VISUAL ARTIST, filmmaker, teacher, environmentalist and polymath Bon Labora is also an adventurer. He doesn’t mind going to the hinterlands to spread arts and truths in life.
After going to Tumauini, Isabel at the foot of Sierra Madre and the rugged terrain of Dona Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan, Labora is slated to climb mountains in Atimonan, Quezon to teach theater arts to students.
“This is a mission and a mission. Gusto ko, mas malalayong lugar ang tuturuan ko ng teatro (I want to go the farther places to teach theater arts),” said Bon in a casual talk days before he treks up the Quezon National Park, officially called Quezon Protected Landscape or the zigzag road in Pagbilao, Padre Burgos and Atimonan, Quezon.
“Mas nakaka-challenge ang pagtuturo ng teatro sa mga tao sa bundok dahil mas natural (Teaching in the boondocks is more natural and challenging),” opined Labora who finished his Fine Arts degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
“I expect the Art Apprenticeship 1 students of the Leon Guinto Memorial College to be more naturalistic and appreciative of the local color and homegrown traditions and cultures to be incorporated in their studies of theater,” said Bon.
In Atimonan alone, there are many stories rich in cultural insights like the narrative of the mermaid perched on one of the sea boulders along the National Highway.
“’Yon, nakikita ko ‘yon pag nagta-travel ako papuntang south. Masyadong makulay at makasaysayan ang kwento ng sirena. Ang alamat ng sirena ay dapat pagyamanin ng mga taga-Atimonan (That’s it. I always see that when I travel to the southern parts of the Philippines. It’s too colorful and historical. The folklore of the mermaids is one that should be preserved by the Atimonanins),” he suggested.
“Magandang gawing dula ang buhay ng sirena (The life of mermaids is pretty much a good idea for a play),” argued Labora.
Before Atimonan, Bon, with actor-director Vic Tiro went to the remotest area of Dona Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan where they taught theater arts to students and teachers of Our Lady of Piat Church in the hinterland of the town.
“Kahit malayo ang Dona Remedios Trinidad at mahirap ang daan, mas gusto kong pumunta dahil nga gusto kong ibahagi ang nalalaman ko sa teatro sa mga guro at estudyante ng paaralan (Even if the town is far-off and the roads going there is bumpy, I loved to go there because I want to share my knowledge in theater with the mentors and their students),” recalled Labora who has done movies like “Paano Ko Sasabihin” (2009) as Production Designer to director Richard Soriano Legaspi, “Lumang Kahoy” (2008) as Special Effects Supervisor to director Pam Miras, “Prinsesa” (2007) as Art Director to director Law Fajardo, doc film “Plastic Eaters (Halamang Singaw)” (2018) as Editor and Producer, short feature “Little Forest” (2026) as Writer, Director and Producer, among other audio-visual projects.
In Tumauini, Isabela, Bon climbed the forested Sierra Madre to look for a location suited for a fantasy film he wants until now to star sexy actress Vida Verde.
“Kailangan lang namin ng produksyon ng mga dalawang milyong piso para magawa ang pelikula (Our production needs at least two million pesos to create the film),” he chuckled.
At the lowlands, Labora and this writer conducted an acting workshop for the interested youth in the community to possibly star as well in the film about a spiritual healer mother who climbs up the mountains with her three young daughters as a form of thanksgiving to her ability to heal.
“Grabe ang inakyat naming bundok para lang makahanap ng lokasyon. Pag nagsisimula na kami ng proyekto, dadalhin namin ang mga kabataan ng Tumauini na kasali sa pelikula para mag-acting workshop doon (We climbed that mountains just to look for a location. If we are about to start the project, we will bring there the youth of Tumauini who would be part of the film to conduct an acting workshop),” he said.
Being a polymath, Bon is geared towards a lot of epistemological activities like painting, symposium, poetry, music, graphic design etc.
Bon indeed embodies the essence of a polymath, seamlessly merging the realms of innovation, naturalism, education and cultural advocacy.
He is currently serving as a Creative Director for a distinguished multimedia firm and imparts knowledge at various esteemed universities.
After graduation from UST, Labora further broadened his academic and cultural perspective through advanced studies in Korea. He earned his Master of Arts in Designing Education from the esteemed Goldsmiths, University of London, enriching his global outlook on design, pedagogy and creative innovation.
With a remarkable talent for crafting exceptional marketing solutions across diverse industries, his visionary intellect has paved the way for novel approaches and strategies in campaign promotion.
Bon is at the forefront of transcending the boundaries of technology and culture, heralding a new era of style and creativity.