Background of the Production

Tagu-Taguan is a twin bill production by SSAM grade 12 Arts and Design track students. The production will showcase the plays "Mga Bata sa Selda 43" by Rolin Cadallo Obina and "Ang Mga Naiwan" by Soc Delos Reyes. The brutality of then-President Duterte's anti-drug campaign is depicted in the two plays and serves as the main theme of the production. The production shall take the audience back to the early years of Duterte's presidency, when the drug war had just begun. 

 

"Mga Bata Sa Selda 43" by Rolin Cadallo Obina tells the story of two siblings, 13-year-old Fel and 9-year-old Iya, who are trapped in a cell. While waiting for help, they meet Edna Dalisay, a 20-year-old who assists them in uncovering the truths about how they ended up in the cell. The story highlights the experiences of victims of EJK during the Marcos Regime and the Duterte Administration.

 

"Ang Mga Naiwan" by Soc Delos Reyes, on the other hand, focuses on the victims' families and how they are affected by the events. Characters Analyn Ortega, Stella Villanueva, and Soledad Recio recall stories leading up to the loss of their loved ones through monologues, allowing us to see the other side of the door as we hear the stories of those who have been affected, not because they are victims, but because of their relationship to the victims.

 

Tagu-Taguan 2022 will raise awareness about the tragedies experienced by those who experienced the leadership of both presidents during Martial Law and the War on Drugs, and will remind the audience of what has passed and what must not be repeated.