Respectfully yours, ID

“ Ang ID mo bilang mamamayan ay hindi lang nagbibigay sayo ng karapatan pati na rin ng responsibilidad bilang mamamayan.” -- Malou Mangahas

This line from the documentary program “ID” (Investigative Documentaries) airing at GMA News Channel perceives a thought of what media men are for. Since, production is under this so called medium let’s talk about its men.

ID (Identification Card), or let’s say, “POWERS” are passes that allows one to enter a private area or sometimes prohibited vicinity for an “ordinary man”. Who then is the “extraordinary” man that has the right and power of entering the “LIMITED ZONE”? They are the people behind the success of every production. The laces they have on their necks and the uppercase word “STAFF” doesn’t just meant for a license of entering beyond borders, but rather gives them bigger liabilities. They maybe are gaining respect from audiences as people should know they are the people who work for an event, but this entitles to greater reverence. For production people, staffs and media must remember that each production they’re doing is not for them nor for their pleasure but for the audiences. They are to serve not to be served. So think about it, luxury and privilege is assured not for them. So never get offended nor feel underprovided with comfort but be thankful you have them, because working as a production staff is not an easy task.

Over powered people really exist. They are in a belief that with their ID’s they can do whatever they want provided that its part of their job. Yes, that’s true, but needless to say, ID’s are still under the supervisions of the so called rules. And the ones who wear the ID are obliged to not just follow but implement rules to make productions work. The point is, they thought that all barriers can be melt with their authorization cards but it’s actually “just some”.

Respect, serve and attentiveness. These are just some of the million rules of production, but how can you serve if you’re not attentive enough to know the people you need to respect? Starting from the guests, performers, and other important person, your co-production, end with the audiences; they’re a call for your respect.

Even without an ID, as an intellectual living organism, each of us is entitled to respect one another. It’s just that in the world of Media, including productions and “cover” stuffs, it solicits more of an ordinary way of being good to people.

Here’s the catch, let’s not assumed of having powers when we have ID’s, but rather think of what we “should” and what we “can” to ensure victorious productions and to give justice with what we’re tasks to do. Let’s not just wear ID’s for fame, let’s prove its magic. It’s not job after all, its professionalism.

SCRIPTED

Kung ang pluma ng aking panulat ay makapagdidikta ng mangyayari sa hinaharap, bakit ko pa pahihirapan ang sarili ko. Ang magiging problema ko na lang, ay ang pagsulat, hindi naman ako pinagpala ng talento para dito. Pero sa kabilang banda, mabuti na rin pala na walang mahikang dala ang panulat, at sana hindi na rin ito maibento. Dahil kung lahat magkakaroon ng panulat na iyon, hinala ko, lahat ng tao sa mundo ay may propesyon na ; lahat sila ay manunulat na. Masaya naman ang buhay, kahit pa nga hindi lahat ng nangyayari ay gusto mo, walang “script”ang buhay, sabi nga ng isa kong kaibigan,na naging dahilan kaya malayang nagaganap ang lahat. At iyon ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit espesyal ang bawat buhay, dahil walang nakakaalam ng “ending” sa pelikula ng bawat isa.

Pluma lang ang tema, hanggang sa pinaanod ko ang salitang pelikula. Hindi ko naman gustong buksan ang pinto patungo sa kursong kinukuha ko, pero yun talaga ang pakay ko. ‘’Mass Communication” ang pinili kong kurso matapos ang apat na taon ng paggawa ng kalokohan sa sekondarya at anim na taon ng pagtitiis sa sermon ng aking ina sa elementarya. Mabanggit ko lamang ang aking ina na walang patid sa kanyang pagmimisa tuwing araw ng pagsususlit. Tanda ko pa noon na “torture” ang pagpasok ko sa eskwela. Kaya naman mas masaya ang buhay ko noong hayskul. Ngunit nagpapasalamat naman ako  dahil sa kasesermon ng aking ina, marami akong natutunan at napatunayan kong tama sya.

Sa libo-libong kurso bakit nga ba ito pa ang kinuha ko?

