ONE MORE CHANCE

originally posted by Migs on November 20, 2007

A friend, single and gay (and jaded?), sends me a text message one evening: "I just watched John Lloyd and Bea’s One More Chance. I shouldn’t have watched it. It just made me feel I was not really for any romance. It will never happen to me." Aba nagda-drama ang lola, I told myself. The next day an officemate was excitedly raving about his watching the same movie. Then, last night, I was reading the papers and saw an article talking about the movie getting a “B” rating from MTRCB. Wow, this buzz marketing is getting into me. So what did I do? I went straight to the moviehouse to end the buzz-inspired curiosity.

The story is simple. John Lloyd is Popoy, a well-intentioned straight-laced boyfriend to Bea’s character, an artsy-fartsy t-shirt designer cum architect named Basha. The central issue was Basha’s desire to find her individuality amidst her world that, because of her committed relationship with Popoy, had become too controlled, constricted, and thus exhausting — like a hamster running inside a fancy terrarium wheel. This pushed her to break up with poor Popoy, leaving him a dashed china, pulverized further by his big and bold dreams of married bliss that went crashing down on him as Basha severed the romance. All in the name of finding her relevance in this world.

The movie progressed by showing how Popoy and Basha lived their lives post break-up, and how their close-knit friends supported them throughout the ordeal. Of course, the ending was as expected (kaya nga One More Chance ang title noh!), but how it got there was pretty moving enough to make me enjoy the movie. Why so?

First, finding one’s relevance in this world is something I can very well relate to. I can totally understand how one can give up such big things as “romantic love” for the sake of finding one’s place in this world. Love is all great, but if you don’t know yourself and your relevance, then what a waste.

Second, I liked how the movie emphasized the value of friendship and all the ceremonies and traditions that it somehow creates. In the movie, Popoy and Basha had a barkada who met every Thursday evening for dinner. In this simple gathering, they celebrate individual milestones — and it was palpable how joy is multiplied if shared with loving people around you.

Third and last, I was blown away with how the movie portrayed love’s power — how it can be the most powerful change agent in someone’s life. And I mean not only romantic love, but also love of self, of family, and of friends.

So yes, I encourage you to watch the movie. Don’t stare too much on John Lloyd’s nipples though. There are many more and better things to lick and like in the movie than those lovely brown protrusions.

Crossing My Fingers for Week 13

I won the raffle!! Last Wednesday night, Sir Don texted me that he chose my partial treatment and I will be assigned to write Week 12 of Zaido daw. Sobrang saya ko! I will be writing something that will actually be produced and shown on national television! Mga totoong artista ang babasa ng script na gagawin ko! At higit sa lahat, kikita ako ng salapi, hahaha!

Well, it all sounds exciting. Until the writing team met last Friday.

Sabi ni Sir Don, mamo-move daw ang Christmas monster story ko to Week 13 para sumakto sa pasko or week before ng pasko. 13, unlucky. Haaay... Praning lang siguro ako. Sabi naman ni Ms. Renny, maganda daw yung treatment na sinubmit ko. Pero my headwriter doesn't seem one hundred percent pleased.

Ayoko mawala sa akin ang pagkakataong ito. Sana ay pagkatiwalaan pa rin ako ni Sir Don. Gagawin ko ang lahat para mapaganda ang Week 13.

Setting It Straight

May kumakalat na tsismis sa mga opisina ng PLM na magreresign na daw ako from the EVP Office. Nahihirapan na daw ako sa trabaho. Kaya daw sa January ay eeskapo na naman ako.

Natatawa na lang ako. Bakit ba nag-aaksaya sila ng panahon sa mga spekulasyon kung ano ang tatakbuhin ng karera ko sa PLM? Dalawang buwan pa nga lang ako sa EVP Office, parang gusto na nila akong umalis.

Well, to set the record straight (hahaha! may ganun pa...), I'm not going anywhere. Despite the fact na dalawa na ang shows ko sa GMA ay nama-manage ko pa rin nang maayos ang schedule ko. HINDI PO AKO NAHIHIRAPAN. Actually, mas nag-eenjoy nga ako sa pressure ng trabaho ko at sa mabibigat na assignments na binibigay sa akin ni EVP Maceda, ni President Tamano at ni Univ. Secretary Anenias. I welcome the challenges and, so far, I've overcome all of them.

Pero dahil sobrang persistent ng mga rumors, I felt it prudent to discuss the matter with my boss. I texted EVP Maceda about this, denied the allegations, and assured him of my commitment to work for PLM. Kasi, kahit papano, I got paranoid nung sabihin sa akin ni EVP Maceda na ire-reassign niya ako sa Office of the University Secretary. Inisip ko na kaya niya gagawin yun ay dahil nakarating sa kanya ang rumors na ayoko na or umaangal ako sa hirap ng work in his office.

