Again, as always, this is a biased post.
How does Gabriel compare with his father Samuel so far? I don't know if Samuel's character flaw, that is falling for another woman when he was supposed to be destined for Isabelle, was intentional or was a product of cretaive adjustment to appeal to more following, but it surely allowed us a prolonged run of our favorite Primetime masterserye. Now well into part 2 with Gabriel keeping us hopeful that the alitaptaps will prevail, Ikaw Lamang and Coco Martin continue to make us tweet excitedly before, during and after each episode.
Samuel was memorable falling in love with Isabelle. He was a disappointment when his character was weakened by his decision to marry somebody else and appear happy with her. He lacked scenes that assured us he still had Isabelle in his heart. He was too upright to even show he still pined for her while married to Mona. Perhaps Coco Martin, known to have so much respect for what is morally and ethically right wouldn't want his character to exhibit a wayward yet common attitude of taking solemn vows for granted. We, SamBelle fans tried too hard to accept this and just looked forward to a promised second chance at love in the next generation. Gabriel it is and this time, the alitaptaps which initially hovered over Natalia, changed their preference and pointed to Andrea.
Part 2 started really happy with a perky Jacq literally colliding with a determined-looking Gabriel. Ikaw Lamang woke us all up to a greater display of chemistyr between Coco and Kim this time via rom-com, light, no tears but 110% kilig. Of course, when characters and events from the past start merging with the present, the laughter is again replaced with a nightly showcase of tears. Gabriel for a while there, kept us worried that he is not going to let go of the bitterness and will choose Natalia over Jacq just so he could satisfy his thirst for revenge.
I breathed a sigh of relief last night when after the initial outburst, Gabriel was able to gladly accept that Manong is actually Samuel, his long lost father. Apparently, among the present generation, Natalia will be the one to keep the bitterness in as she struggles to make things difficult for her mother and sister to win her back. Bahala siyang magkawrinkles sa inis. Gabriel is now reunited with his Papa (that was the best scene of Coco so far, when he uttered the word to Joel Torre's Samuel). There are two things left in Gabriel's sad list of things to settle: his revenge against Franco and his love for Andrea who is Franco's daughter.
It seems that it will take a while before Gabriel surrenders to his real feelings for Andrea but I trust the creative team to give us the twists and turns that make IL a must-see every night. Early enough in Part 2, Gabriel was given the opportunity to realize who he really loves and his interest in Natalia has no signs of coming back. I hope so. The events now would center on Isabelle and Andrea escaping Franco (this was unsuccessful the first time around with mother and daughter getting separated by the bombing of the ship) and Gabriel finally getting his revenge with the help of Samuel. I would like to think it's going to be Samuel versus Franco to spare Gabriel from staining his hands lest he becomes less worthy of Andrea's love if he gets to kill her father. I wonder how the writers will make SamBelle possible as GabRea becomes a reality. Will SamBelle be official at all?
Happy 150th episode, TeamIL! I hope you will give us the most satisfactory ending with GabRea together, something we didn't get with SamBelle.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Must conflct be with tears?
Our kilig moments for JacqRiel were short-lived because Jacq, since falling in love with Gabriel, has been crying buckets again just like her mom, Isabelle, did in the first gen of Ikaw Lamang. This is because, our idea of teleseryes to keep going is to make sure the protagonists go through many major emotional upheavals before they live happily together in the end. I therefore ask why we associate that most important element of any story, the conflict, to pain and suffering, physical or otherwise? Why not a rom-com through and through so we could enjoy the unmistakable chemistry that the lead stars of Ikaw Lamang have? Apparently, with talents like Kim Chiu and Coco Martin, and stellar senior cast led by Joel Torre and Christopher De Leon, a rom-com is too easy and too light (of course) a project. Or is it because, we, Pinoys, like tearjerkers to spice our nightly viewing despite the many hardships and close-to-tears encounters we have day, in day out? Shades of masochism there , I don't know.
Anyway, this is not to say I do not enjoy the second gen Ikaw Lamang. I do, tremendously. I am so into it as much as I was with the first gen despite my complaining about the weakening of Samuel's 'napikot' character. My twitter buddies will attest to my perfect attendance weeknights at around 8:30 pm .
Parallel lives and stories. This seems to be the theme of the second gen Ikaw Lamang. We see characters and events from the first gen duplicated in the current one. Among them are:
1. The romance of Jacq and Gabriel which expectedly continues or should finally consummate the ill-fated love between their parents, SamBelle;
2. The bratty third wheel Natalia who is the female version of the younger Franco: to the manor born, secure but insecure, obsessively possessive, always the second best to another. Franco's insecurity then was Samuel, Natalia's is Jacq/Andrea;
3. The sibling rivalry between Andrea and Natalia over wealth, their father's favor, the man they love. All these duplicating the conflict between Samuel and Franco then;
4. Tessa who I see as the new Miranda. She claims and assumes more than she should of Franco and uses Natalia to the hilt to advance her cause;
5. Franco of course has "improved" on his madness and sheer evilness and has become like his grandfather, Maximo;
6. Gabriel for his part, writers forbid, is showing some Samuel traits which I hope he would recover from especially the one about his very tentative and impressionable feelings for Jacq/Andrea . I hope this time he will always have a clear motivation for whatever he chooses to do unlike Samuel who was a disappointment in the love department during his time.
I still am hopeful for alitaptap moments to happen soon if only to lessen the teledrama texture to IL. I hope Andrea will not relive the miserable life her mother seemed to have endlessly lived now that she is in the mansion of her father.
What makes IL deserving of viewers' loyalty is the ability of the creative team to develop surprising scenes and memorable lines. Coco and Kim are a formidable tandem and the rest of the cast are perfect for their respective roles. I just hope the rom-com episodes will come back soon so that we can have a rest from all the intensity. Send the alitaptaps in please.
Anyway, this is not to say I do not enjoy the second gen Ikaw Lamang. I do, tremendously. I am so into it as much as I was with the first gen despite my complaining about the weakening of Samuel's 'napikot' character. My twitter buddies will attest to my perfect attendance weeknights at around 8:30 pm .
Parallel lives and stories. This seems to be the theme of the second gen Ikaw Lamang. We see characters and events from the first gen duplicated in the current one. Among them are:
1. The romance of Jacq and Gabriel which expectedly continues or should finally consummate the ill-fated love between their parents, SamBelle;
2. The bratty third wheel Natalia who is the female version of the younger Franco: to the manor born, secure but insecure, obsessively possessive, always the second best to another. Franco's insecurity then was Samuel, Natalia's is Jacq/Andrea;
3. The sibling rivalry between Andrea and Natalia over wealth, their father's favor, the man they love. All these duplicating the conflict between Samuel and Franco then;
4. Tessa who I see as the new Miranda. She claims and assumes more than she should of Franco and uses Natalia to the hilt to advance her cause;
5. Franco of course has "improved" on his madness and sheer evilness and has become like his grandfather, Maximo;
6. Gabriel for his part, writers forbid, is showing some Samuel traits which I hope he would recover from especially the one about his very tentative and impressionable feelings for Jacq/Andrea . I hope this time he will always have a clear motivation for whatever he chooses to do unlike Samuel who was a disappointment in the love department during his time.
I still am hopeful for alitaptap moments to happen soon if only to lessen the teledrama texture to IL. I hope Andrea will not relive the miserable life her mother seemed to have endlessly lived now that she is in the mansion of her father.
What makes IL deserving of viewers' loyalty is the ability of the creative team to develop surprising scenes and memorable lines. Coco and Kim are a formidable tandem and the rest of the cast are perfect for their respective roles. I just hope the rom-com episodes will come back soon so that we can have a rest from all the intensity. Send the alitaptaps in please.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Key Metaphors
On my way to work this morning, I was thinking of Ikaw Lamang. Yes, that is my secret weapon against getting pissed in traffic, thinking of the previous night's episode of my favorite teleserye. I couldn't help but be amused at how the word KEY has evolved many metaphors in the said TV masterserye. Kim Chiu's character Jacq Sangalang shouts "key to your heart, key to your heart" while giving out flyers advertising their family business. Coco Martin's Gabriel's expertise among other things is to pry open luxury vehicles ala "Bukas Kotse" gang. The two meet and the key to each other's past and present lives begin to turn. Among the many "key metaphors" in the teleserye are the following:
1. Isabelle travels to the city in search for things and persons that will "turn/switch" open her memory. Of course, it turns out she was just faking the "amnesia" and actually has opened her self to the possibility of collecting back her past specifically her two daughters ;
2. The Sangalang couple holds the key to Jacqueline's true identity which they have guarded so tightly for years since Baby Andrea was given to them to save from the shipwreck two decades ago;
3. Franco kept Samuel in jail because the latter remains the key to finding Isabelle;
4. Samuel for his part stayed alive despite not holding the key to his freedom. The thought of seeing his son again kept him alive;
5. Dennis Padilla's character served as key to Samuel surviving those cruel decades of incarceration as well the latter's eventual escape;
6. Tessa holds the key to Franco's heart, or so she thinks, because she has loved and served him well as his COS. Tessa would time and again possessively keep the doors to Franco's past closed but recent events show she will not be able to do so conveniently anymore as keys and doors held by others open;
7. Calixto has also held the key to Gabriel's recovering from a tragic past by mistakenly leading him to a revengeful path. He wouldn't open the door to Gabriel realizing his father was not the bad father he grew up to hate which further distanced the two despite doors being open for them to finally reunite;
8. Lupe remains a door ajar because she knows only half of the truth of the life they lead as Gabriel's "family". The key to the truth of their real identity is held by Calixto who thinks he is doing Gabriel a favor by helping him avenge his past. Calixto is actually half-using Gabriel to avenge his own bitter past as a young obrero from Salvacion;
9. Cherry and Cindy as BFFs of the female leads are keys needed to open Jacq and Natalia to things they are wont to admit such as falling in love with Gabriel or getting insecure of the competiton;
10. Natalia is key to destroy Franco in many ways possible;
11. Jacq is key to many things: Gabriel's change of heart about revenge; Franco's remorse as he finds out eventually that she is HIS daughter; Isabelle becoming more aggressive at protecting her daughters from what seems to be a repeat of past mistakes;
12. Gabriel's as well as Jacq's faces are keys to Franco's past haunting him hopefully toward his much sought-after comeuppance as the teleserye's formidable villain.
Meanwhile, Gabriel who breaks open cars in an illicit way to earn a living and credible cover for his plans, promises to break open hearts, Jacq's who he loves but does not heed and Natalia's who he pursues but only to tear apart. Gabriel will also break Samuel's heart when he refuses to open his own to welcome back his long-suffering father.
Keys... to a most successful Primetime treat.
1. Isabelle travels to the city in search for things and persons that will "turn/switch" open her memory. Of course, it turns out she was just faking the "amnesia" and actually has opened her self to the possibility of collecting back her past specifically her two daughters ;
2. The Sangalang couple holds the key to Jacqueline's true identity which they have guarded so tightly for years since Baby Andrea was given to them to save from the shipwreck two decades ago;
3. Franco kept Samuel in jail because the latter remains the key to finding Isabelle;
4. Samuel for his part stayed alive despite not holding the key to his freedom. The thought of seeing his son again kept him alive;
5. Dennis Padilla's character served as key to Samuel surviving those cruel decades of incarceration as well the latter's eventual escape;
6. Tessa holds the key to Franco's heart, or so she thinks, because she has loved and served him well as his COS. Tessa would time and again possessively keep the doors to Franco's past closed but recent events show she will not be able to do so conveniently anymore as keys and doors held by others open;
7. Calixto has also held the key to Gabriel's recovering from a tragic past by mistakenly leading him to a revengeful path. He wouldn't open the door to Gabriel realizing his father was not the bad father he grew up to hate which further distanced the two despite doors being open for them to finally reunite;
8. Lupe remains a door ajar because she knows only half of the truth of the life they lead as Gabriel's "family". The key to the truth of their real identity is held by Calixto who thinks he is doing Gabriel a favor by helping him avenge his past. Calixto is actually half-using Gabriel to avenge his own bitter past as a young obrero from Salvacion;
9. Cherry and Cindy as BFFs of the female leads are keys needed to open Jacq and Natalia to things they are wont to admit such as falling in love with Gabriel or getting insecure of the competiton;
10. Natalia is key to destroy Franco in many ways possible;
11. Jacq is key to many things: Gabriel's change of heart about revenge; Franco's remorse as he finds out eventually that she is HIS daughter; Isabelle becoming more aggressive at protecting her daughters from what seems to be a repeat of past mistakes;
12. Gabriel's as well as Jacq's faces are keys to Franco's past haunting him hopefully toward his much sought-after comeuppance as the teleserye's formidable villain.
