My Brother’s Mustache-Hive Hotel along Scout Tuazon in Quezon City was jampacked last October 10.
Multimedia journalist, actor, and screenwriter Joel Saracho was the evening’s main stage host and performing guest artist.
The Salinawit Tribute drew poignant renditions of spoken word performances from Tatay’s screenplays.
Actress-singer Jackielou Blanco performed monologues from Tatay’s movie, Sister Stella L. Broadcast journalist Atom Araullo read passages from Tatay’s Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage.
Bobette Bernadas and Ferdie Borja provided music accompaniment and backing.
As mentioned by Tita Joan Maglipon, this year’s Salinawit included ‘translations of English standards to Tagalog that go from heartwarming to elegant, from bawdy to tearful, and from simple to sublime. If you hear these Lacaba renderings, you are either anointed of just plain lucky.’
Artist friends that rendered choice performances included Mitch Valdez, That’s All (Yun Lang) and Try a Little Tenderness; Cooky Chua, La Vie En Rose and Yesterday (Kahapon Lang); Leah Navarro, Love Me Tender; Pat Castillo, Sangandaan; and Bayang Barrios, Imagine.
Capping the evening were composers and multi-instrumentalists Noel Cabangon, Joey Ayala, Chikoy Pura, Nathan Abella, Rey Abella, and Wacki Ignacio.
Tita Jo-Ann Maglipon led the informal group that spearheaded the event. She and Tatay go way back, being friends from before martial law. They last worked together at Yes! magazine, where Tita Jo-Ann was editor-in-chief and Tatay was executive editor.
In 1983, Tatay, Nanay (Marra PL Lanot), and Tita Jo-Ann were among those who joined in the formation of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), led by Lino Brocka, National Artist for Film (1997); and National Artists for Literature Nick Joaquin (1976), Bienvenido Lumbera (2006), and Nicanor Tiongson (2026). During that year, Tatay served as secretary-general and later, chair of CAP.
Nanay and Tita Jo-Ann were also very close, being part of Women Writers in Media Now, along with Karina Bolasco, Marites Danguilan Vitug, Ma. Ceres P. Doyo, Leonor Aureus Briscoe, Arlene Babst Vokey, Sheila S. Coronel, Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, Fanny A. Garcia, Mila Astorga Garcia, Sol F. Juvida, Fe Panaligan Koons, Gemma Nemenzo, Sylvia L. Mayuga, Lilia Quindoza Santiago, Paulynn Paredes Sicam, Rochit I. Tañedo, and Criselda Yabes.
As screenwriter, Tatay has created valuable works in Philippine film, which focus on the lives of ordinary people, social injustice, and political and personal struggles, exemplified in such films as Jaguar (co-written with National Artist for Literature Ricardo Lee), Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim, and Orapronobis (all three directed by National Artist for Film Lino Brocka), Rizal sa Dapitan (directed by Tikoy Aguiluz), and Eskapo (co-written with Roy Iglesias and directed by Chito Roño).
Tatay also penned the scripts for Angela Markado (from a story written by the late Carlo J. Caparas), Experience for Brocka and Segurista and Bagong Bayani for Tikoy Aguiluz.
At a recent screening of the 4K restoration of Sister Stella L. (directed by Mike de Leon), held on September 20 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Tatay was in attendance along with other members of the cast and crew, which included actors Vilma Santos, Laurice Guillen, Gina Alajar, Pen Medina, Raquel Villavicencio, and Mae Paner, musical director Ding Achacoso, and Ellen Ongkeko (who wrote additional dialogue for the film).
Also present were relatives and representatives for de Leon, producer Lily Monteverde, film editor Jess Navarro, and original poster designer Antipas Delotavo, and members of the film restoration team.
billboards do the job socmed
Sister Stella L., co-written by Tatay with Mike de Leon and Jose Almojuela, tackles the life of a nun who joins a strike organized by laborers, inspired by real-life activist nuns Sister Chayong Battung, Sr. Mary Pilar Versoza, and Sister Mary John Mananzan. Vilma Santos’s closing monologue in Sister Stella L. was adapted from the writing of Ditto Sarmiento, a journalist martyred during Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s martial law.
It was Tatay who wrote the theme song, ‘Sangandaan’ (Crossroads) for the film.