Here's his very touching reply: "Marlon, it's the first time i heard of this. The only reason why you are being re-assigned is pinag-aagawan ka naming tatlo and the University Secretary needs you the most because of workload. In fact, there is no actual transfer since Univ. Sec. knows she can ask your help anytime. You were just told that so you will expect more assignments. We are happy with you so don't you worry."

Yun na.

Haaaay...

It's the dark times.

A mall gets blown up. The congress gets bombed. Plunder forgiven. Government officials bribed with cash gifts. There's no denying, the Philippines is not an ideal place to live at right now.

Vying for Week Twelve

Pang-walong linggo na ng Zaido sa primetime block ng GMA. At wow! Consistent kaming panalo sa ratings!

Paganda na ng paganda ang kwento. Right now, week twelve na ang pinagmimitingan ng writing team. Excited na naman kaming mga brainstormers dahil inopen ulit ni Sir Don sa amin ang chance na sulatin ang linggong ito. The last time he gave us a shot was in week six. Although I gave it my best, hindi ako ang napili that time. Instead, it was Renny, yung senior brainstormer namin. Pero okay lang yun. I was happy for Renny.

We didn't expect na magkakaroon ulit ng "raffle." Gusto ni Sir Don na magkaroon kami ng Christmas Monster ala Grinch for week twelve. Pinagawa niya kaming apat na brainstormers ng sequence treatment. Kung sino daw ang may pinakamagandang kwento na magagawa ang siyang magsusulat ng week twelve script.

Ang saya saya! Chance na ulit 'to! Ginalingan ko talaga at pinaganda ko nang husto yung treatment ko. I submitted it last night. Kaya eto, di na ako makapaghintay ng resulta.

Ako kaya ang mapipili? Will I finally write a script for TV? Or hindi pa rin ba ako hinog at kailangan pa uling maghintay ng susunod na pagkakataon?

Malalaman natin yan sa loob ng ilang araw. Wish me luck. I need your prayers.

Ang Kagawad sa Puso Naming Magkakapatid

Wala naman talaga sa plano ko na mag-Watcher para sa tatay ko during the Barangay Election Day. Napilit lang. Pero, naisip ko rin, I wanna do this for him. Alam ko na sobrang gusto manalo ni Papa, at mas lalakas ang confidence niya if he knows na suportado siya ng mga anak niya.

Alas-sais pa lang ay gising na kami. Alas-syete kasi ang bukas ng mga presinto sa Cecilio Apostol Elementary School. Haaay... Kay aga-aga, ni wala pang botante, pero ang gulo na kaagad. Ang sikip. Tatlong presinto sa loob ng isang classroom. Kakaunti lang ang mga silya na nagsilbing voting stations. Wala na ring lugar para sa pila sakaling magdagsaan ang mga botante.

Yung tatlong teachers na assigned sa presinto ko, mukhang baguhan lahat. Mukhang di na-orient nang mabuti sa mga gagawin nila. Bandang alas-otso, pinalabas na ang mga watchers. Nakaka-dagdag lang daw kami sa sikip sa loob ng presinto. Kaya nag-assist na lang kami ng mga botante sa labas sa paghahanap ng pangalan nila sa voter's registry lists.

Aliw ako, kasi ang gwapo nung ibang watchers na kasama namin. Sulit ang araw ko, hahaha.

Kainis yung mga taga-McDonalds, nakikigulo pa. Inilalako ang mga menu nila at paninda sa bawat kwarto. Nadidistract tuloy yung mga teachers imbes na mag-focus sa ginagawa nila.

Ang init! Walang electric fan sa loob ng classroom. Wala ring hangin na pumapasok sa mga bintana. Napapa-yosi tuloy ako, maya't-maya. Pang-tanggal din ng inip. Alas-tres pa magsasara ang botohan. Parang napaka-layo pa.

Kamusta naman ang ulam nung lunch na provided ng partido nina Papa. Bopis!!! E hindi naman ako kumakain nun no! Bumili pa tuloy ako sa sarili kong pera. Aba, wala na nga kaming sweldo, tapos di pa nila magawa ng maayos yung pagkain?! Sumosobra na sila! Hahaha.

Nung bilangan na, may umutot! Super-react ang mga tao. Hahaha. May bomb threat daw sa school, kaso di na napigilan kaya sumabog na. Hahaha. Pang-number four si Papa sa presintong binantayan namin ni Myra. Dun sa ibang presinto, mukhang pasok din siya sa Top 7.

We were all quite confident na panalo na si Papa. Nag-iisip na nga ako kung paano ako makakapag-contribute sa Victory Celebration niya. Kaso, biglang lumabo yung resulta. Hanggang sa may masagap kaming balita na may presintong hindi namin nabilang. Nalamangan na si Papa. Lumalabas na pang-walo lang siya.

Nakakalungkot ang ending ng araw ng eleksyon. I hope, hindi manliit si Papa sa pagkatalo niya. Pangalawang takbo na niya ito, at talo na naman. Buti na lang, full force kaming magkakapatid sa pagtulong sa kanya. Sana, kahit dun lang, malaman niyang panalo siya.