Sa panahon na nagtapos ako ng hayskul, sumiklab noon ang kursong “nursing” kung tawagin. Sa propesyong ito sa linya ng medisina, madali daw ang pangingibang bansa. Mabuti na lang wala sa plano ko ang magsilbi sa bansa ng iba. At isa pa sabi nila ay maganda daw ang may “Dr.” sa unahan ng pangalan, sabi ko naman, “Aanhin ko ang mahabang pangalan, kung ang layunin ko ay mag-ibang bansa? Mabuti pang nagtungo ako sa Recto at nagpagawa ng bagong kasulatan ng kapanganakan, palalagyan ko ng “Dr.” sa unahan, ganun din yun kung ang pakay ko ay mapadpad lamang sa lupain ng mga banyaga. Pinangarap kong maging guro, pero nasa isip ko ang responsibilidad sa pamilya. Kailangan ko ng propesyon na makatutustos sa kinabukasan ng iba ko pang kapatid at hindi yun kakayanin ng pagtuturo. Naging makasarili siguro ako sa desisyong iyon, pero may dahilan ang lahat.

Bakit Mass Comm pa? Ano bang meron ang kursong ito?

Sa totoo lang, hindi ko din alam kung ano talaga ang kursong ito bago ko kinuha. Hindi sapat ang nalalaman ko, ang alam ko lang ay maraming mapupuntahang lugar sa propesyong ito, ang akala ko mamasyal lang at magsasaya. Makakakilala pa ng maraming tao, tulad ng mga nagbabalita sa telebisyon na kung saan-saan nakakarating. At natutuwa ako sa mga nagsasalita sa radyo na kung tawagin ay “Disc Jokeys”. Lingid sa aking kaalaman, malaking produksyon pala ang nasa likod ng bawat matagumpay na palabas na napapanood ko at sa mga bagay na naririnig ko.

Maraming tao na minamaliit lang ang kursong ito.  Parang ako lang dati. Hindi yung kurso, pero yung propesyon mismo. Mahilig akong magbigay ng negatibong bagay tungkol sa mga pelikulang kulang sa mga “effects” di tulad sa ibang bansa. Mahilig ako magkumpara sa napakaraming bagay, na hindi man lang iniisip kung paano iyon nabuo at pinaghirapan. Palibhasa, panunuod lang ang ginagawa ko.

Ngunit sa tatlong taon na pananatili ko sa kursong ito, lalo ko itong minamahal, at walang maaaring magsabi na madali lang ang propesyon na ito. Para sa nakararami, kapag ang kurso mo ay kinakailanagan ng “Board Exam” o kahit anong “Licensure Exam”, maganda ang kursong iyon at sabi nga nila ay may laban. Di tulad ng mga “b-Degree”, hindi kagalingan. Sana naisip nila na hindi lahat ng galing sa papel makikita. May mga talino, kakayahan at katangian na sa aktwal na paggawa matatagpuan. Sa katunayan, mas mahirap pa, dahil siguradong hindi ka maaring tumulad sa iba.

Mahirap ang propesyong ito kapag hindi mo sineryoso. Pagmamahal sa ginagawa at determinasyon, yun lang ang rekado para mahuli ang tamang timpla.

Maraming gawain, walang panahon para gumawa ng kalokohan. Paggawa ng mga “short films”, magtayo ng sariling “photo exhibit”, sumulat ng mga balita, makipag-usap sa mga di kakilala, magbigay ng tulong sa mga produksyon at napakarami pang iba. At hindi lahat ng ginagawa sa kursong ito ay gusto ko, minsan kailangan. Pero lahat ng bagay natututunan. Tulad na lang ng pagsulat. Hindi ko naman talaga kinaiinisan ang pagsususlat, ang hindi ko gusto ay ang pagharap sa “Deadliest Deadline”. Pero kasama talaga sa buhay-estudyante ang mga ganitong bagay.

Lingid sa aming kamalayan, unti-unting nahuhubog ang tunay naming mga kakayahan. Unti-unti ay natutunan namin ang tunay na kahalagahan ng aming kurso, na kung iisipin ng mabuti ay kalahok pala sa araw-araw na gawain

Ngayon na alam kong hindi pala ito madali, hindi ko rin masasabi ang buhay sa kurso ng iba, hanggat hindi ko pa ito nararanasan. At masasabi kong, walang madaling kurso sa kolehiyo, pero walang mahirap sa pag-aaral para sa taong masipag.

Kung makapagbigay ako ng mga kataga, animoy nakatapos na ako ng pag-aaral. May pinagkukunan lamang ako lalo pa at nasa ikatlong taon na ako. Masyado ng matagal sa kursong ito para hindi pa malaman ang mga bagay-bagay na mahirap at madali.

