[REVIEW] A Story, A Prayer and A Vow (Ikaw Ang Liwanag At Ligaya: The 2020 ABS-CBN Christmas Song)

Nobyembre 27, 2020Nobyembre 27, 2020Mag-iwan ng puna

“Kulang ang Pasko kapag walang ABS-CBN Christmas station ID.”

2020 has been a tough year for ABS-CBN because of the Congress’ non-issuance of broadcast franchise. The once brightest free TV and radio network in the Philippines has lost its shining glory which resulted to the loss of jobs of thousands of its talents, employees and even its managers. Some of its homegrown A-list stars have to accept other jobs from rival networks and transfer to other talent management firms to survive. On the other hand, the public saw the loyalty of celebrities to the company despite its absence in traditional means of news, information and entertainment. Many of them chose to stay and some of them expressed their intention to help the management in bringing back their home to their Kapamilyas.

Months after the shutdown, the network is picking up the pieces of its broken glory. And as Yuletide season starts, ABS-CBN is taking this chance to redeem its reputation in the midst of the ongoing struggles they’re facing. And there’s no other way to display their might but to continue a long-standing tradition on Philippine television every Christmas which they started, 18 years ago.

After months of anticipation, this afternoon, ABS-CBN has launched the lyric video of “Ikaw ang Liwanag at Ligaya” (You are Light and Joy), their official song for the 2020 Christmas station ID. It premiered on a very different platform (IWantTFC) and it has good reasons, which we will discuss in a bit.

For someone who’s always excited for ABS-CBN’s Christmas station ID ever since “Isang Pamilya, Isang Puso Ngayong Pasko” in 2002, I can say with complete honesty that the lyric video and the song itself didn’t give me the element of surprise. BUT DON’T GET ME WRONG!

Yes, one may notice its similarity to the past six Christmas station IDs (Thank You Ang Babait Ninyo, Thank You For The Love, Isang Pamilya Tayo, Just Love, Family is Love, Family is Forever). But it’s the musician’s mastery of arrangement that made the 2020 Christmas song refreshing to listen. There’s consistency from the ABS-CBN brand of holiday music. There’s magic and emotion that everyone can feel. The words are easy to memorize, and I admit, I already memorized it for less than 6 hours. And because the beat is familiar to almost of us, one can sing the past Kapamilya Christmas songs through this new Christmas favorite.

Yes, the lyric video features the premium frontliners of ABS-CBN entertainment — its incomparable roster of performers. From music legends to future superstars to fast-rising new generation of singers, it is not really surprising to see them sing together except that they’re not singing at a studio unlike the past pre-station ID recording videos. Taping their part in the video at their respective homes is a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and this maybe a clue for everyone of the station ID. What surprises me is who stayed in ABS-CBN for this Yuletide extravaganza even if they have no current programs in the network. The presence of Bamboo and Lea Salonga gives us a possible hint of another The Voice season soon.

Let’s go to the interesting part — the lyrics. Play the video and sing:

Sa isang iglap, mga ngiti’y natakpan
Mahigpit na yakap, kailangang pakawalan.
Dumaan ang dilim, napuno ng bituin
sa Iyong lilim, pag-ibig, mas nagningning.

Hinahanap ang kahapon sa panibagong ngayon.
Marami ang nagbago ngunit ‘di ang pagmamahal Mo.

Ngayong Pasko, magdiriwang ang mundo.
Sa pag-ibig Mo’y may himala, may panibagong simula.
Ngayong Pasko, babalik ang saya
dahil Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

Kami ay may lakas na harapin ang bukas.
Ikaw ang gabay sa bawat landas.
Gawin kaming liwanag para sa isa’t isa.
Pag-asang sumisinag sa pamilya at sa kapwa.

Ngayong Pasko, magdiriwang ang mundo.
Sa pag-ibig Mo’y may himala, may panibagong simula.
Ngayong Pasko, babalik ang saya
dahil Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

Sa mahabang gabi, tumigil ang mundo.
Sa pag-asang dala Mo, tuloy ang Pasko.

Liwanag, ligaya!
Light, joy!
Caridad, alegria!
Kasanag, kasadya!
Lamrag, kalipay!
Sahaya, kakuyagan!
Kahayag, kalipay!
Raniag, ragsak!

