There are people who light up a room the moment they enter, and then there are those rare souls who, even in their absence, leave a glow so warm it continues to touch lives long after they’ve gone. Floy Quintos was, unmistakably, the latter. With news of his passing on April 27, 2024 — exactly one week ago — the Philippine arts and culture community lost a luminary whose impact was immeasurable.

Floy Quintos was a three-time Palanca-awarded playwright, director, screenwriter, educator, and cultural worker. He was known for his thought-provoking works that tackled various social issues and explored the complexities of human nature. A single 8-point list can barely scratch the surface of his legacy. Nevertheless, let’s try to get a glimpse into his brilliance through 8 of his most impactful works.

The Reconciliation Dinner

First staged in 2022, The Reconciliation Dinner explores political and personal rifts that have become all too real for many Filipinos (especially after the last few national elections). It tells the story of friends Dina Medina and Susan Valderama, whose political difference cause tension at a dinner party. Over the years, these differences widen, thanks to a presidential election and ideological battles played out over social media. By highlighting the societal and personal fallout of post-election resentment, Quintos effectively captures how the personal and the political are intertwined.

Darna! Ang Pagbabalik

A testament to his versatility, Quintos also wrote screenplay for this iconic Filipino superhero movie directed by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes. Released in 1994, Darna: Ang Pagbabalik features Anjanette Abayari as the titular character, who struggles to reclaim her lost superpowers and stop Valentina (Cherie Gil) from seizing control over the Philippines through subliminal messages on TV. As of this writing, this film is the last Darna film to hit the big screens.

Ang Kalungkutan Ng Mga Reyna

A one-act play that won Quintos the First Prize Palanca for One-Act Play in Pilipino in 2008, Ang Kalungkutan Ng Mga Reyna tells the story of Marcel de Alba, a Filipino hairdresser to global royalty, and how he gets entangled in the dictator president Yolanda’s Cadiz’s plans on the day she declares Martial Law. Despite the seeming folly of the plans, Marcel, driven by his duty, steps in to assist. The tale is a stark exploration of the intoxicating allure of power and its collateral damage.

Wating

This gritty action film written by Quintos, Wating was Ishmael Bernal’s last film. The story revolves around two young protagonists who unwillingly find themselves in the underworld of Manila, doing whatever it takes to survive. The 1992 film explores urban decadence, the extreme lengths people go to just to survive, and the plight of poverty.

St. Louis Loves Dem Filipinos

First staged as a straight play in 1991, then reimagined into a full-length musical in 2005, St Louis Loves Dem Filipinos is set against the backdrop of the 1904 World Trade Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, where Filipino ethnic groups (Bagobos and Igorots) were put on display for the world to gawk at. The play, which tackles themes of colonialism and identity, was written by Quintos, who also wrote all but two of the songs.

Isang Panaginip na Fili

Another musical that was first staged as a straight play, Isang Panaginip na Fili is a reimagining of Rizal’s El Filibusterismo, set during the time Rizal was working on the novel. The story is told through the eyes of Tunying Ibañez, a fictional character who is Rizal’s roommate in Paris. It explores the themes of transformation and change against a backdrop of societal corruption and injustice. Premiered in 2001 as a play and recreated as a musical in 2008, it was directed by Quintos himself.

Atang: Dulang May Musika

An original musical staged in 2008 by Dulaang UP, Atang: Dulang May Musika tells the life story of Honorata “Atang” de la Rama, a National Artist for Theater who was also known as the Queen of Sarsuwela. Written by Quintos, it tells Atang’s story through love letters to her husband, Amado Hernandez, and memories juxtaposed with the different sarsuwelas she was part of.

Evening At The Opera

Evening at the Opera is an engrossing drama that exposes the politics of provincial society through the lens of a power couple’s tense relationship. Against the backdrop of a stage set as a stark, cold bedroom, audiences are lured into the lives of Miranda, a cultured, English-speaking wife, and her corrupt governor husband, Bingo. Intertwining narratives of power, corruption, and infidelity ensue, as Miranda uses her complicity in Bingo’s political corruption to maintain the upper hand in their relationship. Quintos’ flawless crafting of this tale won him the First Prize Palance for One-Act Play in English in 2011.

Floy Quintos’ works were more than just entertainment; they were mirrors. They spoke truths about ourselves that were sometimes hard to swallow but always necessary. To say he will be missed is an understatement, but to carry forward his legacy is a duty each of us owes—to keep the fire of Philippine arts and culture burning brightly for generations to come.

Floy Quintos’ last masterpiece, Grace, will be staged at the PMCS Blackbox Theater at Circuit Makati from May 25 to June 16. Tickets are available here.