At sa pagdaan ng mga araw, lumalalim din ang nais kong gawin, ang nais kong marating. Alam kong tama ang kinuha kong kurso.

Kung noon gusto ko lang na basta makarating sa kung saan-saan, at makita nag sarili ko sa telebisyon. Ngayon, gusto kong maging tao sa likod ng mga produksyon. Maging isa sa mga taong ipinagmamalaki ang kanilang propesyon at hindi naghahangad na basta lamang magpahayag ng balita sa telebisyon o marinig ang kanilang tinig sa radyo, kundi mga taong kapag nawala, ay mawawalan na rin ng magandang produksyon.

Noon, isa sa mga dahilan ko ang pagkita, pero ngayon, higit na matimbang ang serbisyo. Tulad din ng isang buong maghapon. Maaaring kumita ka ng halaga na kailangan mo, na magagamit mo sa maghapon at tutugon sa iyong pangangailangan, pero ang serbisyong itinulong mo, higit pa sa buong maghapon ang magagawa, maaari itong maging sanhi ng magandang kinabukasan hindi lang para sayo kundi para sa nakararami.

Nabanggit ko ang “deadline”. Sa katunayan, ang “deadline”, hindi naman nauubos at natatapos. Lahat ay mayroon. Kahit nga ang sarili nating mga buhay at kwento. Ngunit para maging makasaysayan ang ating mga kwento, kailangan natin itong paghirapan, di man alinsunod sa script na nasa imahinasyon mo, basta’t kaloob ito ng langit, asahan mong maihahayag ito sa paraang di mo inaasahan pero magugustuhan mo at makakabuti hindi lamang sayo.At sa pagakakataong ito, ay tinatapos ko ang yugto para sa artikulong ito.

ESKAPO

He’s not my dream man, but he’s always in my dreams. If he is a nightmare, then he is the sweetest. I’m no queen if I chose him, but through his eyes, diamonds are seen. I loved him wise but he knocked me twice.

Hater’s Love

Way back the days of fun, juvenile, enjoyment, immaturity and all that is crazy, I met my first love. I repeat my “FIRST LOVE”. How we met is unenviable. He is my classmate and my cousin’s best friend. Literally speaking, he’s not pleasing to eyes. You can accuse me of being exaggerated and judgmental. Yes, I know that I’m not that pretty and perfect to be so hypercritical but he is really is worse. He’s tall, thin, dark, grimy, rude, looks illeterate and ungentle. The space for a new pimple is rare. I’m horrific. I just want everything to be the way it is. Hate me with my first impression with him, “Even he’s the last guy on earth, girls still won’t flirt.”  Now, picture him in your head. He’s not a prince charming, but not as bad looking as a monster; he’s just not that pleasing at all.

Since he is my cousin’s best friend, he used to call me “best friend” too. Though we’re not close, I don’t even know his first name. Yes, not his first name, I call him with his last, because in our class that’s the way people are calling each other’s name. For the first time he called me “best friend”, I explained that we can never be best friends. I don’t know what’s with the head of this guy but he refused with my plea and I walked out. I don’t know if he really wanted to make friends with me or he just wanted to annoy me because he’s not as busy as I am. Neither of the two reasons, I don’t mind. What’s clear in my head is that I don’t like him and I will never come to like him.

Negative charges

I established a strong personality within our class. That’s what I believed in. boys used to hate me, because they say I looked like hard to deal with, unfriendly, boastful, overconfident and weird. The truth is that, I don’t like to make friends with the opposite sex. But I don’t hate them; I’m not a man hater for I love my father so much, and my grandfathers and so as my uncles. I’m just avoiding to be close to them.The thing is that I’m just building a wall against boys, because they are hindrances to success; if I’ll be in a so called commitment; for boys are “negative charges” that can drag us girls down. Broken hearts can ruin lives and burry dreams.

The techniques that boys are using to win a girl’s heart are very common. They will first friend the girl, get close with them and then with one snap, weak girls will say “yes”. And what is next? The very usual thing that parents thinks all the time, “early, unwanted pregnancy”. It’s a pleasure for the boys, pressure for the girls. I’m not talking about “all” the boys, but most of them. You may say that I am overstated but that’s life and it is real. I’m just protecting myself. It’s better taking preventions than working with alternatives and alibis.

