Edsel H Moscoso (1952-2008)

Antiqueño artist "Totong" Edsel Moscoso died of leukemia on December 21, 2008. He was a great loss not only to the artists, but also to the Antiqueño community. He was a Bugal kang Antique awardee, 1993.

I was first introduced to him at Piedra Restaurant in 2003, when my first book THE RISE OF KINARAY-A. He had been asking around for a copy. He would drop by everytime he was in town.

I took this picture of him in his house in Madrangca in April 2007. It was Binirayan festival, and he invited me and Cecile Locsin Nava to have lunch with him. In August 28, I prepared an opening ritual for his 42nd solo exhibition at the Ayala Museum. He was very enthusiastic about telling me his next would be in Switzerland. No one expected that following exhibit at the UN in Geneva would be his last. His nephew Chad told me he came home from Switzerland very sick.

I wrote about that Ayala Museum show in Kinaray-a, and published it in the souvenir program of the 1st Karay-a Arts Festival in October 2007. Totong was very happy when I gave him a copy. It was the first time he was written about in Kinaray-a.

The last time we saw each other was during the Komedya Fiesta at the University of the Philippines on February 15, 2008. He insisted on paying for the muscovado I bought for him. But those were really from Marlene Liao. He told me he was so inspired by the komedya I directed he wanted to make a komedya series.

He did not show up in Binirayan 2008. He was preparing for his Geneva show. At the 2nd Karay-a Arts Festival in October 2008, somebody told me he was there, sitting under the shade of EBJ Park's very old pine trees. He was wearing a cap, and obviously did not want to be recognized, said my source. He was already very sick at that time.

Edsel was one great artist who was very proud about his roots. On February 11, we will open an exhibit of Edsel's works at the Museo Antiqueño. I went as far as Silay City to borrow his nude sketches from Lyn Gamboa. And as for my own tribute to him, I translated into English that article about his 42nd show "Antiqueños, Homage to my Kasimanwas" at the Ayala Museum.

Totong’s Tribute to Antiqueños

On August 28 to September 10, 2007 perhaps every Antiqueño who have visited Greenbelt Park at Makati has seen the ubiquitous poster boldly titled “Antiqueños.” And perhaps, they have – just as I had – felt a little nostalgic or teary-eyed with joy and pride, and restrained the urge to shout and jump for joy amidst the rush of cosmopolitans going to and from work or the malls. To find “Antiqueños” in the posh and upmarket mall complex in Makati City is almost unthinkable.

“Antiqueños: Homage to my Kasimanwas” was the 42nd solo exhibit by Antiqueño painter Edsel Moscoso. Born and raised in Bugasong, Moscoso made a name for himself among art collectors in Manila and abroad. This turned out to be his second to the last exhibit; his last was in Switzerland before he came home very ill. Paying homage to his fellow Antiqueños in his 42nd exhibit was a very significant step for Moscoso. It was the first time in his entire career as painter that he announced in his exhibition that he is an Antiqueño, and that his paintings are images of Antiqueños.

Edsel Moscoso was a big name among collectors and art critics. He shows were much written about in newspapers and magazines, but none mentioned about Antique. His paintings were regarded as Filipino, but never Antiqueño. National Artist Nick Joaquin in his column in Manila standard wrote of Moscoso’s paintings: “(they) tell no story – except that eternal story of born, live, love, work, suffer and die – but they do make a point of retelling that story as the story of how the Filipino is born, lives, loves, works, suffers, and dies.”

The brochure for the “Antiqueños” exhibit says: “Moscoso’s art identifies with the Filipino rural community. He spent part of his life in the simplicity of the rural environment.” I wonder if this was a conscious effort to generalize, or if the writer was not at all aware that the “rural environment” that mapped Moscoso’s imagination as artist were the mountains, valleys and seas of Antique, and the Antiqueño fisherfolks, peasants, and vendors. In short, as artist Edsel Moscoso was first appropriated by the Filipino, before he was possessed by the Antiqueño. In other words, he was first discovered by the nation, before he was owned by the province. Or perhaps, it was Moscoso who first saw the nation, before zeroing in on his hometown.

