Mindanao State University - General Santos (MSU-GenSan) is hosting 13 theater groups across Mindanao for the 18th Tanghal National University and Community-Based Theater Festival in Mindanao, from March 14 to 16.
Tanghal is the flagship project of the National Committee on Dramatic Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), for National Arts Month celebrated every month of February.
In an interview with Bagwis, Dr. Norman Ralph Isla, the event's Director, underlined the significance of MSU-GenSan hosting the festival for the third time now, emphasizing that this recurring honor recognizes MSU-GenSan's competence in handling such an event.
“This is a good opportunity always for MSU General Santos, as we claim to be the best university and center for culture and arts in the region. We take pride in that, coming from the heading of a festival, and why not in Tanghal? In a form of theater festival wherein we become the center of Mindanao in terms of gathering people, talents, different theater directors, artists, coming together in one community under one sky of the theater performances,” Dr. Isla said.
Additionally, Dr. Isla, who is also the NCCA Committee on Dramatic Arts regional director for South Central Mindanao, said that the NCCA provided a certain budget to MSU-GenSan for hosting the event but the university also gave its counterpart to ensure the success of the event.
“Because of course, a festival won't work if there's no financing or anything that's needed. So actually, this is considered to be the biggest. Kasi we have tarpaulins na, we have really been promoting this event,” he stated.
Moreover, Chancellor JD Usman D. Aragasi expressed his support for the event’s cause and objectives and extended his commendation to the festival directors, notably Dr. Isla, who is also the campus secretary, and Dr. Alma Celesthia Aguja, the director of the Cultural Affairs Office, during his message at the grand opening ceremony held at the MSU-GenSan School of Graduate Studies (SGS) AVR on March 14.
“I’m very thankful having these two guys, kasi hindi nila pinapahiya ang university when it comes to handling events that happen at the university much more area of expertise nila ang pinag-uusapan—ang culture,” the Chancellor remarked.
Significance of Tanghal Festival, Dramatic Arts
NCCA National Committee on Dramatic Arts Vice Head, Dr. Hobart P. Savior, who graced the grand opening of the festival, emphasized the vital role that universities play in sustaining the vibrancy of theater arts and cultural endeavors.
“The national theater festival called "Tanghal,” we still always love to really implement this because we always believe that the theater arts and even cultural work will always be alive at the university level. More often than not, at the community level, parang medyo shaky siya in terms of sustainability. Pero kung ang isang company, isang theater group, or isang cultural effort ay nasa isang eskwelahan, sa isang university, this becomes really more sustained. Especially with a chancellor like Chancellor Aragasi, who would support these kinds of efforts,” Dr. Savior said.
Furthermore, when asked about the current state of dramatic arts within the MSU and the region, Dr. Isla illuminated the ongoing challenges faced by theater artists and directors, especially amidst the pervasive influence of social media and the era of fast media.
“So automatically, the challenge really is to give good stories for them to watch, to appreciate, and to see. Importeng importante ‘yun sa amin na mga theater artists, theater directors, to really provide a good story for them to learn,” Dr. Isla stated.
This year's theme, "Ani ng Sining, Bayang Malikhain," promises a diverse array of genres, spanning from comedy to drama, tragedy, puppet shows, and Indigenous People stories, among others.
“The highlight is always Mindanao. I believe, we believe, that Mindanao is really colorful. Kitang kita mo ‘yun sa weaving of talents that we have. And we always see that in the stories and narratives we tell,” the event director highlighted.
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