Love is not Hello

Words are powerful. Love is a word, but not an ordinary word. You should mean when you say you love a person or a thing. And this simple word can be a glory, a magic or wealth. On the other side, love can also be destructive, fallacious or disease. It is not as usual as saying “hello” to everybody; it can drive one’s life. But love is not a feeling but an attitude. Feelings come and go. It might be bitter in your ears but true.

Story of Us

Going back with John Aris Diaz Flores, my first love and probably the best thing I never had, and I never regret for not having him. He is a man of too many words and can express himself well. He is a musician and a very good man of numbers.  We are very much different. He loves dog, I hate pets. He loves math, I love words. He loves to chill out rather than doing productive things. I hate when a day just passed by without accomplishing anything. I believe that this world is ironic. With the saying that, “The more you hate, the more you love”, that is what happened to us. I hate him, he hates me too, but we fell. Yes, “we”, as in he loves me too. I’m just not sure if he loved me the way I did.

When did I come to notice it? When I started telling stories that is all about him. I missed him when his not around. He ruins my day but ironically, my day would suck if he’s not around. He barks like a dog when he wants to annoy me, but I missed his voice when he ignores me. How painful love for me is. I’m trying to ignore what I’m feeling but it’s kind of weird that the more I try to vanished this thing within me, is the more it grows. All these happened unconsciously.

But then, since I’m in a middle of calamity thinking about what I have for him, I kept on denying it within me. I’m forcing and convincing my self that it’s not what they thought. But what I’m trying to do within me seems to reflect with my surrounding. People around us are intriguing us. But we kept our selves quite. Until one day a message from him came to my phone. We chatted, and words came out. But I told him, “It’s not the perfect time for this, let’s be just friends.” I broke him, and I shattered myself. You might say “sayang” but its part of growing up. (sigh)

I actually thought that things like this only happen on televisions for soap operas or movies, in fairy tale books and other fictional stuffs. But just like any other love stories in real life, not all of them have the “happy ending concept”.

The other girl

Two weeks after that heart trembling scene of chatting and revealing of our mutual understanding, he knocked me with spreading the news of having a “girlfriend”. I ignore it, no. I try to ignore it. But still it reigns. I just focused on what should be done. Since I’m hurt, I need a lot of stuffs to think about and work on. I join contest and I study hard. I get busy and I decided that I moved on. (HOORAY!)

After a month, his girlfriend approached me and talked to me. She’s crying and telling me that he wanted Aris so much that she can’t imagine life without him. I’m disgusted. Why should she say that? She explains, “You’re the other girl”. Shocked I am. But what can I do? By that time, again, I feel loved though not directly stated; think what you want, accused me of being selfish, but what I felt is magic. The next month they broke up. But I never coached Aris to choose me over her, and so I am the “other girl”.

Round two: Knocked Out!

February, here comes the “Prom Night”. He met another girl, Gretchen. They’ve been good friends and closer than what I expected. And by this time, I’m drawn. She’s smart, pretty, sweet and loveable. Aris is madly in love with Gretchen. And the Prom Night burns me. It left me with memories of pains and sorrows. The prom night became their night. Gretchen finally accepted Aris as his boyfriend.

The worst is that, it’s my fault. I introduce Gretchen to Aris a month before the prom night. She’s a friend of mine. And she admitted that she likes Aris, so I introduced her. I never thought that it will close the doors for me. It was like a dare for Aris’s part. I thought he still is into me, but he’s not. And so it’s a burden.

But I’m not weak. Not for this. Happily, I moved on. That’s for sure. I am blessed with so many good people around me. And thus, I learned and became stronger.

As of now, we’re friends, we still meet when I’m home in Cavite, we jamm with common friends, why not? We didn’t have any commitment. We’re young and fell, but life is too short to be wasted with the past. We’re here and dealing with our own lives. We are both happy and contented.

With my words “I never had but never regret”, it’s because I believe that what’s yours is yours, no matter what. And so as I repeat, he is my “first love”, I’m heading for my “next romance”.

Music is Life; Music is not for Life

“Hindi ko kayang gawing propesyon ang pagbabanda habang buhay, kasi sa industriya ng tugtugan kapag hindi ka na sikat wala ka na”—Jefferson Magnaye

The Who?

