KAFAGWAY: SA SALIW NG MGA GANGSA

SA SALIW NG MGA GANGSA

Haan ka koma agbalbaliw patpatgen nga BaguioNalinis na angin, napipintas nga mabuya

Dakayo nga agtutubo, inkayo aywanan

Daytoy bassit nga paraiso, ‘di yu nga baybay-an 

Sa saliw ng mga gangsa ‘di ko malilimutan

Mga kulay mong magaganda, kayumanggi at luntian

Kami’y nananalangin, Kabunyan kami’y dinggin

Kalikasan ay i-adya sa lahat ng masama

Synopsis

The presentation opens with a movement-oriented piece depicting the transformation of this once largely uninhabited ranchierria into a bustling cosmopolitan. The music (Prologue) begins with the sound of gongs and as the stage transforms, so does the music as other instruments join in.

As the prologue ends, the stage has transformed into a collage of what Baguio has become today. The performers enter to welcome the audience to today’s Baguio, and the opening number is performed, “Welcome to Baguio City (ca. ’09 A.D.),” which is a description of the city in the 21st century. 

In the following scene, the audience is given an overview of what Kafagway was before the arrival of the Americans, and its discovery by the Spaniards, who were the first ones to draw up a plan for a Hill Station in the area. The concept of a Hill Station is explained and the story of how the Spanish Benguet Commission proposed that if a hills station was to be built, it had to be built in Kafagway.

The song, “Kafagway,” is sung, which is an ode to the beauty of Kafagway. 

The next scene describes the arrival of the Americans in Kafagway. After learning of the Spanish plan for a hill station in Benguet, the Americans sent their own team to investigate the area, and that team, headed by Dean C. Worcester and Luke E. Wright, confirmed the earlier findings of the Spanish Benguet Commission and after acquiring sizeable tracts of land in the area, the Americans began appropriating areas to build relevant structures in Kafagway in preparation for its transformation into a major hill station. The next song is performed, “Kasaysayan o Titulo,” which touches on ancestral land issues. In the middle of the song, a parody of the American Declaration of Independence is recited.

But before their dream of a hill station can be realized, the Americans first needed a road that would connect Baguio to La Union. The next musical number, “Isang Daan (Patungo Sa Puso Ng Cordillera)” is a depiction of the construction of the Benguet Road, now known as Kennon Road.

After successfully connecting Baguio with the lowlands, the Americans now turned their attention to city planning. The actors describe how the Americans brought in the renowned city planner, Daniel Burnham, to draw up the “Plan of Baguio.” The musical number that follows, “Ano’ng Plano?,” describes Burnham’s brilliant design for the City of Baguio.

The actors then describe the rapid development of Baguio in the next three decades: from its charter as a city to the Benguet gold rush of the 1930’s. But the continued growth of Baguio was put to a halt in 1941 when the Japanese attacked the country, beginning with the bombing of Camp John Hay right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The song, “Ito’y Hindi Aming Digmaan,” tells of how our country was caught in a war between two powerful countries, Japan and the United States of America. The song “Taghoy,” follows, which begins as an expression of desolation and ends as a rallying cry to rebuild the city.

“Tuloy Po Kayo” is performed next, which depicts the rebuilding of the city from the ravages of war and a depiction of Baguio in the decades that followed the Second World War.

In 1990, the ability of the city to overcome hurdles was once again put to test when a major earthquake hit the city. The devastation that Baguio suffered is depicted in the next scene, “7/16/’90,” a dance and musical number.

The stage once again is transformed to show Baguio today, and the actors directly challenges the audience, particularly the youth, to be more active in protecting Baguio and the environment in the song, “Sa Saliw Ng Mga Gangsa.” The scene segues into the song, “Mithiin,” which is a challenge to Baguio’s current public servants to care more for the city.