RYAN CAYABYAB

Born on May 4, 1954, Ryan Cayabyab was born as Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab. His
mother, an opera singer, passed away when he was six years old and it was her wish that none of her
children make a career in the field of music as the income was unstable and many a time insufficient.
Initially, Cayabyab took up a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in the University of the
Philippines, Diliman. While studying, he searched for employment in order to sustain his studies.
Eventually, he was able to work as an accompanist for the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
Chorale Ensemble. Senator Salvador Laurel, at the time, was impressed by his skills in playing the piano
and presented him with a scholarship that would allow Cayabyab to shift into a musical course.

He earned a degree as Bachelor of Music, Major in Composition from University of the

Philippines College of Music and became a professor for the Department of Composition and Music
Theory in UP Diliman for about 20 years. He became well-known as Mister C or Maestro Ryan and the
success of his career, which his mother had not chosen for him, left a legacy not only of his own
achievements and recognition but also one of his children who graduated summa cum laude at the
University of the Philippines in choral conducting. Furthermore, Mister C’s message continues to spread
through his students proving that the measure of a man is not based simply on his own achievements,
but even more so in how he can touch the lives of others. Cayabyab has influenced the thousands of
students he has taught over the years and the millions of people who have heard of his songs and
compositions.

In an exclusive interview with the Asian Journal on October 17, 2016, he quotes his mission in
life saying, “I am not in awe of people per se because we are all pilgrims, we are given everything and
bakit ako nandidito (why am I here?) At bakit hindi nila nakikita ang path nila, bakit hanggang ngayon
hinahanap nila? (Why can’t they see their path, why are they still in search of it?) Medium lang ako, the
supernatural gift comes from the Higher Being, bigger than all of us. Kayo na ang bahala, kayo naman
ang may-ari ng lahat ng ito. (I am medium in talent. The supernatural gift comes from the Higher being. I
surrender my fate to Him, as He alone owns all these.) I am a human being still learning in life, how to be
loving and how to be caring for others. It is important for me to teach as much as I can – bahala na kayo
magpalaganap nito (It is up to you to spread this [body of musicality] and grow this).”

Cayabyab is the most accomplished composer, arranger, and musical director in the Philippine
music industry ever since it bloomed in the 1970s. His musical style covers a wide range of genres: from
conservatory or art compositions such as concert religious music, symphonic work, art song, opera, and
concerto to mainstream popular idioms in the music industry and in live contemporary multimedia
shows (musical theater, dance, and film). His compositions reflect a perspective of music that extols the
exuberance of life and human happiness, thus capturing the very essence of our Filipino soul.

Some of his most notable works include the following:

 Rama-Hari (Two-act musical ballet, 1980)

 Katy! The Musical (Two-act musical, 1988)
 Smokey Mountain (Pop CD album, 1990)
 One Christmas (Christmas Album, 1993)
 Noli Me Tangere (Tele-sine musical, 1995)
 Spoliarium (Three-act opera, 2003)
 Ignacio Of Loyola (Film Score, 2016)
 Larawan: The Musical (Full-length musical film, 2017)
 Da Coconut Nut
 Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika
 Nais Ko
 Paraiso
 Kahit Ika’y Panaginip Lang
 Kailan
 Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka

In 1981, he was nominated for the Gawad Urian Award for Best Music for Iduyan Mo and in the
1993 Metro Manila Film Festival, he was awarded Best Music for his work Kung Mawawala Ka Pa.

He was the National Artist for Music in 2018 and in 2013, he received a Papal Award, Pro
Ecclesia et Pontifice for his work in sacred music. Pope Francis awarded him the highest papal award
for Laity for his many contributions in the field of religious-themed compositions and sacred works.
Among his ecclesiastical works are, “Eclesiastes” for choir and piano, his first large religious
composition; “Misa” for unaccompanied choir; stage musicals like "Magnificat,” “Birhen ng
Caysasay” and, “Lorenzo;” and church songs such as or “I Believe in Peace,” “The Prophet,” “Asin ng
Pamayanan,” “Live Christ, Share Christ,” and “Icthus” in St. John’s Mass.

He is also a TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men) awardee for contemporary Filipino music in
1978. He won the Grand Prize award at the first Metro Manila Popular Music Festival for the song
"Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika".

