Worth braving the heavy traffic for
Posted By www.BoyAbunda.net on February 24, 2008
Two weeks ago, I headed to the University of the Philippines-Los Baños to accept the Gandingan Award as Best TV Talk Show Host. I did not mind if I had to brave the long, arduous traffic of the super highway to get to Los Baños. The Gandingan is one of the most important awards I have received in my career. The award comes from students who tell you what they want and what they do not want.
Gandingan Awards are given by the University of the Philippines Community Broadcaster’s Society (UPCBS) Los Baños, Laguna. UPCBS is a media based socio civic organization established in 2004. The UPCBS undertakes several programs and projects. It has done community services like Tambayan Kina Lolo at Lola (an informational broadcast held every July in line with the celebration of the Nutrition month), Anti Smoking Campaign, Musta Ka, Kakosa and Pagkain Para Kay Kuyang Tsuper. For high school students, it conducts Biglaang Pagbigkas sa Radyo in line with the celebration of Buwan ng Wika. It also holds One Broad Night where community broadcasting majors showcase their talents in speaking, singing, hosting, among others.
On its second year, UPCBS launched the Gandingan: The UPLB Isko’t Iska Broadcast Choice Awards. Gandingan this year worked around the theme, Glamorous: UPCBS Shining Brighter at 3.
Gandingan is a musical instrument used by teenagers in Maguindanao as a form of communication because of their strict culture of talking to the opposite sex. The UPCBS in choosing the name Gandingan said, “Gandingan represents the youth voice. Gandingan is considered as a channel to deliver a significant message. In the Gandingan, the recognition also relays an important message to the media, the message is a challenge.”
Watching the students staged their awards night was just fascinating. With just themselves and a few inexpensive technical equipment, they were funny, earnest, fresh and fabulous. And at a time when you feel debilitated, nauseated by the chaotic political mess we are in, Gandingan redirects you from the pandemonium and even challenges you to be the best that you can be. I didn’t mind braving the traffic if only to be part of the awards. UPCBS is such a progressive, active and courageous, spirited group of students. I saw my good friend Mike Enriquez, in last year’s awards night. This year, I saw Korina Sanchez, Julius Babao, Jessica Soho and many others. Bravo Gandingan!
Director Auraeus Solito added another feather on his cap when his movie titled Pisay (Philippine Science), won two major awards — The International Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Prize — at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema in France. Pisay earlier won the Best Director, Best Production Design and Audience Choice awards in the 2007 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Pisay, written by Henry Grageda, PSHS ’86, is a story about eight students who make it to the premier science high school during the politically volatile ’80s in the Philippines as they come of age in a time filled with excitement, conflict and change.
Cast in important roles in Pisay are Gamy Lopez, who plays the character of Rom. He is the twin brother of Nathan Lopez, the lead star of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros; Rebecca Padilla, who plays the mother of Rom, is Robin Padilla’s half-sister, and mother of Annicka Dolonius who plays Wena, Rom’s love interest. Annicka is half-Filipina, half-Swede. Elijah Castillo, who plays Minggoy in Pisay, is the lead star of Pepot Artista, for which he won Best Actor. Pepot Artista also won Best Film in the 2005 Cinemalaya Film Festival; Carl John Barrameda, Alfred Labatos and EJ Jallorina are from the Goin’ Bulilit; Shayne Fajutagana (Liway Claver) was a graduating honor student of Philippine Science High School when she auditioned and got the role of Liway. She is now an INTARMED student in U.P. Manila. Others in the cast are Jonathan Neri as Andy Gallardo, Alfred Alain Labatos as Daki Lim, EJ Jallorina as Euri Calo, Eugene Domingo as Ms. Casas, the Physics teacher, Arnold Reyes as Mr. G, the Biology teacher.
Auraeus first feature film Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros won 15 international awards including three awards at the Berlinale (The Teddy award, International Jury Prize at the Kinderfest and Special Mention from the Children’s Jury of the Kinderfest). It is also the first Philippine film nominated for Best Foreign film at the Independents’ Spirit Awards in the US. It has been shown in more than 50 film festivals around the world. Tuli, his second feature film, won Best Picture and Best Director at the Digital Competition at the 2005 CineManila Film Festival and recently won the NETPAC Jury Prize at the Berlinale, International Forum for New Cinema; Second Prize for Best Feature Film at the Montreal Film Festival. It is at present making the rounds in film festivals in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Auraeus is the first Filipino to make it to the premier independent film festival in the world, the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, USA; two years in a row for both The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros and Tuli.
Source: DIRECTLINE By Boy Abunda
Published Monday, February 25, 2008
The Philippine Star
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