In “Antiqueños: Homage to my Kasimanwas” Moscoso comes full circle. It a journey of an Antiqueño as an artist. The artist had come home, and he was warmly welcomed by the Antiqueños. The exhibit opening on August 28, 2007 was attended no less by Senator Loren Legarda, who traces her roots to Antique, and Governor Sally Zaldivar Perez and her entourage of Antiqueño supporters and friends.

Moscoso, well-remembered by his family and friends as Totong Edsel, was born on January 30, 1952 in Bugasong as the sixth child of Dr. Julito A. Moscoso and Remedios Atillo Hermoso. He started drawing before he went to school at Bugasong Elementary School, and finished Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines. In 1975, he was chosen as one of the 13 Outstanding Young Artists of the Art Association of the Philippines, and he participated in various group exhibits before he had his first solo show at the Kilusang Gallery, followed up with another at the Galeria Buglas in Bacolod City.

In the 80s, Moscoso ventured into holding exhibitions abroad, like San Francisco, Italy, Beijing, Moscow, Sweden, Germany, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, among others, which gave him renown as an international artist. In 1986 he studied at the Center for the Study of Medieval Art and Culture through a scholarship from the Italian Government. He finished summa cum laude at the Pontifico Instituto di Archeologia Christiana in Rome.

Moscoso’s career as an artist is a long list of solo exhibits all around the globe. He kept coming and going if only to show off his canvasses of the ordinary folks – sakadas, peasants, fisherfolks, farmers, vendors, salt-makers – little people in varied poses of daily living, carrying their burden of baskets, sugar canes, fishnets, sacks of rice. They are pictures of simple yet industrious and hardy folks, of peasant women framed by halos, evoking divinity in their earthiness. Perhaps these are the images that enchant Moscoso’s collectors. He called his paintings “manscapes.”

At the dawn of the new millennium, Moscoso went home to Antique and built his house atop the rocks of Madrangca Beach in San Jose. His dream house facing the sea gave him a view of Madrangca’s picturesque sunset, and perhaps it was this that convinced him to stay in Antique. His house was his sanctuary, and he filled it with his art collection from the different places he had been to. He wanted to make this as a creative space to become home to artists and writers who wanted to get inspiration for their works.
In his 42nd solo exhibit, just after an exhibition in Seoul, Korea, and before a scheduled exhibition in Switzerland, Moscoso proudly announce, after a long journey around the globe, that the people clothed in gold – as Nick Joaquin had it: the golden Moscosos – are Antiqueños. It was the greatest honor Moscoso gave to Antique and her people.

My personal crusades

Most have new year resolutions. I don't. Because I don't believe in New Year anymore. The cycle of life just keeps on. Days turn to nights to days to nights. My argument is very simple: If many celebrate new year on after December 31, and the Chinese have theirs in February or some later date, the Buddhists (Thais) have their Songkran in April, there are three new years, not counting the less publicized cultures, all over the world. So what's the big deal? Why can't we just sleep tight on December 31 and wake up to a new day as we do all the time.

Time is relative. Einstein already showed us that, and recently news came out that scientists almost agree with him because they couldn't disprove him. In fact, my thinking is if we junk the Gregorian calendar, we might be able to explain climate change. We don't have to wonder why the chill came rather late this year, and the storms, and El Niño, La Niña, etc. The world, being matter, simply consumes itself or being consumed. But that's not saying we do not conserve Earth's resources!

Am not about to write on Climate Change or refute the Gregorian calendar, though. I just said I don't have NY resolutions. But I have personal crusades. These I (try hard) to do every day, because there is no new year, didn't I say?

1. Buy only local fruits.

I don't buy oranges, apples, grapes, pears, kiwi, etc. because they are imported. We don't help our economy by doing so. But I eat them if somebody gave me. Sayang naman. I just don't want to shell out my own money on them. I would buy papaya, pomelo, rambutan, mangosteen, kaymito - my number one fave fruit now, kasuy, pinya, mangga of course, chico, banana because they are local, from Davao, Guimaras, Aklan. I always ask vendors where the fruits come from. And I always buy from the fruit peddler doing the rounds of our village. The papaya looks freshly picked from her backyard.

