It was in the late 1970s, the martial law years, when a student named Raymond Red enrolled in the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), a secondary school for youth gifted in any one of the seven lively arts. He took up visual arts.

The atmosphere was intimidating and there were military men around. “There was a lot of pressure,” young Red recalled. “You appreciated the situation you were in, but why were we isolated? We were medyo (somewhat) spoiled but why were we hidden? We were feeling insulated.”

“That is the important foundation of PHSA,” Red concluded. “You become tao (human), an artist and part of the world.”

Red shifted to films and became a leading director of indie films. He was one of the speakers at a recent press conference at the Cultural Center of the Philippine (CCP) on the occasion of PHSA’s 40th anniversary. Highlight of the celebration is a multidisciplinary production of the school’s alumni and students on June 10, 2:30 p.m. at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio V. Tolentino (Little Theater).

The event will showcase the significant contributions of the alumni in art education, in the various art forms.

“The gift of art education is the best thing the alumni can give the youth,” said poet Vim Nadera, PHSA director.

The press launch was enlivened by alumni and students who performed folk as well as contemporary dances. There was a production number of Willy Cruz’s well-loved “Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas,” with dancer Al Bernard Garcia, violinist Michael Vargas and Josue Greg Zuniega on piano. Soprano Bianca Camille Lopez engagingly rendered the classics “Kay Tamis ng Buhay” by Felipe De Leon and “Sa Kabukiran” by Manuel Velez.

There will be other concerts throughout the year to celebrate PHSA’s Ruby Anniversary. And these, said director Aber Delina Jr., would indicate “what we have done and where we are going.”—CONTRIBUTED