Panay Today
Miagao, Iloilo – Last April 23-25, 2024, the historic University of the Philippines Visayas Fair, organized by the UPV University Student Council, not only took local performers to the stage but also brought pro-people campaigns to the university studentry and the local population.
The first night was titled TUMINDIG AT TUMINGKAD, which highlighted the demand for the state to focus on its public health program and infrastructures, and oppose the looming Charter Change of the current Marcos administration. The main act of the night was the indie-alternative folk band, The Ridleys, following the musical performances of several local artists.
TINIG GUBAT, the title of the fair’s second night, highlighted the calls for climate action and environmental protection, especially on the local biodiversity. The 5-man indie-alternative rock band Autotelic served as its main act with performances from UPV-sourced student artists.
The highlight for the whole fanfare was its third and final night which was aptly called SILAKBO: Sector’s Night. With a program that was open to UPV and non-UPV people and no admission fee, it put into the center the campaigns of the Filipino people.
The event was geared to celebrate the various sectors present: women, mental health, youth, and workers. Kaila Luna sang 3 songs that talked about the struggles of women. The drag artist Zhüppa Anneigh highlighted the need to pass the SOGIE Bill. The local band DRVN hailed the stage with an electrifying performance that advocated for mental health.
A crowd-favorite was the performance of the local drivers from the Bolho-Sapa-UPV Tricycle Operators & Drivers’ Association (BSUTODA). After the performance, UPV USC discussed the possibility of the driver’s displacement under the government’s transport modernization program.
The highlight of the night was the set of the progressive band, MusikangBayan. The band performed songs that reflected youth militancy, worker’s situation, and environmentalism.
Importantly, the program called for action against the looming Charter Change and the PUV Modernization Program. The UPV USC on closing the historic 3-day event encouraged the local studentry to participate in the upcoming May 1 multi-sectoral mobilization./PT