Meanwhile, Gabriel who breaks open cars in an illicit way to earn a living and credible cover for his plans, promises to break open hearts, Jacq's who he loves but does not heed and Natalia's who he pursues but only to tear apart. Gabriel will also break Samuel's heart when he refuses to open his own to welcome back his long-suffering father.
Keys... to a most successful Primetime treat.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Mind-boggling
I try really hard to make sense of the following :
1. Why the first sisters would say on national TV that they are open to supporting the VP's presidential bid
2. Why some people even floated the idea that Aquino may seek a second term
3. Why the church and city hall allow pirated DVD stalls to operate right in front or near them @Malabon
4. Why people make drainage openings their garbage bin
5. Why college students leave their trash just about anywhere they please
6. Why students come to class and not show a desire to learn
7. Why people trend senseless hashtags
8. Why the Ampatuan massacre with really obvious suspects has not been resolved
9. Why some broadsheets and a TV network regularly tweet headlines quoting the VP
10. Why we are not angry enough at Israel for what it does to Gaza.
1. Why the first sisters would say on national TV that they are open to supporting the VP's presidential bid
2. Why some people even floated the idea that Aquino may seek a second term
3. Why the church and city hall allow pirated DVD stalls to operate right in front or near them @Malabon
4. Why people make drainage openings their garbage bin
5. Why college students leave their trash just about anywhere they please
6. Why students come to class and not show a desire to learn
7. Why people trend senseless hashtags
8. Why the Ampatuan massacre with really obvious suspects has not been resolved
9. Why some broadsheets and a TV network regularly tweet headlines quoting the VP
10. Why we are not angry enough at Israel for what it does to Gaza.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Random Thoughts 5
#BuwanNgWikaAtMgaDakila Agosto na naman. Hayaang makapagsulat ako sa wikang pambansa. Hintayin rin ang salin ko ng Random Thoughts . Kailangan ng kaunting riserts ng salin nito.
1. Unang linggo ng Agosto. Dalawang dakilang Pilipino agad ang ginugunita natin sa mga araw na ito. Parehong namatay sa buwang ito bagamat magkaibang taon sina Raul Roco at Cory Aquino. Natatandaan kong nag-eeksam sa UP ang aking panaganay na anak at habang hinihintay ko siya ay dumalaw muna ako sa burol ni Raul Roco sa Sta. Maria Dela Strada sa Katipunan. Agosto a-5 namatay si Raul Roco. Dalawang beses ko siyang ibinoto sa pagkapangulo, 1998 at 2004. Sayang nga lamang at iginupo siya ng sakit. Mahusay rin siyang kalihim ng Dep-Ed noon, bukod pa sa magaling na senador. Apat na taon ang nakalipas, nag-eeksam naman sa UP ang aking pangalawang anak. Agosto a-uno. Sabado. Natanggap ko sa text ang malungkot na balita ng pagpanaw ni Cory Aquino. Makasaysayan ang buwan ng Agosto sa ating mga Pilipino. Sa buwang ito ginugunita rin ang kaarawan ni Manuel L. Quezon, ang ama ng wikang pambansa. Sa buwan ding ito ginugunita ang kamatayan ni Ninoy Aquino. Agosto 21, 1983 nang siya's pinaslang sa tarmac ng noo'y Manila International Airport. Sa buwan rin ng Agosto sumiklab ang rebolusyon laban sa Espanya noong 1896.
2. Buwan ng wika. Kung kinakailangang magtalaga ng linggo at ngayon nga'y buwan ng wika para bigyang pansin at pagpapahalaga ang wikang pambansa, nangangahulugan lang na di pa talaga ito ganoon kahalaga sa atin bagkus, isa lang itong bagay na sinusubukan nating alalahaning pahalagahan taun-taon. kasi naman lito pa tayo sa kung ano ang pambansang wika.
3. Nakaiinis isiping ang wika na tinuturing ng marami na pambansa ay naipagkakamali bilang Tagalog gayung magkaiba ang dalawang ito. Filipino ang pambansang wika na kinasasangkutan rin ng Tagalog na isa sa napakarami nating wika. Ayon sa sil.org, mayroon tayong higit sa 170 wika sa bansa. Sampu sa mga ito ay mga pangunahing wika. Kabilang sa mga pangunahing wika ang Tagalog gayundin ang mga banyagang wikang Tsino at Ingles na ginagamit ng higit sa isang milyong Pilipino. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit di mali ang gumamit ng mga katagang Ingles o Tsino halo sa Tagalog at iba pang wika. Ang magkahalong gamit na ito na pang-araw-araw nating naririnig sa isa't-isa ang wika nating mga Pilipino. Halimbawa ng isang Filipinong pangungusap ang " Magkita tayo sa mall" o "Manonood ka ba ng premiere?"
4. Wikang pambansa ang gamit ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino sa kanyang SONA noong Lunes. Ngunit di pa rin siya naintindihan ng mga taong naging bisyo na yata ang tuligsain siya. Kasi naman, isang kahinaan nating mga Pinoy ang pakikinig. Marami sa atin ang imbes na matamang makinig ay may dala nang listahan ng gustong marinig. Kapag hindi narinig ang gustong marinig, sasabihing walang kwenta ang talumpati. Mahirap umunawa ang may sariling adyenda o sarado ang isip.
5. Ipinagkakapuri kong gagap ko pareho ang Filipino at Ingles. Masasabi ko ring bihasa ako sa Tagalog. Utang ko ito sa pagbabasa ko ng komiks na Tagalog noong bata ako, panonood ng mga palabas sa wikang Filipino sa aking paglaki, pagbabasa ko sa wikang Ingles habang nag-aaral. Ang wika ay nahahasa kasabay ng mga gusto o kinamihasnan na natin sa buhay . Kung anong gamit o exposure kaya, yung ang mahahasa.
6. Di ako sang-ayon sa "lip service" o pakitang taong paggamit ng wika sa mga program sa radyo at TV kapag Buwan ng Wika. Gayundin ang kalakaran sa mga programa sa paaralan. Pagsusuotin pa ng mga damit Filipiniana ang mga kasapi. Tulad ng wika, ang ating mga angking tela at kasuotan ay inaalayan lang ng panandaliang pagpapahalaga sa mga mangilan-ngilang okasyon o pagkilala.
7. Di nakapagtataka na di tayo magkaunawaan bilang isang bansa. Maging mga eksperto sa batas ay di maipaliwanag ang batas sa sariling wika gayong ang nakararami ay di rin naman matalinong nakapa-iisip o nakauunawa sa Ingles na paboritong wika ng mga nakaaangat na propesyonal. Marami pang isyu sa wika ang di natin napagtutuunan ng pansin. Marami pang maaring sabihin o pagdiskusyunan ukol dito. Sana ang pagpapahalaga sa wika ay maganap di lamang sa buwan ng Agosto. Maraming pangkaraniwang mamamayan ang bihasa na rito. di naman ito kailangang ituro pa sa kolehiyo. Bagkus paigtingin lang ang gamit nito sa iba't-ibang larangan ng pag-aaral. Intelektuwalisayon. Yan ang kailangan ng wikang Filipino.
1. Unang linggo ng Agosto. Dalawang dakilang Pilipino agad ang ginugunita natin sa mga araw na ito. Parehong namatay sa buwang ito bagamat magkaibang taon sina Raul Roco at Cory Aquino. Natatandaan kong nag-eeksam sa UP ang aking panaganay na anak at habang hinihintay ko siya ay dumalaw muna ako sa burol ni Raul Roco sa Sta. Maria Dela Strada sa Katipunan. Agosto a-5 namatay si Raul Roco. Dalawang beses ko siyang ibinoto sa pagkapangulo, 1998 at 2004. Sayang nga lamang at iginupo siya ng sakit. Mahusay rin siyang kalihim ng Dep-Ed noon, bukod pa sa magaling na senador. Apat na taon ang nakalipas, nag-eeksam naman sa UP ang aking pangalawang anak. Agosto a-uno. Sabado. Natanggap ko sa text ang malungkot na balita ng pagpanaw ni Cory Aquino. Makasaysayan ang buwan ng Agosto sa ating mga Pilipino. Sa buwang ito ginugunita rin ang kaarawan ni Manuel L. Quezon, ang ama ng wikang pambansa. Sa buwan ding ito ginugunita ang kamatayan ni Ninoy Aquino. Agosto 21, 1983 nang siya's pinaslang sa tarmac ng noo'y Manila International Airport. Sa buwan rin ng Agosto sumiklab ang rebolusyon laban sa Espanya noong 1896.
2. Buwan ng wika. Kung kinakailangang magtalaga ng linggo at ngayon nga'y buwan ng wika para bigyang pansin at pagpapahalaga ang wikang pambansa, nangangahulugan lang na di pa talaga ito ganoon kahalaga sa atin bagkus, isa lang itong bagay na sinusubukan nating alalahaning pahalagahan taun-taon. kasi naman lito pa tayo sa kung ano ang pambansang wika.
3. Nakaiinis isiping ang wika na tinuturing ng marami na pambansa ay naipagkakamali bilang Tagalog gayung magkaiba ang dalawang ito. Filipino ang pambansang wika na kinasasangkutan rin ng Tagalog na isa sa napakarami nating wika. Ayon sa sil.org, mayroon tayong higit sa 170 wika sa bansa. Sampu sa mga ito ay mga pangunahing wika. Kabilang sa mga pangunahing wika ang Tagalog gayundin ang mga banyagang wikang Tsino at Ingles na ginagamit ng higit sa isang milyong Pilipino. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit di mali ang gumamit ng mga katagang Ingles o Tsino halo sa Tagalog at iba pang wika. Ang magkahalong gamit na ito na pang-araw-araw nating naririnig sa isa't-isa ang wika nating mga Pilipino. Halimbawa ng isang Filipinong pangungusap ang " Magkita tayo sa mall" o "Manonood ka ba ng premiere?"
4. Wikang pambansa ang gamit ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino sa kanyang SONA noong Lunes. Ngunit di pa rin siya naintindihan ng mga taong naging bisyo na yata ang tuligsain siya. Kasi naman, isang kahinaan nating mga Pinoy ang pakikinig. Marami sa atin ang imbes na matamang makinig ay may dala nang listahan ng gustong marinig. Kapag hindi narinig ang gustong marinig, sasabihing walang kwenta ang talumpati. Mahirap umunawa ang may sariling adyenda o sarado ang isip.
5. Ipinagkakapuri kong gagap ko pareho ang Filipino at Ingles. Masasabi ko ring bihasa ako sa Tagalog. Utang ko ito sa pagbabasa ko ng komiks na Tagalog noong bata ako, panonood ng mga palabas sa wikang Filipino sa aking paglaki, pagbabasa ko sa wikang Ingles habang nag-aaral. Ang wika ay nahahasa kasabay ng mga gusto o kinamihasnan na natin sa buhay . Kung anong gamit o exposure kaya, yung ang mahahasa.
6. Di ako sang-ayon sa "lip service" o pakitang taong paggamit ng wika sa mga program sa radyo at TV kapag Buwan ng Wika. Gayundin ang kalakaran sa mga programa sa paaralan. Pagsusuotin pa ng mga damit Filipiniana ang mga kasapi. Tulad ng wika, ang ating mga angking tela at kasuotan ay inaalayan lang ng panandaliang pagpapahalaga sa mga mangilan-ngilang okasyon o pagkilala.
