CULTURED CAMPUS — Silliman University’s campus is in itself a cultural heritage. Photo By ANDREW PAMORADA

MANILA, Philippines — The rich history of Silliman University (SU) runs parallel to its excellent academic achievements and significant contributions to the country.

Aside from being home to a number of Centers of Excellence such as for nursing and teacher education, biology development, and biodiversity conservation, SU is one of the few places in the country that has a deep appreciation and genuine passion for culture and arts. Situated in Dumaguete City, the capital of the province of Negros Oriental, SU is a known haven for artists in the southern Philippines.

On Silliman grounds, for instance, is the amphitheatre where the first Shakespearean plays were performed in the country by an all-male student ensemble. The catacombs of the nearby church, on the other hand, became a sanctuary for artists and musicians during World War II.

“The cultural life at Silliman has two aspects — BL (‘Before Luce auditorium) and AL (After Luce auditorium). Before the construction of this beautiful building, there was already a lot of culture going on. Our biggest venue after the war was the gymnasium. Who performs in an airplane hangar? We did. Big performances were showcased there,” shares professor Isabel Vista, advisory council member, SU Cultural Affairs Committee (CAC).

The auditorium being referred to is of course the Marie Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium, which was built in 1975 and thereafter became the seat of the culture in the university. It is the only theater south of Manila that has a proper arts season.

Today, as the Silliman University Cultural Affairs Committee is set to celebrate its 50th year, the esteemed university opens its doors to its brightest cultural season yet.

GRATITUDE TO THE GIVER

The 50th anniversary celebrations to start in June will be called Handulantaw, which literally means “a tribute to the great giver of talents.’’

“The golden anniversary of cultural affairs in Silliman University is a testimony to God’s blessings to SU. It is for this reason why Handulantaw is a tribute in gratitude to the great giver of talents,” explains CAC chair Prof. Diomar Abrio.

This year-long celebration directs SU’s goal to spread culture and arts with fire, faith, instruction, research, and extension.

“Faith that God, the great giver of life, will continue to bless the university, educate the academe and the community, intensify our research program component through cultural research and exhibitions, and strengthen the extension program by supporting local entities through workshops and teacher trainings and bringing presentations to various local communities and encourage participation in the larger community,” Abrio adds.

BRILLIANT 50 YEARS

The committee launched the 50th cultural season, which will run from June to May 2013.

Different performing companies from Dumaguete and Manila will showcase their talent for this cultural season. Among the performers are the Philippine Opera Company (in season opener “Ang Bagong Harana), the Loboc Children’s Choir, the Philippine Educational Theater Association ( “William”), Ballet Philippines in Sleeping Beauty,” Octava Choral Society, the Kahayag Dance Company, the Silliman University Symphony Orchestra, and Ryan Cayabyab in ‘’A Night with Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.’’

The season will also feature events such as Cinemalaya goes to Silliman; The Man and the World: A Tribute to Edilberto K. Tiempo on the Centenary of his Birth, the Albert Faurot Lecture Series, the Eddie Romero Film Series; the Annual Himig at Sayaw competition, etc.

Silliman University is not only a venue for art appreciation but it is also an institution that has produced some of the country’s best artists in the fields of music, literature, and film.

Among them are filmmaker Eddie Romero, National Artist for Cinema; writers Edith Tiempo, National Artist for Literature, Edilberto Tiempo, and Cesar Cruz Aquino, four-time Palanca awardee.

It is also the breeding ground for budding writers, with its long-running Silliman National Writers Workshop founded by Edilberto Tiempo.

SU also has its own College of Performing and Visual Arts which has a roster of student artists who go around to perform. SU holds regular workshops for music and visual arts, and offers scholarships to talented yet underprivileged high school students.

This nurturing environment for cultural appreciation has inspired its student body to truly appreciate the arts.

“One of the things that awed me is how truly appreciative the students are. They know what a good performance is. I think what this tradition has given to young people is really a grounded aesthetic of appreciation. You usually see this reaction to pop culture and media. You get a classical group and they really like the show and not because they are being tutored but because they know that it is good art,” shares Dessa Quesada Palm, CAC committee member and a former resident of Manila.

It is not about commodization, Palm qualifies. “I think, it is the value of the arts. Even if there are circumstances, we think that it is an integral part of education,” she adds.

STRUGGLING BUT SURVIVING

The committee admits that although the appreciation is already there, they are still struggling to sustain it especially today when young people spend most of their time on computers and social networking sites.

To face this head-on, the administration has incorporated art appreciation in the curriculum. For example, Fine Arts students are required to watch cultural shows.

“Some of the students actually would like to join. But we have a difficult time now because some of the students would rather just go play with their computers and do Facebook. There is really a struggle against this, because what they see on TV is totally the opposite of what we show. But thankfully, many students now really come to buy the season tickets,” CAC Advisory Council chair Dr. Elizabeth Susan Suarez laments.

“How were we able to reach 50 years? It has not been easy. The first vision of CAC differed from the vision we have now. That is because of the changing times and the people going and coming. It has not been easy for all these years to keep the creative juices alive for the ones who have the passion for it,” adds Dr. Suarez

SU has always considered the youth as the grassroots in building culture. ‘’We want to be seen by the world as a community that continues to celebrate arts and culture. Hopefully we can get the financial support to sustain what we have already started,” Dr. Suarez says.

OUTSIDERS LOOKING IN

People outside of Dumaguete and the SU community regard these places with much respect and awe.

“It’s so hard to sustain the arts. In fact I’m envious of what you have here because you have really the community responding to your call for sustainability. In Manila, of course, we find it rather challenging, an uphill battle to rally the community, especially our business community. But we don’t lose hope,” shares Cultural Center of the Philippines president Raul Sunico.

On the other hand, Paul Morales, artistic director of Ballet Philippines, says the presence of a cultural theater like the Luce Auditorium has played a major role in spreading the love for arts among in the community. “They have a significant season here. Having a local theater gives space to the local artists and it helps professionalize and sustain the industry as a whole,” Morales says.

Through the years, there is only one thing that has remained constant in SU’s history — that it will continue to nurture anyone who cares for the arts. Silliman University is a dream place for artists, and with all the concerted efforts being exerted by those who believe in its vision, SU will continue to be the haven that it already is for a long, long time.