By FE ZAMORA LOBIANO
INTRODUCTION
The biographical sketch that this writer is undertaking focuses on the subject George Vail Kabristante who comes from Bindoy (formely Payabon), Negros Oriental, Philippines. The Vail stands for Vailoces, his middle name. He has used this as part of his pen name since he started working for the movie industry in Manila.
My rationale for choosing him as my subject matter for the biographical sketch at hand is mainly because George Vail Kabristante is the first alumnus from Foundation University of Dumaguete City to earn a graduate course in Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education in Mental Retardation at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, school year 1972 -73.
This is beside the post-masteral units he earned in the same university in Special Education, Guidance Counseling and Psychology which qualify him to conduct psychological testing for special children and regular clientele.
The sketch aims to provide additional information and resource materials relative to the development, growth and consciousness about the need for human resources relative to Special Education in the province of Negros Oriental.
My research methodology is biographical. By this I limit myself to the facts that Kabristante has volunteered to disclose with me in my interview with him through my cell phone and some answers to my questions which I sent to him through e-mails.
FAMILY AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
George Vail Kabristante comes from a family of teachers. His aunt Hilaria K. Gallego was a grade school teacher in Manjuyod District.
His father Eduardo Banjao Kabristante was a head teacher for some years teaching grade four pupils in Malaga Elementary School and later in Bindoy Elementary School.
The eighth among 10 siblings, Kabristante studied primary and elementary school respectively at Malaga and Bindoy and finished high school at Central Negros Academy, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental.
His two other elder siblings Leonor Kabristante-Agop and Violeta Kabristante-Zamora were graduates of Education courses and were public school teachers themselves in Manjuyod and Bindoy respectively.
He other siblings hold a degree in Nursing, Chemistry, Law and technical/vocation education.
Kabristante took up Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Foundation University, Dumaguete City.
In his senior year in 1969 at Foundation University, he was hired as a teaching assistant in the College of Education where he was made to teach some Education subjects in college.
In his senior year in college, he was chosen one of the Ten Outstanding Students.
He was for a time a Managing Editor and Editor as well for Foundation Time, the university’s school organ. He also edited The Pillar, the university’s college annual.
On passing the Civil Service Examination for Teachers, Kabristante was at once employed as an elementary school teacher for grade six pupils in Kayotisan Elementary School, Manjuyod , Negrors Oriental District for a couple of years, after which he decided to take up graduate studies from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
GRADUATE SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
In 1971, Kabristante enrolled in the College of Education of the University of the Phil., Graduate School of Education a masteral course in Special Education in Mental Retardation at the Department of Special Education under Dean Matilde Valdez .
The same department also offered other specialized courses at the masteral level in Mental Giftedness and Behavior Problems.
On their own, Kabristante, Gigi Harn Graulty and Fred Manlave were the only three graduate students who curiously enrolled in said masteral course.
The rest who enrolled in the three aforementioned courses were teachers from different public schools throughout the country whose tuition, board and lodging and stipends were financed by the Department of Education in their capacities as government scholars.
In the school year 1972-73, he finished Master of Arts In Teaching Special Education in Mental Retardation. Upon graduation, he was hired to teach by Dean Matilde Valdez at the Department of Special Education, Graduate School of the College Education to teach the incoming batch of government scholars.
After a year of teaching at the Department of Special Education, he was invited to head the Student Organizations and Activities Division at the University of the Philippines, Los Banos for three years with the position of Guidance Counselor, after which he went back to UP Diliman to serve as one of the Guidance Counselors at the College of Arts and Sciences headed by Dr. Olsen.
After a couple of years as Guidance Counselor to college students in said university, Kabristante went on to practice privately his knowledge in Special Education mainly in the assessment, evaluation and diagnosis of the capacities of special education children both in private and public schools.
The practice went on for years until he met the wife of former Senator Heherson Alvarez, Cecile Guidote Alvarez who is the Executive Director of UNESCO Phil. Center for ITI (International Theater for Institute), former Executive Director of NCCA (National Commission for Culture and the Arts) and now National Artist for Theater.
FACULTY MEMBER OF EARTHSAVERS DREAMS ENSEMBLE
Kabristante was invited by Mrs. Alvarez to join the faculty of the EARTHSAVERS DREAMS (Development, Rehabilitation, Education thru Arts, Media & Sciences) ENSEMBLE , a performing group of special children and young adults composed of Down Syndrome, Deaf, Blind, Paraplegic, and other socially-disadvantaged children like street kids, etc. based at Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife, Quezon City, also known as PAWB (Parks and Wildlife Bureau), Quezon City.
Kabristante’s efforts along with other faculty members of EARTHSAVERS DREAMS ENSEMBLE through the leadership of then PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Association) Cecile Guidote-Alvarez brought highest honor to the country when aforementioned Ensemble during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was adjudged UNESCO AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE, an annual award given to deserving artist or performing group of artists picked out form nominees worldwide.
