Tum Tum Mendoza_Musical Genius with Autism_Graduates from UP Conservatory of Music

Just as I was thinking of my next dream project for Persons with Autism, I heard Tristan “Tum Tum” Mendoza over Radio Station DZAS being interviewed. He is going to be in my next film, if it does materialize. I met his Mom in the preview of my docu ALYANA. I wasn’t able to get hold of him for the film because at that time, I knew quite a few in the autism sector. I met her again and Tristan during the celebration of the World Autism Awareness Day at SM some two or three years ago. Now that I know who’s who in the field, I can possibly get in touch with them easier than it was nine years ago when I started doing Alyana. But with all four of my cameras out of order, my problem is great; delay is to be expected. I am very happy for his Mom, Belinda. And of course, very, very happy for TumTum because he will continue to be an inspiration to a lot of people — with or without autism. According to UP Prof. Roselle Pineda, music scorer of my A mi Patria film, Tumtum was her student in Art Studies Class. Tumtum plays best with his marimba. What surprised me during the same WAAD celebrations too was when I heard him sing!

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