Dolly de Leon joins growing calls for Dulaang UP accountability

“This is FOR THE STUDENTS,” De Leon emphasized, adding that the institution’s primary responsibility is to “protect, educate and honor them.”

A UP Diliman theater arts and Dulaang UP alumna, De Leon traces her acting roots to the late National Artist for Theater and Dulaang UP founder Tony Mabesa, under whose tutelage she developed her craft. According to the UP Alumni website, her stage work also included productions by Dulaang UP Laboratoryo, as well as landmark plays such as “Bilanggo ng Pag-ibig” and “Oryang: Las Viajeras.”

Accountability by Nov. 30

De Leon echoed De Guzman’s recent updates, noting that the artistic director’s call to action was actually quite simple.

She urged the public to hold the DSCTA accountable for its commitment to release a committee report by November 30, 2026. The report is expected to formally address outstanding issues affecting both faculty members and students.

The internal dispute escalated when De Guzman barricaded himself inside the theater office over what he alleged was a retaliatory termination. His protest has since drawn attention from prominent figures in the theater and entertainment industries.

Theater community rallies

Reinforcing De Guzman’s own rallying cry, De Leon called on the broader theater community, including students, alumni and faculty members, to “hold the line of transparency and accountability.”

Her statement quickly drew supportive reactions from other prominent figures in the local entertainment industry, including filmmaker Sigrid Andrea Bernardo and actress Frances Ignacio, signaling growing solidarity with the university’s theater artists.