“The Man Behind Metro-Manila College”

Novaliches Academy in the 50s

I am currently halfway through in the making of a biopic about “the man behind Metro-Manila College,” Dr. Mamerto S. Miranda, Ka Mentong as he was fondly called. He was the founder and first president of Novaliches Academy [NA] which later became the present Metro-Manila College [MMC]. Historically speaking, NA was the first high school, and MMC, the first college in Novaliches. They were thus, the first community high school/college of Novaliches in Quezon City. [To see 2011 photos of Metro-Manila College, click avp-shooting-can-be-fun; To go to MMC website, click index.html]

Shooting MMC 2011 AVP

Metro-Manila College_LMM Bldg_2010

The film was suppose to focus on Ka Mentong  alone—as a pioneer in the field of education in Novaliches, as a man and soldier, and as a loving but disciplinary father. But with the death of his wife, Dr. Ligaya Medina Miranda, second vice-president of MMC, [my eldest sister actually], the film eventually has had the twist of becoming about “the man and women behind MMC. The women included not only my sister but their daughters as well. It has shaped and formed to become a film about the Mirandas of Novaliches, the thread being my sister as we have been fortunate enough to get her to relate about their story including their courtship days, how our strict father reacted when they eloped, their dream [a Metro Manila University] and wishes. Being in a way a part of the family, and knowing them all, it has inevitably a tinge of being kind of personal as well to me.

DVD Cover of their life in film with MSM & LMM during their 50th Wedding Anniversary

It was in 2005 when I started shooting for the film. I was commissioned to make two films for MMC but I only finished the short avp in time for the 60th celebration of the school two years ago. Since there was no pressure from the Miranda family for me to finish the film, and while waiting for four of their children to come and interview them while on vacation, I got busy with other film works. I finally managed to interview them all, except Junior whom I met after so many years during the wake of my sister in 2008. Unfortunately, he did not want to be interviewed.

My sister passed away without seeing their story in film. Anyhow, their children and grandchildren would I am sure cherish the days when they were around, and would definitely be immortalized for as long as the film I am doing for them would exist.

The structure is done, the sound bed more or less in place. I am left with a few more search and research for existing pictures, video, or documents if needs be. Timeline is from prewar days [1940s] to 2008 [my sister's death] covering nearly 70 years of their lives.

By the way, “The Man Behind Metro Manila College” is the title of the book my sister wrote about Ka Mentong and their school.

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Incidentally, last week August 12 or four months after I posted the above, my nieces (Erlin, Nory, Even and Oying) finally decided that the film’s title would also be “The Man Behind Metro Manila College.” Good enough! My sister in the midst of the film brags about it, and how appreciative and grateful she was to her husband, Ka Mentong for encouraging her to pursue her studies towards doctoral level. I am to present the film on her birthday come August 27 with the final title in, as well as the complete acknowledgment end credits.

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I finally managed to show the final copy last September 30 coinciding with the birthday of Ka Mentong, not August 27, birthday of my sister. [ I am writing this note today Oct. 20, incidentally, birthday of Even who is now in Canada].

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For copies of MMC logos, click avp-shooting-can-be-fun

Silent O Got an Award

Yesterday, I received the following press release from the 3rd BC Deaf Film Festival “DC 3″ Secretariat in Washington, D.C. [Or click films.html]

April 13, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Subject: 3rd D.C. Deaf Film Festival Award Winners

Washington, D.C. – The DC Deaf Film Festival “DC 3″ hosted by the District of Columbia \ Association of the Deaf (DCAD) on March 26 and 27th at George Washington University was a rousing success. Filmmakers and attendees came from as far away as the United Kingdom
and California.

DCAD will host single film evenings later in 2010. The 4th DC Deaf Film Festival will return in Spring 2012. Watch future announcements for more information.

