IF YOU MISSED a play you really wanted to watch or wish you could see a performance from a few years back again, there is a way to do it. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has launched the CCP Channel, an online streaming platform that provides easy access to award-winning films, original productions, and rare performances uncovered from the archives, among others.
The platform aims to “showcase the best of Filipino creativity,” drawn from recordings of shows streamed in recent years during the pandemic as well as older footage from decades past.
“There has always been a general feeling or misgiving that not too many people get to watch live shows in general. The number of people who can watch a live show is limited by the seating capacity of the venue and the limited runs, so there’s always been that desire for outstanding shows that more people could watch,” said Dennis Marasigan, artistic director of the CCP, in a Zoom interview with BusinessWorld.
“I think, because of the experience during the pandemic where people were able to watch shows that are videotaped and streamed live, there was a feeling of, ‘why can’t the CCP do that, make performances available to more people?’”
Since its launch last month, the CCP Channel has grown to feature 60 titles across seven categories: Theater, Film, Music, Dance, Education, CCP Specials, and CCP Classics.
The Theater section contains many plays from the Virgin Labfest, such as Ang Goldfish ni Prof. Dimaandal (2014), Birdcage (2017), and Dominador Gonzales: National Artist (2024). The platform also has one Tanghalang Pilipino production: Doc Resureccion: Gagamutin ang Bayan (2022).
The Film section has many titles from Cinemalaya and Gawad Alternatibo, including Gulong (2007), Halaw (2010), Rekorder (2013), Pan De Salawal (2018), and Dominion (2023). Meanwhile, the Dance section has no entries as of now — though in October they will upload performances by the Bayanihan Dance Company.
For the Music section, the CCP Channel offers the first three concerts of the 39th season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).
It may be a while before older performances will find their way to the platform, according to Mr. Marasigan.
“Because the CCP is under rehabilitation, many undigitized recordings are in boxes. We’ll have to sort through them and wade through whatever is made available first,” he told BusinessWorld. “We have the latest PPO season simply because it’s the most recent.”
Under the Education section, there are two seasons of the visual arts documentary series Cultural Cache, with the third and fourth arriving to the channel by October.
Under CCP Specials, one can binge watch the entirety of the Noli Me Tangere teleserye from 1993.
CCP Classics is potentially the most exciting section. Though it has no content at the moment, it will be showcasing snippets from archival recordings and footage.
“It’s a separate category because viewers who watch streaming services now are accustomed to a particular technical level for videos, and what we have from the ’70s to early 2000s tend to have a very low quality of videotaping,” Mr. Marasigan said.
Productions from the early years will also just be snippets, because the CCP doesn’t have the rights or clearance to post them in full, he added.
The monthly subscription of P99 and the yearly subscription of P599 will go to maintaining the website and paying for royalties for the materials.
“CCP isn’t really out to earn revenue from it. Our design is to make available as much of these productions as possible,” said Mr. Marasigan.
About 10 to 15 titles will be added each month. By October and November, there will be more Cinemalaya and Gawad Alternatibo films, Virgin Labfest plays, and performances by Ballet Philippines, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, and the Bayanihan Dance Company.
The long-term goal is to reach 300 titles, with a rotation of titles coming in and out per month, as with most streaming platforms.
Subscriptions are available via ccpchannel.culturalcenter.gov.ph. — Brontë H. Lacsamana