Four years ago, when Weinberg senior and former internal president Abby Burt joined Kaibigan, the Philippine-American Student Association at Northwestern, she said there were less than 10 members because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The club now has around 50 members and broke the attendance record for its annual Pinoy Show for the second year in a row Saturday.
Pinoy Show 2024, “The Bachelor: More than Kaibigan,” saw 322 attendees and, during a “Miracle Minute” of donation, raised $982 for Project People. The charity supports Filipino refugees and their families from Gaza resettling in the Philippines. Proceeds from the show’s ticket sales also contributed to the donation. As a whole, the club raised $1,500.
During event preparation, Burt said she saw other members 12 hours a day. Although it was stressful, she said the group put “so much love” into the show. All of the co-producers this year are seniors.
“(We) get one last hurrah to this club that we love so much and have dedicated our entire college lives to,” Burt said.
Several other co-producers, like Weinberg senior and former external president and socio-cultural chair Aidan Ocampo and Weinberg senior and former external president MJ Nidea, said their final show was a culmination of their time spent in Kaibigan.
Ocampo said this year’s Pinoy Show is the highlight of his college experience. He added he was proud of everyone who was involved, from writing the scripts to holding the benches for sayaw sa bangko, a traditional Filipino dance.
“It’s once a year when we get to have such a big platform and to use this opportunity to have such a big audience become involved and engaged with Filipino culture,” Ocampo said. “To know that Filipinos are very much present at Northwestern and that we’re very connected.”
The show featured a series of live performances modeled after the reality show “The Bachelor,” in which co-producer and Weinberg senior Joel Reyes played the bachelor.
In between these scenes, pre-recorded skits based on reality show “Love Island” and media company Jubilee’s “Odd One Out” played. Kaibigan members also performed songs and a number of traditional dances, like bulaklakan, which involves arches of typically fresh flowers, and tinikling, which involves maneuvering and dancing through bamboo sticks.
Reyes said tinikling was his favorite part of the production and called it one of the coolest things he has learned how to do. During the performance, dancers eventually danced over the sticks blindfolded at breakneck speed.
He said many members involved with the Pinoy Show fulfilled several roles. Reyes wrote scripts, danced, acted and helped direct, he said.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but I love doing each and every component,” Reyes said. “When you love what you do, it makes it so much easier. As chaotic, as crazy as it is, I loved every single moment.”
Nidea, who starred as the host in “The Bachelor” scenes, said he enjoyed playing the role, especially during the plot twist where his character proposed to the Bachelor.
One of Saturday nights’ attendees was NU Kaibigan founder Joseph Graciosa (Weinberg ’06), who said he appreciated seeing students’ talent.
Graciosa said many Kaibigan alumni stay in touch, attending each other’s kids’ birthdays, among other events.
After transferring to NU, Reyes said he leaned into his Filipino American identity, and it is one of the strongest communities he is proud to be a part of.
Nidea, who Burt said “resuscitate(d)” the club with her, said he was happy to exit Kaibigan with a final Pinoy Show.
“I hope the Northwestern community continues to support our little cultural club,” Nidea said. “We are only a few but we have the strength of many.”
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Twitter: @kaavya_butaney
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