The award winners for the DC 3 Festival are:

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Feature Documentary: “Anna’s Silent Struggle” (Netherlands)

DCAD Honorable Mention in Feature Documentary: “Silent Odyssey” (Philippines)* and “Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind In the Spotlight” (Virginia)

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Short Documentary: “Exodus” (New York)

DCAD Honorable Mention in Short Documentary: “Coach Huizar” (New Mexico)

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Feature Drama: “Coming Home” (United Kingdom)

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Drama Short: “Hands Solo”  (United Kingdom)

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Short Art: “All Animals” (California) and “The Parcel” (United Kingdom)

Jury’s Choice Award – Best Student Film: “Blue Sky” (Massachusetts) and “Silent Films (California)

DCAD Honorable Mention “Death by Deafness” (United Kingdom) and “Land of the Deaf” (New Zealand)

Reel Feature Length Audience Choice Award: “Anna’s Silent Struggle” (Netherlands)

Reel International Audience Choice Award: “Hands Solo” (United Kingdom) and “Coming Home” (United Kingdom)

Reel American Audience Choice Award: “Blue Sky” (Massachusetts) and “Silent Films” (California)

Reel DC Audience Choice Award:  ”Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind In the Spotlight” (Virginia)

Grand Audience Choice Award (Best of 2 Days): “Hands Solo” (United Kingdom)

More information is posted at www.ASLFilmFestival.com.
Congratulations to all the winners!

Thanks goes to Sorenson Communication and George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs for sponsoring this event.

And many thanks goes to our festival chairperson Brianne Burger and her committee for their tireless hours of hard work organizing and running the Film Festival. This festival would have not been possible without them.

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To obtain more information, please contact DCAD Vice President and PR Director Alexander Zernovoj at ASLFilm@dcdeaf.org.

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*Received yesterday, July 6, 2010

ASP Joins Celebration of Women with Disabilities

The following article was reported by Autism Society Philippines Executive Director, Ranil Sorongon dated April 4.  (Source– http://autismphils.multiply.com/journal/item/215/ASP)

ASP joined Women with Disabilities Day Celebrations last March 25, with the theme “Babaeng May Kapansanan, Yaman ng Bayan” (Women with Disabilities, Treasures of the Nation). The celebrations aim to advocate the rights of women with disabilities (WWD), and give more emphasis on the sub-sector of WWD who are marginalized, ignored and deprived.

The day’s activity started with “Hataw Exercise,” headed by Women with Disabilities, National Capital Region (NCR) President, Ms. Maureen Mata, and her Makati City Group. After the lively exercises, participants enjoyed a hearty breakfast, courtesy of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Miranamedina (wearing ASP green shirt) with the viewers of Alyana

Three hundred (300) viewers packed SM The Block’s Cinema 3 to watch a free showing of Alyana – A Study of Autism in the Philippines. Alyana is the first Filipino digital documentary on autism by award winning film maker, MiranaMedina.Click here to watch the trailer. The film focuses on Alyana, Mirana’s grandniece and other Filipino families as they go through obstacles to overcome the challenges of autism.

Most participants were women with various disabilities blind, deaf, wheel chair bound, with intellectual disabilities and some from the national government agencies. Some audiences were moved to tears as they empathized with the families affected with autism.

Coates’ RIZAL and Ambeth’s RWTO

I have just finished reading Coates’ book on our National Hero, Jose Rizal. I liked his version because it is analytical and truly an interesting read. Through his book, I come to understand better Rizal’s relationship with Marcelo del Pilar [Plaridel] with regards the La Solidaridad…and like in Asuncion Bantug’s LOLO JOSE, the role of Paciano, Rizal’s only brother loomed large to me.  He was as heroic as Pepe, it appeared, and quite convincingly. Continous reading on Rizal really helps in making him as real as any person who lives with us today. In fact, because of immersing myself through readings on his life, he inevitably follows me now, in my dreams— unfortunately only as an observer. I had no speaking lines with him in the dream. Sayang! I dreamed of him the other night. But it was just like editing any of Tikoy’s films. I was watching the scenes, studying all the movements within the scenes. I was an onlooker, or much like someone simply watching a movie in a theater. And in color!!!

