​​As a Technical Theatre & Management major at the University of the Philippines, John has worked with some of the country’s top theatre designers and directors. Aside from honing his skills with Dulaang UP (the official production arm of the Department of Speech Communication & Theatre Arts of the College of Arts and Letters) he has designed for other theatre and dance companies including Repertory Philippines, PETA, Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Tanghalang Pilipino, and Ballet Philippines.

 

After his lengthy stint as Dulaang UP’s resident Lighting Designer & Technical Director (1991-2000), he has successfully crossed over into the commercial and corporate world of events designing for high profile concerts and fashion events, television specials, corporate launches and advertising.

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John has bagged the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group (Philstage) Gawad Buhay for Outstanding Lighting Design five times in the group's 10 years!

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• 2017 for Repertory Philippines' staging of Agnes of God

• 2016 for Repertory Philippines' staging of Almost Maine 

• 2015 for his work on Red Turnip Theatre's 33 Variations

• 2011 for Ballet Philippines' Encantada

• 2010 for Repertory Philippines' Equus

 

He has also won the Best Lighting Designer (in a Play/Musical) for BroadwayWorld.com’s Theatre Awards 2013 for his work in Dulaang UP’s COLLECTION.

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As one of the more prolific lighting designers in Manila, John's work has been a constant part of the Manila theatre scene. His past designs include  9Works Theatricals' Grease; Trumpets' Bluebird of Happiness; Tanghalang Pilipino's Pangarap Sa Isang Gabi Ng Gitnang Tag-Araw and Nang Dalawin Ng Pag-Ibig Si Juan Tamad; Repertory Philippines' Silent Sky and Arsenic & Old Lace; Ballet Philippines' Awaiting Mo At Isasayaw Ko and Opera; Ballet Manila's Snow White and Ballet & Ballads (2018)   Dulaang UP's Ang Nawawalang Kapatid and Red Turnips' Tribes and The Nether.

 

In July of 2014, John took on the job designing the lighting for the Philippine Arena (the world's largest domed arena venue) for the Iglesia Ni Cristo's Centennial Celebrations. His largest and longest project to date with over 90% of Manila's rentable luminaires in use! 

 

John is a member of the Philippine Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians (OISTAT-Philippines)