Oli Impan by Alberto S. Florentino Boy: (Incredulous) They are destroying our homes.

(Sound of wrecking crew at

After the liberation of Manila, hundreds of indigent families settled in the squalid, work)
cramped space of the bombed ruins of an old government building of Juan Girl: (frightened) Who are destroying them?
Luna. For more than a decade these “squatters” tenaciously refused to move Boy: The men with hammers!
out in spite of court rulings. The “casbah”, as the compound was popularly Girl: Nobody is stopping them?
known, became a breeding place for vice and corruption. The city government Boy: Nobody.
was able to evict the “squatters” only on December 20, 1958 – five days before Girl: But why? Are there no policemen?
Christmas. Boy: There are. There are many policemen.
(On the middle of the stage, extending from side to side, is a stone wall one and Girl: What are they doing? What are the policemen doing?
a half feet high. At left may be seen a portion of a tall edifice. At right, is a Boy: Nothing.
portion of the “casbah”. Beyond the stone wall, an estero (unseen) – and the Girl: Nothing? They are not stopping the men?
sky. A five-year-old girl sits on the stone wall, her thin legs dangling in the air. Boy: No.
Offstage there is a continuous commotion of evacuation. A woman’s voice rises Girl: Why not?
above the commotion as she reprimands a child for getting in her way. A six- Boy: I don’t know.
year-old boy appears on stage walking backwards – away from his mother, (Commotion. Shouts. Curses)
nagging offstage. The mother quiets down. The boy turns around and plays with Girl: (Alarmed) What’s happening now?
his toy: an empty milk can pulled along the ground with a piece of string.) Boy: (excited throughout) A man is trying to stop the men with hammers! Now
Girl: Is there a fire? the policemen are trying to stop him. They’re running after him. But the man
Boy: (Stops playing and faces her) Huh? fights like a mad dog! (A man shouts, cursing)
Girl: I said, is there a fire? Girl: (Suddenly, with terror in her voice). That’s my father! (In her fright she
Boy: There is no fire. (Continues to play) covers her eyes with hands)
Girl: (Looks toward the street. After a pause.) I think there is no fire. Boy: Your father?
Boy: (Stops playing_ I told you there’s none. Girl: Yes, he’s my father! What are they doing to him? Are they hurting him?
Girl: There is. Boy: No, they are only trying to catch him… Now they’ve caught him! They are
Boy: How do you know? Do you see any smoke? Do you hear any fireman? tying his hands!
(resumes his play. Runs around imitating a fire engine) EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I Girl: What will they do to him?
like it when there is a big fire! Boy: I don’t know. Now they are putting him in a car. A police car.
Girl: (Worried) If there is no fire, why are they putting these things out? (pints to Girl: (Whimpers) Father… Father…
a pile of household belongings nearby) Boy: They are taking him away! (A car with siren drivers away)
Boy: Because we are being thrown out. Girl: (Screams) FATHER! FATHER!
Girl: Who told you? Boy: He can’t hear you now.
Boy: My mother. Girl: (Starts to cry)
Girl: Who is throwing us out? Boy: (Walks to and sits beside her) Why are you crying? Don’t cry please…
Boy: (Sits on the other end of the stone wall) The government. Girl: They are going to hurt my father, aren’t they?
Girl: What is a government? Boy: No, they won’t hurt him.
Boy: I don’t know. Girl: (Removes her hands from her eyes) How do you know?
Girl: You didn’t ask your mother? Boy: I just know it. (Suddenly) Come, let’s sing a song.
Boy: I forgot to ask her. Girl: I don’t know how to sing.
Girl: Why should the government throw us out? Boy: I’ teach you.
Boy: (Points to the compound) Because it owns this. Girl: How?
