Frank Rivera needs help

For the last six months, Frank Rivera has been in the Manila Doctors Hospital, being treated for lymphoma cancer. That he has lasted this long is a tribute not only to the skill of his physicians, but to the continuing appeals of his friends to heaven for his recovery.

Rivera is one of the country’s leading artists, highly accomplished as a writer, an actor, a director, a teacher, and an art manager. Like his mentor Cecile Guidote Alvarez, he has been tireless in spreading the gospel of art as the key to national and international development.

Even on his sickbed, Rivera has not stopped working to raise the artistic consciousness of the public. Despite the pain of medication and surgery, he continually writes and publishes poems through his cellphone.

He has won numerous awards for his contributions to theater and film. Like many Filipino theater artists, he has always worked for the underserved sectors of society, such as children and persons with disabilities. Rivera’s latest day job was in the Department of Education, as director of the National Council for Children’s Television.

I have worked with him on several productions, including those in the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) when we were still both active in the Kalinangan Ensemble. More recently, he directed three plays, my “Ang Tatay Mong Kalbo” for Far Eastern University, National Artist Alejandro Roces’“Something to Crow About” for La Mama Experimental Theatre Club in New York and other American cities, and my “Baler Sa Puso Ko.” The last one won for the two of us an Aliw Award as Best Theater Production of the year.

Among his best-known plays are “Ambon, Ulan, Baha,” “Oyayi,” “Halik sa Kampilan,” “Tao: Isang Tagulaylay,” and “To Be a Butterfly.” Known as “Makata sa Cellphone,” he has so far published 21 books, consisting of plays for stage, radio, television, and film; short stories; essays; and poems. His books have won four National Book Awards.

Cancer is a very expensive disease. Rivera has run out of his personal funds, and even the financial aid of his closest friends has made only a little dent in his hospital bills.

Tomorrow, Oct. 18, Friday, there will be two special shows aimed at raising more than P2 million to cover his hospital bills so far. The benefit, entitled “Tula, Awit, Dula ni Frank G. Rivera,” will be staged at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Emilio Aguinaldo College in Ermita, Manila.

Several of his friends have come together and donated their services for the benefit. These friends include Alegria, CJ Andaluz, Liesl Batucan, Arthur Casanova, Njel de Mesa, Danny Dolor, Dulce, Dang Elio, Nenen Espina, Joel Lamangan, Joey Nombres, Fray Paolo, Jim Pebanco, Roeder, Vince Tañada, Wally Tuyan, George Yang, Alab Artistika, Aliw Awards, Centro Escolar University Dramatics Guild, PETA, Philstage, Pixel Arts Media, Sining Kambayoka, and University of Santo Tomas Liturgikon.

All proceeds will go to pay the hospital bills of Rivera. Tickets are available at the gate at these prices: Angel (P100,000), Benefactor (P75,000), Sponsor (P50,000), Patron (P20,000, Donor (P5,000), and General Public (P1,000).

If you want to watch a great show and, at the same time, help one of the country’s best artists, please come tomorrow.

Here is one of the “textula” (SMS poems) that Rivera sent from his hospital bed through his cellphone:

Merong himala, hindi totoong wala

Ituro ma’y mali, alam nati’y tama

Kahit walang sagot itong panalangin

Hindi tumitigil ang ating paghiling.

Walang nagturo na tayo’y makibaka

Ngunit sulirani’y ating binabata

Kahit may pangakong laging napapako

Sa anumang init, handa ring mapaso.

Sa ating puso’y may awit ng pag-asa

Kahit titik nito’y hndi makabisa

Ang katotohana’y lalaging totoo

Basta maniwalang mayroong milagro.

Here is a paraphrase for Filipino-challenged readers, without the rhyme and meter of the original poem:

Yes, there are miracles

Even if some say there are none.

Even if our prayers seem unanswered,

We never stop praying for a miracle.

No one taught us how to keep faith

But we keep faith nonetheless.

Even if promises are unkept,

We still believe in promises.

In our hearts remains a song of hope

Even if we cannot remember the words.

What is true will always be true

If we believe in miracles.

The biggest miracle of all is the care, concern, and generosity of friends of Rivera and patrons of the arts in the Philippines. That miracle has clearly come true, and if we believe and hope, the miracle that Rivera is waiting for — the miraculous cure from terminal cancer — will come sooner than we expect. Tomorrow, we take a major step in affirming that we still believe in miracles.