7. Di nakapagtataka na di tayo magkaunawaan bilang isang bansa. Maging mga eksperto sa batas ay di maipaliwanag ang batas sa sariling wika gayong ang nakararami ay di rin naman matalinong nakapa-iisip o nakauunawa sa Ingles na paboritong wika ng mga nakaaangat na propesyonal. Marami pang isyu sa wika ang di natin napagtutuunan ng pansin. Marami pang maaring sabihin o pagdiskusyunan ukol dito. Sana ang pagpapahalaga sa wika ay maganap di lamang sa buwan ng Agosto. Maraming pangkaraniwang mamamayan ang bihasa na rito. di naman ito kailangang ituro pa sa kolehiyo. Bagkus paigtingin lang ang gamit nito sa iba't-ibang larangan ng pag-aaral. Intelektuwalisayon. Yan ang kailangan ng wikang Filipino.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Random Thoughts 4
"The difference between your generation and mine is..."
I often hear myself say this when I would like my students to realize how blessed or more privileged they are living a generation from mine. I also use this to take pride in my own generation which I regard as more brilliant despite the lack of technological advances we now have.
1. The Library- I have used the top three school libraries in the land: The UP Main Lib, The DLSU, Lib and ADMU's Rizal Lib. I have fond memories trying to look learned and in pursuit of further knowledge within the said edifices. Nowadays, my library is the world wide web which I share with my students. The difference is I use it really extensively while many students take it for granted that knowledge and information are at the click of their mouse and that they should be infinitely more informed than I am.
2. It was a good thing to have experienced both worlds: immediately before the PC and now. I get to appreciate better the wisdom behind many changes that have taken place in the world of information.
3. Admittedly, I talk a lot maybe too much for my own good. Twitter is the perfect venue for the opinionated me and I feel frustrated when I see it being wasted on nonsense talk and trending. Twitter is a discussion forum. Yet many tweeps don't bother to use even half of the 140 chars to drive home a point or join the convo on pressing issues and sensible concerns.
4. This past week was rather stressful with many of my OL friends taking sides on issues of two kinds: showbiz and politics. I must admit I could instigate some really vocal upheavals and for a while there, I thought I have offended enough tweeps with my tirades. I was frustrated and luckily, the tweeps that I care about understood.
5. I really don't care about how some sectors take to my tweets. There are two kinds of twitter people for me: those who are usually in agreement with me and those who I will never be on the same page with. I have some tweeps who I continue to follow despite differences in opinions and they're very few. Others, I immediately unfollow, block or mute. The difference between pizza and their opinion (as one tweet goes) is that I asked for pizza.
6. If you want to piss me right away, question my integrity as a teacher and connect it with something I said that you did not like. "Teacher ka pa naman". We don't say this to lawyers or doctors. We do hear this said of priests or nuns. "Pari ka pa naman." Madre ka pa naman."
7. There are many things I actually restrain my self from tweeting about lest I offend people. I am glad that I seem to have established some reputation online that my twitter friends do not anymore get surprised at the things I say OL. As another tweet says "If I do not react or say anything anymore, it means I have stopped caring."
8. There are two things I am quite passionate about as I tweet on them on a regularly basis: this government and the teleserye I watch every night. I cannot keep quiet on these two, I don't know why.
9. I may have said things I regret but I will never regret having the courage to speak my mind. I regret this about Pinoys in general. We are a passive, restrained lot. Students do not ask questions in class and even if I can talk and talk for hours, I'd appreciate it when someone interrupts me to contribute to the discussion or simply ask a question. Many of our problems as a nation could have been avoided if we were an inquisitive people from the start. I see the passivity not as politeness but a weakness.
10. To speak one's mind is not to be loud or nonsensical. Many comments OL are baseless, illogical and pure nonesense. Go to Instagram and get frustrated with how strangers dare comment on the lives of others as if they know their victims first hand. That's the worst of the opinionated kind. Socmed is so abused and wasted by these people.
I often hear myself say this when I would like my students to realize how blessed or more privileged they are living a generation from mine. I also use this to take pride in my own generation which I regard as more brilliant despite the lack of technological advances we now have.
1. The Library- I have used the top three school libraries in the land: The UP Main Lib, The DLSU, Lib and ADMU's Rizal Lib. I have fond memories trying to look learned and in pursuit of further knowledge within the said edifices. Nowadays, my library is the world wide web which I share with my students. The difference is I use it really extensively while many students take it for granted that knowledge and information are at the click of their mouse and that they should be infinitely more informed than I am.
2. It was a good thing to have experienced both worlds: immediately before the PC and now. I get to appreciate better the wisdom behind many changes that have taken place in the world of information.
3. Admittedly, I talk a lot maybe too much for my own good. Twitter is the perfect venue for the opinionated me and I feel frustrated when I see it being wasted on nonsense talk and trending. Twitter is a discussion forum. Yet many tweeps don't bother to use even half of the 140 chars to drive home a point or join the convo on pressing issues and sensible concerns.
4. This past week was rather stressful with many of my OL friends taking sides on issues of two kinds: showbiz and politics. I must admit I could instigate some really vocal upheavals and for a while there, I thought I have offended enough tweeps with my tirades. I was frustrated and luckily, the tweeps that I care about understood.
5. I really don't care about how some sectors take to my tweets. There are two kinds of twitter people for me: those who are usually in agreement with me and those who I will never be on the same page with. I have some tweeps who I continue to follow despite differences in opinions and they're very few. Others, I immediately unfollow, block or mute. The difference between pizza and their opinion (as one tweet goes) is that I asked for pizza.
6. If you want to piss me right away, question my integrity as a teacher and connect it with something I said that you did not like. "Teacher ka pa naman". We don't say this to lawyers or doctors. We do hear this said of priests or nuns. "Pari ka pa naman." Madre ka pa naman."
7. There are many things I actually restrain my self from tweeting about lest I offend people. I am glad that I seem to have established some reputation online that my twitter friends do not anymore get surprised at the things I say OL. As another tweet says "If I do not react or say anything anymore, it means I have stopped caring."
8. There are two things I am quite passionate about as I tweet on them on a regularly basis: this government and the teleserye I watch every night. I cannot keep quiet on these two, I don't know why.
9. I may have said things I regret but I will never regret having the courage to speak my mind. I regret this about Pinoys in general. We are a passive, restrained lot. Students do not ask questions in class and even if I can talk and talk for hours, I'd appreciate it when someone interrupts me to contribute to the discussion or simply ask a question. Many of our problems as a nation could have been avoided if we were an inquisitive people from the start. I see the passivity not as politeness but a weakness.
10. To speak one's mind is not to be loud or nonsensical. Many comments OL are baseless, illogical and pure nonesense. Go to Instagram and get frustrated with how strangers dare comment on the lives of others as if they know their victims first hand. That's the worst of the opinionated kind. Socmed is so abused and wasted by these people.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
The Idiot Box
Wiktionary has this entry for the phrase "idiot box" - "An allusion to the supposed mind-reducing nature of television programming or its lack of educational value." Television has also been referred to as the "boob tube". Both slang terms are pejorative in that they see TV as a device catering to idiots or fools. The two terms were first used in the 1950s, television's first decade. Though no longer popularly used, the terms may be as relevant and truthful today as they are then. Unfortunately.
When asked if I have cable subscription, I usually reply " Do I look like I can afford cable?" Therefore it's still "free TV" for me and my family. Free TV in the Philippines means roughly nine channels to choose from. Free TV also means we only get to actually choose from three networks. Our weekday TV schedule starts at 7:00 pm when my youngest son is done using the monitor for computing (Yes, we use the same monitor for TV and PC) or when his dad could convince him to let us watch the news. I do not care so much for primetime news as I get my news feed from Twitter. Primetime news in this country is tabloid reporting anyway with the anchors eternally confused about their job description- are they to just read the news or do their public expect them to opine on events and persons? This is a problem especially when anchors are also radio commentators, former politicians or simply personalities who are so full of themselves. Teleserye fare is what the two big networks offer after the tabloid newscasts. I skipped the 8:00 pm slot this past season because I am not into mermaids/men who spoke with a twang. So I wait patiently for 8:30 or 8:45 depending on the commercial load of the preceding programs.
Twitter and this blog have been my fora for how I feel towards Ikaw Lamang and so I do not need to repeat myself on this post. The last slot for teleserye, I rarely watch. I do support Bea Alonzo et al. in Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon but I can't stay up late every night because my son will have to go back to his homework with the PC. I remember that the only time, I religiously watched the 9:15 timeslot was also for Bea and John Lloyd's A Beautiful Affair, which I stopped watching at one point because of script gone awry with kultos and lotto winnings. I think that was the time the leading man had problems with reporting to work or so I heard.
Anyway, PBB and A&A , I really don't care about. I just don't like them. Obviously, I don't bother to check the other channels. The other big network has had problems with creative ideas lately while the fledgling one is yet to make an impact on me. Rarely on weekdays though it was a happy discovery that every now and then News Cafe over at Channel 9 could provide an intelligent alternative at 7 pm. Perhaps it is obvious at this point that only I watch TV in the family. The other members are pretty preoccupied and hypnotized by their respective smart phones and tablet. So to the rest of the brood, TV can disappear but not wi-fi.
On weekends, we enjoy watching but wouldn't suffer if we don't get to watch the likes of ASAP, MMK, The Voice, GGV. All again on Channel 2. My son has a cartoon fare on weekends and holidays and the shows are usually on Channels 5 or 7. Still to him, TV plays second only to PC.
I read somewhere that only the classes C, D and E watch TV regularly with the A and B crowd very much into the Internet. Is this the reason TV programming has not improved much judging from the stories and formats they offer day in day out? Is this also the reason why despite efforts to call attention to the many lapses TV programming is manifesting, the producers don't seem to budge?
I try to discuss plotlines and characters and I get mistaken for a hater. I try to express my opinion on a show or a personality and I risk getting blocked. It seems that people aren't ready to hear dissenting opinion on anything much less on their favorite show, character, story or personality. That is why I truly appreciate the ones who join in the conversation by RTing or favoriting or better yet by sharing their own take on the matter. As viewers who happen to watch and tweet about the same show, we owe it to ourselves that we keep the level up in terms of our definition of entertainment (free or subscribed to) and appreciation of the efforts and artistry( if any) involved in the making of the shows we follow.
There is a reason why the phrases "idiot box" and "boob tube" are no longer in popular use. TV has improved. I really hope so here, in our corner of the earth.
When asked if I have cable subscription, I usually reply " Do I look like I can afford cable?" Therefore it's still "free TV" for me and my family. Free TV in the Philippines means roughly nine channels to choose from. Free TV also means we only get to actually choose from three networks. Our weekday TV schedule starts at 7:00 pm when my youngest son is done using the monitor for computing (Yes, we use the same monitor for TV and PC) or when his dad could convince him to let us watch the news. I do not care so much for primetime news as I get my news feed from Twitter. Primetime news in this country is tabloid reporting anyway with the anchors eternally confused about their job description- are they to just read the news or do their public expect them to opine on events and persons? This is a problem especially when anchors are also radio commentators, former politicians or simply personalities who are so full of themselves. Teleserye fare is what the two big networks offer after the tabloid newscasts. I skipped the 8:00 pm slot this past season because I am not into mermaids/men who spoke with a twang. So I wait patiently for 8:30 or 8:45 depending on the commercial load of the preceding programs.
Twitter and this blog have been my fora for how I feel towards Ikaw Lamang and so I do not need to repeat myself on this post. The last slot for teleserye, I rarely watch. I do support Bea Alonzo et al. in Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon but I can't stay up late every night because my son will have to go back to his homework with the PC. I remember that the only time, I religiously watched the 9:15 timeslot was also for Bea and John Lloyd's A Beautiful Affair, which I stopped watching at one point because of script gone awry with kultos and lotto winnings. I think that was the time the leading man had problems with reporting to work or so I heard.
Anyway, PBB and A&A , I really don't care about. I just don't like them. Obviously, I don't bother to check the other channels. The other big network has had problems with creative ideas lately while the fledgling one is yet to make an impact on me. Rarely on weekdays though it was a happy discovery that every now and then News Cafe over at Channel 9 could provide an intelligent alternative at 7 pm. Perhaps it is obvious at this point that only I watch TV in the family. The other members are pretty preoccupied and hypnotized by their respective smart phones and tablet. So to the rest of the brood, TV can disappear but not wi-fi.
