WHEN I was a junior in high school, I was introduced to the world of theater. It was funny how my Filipino teacher asked me to audition. I was hesitant and true enough, I was politely rejected—but was also offered the position of stage manager. I never knew I would love it so much so that I was given the chance to write and direct my own Filipino play, called Salamin, on my senior year. I was introduced to the prestige of one day joining Tanghalang Pilipino.
This is why when I heard about this partnership, I got excited about it.
The world leader in digital payments, Visa, and Tanghalang Pilipino (TP), the multi-awarded resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), are launching a new version of their financial literacy-themed play Lukot-Lukot, Bilog-Bilog (LLBB).
The five-episode web series is being streamed for free starting this month.
Launched in 2017 as an interactive musical that is supported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), LLBB features the story of teenager Gwyneth as she struggles to handle her finances and learns the value of proper financial management with help from her family and friends, and some Filipino heroes brought to life.
“It’s important to teach young Filipinos how to make smart financial decisions and Lukot-Lukot, Bilog-Bilog has been extremely successful in helping us achieve this objective. This year, we wanted to create new stories that are relevant in the new normal, while making the play still educational and entertaining. We are excited to partner again with our trusted allies in financial education such as Tanghalang Pilipino and Teach for the Philippines to introduce the web series, to expand our outreach to more Filipino children and young people in the country,” said Dan Wolbert, Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam.
Written by Eljay Castro Deldoc and directed by Avic Ilagan, the new LLBB stories feature five web episodes that focus on various financial topics such as the concept of promotional sales, value of saving, basics of credit, earning additional income, and scam awareness and prevention.
The protagonist is Gwyneth, a teenage girl who will embark on a journey to financial literacy with guidance from characters like Lolo Sally and best friend Jing-Jing.
The new web series also introduces new roles such as Gwyneth’s mother Blessie and friend-turned-admirer Aaron, with special appearances by Philippine national heroes and cultural icons.
Well-known financial literacy experts Salve Duplito and Rose Fres Fausto are also featured in the after-show interviews with Lolo Sally to enlighten the audience by providing financial education tips. Through their helpful insights and easy-to-apply tips, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of financial literacy concepts and gain better money management skills.
With Filipinos relying heavily on digital platforms to access media and entertainment, the web series is accessible through the social-media sites of Tanghalang Pilipino (Facebook and YouTube) and its other non-profit organization partner for children’s education, Teach for the Philippines (www.facebook.com/teachforthephilippines). It will also be showcased on Visa’s Facebook channel.
To reach remote parts of the country with limited access to the Internet, LLBB has also been adapted into a radio play which will air in local radio stations nationwide via the radio networks of Manila Broadcasting Co. and Cultural Center of the Philippines.
“We are thankful to partner again with Visa for the new LLBB stories. The success we had with the live performances of LLBB in theaters and on campuses showed how impactful theater is when it comes to education. The new LLBB web series will further prove that theater as a medium remains relevant and versatile to help not only the youths but viewers of all ages to become better in managing their finances,” said Carmela Millado-Manuel, Tanghalang Pilipino company manager.
Since its debut four years ago, LLBB has reached over 37,000 students and educators across the Philippines. Fans of the show can watch the original story again via Tanghalang Pilipino’s YouTube page.
For more information about Visa and LLBB, visit www.visa.com.ph.
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