NATIONAL Artist Kidlat Tahimik is a staunch advocate of the indigenous Filipino concept of “kapwa” (shared identity and interconnectedness), which he regards as a cultural brake (“preno”) against Western consumerism and colonial values.
More than 250 young campus journalists attending the recent 30th Word Cup Philippines in Baguio City had the rare privilege of meeting Kidlat Tahimik and hearing him explain the Filipino philosophy of “kapwa.”
Widely celebrated as the “Father of Philippine Independent Cinema,” Kidlat was conferred the title of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2018.
Born Eric Oteyza de Guia, Kidlat Tahimik, whose adopted name means “Silent Lightning,” passionately introduced the young audience during the closing ceremonies to the concept of “kapwa,” which his late wife, German-born ethnographer and author Dr. Katrin de Guia, had helped popularize.
Katrin’s book, “Kapwa: The Self in the Other — Worldviews and Lifestyles of Filipino Cultural Bearers” (2005), brings together academic theories, artistic commentaries, journal entries, and deeply personal reflections drawn from her years of studying Sikolohiyang Pilipino under Dr. Virgilio Enriquez at the University of the Philippines.
Katrin defined “kapwa” as the core Filipino value of shared identity and interconnectedness — not merely an abstract concept, but a living philosophy capable of healing individuals and nations alike.
At its heart, “kapwa” teaches that the self is inseparably connected to others and to the natural world.
Her book explores how this philosophy is reflected in the lives and works of Baguio artists Santi Bose, Roberto Villanueva, Rene Aquitania, and Kidlat Tahimik, as well as New York-based documentarian Angel Shaw, Boracay artist Perry Argel, and film director Kanakan Balintagos.
Kidlat has long used his landmark postcolonial films, including “Perfumed Nightmare” (1977) and “Turumba” (1983), to challenge Western imperialism and champion local and indigenous perspectives over the forces of corporate globalization.
For Kidlat, culture is more than a repository of heritage. It is a wellspring of identity, creativity, knowledge, and “kapwa” that shapes how people understand development and their place in the world.
“Kapwa is an embracing culture – one where we include others in our sense of self, help one another and move toward a shared destination.”
The young journalists also witnessed Kidlat’s unconventional approach to public speaking, in which traditional academic lectures are transformed into lively, thought-provoking artistic performances.
Instead of delivering conventional speeches, he employs installation art, indigenous attire, and theatrical storytelling to communicate his advocacy for “indogenius” (indigenous creative genius) and resistance to colonial influences.
Dressed in a graduation toga over a traditional Cordillera-inspired jacket and loincloth (bahag), Kidlat portrayed himself as a graduate of the fictional “University of Hollywood.”
During the performance, he narrated the journey of a Cordilleran filmmaker who returns to the rice terraces, rejecting Hollywood’s familiar formulas of sex and violence in favor of authentic local stories.
He juxtaposed the Ifugao wind goddess Inabyan with Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, contrasting indigenous storytelling traditions with the influence of what he called the “Hollywood wind goddess.”
Kidlat also criticized the colonial educational system, arguing that it reduces learning to the basic “3 Rs” (Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic), ultimately preparing students to become mere components of a corporate-driven system.
“I call it a cultural preno. Culture is an engine of a people, a collective engine to move in one direction. But our culture also has a preno system to balance your forward thrust. It’s like a sports car engine. Even if your engine is really good, but if you don’t have a good preno system, you will never get to your goal,” Kidlat said in an interview.
Kidlat graced the closing ceremonies shortly before the first death anniversary of Katrin, who passed away on October 12, 2025, at the age of 75.
Word Cup Philippines is the country’s longest-running practitioner-led national campus journalism conference, workshop, and competition program.
Drawing participants from student publications across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the annual gathering continues to provide a dynamic platform for aspiring journalists to develop their skills and deepen their understanding of responsible journalism.
Since its inception in 1994, Word Cup Philippines has championed responsible journalism while helping nurture successive generations of aspiring media practitioners.
This year’s event featured lectures, workshops, and interactive sessions covering news, editorial, feature, and sports writing; editorial cartooning; mobile journalism; broadcasting; photojournalism; media ethics; and pressing issues affecting various sectors of society.
Rather than relying solely on theoretical lectures or pre-packaged information materials, the program emphasizes practical, hands-on journalism training. Participants sharpen their reporting skills by covering live press briefings, community events, and real-time news simulations.
The gathering brings together students from elementary, junior high school, senior high school, and tertiary levels, along with school paper advisers and language and communication arts teachers.
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“Peyups” is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com or call 0908-8665786./PN