On weekends, we enjoy watching but wouldn't suffer if we don't get to watch the likes of ASAP, MMK, The Voice, GGV. All again on Channel 2. My son has a cartoon fare on weekends and holidays and the shows are usually on Channels 5 or 7. Still to him, TV plays second only to PC.
I read somewhere that only the classes C, D and E watch TV regularly with the A and B crowd very much into the Internet. Is this the reason TV programming has not improved much judging from the stories and formats they offer day in day out? Is this also the reason why despite efforts to call attention to the many lapses TV programming is manifesting, the producers don't seem to budge?
I try to discuss plotlines and characters and I get mistaken for a hater. I try to express my opinion on a show or a personality and I risk getting blocked. It seems that people aren't ready to hear dissenting opinion on anything much less on their favorite show, character, story or personality. That is why I truly appreciate the ones who join in the conversation by RTing or favoriting or better yet by sharing their own take on the matter. As viewers who happen to watch and tweet about the same show, we owe it to ourselves that we keep the level up in terms of our definition of entertainment (free or subscribed to) and appreciation of the efforts and artistry( if any) involved in the making of the shows we follow.
There is a reason why the phrases "idiot box" and "boob tube" are no longer in popular use. TV has improved. I really hope so here, in our corner of the earth.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
What a waste of Internet access
The digital divide tells us that many people around the world do not have access to technology's greatest brainchild (IMO), the Internet. Yet in this country the ones who have access to www waste it by displaying a sheer lack of common sense and logic in their tweets, updates or simple comments to write-ups or news. It doesn't take a lot to spot the nincompoops. I don't have an FB account but I heard it's a showcase of many things I don't want to be a witness of. On Twitter though, I have been very active for two years now.
1. Fantards- they spend the whole day and night forcing their equally nonsense hashtags to trend. For what reason? To stump a perceived competition or threat to their favorite loveteams. Fantards also troll into accounts they think are haters of their idols, retweet the latter when they perceive an anti-idol message in the tweets, invite fellow trolls and fantards into the latter's timeline. Some bother to comment but don't even bother to show up their real faces in their DPs.
2. Political "analysts" daw- These fencesitters always have something to say against the current administration. They believe the president has not done anything right since destiny (much to their chagrin) caused him to be the one to effect the arrest of the most prominent of thieves in the land. These "pol anals" (haha my term!) won't stop at overreading what PNoy says, they will call everyone who tries to express agreement with him as yellowtards. Many of these critics of PNoy have their own agenda against if not an axe to grind with the present leadership.
3. On IG, we have those who post irrelevant comments in celebrity accounts taking advantage of the following said accounts enjoy. It doesn't matter if the post is rather sad, these "paningits" will still sell anything they wish you to buy- using the celeb's timeline.
The internet is one of humankind's best creations and I am so happy I have experienced it during my lifetime. Yet the internet is so wasted on internet users themselves and many do not deserve the access that they have to it. I can only imagine how many great potentials are out there who should get the chance at this technology but don't.
As a teacher, I feel frustrated when students do not make full and effective use of the Internet. If I had this technology when I was just in my undergraduate, I would have graduated with honors because I could have studied harder and more efficiently with Google around. But no, many young Internet users don't even bother to check the veracity of forwarded messages and posts before they repost or retweet them. Result? Chaos, confusion, conflict and furthering of ignorance.
The fear that the Internet is wasted on many of its users escalate upon realizing that not a few are actually seated before their PCs or are holding in perpetuity their 4G gadgets but remain detached from real and useful info, knowledge and skills.
If I were the god of the Internet, I would punish those who waste the opportunity to dabble in my creation and take from them their access to give it to those more worthy of it, the other side of the digital divide.
1. Fantards- they spend the whole day and night forcing their equally nonsense hashtags to trend. For what reason? To stump a perceived competition or threat to their favorite loveteams. Fantards also troll into accounts they think are haters of their idols, retweet the latter when they perceive an anti-idol message in the tweets, invite fellow trolls and fantards into the latter's timeline. Some bother to comment but don't even bother to show up their real faces in their DPs.
2. Political "analysts" daw- These fencesitters always have something to say against the current administration. They believe the president has not done anything right since destiny (much to their chagrin) caused him to be the one to effect the arrest of the most prominent of thieves in the land. These "pol anals" (haha my term!) won't stop at overreading what PNoy says, they will call everyone who tries to express agreement with him as yellowtards. Many of these critics of PNoy have their own agenda against if not an axe to grind with the present leadership.
3. On IG, we have those who post irrelevant comments in celebrity accounts taking advantage of the following said accounts enjoy. It doesn't matter if the post is rather sad, these "paningits" will still sell anything they wish you to buy- using the celeb's timeline.
The internet is one of humankind's best creations and I am so happy I have experienced it during my lifetime. Yet the internet is so wasted on internet users themselves and many do not deserve the access that they have to it. I can only imagine how many great potentials are out there who should get the chance at this technology but don't.
As a teacher, I feel frustrated when students do not make full and effective use of the Internet. If I had this technology when I was just in my undergraduate, I would have graduated with honors because I could have studied harder and more efficiently with Google around. But no, many young Internet users don't even bother to check the veracity of forwarded messages and posts before they repost or retweet them. Result? Chaos, confusion, conflict and furthering of ignorance.
The fear that the Internet is wasted on many of its users escalate upon realizing that not a few are actually seated before their PCs or are holding in perpetuity their 4G gadgets but remain detached from real and useful info, knowledge and skills.
If I were the god of the Internet, I would punish those who waste the opportunity to dabble in my creation and take from them their access to give it to those more worthy of it, the other side of the digital divide.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Random Thoughts 3
1. Yesterday was the 54th birth anniversary of Leandro Alejandro, student leader and activist who was killed in an ambush in 1987. Lean was UP Student Council chairman in 1983-84. I was among his councilors. In my mind, two historical events stand out: the Ninoy Aquino assasination in aug 1983 and the first Lakbayan in Feb 1984. These two events kept us busy and visible on and off campus duing our term in office. My stint with Lean and the USC remains one of the most influential period in my youth.
2. I owe my being opinionated not only to UP but to my father who discussed social and political issues with us during the martial law years. I carry that interest in our country's plight and experiences to this day. I say my mind not just in writing but also in the classroom when I teach. My socio-political beliefs are obvious on the first day of classes. I joke about politicians and events hoping that my students will be curious enough to dig up the background on them or at the least read up in between doing their status updates or playing games. I take extra care in influencing young minds. I tell them that they need not believe or follow everything that I stand for. They are old enough to form their own opinions. Bottomline is they SHOULD have opinions.
3. I teach English because I was told I could teach it given my good enough proficiency in the language. The first subjects I handled were actually Filipino and Araling Panlipunan. English to me is just a language that allows us opportunities . It is prestigious due to our continuing colonial mindset but I tell my students they should also try learning other foreign languages.
4. The headlines and the personalities that make the headlines nowadays are very familiar names and faces. Many of them also came from the State University. Juan Ponce-Enrile. Gigi Reyes. The UP really produces all sorts of graduates. From the extreme right to the extreme left. It also produces the most caring of citizens as well as the most detached; the most generous to Motherland as well as the most abusive of her.
5. Proud to be from this University. The freedom of mind and attitude within its perimeter allows its wards to achieve growth in whatever quality and quantity they choose. Really up to the graduate if conscience stays or is totally given up. I am glad I have a son who is also a graduate of UP. I consider it one great achievement as a parent.
2. I owe my being opinionated not only to UP but to my father who discussed social and political issues with us during the martial law years. I carry that interest in our country's plight and experiences to this day. I say my mind not just in writing but also in the classroom when I teach. My socio-political beliefs are obvious on the first day of classes. I joke about politicians and events hoping that my students will be curious enough to dig up the background on them or at the least read up in between doing their status updates or playing games. I take extra care in influencing young minds. I tell them that they need not believe or follow everything that I stand for. They are old enough to form their own opinions. Bottomline is they SHOULD have opinions.
3. I teach English because I was told I could teach it given my good enough proficiency in the language. The first subjects I handled were actually Filipino and Araling Panlipunan. English to me is just a language that allows us opportunities . It is prestigious due to our continuing colonial mindset but I tell my students they should also try learning other foreign languages.
4. The headlines and the personalities that make the headlines nowadays are very familiar names and faces. Many of them also came from the State University. Juan Ponce-Enrile. Gigi Reyes. The UP really produces all sorts of graduates. From the extreme right to the extreme left. It also produces the most caring of citizens as well as the most detached; the most generous to Motherland as well as the most abusive of her.
5. Proud to be from this University. The freedom of mind and attitude within its perimeter allows its wards to achieve growth in whatever quality and quantity they choose. Really up to the graduate if conscience stays or is totally given up. I am glad I have a son who is also a graduate of UP. I consider it one great achievement as a parent.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Samuel?
I am obviously continually frustrated with the weak lines and scenes my formerly favorite character Samuel has been made to mouth and do lately. This dismal characterization started when he decided he should marry Mona because he got her pregnant. Okay. This was in Negros in the 1970s and yes, men actually married the women they impregnated then. It was an easy decision for Samuel. Isabelle is already married and Mona anyway is his childhood buddy. I was hoping though that as it was clear with Isabelle that she would never fall in love with Franco even if he showed so much persistence and dedication to her, it should have been clear to Samuel that he was just obligated to marry Mona because it was the decent thing to do.
I faulted Samuel for being too happy in his wedding to Mona when he was just obviously "napikot". Too eager and too pleased. I was told he was in denial and thought that he could move on from there. Anyway, Mona is not very hard to love. They grew up together. Okay fine.
As the encounters between the two couples heat up the screen after the forced unions, Mona displayed very irritating behavior that would be enough for Samuel to realize he married for the wrong reasons. In one jealous fit, Mona blurted out "Niloko mo ako!" Samuel could have answered "Ikaw ang nanloko. Lasing ako at bigo sa pag-ibig. sinamantala mo iyon. Buti nga pinakasalan kita!". But Samuel will never be caught mouthing such a line. He is a saint. He would shout at his enemies pounce on them if they were men like him but he would not do the same to his best buddy now his wife. Several jealous fits and scandalous assaults later courtesy of Mona, Samuel stil did not give his wife a piece of his mind or knock some sense into her head. That was when he began disappointing his viewers. That was when he lost his lead role status. He was too kind. Too stupidly kind.
I suspect he enjoyed the requisite landian, lambingan, domesticated scenes between him and his wife. He forgot he had a very promising love story that he should continue pining for even in silence. I did not see any of this. If ever there were moments, they were extremely fleeting moments too short to make an impact. Samuel never had a memorable scene since I don;t remember when was his last one now. The character is lost. Swallowed whole by his boring scenes with Mona which only their fans will appreciate, by Isabelle's resigned but still powerful words, by Franco's psychotic outbursts, by Maximo's consistently evil presence. Rebecca's lines in defense of her daughter will be remembered more. I began to look forward to scenes by this able support cast and didn't care anymore if Samuel showed up at all.
I thought I was the only one feeling this way about the story and about Samuel. My timeline showed insightful intelligent discussions on the merits and demerits of the tele. Samuel's weakened character seemed top on the demerits list. Nevertheless, rest assured the list of demerits is shorter than the merits list, reason why I continue to watch.
But this fan has changed. From MLKI to WH to JDC, I would not take my eyes off the screen especially when Coco Martin is on. I would look forward to his scenes night after night. In Ikaw Lamang, sadly, I have come to ignore his character in several episodes. The tele still amazes me with its camera works, its direction, its prod design, its excellent support cast. I have come to respect Kim and Jake as actors who know their craft. I have not missed Coco. He is just not there. This tele is not his anymore. All because his character did not dare say the lines that would have clarified and assured that the tele is still true to its title.
I faulted Samuel for being too happy in his wedding to Mona when he was just obviously "napikot". Too eager and too pleased. I was told he was in denial and thought that he could move on from there. Anyway, Mona is not very hard to love. They grew up together. Okay fine.
