Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana, YC2-Winning Filipino Musical, Stages Free June 10 Show at RCBC Plaza
Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana is built around an idea both intimate and quietly powerful: that love, carried through ritual and memory, can still reach across the distance between the living and those who have passed on.
The Young Creatives Challenge-winning Filipino musical is set to take the stage at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza, Makati City, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. Admission to the announced performance is free.
Written by Esmeralda Cado Albis, Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana was named the grand winner of the Season 1 Playwriting Category of the Young Creatives Challenge, or YC2. The official YC2 results page lists the work under Tumatarok Theater Company.
The Department of Trade and Industry presents the staging in partnership with MINT College and Kids Acts Philippines Inc., according to a media release shared with Unsaulicited.
| Production Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana, Isang Musikal |
| Date and time Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. |
| Venue Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, 4F RCBC Plaza, Ayala Avenue corner Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City |
| Admission Free |
| Presented by Department of Trade and Industry |
| In partnership with MINT College and Kids Acts Philippines Inc. |
| Playwright Esmeralda Cado Albis |
| Original music Eugene Belbis |
| Direction Luigi Nacario and Meldrig Costuna |
| Leading cast Joshua Ryan Nubla as Arnold and Danielle Delica as Esmeralda |
A Bicolano tradition brought to the musical theater stage
According to the production, Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana turns toward the Gulangulang observance, a century-old religious rite that remains quietly practiced in Sitio Baras, Malitbog, in the municipality of Minalabac, Camarines Sur.
The musical brings together different worlds: the human realm, an ethereal plane, and the Heavens. At the center of its story is the possibility of crossing those boundaries to reconnect with loved ones who have passed on.
It is a premise shaped by compassion, remembrance, and the enduring force of a promise. The musical also places Bicolano language, poetry, rhythm, and cultural memory at the center of its theatrical world.
From a YC2-winning play to a live performance
The official YC2 website identifies Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana as the Season 1 grand winner in its Playwriting Category. YC2 is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry under its Malikhaing Pinoy Program.
For this stage presentation, the production credits original music to Eugene Belbis and direction to Luigi Nacario and Meldrig Costuna.
The musical also draws from familiar Filipino folk songs alongside original lyrics written for the work, connecting local ritual, regional language, and contemporary performance.
Joshua Ryan Nubla leads the cast of Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana
Joshua Ryan Nubla takes on the leading male role of Arnold, with Danielle Delica appearing as Esmeralda.
The announced cast also includes:
- Ces Dela Cruz-Guevara
- Terence Guillermo
- Rowel Robles
- Zee Rizon
- Rhoger Escorial
- Josh Almeda
- Ariz Pangilinan
- Nina Ty
- Ji Corpuz
- Maxinne Lopez
- Paulo Javier
- Jesu Miguel Tan
- Marcus Santos
- Audrey Flores
- Yassi Tan
- Cheska Sangco
- Bien Juni
- Chelsea Sangco
How to watch Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana
The announced performance of Ang Pagbuo ng Baliana will take place at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium on the fourth floor of RCBC Plaza along Ayala Avenue in Makati City. The show begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10.
Admission is free. For updates from the Young Creatives Challenge, visit the official YC2 website.
For more coverage of Filipino musicals and productions around Metro Manila, visit the Unsaulicited Manila Theater Guide.
Source note: Details on the June 10 staging, its cast, creative team, and cultural background are based on a media release shared with Unsaulicited on June 7, 2026. The production’s Season 1 Playwriting Category win is independently listed on the official Young Creatives Challenge website.