LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines?After being away for more than two decades from the UPLB crowd to work as a writer for TV drama anthologies and film, suddenly I was on stage again not to act, but as a playwright.

I remember those rehearsal nights back in the early 80?s, the never ending supply of refreshments and ?salabat.? Oh yes, there was always an over-flowing supply of hot salabat for our vocal chords, that time there were no lapel microphones and so we had to project our voices to be heard by the person seated at the last row of the UPLB Auditorium. Our director needed salabat too to yell at the actors on stage ?voice projection...control!?

There was nothing like that as I watched the young, unassuming director and professor Elmer Rufo during the run throughs. He was cool, no tension at all, holding his microphone he politely delivered his instructions during the technical/dress rehearsals. Oh well, maybe I was not around when he walked out for some annoying rehearsal problems.

I was teary eyed on the first matinee showing of ?Pahimakas at Panimula,? the stage play I wrote for the Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation and UPLB ComArts Society. I sat at the last row. It was a full circle experience. I was completely over-whelmed and mesmerized by how Prof. Rufo transformed the material into another unforgettable stage play. He simply nailed it and made a mark again in the UPLB theatre history.

?Pahimakas at Panimula? was staged last week February 17-18 at the DL Umali Auditorium with 3 p.m. matinee and 7 p.m. gala. The four shows were packed with well-informed audience. A full house, lots were seated on the aisle during the matinee shows. The poster with a pink ribbon was such an attraction. The concept was well thought of to sell the message.

And so buses and jeepney loads of students came to the campus in both afternoon shows, some from nearby towns like Calamba and Sta. Rosa and more buses from Cavite. Cancer patients, volunteers, doctors, English and speech students, people from all over packed the auditorium.

Professor Rufo perfectly conceived the idea of designing a three octave giant piano to be the stage of the actors and effectively deliver the message and provide the drama of the story based on the book ? Oh God, why Sarah? by Dr. Fermin Adriano.

The story is simple, but gripping. It is all about Kate, a 14 year old student of Pisay, a promising pianist, intelligent, but her dreams are shattered when she is diagnosed of having nasopharengeal cancer Stage IV. She embraces death like all the challenges in her life. Her grieving parents needed some answers as to why...why our daughter?

Well, everything happens for a good reason, for one greater purpose. Kate had to suffer so that others will no longer suffer, and be in so much excruciating pain because of cancer. Her death leads to the founding of Madre de Amor Hospice, the Panimula (Introduction/Beginning), which takes care of cancer patients and those terminally ill.

Going back to the impact of Prof Rufo?s piano and set design, it was like he took as to a CCP theater experience as what my niece said ? Ninang, parang CCP play...ang ganda, ang galing! ? People came out of the auditorium in tears, with so much hope and better understanding, with so much positive comments.

The piano provided so much drama, it established the opening which was Kate?s recital, too bad the giant keys didn?t work as was planned, the men who were supposed to pull the keys and have it bounce back while the piano piece played were not available. Instead the ballet that went with the piece provided a more classy opening.

The keys also served as the main props from dormitory to hospital beds, to chairs, to more dramatic devices like providing suspense as Kate steps on each key, it goes with an eerie, threatening musical effect signifying the start of dark days. The keys were also used for transition, with each key dropping one after the other symbolizes the Pahimakas (Farewell), it also served as the grave for the eulogy. That scene gave me goose bumps as the butterflies came down and the bouquet of roses rise from the grave.

Direk Elmer also used five curtains for entrances and exits, it also conveniently provided transition and more drama as it rolls, unrolls, falls hard on the floor, one after the other.

There was the second level platform which gave a higher and deeper dimension in some delicate scenes with Kate?s last moments with her Nanay and Tatay, the priest giving communion and the ending wherein Gerry, Kate?s father came to terms that Kate is gone and he had to let go as he was done writing the book. It was a glorious feeling after all the uncertainties, sufferings and struggles.

The music was fluid in all scenes, it fully blended with the moods. The lights came in perfect timing, considering that there was not much time for a technical rehearsal.

The gay nurse, played by Oscar Bartlome was a scene stealer, everyone would love to have a nurse like him having a better understanding of how to treat a patient in a terminal case and walking an extra mile to make it easy for patients. Kate played by Nadine Sales, was very effective, though some commented that her voice was too soft, oh well she was dying anyway. Dying people don?t talk as loud. Gerry played by Jaime Rafael Ledesma memorized his lines too well and delivered.

As I was writing the play, I couldn?t imagine how he will blend some monologues and the actual story, but Direk Elmer found a way. The anxiety of Maita, Kate?s mother, as played by Andreah Celes was able to gain sympathy from the audience as she has always been there for Kate?s comfort at the time she screamed for pain relievers and the discomfort of needles and all those life saving devices attached to her.

I understand the play will be toured soon upon the invitation of interested cancer and hospice advocates. We all hope that you don?t miss the next staging in your locale and experience a different way of looking at cancer and the experience of witnessing a completely absorbing stage play that made it much talked about for days. Though the story of dying was sad, the direction kept everyone glued to it from start to finish. It is a must see stage play.