As the encounters between the two couples heat up the screen after the forced unions, Mona displayed very irritating behavior that would be enough for Samuel to realize he married for the wrong reasons. In one jealous fit, Mona blurted out "Niloko mo ako!" Samuel could have answered "Ikaw ang nanloko. Lasing ako at bigo sa pag-ibig. sinamantala mo iyon. Buti nga pinakasalan kita!". But Samuel will never be caught mouthing such a line. He is a saint. He would shout at his enemies pounce on them if they were men like him but he would not do the same to his best buddy now his wife. Several jealous fits and scandalous assaults later courtesy of Mona, Samuel stil did not give his wife a piece of his mind or knock some sense into her head. That was when he began disappointing his viewers. That was when he lost his lead role status. He was too kind. Too stupidly kind.
I suspect he enjoyed the requisite landian, lambingan, domesticated scenes between him and his wife. He forgot he had a very promising love story that he should continue pining for even in silence. I did not see any of this. If ever there were moments, they were extremely fleeting moments too short to make an impact. Samuel never had a memorable scene since I don;t remember when was his last one now. The character is lost. Swallowed whole by his boring scenes with Mona which only their fans will appreciate, by Isabelle's resigned but still powerful words, by Franco's psychotic outbursts, by Maximo's consistently evil presence. Rebecca's lines in defense of her daughter will be remembered more. I began to look forward to scenes by this able support cast and didn't care anymore if Samuel showed up at all.
I thought I was the only one feeling this way about the story and about Samuel. My timeline showed insightful intelligent discussions on the merits and demerits of the tele. Samuel's weakened character seemed top on the demerits list. Nevertheless, rest assured the list of demerits is shorter than the merits list, reason why I continue to watch.
But this fan has changed. From MLKI to WH to JDC, I would not take my eyes off the screen especially when Coco Martin is on. I would look forward to his scenes night after night. In Ikaw Lamang, sadly, I have come to ignore his character in several episodes. The tele still amazes me with its camera works, its direction, its prod design, its excellent support cast. I have come to respect Kim and Jake as actors who know their craft. I have not missed Coco. He is just not there. This tele is not his anymore. All because his character did not dare say the lines that would have clarified and assured that the tele is still true to its title.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Random Thoughts 2
Slow day because I choose it to be one. I have many things to do but I choose not to act on them. Lazy is my middle name. I also answer to "amotivated" every now and then. What's bugging me today? These, below, among other things:
1. Binay's ratings are up. He is the only one among public officials to have positive results from the efforts for media mileage every chance he could get. Damn it! We are really hopeless at this. No critical thinking at all but mere recall of prominent names, oft-mentioned names. What did he actually do to deserve our recall?
2. The Marcoses threatening a Malacanang comeback. #NeverAgain. I repeat #NeverAgain. If you do not understand my stand, you are either a member of a family that lived through martial law years virtually undisturbed or you did not take your history classes seriously or you did not have very good history teachers. In any of these cases, shame on you!
3. Media and media exposure-hungry personlaities who are making the news for rushing to file impeachment raps against PNoy and Abad. I hope you are as rabid with GMA and her ilk, with Pogi, Tanda and Sexy and with the Marcoses. If not, you are paid hacks and I have a good guess who is financing you.
4. Educators kuno who do not understand Kto12 and who belittle the Dep-Ed's efforts at it: you do not know your field or profession. You do not understand why we have to go thru this curriculum shift. Worse, you regard education as a business enterprise and that's all.
5. Those who support the English Only Policy in schools: Shame on you! I may be an English teacher but I teach English so we can be better at defending ourselves as Filipinos especially in international settings. I do not allow the language to enslave my thoughts. English is a language . It is just one of the many prominent languages we can opt to study and be competent in. If you still penalize students for speaking in their mother tongue in school, you should be the one punished for violating the constitution.
6. TV was called an idiot box or a boob tube because in its early years it was regarded as something that makes people stupid. Please, PH TV, let us not continue to make this a sad reality in local TV. From the news to the teleseryes, let us have material and content that regard viewers as thinking individuals and not just captive market for poorly written stuff.
7. Haters and bashers who troll into celebs accounts to do their thing: you ought to realize that technology is oh so wasted on you. A poor child with many potentials could have achieved greater things given your access to the Internet. The awful digital divide . Many who have access to the www shouldn't even have been entrusted with a PC or gadget at all. This includes all those pushers of senseless trending HTs when many other important advocacies should be in our minds.
8. Grammar gurus who pounce on a celeb for committing an error or two. They are not media entities that need to proofread everything before they publish. Only in the PH, slaves to the English language, most of us are, that we are so mean on each other over errors that native speakers do not even care about. Yan tayo e.
Rant, rant, rant. If I could lose weight doing this, I'd be as slim as Isabelle Miravelez in a day or two.
Not everybody is given a chance to speak or say what's on her mind OL. This is my forum. Thanks for reading through. I feel better now.
1. Binay's ratings are up. He is the only one among public officials to have positive results from the efforts for media mileage every chance he could get. Damn it! We are really hopeless at this. No critical thinking at all but mere recall of prominent names, oft-mentioned names. What did he actually do to deserve our recall?
2. The Marcoses threatening a Malacanang comeback. #NeverAgain. I repeat #NeverAgain. If you do not understand my stand, you are either a member of a family that lived through martial law years virtually undisturbed or you did not take your history classes seriously or you did not have very good history teachers. In any of these cases, shame on you!
3. Media and media exposure-hungry personlaities who are making the news for rushing to file impeachment raps against PNoy and Abad. I hope you are as rabid with GMA and her ilk, with Pogi, Tanda and Sexy and with the Marcoses. If not, you are paid hacks and I have a good guess who is financing you.
4. Educators kuno who do not understand Kto12 and who belittle the Dep-Ed's efforts at it: you do not know your field or profession. You do not understand why we have to go thru this curriculum shift. Worse, you regard education as a business enterprise and that's all.
5. Those who support the English Only Policy in schools: Shame on you! I may be an English teacher but I teach English so we can be better at defending ourselves as Filipinos especially in international settings. I do not allow the language to enslave my thoughts. English is a language . It is just one of the many prominent languages we can opt to study and be competent in. If you still penalize students for speaking in their mother tongue in school, you should be the one punished for violating the constitution.
6. TV was called an idiot box or a boob tube because in its early years it was regarded as something that makes people stupid. Please, PH TV, let us not continue to make this a sad reality in local TV. From the news to the teleseryes, let us have material and content that regard viewers as thinking individuals and not just captive market for poorly written stuff.
7. Haters and bashers who troll into celebs accounts to do their thing: you ought to realize that technology is oh so wasted on you. A poor child with many potentials could have achieved greater things given your access to the Internet. The awful digital divide . Many who have access to the www shouldn't even have been entrusted with a PC or gadget at all. This includes all those pushers of senseless trending HTs when many other important advocacies should be in our minds.
8. Grammar gurus who pounce on a celeb for committing an error or two. They are not media entities that need to proofread everything before they publish. Only in the PH, slaves to the English language, most of us are, that we are so mean on each other over errors that native speakers do not even care about. Yan tayo e.
Rant, rant, rant. If I could lose weight doing this, I'd be as slim as Isabelle Miravelez in a day or two.
Not everybody is given a chance to speak or say what's on her mind OL. This is my forum. Thanks for reading through. I feel better now.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Random Thoughts
I have so many things in my mind these past few days and Twitter is not enough to record them. Might as well list some of them down.
1. Tried to save three pups from parvo this past weekend. Trip to the Vet (which was too late, I must admit) and several injections later, two have died already. I hope the family favorite Fluffy survives. I was able to save two dogs before from Parvo by giving them hydrating fluids and TLC. My formula seems not enough for this latest batch. Basically, it's not anymore money problem but transpo. The Vet I trust is 4 kms away and we do not have a car. Sasadyain talaga via bus or taxi.
2. I have to be honest that I am not happy that the Mona character is given equal exposure now when I remember it was just a support role in the beginning. I know teleserye scripts are malleable but I still believe Ikaw Lamang is a CoKim project with Jake as the villain. See, they're the three who figured in the Yahoo Awards nominees. No Mona there.
3. I am not comfortable with tweets that go for trends only. If we are to trend, can we at least tweet something sensible and worth retweeting? No offense. I know we have different reasons why we are on Twitter. Nanghihinayang lang ako sa socmed access.
4. I noticed that Quen was not with his happy smile yesterday in that pic with new LT Liza. Well, two possibilities, they are yet to adjust to each other or he is in his best element with Julia B. Parang may something kasi talaga ang QuenLia. Sayang the LT has to be set aside (I hope temporarily) bec of this new project. Okay naman si Liza, like JB, she's pretty and with potentials. I just think QuenLia has magic. Nope, I am not a fan in the same way that I am a fan of Coco. I just have positive thoughts for them.
5.I hate the issues that are in my TL nowadays, Ateneo scholars posing with Imelda, tweeps implying GMA was better than PNoy, Enrile getting his VIP eye treatment trips now that he is supposed to have been arrested, national artist issue being supported by fiercely anti-PNoys, PDAF hate being overtaken by DAP hate.
6. Last time I tweeted negatively about Kris, I got blocked by a friend who loves her. I like Kris as a very influential media personality. I like her as a mover in society as she gets people to donate more, gets to make people act faster. I just don't like her talking about her love life on national TV.
7. I am happy that Dyesebel was consistent at the ratings during its relatively short run. I am not a fan though of this Dreamscape project. Sorry, guys. I look forward to its successor, #HawakKamay, featuring Piolo Pascual and ABSCBN wonder kids Zaijan, Xyriel et al.
8. Why am I still on Twitter and IG? These two socmed sites have wasted so much of my time. What do I really benefit from my accounts OL?
9. News and information are the best these two socmed venues have to offer. New like-minded acquaintances are another. Opporunity to think aloud and practice my arguments , still another. I have 1160+ followers on Twitter to date. I am amazed that I have gotten these people interested in my thoughst and opinions.
10. I miss the classroom. I am glad school is finally starting on July 14th. It has been the longest no-teaching period for me since I became a college teacher.
Let's cut the list to 10 and get back to work.
1. Tried to save three pups from parvo this past weekend. Trip to the Vet (which was too late, I must admit) and several injections later, two have died already. I hope the family favorite Fluffy survives. I was able to save two dogs before from Parvo by giving them hydrating fluids and TLC. My formula seems not enough for this latest batch. Basically, it's not anymore money problem but transpo. The Vet I trust is 4 kms away and we do not have a car. Sasadyain talaga via bus or taxi.
2. I have to be honest that I am not happy that the Mona character is given equal exposure now when I remember it was just a support role in the beginning. I know teleserye scripts are malleable but I still believe Ikaw Lamang is a CoKim project with Jake as the villain. See, they're the three who figured in the Yahoo Awards nominees. No Mona there.
3. I am not comfortable with tweets that go for trends only. If we are to trend, can we at least tweet something sensible and worth retweeting? No offense. I know we have different reasons why we are on Twitter. Nanghihinayang lang ako sa socmed access.
4. I noticed that Quen was not with his happy smile yesterday in that pic with new LT Liza. Well, two possibilities, they are yet to adjust to each other or he is in his best element with Julia B. Parang may something kasi talaga ang QuenLia. Sayang the LT has to be set aside (I hope temporarily) bec of this new project. Okay naman si Liza, like JB, she's pretty and with potentials. I just think QuenLia has magic. Nope, I am not a fan in the same way that I am a fan of Coco. I just have positive thoughts for them.
5.I hate the issues that are in my TL nowadays, Ateneo scholars posing with Imelda, tweeps implying GMA was better than PNoy, Enrile getting his VIP eye treatment trips now that he is supposed to have been arrested, national artist issue being supported by fiercely anti-PNoys, PDAF hate being overtaken by DAP hate.
6. Last time I tweeted negatively about Kris, I got blocked by a friend who loves her. I like Kris as a very influential media personality. I like her as a mover in society as she gets people to donate more, gets to make people act faster. I just don't like her talking about her love life on national TV.