When I have guests, I try to serve these fruits, especially those in season. Atis for example is abundant in September, and I grow one in my yard. Sometimes the bats and birds get them before I do. I don't mind. Knowing that there are bats around are a good sign that the ecosystem is still sound. Seeing different species of birds perched on our pomelo tree is a joy. We must plant fruit trees around our houses. Especially citrus variety, because the butterflies love to lay their eggs in their leaves. The birds pick the catterpillars and other insects, they pick the fruits, scatter the seeds, etc., so life goes on.

2. Take care of our money.

I don't exactly mean investing and using them in business. Keeping our money clean and uncrumpled is one way we who don't have much of them could do to help our economy. Many people fold the bills like origami, some crumple them. Galit ba sila sa pera. Countries that have better economies have clean and crisp bills. Walang langsa ng isda. So keep bills well in your wallets, or press them.

Keep loose change (barya) to pay tricycle and jeepney drivers. Don't give them the bills, because they are the number one origami artists. Jeepney drivers roll bills like tobacco.

If possible use the big denominations coins (10s and 5s) to pay the fishmonger. So our bills don't grow scales and smell like fish.

If you work as cashier, keep the torn and old bills in your money box, do not circulate them. They must be deposited or exchange for new ones at the bank.

Do not write your cellphone numbers on the paper bill. You don't get good friends that way. It's a venue for date rape and other unexpected crimes. Ikaw rin. Besides you're not that desperate.

Science of the Mind teaches us to love money. It doesn't only mean to love to work for money. It means loving and caring for the physical money - the bill and coins. Take care of them, keep them clean, uncrumpled. They will love coming back to you. Here, loving money means using them well. Do not use them for corruption, or corrupting yourself. Use it for right living and living right.

3. Send greeting cards.

There is no better alternative to nicely drawn greeting cards. Not the e-cards nor SMS greetings. It is always a delight to receive something from the postman, that's not your water or electric bill, subscriptions or credit card mailers. This is the only way we could keep humane in the digital global village. Hallmark must support me on this.

4. Buy from the peddlers around your village.

Padit sells dila-dila, bitsukoy, buchi, bingka that she cooks herself. Milo sells palutaw, dulse saging, banana cue every afternoon. They are women from our village. People like them should be supported so they keep these traditional foods. And I tell Padit to use banana leaves to wrap the dila-dila. I don't buy if she uses plastic bags. In the same way, I buy vegetables from this teenage boy who sees himself through night school, and fish from the women who live along the shore. They would help the fishermen haul in the fish and peddle their share to buy their rice or for their children's baon. They also save us from going to the market often.

Wanted: Articles for Anthology of Kinaray-a Writing 2009

Hiraya Media Arts through Datu Lubay Center, Inc. is publishing an anthology of Kinaray-a writing in 2009. Contributions are welcome. Please observe the following guidelines:

1. All articles (poems, stories, essays, drama) must be written in Kinaray-a.
2. Selected articles shall be translated into English by the editor/translator of the issue.
3. Articles must be encoded in Microsoft word or compatible application, without any special lay-out (0nly flush left, single space), and shall be attached to email as document. No RTF please.
4. Include a cover letter stating your interest to be included in the anthology and a short bio-note about you (3-5 sentences only).
5. Email all contributions to datulubay@yahoo.com on or before June 30, 2009.
6. The budget for this publication covers printing only. No royalty shall be given to authors. Contributors shall be paid with two complimentary copies of the book.
7. The individual authors retain the copyright of their own work.
8. By contributing articles, it is assumed that the contributor agrees with these guidelines, and gives permission to Datu Lubay Center, Inc. to publish their work.

Please inform other Kinaray-a writers.

5th OKM Awards, higher level na

Thanks to Sammy Rubido for giving me a CD of the 5th OKM Awards finalists. Wara takun nakalantaw kang actual performances kang mga finalists, kasi naman the awards night was held in far away Bugasong. Well, mga one hour drive man lang, but my car is still in the talyer, so I had nothing to drive. Drive me crazy na lang. Tried hard to convince Poks to bring her carurang, pero wiz feel kang murat magrampa sa Bugaysong hay wa man driver, and her chubby daughter Mariela wara't mabantay.

