Pasinaya Festival: An Extraordinary Experience Worth Sharing
When in Manila, you definitely need to take the time to go out and appreciate the different galleries and museums in the city sometime. (Check out our feature on The National Museum of the Philippines: https://www.wheninmanila.com/the-national-museum-of-the-philippines-manilas-very-own-paris-for-p0-00/)
Last March 16, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), along with other partner institutions, held the 10th Pasinaya Festival – this time going the extra mile by having tours around a number of Manila’s museums and galleries with the use of uniquely designed jeepnies.
The Pasinaya Festival
An arts festival like last February’s national event, Pasinaya Festival was part of the CCP’s open house. During this annual event, the public may enter and watch as many shows at the CCP with their “see all you can, pay what you can” policy. There were many zones to choose from during the one-day festival, including performances from their resident companies, dance, music, theatre, workshops, variety shows, film and visual arts exhibits. They also had a bazaar and a kid’s zone that were huge hits with families!
Among the performers were the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and Ballet Philippines. Performers from Universities such as the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Chorale, Batangas State University Dance Company and the UP Rondalla also participated in the event.
Title: LANDSCAPE
Artist: MALANG, MAURO SANTOS
Date: 1980
Medium: Oil on Canvas
203 x 203 cm
Title: DIAPHANOUS B-XXII
Artist: OLAZO, ROMULO
Date: 1979
Medium: Oil on Board
210 x 246 cm
and
Title: TRANSMUTATION NO. 6
Artist: BERNARDO, CONSTANCIO
Date: 1977
Medium: Acrylic on Board
157 x 96 cm
Title: TABLE
Artist: ANG KIUKOK
Date: 1972
Medium: Oil on Canvas
156 x 156 cm
The highlight of their Extra Mile theme this year was their Pasinaya Jeepney Tours where you could choose from three routes. The first route went through the Roxas Boulevard-Ermita Strip, which featured the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, contemporary art space 1335 Mabini, and Gawad Kalinga social enterprise Mabuhay Restop.
The second route was the Kalaw-Intramuros Strip, which gave people the chance to visit the lifestyle museum Bahay Tsinoy, travel back to the Spanish period at Casa Manila, appreciate paintings at the NCCA Gallery and be like a child again at the Museo Pambata.
Last but certainly not the least was their National Museum route where attendees were given the chance of seeing historical paintings such as Juan Luna’s Spoliarium at the National Art Gallery and visit the nearby Museum of the Filipino People.
Taking the time to immerse oneself in his or her country’s culture and appreciate the works of locally and internationally renowned artists is truly something that one should try once in a while. The Pasinaya Festival is truly an extraordinary experience that one must try when in Manila and is certainly something to look forward to every year.
