07 October 2015

No Clever Title: An Opinion About Heneral Luna

I was supposed to fold the freshly-laundered clothes. This home-based, servantless working mama was supposed to finish cleaning up the kitchen. I was supposed to sleep because I still have work tomorrow (that's later). But here I am. I was resting my aching shoulders and back when I was on Twitter and saw this. It's a photo of Jim Paredes' news article. While I like that man's articulation and music artistry, I don't agree with everything he wrote there. Well, life's like that. Everyone can't agree on everything at the same time. But at least it ignited that fire that wanted to burn in my heart. Kalma lang, hindi ito kasing-lalim ng inaakala mo. Hindi mo ako kasing-talino. :p

Obviously, based on the title, this is about how the movie Heneral Luna affected me. 

The original Mr. Suave. // source

I love the movie! I can watch it over and over again. It's amazing how Director Jerrold Tarog can make history so funny. *Hello Captain Rusca! You want some ensaymada? Ibili kita sa Mylene's! Hihi.* And how puñeta can sound so - well - cool. It's art. The film is artistic -- cinematography, pacing, musical score, editing, the actors' blocking and all, the works -- the best! No matter how some said they already know their history kaya they don't need to watch it na and that it's hype lang daw. Come on, minsan lang tayo magkakaroon ng ganitong klase ng pelikula. If I should pay a thousand pesos just to watch it, ayos lang, promise. Kasi ang ganda! In fact, I was surprised when I knew that it was Php280 only (in the super sikip and hindi mabango na Robinson's MetroEast cinema house). 50% discount pa yung mga students. I assume that you know how the producers wanted to make the film (and the two other installments, hopefully) for whatever advocacy they have. But mehn, hanga ako sa passion (at yaman, hehe) nila to believe in this kind of movie at ipalabas sa klase ng mga manonood na meron tayo. Ano nga bang klase ng manonood meron ang 'Pinas? 

O sige, hanggang dun na lang muna ako. I'm not a movie critic. I enjoy Kalyeserye eh so I might not be intellectual enough for you. *winks* Let's just talk about why I am here, farting my thoughts away. 

After the movie, on the way home, my husband and I still can't believe that Heneral Luna was thaaaaat good. But honestly, I was not like most of the people on my feed na nagalit, bumigat ang loob at nawalan ng pag-asa sa Pilipinas. Siguro, dahil matagal ko ng alam yun? O tinanggap ko agad yun? I guess, I am a man that way. Yung madaling maka-move on, har har. When I married my military husband, our situation opened my myopic eyes to the chaotic country that I missed to see because what I knew was not the whole story. You see, I graduated college at Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Aware naman siguro kayo na highly opinionated ang mga estudyante dito? Nakakalungkot isipin, maraming magulang ang ayaw pag-aralin ang mga anak nila dito dahil sa katotohanan na yan. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung malulungkot ako para sa mga bata na hindi mabibigyan ng kalayaan na makapagsalita dahil sa magulang na meron sila o maaawa ako sa mga magulang na iyon kasi mamamatay silang may takot sa dibdib na harapin ang katotohanan. Medyo malalim na ba? Sorry, it's 1:30am here at the side of my world.

Let's go back.

I didn't feel bad, I was not in pain. I felt no burden after I watched the film. I just told R of my personal theory why I think war happens, why peace is elusive in this country. Oo, ang kapal ng mukha ko to blog about it. If you agreed, stop here. Hindi na kita binibigyan ng karapatan na basahin ito. Hindi lang din tayo magkakaintindihan. Thank you.

But if you think na may saysay naman ang sasabihin ko bilang nakarating ka na rito, tara, may kwento ako.

I worked in a government agency nung 2010. I wish I could tell you what I did there. Anyway, so my office colleagues were old men who experienced Martial Law and did planking at Plaza Miranda long before it became a work-out finale. I remember my former boss, a man who had worked in the agency for more than 40 years, told me something like this, 

"No offense meant sa asawa mo. Okay naman yang paggamit ng armas, yang pakikidigma. Siyempre kailangan ng bansa natin yan eh. Pinoprotektahan nila tayo. Imagine, ang laki ng nagagastos ng Pilipinas para sa sandata nila pero kulang pa rin. Pero alam mo, ang dapat mas pagtuunan ng pansin ng gobyerno yung mapatay yung idelohiya ng reds eh."

