PCN 36 PCN 36

Immediately after PCN 35: “Magdiwang”, the road to PCN 36 began. On June 12, 2022, Club Kaibigan had a picnic at Liberty Park where the 2022-2023 cabinet was announced. Raiche Gutierrez and Jaica Maniwang became the new PCN directors for the 36th annual Pilipino Cultural Night, however, this journey would not have been possible without the help of the entire cabby and their supporters.

Summer 2022 was busy, to say the least. Before the new school year had even begun, the entire PCN was essentially already planned. Club Kaibigan’s cabinet met multiple times throughout July and August to discuss possible themes, costumes, and dances for the long awaited show. During Cabinet Retreat, the title of the show and synopsis of skit was revealed to the entire cabinet by the PCN Directors. Ilawan, meaning “to illuminate” in Tagalog, would be the name of the first PCN in the MAC Auditorium since March 7, 2020– the weekend before the world shut down. The title was fitting, considering the fact that after three years without a real PCN, Ilawan would emerge from the darkness and revive Club Kaibigan’s light.

On PCN Watching Day, Cabinet watched numerous traditional Filipino dances from each of the major suites: Mountain, Muslim, Maria Clara, Regional, and Rural, debating on how they would narrow down the dances to our final list. After hours of discussion, they had finally decided on 11 dances that they felt best reflected the story of Ilawan. That same night, each cabinet member chose which dance they would teach and each senior claimed solos for their final PCN. For the next few months, Raiche, Jaica, and Koa (Technical Director) collaborated to write the PCN script as the rest of the cabinet began to learn their dances, make props, and gather costumes.

On October 22, 2022, PCN season officially began as over 150 middle and high schoolers from across the district flocked to Cerritos Park East to eagerly sign up for Pilipino Cultural Night. The senior cabby members held up signs that spelled out “ILAWAN” to reveal the name of the show to the people who had just signed up for PCN. Whether it was their first PCN or their last PCN, the camaraderie and energy that night was memorable as people ate Filipino food together, played games, and bonded with one another.

Three months passed between PCN Picnic and the first Saturday Practice, but nevertheless, Cabinet was hard at work planning PCN in the meantime. The PCN Directors, along with the Dance Troupe Coordinators, sorted everyone into dances and all the dance teachers learned their individual dances so that when the final roster was announced, they would be ready to meet their dancers and practice with them. In the meantime, the auditorium was booked, budgets were made, the merch was designed, and so much more.

For two months, the cast practiced every Saturday at Frontier Park and Cerritos Library, learning the dances in preparation for the big day. Run-throughs were held to simulate what the order of performances would be like, costumes were fitted, props were utilized, and the dancers familiarized themselves with the music Rondalla (the live band) played.

On March 11, Dress Rehearsal was held inside of the MAC Auditorium, which gave everyone a taste of what the day of PCN would actually be like. Dancers went all-out, ensuring that they were prepared for an audience to see the show. The stage was brightened with lights to illuminate our dancers in their traditional costumes, just as the PCN title suggests. For an entire week, the cast practiced for hours on end for “Hell Week”. Although it was tiring, each day brought all the dances closer to perfection. On the night before the show, the final practice culminated with the 12th graders saying their long-awaited senior speeches. Although it was emotional, the speeches brought the cast closer together, allowing them to form a stronger connection over their love for the Filipino culture and the people they met through PCN.

And now here we are today, the day of PCN 36. As this labor of love is finally performed on stage, Club Kaibigan’s cabinet would like to thank each and every one of you for embarking on this journey with us. This show would not be possible without each and everyone of you dedicating your blood, sweat, and tears into PCN. We sincerely hope that this Pilipino Cultural Night exceeds your expectations and inspires you to continue participating in PCN each year. We hope the memories you’ve made and the kaibigans you’ve made will last a lifetime. Mabuhay Club Kaibigan!