7. I am happy that Dyesebel was consistent at the ratings during its relatively short run. I am not a fan though of this Dreamscape project. Sorry, guys. I look forward to its successor, #HawakKamay, featuring Piolo Pascual and ABSCBN wonder kids Zaijan, Xyriel et al.
8. Why am I still on Twitter and IG? These two socmed sites have wasted so much of my time. What do I really benefit from my accounts OL?
9. News and information are the best these two socmed venues have to offer. New like-minded acquaintances are another. Opporunity to think aloud and practice my arguments , still another. I have 1160+ followers on Twitter to date. I am amazed that I have gotten these people interested in my thoughst and opinions.
10. I miss the classroom. I am glad school is finally starting on July 14th. It has been the longest no-teaching period for me since I became a college teacher.
Let's cut the list to 10 and get back to work.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Kalungkot Naman
Kalungkot naman na mas napapadasal tayo sakay ng drayber na kaskasero kaysa pag nasa simbahan antok na nakaupo tayo. Ang biro nga, mas maraming naipuntos ang drayber sa pagrerecruit ng deboto kaysa mga pari at obispo.
Why we could sympathize with Franco but not much with Mona
9:00 AM, June 26, 2014
Let's not even talk about the actors that play Franco and Mona in the hit teleserye "Ikaw Lamang". It is a given that the series is overflowing with thespic talents, Jake and Julia included. Let's talk about why we can easily understand why Franco is the way he is while we are so ready to condemn Mona's every word and action.
We have known them since their childhood. Franco as the scion of the rich and powerful Hidalgos and Mona as the bubbly, dependable (most of the time) "kababata" of Samuel. We know how the stereotypical brat was raised by his shrewd and scheming Lolo Maximo and his delusional mom Miranda. The only thing Franco missed as a a child was his dad Eduardo's more overt display of affection towards him. Early on, we found out he was not of Eduardo's blood and we sympathized with how painful it was to have that truth thrown at his face at so young an age, no thanks to Maximo. He had Isabelle as a friend from the beginning, though the girl was always oblivious of the fact that he worshipped every inch of her. Even in London, Franco was just so sure that their common class origin and family ties made it inevitable that they will end up in marriage. What about Mona? We don't know much about her and her sister Lupe. She had no childhood problem except for the obviously accepted fact that they didn't have parents anymore. From the start they were a welcome extension of the Severino family, thanks to the charity and hospitality that seem staple in the Severino household. Since their younger years, we already know it was Franco who would play the bigger part in the story as the nemesis of Samuel and the obsessive lover of Isabelle.
Franco was treated to one embarassment after another. From being exposed as a pretend hero who took the credit for saving Isabelle in the canefields fire, to being scolded in public by his very upright father for behaving so unkindly towards the obreros. In London, Isabelle would go out with anybody but him. It was just too naive of him to propose to Isabelle when he never got past the friend zone from the beginning. Mona? We remember her for not telling Samuel that Isabelle was living for London. and she was his best friend.
Samuel and Isabelle's love bloomed after she got back from London. Franco had no idea the alitaptaps were always working against him. Meanwhile the adults (three of them: Maximo, Miranda and Gonzalo) were all for using him to forge a union between the two wealthy families so that wealth could be secured. He had to marry Isabelle. Shunned not just once but several times already, Franco with his stereotypical arrogance as the hacendero's son could not for his very limited understanding of what love is accept that a lowly rival would win every step of the way. One event after the other showed him losing to Samuel even as he was able to legally own Isabelle. On top of this, he sooner than later lost the only woman who loved him- his mother. One painful truth after another, Isabelle still carrying a torch for Samuel, Lolo Maximo as the murderer of his mother, enough to explain why Franco is sporting that insane/psycho look for many episodes now.
And Mona? We remember her for taking advantage of Samuel during his most vulnerable moment. With the help of alcohol, she won Samuel for life, stupid as he is too righteous, Samuel took responsibility and up to the most recent episode maintained an incredibly kind attitude toward his "mamimikot". It would be extremely satisfying if one day he would just slap her and remind her that he only married her out of a sense of obligation. In real life, this scenario is more likely to happen. But Samuel is a saint.
And so in last night's episode, "Ikaw Lamang: The scandal", all of Mona's words were actually hateful in that she was accusing Isabelle, the forever suffering Isabelle, of the very acts she had committed in her effort to have Samuel for herself. Isabelle, pregnant and always in tears, was being pushed and shouted at by the woman who thwarted a possible SamBelle union by giving herself to the intoxicated and very depressed Samuel.
Franco, we know was just being shrewd and with a game plan like an adroit chess player he has become. He was the one with the bigger scheme. He was controlling everyone from his wheelchair, as he has said himself. But we remember the many things he's been through, the pain, the loss, the rejection and we know where he's coming from. We know what caused him to act insane. Mona? Just an insecure legal wife who can't accept the truth that Samuel is only hers on paper.
The reactions to yesterday's episode showed that the roles were well essayed by the actors and I congratulate everyone in the project for that. Many characters are too familiar and predictable but the actors make them enegaging with their approach. This makes for affected/affective viewing which teledramas target. Ikaw Lamang and its cast always hit the bull's eye weeknight after weeknight.
Let's not even talk about the actors that play Franco and Mona in the hit teleserye "Ikaw Lamang". It is a given that the series is overflowing with thespic talents, Jake and Julia included. Let's talk about why we can easily understand why Franco is the way he is while we are so ready to condemn Mona's every word and action.
We have known them since their childhood. Franco as the scion of the rich and powerful Hidalgos and Mona as the bubbly, dependable (most of the time) "kababata" of Samuel. We know how the stereotypical brat was raised by his shrewd and scheming Lolo Maximo and his delusional mom Miranda. The only thing Franco missed as a a child was his dad Eduardo's more overt display of affection towards him. Early on, we found out he was not of Eduardo's blood and we sympathized with how painful it was to have that truth thrown at his face at so young an age, no thanks to Maximo. He had Isabelle as a friend from the beginning, though the girl was always oblivious of the fact that he worshipped every inch of her. Even in London, Franco was just so sure that their common class origin and family ties made it inevitable that they will end up in marriage. What about Mona? We don't know much about her and her sister Lupe. She had no childhood problem except for the obviously accepted fact that they didn't have parents anymore. From the start they were a welcome extension of the Severino family, thanks to the charity and hospitality that seem staple in the Severino household. Since their younger years, we already know it was Franco who would play the bigger part in the story as the nemesis of Samuel and the obsessive lover of Isabelle.
Franco was treated to one embarassment after another. From being exposed as a pretend hero who took the credit for saving Isabelle in the canefields fire, to being scolded in public by his very upright father for behaving so unkindly towards the obreros. In London, Isabelle would go out with anybody but him. It was just too naive of him to propose to Isabelle when he never got past the friend zone from the beginning. Mona? We remember her for not telling Samuel that Isabelle was living for London. and she was his best friend.
Samuel and Isabelle's love bloomed after she got back from London. Franco had no idea the alitaptaps were always working against him. Meanwhile the adults (three of them: Maximo, Miranda and Gonzalo) were all for using him to forge a union between the two wealthy families so that wealth could be secured. He had to marry Isabelle. Shunned not just once but several times already, Franco with his stereotypical arrogance as the hacendero's son could not for his very limited understanding of what love is accept that a lowly rival would win every step of the way. One event after the other showed him losing to Samuel even as he was able to legally own Isabelle. On top of this, he sooner than later lost the only woman who loved him- his mother. One painful truth after another, Isabelle still carrying a torch for Samuel, Lolo Maximo as the murderer of his mother, enough to explain why Franco is sporting that insane/psycho look for many episodes now.
And Mona? We remember her for taking advantage of Samuel during his most vulnerable moment. With the help of alcohol, she won Samuel for life, stupid as he is too righteous, Samuel took responsibility and up to the most recent episode maintained an incredibly kind attitude toward his "mamimikot". It would be extremely satisfying if one day he would just slap her and remind her that he only married her out of a sense of obligation. In real life, this scenario is more likely to happen. But Samuel is a saint.
And so in last night's episode, "Ikaw Lamang: The scandal", all of Mona's words were actually hateful in that she was accusing Isabelle, the forever suffering Isabelle, of the very acts she had committed in her effort to have Samuel for herself. Isabelle, pregnant and always in tears, was being pushed and shouted at by the woman who thwarted a possible SamBelle union by giving herself to the intoxicated and very depressed Samuel.
Franco, we know was just being shrewd and with a game plan like an adroit chess player he has become. He was the one with the bigger scheme. He was controlling everyone from his wheelchair, as he has said himself. But we remember the many things he's been through, the pain, the loss, the rejection and we know where he's coming from. We know what caused him to act insane. Mona? Just an insecure legal wife who can't accept the truth that Samuel is only hers on paper.
The reactions to yesterday's episode showed that the roles were well essayed by the actors and I congratulate everyone in the project for that. Many characters are too familiar and predictable but the actors make them enegaging with their approach. This makes for affected/affective viewing which teledramas target. Ikaw Lamang and its cast always hit the bull's eye weeknight after weeknight.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Archetypes in Teleseryes
I love teleseryes and I am sure many of you do, too and so I would like us to take a look at archetypes in teleseryes. First, the lecture on what is an archetype.
Kathy Latrobe (2002) defined archetype as "a universally recognizable element... that recurs across all literature and life". Psychologist Carl Jung referred to it as a kind of "collective unconscious" of the human race, prototypes rather than something gained from experience. The word came from Greek arche, original and typos , model, "original model".
So there, an archetype is the first real example or prototype of something. In narratives, we have archetypes of character, setting and theme. Cinderella is the archetypal rags-to-riches character or the commoner who marries the handsome prince. Her wicked stepmother and stepsisters are archetypal villains in an otherwise romantic fairy tale. Jesus is the archetypal Redeemer or sacrificial lamb, the forest is the archetype for the unexplored, the fertile and the wild, journey to find self is an archetypal theme.
We do not have to experience archetypes in order to recognize them. We read about them or witness them in other people and so when we see them in narratives we are able to predict what is going to happen next. We get bored when the story becomes predictable and so we welcome an occasional twist, but it remains that one reason we enjoy a narrative is because we sense or recognize archetypes.
Now let's see if we can recognize archetypes in the following teleseryes and characters:
1. The story of Samuel and Isabelle in Ikaw Lamang. Of course, I will have to start with my current favorite. The two showcase several archetypes. There's the Romeo and Juliet archetype, star-crossed lovers from families that are in conflict with each other. There is also the poor boy-rich girl theme. In romantic tales and even in real life, economic disparity is always a source of conflict.
2. Miranda as the evil Queen or the wicked mother-in-law. This character may be too easy to recognize as it is all too common. Given a versatile actor to play it though,as in the case of Cherie Gil, it becomes iconic despite being a cliche at the start.
3. The Beauty and the Beast archetype is duplicated in Mirabella and in Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon's Rose Buenavista. In both instances though it's the woman who is "beastly" and the man , incredibly handsome (Jeremy or Patrick) who falls in love with the woman despite the "ugliness".
4. Dyesebel of course is Mars Ravelo's take on Hans Christien Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The archetypal theme is living in entirely different worlds and being in conflict at the same time in love with somebody from another world.
5. Many villains in teleseryes follow the archetype of the deprived and the obsessive. Nathan of Walang Hanggan, Kael of Juan dela Cruz, Nicole of The Legal Wife, Franco of Ikaw Lamang and now Sasha of SBPAK.
Archetypes are fun to recognize because they make us viewers more engaged in the narrative. It is doubly fun if the archetypes get to surprise us with some twists. For example, Isabelle gets to mouth really feisty lines as the long suffering daughter and then wife. She stays upright by continually giving in and sacrificing for her love and yet she also knows that she owes it to many women in similar situation to speak up and tell off her father and Franco every so often. Ditto with Rebecca who actually learned from Isabelle.
Also in Ikaw Lamang, the long suffering obrero gets to talk back to the hacendero which in real life may happen but with fatal results. Samuel almost died but protagonists always survive ordeals and that is a stereotype. Formulaic as it is together with lost parentage to trigger a search-for-self /true identity series of events. It's the in thing in teleseryes for some time now, did you notice?
