(MAR. 10) — Seven student performing arts groups were granted the UP Diliman (UPD) Honorific Award for Student Performing Arts Group (HASPAG) while 45 of their artist-scholars were named recipients of the UPD Performing Arts Scholarship Program (PASP) at a virtual ceremony on Feb. 9.
The first virtual HASPAG and PASP ceremony was livestreamed over the official Facebook pages of UPD and the UPD Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA)
The HASPAG 2020-2023 honorees are the UP Concert Chorus (Korus), UP Dance Company (UPDC), UP Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino (Kontra-GaPi), UP Repertory Company (UP Rep), UP Singing Ambassadors (UPSA), UP Symphonic Band (Symphonic), and the UP Tugtugang Musika Asyatika (TUGMA).
Each group may use the title Official Student Performing Arts Group (OSPAG) of UPD for three years (2020-2023) and will receive P250,000 annually to finance their various performances and productions.
Meanwhile the PASP is a one-academic-year tuition waiver given to deserving active student-performers from OSPAG who have played important roles in the group’s productions and have a General Weighted Average (GWA) not lower than 2.00 during the semester prior to application.
The PASP 2020-2021 awardees are Klarisse T. Go and John Karlo A. Sumaylo of Korus; Ma. Allyana E. Antonio, Anjela Lu B. Arellano, Ivan A. Boloron, Chiles Danielle B. Maraña, Sophia Ailsa A. Maunahan, Louise Grace Nightingale T. Meneses, Leong Sil Rose Y. Panuelos, and Ronadae Paola T. Ruiz of UPDC; and Tristan Raine Anthoni M. Amper, Eustaquio A. Barbin III, Wilna M. Calma, Karen Leila S. Carvajal, and Kyla Venice T. Lerio of Kontra-GaPi.
Micah Almira D. Simon is the lone UP Rep PASP recipient. Other PASP awardees are UPSA’s Christine Angelica G. Evangelista, Mary Margery B. Loyola, and Daniella Anne V. Yambao.
The Symphonic has the most number of PASP awardees at 20, namely, Jeffrey Thomas S. Abueg, Mark Angelo I. Artates, Gerardson DV. Buluran, John Vincent E. Burgos, Aldrin Sunday S. Calubag, Jayson S. De Jesus, Jonathan D. Garlan, Michael Niño G. Lazaro, Jon Roi D. Mendones, James Ryan A. Mixto, Arvin Jayson D. Olete, Joeffrey Serafin G. Pangilinan, Jose Lorenzo M. Reyna Jr., Chris Allan C. Sumague, Chris Allen C. Sumague, Arvin Ian C. Sumagui, Eunice P. Tejedor, Lorenzo Martin B. Torres, Lawrence R. Valenzuela, and Josiah G. Tumaliuan.
Lastly, TUGMA’s six PASP scholars are Yves P. Cuenza, Jaime Rafael M. Dela Cruz, Jeannae Dorcas L. Dormido, Kristine Lorraine T. Ferrer, Hanz L. Santos, and Joseph N. Tinio.
For the first time all HASPAG and PASP recipients were given a special trophy. Designed by Abdulmari “Toym” de Leon Imao Jr., the trophy is in the shape of a bird in flight, its wings depicting an open book while the its body is adorned with familiar symbols of the performing arts: musical note, a camera shutter, a body in mid-dance and a theatre mask.
“Ang tropeo ay kumakatawan sa isang handog, ang paggawad ng mga pakpak sa konsepto ng manlilikha nang sa gayon, ang kanilang mga ideya ay pumailanlang,” said Imao.
UPD Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo commended the awardees for continuing to perform throughout the pandemic.
“Hindi naging hadlang ang kawalan ng live stage at live audience sa paghubog ng pagkamalikhain ng ating mga estudyante. Bagkus, ito ay naging daan upang makaisip ng bago at makabagong pamamaraan hindi lamang upang makapagtanghal kundi upang maibahagi rin ang talento at kaalaman sa sining na sumasalamin sa mga kultura ng bansa at mga isyung panlipunan,” he said.
For her part, OICA Director Cecilia De La Paz, PhD challenged the newly minted OSPAG to reach out and help heal the national consciousness through their art.
“Kailangan tayo ay makatulong na paglabanan ang isolation na maaring magdudulot ng hindi magandang estado ng ating kalagayang pang emosyon at pangkaisipan. Sa ganitong perspektiba, ang sining ay maaring makatulong upang makapukaw ng sigla at lakas – maging lunas o isang theraphy – magbigay ng landas upang makaalis o mag-exit tayong lahat mula sa kadiliman,” she said.