Themes: independence, revolution, and nationalism

“Batyag”
Chiera Faye C. Varona

Synopsis: The wailing of the grieving hearts is becoming more and more
intense as the time pass by. The silence of the frightened mouths is becoming
more deafening than that of a gunshot. As the plans of the uprising has
become blurry in the minds of the people, the clearer it becomes to see the
lives that has been slain even from a single sigh.

Scene 1
The sun was up, the skies is calm and clear and blue, but the muddy street
was echoing with a wailing mother, holding her baby in her arms, as she
scraped her knees from being drag away from her husband who is in the
hands of the two Spanish soldiers.

Mother: NOOOOOO!! WHERE ARE YOU BRINGING ME HUSBAND!? NOOOOOOO!! PLEASE! WE

HAVE A SON!! PLEASE, NOOOOOO!!!!
Leto: *looks at the mother and to the husband and lets out a sigh*
Maria: Wha— *frantically covered Leto’s mouth and drag him away from the
scene* WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!? DO YOU WANNA BE LIKE ARMDANDO!? DRAGGED
AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY!? *she whispered angrily as she slammed the door in
their house*
Leto: HOW LONG SHOULD WE HIDE IN FEAR, MARIA!? HOW LONG SHOULD WE KEEP OUR
MOUTHS SHUT!? I CANNOT LIVE LIKE THIS! I’M NOT DEAF AND DEFINITELY NOT BLIND
TO SEE AND HEAR THE CRIES OF OUR RACE! *whispered back angrily as he sat
down in despair*
Maria: Then what do you want to do!? Sigh there and be the next target!?
Huh!? Is that what you have in mind!?

Leto looked at Maria with his eyes wanting for help. Maria calmed down and
sat down beside Leto.

Maria: Let’s put an end to this, Leto. We both know the longer we wait, the
more lives are put into vain.
Leto: *lets out a deep sigh and looked at Maria* Go, get the pandesal we
made earlier. Distribute it in the houses and tell everyone that we are
having a meeting in the kweba.
Maria: *stood up and started packing the pandesals in a basket and headed on
the door*
Leto: Maria! *Maria looked at Leto with a fearful yet hopeful eyes* Don’t
forget to give some for the trompeta.

Maria nodded and heads out.

 Scene 2
Maria went out and started giving the pandesal from one house to another.
Every time she knocks on the wood doors, she was welcomed with a fearful
eye. As she heads out of the house, the eyes were changed with determined
look and hopeful nods.

Maria: See you.

Scene 3
Leto was sitting in an underground office that has several long seats
across him and was well-lit with a gaslight with the Philippine flag
hanged behind him. The room was filled with never ending murmur from the
people.

Leto: Good evening, my dear people! *the room fell into deafening silent* We
are gathered here tonight for one of our own, again, has fallen *he paused
for a moment* but this time, in broad daylight.

The wretched eyes of the people wandered around the room, seeking for
comfort from one another as they clasped their hands in despair.

Leto: This has got to end! Let us not be blind of what is happening around
us! Let us not be deaf from the cries of our own! THIS IS OUR NATION! We
should be the one celebrating and not them!
Nestor: But how are we going to do that, Leto? Even a single sigh is a
stepping stone towards the ends of our fearful days!

People started to agree on Nestor and the murmur started to grow louder
and louder. The widowed women are silently crying as they are consoled
with other women.

Leto: Another revolution is about to start, Nestor. Our people—

Juan: Our people!? *cutting Leto off of his word* Leto, our people are slowly
dying, one after the other.
Ligaya: He is right! We have not even recovered from the last revolution
that killed hundreds of our people including my husband! And now!? You are
planning for another revolution!? You are the one’s killing our race, not
them!

The room was once again filled with angry murmur.

Leto: ENOUGH! *he shouted and the room fell into a deafening silence once
again* Did you think that did not crossed my mind? *he looked at each person
in the eyes* I, too, lost my father, my mother and my two brothers during
the last revolution. *his voice started to grow louder* I, too, suffered
what we are all suffering! But I am not backing down. Their deaths should
not be put to vain! They died for our country and here we are, questioning
the sacrifices they did for us! Is this what you all want!? Are you blaming
your family for dying for our country!? Are you blaming them that they wanted
to free you, you, you, all of you, from this cruelty that they all know we
don’t deserve!? Is that what you are trying to say!? *breath is getting
heavier*

The people bowed their heads down.

Leto: Well, if that’s what you want, head out of this room in an instant and
go to your deceased family, tell them they have failed to free their
countrymen from miserable and indignation.

The room was filled with silence for a minute or two until one man stood
up and looked Leto in the eyes with his determined gazed that gave Leto a
little bit of hope and bliss.

Antonio: What is the plan, Leto? Tell us so that we may tell our children
that after this, they can finally run around the neighborhood with pure joy
and free from fear.

Leto: Some of our people from Bagumbayan are coming here tomorrow evening.
We are all given supplies to fight; guns, explosives, and man power. The
children and women are encouraged to hide on their hideouts for safety. When
the clock strikes five o’clock sharp, the biggest revolution of our people
towards the independence our country will start.