The award was given in a grand ceremony at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris, France with some of the faculty of EARTHSAVERS DREAMS ENSEMBLE, Pres. Arroyo, Preciosa Soliven with her late husband Max Soliven and Mrs. Alvarez herself receiving the awards on behalf of the said Ensemble.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF BALINTATAW FILM & THEATER ARTS-UNESCO PHIL. CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL THEATER INSTITUTE
To date Kabristante heads Balintataw Film & Theaters Arts under the UNESCO Phil. Center for ITI in his capacity as Artistic Director with co-founder Marcelino Cavestany, Jr. who is now based in Sydney, Australia.
Note that UNESCO Phil. Center for ITI ( International Theater Institute) is an organization of theater artists worldwide headed by its Founding Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez.
Balintataw is from the title of one of the longest-running weekly anthologies produced and hosted by Mrs. Alvarez at her PETA ((Phil. Educational Theater Association) turf which she founded and aired on Channel 4 before Martial Law and shortly after Edsa's People Power when Mrs. Alvarez and husband Senator Heherson returned from their exile in the States.
Having successfully developed a nationalist theater thru PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Assoc.) which won for her a Ramon Magsaysay Award & the youngest to win it, Cecile put up a theater for the marginalized ( physically and mentally challenged, street kids, deaf, abused women and children, etc.)
Having successfully developed a nationalist theater thru PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Assoc.) which won for her a Ramon Magsaysay Award & the youngest to win it, Cecile put up a theater for the marginalized ( physically and mentally challenged, street kids, deaf, abused women and children, etc.)
EARTHSAVERS DREAMS ENSEMBLE moreover is a theater group advocating environmental education through theater arts where Mrs. Alvarez on an official memorandum starting from the term of Pres. Cory Aquino, Pres. Fidel Ramos, Pres. Joseph Estrada Ejercito up to the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo then held an office she named Ninoy Aguino Hall at PAWB including a TV studio, and a sunken garden stage.
Some of Cecile's Artistic Directors at PAWB, movie and theater actors like Siegfred Sepulvida, Joe Gruta and Angie Ferro.
The tandem of Cavestany & Kabristante however also held outreach acting workshops and productions for theater and films in the direction of Cecile's advocacy. Kabristante with Cavestany as screenwriter has directed for stage, TV and films , namely " Uod Sa Laman, " “The Diary of A Liar,” (unreleased) and the recent version of “Noli Me Tangere.”
Kabristante also writes for culture, lifestyle and entertainment in local broadsheets and and tabloids.
He is in the list of writing fellows to the Annual National Writers Workshop at Silliman University, Dumaguete City and in Palihang Aurelio Tolentino, Quezon City.
He is anthologized in book titled "World Theater" published by
Routledge, Paris, France under the auspices of the UNESCO- ITI
(International Theater Institute).
His research on Filipino migrants working as domestic helpers in
Italy was anthologized in an Italian on-line monograph in Milan, Italy.
He also wrote the biography of a popular Filipino actor Gabby
Concepcion titled "Gabby."
He is a member of NPC (National Press Club of the Philippines),
PMPC (Philippine Movie Press Club, Inc.), Writers Bloc, an association of emerging and established playwrights of the country headed by Rody Vera and PETA (Phil. Educational Theater Assoc.)Writers Pool headed by Tim Dacanay.
TRAVEL GRANTS ABROAD UNDER THE AUSPIECES OF UNESCO-PHIL. ITI
On travel grants by UNESCO- Phil. ITI, George Vail Kabristante has had several theater conferences/ acting workshops/seminars in The Actors Studio (Australia), Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute (Hollywood), La Mama Theater (New York) including Italy, Mexico, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, etc.
He has taught/lectured mass communications subjects (Writing Scripts for TV & Films) at the Institute of UP Mass Com. and at the Educational Technology Dept. UP, Graduate School, Diliman, Q.C. including teaching stints at St. Paul’s College, Manila; Phil Normal University.
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCHES
His research paper on Philippine theater has been anthologized in a book by Routledge Publication (Paris, France).
He was on travel grant by UNESCO Phil. ITI sent to Seijo University, Japan to read a paper on the cultural and theater landscape of the Philippines.
His research on women migrants in Italy was published by an Italian Foundation for women migrants in Italy, during which time in his stay at Italy as cultural worker for Phil. Center for UNESCO-ITI he directed a musical on the life of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila which was staged at the Vatican, Rome and Milan.
He has published a book titled “Gabby,” a biography of the actor Gabby Concepcion and has been commissioned to write the biography of Filemon Barbasa, the man behind Filbar who pioneered in the distribution of English comics titles for local market.
As Artistic Director of UNESO-Phil. Centre for ITI, he handles to the present the actor’s workshop component for regular and special children that includes empowerment workshops for teachers, community leaders, aspiring actors wanting to join show business.
A writing fellow to the National Summer Writers Workshop, Silliman University & Palihang Aurelio Tolentino, he has written several screenplays, designed, directed and co-produced as well for TV, film and stage and has worked for the productions of Lily Monteverde aka Mother Lily of Regal Films, Directors Celso Ad Castillo, Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Maryo J. Delos Reyes, Emmanuel Borlaza, Edd Palmos, Deo J. Fajardo, Jr. , Efren Pinon, Willy Milan, producers Robbie Tan, Sofronio Blando of Agrix Films, etc. and as script reviewer/doctor of the late William Leary for Viva Films.
