The acclaimed ethno-pop-rock modern zarzuela “Ambon, Ulan, Baha,” written by the multiawarded playwright Frank G. Rivera, marks a full-circle homecoming at the Metropolitan Theater on Sept. 26 and 27.
Presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Metropolitan Theater (Met), and produced by Pixel Art Media Production Co., the Filipino musical returns in a timely reimagining, exploring themes of greed, social inequality, and environmental reckoning.
After 3 decades
The homecoming carries special significance as “Ambon, Ulan, Baha” returns to the Met’s storied halls after more than three decades.
In 1992, it was staged with Rivera at the helm as founder and artistic director of Teatro Metropolitano, the Met’s resident theater company during its celebrated Second Golden Age. It would become the last production staged at the Met before the venue closed its doors. Now it returns to the same stage, bringing both the musical and an important chapter of the Met’s theatrical history full circle.
The 2026 restaging also forms part of the celebrations for the 52nd anniversary of Sining Kambayoka, the pioneering theater company founded by Rivera at Mindanao State University (MSU) in 1974. Widely regarded as one of the country’s significant cultural institutions, the ensemble is hailed for its distinctive Kambayoka Theater Form, which weaves together Meranaw chants, folklore, music, and dance into a uniquely Filipino theatrical tradition.
“Ambon, Ulan, Baha” tells the story of Nonoy (CJ Navato) and Inday (Thea Astley), two young lovers whose dreams become entangled in promises of progress brought about by a logging concession set in motion by the rich and powerful Don Calixto (Anton Juan) and his son Doctor Anton (Rendell Sanchez) in the fictional Barrio Magubat. As ambition, power, and self-interest take hold of the community, forests are stripped bare, traditions fade, and nature ultimately retaliates in a catastrophic flood.
Combining stylized minimalism with modern stage technologies, the production will transform the Metropolitan Theater into a living world of rain, memory, destruction, and hope through innovative visual storytelling, immersive projections, and breathtaking theatrical moments, including rainfall and aerial sequences.
The artistic team is composed of CJ Andaluz (director), Frank G. Rivera (playwright and principal composer), Pipo Cifra (2026 musical arranger and director), Anthony Cruz (choreographer), Ohm David (production designer), Raqs Regalado (costume designer), Charlotte Despuez (lighting designer), and Roman Cruz (technical director), among others.
The cast also includes Nazer Salcedo as Kapitan Berto, Onyl Torres as Mang Pedro, Shermaine Santiago as Nana Ilyang, and Sweet Buchanan as Nana Maring.
Bringing the community of Barrio Magubat to life are the Taumbayan (Townspeople), comprising alumni of previous “Ambon, Ulan, Baha” productions and a new generation of performers, including Beng Jordan, Jerome Ferguson, Joseph Sy, Jonathan Montes, Lian Silverio, Peachy Dumaya, and Phil Panganiban.
The Koro (Chorus), composed of members of Tanghalang Bagong Sibol, with lead dancers JM Ursula and Joch Bucacao, complete the company.
Indigenous Filipino expression
Far from a conventional revival, the new staging also highlights indigenous Filipino expression through traditional chants and musical elements, including the participation of Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure) Rosie Godwino Sula, who is recognized for her mastery and preservation of T’boli epic chanting traditions. Her involvement further grounds the production in Filipino cultural memory while underscoring the universality of its environmental message.
First written and staged as “Kaingin” in 1976 as part of “Ang Hawla,” a trilogy of plays created and performed by MSU-Sining Kambayoka, the work was expanded into the full-length zarzuela “Ambon, Ulan, Baha” in 1978. Its original music grew out of Kambayoka’s collaborative tradition, with Rivera composing much of the score, including the theme, the opening prologue, “Tagtuyot,” “Hapdi,” “Tao’y May Pakpak Din,” alongside contributions from members of the pioneering ensemble.
Emilio “Boy” Nicolasin Jr., the original Nonoy from 1976 onward, composed the song “Kislap ng Iyong mga Mata,” while the crowd favorite “Kay Hirap Mag-isa” was composed by the late Philip James Tremedal.
Created decades before climate change became part of public discourse, “Ambon, Ulan, Baha” was already confronting the consequences of environmental destruction, particularly illegal logging and the communities it leaves vulnerable. In the years that followed, the Philippines would witness tragedies that chillingly echoed its warnings, from the devastating Ormoc flash floods of 1991 to the typhoons, landslides, and catastrophic floods that continue to displace communities nationwide. Nearly five decades after it first took shape, its message has become more urgent.
The musical’s continued relevance has been affirmed through accolades such as the 2004 Aliw Award for Best Musical Production and the 2012 Fr. Satur Nery Environmental Heroism Award.
For director Andaluz, also the creative director of Pixel Art Media Production Co., the enduring relevance of “Ambon, Ulan, Baha” lies in its ability to hold a mirror up to contemporary society.
“What once seemed like a cautionary tale has become our present reality,” Andaluz says. “We are no longer standing at the water’s edge. As Filipinos, we have found ourselves increasingly immersed in floods, both literal and metaphorical, that continue to devastate our communities, our livelihoods, and our everyday lives. ‘Ambon, Ulan, Baha’ reminds us that every act of progress carries a corresponding responsibility. When development is pursued without regard for ecological balance, even noble intentions can leave irreversible consequences. No one is exempt from the consequences of a wounded planet.”—CONTRIBUTED
Sept. 26: 2 p.m., ticketed matinee performance and press preview; 7 p.m., gala performance sponsored by the NCCA and the Met. Sept. 27: ticketed performances at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Tickets are available via Ticketnation.ph.
