Bisaya Bloggers

Photo courtesy of http://morofilm.blogspot.com

My friend Jun Macarambon, who co-wrote “A step for my dream” had their film officially selected in this year’s Cinemalaya, inevitably the most prestigious film festival in the Philippines. I haven’t seen the film myself, but the fact that it made it to the festival should keep everyone’s heads up. It was directed by Monalayn Labado, also a Mindanawon. Hopefully, their producer Teng Mangansakan II, also a documentary filmmaker from Mindanao, would allow to screen the said film for this upcoming Mindanao Film Festival for everyone to see. Lately, the influx of critical Mindanao filmmakers shaking the national and international scene have grown since, perhaps, Lav Diaz. Other films to watchout for that are made by a Mindanao filmmaker include Sherad Anthony Sanchez’s film (director of Huling Balyan ng Buhi) “Imburnal”, which was recently shot in some parts of Bankerohan and Gumasa. It is an entry for this year’s Cinema One Originals. Also, an advocacy film was recently made entitled, “Hunghong sa yuta” which has already run on local cinemas. Noticeably, most of our fresh breed of filmmakers have done stories on Mindanao, treating these stories with a fair sense of what Mindanao truly feels like.

In an interview, Mangansakan mentioned a trend in the past of outsiders making stories about us with an unnerving sort of unfamiliarity, even dettachment. I once watched a 1980 Eddie Romero epic (three and half hours long) film entitled, “Aguila” starring Fernando Poe Jr., Christopher de Leon, Eddie Garcia among other star studs, and the film had vague images of Mindanao as the backdrop of where Fernando Poe eventually disappeared to. It portrays Mindanao as somewhat the ideal place to get lost in, a place ridden with rebels. Although, the rather unbalanced portrayal of Mindanao is for the overall cinematic effect or part of how it was written but that’s precisely how it’s just not enough for non-Mindanawons to describe what Mindanao is like. Even National Media makes me cringe at all the news they run about the region. Whereas that is my advocacy, all strifes of artistic forms or self-determining movements in Mindanao have been hampered by the fact that there isn’t ENOUGH support from the locale, or at least not too many are aware that it needs support. I hope you will show yours.

Yesterday, that is June 12th, was the commemoration of the very elusive Independence day of the Philippines (since some historians argue among themselves whether it took place during the late 1800s or Post-Commonwealth). In fact, I’ve heard smart alecky remarks from some that we’re not a free nation at all so the theory in practice is rather pointless. But never mind that, ABS-CBN enshrines freedom and have televised that “symbolic interaction” by simultaneously doing a 411 primary school flag ceremony in all ABS-CBN headquarters nationwide. Back at the mothership you realize that they come across as unpretentious, just as long as you think about Eugenio Lopez in all his dignified exuberance say the words, “Mabuhay ang Lahi ng Kayumanggi” without first expounding this profound idea. It’s interesting really, so many social issues to digest in such a short declaration. Are we really a nation who embraces Kayumanggi? What with all this hype of Glutathione and Eskinol sikerto ng mga gwapo? What is the social construct behind Kayumanggi? Was Lopez particularly lauding an idealistic view of our lahi? What does that mean also? Race? Culture? Essence?

You can only relate to this if you’re a Filipino and watched TV most of the day like I did.

A particularly odd segment followed this commemoration: the media coverage of the funeral service dedicated to Rudy Fernandez, a Filipino action star. We’re not close or anything, but since he’s dead I guess it’s okay to say at this point, “Too bad we never get to see a movie starring Rudy Fernandez and Lorna Tolentino”. If Rudy was well enough there was a script waiting for him and his wife. I don’t own the rights to the script but the premise of the story is based on a woman’s unwavering love for her partner despite her own personal desires. This would have been their life story. Anyway, what is my conclusion about Rudy’s death? I roughly quote my friend, “Reality is more unbelievable than fiction. Fiction (film) is there to convince us that they are unbelievable indeed.”

My condolences to the actor’s family.

Anyway, did Noli de Castro turn his back on his ABS-CBN family, finally? By smashing the oligarchs no less! Smash, smash, smash. Why are you talking just now de Castro? Are you disappointed in how they’re handling the Ces Drilon kidnapping? I’m glad you could air your testimonial about being kidnapped by the Abusayyaf yourself. He throws a caveat, “Never let the station handle the negotiation with the group.” When he says this you can just see the traces of disappointment in his voice. He’s making parinig ABS-CBN twice in one day! Wow. I wonder if PGMA promised him a cut in the Meralco hostile takeover…

So much for a free nation. Cheers to the social entrapments we are in and the bright box that tells us all about it.

Tags: TV, ABS-CBN, Rudy Fernandez, Lorna Tolentino, Eugenio Lopez, Noli de Castro, Meralco

In the height of realising what a big role media has in influencing ideas and inevitably lifestyles, I couldn’t JUST talk about music. I’m part of a generation who hardly cared, the Gen Y, the 2k tykes who are at the prime of their existence today but have been sucked in to the vortex of information, entertainment and hedonism. There’s nothing wrong with any of that but what I keep asking ‘em mindless lot, (rephrased) if they swim through the wave without thinking twice? Without the slightest offering of skepticism or discernment of its quality?

Enough of this Deep Talk, and hello.

Welcome to the “NEW AND IMPROVED SOUTHISMS!” Don’t you just love Music? I love it so much. What about movies? TV? Radio? Photography? I love ‘em too. Can’t decide what to write with all those things in m. So here it is. Like it?  The whole point of this blog is to grab you by the nuts and show you the fascinating things happening around the Southern region.  Wait, there’s more:  you get to think twice about it.  Secret, secret? I got a secret!

I say Domo Aregato Mr. Roboto - if you didn’t get my very tacky Styx song reference there, let me remind you that there’s a whole a new world at the tip of your fingers via the internet, particularly blogs authored by young minds like myself.  (I was always used to being the youngest in a peer group but then I grew up and started to think I could be young on my own.)  I want to celebrate the youth of this blog by celebrating its maturity.  What started out as a music blog is now turning its attention to other tangible information and entertainment resources.  If you can look at the world and its people by analysing its music, what more if you could examine (especially) Mindanao from the perspective of all its exposures.  Such is the new concept of this revitalized blog: hip, current, versatile, multicultural and conscious.

Watch this precious, precious space in the interweb.