2001, Ryan Cayabyab is a laureate of the Onassis International Cultural Competitions (2nd Prize),
having won for original music composition for dance.

As of 2006, he has won three international Grand Prix awards for his compositions; in the First
Seoul Song Festival, in the Voice of Asia Song Festival in the former U.S.S.R., and in the Tokyo Music
Festival.

He was also Bronze Awardee at the New York Film and Television Awards and has won a total of
ten best movie score awards from the various film award-giving bodies.

He received in September 2019 the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, highlighting "his
compositions and performances that have defined and inspired Filipino popular music across
generations...", being cited, among other achievements, "that have defined and inspired Filipino
popular music across generations."
 AMELIA LAPENA-BONIFACIO

Tita Amel, better known as Amelia Lapena-Bonifacio was born on April 4, 1930. She is a
teacher, playwright, and puppeteer, and was awarded the National Artist for Theater Award in 2018
and is known as the Grand Dame of Southeast Asian children’s theatre. She started to receive
awards and editorship for her writing since she was in high school and college. She earned an AB
(English) from UP Diliman in 1953. Her set designing began in the University of the Philippines and
earned her a Fullbright-Smith Mundt Scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she
earned an MA (Speech-Theatre Arts) in 1958. Her first two plays, Sepang Loca (1957) and Rooms
(1958), won awards and were premiered at the UW Play Circle and subsequently published in the
US. Today her literary output consist of 20 books, 40 plays, 130 stories, several essays which include
the results of her researches on theatre as Research Fellow of several local and international grants.

Her research in the early 70s opened her eyes to the puppet theatres of Asia, and in 1977, she
founded and managed TEATRONG MULAT NG PILIPINAS, an official UP children’s theatre and
puppetry troupe which will celebrate its 30th year in 2007. She has written and produced various
works that have been shown all over the world such as Ang Paghuhukom and Sita & Rama: Papet
Ramayana. She has written the most plays performed by the group based on materials culled from
painstaking researches. She has also been involved in the production and design of puppets. All in
all, what she has achieved is an indigenous fusion of puppetry, children’s literature, folklore, and
theater.

Two of her short stories were translated into other languages, namely “Tia Purificacion,” which
was translated to German and published in Frauen Auf Den Philippinen Frauen in Germany and “The
Stairs,” translated in Dutch and published as part of the book Het Ver-Welken Van De Regenbloesem
in Amsterdam.

She is presently a member of the Board of Advisors of CAL’s Institute of Creative Writing.

She has received numerous awards, among them the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in
Literature for One Act Play for “Dalawang Bayani” in 1995, and the second prize, Full Length Play for
“Chinchina and the Five Mountains” in 2006. In 2017, she received the City of Manila Outstanding
Citizen Award and the Quezon City Most Outstanding Citizen Award in 2013. She was named
University Professor at UP in 1995.

Now a Professor Emeritus of the UP, she served as Professor of English and Chair of the Creative
Writing Program where she instituted courses in Creative Writing, later formalizing them as
undergraduate and graduate programs. She also helped in the establishment of the Creative Writing
Center which she headed as Director from 1986-1995. She worked for the recognition of more
women writers and held workshops on children’s literature, the last of which gave birth to two
important organizations: KUTING (writers for children’s books) and INK (illustrators of children’s
books).

She is president of UNIMA-Pilipinas (Union Internationale dela Marionnette) and the ASSITEJ-
Philippines (International Association of Theatre For Children and Young People). Recipient of over
50 national and international literary prizes and awards, she is cited in a number of encyclopedia
and British, American and Indian Bibliographies. Now in her mid-70’s, she is still active in theatre,
performing for children and adult audiences, writing plays, designing and creating puppets,
costumes and sets and setting the direction of children’s literature and children’s theatre in the
country.

Notable Works:

 6 na Dulang Filipino Para Sa Mga Bata, 1976

 Tat-lu-han (Three Plays), 1975
 Ang Paglalakbay ni Sisa: Isang Noh Sa Laguna, 1998
 Isang Kyogen sa Pritil, 1977
 Sepang Loca, 1957
 Papet Pasyon, 1985
 Abadeja: Ang Ating Sinderela, 1977