Andap ng Liwanag

IT WAS just a very short meeting after a short trip out there where boulders and mud still hypnotize all those who visit - getting a glimpse of the horrors of that long night of December 3 to the harrowing dawn of December 4.

It's going to be a debris to art project, artist Rey Mudjahid "Kublai" Ponce Millani said, that will involve the residents.

In a trip three days before that short meeting, they already talked with San Antonio de Padua parish priest Fr. Edgar Tuling of New Bataan in Compostela Valley and discussed what can be done.

With Kublai, light artist Atty. Kristoffer de Jesus and I, we sat down to conceptualize the project that we named, "Andap ng Liwanag."

Barangay Andap was the worst hit by typhoon Pablo. The river of boulders, rocks, and stones that traverses a wide swath of land is a vivid reminder of why more than a thousand died there. No one can ever outrun a boulder on rampaging waters, not fit and strong soldiers, much less small children.

But while people continue to grieve, they also have to rebuild their lives and what's a better way than to see Barangay Andap in a new way.
It's not known why Andap was named thus. But the fact is, Andap in Tagalog means "flicker."

Andap thus can become the flicker of light that will lead the way toward the people's recovery from the scars of one horrifying night and the uncertainties and sufferings that came after.

As written in its concept paper, "In the vast darkness of uncertainty, all it takes is a flicker to bring hope and joy."

Last Sunday, January 13, the small group of friends - artist Kublai Millan, engineer and funrither designer Jon Traya, Archt. Francis Hidalgo, signer Maan Chua, and this writer gathered at the parish church of New Bataan where a big group of parishioners, both young and old, were gathered.

The group was introduced to venting light systems, or the so-called "okir," a component of Philippine architecture pre-1950s. It's those carved out planks of wood and plywood that decorate the tops and bottoms of windows to let in light and air.

Then they were made to design their own using planks of mahogany, cut out from the trees fallen by Pablo.

What happened was a flurry of drawings on wood that was cut with a jigsaw by Jon Traya's handyman. The adult men, two of whom were introduced as furniture makers, were also taught how to handle the jigsaw.

That was all for the day, but the parishioners were still brimming with excitement and are awaiting the return of the group today, for yet another workshop.

Andap ng Liwanag intends to create art pieces and free-standing lamps from the fallen trees of New Bataan, which will be sold to gather funds for the recovery and rehabilitation works of the parish and its parishioners. It is envisioned to be highlighted in a mall exhibit where the expertise of de Jesus in lighting will be used to underscore the message of bringing light and letting the light enter the homes and the lives anew of the survivors of Pablo. De Jesus' is with Tunog at Liwanag sa Teatro Inc., which was behind the lightshow at the People's Park during the holiday season in December 2012.

With de Jesus' expertise in lighting, a show of light and lighting systems carved out on wood promises a different art exhibit.

Aside from crafting out a source of rehabilitation funds for the parishioners, Andap ng Liwanag also intends to inculcate environmental awareness among the residents so that the horrors of Pablo will not just be forgotten without creating an impact on how the people regard their environment.

In the process too, the participants will learn and be re-acquainted with a vital component of Philippine architecture before, which will bring into their consciousness designs that puts a premium on natural lighting and vents.