Often known as Jeff, he shared with me his life as “freelance musician”. Pure blooded Batangeño, very proud on his own, Jeff has so many things to tell.

From San Jose Batangas, he arrived for school everyday to Batangas City as he stated that he dreamt to be “somebody” someday as soon as he finishes his college degree taking Bachelor of Industrial Technology- Major in Engineering Technology in Batangas State University (BSU).  A typical student; as he said he wanted to look like he doesn’t know anything but ironically, he has something to show.

Looking back year 2006-2007, he had to stop schooling for a health reason. His ears were in great complication as his right side eardrum needs to undergo a surgery.  He doesn’t have any choice by that time so he surrendered the days for school and spent it with electric guitars hanging on their wall. Never thought that he would love those “extra-things” they have in home since his family was composed of people who were “musically-inclined” to be described.

How it started?

“Generation to generation”, this was how he elaborated his family who were in the industry of music. From his grandfather down to his father, up to his siblings who can sing and play different instruments, it’s a question why he’s not into music just like them.

 “Masakit sa kamay, sabi ko sa tatay ko ayoko nito, itatapon ko”, with his hands projecting like holding a guitar, he demonstrated how he reacted when he first tried to play a guitar. “NO PAIN, NO GAIN” he doesn’t wanted to get any pain and doesn’t care if he won’t gain.

By the time that he was so bored, it was like everything that is to happen has their own time; to make it short he started to watch his father and older brother while they’re having rehearsals or just playing instruments when they wanted. Without his father and brother’s knowledge, he learned to play the guitar. Having influenced by Folk Rock Country music, ‘Huling El Bimbo” a song from Eraserheads, a Filipino legendary band, was his first product after gaining chords through “stealing”.

High school days, too brave and unconsciously boasting other mates, undeniably, Jeff has a future for music despite of his ear deficiency.

His family was very-known in their barangay. Most especially during Town Fiesta, wherein “jammers” can show what they’ve got as there was a small jamming event in their barangay spearheaded by his father.

On his own, Jeff was able to enhance his talents. As he label himself, he’s  “HUEDO”, meaning what he hears, what he sees, he can adopt in it in a very short time—fast learner.

One time, when he brought his mates in their house for town fiesta, they teased Jeff to play the guitar and that was the only time his family was able to learn that Jeff was one of them-musician.

When a teacher came to town


Formal training for Jeff was a puzzle with questions “why and why”, but still it came into the scene. Ariel Hernandez, was his first formal instructor, but he said that it’s not really formal, why? This was how the story goes.

On the first day, Ariel played his guitar, and showed him some skills using the notes. For the second day his instructor let him play his guitar on his own since he was busy playing basketball, and on their final day Ariel examined how far he had gone through and his remarks was “Okay na yan, marunong ka na”. He was shocked when he knew that next day Ariel was scheduled for migration. He asked his instructor before leaving, “Paano yung ibang skills?”, then Ariel smiled at him and said, “Ikaw nang bahalang tumuklas nun’.”

Band Life

“First love never dies”, as his first band never died, it may be inactive at times but no plans for disbandment according to him. Composed of his father for bass guitar, hitting the percussions by his cousin, the burning passion of his brother for rhythm guitars, a good friend of his father do the vocals and building trust with his guitar he plays for lead.

For two years, he spent all his performances, gigs , rehearsals and everything related to music with “Junior”, his guitar. Junior was just an old and trashy kind of guitar spotted by the university guard in the campus’s warehouse. Junior was then sold for only five hundred pesos. After a week of experimentation, his beloved guitar was then turned into something productive. As he described his baby Junior, he named the persons who said that it was the worst guitar they’ve ever seen.

Plans vs. Duties

It's very much visible, Jeff’s love for music doesn’t have any connection with the course he’s taking. So, he needs to weigh what matters most. “Hindi ko pwedeng ilaan lahat ng oras sa pagtugtog lang kasi marami pa akong gustong gawin”, when asked what are those things, he then first mentioned his studies. But he clarified that if given a chance to be “somebody someday”, he wanted to be known as a “guitar-master “though he was looking forward to be a professor. Filled with curiosity, the question was,” why do you want to teach, knowing that you could do something more than that after graduating in your chosen field?”

Looking straight back at me, with his eyes serious, he answered in a very simple manner, “nauubos na yung magagaling na professor sa school namin, sayang yung pagkakakilanlan kung sakali” then he stopped.

