It all started ominously, about 30 minutes later than scheduled, but then, why have Filipino time at all? The Ambassador and staff from the Philippine embassy were there early, at the Intercontinental hotel in Phnom Penh, low key and gregarious as usual. The Mabuhay singers, flown in exclusively for the occasion, all dolled up in revolutionary red and barongs, sat poised, waiting for their cues…the 32 round tables gradually filled up with buzzing and anticipation. Quite unexpectedly, like visions from a dream, in strolled a bevy of four dolled –up “ladies”, each one trailing a piece of luggage, as though they were catching a flight…. the audience didn’t know what to think, who/what was that ???
A sonorous voice then proclaimed, “Please rise for the National Anthem…” the two massive side screens then erupted with an MTV-ish version of “Lupang Hinirang” featuring battle scene after battle scene—Lapu-Lapu jumping from a rock to smash the Spaniards. The Cry of Balintawak. The grotesque execution scene of GOMBURZA. The revolution against Spain, Rizal’s execution at Luneta. How very bloody, I thought…I couldn’t sing along, transfixed on the screen, and besides, the accompanying vocals were good enough, anyway…. It suitably ended with the EDSA revolution of 1986 …I almost felt like clapping in the end. Even the jumpy kids at the event stood open-faced at the panoply of scenes on the screen. The emcee later noted this was a TV version of the National anthem that had won an award at a festival somewhere in the US. That explains it, I suppose — “viewing” instead of singing with fervor burning, you’re relegated to merely watching the action happen.
The sonourous voice half-cracked, “Thank you, please take your seats”….and out stepped the emcee for the night, mike in hand– a guy in drag, with high heels, in a sequined gown and an overflowing wig. The audience laughed, cheered and whistled, and some stared in disbelief. Three madres in theirhabits giggled.
This was going to be a very different night !
After the welcome remarks by the Samahan Ng Pilipino sa Cambodia (SAMAPI) President Lourdes Autencio, and a short speech by Philippine Ambassador Noe Wong, the entertainment began…led by an emcee dressed to the nines, in drag, endlessly preening to the crowd for compliments, “di ba ang ganda ko…. palakpak naman kayo, ohhhhh “ …the audience was amused and showed their appreciation. “Please, huwag nyo ako i-tag sa facebook”, pleaded the tranny MC.
The bevy of four ladies made their entrances one by one…each one lip-singing an OPM hit…Dulce (Vince) hit the stage first, with “Ako ang Nag Wagi”, then a buxom Pilita, (David) gracefully swaying and back suitably bent, chortled through “Ang Pipit”….A frumpy version of Celeste Legaspi (Vane) sashayed to “Mamang Sorbetero” and finally a Leah Navarro look-alike (Romyr, the emcee in another costume change) did “Isang Mundo, Isang Awit”. The audience cheered and roared at the drag divas.
The Mabuhay Singers then took the stage, with a repertoire of soothing kundimans, and classic Pilipino songs. They began with “Aawitan Kita” and the audience hushed, enthralled by their beautiful blending and harmonics…six of them, three men and women, accompanied by two guitars. They endeared themselves to a new generation of pinoys in Cambodia. Though most of them were clearly enjoying their senior citizen discounts, (Cely Bautista I recall was well known even in the 70’s, forty years ago), they effortlessly sang though a medley of pinoy songs, from Bayan Ko to Pamulinawen, to Bakya mo Neneng, Rosas Pandan, Balut, to Ikaw ang mahal Ko, to Dahil sa iyo. Each song brought back memories of rural Philippine life, of lush rice fields; nipa huts, haranas and fiestas, and made many in the crowd homesick and dreamy-eyed. Thanks are in order to the Philippine Embassy, Sonia Roco and General Regis for helping in bringing the group over and grace the occasion. It was truly special and memorable, and deserving of the rapturous applause.
After the dinner, where we had our fill of pancit molo, lumpia frito, fried chicken, pork asado, and fish in sweet sour sauce, the second round of entertainment began…this year, unlike the past two years, there was no “Pinoy got talent” competition. Instead, the night was a showcase of Pinoys in Cambodia who gamely and ably showed what they could do on stage. And the overarching theme for the program was linked to Pinoy music, arts and culture. Independence from western music, it seemed, but the drag queens were not in baro’t saya either. Perhaps this was independence from the usual entertainment fare.
A rap sequence inspired by the Music of the late Francis M featured a group of four Pinoy hip hop dancers, led by Michael, who showed brilliant moves—inspired by Kalinga rituals, other native dances like Maglalatik, the swagger of punk, and hip gyrations of Macho dancing, all done in a very contemporary, stylized way. Wowie Hidalgo sang “Ako Ay Pilipino” and Ben did his lip-synced version of a Martin Nievera song. Vince, last year’s winner for Pinoy Got talent, showed his versatility and dance moves, dressed in some curious get up that looked confusing, but was another exercise in gender-bending. The audience chortled at the mini-skirted drag diva in fishnet stockings and stilettos who sometimes walked like a macho neighborhood hunk, complete with the usual crotch-grabbing. The contrast was just too much !! And for good measure, in a more serious vein, Willie, an embassy staffer, did his version of the last hours of Flor Contemplacion, which reminded me somehow of the Agony in the Garden, and it managed to be simultaneously ridiculous and disturbing, and moving some in the audience to tears.
The campiest, funniest part turned out to be the raffle of prizes. The four ladies in drag—Vince, Dave, Vane and Romyr all camped up to their heart’s delight, doing their catwalk antics and repartees between drawing the prizes, turning a usually staid and humorless event into one that had the audience screaming with laughter. Vane played her part to the hilt as the favorite “whipping girl” of the three evil sisters, but had her own laughs in the end, doing a series of splits that made me wince. Aguuuy,…. as her inner hips hit the carpet with a thud. One three-year-old boy was seating in front of the stage, transfixed, perhaps wondering if this quartet of adorable aliens were like mascots of some kind. Or perhaps he genuinely liked the glitter. The emcee adressed the audience, beseeching: “Please, parents of this little boy….I will not be responsible if he takes me as a role model…” . A man then rushed from the audience and dutifully scooped the toddler away. The dialog turned a bit risqué, but it was all in good kabaklaan fun, and the ladies played their parts to the hilt. Part of the fun was trying to reconcile the other aspects of the performers with their stage personae: events managers, chefs and restaurant managers, advertising and marketing executives, finance managers, ramp model trainers, embassy staff, teachers and consultants with the panoply of characters gracing the stage that night. It was high camp == truly a subversion of the roles and genders, and bringing out the quirkiest aspects of a character, and infusing it with a lot of energy, scene-stealing and kitschiness.
And so the 113th anniversary of Philippine independence in Cambodia, came to pass. It was well worth the $15 ticket, and I even managed to win one of the prizes. Sulit na sulit !
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