In Negros Occidental, home province of the late Peque Gallaga - one of the Philippines’ most renowned filmmakers - his disciples are carrying forward his legacy through theater education, helping young people rediscover self-expression and reconnect with society.

Gallaga, best known for his masterpiece Oro, Plata, Mata, which depicts the rise and fall of a sugar baron family during the Japanese occupation, left behind not only cinematic achievements but also generations of disciples. As an educator, he taught many who today shape the Filipino cultural scene. Among them is Negros-born playwright and stage director Tanya Lopez of The Performance Laboratory, Inc., who explores and presents various social issues in the Philippines through theater.

From Science student to Theater

Tanya Lopez, a native of Bacolod City, earned a scholarship to a science-focused high school in Manila thanks to her academic excellence. While excelling in her studies, she began attending school plays and Manila productions, and was gradually captivated by the power of theater. Determined to pursue her passion, she returned to her hometown for college, studying theater at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, Gallaga’s alma mater.

Gallaga, already a celebrated director at the time, would return annually to his hometown to give special lectures. Tanya recalls: “Peque (Gallaga) wanted to strengthen not only Manila’s theater scene but also that of his home province. He returned to Negros Occidental to teach in summer workshops.” Under his mentorship, she studied improvisational theater, in which directors and actors create works collaboratively - a method that later became central to her teaching. Gallaga also exposed students to world cinema, including Kurosawa’s Dreams.

Restoring Confidence Through Theater

After graduation, Lopez continued teaching theater at her alma mater while founding her own theater group and writing plays. Auditions drew people from all walks of life.

“On the first day, some applicants were so nervous they burst into tears. But after joining, they learned to express themselves, gained self-confidence, and developed empathy for others. Seeing them carry that growth into their lives is what makes me proud,”　she said, reflecting on the impact of theater education.

Tackling Social Issues Across the Province

Lopez also addressed youth mental health and social challenges through theater. In collaboration with different institutions, she wrote and staged plays focused on youth issues and concerns. Her productions, which combined live theater and film projections,

depicted the struggles of young people grappling with poverty, addiction, and domestic violence, mental-health and self-identity.

After performances, dialogue sessions with the audience allowed young viewers to share personal experiences and reflections. The stage became not just a platform for performance but also a space for community healing and collective awareness.

Theater Education in Seminaries to Hospitals

Lopez inherited Gallaga’s initiative of introducing theater to seminaries. Young priests, who shoulder not only religious duties but also daily community care, learned public speaking, empathy, and self-expression through her workshops.

In hospitals, Tanya extended her workshops to patients to nurses, offering them tools to manage stress and build compassion while caring for others. Theater, she believes, can help healthcare workers as much as the patients they serve. Her students have used what they learned in theater - in their respective careers. One of those who is a professional nurse would use theater exercises to calm their patients. A former members who have become managers and supervisors claim that theater developed their listening and creative problem-solving skills which have made them better leaders.

Leading Cultural Work and Training the Next Generation

Alongside education and creative work, Tanya now serves as executive director of the Negros Museum, where she has curated exhibitions and film festivals to promote various artists. Her latest play, Batang Pro (“Child Prostitutes”), staged in the Negros Museum, gave voice to young sex workers, confronting audiences with their struggles in poverty and survival.

At La Salle University, Tanya also mentors young theater artists in the Santermo Writers Guild, whose student-works range from historical dramas and folklore-inspired pieces to explorations of LGBTQ+ identity.

This year, film director Lawrence Fajardo won the prestigious FAMAS Award for Best Editing. Together, these achievements signal how the seeds Gallaga sowed in Negros are now blossoming across generations.

A Nation That Loves Theater and Song

“I think the Filipino people have a natural love for theater and song,” Tanya reflected. And smiling, she added,

“Theater helps people reclaim their voices and self-confidence, nurture empathy, and overcome life’s hardships.”

In Negros Occidental, where a master filmmaker once sowed the seeds of creativity, his disciples continue to bring empowerment and compassion to Filipino society through the power of theater.

By Yoshikaze Kawakami