Weary Souls at Our Feet

Nararamdaman ko ang hininga nya sa aking mga hita andyan nanaman ang demonyoa very intriguing and metaphoric way to start a plot of a play or rather, the depiction of what goes beyond the stagethe real stage where the curtain never falls. The slums, shanties and dark alleys are the home of these young but weary souls of Metro Manila. They are the very souls that we encounter every waking day. They are the little men and women who knock on our car windows selling us Sampaguita flowers, trapos or just simply begging for our baryas. They are the bunch of kids who would always dive on their knees to wipe our muddy shoes and would patiently wait for us to pick the lowest denomination of our coins. Did we ever wonder what else do they do for a living? Surely, begging is not enough to support a family or even their grumbling stomachs. In the play Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak, I realized what my eyes failed to see whenever I look at these kids. It served as an eye-opener for me to actually understand what these poor street urchins are going through. At this phase of their lives, they ought to be at home, where they should rest and play. They should be at school, where they are thought academically and morally. They should enjoy what their youth can offer. But where are they now? They are everywhereexperiencing poverty, running restlessly with an empty stomach, sniffing rugby to be oblivious to the pangs of starvation. They are exploited and molested. Adults have always taken advantage of their innocence and fear. They let themselves be penetrated by the devil in exchange for a few metal braces and small supot ng karneor worse, their own fathers steal their virginities at night. Running pregnant not truly realizing how serious it is. And dying of child rearing due to blood lost They are professional laborers at their early age. They serve as the Padre de Pamilya of their

homes, if theres any. They are also the veteran snatchers of our cell phones and i-pods. They are the imperceptible pick-pockets. They may be the heinous criminals for all we care, but they are also the victims of the big time plunderers of our senate. Did we ever wonder what would happen to them eventually? They will never be forever juveniles, how about their futures? Are there any spots of hope left for them? But to whom will they confide in? Is there a modern-day dyosa ng mga suso in Metro Manila? They are our next generation core citizens, would we let them grow and be molded in the streets? As they beg, we can see through their eyes the struggles, hardships and unheard wails of their hearts, would we be forever unmoved from their cries? These questions flooded my mind instantly during the start of the play until now. I pity those who do not give any concerns on their futuresYes, I used to be one of them, but not anymore. These questions arent simply mind-bogglers. They will always remain in my head, just like a scar. Their images would hunt the core of my being until I make an action with our poverty-ridden society. It doesnt take to be a leftist in order to help, Im sure I can make a difference at my own.

Even during the start of the play, Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak touched a lot of our discussed topics in our Comm 3 class. One of the strongest aspects is their words. It seems to be very difficult to grasp and catch up at times, though. But they clearly conveyed to us their feelings and situations through the use of their words. They had fully selected what to say for us, audience, to take hold of the message they want to impart. They have also touched the aspects of voicethe volume, pitch, pauses, variety and most specially, the quality. They have modified their voice productions so that their words would be heard distinctly. They are well-trained artists; they have manifested the characteristics of voice effectively. They were

audible, fluent and flexible. They pronounced each word very well And the most powerful element in the play in relation to our Comm 3 lessons for me is the nonverbal communication. Even if its a pantomime, I think the play would have still survived and understood because of their remarkable nonverbal communication talents. They have performed interpretative dance and other gestures to portray their circumstances in life, hardships and even the act of prostitution itself and all of them were entirely understood. To be more specified, they depicted the aspects of nonverbal communication such as object language, as regard with their clothes. Affect displays for their individual facial expressions. Haptics for their own hand contacts to each other during the show. And paralanguage for their voice quality. Truly, action speaks louder than words.

As to the technical production aspects, they were also splendid. The lights gave more emphasis to their faces and to what should be the object of concentration or attention during a particular time. The added video projected on the huge stone also gave a dramatic effect for us to imagine what they were describing in their dialogues. The ambiance of the stage design highlighted the theme of the play. And lastly, their costumes, props and make ups also fit the aura they want to show.

Submitted by: Jamie Isabelle K. Arellano (2008-02767) Submitted to: Sir Kenneth Jamandre