Usapang sarilinan

O, anu'ng problema mo?

Nahihirapan nako. Nalilito. 

Heto na naman tayo, san mo ba talaga gusto?

Hindi ko alam.

Bakit?

Ewan.

Anu ba gusto mong gawin?

Magsulat.

Yun naman pala, ba't di mo gawin.

Ang tanong kasi, kaya ko ba?

Bakit hindi?

Natatakot lang ako.

Anu ba kasi kinatatakutan mo?

Sarili ko. Kumpetisyon. May tatanggap ba sakin?

Mahirap, oo. Pero bakit di mo subukan?

Sinubukan ko na.

Hanggang dun ka na lang ba? Susuko ka na lang ba?

Gusto ko pang magpursigi. Pero...

Pero anu? 

Pero walang tumatanggap sakin.

Hindi lahat ng bagay nakukuha ng ganun-ganun lang.

Pano?

Tuloy-tuloy lang. Wag mong isuko. Wag kang matakot.

Nawawalan nako ng lakas ng loob.

Lumang tugtugin na yan. Hindi na uso yan.

Hindi ako nagpapatawa.

Hindi rin naman ako nagpapatawa e. Ituloy mo lang.

Hanggang kelan?

Hanggang makuha mo. Hanggang maabot mo.

Tutulungan mo ba ako?

Sarili mo lang ang makakatulong sayo.

Pano pag di ko kinaya magisa?

Andyan ang mga taong nagmamahal sayo. Hindi ka nila iiwan.

Handa ba silang tulungan ako?

Sigurado ako.

Sige. Kakayanin ko. Lalaban ako.

Bakit?

Dahil ito ang gusto ko. Ito ang sinisigaw ng puso ko.

Magpapatalo ka ba?

Hindi. Walang sinuman, anuman ang makakapigil sakin.

Hanggang saan? Hanggang kelan?

Hanggang humihinga ako. Hanggang tumigil ang tibok ng puso ko.

Ayan naman pala e.

Salamat ah?

Walang anuman. O ano? Magtatrabaho na ulit ako.

Sige ako din e.

Hanggang sa muli.

What do I want for Christmas?

I could always say that I want world peace and equality for Christmas - like what I always pray for. But maybe this year, I leave it to my everyday prayers and rather wish for the fathomable ones, material things at that.

So, here's my Christmas wish list 2008. Note, this is my first wish list ever written. Spare me.

I listed here the top 5 stuffs I want this season of GIVING and SHARING.

1. My phone is quite rugged now. I don't want to sell it so I wish to have a new phone this Christmas - an iPhone 3G wouldn't be bad. With it's 3G feature, my mom could video call me anytime, anywhere. 

2. Since I already bought a new pair of shoes last week, maybe a pair of slippers would be perfect. I never had slippers for months now, maybe it's high time you guys give me one.

3. I just bought books one and two of the Twilight Saga. Maybe buying me the other two would be something to look forward to - Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Boredom would kill me during my trip to Davao, and the books would perfectly aid. 

4. An authentic ODM is another perfect gift. It would make remember you more since I will wear it everyday and actually look at it every minute. Don't you just love the idea?

5. My partner just bought me a Multicolor Holga, but a Fisheye 2 would complete my lomo craving. With it's perfect circle effect on the photo, I will surely take a perfect capture of you. 

I could have written ten options but I think that would be too much. 

So if you're thinking of a gift for me, worry not. Here's the list. 

8 is a lucky number

The world once again stopped to witness the breath-taking event of the year. Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao a.k.a. Manny Pacquiao came face to face with another world's best, Oscar dela Hoya.

I am never really interested with such events - not boxing, not basketball, not soccer, not football, and definitely not UFC. In fact, I never watched any of Pacman's match, not until last Sunday's bout. I was there from the pre-boxing event until Pacman spoke in English.

From the very start, you can speedily identify the difference between the two boxers. 

One, physically and obviously, dela Hoya is much bigger than that of Pacquiao. One could really tell that with the former's edge in height and built, he could really make use of such edge.

However, which is my number two, Pacquiao has this "Tazmanian Devil" knack that enables him to move around Dela Hoya, making the latter slowly run out of energy. The former, on the other hand, never ran out of stamina from the start until the 8th round - where the latter decided to submit the fight.

It was great seeing Manny on the spotlight again - a proud Filipino who waves the Philippine flag up high for the whole world to see. But what disappointed me is the fact that dela Hoya surrendered, making me lose my thrill and excitement towards the match. He could have fought until his last breath, saving him from humiliation, making his country proud of what he has done.

But I can't blame Dela Hoya. If I were on his shoes, I would have done the same. I wouldn't let myself be bombarded with punches on the face just for nothing - not now, not ever.

