MA. DIANNA S. RABADON BSA-1A MR.

RONALDO ABADIES

CRITIQUE PAPER
I. TITLE AND AUTHOR

“Bayan- Bayanan” – A Letter from Home

Written by Bienvenido Munoz Noriega Jr.

II. OBJECTIVES
The stage play “Bayan- Bayanan” aims to show the life our Overseas
Filipino Workers in other country. This play wants us to understand the
situation, difficulties and hardships of living apart from our families and to our
beloved country.

III. SYNOPSIS
The story begun with the conversation of Manang, Aling Pia, a household
staff who learned to face the challenges with laughter, and Dino, the new
Filipino who went to Geneva to study. They are talking about the vacation that
could possibly be given to Manang’s husband by the Ambassador as his
driver. This conversation of the three serves as the introduction of the other
characters in the play. It is a cue for the other to enter the scene.
The story is about the life of an Oversea’s Filipino Workers. It shows the
different life situation that they had been struggling a lot while staying in
foreign country. The characters in the story had been suffering from the
hardships of finding a job that is related with their specialties. One of this is
Pol, a TNT seaman who is waiting for the next ship. He doesn’t get the
chance to have an opportunity to become a seaman in Geneva, and because
of the desire to gain money for his family before going back to Philippines, he
choose to stay in Geneva for the hope that he might get a job. But luckily, he
didn’t get one, instead, he became sick. His family assumed that he already
had another family in Geneva and he will never be back, so they choose not
to send him a letter. Pol is longing with his family a lot and because of that,
his condition became worst until he died. Until the end, Pol is hoping that
someday he will get the chance to come in Europe. Another is Tessie, a
nurse graduate in the Philippines. Though she graduated as nurse, she still
gets a low position in the hospital of Geneva. Tessie is in relationship with a
foreigner. She always waiting for her lover and wanting to fly in Rome.
 There are a different kinds of Filipino in the play. There are people wanted
to go back to the Philippines. Those are Manang and Manong. Another is G.
Luz, he went to Geneva for his work and wanted to go back into his home
because of the longings he had with his family. There are also people who
doesn't want to go back with their nation and chosen to stay with other
country. Those people are G. and Gng. Del Castillo who are the annoying
officials of the embassy and who always resist to return in Philippines. They
are always bragging about the places that they had been already. Another is
Connie, a model in disguise. Because of the search in money and love, she
choose to stay in Geneva. In the play, it is shown that she is a type of a girl
who is lack in attention. To gain attention and love, she seduced every man
she has seen, one of this is Dino. It seems like that the two of them is in
relationship but in the end they're not become one. There are also people
who wanted to take a single look with their country that they did not ever seen
before. Ricky Boy is a son of Manang and Manong. He born in the
Philippines, fluent with Filipino language but he never seen the Philippines
before. He is always eager to travel with his nation but he fate did not give
him a chance. Ana Marie is a Fill- Am born of a GI father and a deceased
singer mother. She is always in search of her roots.
The story end with all of the character being happy and being together. In
the end, Tessie's lover keep his promise and make his appearance to Tessie
and with her co- Filipinos and her family in Geneva.

IV. REACTION
After watching the stage play “Bayan- Bayanan”, I can say that when it
comes to the physical projection of the production, the setting’s set-up were
really great and realistic, the execution of props and the timing of lightings
and sounds were amazing, resulting to the perfect ambiance that made the
audience feel every scenario of the story. I’ve also observed that the
performers are appropriate and well dressed in accordance of what the scene
is trying to show off. This way, the audiences easily understand and
recognized that the scene is changing and is not static.

As for giving my observation with the performer’s performances, I would

like to say that they really do well. I can sense the confidence they project, as
well as the ability they possessed. Another thing, they’ve really practice
professionalism very well. They are not easily swayed by the audience chants
though there were some awkward and sensual scenes. They are really in
their character, even in the midst of tempting scenes. And before I forgot,
performers were really suitable in the character they are portraying with.
 And of course, characters/ performers, lightings, sounds and props were
all useless without the essence of the story. What I would like to comment
with the story outline is that, it has a really good flow of story. It possessed a
very valuable message. As we've tried to recall it, the story is about the life of
being a Overseas Filipino Workers. It talks about how an OFW mange to live
in other country together with their co- workers in order to make a living for
their families and for themselves as well. Living with other Filipinos, they are
not just sharing expenses since they lived with the same roof, but they also
shared one another the experiences and dreams that they had such as
places or countries they wanted to go with. The message of this story has a
big impact with everyone of us. This story makes me realized that being an
OFW is not easy and luxurious. Being a OFW is a pain. You have to undergo
sufferings and hardships. You have to work be apart to your family. With this,
it makes me understand their situations. Being in a foreign country kills you,
makes you missed your own country, your own home, the Philippines, which
has been shown in the play. They were eager to go home but they didn't get
the chance and opportunity to do so. They have to temporarily forget their
country because for the meantime, they had to work and make salaries for
their living. The thought makes me feel ashamed of myself. I've always had
this chance and opportunity to enjoy every moments here in the Philippines,
but what did I do? I didn't pay attention to my nation who gives me my
identity. In my 18 years of existence, I've realized now that I've always saying
that I'm a Filipino but I never been one and never acted as one. What a
shame. I've always been thinking to live in other country and adopt the way of
their living but I never thought or think about other Filipinos who are wishing
to go home while I letting my chance and opportunity to stay home.