In other words, nagahinulsul gid ako tulad nga wiz ko witness ang 5th OKM, especially nga nag-winalou si Love Estaris for her song "Ti ano karon." Listen na lang me sa CD nga givsung ni Sammy Rubs.

Jongga ang song ni Love, in the tradition of Cabaret and Hey Big Spender. It's about a chaka girl nga nagarationalize kang anang pagka-chaka. Shades of Betty La Fea. Sureness, it's not Love's persona coz super-jutiful si Rubbie Rizza Estaris, Lin-ay kang Antique 2005. But for her to take on the persona and be the voice of the homely is unselfishness. May feminist voice sa kanta ni Love, so that indi matrivialize as just another Liza Minelli/Shirley Bassey wannabee. In a pop music tradition nga puro love song kang panganduhoy kon bukut over the top romantisismo about the Maragtas, matawag ta nga novelty ang kanta ni Love Estaris. Dugangan pa nga super performer si Love, ti bukut makatiringala nga madaug na ang top prize this year. Congrats, Love.

Ang second cut sa CD - "Wara" ni Noel Tabotabo stars out in a Sting-ish beat, and I suspect amo gid ang model ni Noel. On second thought, daw si Billy Joel man. Something between rock and jazz. Rock ang beat pero gina-jazz up ni Noel. hahaha. Amo gid man ang signature ni Noel, who's been into composing and music for the longest time I remember. I got him as my musical director for "Hiniraya" in 2002, pero wara nagsipot sa performance hay nagbata si misis na. Trademark na man dya. hehehe. Anyway, Noel's music is something he alone could sing. Amo ria wara nagapopular ang anang music. If I remember right he also won first prize in the 3rd OKM. Si Love Estaris ang interpreter na. Small world.

The second prize winner, "Ikaw nadura tungud kanakun" is by Marte Jun Granada, who Jun Teneso told me is still a student. This is a love duet, and quite mushy. A song about lost love, the lyrics are prosaic and corny, but the music is good enough. It gives enough material for the local singers.

The other songs in the album are forgettable. There's Edison Otañez's "Daw Hangin", which is a far cry from his earlier music, plus the rather trying hard singing style he puts on. He won third for this. It's easy to accept. Edison is OKM's first champion, when we started the competition in 2003. He lost in the second, and that was quite an issue. But as one local composer said in his one-time popular OKM, "Pa-tyempo tyempo lang" (sing that 100x).

There's another song I would tend to like - "San-o" (track 9), which comes in the tradition of Pinoy rock. Am not a big rock music fan, but this one hits me good enough. It's by Filbert Paunon (music) and Thelmo Fano (lyrics).

I think the 5th OKM is in a higher level now. Kauna, most of the music is about Kinaray-a, kag Maragtas, ek-ek beng. Mga romantisismo nga mabudlay huksun sa Karay-a artists. Pero tulad, thanks to new music artists like Love Estaris, and old timers like Noel, who are experimenting, and trying to put new elements in OKM.

We must congratulate Paranubliun Antique, for sustaining OKM Awards, which has now become an annual event to look out for.

Si Bitoy sa "Larawan"

Nasa third year hayskul pa lang ako nang napanood ko ang dulang "Larawan," na pinalabas sa ngayon ay dilapidated nang Little Theater sa UP Visayas sa Molo, Iloilo City. Ito yata ang pinakaunang professionally produced play na napanood ko. Ang opening scene nito ay ang monolog ni Bitoy Camacho na siyang pinakaintroduksyon ng dula.

Pagkatapos kong napanood iyon ay sinabi ko sa sarili kong gusto ko ring mag-artista sa entablado. Dito yata nagsimula ang pagkagulo ng isip ko kung anong karera ang gusto ko at anong kurso ang kunin ko sa kolehiyo. Ilang beses kong binasa ang iskrip ng larawan, at read aloud ko ang mga linya ni Bitoy. Well, for some time, naging artista ako sa mangilan-ngilang dula, pero never bilang si Bitoy. Ngayon 42 na ako.