Tatay has produced memorable poetry collected in such books as Ang Mga Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Juan de la Cruz, Sa Daigdig ng Kontradiksyon, Sa Panahon ng Ligalig, and Edad Medya.
He wrote features and essays collected in Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage, Showbiz Lengua, and Notes on the Bakya and Other Essays.
His contributions to activism and social practice have shaped national consciousness informed by his belief that artists are most instrumental when they dare to tell the truth.
In 1990, Tatay joined the revived Philippines Graphic under the stewardship of businessman-philanthropist Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. The magazine had as its first editor-in-chief National Artist Nick Joaquin. There, Tatay worked as Executive Editor from 1990 to 1993.
He later BusinessMirror in 2023 as editor of ‘Tony and Nick,’ the newspaper’s arts and literature section named after Antonio L. Cabangon Chua and National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin.
Tatay has been recognized with lifetime achievement awards, such as the 1999 CCP Centennial Honor for the Arts; the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award 2008; the 2009 Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi from the Ateneo de Manila University, Natatanging Gawad Urian (Lifetime Achievement Award) in 2011; the 2012 Gawad Francisco Balagtas; the 2013 Gawad Plaridel; and the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s Gawad Dangal ni Balagtas in 2016.
Alongside Mrinal Sen, Tatay was given the Aruna Vasudev Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on and for Cinema in 2008 at the 10th Osian’s-Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema. In 2024, he receive the Gawad CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) Para sa Sining.
It was Tatay who coined and popularized the word ‘salinawit.’
It’s a portmanteau-a single word made by blending two existing words together. In this case, it is a combination of the Tagalog words salin (translate) and awit (song).
These days, Tatay misses Nanay deeply. He tells me and my kids how much he misses her. Now, we try to get him to eat with us, with the kids. I think he enjoys his grandchildren.
On his own, Tatat no longer goes out a lot. But he joins his cousins when they invite him to go out.
YUN LANG
Sa himig ng ‘That’s All’
Lyrics: Alan Brandt
Music: Bob Haymes
Salinawit: Pete Lacaba
Tunay na pagmamahal sa habangbuhay
Yan naman ang aking maiaalay
At ang tanging puso ko, nakalaan sa iyo
Yun lang, yun lang
Alay ko sa ‘yo’y pamamasyal sa araw
At kamay na kakapitan sa ulan
At mainit na dibdib, sa gabi ng taglamig
Yun lang, yun lang
Ang iba ay maraming pangako
At handang ibigay ang mundo
Matamis na halik ang suyo
Yun lang ang maihahandog ko
Kung pangarap ko ay ibig mong malaman
Ang isasagot ko’y simple lang naman
Basta’t sabihin mong ako, ako lang ang mahal mo
Yun lang, yun lang.
KULAY-ROSAS
Sa himig ng ‘La Vie en Rose’
Music: Louiguy (Louis Guglielmi)
French Lyrics: Edith Piaf
Salinawit: Pete Lacaba
INTRO:
Akala ko, sa awit lang
Ang tunay na pagmamahal.
Iyon pala ay totoo.
Nadama ko sa halik mo.
Nang ibigin mo ako,
Nagbago ang mundo.
Ito’y nagkulay-rosas.
Sa init ng ‘yong halik,
Yakap na mahigpit,
Mundo’y nagkulay-rosas.
Puso ko’y umaawit,
Pag-ibig ang himig,
Sa tuwing maririnig…
Ang tinig mong
Katulad sa anghel
Na may timyas
Ng tunay na dalangin.
Dahil sa pag-ibig mo,
Ngayon ang buhay ko:
Kulay-rosas.
KAY GANDA NG MUNDO
Sa himig ng ‘What a Wonderful World’
Words and music by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss
Salinawit: Pete Lacaba
Ang mga bulaklak
Na kay bango,
Namumukadkad
Para sa ‘yo.
Nakikita ko,
Kay ganda ng mundo.
Ang mga bituin
Sa kalangitan,
Ang takipsilim
At bukang-liwayway-
Nakikita ko,
Kay ganda ng mundo.
Iyang bahaghari,
Sarisaring kulay,
Tulad ng mga tao
Sa ating buhay.
Ang kaibigan mo,
Pag kinamayan ka,
Ibig sabihin
Ay mahal ka niya.
Ang mga sanggol,
Gumagapang pa,
Sasayaw na
Paglaki nila.
Tunay at totoo,
Kay ganda ng mundo.