PETA brings interactive play about flood survival to schools

Picture this: The Philippines in an alternate reality where young people get to choose how they should run their community reeling from massive floods.

This was the idea behind “Gen G: GG na ’to!,” the latest project of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), which aims to bring interactive play to schools to involve youngsters in decision-making about their own survival and to help their community.

PETA partnered with Move to Change Foundation, Inc. (M2C), a social purpose organization creating opportunities for young people to lead positive change. The production forms part of Project GG: Game Changers for Good Governance, a youth-centered campaign that transforms civic education into lived experiences where young people learn that every voice matters and every act of participation helps shape more accountable communities and stronger democratic systems.

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“Change does not begin only when young people become leaders, it begins when they recognize that their choices already matter,” PETA said in a statement.

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Beyond the performance, “Project GG” will create opportunities for young people to engage through interactive experiences, workshops, community conversations, and other participatory activities designed to encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and collective decision-making.

Being an interactive play, the audience gets to participate to influence the outcome of the scenario through a democratic exercise, making it a meaningful experience for them.

Set in an alternate Philippines submerged in flood waters, Gen G follows a group of young people in “Balangay Gen Zones,” which serve as temporary communities for youth who are adaptable, flexible, and have high chances of survival. They were to remain safe in the Balangay while adults sought solutions elsewhere. But when the supposed return date arrives, the adults are nowhere to be found. Left to fend for themselves, the young people must figure out how to run their Balangay—and this time, the audience gets a say. Through votes, choices, negotiations, and unexpected consequences, audiences become part of the community and help determine what happens next. As the story unfolds, Gen G asks: Who gets heard? Who gets left behind? What do we prioritize? Survival isn’t just about making the “right” choice. And when the system we inherit doesn’t work anymore, do we simply adapt—or do we dare to change it? So what’s the rationale behind this endeavor? Through the world of the Balangay, young people are invited to see participation as something that extends beyond elections, and agency beyond choosing among options given to them. It encourages them to question, imagine, and act together.

PETA artistic director and co-playwright J-mee Katanyag, said the starting point was the seemingly simple question most common among the younger generation, “G?” “Every time we say yes to something, we are also making a choice. And whether we realize it or not, our choices reveal what we value, whom we care about, and what kind of community we are helping create.” At the helm is an exciting creative team led by director Ian Segarra (Walang Aray, 2023 & 2025 – PETA), playwrights Katanyag (Nobody is Home, 2025 – PETA) and Jhudiel Sosa (Identité, 2024 – Virgin Labfest 19), musical director Kabaitan Bautista (Si Faust, 2025 – Areté), set and props designer Julio Garcia (Walang Aray, 2023 & 2025 – PETA), and costume designer Johnnie Moran. The cast features a mix of emerging and established performers, including Lyle Viray as New Character, Johnrick Noynay as Dex, James Lanante as Sid, Camille Fabian as Chloe, Francheska Andaya as Achi, Cb Lagapa as Achi/Chloe, and Ada Tayao and Zoe Damag as Joker. The show will be touring 12 schools from September to December 2026.