Kagabi ko lang nakilala iyong Bitoy Camacho na pumukaw ng aking pag-ibig sa entablado. Si Dennis Marasigan pala iyon. Kung hindi pa kami nag-chikahan ni Dennis pagkatapos ng nakakapagod na 2-day workshop sa Orchid Gardens, hindi ko pa nalaman.

Napag-usapan tuloy namin ni Dennis ang Antique ayon sa naalala niya noong 1983. Nagside-trip sila sa Antique noon, bago ang palabas ng "Larawan" sa Iloilo. Si Behn Cervantes, na siyang direktor ay konsultant ng dulang "Hantik-i" ni Bernie Salcedo. Cast ako sa dulang iyon. Isa sa mga direktor si Susan Macabuag, na kaibigan ni Behn Cervantes. Kaya nainvolve si Behn sa produksiyong iyon. Kaya nagside-trip ang cast ng "Larawan" sa Antique, at nag-judge ng beauty contest sina Susan Valdes, Barbara Perez, Rez Cortes, atbp.

Sabi ni Dennis, napakalayo ng nilakbay nila mula Iloilo noon. Lubak-lubak ang daan. May stop over pa daw sa bundok, bago ang pagbaba sa mga bayan ng Antique. Well, two hours na lang ngayon ang biyahe, aspaltado na ang daan except sa mga nasira ng bagyo; baka sa Tiolas ang stop-over. May scenic view ito ng dagat.

Binirayan Festival noon, at say ni Dennis first time daw siyang nakakita ng street-dancing. Baka ang sinasabi niya ay Ati-ati, dahil may kumpetisyon noon ng ati-ati. Doon daw sila pinatulog sa ospital, na nakapagtataka dahil kokonti ang tao doon. Baka sa payward sila pinatulog. Ang karamihan sa charity ward. Ang mga may pera sa Antique sa Iloilo nagpapagamot. Pero kakaibang strategy ito ng hosting guests for Binirayan. Ganito pala noon. Kasi nga wala pang mga hotel sa Antique noon. May Rizalitos Hotel, pero baka nagtipid lang talaga si Gov. Ike Zaldivar noon. Ngayon, malaki ang ginagastos ng Binirayan Foundation para sa mga VIP tuwing Binirayan. Bakit nga pala hindi gawin muli ito. Province naman ang may-ari ng ospital, bakit hindi gamitin ang mga bakanteng private rooms para sa ibang guests? Suggest ko nga.

Ang mga stars naman daw ay pinatulog sa Binirayan Guest House. May swimming pool sa likod nito, at one time daw na nagsuswiming sila, nagulat na lang sila sa dami ng nagsulputang mga taong nanonood sa kanila. Bigla daw naconscious si Susan Valdez na nakaswim suit at nagsa-sunbathing. Naglaro daw sila ng kuning-kuning na water hockey at di nagtagal may mga fans na silang nag-cheer at napalakpakan.

May pinuntahan daw silang party sa Hamtic, by the beach. It turned out reunion party ng mga Pacificador iyon. At ang feeling naman nila, dahil family affair at outsider sila, para silang mga circus animals na dinala doon for show and for free lunch. hahaha. Ganyan talaga ang strategy para makatipid. Ibig sabihin, in good terms pa ang mga Zaldivar at mga Pacificador noon. Governor si Ike Zaldivar, assemblyman si Turing Pacificador at nasa iisang partidong KBL lang sila. Nung 1984, nagbago ang lahat ng ito, dahil sa Pangpang massacre. Namatay ang mga paryente ni Zaldivar, suspek naman nito si Pacificador. Kaya may alam din si Dennis sa politika sa Antique.

Kinse anyos pa lang ako noon nang napanood ko si Dennis Marasigan sa dulang "Larawan." Kaya kami nakapanood dahil treat iyon sa amin ni Gov. Ike Zaldivar pagkatapos ng pagtatanghal ng "Hantik-i" sa Binirayan. Nagsponsor din siguro siya dun, bilang kapalit ng pagpunta ng mga artista sa Binirayan Festival. Star-studded pala ang Binirayan 1983.

