By Hannah Mallorca
Features Writer, The Philippine STAR

The online streaming of Ang Huling El Bimbo: The Musical last May 8 and 9 became a trending topic in social media as netizens discussed its story and theater’s role in Filipino culture, among others.

Set to the music of the band Eraserheads, the musical talks about nostalgia and how the past shapes a person’s character in the present. The story focuses on the relationship between Joy, Hector, Anthony and Emman through a series of flashbacks.

With this, The Philippine STAR’s CareerGuide talked about the effects of quarantine on the performing arts industry and its future. The online discussion featured actor Gian Magdangal, Full House Theater company co-artistic directors Michael Williams and Menchu Lauchengco Yulo, and Ang Huling El Bimbo director and choreographer Dexter Santos.

Working in the industry

Maintaining a proper balance between two jobs is a daunting task. Despite this, Mr. Magdangal said that working as an actor and a corporate employee helps in managing himself effectively.

“As an actor, you are your business. If you’re purposeful in doing it and you know what you want to do, it’s inevitable that income will just come in. You have to have faith in yourself and the industry no matter what you do,” he shared.

Looking back, Ms. Yulo admitted that she was lacking when she started out in the performing arts industry. She was able to develop her skills and knowledge through her experiences, both onstage and backstage.

“It was really a baptism of fire and you learn by making mistakes on stage, picking yourself up and just going forward. That’s how we learned. That’s many, many years of mistakes, falling flat on your face, and just learning from the experience,” she added.

Meanwhile, working in the industry made Mr. Williams realize that the camaraderie between performing artists and staff transcends their differences. Even if he’s passionate about his craft, he advised aspiring artists to weigh their decisions before joining the industry.

“It’s not about passion or the economy. It’s about developing yourself, which means choosing work that would develop yourself and what you’ll learn. You need to decide if it gives you artistic or financial value, or if it would boost your career,” Mr. Williams said.

Coping with the pandemic

The future of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) society remains uncertain. However, Mr. Williams emphasized that the performing arts industry will survive since it braved through medical disasters in the past.

According to Mr. Williams, creating content, streaming theater performances and conducting online fundraising activities have helped the industry move forward.

“We didn’t actually stop working. The industry’s shakers and movers had conversations on how to go through the changing times,” he said. “We’ve also been reaching out to government agencies to find out ways to help with the economy and why the industry deserves the relief that others are receiving.”

Ms. Yulo admitted that the overwhelming response of Ang Huling El Bimbo streaming was unexpected since it was originally filmed as an archive. For her, it was an opportunity for the industry to reach out to various audiences.

“The COVID-19 pandemic gave us the thinking that we can stream Ang Huling El Bimbo, resulting in more people appreciating theater. I’m hoping that if we continue streaming stage performances, it can make people come and watch it live in the future,” she added.

How the industry survives

Despite the convenience of streaming, Mr. Santos admitted that the performing arts industry needs to wait before rehearsals, stage productions and performances can resume.

“We really can’t push things since it’s hard to gamble. Personally, I don’t want to sacrifice the safety of my actors and audience because we need to survive,” he said. “Whatever the artist can do online is the least that we can do.”

Despite this, Mr. Santos stressed that the industry would remain despite the pandemic.

“It may not be the same experience as before but reading a play, creating theater-related content or streaming performances makes the industry alive. During this time, I think it’s important to raise a certain awareness about the industry,” he said.

Mr. Santos stated that the artists’ innate ability to create keeps the industry afloat. “What makes theater alive is that it’s natural for an artist to express himself. This is why we have various online content, readings and streaming — these are ideas we have to keep it alive.”

Even if Ang Huling El Bimbo’s story ended in tragedy, it sparked the importance of performing arts in Filipino culture. It might take a while for the industry to resume rehearsals, productions and live performances but the power of creativity will remain timeless.

For more information about employment, job openings and advertising options, visit CareerGuide PH on Facebook and LinkedIn.