Now, I can't take it, I think I'm beginning to like Manny. Nah. 

To dela Hoya, you put up the best fight you can. You might lost, but you courageously showed the world that it's better you stand up and lose against your enemy than never fight at all. I salute you.

To Pacquiao, another success added to your reel of achievements, but I do hope you keep your feet on the ground. Continue soaring high not just for yourself but for the Filipino nation. Just remember to save up for the future, you wouldn't want to be Mohammad Ali. Unless you would rely on number 8 as your lucky number.

* * *

Before the match, there were advertising efforts to support Pacman's fight. There's Nike, Magic Sing, Touch Mobile, Pepsi, and a whole lot more. But what caught my attention is Nike's billboard along EDSA, it's specifically located, if I'm not mistaken, above Metropoint Mall. 

In the billboard, since a photo's not available online, you can see Pacman kneeling on the ring's corner, where he usually kneels before the match starts, with his hand widely spread as if nailed on the cross alongside a copy, "Give us this day." A very simple yet striking material from Nike. The creative team of Ogilvy should be applauded for such great work.

Unang Rolyo

We all have our taste of many firsts. 

It may be the first time you ate a frog. The first time you rode a bike. The first time you went to school, or the first time you... Maybe I should stop there, I might go vulgar with the next.

I vividly remember the first time I rode an airplane. Young as I were, I went berserk the moment we stepped to the boarding gate. I cried out loud. Literally. I went out of control, and guess what made me stop? Disneyland.

Here I am again with my first time experience - my first roll of film using our Holga, Serena as what my partner and I call it. 

It was slightly different when I took my photography class back in college. Since it was my first set of lomography photos, I was like a father waiting outside the delivery room for my first born child. 

And when it was handed to me?

I was delightfully ecstatic when I saw the photos. It was as if I won a bet out of Manny Pacquiao-Oscar dela Hoya match. I was so high I felt I took more than just a party drug; I was lomographically high, so to speak.

On the other hand, there was a trifling disappointment in me when I saw the photos. Maybe I expected the photos I had using the SLR or DSLR - those seamless, almost perfect photos I had.

And that's what I learned with lomography. Expect an out-of-this-world, crazy but stunningly beautiful photos using a lomo camera. A superbly distinctive photo than any other.

I was also really surprised with the panoramic effect of the photo. It was out of my control, honestly. It made me wonder if I did the instructions correctly and when I reviewed, I did. I wonder what went correctly wrong.

Let's just say that I was struck with my first set of photos.

I did.

I hope you also did.

Ploning meets Oscar

Rockwell Tent testified as to how Filipinos unite to attain a common goal.

For those who don't know, Dante Nico Garcia's Ploning, which stars Judy Ann Santos, will compete with the world for the Best Foreign Language Film category in the 81st Academy Awards.

You may ask, what in the world is Ploning?

Ploning, taken from a native song in Cuyo, Palawan, is a story of a girl who unselfishly loved expecting nothing in return - may it be for her family, friends, or her special someone. Her presence in the island muses everyone that they barely notice the absence of rain in the island. On the other hand, her silence and mysteriousness puzzles the people surrounding her. 

It's not something new to the industry. We have sent official entries before to this world-renowned competition - this includes Donsol by Adolf Alix on 2007, Dekada 70 by Chito Roño on 2003, and Gatas: Sa Dibdib ng Kaaway by Gil Portes on 2001 (click here for the complete list). Now, we are again taking our chance through Ploning.

What differs Ploning from other films who tried their luck in the Oscars is the full force promotions and fund-raising activities of the film - maybe the sole reason why we didn't made it before despite the wonderful films we sent. Thanks to the leading lady's fame and powerhouse cast, we are taking a greater leap to promote the film in the US.

* * *

Just last night, Nov.3, 2008, Ploning had a fund-raising activity in Rockwell Tent where the who's who of the industry gathered to support the film - Dante Nico Garcia, Judy Ann Santos, Ryan Agoncillo, Mylene Dizon, Ping Media, and a whole lot more. The event was sponsored by most of Juday's endorsed brands like Lactacyd, Angel Evap, Unilab, etc. 

Judy Ann Santos, herself, prepared the 8 dishes - from the appetizer down to the dessert - for the guests, making the event extra special for her and for everyone. An auction was held to further gather funds for the promotions of the film.

* * *

The country has high hopes for the film. With all the activities done by the team and the support from the government, we will sure to gain a spot in the Top 5 of the category.

It's time that we raise our bars higher. 

It's time that we make the country known to the world.

It's time that we make everything happen.

It's time for Ploning.

May this writing helps Ploning in one way our another.

But of course, our prayers will be of greater help.