Lying Low...

I am restructuring my so-called life. I am not teaching "formally" until mid-2009. I never thought that I would be "off" from my teaching career but I am now and will be that way for the next nine months. But invitations to screen films and to deliver "inspiring" messages to students never stops.

This afternoon, I went to St. Paul's Pasig to meet their Video Production and Journalism high school students. It was my first time to visit this all-girls' school located near ULTRA. I was invited by a college classmate who was notorious as a pasaway (wild) student during our time. From my recollection, she was never serious in her studies and was a very-happy-go-lucky gal. But lo and behold, she is now the head of a some "department" there! She was very formal in her uniform, wanted to take her pic to show our college buddies how this "wild" girl is now a respected, very "decent" teacher, inspiring her students for 12 years! But she declined the photo op, hehe.

The most striking sights I saw and I wanted to shrink from embarassment---my name was all over the school grounds from the invitation, blackboard, and even the door!
While walking along the corridor, I saw an arch of colorful balloons and saw a woman statue. My friend told me the woman is called Mary of the Poor. I also went to an all-girls school in Manila and statues of saints and Our Lady are normal "tourist spots" in the premises. I guess it serves as a reminder and a guide for the wild and sinful girls to act like "angels" :)


The screening and talk went well. Had Q & A for over an hour. I had to encourage them to actively enter the entertainment field because there are only a few decent women directors, writers and producers. Positions we thought would be for women such as production designers and make-up artists, in reality, belong to the "male" species. We women continue to struggle and fight for our right to be in production...

Lying low in teaching now gives me TIME to do more creative stuff and I bet I''ll be cooking something creative soon!

A Film "Missionary"

I have been spreading the "gospel" of independent filmmaking all over the country. I guess it is just sheer passion on my part to do something proactive because I want to develop a new, critical audience willing to open their minds to new possibilities of storytelling techniques. My philosophy is to bring these films to the "needy." Literally, I bring these digital films and show this to a "makeshift" theater cum classroom.

I always say YES to school invites. Sometimes I even use my personal funds to fly to Cebu or Davao just to screen important indie films or to meet these young, idealistic students. I am a city girl all my life, without a province to boost so I long to see laid back, tranquil, nature-laden communities and interact with the people.

I enjoyed my visit to UP Mindanao because the school was surrounded by trees and carabaos! Imagine the carabaos were a window away listening to my lecture LOL :)

At Holy Angels University in Pampanga, we had a night screening---al fresco!

At the Holy Trinity College, Puerto Princesa, we had simultaneous screening in four different venues :) I was like a ping pong ball, huffing and puffing, going up and down the building rushing to my next talk. Kapagod. (Tiring).

In Bicol, all our screenings were full house. And the local food was fantastic!

In all the places I visited, one can see the yearning in the eyes of the students that they need these new kind of entertainment. They are hungry for more.

Reach out and good things will always come your way...that's a guarantee!

Here are some pics of our film screenings:

Bicol! See their happiness :0

Welcome to Puerto Princesa City! Still using colored chalk :)

Holy Trinity College students

Andy Bais, star of "Saan Nagtatago si Happiness?" with Davao Press

Calabarzon students at De La Salle Lipa, Batangas

The Manila Times School of Journalism, Intramuros

De La Salle University, Manila

Even had a screening at Tacoma, Washington USA for a

Filipino-American event but was there in spirit only :)

These are just some of the pics I got, did not have the time to document all the other schools/venues (and they were so many places)!