MANILA, Philippines--In one day, I took in ballet, classical guitar music; modern interactive theater, the short film, ?Wat Floor Ma?am?? by Mike Sandejas; Filipino poetry and gangsta rap.

Had I the power to bi-locate, I would have done twice better but still missed over 60 offerings at ?Pasinaya 10,? the Cultural Center of the Philippines? Open House Festival on Feb. 7.

Best part was, my much younger companion (which should explain the foray into gangsta rap) and I parted with just P50 each, though P20 was all that was asked of us to get into the all-day action.

More than 80 shows featuring some 2,000 artists were presented by the CCP resident companies and affiliated groups, launching the National Arts Month.

Every square foot of the CCP was abuzz, including the front lawn, where 1,000 dancers gathered at noon for ?Bonggang-Bonggang Bamboo: The Tinikling Showdown.? For the spectators, many of them foreigners, this was worth the half-hour exposure to the sun.

The alley, too

Even the promenade areas and the alley in front of the Production Design Center became venues for at least 18 presentations, all previews of forthcoming shows.

This was how it went for us, eager troops: At the backdoor entrance, we were issued paper bracelets and a schedule. Right after the tinikling showdown, we gulped down sandwiches and sodas, then queued up at the Main Theater door to watch two champs of last year?s National Music Competitions for Young Artists, Veronica Samantha Ylagan (ballet) and Franco Raymundo Maigue (guitar).

Then off I ran to see Ballet Manila in the Bulwagang Francisca Reyes Aquino at the Lower Basement, while my companion rushed to the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino at the Upper Basement for ?Teklado,? featuring the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) piano majors.

Oh, no, line too long at the LB. If I got to the door at all, I figured, there would be no more seats. So it was back to Upper Basement for me, to queue up early for ?Wat Floor Ma?am?? at Tanghalang Manuel Conde. My companion was already there, panting. He barely made it to ?Teklado,? he said.

Mike Sandejas? short film has a cast of two, one a Robin Padilla type, the other an Imelda Marcos. It takes place entirely in an elevator hatch, including back stories of Martial Law and, beyond that, pre-World War II. Serious but fun stuff?and the youngest viewer was an infant who couldn?t have been more than 18 months old!

After ?Wat Floor ?? our plan was to proceed to the Bulwagang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining on the 4th level, for the Philippine Madrigal Singers? ?Learn to Sing in 15 Minutes.?

Run, again

But my escort said a school friend of his had strongly recommended the theater troupe Sipat Lawin, also from PHSA. So run we did again, this time to Tanghalang Huseng Batute, mercifully on the same floor.

This one was packed more than the others because the theater was very small and intimate. Discovering it was a very pleasant, if belated, surprise.

Then up to the Bulwagang Juan Luna on the third level we went for ?Word Jam.? Everyone sat on the floor as young purveyors of alternative music, performance poetry artists and a gangsta rapper strutted their stuff, with stunning effect.

Though hardly young ?uns, poets Teo Antonio, Michael Coroza and Nanding Josef, drove rhymes and playful reason right into the hearts of their youthful audience.

?Tribu? rap

And there we found Ronaldo Morata, a cast member of the acclaimed indie movie ?Tribu,? about gangs in Tondo. He left the small crowd tongue-tied with engaging on-the-spot verse set to a generic musical track.

We had met him earlier with the rest of the ?Tribu? cast. He had since become a father of two kids, he said, and to make some money, he now sold plastic ware in Divisoria.

(It?s a wonder he hasn?t lost his gift.)

And that was it for me, while my happy escort stayed behind for one more treat?the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the Production Design Center Eskinita behind the CCP.

One whole day spent there, and I didn?t even find the puppet shows, storytelling, culinary fair and cooking demos, arts and collectibles market! Next year, I have to be more systematic.