As multi-media artist, he has directed for stage, film ( “Uod Sa Laman,” unreleased “Diary of a Liar” and the recent version of “Noli Me Tangere,” & TV (“Balintataw Drama Anthology,” & “Celebrity Night of Dance & Music”) including advocacy commercials/documentaries for the environment, reproductive health, breast cancer, theater for persons with intellectual disabilities, etc.
He collaborated in writing and designing “Sali-Salising Buhay” (Intertwining Lives), a soap opera series on social development produced & hosted by Cecile Guidote Alvarez for Balintataw TV anthology which was given an unprecedented honor of having been amply featured on CNN by host-producer Barbra Pyle and in international habitat summits moderated by Jane Fonda.
He is also with the Writers Bloc, a group of veteran, active and emerging playwrights who annually stage their new “virgin” plays at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Several of his plays had been staged at the CCP for the Annual Virgin Labfest.
In random order, George Vail Kabristante's works among others, include:
FILM DIRECTION
1. "NOLI ME TANGERE"
2. "DIARY OF A LIAR" (Unreleased)
3. "UOD SA LAMAN"
TV DIRECTION
1. "BALINTATAW" produced/hosted by Cecile Guidote Alvarez
2. "CELEBRITY NIGHT OF DANCE & MUSIC" produced/hosted by Willy Espiritu
THEATER DIRECTION
1. "SAN LORENZO RUIZ DE MANILA" staged in Milan, Rome & Vatican
2. "NANG MAGALIT SI MARIANG SINUKUAN" staged in PAWB (Parks &
Wildlife Bureau)Auditorium, Q.C. & Luneta Park, Manila.
3. "MOVIE REPORTERS ON THE LOOSE" staged in Camelot Hotel,Q.C. Makati
Theater, Makati City, University of the Phil., College of Education
Auditorium, Q.C., Jaloux Disco Club, Q.C., PAWB Auditorium, Jingle Extra
Hot Restaurant,Q.C. Zirkoh Morato Restaurant, Q.C.
4. "HANGGANG DITO NA LAMANG AT MARAMING SALAMAT" staged at 690
Restaurant,Retiro, Q.C.
5. "AROUND THE WORLD" staged in Manila, Compostela, Cebu City, Makati
City, & Angeles City.
6. "PARAISONG PARISUKAT" staged in DAR (Dept. of Agrarian Reform),
Quezon City.
7. "ANG BABAENG NATINTAHAN" staged in PAWB Auditorium, Q.C.
8. "PAGLILITIS NI MANG SERAPIO" staged in University of the Phil., Los
Banos.
SCREENPLAYS(Film)
1. "BOMBA QUEEN" directed by Efren Pinon
2. "KICKOUTS" directed by Deo J. Fajardo, Jr
3. "UOD SA LAMAN" directed by George Vail Kabristante
4. "DIARY OF A LIAR" (unreleased) directed by George Vail Kabristante
5. "NOLI ME TANGERE" with co-writer MARCELINO CAVESTANY, Jr. directed by George Vail Kabristante
6. "KASAL O ASAWA" directed by Tom Adrales
7. "HAMUNIN ANG BUKAS" co-written and directed by Marcelino Cavestany, Jr.
PRODUCTION DESIGN (Film)
1. "PIKOY GOES TO MALAYSIA" directed by Celso Ad Castillo
2. "ANG DAIGDIG AY ISANG BUTIL NA LUHA" directed by Celso Ad Castillo
3. "PEDRO TUNASAN: (As art director) directed by Celso Ad Castillo
4. "CARNAVAL" directed by Chew Tze Chuan
5. "KAMPUS" directed by Emmanuel H. Borlaza
6. "SAMPAGUITANG WALANG HALIMUYAK" directed by Mike Relon-Makiling
7. "HIRAM NA MUKHA" directed by Efren Pinon
8. "HAMUNIN ANG BUKAS" directed by Marcelino Cavestany, Jr.
PRODUCTION DESIGN (TV)
1. "SALI-SALISING BUHAY" (Lives Intertwined), a teleserye under Balintataw Drama Anthology directed by a pool of directors
2. "BALINTATAW" TV Special on Earth Day.
PRODUCTION DESIGN (Stage)
1. "MUSLIM A-BABAI (TROJAN WOMEN)directed by Nicos Shiafkalis
2. "MOVIE REPORTERS ON THE LOOSE" directed by George Vail Kabristante
3. "ANG ALAMAT NG MANGGA" directed by Cecile Guidote Alvarez
THEATER (As actor)
1. "PAGLILITIS NI MANG SERAPIO" directed by Tom Adrales
2. "BOMBITA" directed by Marcelino Cavestany, Jr.
3. "BARIKADA" directed by Behn Cervantes
4. "ORINOLA" directed by Behn Cervantes
His name: george vail kabristante can be Googled in the internet for his other works in relation to education, culture and arts.
oOo
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