Walang wala sa "Walang Kawala"

Nang pinanood ko ang "Walang Kawala" sa Robinson's Ermita noong November 20, sasampu lang kaming bakla sa loob ng sinehan. Bakit kaya ganung isang mega treat sa mga bading ito. Imagine Polo Ravales at Joseph Bitangcol na naglalaplapan, hindi lamang sa isang eksena, kundi mga tatlo o apat pa. Hanggang sa katapusan, kahit in the throes of death na si Polo, sabay sabing "mahal na mahal kita" kay Joseph, ay may kissing scene pa. Sinong bakla ang hindi mag-eenjoy dito?

May frontal nudity pa ang aktor na gumanap na macho dancer na kaibigan ni Waldo (Joseph Bitangcol). Baka ito na nga ang longest frontal nudity sa history ng gay films na napalabas sa sinehan dito sa Pinas. (Somebody make a study.)

Indie daw itong pelikula ni Joel Lamangan, pero mainstream na mainstream ang finish nito. Walang bago o experimental dito. Hindi naman bago ang pelikulang may temang bakla o may hubaran di ba? Ano na ba ang working definition ng indie film? Anyway indie or not, mag-eenjoy pa rin ang bakla sa pelikulang ito.

Love story ito nina Joaquin (Polo Ravales), isang mangingisda, at Waldo na isang high school graduate. Saan may mangingisdang sing gwapo ni Polo? Pupuntahan ko. Ang asawa niya'y dalawang taong nagtrabaho sa Dubai. Nagkadebelopan sila ng kapitbahay na bagets. Mukhang si Waldo ang dead na dead kay Joaquin. Di ba naman lahat tayo'y nag-ilusyong may gwapong binatilyong magkagusto sa atin? Syempre tigang na tigang ang asawa ni Joaquin nang umuwi galing Dubai; titigasan naman ang mga heterong lalaki sa mga eksenang kangkangan dito. Mukhang may gustong lamangan si Lamangan sa paggawa ng mga eksenang ito? Scorpio Nights ba ang naiisip niya? Kaya lang wala nang bago dito. Bongga't kaka-L din ang eksenang kangkangan sa opening scene ng Lalaki sa Parola, I recall, at mas lyrical iyon.

Nang nalaman ni Waldo na nabuntis ang asawa ni Joaquin, naimbyerna siya kaya naglayas. At dito nagsimula ang paghahanap ni Joaquin sa kanyang trulab. Metapora din ito sa kanyang paghahanap ng sarili at pagtanggap ng kanyang sekswalidad. Ang problema, talagang napariwara si Waldo at napunta sa mga kamay ng salbaheng pulis na si Rufo (Emilio Garcia). Kapangalan pa niya ang ex kong may pagkasalbahe nga't nambubugbog pa. Teka, alam ba ni Joel ang kwento ng buhay ko?

Anyway, ipinaglaban nina Joaquin at Waldo ang kanilang pagmamahalan, nakatakas nga sila sa tulong ng traidor na si Beng (Jean Garcia), ang battered wife ni Rufo na sadyang piniling magiging alila ng kasamaan ng asawa. Siya yata ang embodiment ng baklang masokista. In the end, nabaril ni Rufo si Joaquin, nakatakas wi Waldo na siyang nagsumbong ng child-trafficking operations ng sadistang silahis na pulis.

Para magkaroon ng layers at texture ng mga pangyayari sa ating lipunan itong halos imposibleng kwento ng dalawang napakagwapong batang bading, ipinasok ni Lamangan ang mga reportage tungkol sa mga nawawalang tao dahil sa political harrassment na mas nakakatakot kung tawaging desaparecidos. Mukhang hang-over pa ito ni Lamangan sa kangyang pagiging aktor at direktor sa Peta. At para may relevance pa, ay pinilit pa ang isyu ng child-trafficking. May suspetsa akong feeling talaga ni Joel Lamangan ay siya na ang pumalit kay Lino Brocka.

