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BATANG-SINING: From creative expression to healing
Batang-Sining is a five-day creative expression workshop for children ages 6-13. It involves various art
forms, such as creative writing, puppetry, art- and book-making, storytelling and theatrical presentation, all aimed at enabling
the child to express him/herself artistically and more fully. Conceptualized as a four-day story-writing and -writing
workshop dubbed as “Likhang-Paslit”in 1993, in which year the CCP theme was “Bata ang Bukas”, it grew
to include the integrated arts to spare the child from the western compartmentalization of the arts. This way, the child is
allowed to discover the artistic forms he or she would like to use or combine in expressing and communicating his/her feelings
and thoughts. The modules evolved through the years from the ones started by Rene O. Villanueva, then head writer of the much-acclaimed
television program “Batibot”, children’s books author Mailin Paterno (now Locsin), Amihan Bonifacio (now
Ramolete) of Teatrong Mulat and the director of the CCP Literature Division.
In 1995, after the execution of Filipina maid Flor Contemplacion in Singapore, the workshop then named “Batang-Panitik”,
was dedicated to children ages 11-16 of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). All participants who were more or less teenagers
belonged to families of OFWs. The workshop was particularly memorable that year because we discovered that there were children
abandoned by both parents working abroad and neither was sending sustenance to their children left behind. The support or
child advocate organizations we invited to send participants requested provisions for transportation and carers to enable
them to accept the invitation. This led to the opening of scholarships for deserving applicants, especially from low-income
families. During the workshop, we were also shocked to find out through the plays presented by the participants about their
typical family: at least one child was a drug addict and was into stealing to sustain the vice; and either or both parents
had illicit affairs. The letters the children wrote were no less than raw tearjerkers. The experience was so depressing we
resolved to invite the following year OFWs who could serve as “models” and children, not necessarily of OFWs,
with pleasant family experiences and who showed talent in writing for their school paper and performing in school plays and
presentations.
In many respects, “Batang-Sining” is similar to “Tanghal-Tula” in that it necessitates:
a) partnership with a local host organization; b) the involvement of specialists, in the case of the former, child educators
and artists in the fields of children’s theater and literature, and who were at home with the local language/s; c) a
module that harnesses local resources, e.g. region-based resource persons, venues, local folklore and history and artistic/cultural
traditions and heritage, indigenous materials, and the community’s experiences, and one that responds to the people’s
needs; and d) a culminating program that showcases the talents and works of the participants.
“Batang-Sining” was always conducted during the summer at the CCP building on Roxas boulevard
until 2002 when for the first time, it was brought to Sigma, a fifth-class municipality in Capiz. Neither could we afford
to hire facilitators the way we could at the CCP nor could we pay their airfare. We requested the local partners to invite
elementary school teachers to serve as facilitators for free. Not only did we get the nod of some committed teachers to facilitate
for free but also high school and college students from the place who were on vacation and who were all interested in theater
and creative writing. The occasion opened bright prospects for a continuing cultural work in the area. “Batang-Sining”
was also brought to Camp John Hay in Baguio city and St. Francis Learning Center in Cagayan de Oro city that year, and to
Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; Central Mindanao University, Musuan, Bukidnon, and again to Capiz, this time, Roxas city, the following
year.
The commitment of the leaders of the Sigmahanon Foundation for Culture and the Arts, Inc., (SCAI) notably
Alphonsus Tesoro who worked hard to bring “Batang-Sining” to Sigma the year before saw the need for art in healing
children in psychologically stressful circumstances. In 2003, “Batang-Sining” set out to the same Visayan province
to address those concerns. The module was prepared by the team composed of PETA actor-child educator Ernie Cloma and Antiqueno
writer Alex delos Santos. The subject was so sensitive Al Tesoro was not taking any chances; he worked for the involvement
of a U.S.-trained medical specialist-child psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Nadala of the Iloilo Doctors Hospital in Iloilo city. The
rural health officer, social workers directly in-charge of some of the children who were undergoing healing, child educators
and school administrators from the area, and concerned parents were invited as participant-observers in the outer circle (the
children themselves made up the inner circle) of the workshop. The resource persons had to work deep into the night to process
the experience on a higher level. Dr. Nadala convincingly explained the relationship of sketching/artistic expression by children
and the workings of an “abused child’s” disturbed mind, and how to respond properly to such children’s
situation. The late-evening discussions proved to be provocative and at the same time inspiring such that the participant-observers
deemed it necessary to organize themselves into the Capiz Cultural Alliance which, among other objectives, aimed to conserve
and enrich Capiznon culture for the benefit of the next generation of Capizenos.
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