Now, I am halfway through in reading Ambeth Ocampo’s RIZAL WITHOUT THE OVERCOAT, Second Edition [2nd Printing, 1996]. I have already read three biographies of Rizal before, and this book is not comparable with the previous books that I have read because this is just a compilation of Ocampo’s journalistic essays on Rizal in his column, “Looking Back” written from 1987-1990 in the Philippine Daily Globe, the contents of which are largely taken from the diaries and correspondences of Rizal with his friends and families. As such, what he wrote are mostly known to me by now. However, the contemporariness of his style, and his personal experiences in relation to the trivias that he learned, wrote, shared and gossiped about with us are interesting, i.e., Teodora Alonso, Rizal’s mother was an illegitimate child of Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, Rizal’s lolo [p.30], or that Narcisa’s [Rizal's older sister], husband Antonino Lopez was the son of Fr. Leoncio Lopez, parish priest of Calamba at that time [p. 38]. [Remember Padre Damaso and Maria Clara relationship in Noli Me Tangere? It is worst now I guess with the scandal involving Catholic phedophile priests]. Since those trivias are nowhere written in the usual biographies on Rizal, they are like “scoops” to those unaware of the now family’s “open secrets.” But there are some other things that he wrote other than several of those family secrets. That I really quite appreciate. At times he really interprets beyond the surface of the literal words of Rizal, so much so that new meanings can be deduced based on the angle Ambeth has seen or absorbed the passages. Without question, he can parallel any of the current crop of tabloid and entertainment column writers. Afterall, Ambeth described himself as a “gossip-loving columnist.” [See p. 58 of the same book]. Sa dami ng mga tsismoso at tsismosa sa mundong pinapaliit ng media, click talaga siya!!! Global ‘ika nga.

ALYANA in PANGASINAN

The following is a report from Thea Ann V. Cayaban, ASP Rosales-Pangasinan Chapter Member re the showing of Alyana in their province:

Finally the long wait is over! ALYANA, the Philippine’s first digital documentary on autism, was shown to 530 participants last March 11, 2010 at Cinema 3 of SM City Rosales, Pangasinan. And for the first time, 40 SM Rosales guards/frontliners also joined the participants as part of the SM Committee on Disability’s Orientation (SMCDA) on “Understanding Special Customers.”

Autism, in the past, has been regarded as a mental illness. But this film proved that persons with autism do not belong in the said category. With proper knowledge about the disability and appropriate intervention, persons with autism can lead functional and productive lives in the community.

The cinema was filled with high school students, college students of practical nursing and education (particularly those taking up special education) and caregivers. In addition, doctor supporters also came to the event. Dr. Polyana Escaño, STAC Pangasinan Center Physiatrist and Dr. Carlos Prudencio, husband of Dra. Mary Ann Prudencio, the only Neuro-developmental Pediatrician in the Northern part of the Philippines. Different rehabilitation centers in Pangasinan were represented by Physical and Occupational Therapists, and Special Education Teachers.

I can say that this film is dedicated to all parents who have children with disabilities. Let this film be a reminder not to look at their disability per se, but to discover their children’s ability and potentials; and for them to search for professionals who can further cultivate and enhance their children’s abilities.

(from left) Vladimir Patawanan (P.T II), Rhonna Ignacio (SWA), Thea Ann Cayaban (OT-In Charge), Fatima Pilotin (Sped Teacher), Christine Edangal (PT II), Mirana Medina (Alyana Film Maker), Mabel Yana Focal Person) and Arnel Matias (Utility)

Meanwhile, Cathy Genovia of ASP Main Office in her separate reports says:

The Alyana Film helped raise autism awareness and generate funds for the chapter activities like livelihood training for the parents, workshops for parents and siblings and early identification and early intervention program for the barangay health workers. (For her complete report, please click: alyana-goes-to-rosales-pangasinan.html)

Rizal Encore

Yesterday I have finished reading Zaide’s [Gregorio and Sonia] “JOSE RIZAL—Life, Works, and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero” [c.2008]. I am now reading “RIZAL” by Austin Coates [1969]… I can affirm that reading “LOLO JOSE” first by Asuncion Lopez-Bantug was wise. Knowing Rizal from the stories of his direct descendants made him more real…less of an enigma, and above all, not just a pile of an unfeeling monument. Studying in a public school named after him—Jose Rizal Elementary School— personally took on more significance and gives me pride than never before.  I wonder when the itch or the urge to read about him would stop! What I know is surely when I get bored reading books on general [biographical] knowledge about him, I shall read the collection of his correspondences.