To be realistic, it’s a fact that being a musician is a good profession, but it can’t be your only means of living. Somehow, loving music is a meaningful job as he spilled out “kahit i-set-aside na lang natin yung bayad kasi gusto din naman natin to’ ”.

Planning to take masters degree after graduation and doctors degree after that, he’s the man who doesn’t want to stop till’ time is up. On the other hand, his life for music and level of passion for it was described in his very own words, “tutugtog ako hanggat’ kaya pa”.

Old is Cool

Wherever you are, music lives. As years run, musicians grow and keep on reproducing. Different genres were into the scene. How does an old school type of musician deal with it? The secret is within the word “respect”. But it never ends there, so for Jeff’s own belief, he said frankly “basta kaya nilang panindigan yung tugtugan na gusto nila wala na lang pakialaman”.

And for proofs of Jeff’s words, he had been into so many bands, having different members; different musical genres and a lot more that are far different from his likes—and it he never had the reason for disbandment just like any other popular bands of today.

Bands never Banned

Blue jeans, Erata, Stimuli, 17^th of October,Kiriske were just a few to name the band he has been with as a former lead guitarist. For now, Jeff is currently a so called “freelancer”, though he’s involved with some active bands. Freelancer in a way that he can be into any band for an overnight gigs, he explained. Like the one he had for Bandista, a collegiate battle of the bands, wherein he has been with the ABC Band just for that one night battle and nothing more.

Tanso,Ginto,Pilak also known as TGP was his most active band today. It was formed August 2010. The band’s genre was just anything that they wanted as long as common people can hear it in streets, “tunog-kalye” as he named it.

For his band ERATA, he defended that the band was still in the industry, they’re just busy with their own different agendas, but looking forward to at least have a jam whenever possible.

As he said, he wanted to be known as a musician, is Jeff also planning or even dreaming to record an album?

Dreaming YES, Planning for now, NO.

Short, quick, that was how he answered the question. Self-explanatory, dreaming is different from planning. For planning has a greater chance to come into reality than dreaming.

Behind a song

For a musician, one of the very important contributions was the song composition or production. Jeff got few and some were inspired by the word “required”. His MAPEH Class way back Junior College, required them to composed original songs. Main points of his compositions were about nature, youth and his environment.

Done with his sufferings of requirements, he was also able to produce songs which were inspired by the people around him. His song “Akala mo”, was inspired by a real life couple who happened to be his classmates; the song was about a guy who knew that his girlfriend cheats but the girl thought that the guy doesn’t have any idea. Jeff kept on laughing while stating the song’s idea. For the second song, he shared “Sino” it’s for his friend who can’t get over with his ex-girlfriend.

Almost five years of being a musician, why is Jeff doesn’t have a bunch of song composition?

“madami, kaya lang hindi tapos kasi bigla na lang nawalan ng gana”,he explained.

But it doesn’t mean that he’s not very much into music. It’s just that, like any other artists, inspirations are their drives. He even said that if happened to have a girlfriend who is not into music, then demand for him to stop, he said that he’s going to just ignore what his girl demands and still go on gigs.

Ten years from now, he sees himself as a husband to his wife and a father to his children. Is he planning to teach his children about music?

“hahayaan ko sila tulad nung nangyari sakin, kung kailan nila gustong matuto, kung ayaw nila okay lang din”, he shared.

For his final words in our talk, Jeff with the first sight, looked like hard to deal with, but just like any other song, you can never sing them, unless you listen to them.

Names to Short Connecting Words

K isses and hugs
E ncoding nightmares
A nother dilemma
N ewmoon, goodnight.

A llow me to poison you
R eborn is what I can promise you
I gnorantly, i beg for your arms, i offer you my heart
S ealed with hearthaches, you just can't, my dear goodbye.

Halaw (Cinemalaya Film Entry 2010) movie review

Free-passes is never a legal thing in almost everywhere. When you attend concerts, tickets will let you in. When you are to enter a group of people, initiations are required. On redirecting for your networking account passwords are your keys, and the movie "HALAW" is an example of "free-illegal-passes" entering a certain territory.

Halaw is term which means "DRIVEN-AWAY", the movie was then about people who were driven away to do something that they think would benefit them.

Badjao, a group of people from Jolo, was featured in the movie. They wanted to escape and seek for greater opportunities outside their own country, but the thing is, they cannot afford to have an extravagant, luxurious and legal trip to reach Malaysia, the place that they thought is their "Promised Land".