Girl: (Enraged) But this is ours! Boy: I’ll sing… and you listen. (She nods and wipes her eyes dry)
Boy: No, it is not ours. Boy: (Sings) Saylenay…
Girl: (Insistent) It is ours! It is! Olinay…
Boy: It is not! Oliskam…
Girl: (A tiny scream) It is! It is! Olisbray…
Boy: (Loud) How do you know it is ours? Ranyonberginmaderenchayle…
Girl: We’ve always been here, haven’t we? Oli impansotenderenmayle…
Boy: Yes, but that doesn’t mean it is ours. Slipinebenlipis…
Girl: (After a pause) If they throw us out, we’ll have nowhere to go. How about Slipinebenlipis…
you? You have any place to go? Girl: (Smiling) That’s a pretty song. Who taught you that song?
Boy: None. But we will have one. (Proudly) My mother has a job. Boy: (Proudly) My mother!
Girl: She has? Girl: What does it mean? I can’t understand it.
Boy: Yes! Boy: It’s about God.
Girl: What does she do? Girl: What’s a “God”?
Boy: She reads hands. Boy: I don’t know. I haven’t asked my mother. But she told me God was born in
Girl: She reads – hands? (Looking at her hands) Why does she read hands? a stable.
Boy: So she can tell what will happen tomorrow. Girl: What’s a stable?
Girl: She can do that? By reading hands? Boy: A place for horses.
Boy: Yes, She can! Girl: (Incredulous) He was born there? In a place for horses? Why?
Girl: (Showing him her hands) Can she read my hands? I want to know where Boy: My mother said he had nowhere to stay.
we will stay tomorrow. Girl: Was he poor?
Boy: She can’t read your hands. Boy: I don’t know.
Girl: (Looks at them) Why not? Girl: (Suddenly) I like the song. Will you sing it again?
Boy: They are too small… and dirty. Boy: No, let’s sing it together.
Girl: (She quickly withdraws them and quietly wipes them on her dress) Girl: I told you, I don’t know how.
Boy: Besides… she reads only men’s hands. Boy: I’ll teach you. I’ll sing it a little… and you sing after me. (She smiles and
Girl: Only men’s hands? Why? nods)
Boy: Because they are big.. and easy to read. Boy: (Sings) Saylenay…
Girl: How does she read hands? Like she reads the comics? Girl: Saylenay…
Boy: I don’t know. Boy: Olinay…
Girl: You don’t know? Don’t you watch her? Girl: Olinay…
Boy: My mother won’t let me. She makes me go out and play. And she closes Boy: Oliskam…
the door. Girl: Oliskam…
Girl: She closes the door! How can she read in the dark? Boy: Olisbray…
Boy: I don’t know. (Proudly) But she can! Girl: Olisbray…
Girl: Don’t you ever peep? Boy: Ranyonberginmaderenchayle…
Boy: No, I don’t. Girl: Ranyon…(She giggles) I can’t say that!
Girl: Why not? Boy: Let’s skip it. (Sings) Oli impan… n, skip that, too. (Sings)
Boy: She’ll beat me up. Slipinebenlipis…
(Commotion offstage.) Girl: Slipinebenlipis…
Girl: What’s that? What’s happening there? Boy: Slipinebenlipis…
Boy: (Tries to see) I don’t know. I can’t see. (Pulls her) Come out, let’s take a Girl: Slipinebenlipis…
look!
Girl: (Resisting) I can’t.
Boy: Why not?
Girl: My father told me to stay here. He said not to go anywhere. Kindly answer the following questions:
Boy: (Turning) Then I will go and take a look. 1. Why does the playwright entitle his play “Oli Impan”?
Girl: (Frightened) No, don’t. Stay here. Don’t leave me. 2. Where and when did the story take place? How did the author
Boy: Why?
Girl: I’m afraid. describe the setting of the play?
Boy: Afraid of what? 3. What problems or issues are faced by the characters? Do you think
Girl: I don’t know. these problems are appropriate for the characters to handle? Explain.
Boy: But how can we find out what’s happening?
Girl: Let’s not find out anymore. 4. Think about the plot or the sequence of events of the play, how
Boy: (Restless) But I want to see. (Scampers up the stone wall) I can see from was it structured?
here!
Girl: What do you see?