Litaw na litaw din ang mga artifice ng direktor/scriptwriter. Halimbawa, para magkaroon ng lyrical ek-ek ang pelikula, hobby daw ng asawa ni Rufo ang pag-aalaga ng mga isda sa akwaryum. Ito pala ang objective correlative kuning sa mga batang kinikidnap ni Rufo at ibinibenta sa Intsik ng 25T kada ulo. Dahil nga naman gasgas na ang mga ibong kinukulong sa hawla, isda naman ngayon. Pero keri na rin. Metaporikal nga.

Sina Joaquin at Waldo bilang mga bakla ay biktima ng mga mapang-aping institusyon ng lipunan, halimbawa ng batas, kustombre at tradisyon, at ng realidad ng kahirapan. Biktima din sila ng kapwang naapi pero ayaw labanan ang umaapi sa kanila, katulad ng mga baklang tinatanggap na lang na sila'y pagtawanan, gawing gatasan, o alipin ng kanilang lalaki, at walang balak na labanan ito (symbolized by the Beng character).

Mas gusto ko naman ang paggamit ng basketbol bilang metapor kay Waldo. Ganito; ang eksena: kinakabayo ng asawa niyang napakalibog si Joaquin pero walang gana ang lola mo dahil nga iniisip ang naglayas na si Waldo.

Asawa: May problema ba? Wala ka yatang gana.... (to that effect)
Joaquin: (Hindi magsasalita. Camera cuts to Waldo's orang basketball sa sofa.)

Cut to: Morning the next day, galit na galit ang girl dahil nalamang malangsa ang jowa. Like a woman scorned pinalayas niya (na lalayas naman talaga dahil hahanapin si Waldo). Pagbalik niya sa loob ng bahay, nakita ang basketbol. Kinuha ito at tinapon sa dingding. Tinamaan ang kanilang wedding picture; basag ang picture frame. O diva!

Kakael din ang eksenang nakahiga ang lasing na si Waldo, nakabrips lang. Hinipo-hipo ng nagnanasang si Paolo Rivero (ang gumanap ng bading na nag-take home sa bagets from the gay bar) ang notes nito. Utog na utog po ako dun! Ilang seconds yun, at makikitang humuhulma ang notes ni Joseph Bitangcol. (Balita daw sa pagka Dakota Harrison niya! Naospital daw ang isang teen star na kakangs niya?). Mapapanood din ang buong dance number ng mga macho dancer sa gay bar, at ang finale ay nakadipang si Tolits, labas ang bird, na kahit hindi pa matigas ay mahaba na.

Kaya alam ko na kung bakit kokonti ang mga vaklang nanonood sa sinehan. Am sure binabantayan ang DVD nito at panonorin in the confines of their bedroom, dahil mas siguradong mag-eenjoy sila. Am sure kikita sa DVD sales ang nag-iindie-indihang pelikulang ito.

Love is death is love

Hindi pala simpleng love story na pa-cute itong "My Only U" ng Star Cinema, starring Toni Gonzaga at Vhong Navarro. Well, pa-cute pa rin siya, pero may redeeming value naman. Kasi kakaiba. Kasi, imbes na about love ito, about death pala.

At iyon lang ang bago dito. Karamihan sa pelikulang Pinoy na love story ay happy ending. Kasi naman, dapat maging masaya tayo. Kung kamatayan naman sa ending, yung tipong tragedy, tipong "Hihintayin kita sa langit...." na tipong "Wuthering Heights." E kasi naman adaptation nga pala iyun. Ano ba? Have I seen enough of Pinoy movies to say this?

Well, going back kay mareng Toni at pareng Vhong.... Or kay Manding Cathy Garcia Molina na director nila (kasi nga director's hand talaga ang makikita natin dito, si Toni at Vhong nagpa-cute lang talaga), ang bago sa ginawa nila ay to treat the subject of death in a light, although not necessarily flippant manner. Hindi common sa ating mga Pinoy ito, diva? Kasi pag death na iiyak na lahat, gurahab na si Vangie Labalan, dadapa pa sa kabaong, with super tears, etc. May iyakan din sina Toni at Vhong, pero lalo silang nagiging maganda at gwapo dito.