Reds, mga leftists, mga rebelde. R was a mandirigma in Mindanao then so siyempre butthurt agad ako. Ayoko ng pakinggan yung iba niyang sinabi kahit alam kong tama, kahit alam kong may punto. Wala eh, territorial tiger kasi. Makanti lang ng konti ang minamahal naka-roar na. But come to think of it, tama si former boss. Mas babawan ko ng konti ang analogy ko ha. Something closer to home. Kunwari nagluluto ka ng Pochero, tapos nasunog mo yung bawang. Nailagay mo na ang lahat ng sangkap nung tikman mo. Siyempre, mapait. Lagay ka ngayon ng sugar. Tumamis naman pero may pait pa rin. Lagay kang konting water, tumabang naman at nawala ang lapot ng tomato sauce. Umabot na sa punto na hindi na siya pochero. Kasi ang ugat naman ng lahat ay nasunog ang bawang. Ang rule sa culinary: huwag ganun. Umulit na lang, gawin na ang tama. Paano yun gagawin sa Pilipinas? Sabi ng mga eksperto, digmaan ang sagot para makamit ang kalayaan. Kailangan ng dahas para maranasan ang katahimikan. Ngunit, sabi nga ni Alex Gonzaga, paano? 

Ganito na lang siguro. Dapat may mag-take ng full responsibility. Hindi yung kapag nagkakamalasan na eh turuan ng turuan. Hay. *cue in Boyz2Men: stop pointing fingers and blame it on me.* Again, ano na naman ang punto ko?

Sa totoo lang, stuck ako. Paano ba? Teka. Ah, alam niyo yung movie ni Jackie Chan at Jaden Smith? Yes, Karate Kid! There's a line there that Jackie Chan's character said, "there's no bad student, only bad teacher". Ganun ang nangyayari sa lipunan natin, sa mga kabataan na meron tayo ngayon. Yung history, it can be tweaked by historians eh, by our teachers. Yung ibang propesor, they don't like Jose Rizal, kahit pa national hero siya. Others naman, they even built a religion to worship him. Just like how the movie Heneral Luna was told to us moviegoers. We ended up hating Emilio Aguinaldo, right? Don't worry, I somehow did. Buti na lang wala ng limang pisong papel, baka ipinagbawal ko na dito yun sa bahay. Chos. 

Seriously, sino tayo para magalit? Ni hindi nga natin alam ang totoo. So if may mananaliksik diyan na papatunayan sa ating lahat na dapat ngang kamuhian ang unang presidente, please do so. Gustong-gusto ko pang matuto. In fact, ang dami ko ng nabasang articles online tulad nito, eto pa at ITO. Let me quote --

“Minamana mong sabihin na si Luna was the leader of the revolution against Spain? P-ñeta! Since when did Luna fight against the Spaniards? He never fought the Spaniards, tapos sasabihin niyang leader? As a matter of fact, Luna was a traitor to the Revolution of 1896! Alam mo, I will write an essay on Luna and Aguinaldo. I will write an essay kung bakit maraming nagalit kay Luna, and I’ll justify, sapagkat Luna not only did not join the Revolution of 1896, he was [also] a traitor! Nagturo yan a! Nagturo! Pero inilagay ba ni Vivencio Jose iyan? Wala! Maraming hindi inilagay si Vivencio roon, either because of ignorance or ibig niyang palakihin si Luna. As a matter of fact, I do not consider Luna a hero. How did he become a hero? He never won any battle, papaano mo sasabihing hero iyan?"