Now let's try and recall stories you've read or been witness to and try to identify the archetypes in other teleseryes, characters, setting and themes. Hopefully, you get to appreciate watching them after you become aware of the collective unconscious working among us as teleserye fanatics.
Kathy Latrobe (2002) defined archetype as "a universally recognizable element... that recurs across all literature and life". Psychologist Carl Jung referred to it as a kind of "collective unconscious" of the human race, prototypes rather than something gained from experience. The word came from Greek arche, original and typos , model, "original model".
So there, an archetype is the first real example or prototype of something. In narratives, we have archetypes of character, setting and theme. Cinderella is the archetypal rags-to-riches character or the commoner who marries the handsome prince. Her wicked stepmother and stepsisters are archetypal villains in an otherwise romantic fairy tale. Jesus is the archetypal Redeemer or sacrificial lamb, the forest is the archetype for the unexplored, the fertile and the wild, journey to find self is an archetypal theme.
We do not have to experience archetypes in order to recognize them. We read about them or witness them in other people and so when we see them in narratives we are able to predict what is going to happen next. We get bored when the story becomes predictable and so we welcome an occasional twist, but it remains that one reason we enjoy a narrative is because we sense or recognize archetypes.
Now let's see if we can recognize archetypes in the following teleseryes and characters:
1. The story of Samuel and Isabelle in Ikaw Lamang. Of course, I will have to start with my current favorite. The two showcase several archetypes. There's the Romeo and Juliet archetype, star-crossed lovers from families that are in conflict with each other. There is also the poor boy-rich girl theme. In romantic tales and even in real life, economic disparity is always a source of conflict.
2. Miranda as the evil Queen or the wicked mother-in-law. This character may be too easy to recognize as it is all too common. Given a versatile actor to play it though,as in the case of Cherie Gil, it becomes iconic despite being a cliche at the start.
3. The Beauty and the Beast archetype is duplicated in Mirabella and in Sana Bukas pa ang Kahapon's Rose Buenavista. In both instances though it's the woman who is "beastly" and the man , incredibly handsome (Jeremy or Patrick) who falls in love with the woman despite the "ugliness".
4. Dyesebel of course is Mars Ravelo's take on Hans Christien Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The archetypal theme is living in entirely different worlds and being in conflict at the same time in love with somebody from another world.
5. Many villains in teleseryes follow the archetype of the deprived and the obsessive. Nathan of Walang Hanggan, Kael of Juan dela Cruz, Nicole of The Legal Wife, Franco of Ikaw Lamang and now Sasha of SBPAK.
Archetypes are fun to recognize because they make us viewers more engaged in the narrative. It is doubly fun if the archetypes get to surprise us with some twists. For example, Isabelle gets to mouth really feisty lines as the long suffering daughter and then wife. She stays upright by continually giving in and sacrificing for her love and yet she also knows that she owes it to many women in similar situation to speak up and tell off her father and Franco every so often. Ditto with Rebecca who actually learned from Isabelle.
Also in Ikaw Lamang, the long suffering obrero gets to talk back to the hacendero which in real life may happen but with fatal results. Samuel almost died but protagonists always survive ordeals and that is a stereotype. Formulaic as it is together with lost parentage to trigger a search-for-self /true identity series of events. It's the in thing in teleseryes for some time now, did you notice?
Now let's try and recall stories you've read or been witness to and try to identify the archetypes in other teleseryes, characters, setting and themes. Hopefully, you get to appreciate watching them after you become aware of the collective unconscious working among us as teleserye fanatics.
(Additional soucre http://www.mnstate.edu/sibley/EECE%20441%20Archetypes%20in%20Literature.doc)
Kalungkot Naman
Kalungkot naman na sobra na tayong dala sa ating mga lider kung kaya't kahit may matinong layunin ang anumang bagong panukala ay pinagsususpetsahan natin. Tulad na lamang ng mga bagong paraan ng MMDA, LTO at LTFRB na sugpuin ang mga paglabag sa batas-trapiko at prankisa ng mga PUVs. Asahan mo ang marahil 9 sa 10 drayber ang nag-iisip na panibagong pagkukwartahan na naman ng mga ahensiya ang mga bagong panukala. Bulag na rin ang mga drayber at opereytor sa kanilang mga pagkukulang at pagbali sa batas. Di mo alam sino ang sisisihin sa ganitong kaliwaang kawalan ng pagtitiwala sa isa't isa.
Ningas-kugon din naman kasi ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Dahil na rin sa hirap ng trabaho at liit ng sueldo, rumaraket ang ilang tagapagpatupad ng batas sa pamamagitan ng areglo at kotong sa mga drayber at opereytor na dahil naman sa init ng panahon at ayaw maabala sa biyahe ay maglalagay na lang o makikipag-areglo. Di naisip ng magkabilang panig na mali sila pareho, mali sa di pagsunod sa batas at mali sa pag-iisip lamang ng kung ano ang mas kumbinyente para sa sarili.
Ang pagsunod sa batas ay may kaakibat na lalim ng pagpapahalaga sa kapwa at sa komunidad. alam ng mga drayber at opereytor ang madalas nilang paglabag. Mula sa simpleng pagtatapon ng kalat sa daan hanggang sa pagteterminal sa di dapat; mula sa pagdudumi ng hangin hanggang sa maling pagsingil; mula sa pagbiyahe ng walang prankisa hanggang sa pagmamaneho nang mabilis na para bang di tao ang sakay nila. Kung malalim ang pagpapahalaga nila sa kapwa, di nila gagawin ang mga ito. Sa mauunlad na bansa, nangunguna ang kaligtasan ng sarili at ng kapwa sa isip ng mga tao sa lahat ng gawain nila. Kung kaya naman simple lang kundi man awtomatiko sa kanila ang pagsunod sa alituntunin.
Sa ating mga lansangan, laganap ang tiwaling ugali na nagbubunsod para di tayo maging kampante sa isa't-isa. Ang traffic enforcer naghahanap ng mali sa drayber, ang drayber walang pakundangan sa pasahero, ang pasahero di makasimpatiya sa drayber. Dagdag mo pa ang laganap na kapaguran ng pag-iisip sa kung may pag-asa pa bang umayos ang mga sistema sa daan ng lalong sumisikip na Kamaynilaan.
Ramdam ko ang lungkot ng pagbibyahe sa araw-araw sakay ng jeepney na tinaguriang King of the Road. Kamakailan lang nasakay rin ako ng UV Express mula Makati at may isyu rin sila laban sa LTFRB. Mga kayod-kabayong drayber, mga pasaherong pagod sa araw-araw na biyahe at trabaho, mga kawani ng ahensyang gobyerno na may di mapagkakatiwalaang nakalipas. Paano mabubuo ang tiwala, pagkakaisa at pagpapahalaga sa kapakanan ng kapwa? Kalungkot naman.
Ningas-kugon din naman kasi ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Dahil na rin sa hirap ng trabaho at liit ng sueldo, rumaraket ang ilang tagapagpatupad ng batas sa pamamagitan ng areglo at kotong sa mga drayber at opereytor na dahil naman sa init ng panahon at ayaw maabala sa biyahe ay maglalagay na lang o makikipag-areglo. Di naisip ng magkabilang panig na mali sila pareho, mali sa di pagsunod sa batas at mali sa pag-iisip lamang ng kung ano ang mas kumbinyente para sa sarili.
Ang pagsunod sa batas ay may kaakibat na lalim ng pagpapahalaga sa kapwa at sa komunidad. alam ng mga drayber at opereytor ang madalas nilang paglabag. Mula sa simpleng pagtatapon ng kalat sa daan hanggang sa pagteterminal sa di dapat; mula sa pagdudumi ng hangin hanggang sa maling pagsingil; mula sa pagbiyahe ng walang prankisa hanggang sa pagmamaneho nang mabilis na para bang di tao ang sakay nila. Kung malalim ang pagpapahalaga nila sa kapwa, di nila gagawin ang mga ito. Sa mauunlad na bansa, nangunguna ang kaligtasan ng sarili at ng kapwa sa isip ng mga tao sa lahat ng gawain nila. Kung kaya naman simple lang kundi man awtomatiko sa kanila ang pagsunod sa alituntunin.
Sa ating mga lansangan, laganap ang tiwaling ugali na nagbubunsod para di tayo maging kampante sa isa't-isa. Ang traffic enforcer naghahanap ng mali sa drayber, ang drayber walang pakundangan sa pasahero, ang pasahero di makasimpatiya sa drayber. Dagdag mo pa ang laganap na kapaguran ng pag-iisip sa kung may pag-asa pa bang umayos ang mga sistema sa daan ng lalong sumisikip na Kamaynilaan.
Ramdam ko ang lungkot ng pagbibyahe sa araw-araw sakay ng jeepney na tinaguriang King of the Road. Kamakailan lang nasakay rin ako ng UV Express mula Makati at may isyu rin sila laban sa LTFRB. Mga kayod-kabayong drayber, mga pasaherong pagod sa araw-araw na biyahe at trabaho, mga kawani ng ahensyang gobyerno na may di mapagkakatiwalaang nakalipas. Paano mabubuo ang tiwala, pagkakaisa at pagpapahalaga sa kapakanan ng kapwa? Kalungkot naman.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sabi nga ni Lourd:..... wala tayong saysay!
Bukod sa wika, mahina rin ang pundasyon ng ating mga kabataan sa kasaysayan. Narito ang ilang patunay.
1. Itanong sa mga nagsisipagtrabaho na ngayon kung bakit holiday ang ilang petsa sa kalendaryo bukod sa Pasko, Biyernes Santo at Undas. Mas madalas di nila alam ang importansiya ng petsang ginugunita.
2. Maraming kabataan ang nag-aakalang maganda ang sistema ng pamamalakad ni Marcos. Utang na loob!
3. Marami rin ang nagsasabing pinakawalang kwentang gobyerno ang kasalukuyan. Ilang administrasyon na kaya ang naranasan nila?
4. Marami ang di nakaka-realize na ang June 12 na ginugunita natin taun-taon bilang Araw ng Kasarinlan ay paglaya lang natin sa naunang mananakop-ang mga Espanyol.
5. Marami ang alipin ng paniniwalang ang Estados Unidos ay lagi nating kakampi, na kapakanan natin ang lagi nitong nasa isip.
6. Maraming nakapuesto ng panahon ni Marcos ang nakakapagpasasa pa hanggang sa kasalukuyan, di tinutuligsa sa naging papel nila sa panahon ng Martial Law.
7. Marami ang di alam na ang wikang Filipino ay pinaghalu-halong mga wika ng ating kapuluan kabilang na ang Ingles, Espanyol, Arabo at Tsino. Hanggang ngayon Tagalog ang tawag nila sa wikang laganap.
8. Marami ang saliwa pa rin ang pagkaintindi sa sigalot na Muslim-Kristiyano sa Mindanao.
9. Marami ang nag-aakalang magkatunggali sina Rizal at Bonifacio at patuloy silang pinag-aaway.
10. Marami ang nag-aakalang ang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ay miyembro ng mataas na lipunang dapat pagsilbihan. Sino ba ang public servant?
Ilan lang ito sa mga obserbasyon ko. Marami pang manipestasyon ng kakulangan sa paggagap at malalim na pang-unawa. Nakakatakot dahil sa media lamang umaasa ng kaalaman. Paano kung limitado sa opinyon ng maangas na broadcaster ang maririnig tulad ng taxi driver na makulit ang opinyon sa nagaganap na arestuhan sa PDAF?
The Kto12 Scare
There are a few reasons why I am not afraid of Kto12 easing us, GE teachers, out. First, I teach English and my school happens to give much importance on the subject. Second, I am tenured and I do not expect to be retrenched unless I violate some serious rule. Third, I am 51 years old, I actually look forward to more time to write instead of staying on campus 45 hours a week. Lastly, I am consulting in and writing Kto12 instructional materials.
This does not mean I do not sympathize with those who feel their teaching careers are about to end. It's just that I believe that what we GE teachers need to undergo is fair enough a bargain for the leveling up that our educational system is going through. Don't get me wrong. I have a son who was caught by this Kto12 shift but I don't mind the additional two years because I know that this system change is for the better. It also helps that this is happening in the time of Pres. Noynoy Aquino and Dep-Ed Secretary Armin Luistro.
