REGION 1

ILOCOS REGION
 TRES PATRIMONIO, A BIGUEÑO
ZARZUELA
• Tres Patrimonio or Three Patrimonies is a zarzuela written
and directed by Joseph Cristobal. A zarzuela is a form of a
play where the actors sing their lines, kinda like a musical.
It’s one of the things the Spaniards left to us after centuries
of colonization. The art of zarzuela can now hardly be
found on the more modern parts of the country, but go to
the barrios and you can still glimpses of it during fiestas
• Tres Patrimonio is divided into three acts as hinted by
its name; the first act is about Diego and Gabriela
Silang, the second one about Leona Florentino and the
last, about Padre Burgos; all Bigueño heroes and icons.
• The actors were speaking in Spanish and Ilocano in between bursts of
Tagalog. The language spoken was intentional and the audience
has to be the one to catch up with what’s happening.
• Of the three acts, everyone’s favorite seemed to be that of Padre Burgos’.
It was given with such an unusual post-modern treatment that the crowd
was stunned at what to make of it. It opens with the Gomburza giving a
very cryptic and modern dance—in full prayle regalias—accompanied by
weird minimalist eletronica music. You really have to see this one to
appreciate how weird, but ultimately effective it is.