Expanding access to Philippine arts and culture and celebrating womanhood, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) unveils a selection of exclusive performances, original productions, and award-winning films honoring the struggles, strengths, and memories of Filipino women on its CCP Channel platform this March.
Catch Cinemalaya films, Gawad Alternatibo finalists, and a VLF play in the CCP Channel
This month, CCP Channel’s line-up underscores stories that urge conversations and reflections on women’s contributions and narratives. Catch Absurdo: Event Day by BJ Crisostomo, a Virgin Labfest (VLF) one-act play staged in 2022, as well as selected Cinemalaya films, Mga Dayo (Resident Aliens) directed by Julius Sotomayor Cena, and the 2022 Cinemalaya Audience Choice Award film Kargo directed by TM Malones.
Gawad Alternatibo finalists Ang Pagbukod Ni Melmel by Nathaniel Tulingan, Pulang Angui by Mary Jenica Robles, Gab Rosique’s Hinimo Ka Gikan Sa Yuta, Ug Sa Yuta Ka Pauli, and Angelo A. Martinez’s Si Tes at Si Anggo will also stream starting this March.
Absurdo: Event Day
First staged at VLF in 2022, Absurdo: Event Day centers on project coordinators Aly and Rain, who manage a massive End of the World Party. As humanity’s final moments tick away, what unfolds is a frantic juggling of client demands, impossible expectations, and the familiar pressure of the events industry.
Absurdo: Event Day satirically reflects on hustle culture in the Philippines and the invisible labor that keeps holiday celebrations running. This sharp play questions the systems that normalize exhaustion and repackage it into dedication.
Mga Dayo (Resident Aliens)
Mga Dayo (Resident Aliens) first screened in Cinemalaya 2023. Posing questions of belonging and identity, the film follows three Filipina immigrants in Guam on Thanksgiving Day. From green card marriages to strained relationships and uncertain futures, the stories intersect against the backdrop of migration and reflection on the meaning of home.
Ang Pagbukod ni Melmel
This Gawad Alternatibo 2025 finalist follows Melmel, a young Palaw’an girl forced to marry to preserve their tradition. As the wedding day approaches, she struggles with the expectations imposed upon her and the desire to assert her own freedom.
Ang Pagbukod ni Melmel offers a nuanced portrayal of a young woman negotiating her identity and autonomy within her community, highlighting the emotional weight of adhering to cultural practices.
Pulang Angui
Pulang Angui, a Gawad Alternatibo 2025 finalist, is a groundbreaking animated folktale on bravery and nostalgia. When mysterious forces awaken in her village, a young girl uncovers a forgotten legend that could alter her community’s future. Blending folklore with atmospheric storytelling, the film reflects on heritage and the quiet strength that emerges in times of uncertainty.
Hinimo Ka Gikan Sa Yuta, Ug Sa Yuta Ka Pauli
Through archival footage, Hinimo Ka Gikan Sa Yuta, Ug Sa Yuta Ka Pauli traces the relationship between a mother and son across urban and rural landscapes. It draws a line between origin and destiny. By juxtaposing memory and space, this Gawad Alternatibo 2025 finalist offers an introspective meditation on identity and familial connection.
Kargo
Kargo follows the story of Sara, a woman haunted by the death of her family in a motorcycle accident in Maasin, Iloilo. Consumed by grief and convinced that her loved ones were murdered, she embarks on a relentless search for the man she believes is responsible for their death. This Cinemalaya 2023 film examines trauma, vengeance, and the emotional weight of unresolved loss.
Si Tes at Si Anggo
Premiered in Gawad Alternatibo 2025, this documentary follows Tes and her son Anggo as they navigate over a decade of breast cancer treatment. Beginning with archival footage and moving into present-day realities, Anggo’s role as caregiver is captured while Tes confronts illness and change. As they reflect on leaving their provincial home, Si Tes at Si Anggo transforms into a moving portrait of resilience and the evolving dynamics of a Filipino family in the face of a prolonged struggle.
CCP Channel narrates the beauty and tragedy of womanhood through regional dances
From the CCP T(A)YONG Dalawa Project in 2023, instructional and performance videos of regional dances Salip: Ligawan sa Kumot, Kuratsa: Ki-ay han Hulos na Gugma, and Madal Siwol: Walang Hanggang Pag-ibig, also become available for streaming on the CCP Channel starting this March.
Salip: Ligawan sa Kumot
An initial step towards serious courtship, the Kalingan dance Salip centers on the kain, a handwoven cloth used as clothing or a blanket. The male would-be suitors are handed a piece of fabric (alap). They outdo each other by imitating a proud rooster, while the maiden teases and evades them like a hen.
Performed by the Kaloob Philippine Music and Dance Ministry for CCP T(A)YONG Dalawa Project, Salip ends when the kain is given to the chosen suitor.
Kuratsa: Ki-ay han Hulos na Gugma
Interpreted by the revered Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Kuratsa focuses on the daughter of an ordinary family residing in Leyte. Unbeknownst to their parents, they meet their lovers in the plaza. This entertaining story ends with an unexpected twist.
Madal Siwol: Walang Hanggang Pag-ibig
Expounding on the ancestral vows of the T’boli culture, Madal Siwol is a ritual of union that brought tragedy to lovers S’lel and La Muhin. As S’lel is forced to perform it with a datu, La Muhin is slain. In his final breath, he carves his chest and offers a gift beyond wealth or land: his heart. The Helobung Community Dance Troupe Inc. breathes life into this mythical dance.
A gateway to the best of Filipino arts and culture, the CCP Channel gives you the best of Philippine productions and content with a monthly subscription price of Php 99, or an annual subscription of Php 599. Check its official website (ccpchannel.culturalcenter.gov.ph) for more information.
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