Kung babasahin mo ang article ni Ambeth Ocampo at mabilis kang mako-convince sa sinabi ni Teodoro A. Agoncillo, mabubura lang agad-agad ang paghanga mo kay Heneral Luna, who made puñeta sound so cool af. Tagumpay naman ang production team ng pelikula, naabot na nila ang much-coveted 200M target. So kumbaga, all's well that ends well. Pero habang tumatagal, I was getting curiouser and curioser. Ano nga ba ang naiambag ni Heneral Luna sa history kung ang pagbabasehan ang pelikulang ito? Iba lang ba talaga ang mensaheng nakarating sa akin? Puro lang ba talaga ako AlDub at OTWOL? Hehe. Ayun, maangas nga siya na kahit presidente ang kausap niya ay sinasagot niya ng buong angas; na magaling siya sa psywar. Pero ano pa, bukod dun? Pinaliwanag sa akin ng asawa ko yung eksena kung saan tinakot lang nila yung amerikanong koronel pero hindi nila pinatay. Kumbaga, naninindak lang. Ipinapakita lang raw ang kung anong kayang gawin ng grupo ng heneral noon. Crazy nga kasi talaga. Hindi idealistic. Pero kailan ba naging popular sa mga tao at nakararami ang crazy, ang non-idealists? Kaya nga super gasgas na salita na ang "basher" eh. Konting may kumontra lang sa sinabi mo sa Facebook, basher na tawag mo sa kanya. Tama ako noh? Pero dati, ang tawag lang sa mga tulad nila ay mga mang-mang na ayaw ng pagbabago. O dili kaya ay pakielamera. 

Alam niyo, tingin ko, natural at nasa dugo natin ang pagiging matapang, opinionated at hindi paaapak sa ibang tao o ibang lahi. Sionil Jose thought so, too. Nagiging mali lang ang lahat kapag baluktot ang motivation, ang rason kung bakit ito ginagawa. Pero may solusyon eh. Ang mangaral. Ang kaso, paano tayo mangangaral sa mga taong ayaw tumanggap ng aral? Tila itong tanong na ito ay kasing-halaga ng tanong na bakit phenomenal ang AlDub (haha, para lalo kang mainis kung sobrang talino mong tao :p)?

Ganito na lang, bilang feeling ko mommy ka o daddy o may balak magkaroon ng sariling pamilya, simulan natin sa mga anak natin ha. Ang corny pakinggan pero revolutionary na rin naman: Let's change this country one child at a time. 

Hindi ko alam kung may kinapuntahan ang lahat ng virtual daldal ko. Ano sa tingin mo?

***

P.S.
Alam kong fiction based on facts yung pelikula pero ganoon ba talaga ang mga 'Kano noon sa atin? Bakit sa libro ng Sibika at Kultura nung ako ay nasa elementarya ay friendly at nakatulong naman daw sila sa atin? Tinuruan pa nga tayo ng wikang Ingles 'di ba? Ano ba talagang dapat kong paniwalaan? 

P.P.S.
Bilang magulang, anong tamang edad ng bata para imulat sa mga ganitong bagay? 

Last na lang:
Mahal ko ang Pilipinas. Pero kapag nanood ba ako ng Aldub, hindi ko na iniisip na maaaring manalo si Binay sa 2016? Nakakakilabot pero nagtatanong lang po.

14 comments:

  1. I'm intrigued by this movie. Gustong gusto Kong panoorin because of all the reviews I've seen online. Binasa ko lahat to Pero Hindi ko naintindihan Gaano kasi Di ko pa nga sya Napanood. Lol!!

    Isa lang masasabi ko. Looking from eyes that see Canadians' way of living,ibang iba sa Pilipino. Nakakasama ng loob Pero in simple ways, you'll see why we are still a third world country. Malayo man sa Mga pinaglalaban sa palabas na Heneral Luna, o sa war and peace and its underlying reasons, ang Pilipinas mukhang Malayo pa ang lakarin para sa Hinahanap nating pagbabago. Unahin natin sa corruption. From civilians bribing to taxes and whatnot. Sana dumating din ang panahon na may monthly allowance na ang Mga bata at ang Internet natin Ay Di na Sobrang bagal..

    Mahal ko pa din ang Pilipinas. There's no place like home!