I feel for those who believe the national language is being shortchanged by that CHED Memo. I think CHED needs to rethink what it has said so far on the language policy in HEI's under the Kto12 scenario. But I also believe our national language will prosper in basic education considering that there is the mother tongue-based curriculum in the primary years and Filipino will have the support of Dep-Ed.
To say that they (some language teachers affected by the absence of Filipino as a subject in college) fear the future and their livelihood is rather weak an argument for retention. I am sure most teachers especially in the tertiary are good in many things not just in the subject that they handle. It is a matter of attitude when one says he does not know where to get food to feed his family. The news program that aired that sentiment was of course being consistent with its fetish for the miserable and the misery it always paints about this country. If you want to feel better about yourself and your future, do not watch local primetime newscasts.
I hope that the debate triggered by the CHED Memo will result in unity among the ones who profess to support the national language. While we are at it I hope we continue with intellectualizing the language by writing instructional materials not just for HEIs but most especially for basic ed. I also think we should agree that instructional materials be written in Filipino and not just Tagalog. As it is right now our people keep referring to the national language as Tagalog which could be the reason this campaign for the national language has not gained enough support from the other regions.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Fan Behavior 101
I have never been so involved as a fan before. Thanks to Twitter that I get to engage in many fan stuff especially with my main idol, Coco Martin. This preoccupation began when I started tweeting about my then favorite primetime entertainment fare- Walang Hanggan. I wanted to share my thoughts on Coco and the teleserye and so I decided to sign up for a Twitter account. I got to know many personalities online, most of them share my liking for Coco and some of them came from the people behind the much-acclaimed teledrama. Needless to say, I have had not a few unsavory encounters online with fans who do not share my thoughts and opinions.
I have been called "matanda", "bobo", etc by fans of a particular celeb who I don't take kindly to, I must admit, because I just don't like her. My opinion of her is so transparent and her fans can read through my tweets. I am not sorry about not liking her in the same manner her fans seemed not sorry for wishing me ill everytime they read something I tweeted which ran counter to their worship.
I would like to think they are young and I should just extend to them the patience and understanding I give to my students but some actually get to my nerves at times. I also found out they are not all teen-agers . Some are probably as old as I am. On Twitter, I have tweeted one after another, some tips on how to behave as a fan. Let me recall some of these and call the lesson Fan Behavior 101. They are very applicable not just to my non-friends online but to me as well as I do not profess to act like I should all the time.
1. Celebs are private individuals. They only owe us their popularity which they gained through their talents. They do not owe us their personal lives.
2. Our idols may have had projects with a "ka-loveteam" but they should be allowed to grow in their craft and not be limited to doing projects with whoever we prefer.
3. Celebs, as human beings, also suffer from fatigue and could sometimes be grouchy or simply not in the mood. Let us not hate them just because they didn't smile at us.
4. Actors play different roles. Let us learn to separate roles from characters and let us not begrudge critics of the characters they play.
5. Bash the character not the actor although it may be true that the character simulates the actor's real persona at times.
6. Let us not impose on our idols who to love or do a project with. We can only suggest.
7. If we can't help but be negative about a celeb, there's this DM or PM feature we can use.
8. Let us respect the IG account of celebs. Let us not comment on their person using their own accounts or bash them about their own posts.
9. If we profess to support an actor, we should also be happy even if they get paired with another for as long as the project is a step up in their careers.
10. Let us not campaign against a celeb just because he gets in the way of a loveteam we love.
I could go on and on. What about you? Can you add to the list here about how fans like us must behave so we do not act like fantards?
I have been called "matanda", "bobo", etc by fans of a particular celeb who I don't take kindly to, I must admit, because I just don't like her. My opinion of her is so transparent and her fans can read through my tweets. I am not sorry about not liking her in the same manner her fans seemed not sorry for wishing me ill everytime they read something I tweeted which ran counter to their worship.
I would like to think they are young and I should just extend to them the patience and understanding I give to my students but some actually get to my nerves at times. I also found out they are not all teen-agers . Some are probably as old as I am. On Twitter, I have tweeted one after another, some tips on how to behave as a fan. Let me recall some of these and call the lesson Fan Behavior 101. They are very applicable not just to my non-friends online but to me as well as I do not profess to act like I should all the time.
1. Celebs are private individuals. They only owe us their popularity which they gained through their talents. They do not owe us their personal lives.
2. Our idols may have had projects with a "ka-loveteam" but they should be allowed to grow in their craft and not be limited to doing projects with whoever we prefer.
3. Celebs, as human beings, also suffer from fatigue and could sometimes be grouchy or simply not in the mood. Let us not hate them just because they didn't smile at us.
4. Actors play different roles. Let us learn to separate roles from characters and let us not begrudge critics of the characters they play.
5. Bash the character not the actor although it may be true that the character simulates the actor's real persona at times.
6. Let us not impose on our idols who to love or do a project with. We can only suggest.
7. If we can't help but be negative about a celeb, there's this DM or PM feature we can use.
8. Let us respect the IG account of celebs. Let us not comment on their person using their own accounts or bash them about their own posts.
9. If we profess to support an actor, we should also be happy even if they get paired with another for as long as the project is a step up in their careers.
10. Let us not campaign against a celeb just because he gets in the way of a loveteam we love.
I could go on and on. What about you? Can you add to the list here about how fans like us must behave so we do not act like fantards?
Friday, June 20, 2014
Warning: This is a very biased review.
I don't watch all teleseryes on Primetime. At most, I follow two of them from start to finish. These days, I am an avid viewer of Ikaw Lamang, the fourth Coco Martin teleserye I have followed religiously. Religiously is an apt term to describe my Coco Martin habit. In high school, I learned that religion is a way of life. Watching Coco Martin has become a way of life at least since Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. his first main starrer since his thespic skills started getting the much deserved attention.
I especially like Ikaw Lamang because at the beginning I was skeptical of the decision to pair him with Kim Chiu. The two played siblings, I understand, in a previous project. Also, I was expecting somebody else to play Coco's leading lady in the teleserye which had a working title of Hidalgo. Anyway, I was just too excited he was going back on primetime after the very iconic Juan Dela Cruz. I was also excited that he was working with the directors he worked with in the said fantaserye, Direk Malu Sevilla and Direk Avel Sunpongco. I love the JDC team. It was the first teleserye set I have visited in my entire life. I never went that far in my previous fangurling modes. Coco Martin was the one celebrity I needed to see in person. I would have reserved a set visit for Hollywood favorites like Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp or Adam Sandler, but I am not in the USA.
Anyway, many were surprised and eventually converted when the chemistry between these two chinito actors manifested early in the series. Thanks to the alitaptap scenes, I suppose, but obviously, the two are really so good at their craft and the camera love them, in separate shots or together. The series may have also struck sentimentality among its viewers because of its revisiting of decades when romance and friendships were not aided or made complicated by technology and the social media. Samuel and Isabelle consistently showed the kilig factor since their childhood scenes to the tune of My Girl. Many things, some of them gory, have taken place since then and the SamBelle moments are what fans began hoping for weeknight after weeknight.
In my tweets, I have been very vocal about the existence of Mona. I just think that she is an excess as Franco played by Jake Cuenca, is more than enough to make things difficult for my SamBelle. I understand though that young actress Julia Montes commands a following that can't be ignored (although many of them need to learn to let go of their idol and be respectful of other people) and therefore she was added to the cast. I do not care about loveteams. Coco Martin is beyond that. He can be without a love team and instead be teamed up with female actors that can deliver as well as he does. Jodi Sta. Maria and Angelica Panganiban were earlier choices for this tele, I gather.
Ikaw Lamang boasts of the best talents in showbiz. They are so good that Coco Martin need not be in every scene to sustain the viewers' attention. I have also not seen the camera works that IL's directors do in the series in other teleseryes shown these days. IL's scenes are as picturesque as picturesque can be. Needless to say, the narrative makes every scene unforgettable with crisp and quotable lines expertly delivered by the characters.
I can go on and on and sound like a member of Ad Prom of Dreamscape. I warned at the beginning though that this is a very biased review. I am a Coco Martin fan. I enjoy most of his projects especially the ones on TV. I will talk about his commercial films in my next posts.
Ilang beses na akong nagtangkang magmaintain ng isang blog kaso, walang oras at hindi ako sigurado kung may nagbabasa. Hindi rin ako makampante kahit ang gusto ko sanang tema at paksain ay Humor kasi nga parang nililimitahan ko ang sarili ko e ang dami kong gustong sabihin. Sana masustain ko ang isang ito. Malawak na ang sakop ng titulo- Kung anu-ano lang para puede akong pumaksa ng kahit na ano.
Aktibo ako sa twitter sa ngalang assiprofm. Marami na akong followers at may haters na rin ako kasi may mga tweets akong salungat sa gusto ng iba. alam ng mga suki kong ka-tweet ang tinutukoy ko. Ginagamit ko ang Twitter sa pagsubaybay sa mga balita at kawalang-kuwentahang pagbabalita ng marami nating journos. Konti lang ang iginagalang ko sa kanila: si Jessica Soho na hindi ko alam kung siya ang nag-popost ng mga tweet. Sigurado sa sobrang busy niya ay may admin ang State of the Nation. Ang rapplerdotcom na sa kabutihang palad ay nagiging popular na ngayon at mga news agencies abroad tulad ng BBC. Ang inquirerdotnet nakakatuwa rin dahil open sila sa mga comments. Ang TV Patrol at 24 Oras at AksyonTV5, bugbog sa mga comments ko kasi masyado silang tabloid on air.
Kilala ako bilang masugid na tagahanga ni Coco Martin kung kaya't flooding ako ng tweets tungkol sa kanyang mga teleserye. Hindi naman pahuhuli ang maaanghang kong tweets pag tungkol sa pulitika. Pet peeves ko ang mga wala nang nakitang mabuti sa kasalukuyang administrasyon. Pinaninindigan ko kasi na hindi man perpekto, di hamak na mas matino si PNoy kaysa mga nagdaang pangulo mula kay Marcos. Masaya ako sa mga programa niya laban sa korupsyon. Natutuwa ako at naka-hospital arrest pa rin si GMA at maaaresto na ang TrioLos Scammers ng Senado. Paborito kong bloggers sina Professional Heckler at SoWhat'sNews kasi mahilig ako sa satire at sarcasm.
Aktibo ako sa twitter sa ngalang assiprofm. Marami na akong followers at may haters na rin ako kasi may mga tweets akong salungat sa gusto ng iba. alam ng mga suki kong ka-tweet ang tinutukoy ko. Ginagamit ko ang Twitter sa pagsubaybay sa mga balita at kawalang-kuwentahang pagbabalita ng marami nating journos. Konti lang ang iginagalang ko sa kanila: si Jessica Soho na hindi ko alam kung siya ang nag-popost ng mga tweet. Sigurado sa sobrang busy niya ay may admin ang State of the Nation. Ang rapplerdotcom na sa kabutihang palad ay nagiging popular na ngayon at mga news agencies abroad tulad ng BBC. Ang inquirerdotnet nakakatuwa rin dahil open sila sa mga comments. Ang TV Patrol at 24 Oras at AksyonTV5, bugbog sa mga comments ko kasi masyado silang tabloid on air.
Kilala ako bilang masugid na tagahanga ni Coco Martin kung kaya't flooding ako ng tweets tungkol sa kanyang mga teleserye. Hindi naman pahuhuli ang maaanghang kong tweets pag tungkol sa pulitika. Pet peeves ko ang mga wala nang nakitang mabuti sa kasalukuyang administrasyon. Pinaninindigan ko kasi na hindi man perpekto, di hamak na mas matino si PNoy kaysa mga nagdaang pangulo mula kay Marcos. Masaya ako sa mga programa niya laban sa korupsyon. Natutuwa ako at naka-hospital arrest pa rin si GMA at maaaresto na ang TrioLos Scammers ng Senado. Paborito kong bloggers sina Professional Heckler at SoWhat'sNews kasi mahilig ako sa satire at sarcasm.
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