Though aiming for one goal, all of them had their own specific agenda. There were individuals such as human-trafficker, a long-time hostess, two young children; a girl and a boy who were looking for their mother.

The story was actually adopted from what was really happening today. If we just open our eyes, be  more observant, try to hear harder and be sensitive enough we'll realise that this was just a common dilemma we have in the Philippines right now. The poverty shown in the movie is not exaggerated or over shown, it was real.

Lights were impressive for me, the angles were simple yet gave impact on the movie.

Sound effects were perfect, the intense and the power were very much felt.

The language used was Badjao, and the subtitle was poor, the words were late to be viewed on screen but it challenged the audiences to distinguish the characters, to be more attentive on what the actors were saying, and most of all it confused the audience that made the movie more interesting.

Too short for a full-length movie, but "HALAW" , very short lines, but strong personalities, and the convincing powers of the actors, the dirty scenes which made it more natural and real, very simple script and predictable somehow but facial expressions intensifies every scenes. These were just some of the reasons why this film is something that we should be proud of.

Please to Meet, it's me the Beat

Yehey! Hooray !


Ito na marahil ang isa sa marami pang mga araw na ipagdiriwang ng aming klase. Ang bagay na laging nais naming naririnig na anunsyo ng aming mga guro “walang klase”. Ngunit gayun pa man, pinili ko pa rin na gumising maaga, hindi naman pakikipag-unahan sa pagtilaok ng manok ngunit ang karaniwang paggising ko kahit may klase sa unang asignatura. Walang nakalaan na oras para sa ano pa mang pagsasaya o mga bagay na kakaiba para sa akin sa araw na ito. Tanging pagpasok sa unibersidad at bahala na ang lahat pagkatapos. Isang pangkaraniwang araw ang muli kong natatanaw kaya naman ang aking isipan ay napupuno ng pagkabahala sa isuslat na saloobin sa aking blog bilang aktibidad na binilin sa amin ng aming Dakilang Guro. Lingid sa aking kaalaman ay may isang mahalagang pagtitipon pala sa araw na ito. Isang espesyal na pulong.


MASA









Kasapi ako ng isang kilalang organisasyon sa unibersidad, ang Mass Communication Student Association o mas kilala sa tawag na “MASA”.


Ang pagpupulong ay inianunsyo din sa mismong araw na ito, kaya sa pinakamabilis na paraan ay iginayak ko ang aking sarili. Isang mahabang maghapon ang siguradong lilipas nang hindi ko namamalayan at nais kong tapusin ang araw na may bagong kakilala.










Layunin ng aming pulong na ipaalam sa mga bagong kasapi ang mga gawain ng isang mag-aaral na kumukuha ng kursong Mass Communication. At para naman sa mga dating miyembro, ay ipinapakilala ang mga bagong kasapi.










KILL THE KILLJOYS









Sikreto ang paraan ng pagpapakilala. Walang ideya ang mga bagong miyembro. Kailangan nilang ipakilala ang sarili at pakitaan ang mga dating miyembro ng kanilang mga talento. “Bawal ang KJ”, yan ang katagang maririnig sa apat na sulok ng silid na ginaganapan ng aming munting pulong. Walang Mass Communication Student ang walang talento, yan ang paniniwalang pinasimulan ng isipan ko at ng mga taong nakasama ko. “Please to meet”, ang eksena sa maghapon na pagpupulong na iyon. Sa pagpapakilala at pagpapaganda ng presentasyon, gumamit sila ng musika sa pagsayaw ang ilan naman ay dinibdib ang pag-awit. Lahat ay ritmo, lahat may tunog. Lahat ay tila musika.

















The Beat


Sa maghapon na ito, may napag-alaman akong isang bagay. Anu’t-ano pa man ang mangyari ay bahagi ng buhay natin ang musika. Hindi natatapos ang isang araw na wala tayong naririnig na musika. Marahil ay naisaisip mo ang mga walang pandinig. Gayunman na alam natin may tinataglay silang bahagi na wala ang karaniwan nilalang alam ko sa kanilang puso ay may kanya-kanyang awitin din


silang patuloy na pinakikinggan.


Higit pa sa mga taong nakilala ko, pinukaw muli ni musika ang aking isipan.