MigrantĂŠs initiative transforms community through technology and Tri-people empowerment
PASALI Philippines Foundation, Inc
Teatro Kawagib PROFILE
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PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
COLOFON Writer
Richel Anim Elisa Ty Renette Ventura
Editor
Shane Pulmano
PASALI Philippines Foundation, 2012 Airport Road, Barangay Fatima General Santos City, Philippines 9500 E pasaliphilippines@yahoo.com.ph T (+63) (83) 5521155 W pasaliphilippines.org
I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Title of the Project
Teatro Kawagib
2. Proponent Name
PASALI Philippines Foundation
Address
Barangay Fatima, General Santos City, Philippines
Contact Person/Number
Godofredo Rotor Jr./09394859687 Richel Anim (coordinator Children’s Desk) / (83) 5521155
3. Project Duration
From 2008 to present
4. Project Location
General Santos City
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PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
TEATRO KAWAGIB
1. RATIONALE Since 2006, PASALI developed and implemented interventions for the Tri-people Moro, Christian and indigenous people - communities in Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao. Its interventions are specifically designed to include the vulnerable group - children, women, elderly, especially of the Moro and indigenous. Its spearhead interventions include appropriate technology, and organic agriculture. In General Santos its activities are aimed at the advocacy of the rights of elderly, children, and to promote understanding and strengthen interethnic relationships in the Tri-people society.
PASALI believes that theater and stage is a powerful means to reach entire communities, regardless of age and ethnicity. Theater can show the real situation of the children and elderly regarding their right, welfare and responsibilities in the community. PASALI facilitated a theater workshop in 2008 given by theater expert Perlyn Bunyi of the Manila-based theater company PETA. As a result, several PASALI youth volunteers formed Teatro Kawagib. ‘Kawagib’ means ‘right’, as in ‘human rights’. Teatro Kawagib members have created a short film on Teatro Kawagib. This can be viewed online on PASALI’s video portal on: www. vimeo.com/29815722
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Teatro Kawagib dramatizes negative living conditions of children - child abuse, discrimination, children in-conflict with the law (CICL), labor, trafficking and gangs - and elderly - in the hospital, home for the aged, family, barangay hall. They do so by creating original multi-discipline theater and performed them in various places – General Santos, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat. Furthermore, Teatro Kawagib has shown tremendous ability to dramatize issues the indigenous peoples groups face with and has known to celebrate with vocals, dance and drama the unique characteristics of Tri-people identities. The group was founded based on the present situation of Mindanao tri-people populace anchored on PASALI’s Vision, Mission, and Goal that geared towards the creation of harmonious and peaceful relationships between and among communities of diversified culture. It believes that all human beings have rights and thus should be equally treated regardless of his/her age, ethnicity, economic background, geographic location, etc. Teatro Kawagib has done various _________________________________________________________________________________ 3
PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
performances in different places both inside and outside General Santos City. Their performances pertain to lifelike situations of children and elderly within their respective families and communities as well as their rights. They have presented their own pieces in malls, hotels, gymnasiums, community centers, and beach resorts for the past three years of its existence. They have also participated in various community works such as Tree Growing, “Operation Linis” in Uhaw Public Cemetery and assisting PASALI Foundation in providing “Libreng Tubig” during Undas . For further information, just refer to the group video and power point presentations provided.
3. BENEFICIARIES/RECIPIENTS A. Audience: communities, authorities, families, parents, children and elderly The audience members of Teatro Kawagib are generally represented by tripeople groups. They came from different ages and categories depending on the theme that the group portrays. For instance, in advocating the children’s and Senior Citizens’ rights, their performances were witnessed by stakeholders (police, teachers, health providers, law-makers, social workers, business groups, religious leaders including local government officials) both from various government and non-government agencies. At the minimum, around 60 audiences were touched and impressed by the group’s based-on the real-life performances along with the conduct of seminars and workshops initiated by PASALI Philippines Foundation. Conversely, around 4,000 participants witnessed the Kawagib’s 30- minute portrayal on the present and gloomy situations of the elderly during the Senior Citizen’s Day Celebration last October, 2010 at the Lagao old gymnasium. This event was jointly organized by the City Social Welfare and Development and the Advocacy Consortium for the Elderly (composed by 3 NGOs in the city including PASALI). B. Members of Teatro Kawagib Teatro Kawagib has 13 members with three different backgrounds: six Visaya, four Moro, and three of the Indigenous People (of the B’laan tribe). With mixed backgrounds, the theater group consciously reflects Mindanao’s Tri-people society and draws its drama from member’s real life and PASALI’s grass roots work.
4. OBJECTIVES General objectives: Teatro Kawagib exists to advocate the rights of the marginalized, particularly children, youth, Moro and Indigenous People groups in Mindanao with the artistic expressions of drama, song, music and dance.
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PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
Specific Objectives: Theater has the inherent trait of mirroring behaviour and culture. Thus, Teatro Kawagib becomes a strong tool to: 1) expose social injustice 2) advocate positive change AND 3) rejuvenate cultural and social identities on the brink of extinction.
5. OUTPUTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The Impact of Teatro Kawagib Respect on the rights of children and elderly was especially observed after the group’s successive performances. Parents primarily realized their shortcomings towards their children. While care and concern for their elderly family members are provided for and shown by the youngsters. Even LGU officials are now aware of their accountabilities towards these vulnerable sectors. As part of PASALI’s advocacy work, therefore, Teatro Kawagib has a tremendous contribution to the organization. It became its right wing in reaching both the hearts of the duty-bearers and the recipient communities. As City Councilor Llido commented during the Children’s Forum, “The group’s portrayal indeed depicts the present situation of the children. I feel sorry for the children who were abused by their parents. It is now time to revisit and pass to the Sanggunian for the adoption of the GSC Children’s Welfare Code.” Furthermore, it motivates youth’s participation in planning and implementing PASALI’s projects. It facilitates for an honest expression especially of the Moro and IP youth’s current situation and issues through their performances. On the other hand, Teatro Kawagib members’ lives were also touched by these significant effects of Teatro Kawagib in terms of their family life, social life, means of living, behavior, the way they think of themselves, and the way others think of them. In terms of their family life, they become aware of their rights and the gloomy situations that they may undergo under the hands of pitiless people which in fact were already experienced by their fellow youth primarily in depressed areas. Thus, their eyes were opened and were driven to fight for their rights and welfare. With regards to their social life, youth become less introverted in dealing with different sorts of people particularly their fellow youth. Through their involvement in Teatro Kawagib, they get to know their individual strength, identity and uniqueness. Indeed, the theater group lessens their inferiority as well as the discrimination among its IP members. Their means of living is likewise uplifted. Its members were given the opportunity to earn financially that they could use in providing their personal necessities and even in sustaining their family’s daily needs by offering it to their parents. The _________________________________________________________________________________ 5
PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
money that they acquire may come from the honorarium given by their sponsors and partners through PASALI. The members’ behaviors were similarly modified. They do learn to respect each other’s rights and cultural diversities as well as proper coordination and cooperation among themselves which greatly contribute to their success in achieving their goals. The way they think of themselves before and after joining the group is also marked with apparent difference. They were able to identify their individual worth and achieve things which others could not. Through Teatro Kawagib, they discover new things about themselves, enhance their talents and overcome their weaknesses. Hence, they become the best of who they are. Equally, Teatro Kawagib makes everyone respect its members and view them as good examples for everyone especially their contemporaries. Their presentations inspire people to become better and responsible individuals toward their family, community, and country in general. The Uniqueness of Teatro Kawagib Teatro Kawagib is unique from other youth projects in the community for some significant aspects. First, it uses stage expression as an effective tool to show the real life situations of children and elderly in the community. Theater quickly captures attention and without direct condemnation can show social illness and proper behavior in a delightful guise of entertainment. Second, it is composed of Moro, Christian, and IP, the tri-people group. And notably, apart from theater, innate among the members are the commitment to serve the community. They also actively take part in various community outreach programs thru PASALI Philippines Foundation. They are exposed in facilitating activities for children and elderly like seminars and workshops, medical missions, and the like. They are visible in the following programs: “Tulong Nyo Kinabukasan Ko” every June, Children’s and Senior Citizen’s Month Celebration every October, even during Undas every November, and Tri-people children’s year end gathering every December. Indeed, Teatro Kawagib is the “group for all seasons”. The group uses artistic means of expressions through the combination of speech, gestures, music, dance, sound effects and creation of props and costumes.
Specific among the situations portrayed by the group is the IP’s. It condemns discriminatory attitudes experienced mostly by the IP children and their families in the society. It advocates equal treatment for IP children at school, in institutions, workplace, and the like. Sustainability and Resourcefulness Teatro Kawagib members have found creative ways to fund the things the group needs by joining different competitions. They also tap funding agencies such as Mindanaoan Community Development Organization Inc., (MCDOI), Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP)-- local, Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) which literally means Church Development Service, and SMS—international. Thus, through this, Teatro Kawagib could continue its _________________________________________________________________________________ 6
PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
existence and becomes even more innovative in preparing for each of its presentation so to guarantee its future success.
6. COMPONENTS AND ACTIVITIES A.
Main activity: Performance
Month, year
day,
Performance name
Location
Describe characteristics of the performance
July 30, 2010
Cultural Dance Presentation
Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani
Performance of a cultural dance mix.
July 2, 2010
Women’s Market Day Presentation
Palimbang, Sultan Portrayal of children’s lifelike Kudarat situations in their family and community as well as their rights.
June 26, 2010
Children’s Forum Presentation
Phela Grande Hotel
Portrayal of children’s lifelike situations in their family and community as well as their rights.
June 11, 2010
Senior Citizen Situational Drama
STTC-Mindanao State University, GSC
Portrayal of elderly’s real life situation and their rights.
May 16, 2010
Labor Day Mall Show
Robinson’s Mall of Portrayal of children’s lifelike Gensan situations in their family and community as well as their rights.
Doxology May 8, 2010
Doxology( Summer Sports Festival of Catholic Youth Ministry, OLFP)
Fatima Barangay Hall gymnasium
A prayer through interpretative dance.
April 29, 2010
Senior Citizen Situational Drama
Tierra Montana Hotel
Portrayal of elderly’s real life situation and their rights.
February 2010
25,
Working Youth Day Presentation
Alabel, Sarangani Portrayal of children’s lifelike Province situations in their family and community as well as their rights.
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PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib
7. FINANCIAL OVERVIEW Refer to Cash Advance Liquidation Report attached.
8. DOCUMENTATION
Online Documentation Website Facebook Tumblr Video Blog
www.pasaliphilippines.org under PASALI Philippines kawagib.tumblr.com (Children’s Desk) www. vimeo.com/29815722 www.spulmano.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/teatrokawagib
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PASALI Philippines Teatro Kawagib