Ganito kasi ang storya: May taning na daw ang buhay ni iyay Toni. In-love naman si Vhong sa kanya, kaya gagawin niya ang lahat para lumigaya si Toni habang nasa mundong ibabaw pa. Kung pwede pang i-delay ang appointment kay Kamatayan, gagawin niya. It turns out false alarm itetch kasi maling lab results ang naibigay ng lab (siguro mas maganda ang pelikulang tungkol sa mga pabayang laboratory at hospital). Ang trulili pala si Vhong ang dying. Nang malaman ni Toni, nagpakasal na sila para masaya. On the way to their honeymoon, nadisgrasya sila. So magkasama na sila ever after sa kabilang buhay. Morbid, diva?

Pero hindi. Kakatuwa siya. Hindi mo pag-iisipang malungkot ang mamatayan ng minamahal. Baka nga maging uso pa ang lovers na magpapakamatay to prove that their love is till death together forever. To see death in this way, fresh yun in the context of Pinoy cinema, of course. Marealize natin, na kung mahal natin ang isang tao, dapat tanggapin natin na hindi forever ito, dahil sooner or later, mahihiwalay din tayo sa kanya or sa kanila kung marami tayong mahal. Kaya ang importante talaga ay magmahalan habang buhay pa kayo pareho. Paligayahin mo ang love mo, kasi pag tsugi na ang isa sa inyo, iba na iyon. At hindi tayo matatakot na mawala ang taong mahal natin, kasi minahal na nga natin, walang nasayang na sandali. Pero kung gusto mo talagang kasama pa rin siya, mamatay ka na rin. May pagka-existentialist ang worldview nito. Huwag na lang nating pag-usapan ang existensialism. Di ko keri ngayon.

Kwelang-kwela ang mga eksena dito, pero para sa akin halos "conceit" na ng direktor ang paggawa nito. Marami kasing pinaglalaruan lang talaga for its own sake kasi kwela. Halimbawa, ang eksenang naglalaro ng taguan-pung ang buong neighborhood pagdating ni Vhong. Masaya yun, pero kebs? Oo, kunwari mis en scene yun sa condition ng mag-irog, at sinusuport ang ideyang tatay ni Toni (Dennis Padilla) na bulag pa ang "nakakita" ng pagmamahal ni Vhong kay Toni, pero ang buong neighborhood ba naman nagtataguan sa oras na dapat nagtatrabaho ang mga tao para may kita sila, noh!. Iyung ideya na si Benjie Paras ay multong sinugo para sunduin si Toni/Vhong ay ilang beses nang ginawa ng Hollywood (sa Brad Pitt movie ba?). Kwela din ito. Iyung eksenang nagmumuni-muni si Vhong throughout the seasons was witty, pero homage kaya sa Crouching Tiger ek-ek vang yun, o sa Kill Bill? Lalo na yung snow effect. Kung sa bagay kahit poster pa lang na sinampay sina Vhong at Toni mukhang fresh idea, pero naalala ko ang isang painting ni Frida Kahlo na ganito. Wala namang kinalaman ito sa pelikula. Magandang poster lang talaga. Suspetsa ko din na may pinagkunan ang ending nito. Maganda lang ang last scene dahil Pinoy na Pinoy: puting jeepney ang sumundo sa mga kaluluwa.

Bilang pelikulang Pinoy, siyempre kailangan kumpletos rekados para sa masang mag-eenjoy nito. Sina Kitkat at Empoy ay magbabatokan palagi habang nagpapalitan ng punchline, katulad ng ginagawa ni Pogo at Togo, or Dolphy at Panchito. Si Arlene Mulach ang pumalit kay Ike Lozada. At si Janus del Prado bilang Nyork ang ngongo na katawa-tawa. Mga sidekick lang sila, kasama ng buong cast na nakatira sa compound na kasali sa mga production numbers.

Kaenjoy-enjoy naman talaga ang pelikulang ito. Naiyak ako sa discovery ni Toni. Pag naiyak ako sa isang pelikula, alam kong maganda ito. Pero 3 stars lang ito.