Liwawa, liket!
Sigay, lilini!
Liwanag, kaogmahan!
Sulu at ing tula!

Kibou, yorokabi! (Japanese)
Illumina, gioia! (Italian)
YangGuang, XiYue! (Mandarin)
Lumiere, joie! (French)

Bit, jeulgeoum! (Korean)
Adwaa, farah! (Arabic)
‘Or’, osher! (Hebrew)
Luz, alegria! (Spanish)

Liwanag at ligaya, nagmumula sa ‘Yo,
ikakalat sa mundo!

Ngayong Pasko, magdiriwang ang mundo.
Sa pag-ibig Mo’y may himala, may panibagong simula.
(May panibagong simula!)
Ngayong Pasko, babalik ang saya
(Ibalik, ibalik, ibalik ang ligaya!)
(Ibalik ang saya!)
dahil Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya!
Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya!
Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya!
Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya!

I said earlier that I got to memorize the song just for hours. It’s simple but straight from the heart. And if you listen closely, “Ikaw ang Liwanag at Ligaya” is not just a typical Christmas song.

First, the song is the story of ABS-CBN this year:

Sa isang iglap, mga ngiti’y natakpan,
mahigpit na yakap, kailangang pakawalan.
(Refers to the tragic May 5 shutdown in the middle of pandemic, when ABS-CBN was an essential source of news and entertainment by people who were forced to stay at home due to ECQ.)

Dumaan ang dilim, napuno ng bituin
sa Iyong lilim, pag-ibig, mas nagningning.
(Refers to the thousands of celebrities who showed their support for ABS-CBN from street rallies outside the Broadcast Center to social media.)

Kami ay may lakas na harapin ang bukas.
Ikaw ang gabay sa bawat landas.
(Refers to their faith and confidence to stand proud despite the vilification of those who are against the franchise.)

Gawin kaming liwanag para sa isa’t isa.
Pag-asang sumisinag sa pamilya at sa kapwa.
(Refers to its mission to help each other in the middle of darkness brought by calamities and its shutdown.)

Second, the song is an interfaith prayer of hope:

Hinahanap ang kahapon sa panibagong ngayon.
Marami ang nagbago ngunit ‘di ang pagmamahal Mo.

Ngayong Pasko, magdiriwang ang mundo.
Sa pag-ibig Mo’y may himala, may panibagong simula.
Ngayong Pasko, babalik ang saya
dahil Ikaw ang liwanag at ligaya.

And third, the song is a commitment — a promise to God and to Filipino people.

Sa mahabang gabi, tumigil ang mundo.
Sa pag-asang dala Mo, tuloy ang Pasko.
(In the midst of the darkness, ABS-CBN’s faith remains and it is manifested to its celebration of Christmas this year.)

Liwanag at ligaya, nagmumula sa ‘Yo,
ikakalat sa mundo!
(With faith, even without the franchise, ABS-CBN commits to spread their mission in the service of the Filipino worldwide.)

This year’s station ID was first seen in their brand new platform called IWantTFC, the Philippines’ first all-Filipino content streaming service, a way for other people from all over the world to witness the best of Filipino entertainment. How serious is this? For the first time, this Kapamilya Christmas song translated “liwanag” at “ligaya” to different dialects and major languages. One may see it as a way of promote inclusivity, but given the struggles that ABS-CBN has faced this way, being global is the way to go. It’s our clue — ABS-CBN will no longer be a channel for Filipinos but for the world.

As of this writing, the lyric video already garnered 234 thousand views, an hour after it was shown in all ABS-CBN cable, online and digital channels, and their newest A2Z Channel 11 in partnership with Zoe Broadcasting Network. This proves enthusiasm by every Kapamilya and excitement to see the 2020 ABS-CBN Christmas Station ID on December 1.

Cinemalaya Sa Aking Mata

Agosto 3, 2018Agosto 3, 2018Mag-iwan ng puna

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Bahagi na ng buhay ko ang Cinemalaya.

Ito ang nagsisilbing homecoming ko taon-taon sa tahanan ng ating napakatingkad ngunit mapanghamong sining ng pelikula. Pinaglalaanan ko ito ng pera at panahon dahil sa panahong ang ideya ng pinilakang-tabing ay nagkakaroon ng kalabuan, ang Cinemalaya ay tanglaw na marami pang magaganda’t may saysay na pelikula para sa kasalukuyang henerasyon. Mag-isa man o kasama ang mga kaibigan, ang Cinemalaya ay may ekstraordinaryong puwang sa aking kamalayan bilang Pilipino.

