UNLIKE THE Sagala ng mga Sikat of previous years, this year’s event put the kontrabidas in the spotlight. “We appreciate the good because we see the bad,” said Modern Languages Professor Patrick Capili.
Filipino Professor Gary Devilles said, “This year we chose kontrabida, or mga kalaban (antagonists), simply because [we] felt there’s really a valuation of the bida (protagonist), and it’s about time that we look into the world of kontrabida.”
Capili, Ateneo Schools Parents Council (ASPAC) President Nick Baterina, and Fine Arts Professor Glenn Mas were part of this year’s panel of judges.
Mas said that the overall presentations were spectacular and well-researched.
“[The floats and the presentations were] visually exciting. I like the infusion of ethnic colors and materials and I think that the participants were able to capture the objective of theme,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
The overall head of the Buwan ng Wika celebration was the Filipino Department’s Allan Derain.
Sagala ng mga Sikat was held last August 20. It was one of the many activities for the Buwan ng Wika celebrations which ran from August 3 to 31.
Winners were announced five days later at Escaler Hall. They are the following:
1st place: Ruth (Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara)
2nd place: Ferdinand Magellan (Lapu-Lapu)
3rd place: Sikay Padalogdog (Hinilawod)
Story-carvers
“Ang kontrabida ang nagbibigay ng flavor sa narrative (The antagonist gives flavor to the narrative),” said Filipino Chair Jerry Respeto
He added that antagonists are the cause and maker of the conflicts in a story, and since conflicts are essential to a story, then antagonists have a rightful place in it.
Sophomore Catherine Dumancas said that the viewers usually dislike the protagonists but they still are important parts of literature [and culture]. “Usually these are the people that the audience hates but this time, they are given the limelight and it’s time for them to show what they really got,” she said.
For Devilles, there is value in giving the antagonists attention. “The antagonist is the archetypal nemesis in our consciousness. We have to understand also how the nemesis or the arch nemesis functions in our society,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
“All epics are pedagogical. [They teach] basically who you identify with, what values they represent, and what the negative images of the protagonist are,” he added.
Unconventionality
Out of 76 sections who submitted a proposal, only 20 were shortlisted.
The shortlisted participants showed a wide range of knowledge when it comes to the diversity of Philippine literature.
Sophomore Anna Celina Villalon said that this activity reflected the influence of modernization when it comes to forming concepts, “I know it requires a lot of open minds since people are so unconventional nowadays.”
Meanwhile, freshman Kyne Derrick Lim said that they delved into some unknown antagonists and used what they have learned,
“There’s a villain we never heard of. It was unique, so…we made a concept around him.”
Creativity despite restriction
This year marked a significant change on the requirements of the floats for the Sagala—the size of the floats has been restricted.
Respeto said that this is mainly due to the tendency of the students to make the floats as big as possible. Thus, this makes the floats difficult to navigate during the actual parade.
Another reason is aesthetics, thus making the competition more challenging. “Nacha-challenge silang maging creative. Given that space, ano ‘yung pwede mong gawin with that? (They are challenged to be creative. Given that space, what can they do with that?),” Respeto added.
This year, the Filipino Department decided to add slogan-making as part of the competition and the winner will have his or her slogan posted on the department as its tagline all year round.
Freshman Mark Kevin de Guia won the competition with his slogan, “Kinabukasa’y Harapin, Pagbabasa’y Ugaliin.”
