline of Children and Appropriating Funds Therefor, as well as Education Undersecretary Atty. Alberto Muyot who emphasized that positive discipline has to be a concerted effort of parents, teachers and children.
PETA Arts Zone Coordinator Marichu Belarmino declared, “We cannot change the prevalent culture by ourselves. But we can use theater to open spaces for dialogue and to raise awareness. This is what we are doing and will continue to do.” (YATTA PR)
