Downpour fails to stop Sugat sa Minglanilla

SUGAT KABANHAWAN SA MINGLANILLA: Actors in this annual Easter Sunday event in Minglanilla town deliver an awesome presentation amid the heavy downpour.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

Children and other cast members of the Sugat Kabanhawan sa Minglanilla did not seem to mind the nonstop heavy rains as they performed their respective roles in the play at dawn on Easter Sunday.

Froy Basilan, 19, was drenched as he made his way to the town’s sports complex after the presentation. But no trace of regret can be seen on his face as he was all smiles while he chatted with his friends.

“This is all for the Lord. It’s okay if we get wet as long as we are able to present,” he told Cebu Daily News in Cebuano.

Basilan played the role of an angel during the Sugat presentation held at the Minglanilla Central School grounds.

His other friends, Ranilo Ubas, 18, Joshua Palco, 19, and Jeian Marco, 14, who also acted as angels, said they were relieved that even if it rained hard, they successfully pulled off the presentation.

A role play of the suffering of Jesus Christ leading to his crucifixion, death and resurrection juxtaposed with another play showing the life of a gay teenager as he struggled with problems in his family was staged at past 3 a.m. yesterday.

The lead character had a younger sister, but their parents tend to disregard them as they are addicted to vices like gambling and illegal drug.

Even as the lead character worked doubly hard for himself and his sister, his parents abused him and shamed him for being gay.

He eventually left home. But after several years, he was reunited with his parents, who realized all the wrong they have done and asked for his forgiveness as they reconciled.

The drama was followed by the actual Sugat presentation, which lasted for another hour.

The presentation showed the fight of black birds and a dragon, representing evil, against angels of heaven, representing the good, as fire dancers added intensity to the scenes.

The leaders of the two groups were hoisted in the air using harnesses as they fought. In the end, the good prevailed as the rest of the angels went center stage and each of the seven archangels were introduced.

It was then followed by the entry of the carrozas carrying the images of saints and that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the resurrected image of Jesus Christ who meet in front of everybody.

The event was capped by a fireworks display.

Despite all challenges in staging the event, including the collapse of a stage that injured 10 prior to the presentations, Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña said he was still thankful for the success of the event.

“I really thought this won’t succeed because bad weather. Pero kaluoy sa Diyos (But with the mercy of the Lord), we were able to finish the presentation. We are very thankful to the Lord,” he said.

But spectators were only about 30 percent of the 20,000 who attended the Sugat last year, with only around 4,000 to 6,000 people in attendance.

Marvi Cano, the overall director of the presentation, admitted he was disappointed because of the rain.

“If it did not rain, people would see all the preparations and hard work we put into this. But even so, we are also happy that we were able to survive and that nothing from the whole presentation was cut,” he said.

He said it took them almost one year to prepare for the event that cost P5 million to mount, adding he was sad that among those that the audience failed to see were the fireworks that were embedded on the ground and supposed to add more effects to the presentation.

These were soaked by the floodwater. Also, only 10 percent of the total lighting was used because of the rain, said Cano.

But Cano said he was proud of all the cast and crew of the play, totaling 230, who remained in high spirits during the presentation.