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    1. Haha, I knew it. Magulo talaga ito! I didn't know why I felt the need to write it. ;)

      Yes, Cams. Napakalayo ng Pilipinas sa Canada. Sobrang layo! Nakakalungkot ang traffic, pollution and the way people jidge each other dito based on what we watch. But all countries have its weaknesses, I suppose. I just can't accept the fact that the Filipino leaders know it, they know what they should do but didn't do it pa rin dahil magsa-suffer ang kanilang pangsariling kaligayahan and comfort.

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  2. I'm dying to see the film!! Di ko lang kasi maiwan ang 2-month old baby ko to watch it...Bata pa lang ako di ko na feel talaga si Aguinaldo. Kung bakit, di ko na maalala ang history pero tanda ko pa din feelings ko for him. Hahaha!

    Anyhoo, I agree with what you said that we can change our country one child at a time. Geographically speaking kasi, watak watak na ang Pilipinas. Iba ibang relihiyon, kultura, wika, pananaw. Sila-sila, kami-kami, tayo-tayo. Pamilya-ko-lang-at-bakuran-ko-lang-iintindihin-ko syndrome. Kaya di din nawawala ang political dynasty. Sa tingin ko, until we are able to instill nationalism sa bawat isa saten (na nagsisimula sa pamilya), di pa magiging handa sa pagbabago ang bansa. :)

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    1. Alam mo, you're right. It has something to do with our geographical situation rin. Tapos may lahing espanyol pa tayo, lahing hapon, lahing kano. Parang ang dating yata, yung mga bad traits pa ang nakuha natin. Labo noh? But I still have hope for the Philippines. I pray that our children will help us get our country back to how it was.

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  3. The husband coerced me to watch the movie with him. Joke. Ako talaga ang ngsabi na manood kami. Hindi ko alam na Fave Hero nya pala si Luna. Lahat yata about him alam nya. Kaya natanong ko sarili ko, ganun ba tlaga ako ka-boba at hindi ako nakinig sa lessons ko nung highschool at college dahil maliban sa totoong pangalan ni Heneral Luna wla na akong alam tungkol sa kanya...

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    1. Please ask your husband naman kung ano ba talaga ang nai-contribute ni Heneral Luna (the person not the movie) sa history natin. Naguguluhan na ako eh.

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  4. Would love to watch the movie, from all the good reviews I've been hearing and reading. But I can't stand watching violent films. Baka umiyak lang ako.

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  5. Nakakaintriga talaga tong Heneral Luna, will invite hubby to watch it this weekend.

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  6. I have to watch this with my family. Let's change this country one child at a time - I agree with you. Just like most moms I prefer to be working at home to spend most of my times with them. Wala pa akong masasabi sa movie pero at least I have hint with your inputs here.

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  7. I love the movie but I also have so many questions when it comes to our history ...

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  8. Haven't seen the movie yet pero I did study History A LOT. Depende kase kung sino at ano ang babasahin mo. Kumbaga, yung mga author, kanya-kanya silang manok. How are we supposed to know kung ano talaga nagawa ni Luna at Aguinaldo? Kung yung mga historian natin na dapat magsalaysay ng totoo is may pinapaboran? Kung ilang bahagi ng kasaysayan natin ang iniba nila sa mga librong sinulat nila? Oh well...I agree with 'One child at a time'. Gotta start teaching my kiddo as early as now (he's four), baka sakali may magbago pa. *Fingers crossed*

    And oh, I love AlDub and OTWOL too! ^-^

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  9. Honestly, hindi talaga ako mahilig sa history films, books, or ano pa NOON. But as I get older, maraming nakakaintriga and interesting pala ha, not just sa heroes natin, but even sa politics, and culture. Anyway, after all the buzz about the movie, I really wanted to watch din but I'm not sure if it's still showing in cinemas.

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  10. To be honest, I lost my faith in Filipino movies because of the predictable plots and presence of mistresses. Heneral Luna brought back my faith. I really like the movie. It's very timely too :)

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  11. Am I the only one who was not able to watch this movie? Huhu

    xoxo
    MrsMartinez

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