Dito sa Aurora Metropolis, nagkaroon din ng ispesyal na sandali ang Cinemalaya. Apat na pelikulang tampok sa ikapitong edisyon nito noong 2011 ang hinimay ko gamit ang aking sapat na kaalaman sa pelikula at binigyan ng sariling pananaw na may kaugnayan sa ating lipunan. Ang tinawag ko rito ay “Cinemalaya sa Aking Mata”.

Tatlong taon ang nagdaan, sa selebrasyon ng unang dekada ng Cinemalaya, napili ang inyong lingkod bilang isa sa mga kauna-unahang set ng peer reviewer sa Cinemalaya Campus, isang film education program na nagtuturo sa high school students at mga mag-aaral ng pelikula sa kolehiyo kung paano sumulat ng movie review. Ang pagkakataong ito ay tunay na karangalan dahil hindi lang nito nabigyang-kilala ang kakayahan kong mag-rebyu kundi ang kakayahan kong magbigay-inspirasyon gamit ang pagsusulat.

Dalawang taon din akong hindi nakapunta sa CCP para sa Cinemalaya dahil sa trabaho. Kaya ngayong 2018 ay nangako akong babawi sa naging tahanan ng pagmamahal ko sa pelikula. Muling papagaspas ang aking mga pakpak patungo sa pugad ng Cinemalaya sa CCP at tangkilikin ang mga magagandang obra ng ating panahon.

At pitong taon pagkatapos ng una nitong lathala, bubuhayin din ng inyong lingkod ang Cinemalaya sa Aking Mata at susulat muli ng maraming review para sa taong ito sa abot ng aking makakaya. Ito ay bilang pakikiisa sa pagdiriwang ng ika-14 na anibersaryo ng Cinemalaya at ng aking ika-13 anibersaryo bilang fanboy ng Cinemalaya.

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Ang 14th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, na may temang “Wings of Vision” ay magaganap mula August 3 hanggang August 12, 2018 sa Cultural Center of the Philippines at sa mga piling Ayala Cinemas sa buong bansa. Para sa schedule, i-click ito.

REVIEW | Ang Babaeng Humayo [The Woman Who Left] (2016)

Oktubre 5, 2016Oktubre 11, 2016Mag-iwan ng puna

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“Di mo ‘ko kilala. ‘Pag nakilala mo ako, matatakot ka.”

In a world where truth hides between kindness and darkness, there is no other way to reveal it than disguise in kindness in the midst of darkness. This is what Horacia Somarostro (Charo Santos-Concio) did when she found out the truth after thirty years of suffering inside the correctional because of a crime she did not commit in the first place.

A schoolteacher prior to her imprisonment, Horacia spends the first days of her restored freedom by planning to kill Rodrigo Trinidad (Michael de Mesa), a powerful man in a remote island town who used to be her ex-lover. Rodrigo was the mastermind behind her incarceration, according to a written confession by Horacia’s closest fellow inside the prison Petra (Sharmaine Centenera-Buencamino) before she killed herself. Petra was the real person who did the crime that they blamed to Horacia and it was done through Rodrigo’s orders. She wants to seek retribution by ending Rodrigo’s life in her own hands before finding for her lost son Junior who was last seen in the streets of Manila. There she becomes Renata, an owner of a small eatery by day and a gallant hoodlum who wanders in the streets by night. She makes friends with Mameng (Jean Judith Javier), a mentally-challenged street dweller and Kuba (Nonie Buencamino), a hunchbacked street vendor to gather pieces of details about Rodrigo’s whereabouts.

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During her surveillance, she also met with Hollanda (John Lloyd Cruz), an epileptic transgender drag queen who roves around the town for hasty sexual encounters. Like Horacia’s tattoos inside her clothes, Hollanda has his own mysterious persona behind the fancy dress, three-inch-heeled shoes, fake boobs and make-up. Their coincidental connection leads them to an event where they finally get their desired outcome. As a gesture of his gratitude for Horacia’s fading kindness, Hollanda gunned down Rodrigo which makes him confine in permanent gloom inside the prison. On the other hand, Horacia, after embracing undeserved darkness for a long time attained unexpected light in Hollanda’s murder of Rodrigo. However, she has to enter into another chapter of darkness as she moves to Manila and throw her luck to track her beloved son.

Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) was Lav Diaz’s one of the shortest yet most elaborate magnum opus to date. His way of writing Horacia’s journey can be compared to a heartbreaking literature: a compilation of real-life stories of a nation immortalized by fictional tales and deep poems. Despite breaking his traditional slower-phased scenes that made his past films longer than traditional movies, he did not fail to pass on the same magic of realism and cinematic chiaroscuro in this almost 4-hour masterpiece. Some may criticize about Diaz’s continuity style but its unpredictable transfer from sequence to another makes the viewers adjust to the sudden change of emotions or mood of the story. He was able to sensibly integrate totally different eras, situations and perspectives when he applied Leo Tolstoy’s 1872 short story “God Sees The Truth But Waits” in a 1997 setting when the world was overwhelmed by events such as the historic Hong Kong turnover to China, the death of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa and the kidnapping crisis in the Philippines. With his flawless embroidery of Horacia’s journey, it seemed that the film becomes a more modern version of Diaz’s other critically-acclaimed film “Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis” (A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery) where history attempts to enlighten today’s society through realizations that people unintended or purposely ignore.

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The public already expected to see a different Santos-Concio here but she still surprised the world in her more powerful performance as Horacia. She perfectly showed the main character’s enigmatic personas as she shifts from a caring storyteller, a compassionate old woman to a night-time heroine, and vice versa. Her encounters with all the characters were significantly remarkable as it all helped the story progressed slowly but crystal clear. Truly, like how Cruz described her in an interview, there was no trace of the “Ma’am Charo, the media giant executive” that Filipinos of this generation used to see on TV. Through Diaz’s directorial guidance and prowess, Ang Babaeng Humayo successfully awakened Santos-Concio’s “sleeping dragon” inside her that once made her Asia’s best actress in 1977.

Meanwhile, Cruz did not disappoint everyone in his portrayal as a she-male – a first in his nearly two-decade acting portfolio. Like Santos-Concio, he exceeded cineastes’ expectations his stunning performance in Hele which won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival last February. Supporting casts led by Javier, Buencamino, de Mesa effectively represented Filipinos of different social classes which never changed from 1997 up to this day. They personified the common beliefs and doubts in God’s existence, how faith shapes a country’s collective psyche and how people live in a society that is controlled by money and false hope.

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While few media observers have seen Diaz’s collaboration with mainstream producers (Cinema One Originals, a film production outfit under a cable channel of ABS-CBN where Santos-Concio continues to serve as one of the top honchos) as threat to the very purpose of creating a platform for the real independent Filipino cinema, Ang Babaeng Humayo’s road to victory can actually be a great example of how liberal and traditional moviemakers should meet halfway to produce and/or promote a deserving work of art. Today, this successfully-crafted merger between the unconventional filmmaker and the powerful producer gave the Philippines its first Golden Lion trophy in the world’s oldest film festival, the Venice Film Festival. It is just a matter of harmonious negotiation and balanced interests, and surely, it will benefit not just the film but also the entire Philippine film industry that is trapped in a state where getting efficient government support in terms of funding and incentives remains a struggle.

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Title: ANG BABAENG HUMAYO
International Title: THE WOMAN WHO LEFT
Date of Release: SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 (PHILIPPINE PREMIERE)
Award: GOLDEN LION (BEST FILM), 73RD VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Studio: SINE OLIVIA PILIPINAS and CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS
Director: LAV DIAZ
Writer: LAV DIAZ
Screenplay: LAV DIAZ
Executive Producers: RONALD ARGUELLES and LAVRENTE DIAZ

Cast:

HORACIA – CHARO SANTOS-CONCIO
HOLLANDA – JOHN LLOYD CRUZ
RODRIGO – MICHAEL DE MESA
KUBA – NONIE BUENCAMINO
MAMENG – JEAN JUDITH JAVIER
PETRA – SHARMAINE CENTENERA-BUENCAMINO
WARDEN – MAE PANER
MARJ LORICO
MAYEN ESTAÑERO
PAOLO RODRIGUEZ
ROMELYN SALE
CACAI BAUTISTA
JO-ANN ROQUIESTAS
JULIUS EMPREDO