“His [Behn’s] professional achievements, his artistic works, have been imbued with and given direction by his deep concern for the toiling masses of workers and peasants, and the need for national and social liberation.” – Prof. Jose Maria Sison
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — The monsoon rains failed to deter friends, colleagues and comrades from paying tribute to activist-director Behn Cervantes.
In the cold dusk of August 21, warm and fond memories of the actor, director, teacher and yes, revolutionary, were told. Behn died last week due to complications from pneumonia and diabetes at the age of 74.
Organized by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and Concerned Artists of the Philippines, the more-than-an-hour program celebrated Behn’s life and his contributions to the continuing struggle of the Filipino people for genuine freedom and democracy.
The Church of the Risen Lord in UP Diliman was transformed into a stage, with performers and speakers portraying the drama, and comedy, of Behn’s journey.
Artist for the people
Behn was a well-established actor, theater and film director. He had directed Broadway musicals including the first local production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
But Behn was not the art-for-art’s-sake artist. He utilized his talents to serve the Filipino people.
Touted as his best film was “Sakada”, which portrays the plight of seasonal farm workers in Negros. The film was released in 1976 and earned the ire of Marcos who ordered the film pulled out from cinemas.
One of Behn’s students, Sonny Oliveros, then president of UP Repertory, said Behn’s plays depict the realities in Philippine society and help seek out solutions to the miserable conditions of the people. “His plays are about the ordinary people. Here, workers, farmers, students and indigenous peoples are the heroes of history,” Oliveros said in Filipino.
Writer and director Bonifacio Ilagan, a member of Kabataang Makabayan’s Cultural Bureau during martial law, recalled the friendly competition they had to put up with Behn, who served as director of Gintong Silahis, the performing group of Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK).
As Prof. Jose Maria Sison puts it, “His [Behn’s] professional achievements, his artistic works, have been imbued with and given direction by his deep concern for the toiling masses of workers and peasants, and the need for national and social liberation.” Sison and Behn were contemporaries in the UP Dramatics Club in the late 50s.
Behn directed protest plays such as “Ang Bundok,” that portrayed the struggle of indigenous peoples against the Chico River Dam project, “Sigaw ng Bayan” that tackled the Philippine Revolution of 1896, “Dapithapon” that depicted the trial of Andres Bonifacio, liturgical play “Pagsambang Bayan” that criticized the Marcos dictatorship, among others.
Good mentor
Ilagan said how Behn juggled his time as a teacher, artist and activist was a feat.
Oliveros described Behn as an excellent teacher. He taught in the Department of Speech and Drama. “His classes were always fun, interesting and lively. There were times when he would sing or dance as though on stage,” Oliveros said. But Behn was always serious in his lectures, Oliveros added. “He did not only teach us speech and theater but also how to think, how to analyze.”
Oliveros recalled when a classmate, in his report in class, said that the Roman empire fell because of the immorality of the people. “Behn criticized this and explained that the uprising of slaves and nations colonized by the Romans was an important factor in the fall of the empire…My classmate was unaware that Behn was already teaching us about the contradiction of classes.”
In the thick of the struggle
What he taught in class he practiced in life. “He was always at the frontline of protests,” Lacaba said.
Because of his convictions, he became a graduate of ABCB or activists’ term for those who were detained in Camp Aguinaldo, Bicutan, Camp Crame and Fort Bonifacio. Behn remained defiant while in detention, Ilagan said.
His love for the arts could not be suppressed, too. Satur Ocampo recalled how Behn transformed the Bicutan detention center into a theater. Behn convinced political prisoners to stage Aurelio Tolentino’s classic play “Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas.” He was strict as a director and insisted on rehearsals and they managed to put up the production, complete with props, costumes and makeup.
Ocampo also related an incident showing Behn’s courage. Political prisoners were branded as POV or public order violators, a label Behn could not accept. One time, Behn confronted one of the military officers and told him, ‘Don’t call us POVs. The truth is, you arrested and detained us because we have a different point of view. POV.’ The audience roared in laughter.
Sison said of Behn: “The more persecution he suffered, the more he struggled in the interest of the people, for national liberation and democracy. He continued to be active and productive in the revolutionary underground.”
Fresh from prison, Behn was not cowed and directed the play “Pagsambang Bayan” written by Ilagan. It resulted in his second arrest and detention.
In its tribute, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) recognized the role of Behn in mobilizing the middle forces for the anti-dictatorship movement.
Behn, together with National Artist Lino Brocka, Jose F. Lacaba and others, initiated the Free the Artist, Free the Media Movement that opposed censorship during martial law. The movement led to the formation of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines in 1983.
Sison said Behn had a key role in mustering the mass movement under the successive names of Justice for Aquino, Justice for All (JAJA), Congress for the Restoration of Democracy (CORD), Nationalist Alliance for Freedom, Justice and Democracy, and the Bayan in the three years that led to the overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship.
Revolutionary
Behn became a member of Artista at Manunulat para sa Sambayanan (Armas), an allied organization of the NDFP.
Sison said Behn also served as member of the Cultural Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). “Enthusiastically, he engaged in revolutionary studies and mass work. He further used his expertise to create revolutionary art,” Sison said.
Ilagan, who at that time, was a cadre working in UP, said Behn “fully submitted himself to the revolution.” “He was not mataray, walang ere sa pulong,” Ilagan said. (He is not feisty or arrogant during meetings.)
Oliveros said the same. “Far from the stage, Behn was calm during meetings. He was serious. He would exhaustively explain his points. The sharpness remained but he did not blurt out invectives. He never shouted.”
When Behn was there, there was life. Ilagan related that one time, while they were trekking a mountain somewhere in Camarines Sur, Behn complained of the long hours of walk, almost whispering to himself. Suddenly, when they saw breathtaking scenery, Behn sang heartily, “The hills are alive with the sound of music.”
Everyone in the room agreed that his best performance was his life. 
