Floy Quintos' swan song, "Grace," runs until June 16. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News I am writing this just a few hours after seeing Floy Quintos' final masterpiece, "Grace," a story about the controversial 1948 Lipa apparition that started the devotion to the "Mediadora" – Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace.

To my recollection, this is the 10th play by Floy Quintos I'm watching in my lifetime.

Back in 2008, my first taste of professional theater as a young college student in UP Diliman was Dulaang UP's "Atang: Dulang May Musika," a piece paying homage to the life of, but refusing to deify, National Artist Honorata "Atang" Dela Rama. It was directed by Alexander Cortez, and written by Quintos.

I remember being mesmerized by the experience, seeing Ayen Munji-Laurel up close, and listening to the classic "Nabasag ang Banga," which I could sing up to this day.

What started as a requirement for speech class sparked a life-long love for theater. Since "Atang," I haven't missed a theater production by Dulaang UP.

But in the 15 seasons I've been seeing Dulaang UP shows, I certainly had some favorites -- shows that left a mark. These include "The Collection," a dark comedy on a materialist hell; "Ang Nawalang Kapatid," an interpretation of India's Mahabharata; "Angry Christ," a story of artist Alfonso Ossorio; "Kundiman Party," which intersects classic music and political resistance; and most recently, "The Reconciliation Dinner," scraping the wounds from the 2022 elections.

All these theater productions have one thing in common – all were collaborations by renowned director Dexter Santos and acclaimed playwright. Quintos.

‘The Reconciliation Dinner’ will make you laugh but it will also prick your conscience

In 2014, some friends from the news industry and I launched a collective blog for us to have an outlet to write. To help the blog grow, we eventually engaged with Dulaang UP as media partner. As part of this engagement, I would occasionally write short reviews of Dulaang UP plays. 

I wouldn't call myself a critic, just a casual theater lover who looked forward to watching Quintos' works.

His plays were always edgy, exploring themes that push the bounds of theater. Any Quintosian work transforms the stage from a performance space to a political arena where timely issues are discussed, interrogated, or deconstructed.

For one, his penultimate work, "The Reconciliation Dinner," explored a story of a reunion between families whose relations cracked due to political differences in 2022 elections. Expecting a predominantly "kakampink" audience, Quintos took jabs with the excesses of both sides. He wrote not to please nor entertain viewers. Quintos wrote to make audiences reassess their values. He wrote to make them think.

"We need to keep remembering and resisting. We can't just move on without memory or vigilance or resistance," he said of his work in "The Reconciliation Dinner".

Political play 'The Reconciliation Dinner' to be staged again for third run

On May 2017, four years into this engagement, surprisingly, Quintos made an effort to search for me on Facebook to express gratitude for my review. I cannot remember what I wrote and for which play, but he said I had very kind words.

"Hello Mr. Manahan. This is Floy Quintos. Sorry to intrude into your private space, but this was the only way I could thank you for your kind words. Many thanks for the review. Looking forward to meeting you one day," he said.

Starstruck, I did engage in small talk.

"Hi Sir Floy! I'm Jervis Manahan, you may not know me, but I am a big fan! I've seen a lot of your works, and I loved all of them. I really do hope to meet you soon Sir! And I am looking forward to watching more of your works."

Quintos ended the conversation in a warning that he had poor vision in his left eye. He said that if we ever get to meet in person, I should make sure to introduce myself.

It would take several more years before I'll have the chance to meet Quintos. I remember several instances, one in the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Makati, another in Samsung Performing Arts Theater, and one in Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez in Manila.

I never had to introduce myself because he knew me. In both instances, Quintos would catch up, he knew the news reports I did and the friends I met. I'm surprised how updated he is with my life.

"Uy nakita ko may picture kayo ni Gio (Gahol)!" he once said.

"Happy birthday. Loved the skydiving vid! How did you do it?" he also said.

Quintos may have established himself as a respected playwright, but he had the humility to speak to young reporters and casual theater fans.

One time I expressed my interest to write plays for the Virgin Labfest, he said he'd be much willing to give me guidance.

"O do tell me if you need some help! Would be more than happy!" he told me.

I still have not written that story.

The author with Floy Quintos. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News

Last April, it came to a shock to the theater community that Quintos was gone. When I heard the news, first thing that came into mind was how sad it was that he's never gonna see his swan song, "Grace," which was scheduled to be staged just a month after his passing.

For his last work, "Grace," Quintos tinkered with one of the biggest controversies of the Catholic Church, the Lipa apparition in 1948. Who would have thought that this controversy could be a material to a play?

In 2.5 hours, "Grace" gives a deep-dive into Teresita Castillo and the Lipa apparition, which would eventually be declared by the Vatican as not having supernatural causes. 

Stella Cañete Mendoza stars as Teresita Castillo, while Shamaine Centenera Buencamino plays Mother Cecilia. Leo Rialp, Dennis Marasigan, Jojo Cayabyab, Frances Makil-Ignacio, Missy Maramara, and Nelsito Gomez are also part of the production.

The strength of the production is in the clarity and depth the material offered into its subject, coupled with haunting soundscape and imagery onstage. The play also discusses racism within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and how power defines what's worthy of faith.

"Grace" ends with a curtain call that gave tribute to its playwright.

Like many artists who came before him, Quintos joins the list of illustrious names whose legacy would be forever remembered in Philippine theater: Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, Behn Cervantes, Tony Mabesa.

There is a push to post-humously declare Floy Quintos as a National Artist. I think everyone would agree that he deserves it.

"Grace" is running until June 16 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit, Makati.