By Argie C. Aguja
Senior Features Writer, The Philippine STAR

Wealthier Western countries with vast resources are struggling to contain the coronavirus. In contrast, smaller Southeast Asian nations with limited means have shown initial success in the battle against COVID-19

As of May 27, statistics concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been bleak, reaching 5,591,067 cases; 2,287,152 recoveries; and 350,458 deaths globally (source: https://news.google.com/covid19/map). While pharmaceutical companies and bio labs all over the world have been working to come up with a miracle drug, experts caution that the numbers will continue to rise well into the near future unless an effective cure or a vaccine is found.

A quick look at data show that first world countries registered some of the highest COVID-19 infections globally, led by the United States (1,716,155), followed by Brazil (392,360), Russia in third (370,680), United Kingdom in fourth (265,227), Spain in the fifth place (236,529), Italy in sixth (230,555) and Germany at the seventh spot (181,288). Despite having greater resources for testing, medical care and bailouts, even the US and Europe struggled to curb the spread of the virus, casting doubts on the Western countries’ ability to contain the outbreak in their respective territories.

In Southeast Asia, four developing nations have achieved initial success in handling the coronavirus crisis within their shores ⁠— even with limited means in terms of medical facilities, available funds, and smaller economies. Here are some of our Southeast Asian neighbors who have made early, yet significant achievements in their campaigns against COVID-19:

Vietnam

As one of the few countries sharing a land border with China, Vietnam acted quickly to shield itself from the spread of the coronavirus, suspending all flights from the mainland on Feb. 1, and then all international air travel by March 25. It also suspended all issued visas to foreigners. Mandatory isolation measures were imposed on all citizens with a history of foreign travel, and related contacts with symptoms. The government also ramped up its already aggressive contact tracing and testing protocols, initiated mass quarantines in villages with confirmed cases, and the immediately mobilized all state agencies. The public is also advised to always wear masks and avoid large gatherings. These early actions have reaped benefits for Vietnam, as the country lifted social isolation measures by April 22, leading to re-opening schools and business, and reviving its weakened but resilient economy. As of May 27, Vietnam has 327 confirmed cases, 272 recoveries and zero deaths.

Cambodia

Since Cambodia reported its first COVID-19 case on Jan. 27, authorities were quick to ramp up isolation measures for symptomatic individuals. By March, Cambodia barred the entry of foreigners from Italy, Germany, Spain, France, the United States and Iran, suspended classes in all schools and closed down all of its borders. When 40,000 Cambodian workers went home, they were all ordered to undergo self-quarantine and observe preventive measures. Travels between cities and across provinces were banned. For more than a month, only a single case was reported and no new outbreaks were recorded. As of May 27, Cambodia has 124 confirmed cases, 122 recoveries and zero deaths.

East Timor

As early as February, East Timor restricted the entry of non-nationals with a history of travel to Hubei, China within the past four weeks. As a preventive measure, the country also closed its borders with Indonesia. When East Timor registered its first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 22, the Catholic Church cancelled mass. A state of emergency was declared, and public gatherings were limited to five people. All international arrivals were ordered to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. On April 6, the parliament approved urgent measures to deal with the pandemic. As of May 27, East Timor has 24 confirmed cases, 24 recoveries and zero deaths.

Brunei

After the first COVID-19 case was reported in Brunei on March 9, the government was quick to trace and isolate all known contacts of recorded positive cases. Once identified, efforts were focused on treating the patients at the National Isolation Centre (NIC) in Tutong. Avoiding a lockdown, the government instead ordered a travel ban, restrictions on public gatherings, and asked people to consider working from home, while the Ministry of Health (MoH) issued daily updates and assured citizens of the developing situation. To lessen the economic impact, the government mandated banks to defer loan payments for businesses. It also ordered employers to give paid sick leaves to staff, and even created a fund to give wage subsidies to private sector employees. The national tally of cases stood still, marking the 20th consecutive day without new cases since May 7. As of May 27, Brunei has 141 confirmed cases, 137 recoveries and one death.