Urban poor groups stage Passion play

Promenaders and Quiapo churchgoers were treated yesterday afternoon to a unique Passion play staged by urban poor and labor groups in Plaza Miranda, Manila.

Dubbed "Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa at Maralita," members of urban poor and labor groups likened their struggle to the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ.

Wearing colorful costumes and papier mache masks, the performers did a pantomime of the Calvary of Jesus Christ, and read Biblical verses interspersed with cries for reforms.

Actors wearing masks of vultures and pigs acted as greedy capitalists and selfish landlords, while Uncle Sam, representing the United States, was depicted as the apathetic Pontius Pilate.

The young sons and daughters of laborers and poor city dwellers, who symbolically represented the Cross-bearing Jesus Christ, gave a touchy performance making spectators almost teary eyed.

The Seven Last Words of Christ were given a touch of the struggle for reforms espoused by the cause-oriented groups as their seven speakers talked on the evils of globalization, liberalization and capitalism.

The staging of the mock Passion play was almost aborted when Chief Inspector Ferdinand Quirante, commander of the Plaza Miranda police detachment, ordered the removal of the huge flatbed truck to be used by the organizers as their stage.

Quirante reasoned out that such a huge vehicle was disallowed in Plaza Miranda since its weight would damage the marble tiles of the plaza. The standoff was lifted when Plaza Miranda officials received assurances from the organizers that they would stay for only an hour.

The organizers and participants dispersed after the program and marched to Chino Roces Bridge in Mendiola where they also staged the same presentation. – Nestor Etolle