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30 October
2007—Philippine Consul General to New York Cecilia B. Rebong reported to
the Department of Foreign Affairs that the tribute given by the Philippine
Consulate General to Filipino playwright Alberto Florentino last 26
September 2007 was a resounding success. At least 150 members of the
Filipino community, including artists and performers, were present to pay
tribute an artist whose skill and creativity have been recognized by the
Philippine Government, which conferred on him a Presidential Award of
Merit in February 2007.
Albert Florentino is a respected playwright, a contemporary of Nick
Joaquin, Jose Garcia Villa and NVM Gonzalez. His first play, ‘The World
is an Apple,’ won a Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature (Drama in
English) in 1954 when he was just 23 years old. It was also voted the most
popular/most performed play in the Philippines and is known to be among
the Philippines’ top 10 plays and top 5 literary works.
In
his six decades as a writer, Florentino also earned acclaim as a
scriptwriter for television, literary manager, publisher, editor,
columnist and anthologist. His plays speak of social issues – the poverty
and resilience – and how innocent and beautiful thoughts can survive in an
impoverished world. One of his most well regarded plays is “Oli Impan”
(Holy Infant), set in 1958, about two children caught in the middle of
eviction 5 days before Christmas by Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas in a
squatter area in Binondo.
The dramatic reading of this poignant
Christmas tale was the highlight of the evening, performed brilliantly by
InArtes Musical Theater workshop, starring Zegy Miguel Cancio and
Alexandra Cancio, under the direction of Miguel Barganza II.
The
Philippine Consulate General also presented Mr. Florentino a Dakilang
Pilipino Award, which will complement the Presidential Award he
received personally the same evening. END |
