MANILA, Philippines - Meet Patrick Libao, 20; Kevin Posadas, 22; Jordan Ladra, 21; and Kierwin (silent “I”) Larena, 20.
The common denominator is that they are all singing, acting and dancing talents (with a monthly salary, at that) of the Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) headed by lawyer-performer-writer-director Vincent Tañada.
Three of them come from broken homes, but apparently have not been traumatized by this. At one point in their young lives, they became exposed to a play by the foundation — which specializes in musical theater and bios of great men and women, staged in schools and SM cinemas in Metro Manila and the provinces.
They were lured by the glitter of the theater, auditioned, were accepted, and eventually became student scholars of PSF in schools like San Beda College and Adamson University.
The mother of Patrick is a cultural dancer who stayed in Japan for many years. His father sings in a band. They separated when he was only four, and from then on he was brought up by his grandparents. “Malungkot,” he describes the experience. “Twenty years is no joke. Lumaki akong walang kasamang parents.”
He did not see his father for 20 years, while his mother arrived from Japan early this year. “Ang weird…” he observes. But his grandparents apparently did a good job of rearing him, for Patrick seems to be free from hang-ups.
As a performer he has one memorable or shall we say electrifying experience. In Angeles City, he was electrocuted when he switched on the mike. He managed to rush backstage where he fainted. Revived, being a trouper, he resumed his role for there was no alternate. After the show, he was taken to hospital where he was treated for second-degree burns.
“Just like Patrick I am the product of a broken family,” Kevin casually intones. When his father left their home, Kevin immersed himself in work, workshops and appearing in the foundation’s plays.
“Marami akong natutunan dito (PSF),” he observes. “Unang-una, yung giving inspiration to others, giving your best so as to be able to inspire others, to create change in other people’s lives, para bang being positive in everything.”
Kevin concludes, “happy lang. Sabi nga ni direk (Tañada), happiness must come from within. No matter how hard the situation is, it depends on you how to take it, on the negative side or positive side…”
To please his mother, Jordan (as in Jordan River and not Jordan, Guimaras) took up nursing at the Manila Doctors’ College but later switched to Psychology and plans to take up Theater Arts at the University of the Philippines.
Theater work has taught him the importance of family. “Kung di dahil sa kanila,” he notes “Kung di dahil sa support nila sa akin, hindi siguro ako dito sa performing arts na gustung-gusto ko.”
Kierwin grew up with his mother and grandmother, and like every Filipino son is especially close to his mother Rossana (“be sure to name her”). He was only three when the father left, and it was only years later when he (and his younger sister) realized that their parents had separated.
“Kaya hindi ako masyadong na-trauma,” he says. “In a way, tinulungan ako ng mommy ko tanggapin na hiwalay na sila.”
How does he see himself at age 30?
“Ten years from now,” Kierwin concludes, “I see myself living a simple, God-driven life, spending time with my family, eating together, praying together… after 20 years I have learned that God is always in charge. I am not in charge of my own life. It is He who gives me happiness…”