60s TV DRAMA ANTHOLOGIES: "BALINTATAW, SALAMISM AND PANAGIMPAN"

In the late 60s to early 70s, ABC-5’s Balintataw was the show to watch when it came to a no-nonsense, intelligent drama. The show, a weekly drama TV series, was put up by PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) under producer Cecile Guidote (now Alvarez). It had its premiere telecast in 1967. Calling the shots in Balintataw, besides Guidote, were TV director Lupita Concio (now Kashiwahara), literary manager Alberto Florentino and stage director Nick Lizaso.

Did you know that Lino Brocka, Elwood Perez and Joey Gosiengfiao started their showbiz career in Balintataw as stage directors? When Lizaso decided to leave the show after a year, Balintataw tapped some of PETA’s active members to take over the job of the stage director on a rotation basis. Among those recruited were Joey Gosiengfiao, Elwood Perez and Lino Brocka who was then known as Cecile Guidote's niño bonito (fair-haired boy).

Among the most notable episodes were the show's 1968 first anniversary specials: Isang Gabi ng Tagsibol, Alberto Florentino's TV adaptation of Nick Joaquin's May Day Eve; Kabalyerong Tanso, an adaptation by Elizabeth Acaylar (a pseudonym) of Wilfrido Noledo's Rice Wine; Pag-iisa, an original teleplay by Florentino; and Kudyapi which Brocka adapted from Bienvenido Santos' The Day the Dancers Came.

(ref. Lino Brocka: The Artist and his Times/ 1993)

Also in the late 60s, another TV drama series was also aired and telecast over ABC-5, titled Salamism (Reflections). The show’s main draw was the talented Marlene Dauden, a multi-awarded actress. Marlene was best remembered in many 60s hit drama movies with Eddie Rodriguez and Lolita Rodriguez. The program showcased the actress' well-honed dramatic prowess with renowned TV director Mitos Villareal at the helm and veteran Consuelo 'Ateng' Osorio providing the script. The trio would eventually move to ABS-CBN with a new program called Panagimpan (Imagination) where Marlene was host and sometimes lead star sharing the creative conceptualization of each show with Villareal and Osorio.