I went to Manila yesterday afternoon to observe possible locations for some scenes for our thesis short film, and to take pictures to help our cinematographer visualize the project. I had Mendiola and Manila North Cemetery in mind. I was able to do that, but I also ended up leisurely strolling along Recto and then along Blumentritt on my way to the cemetery and taking random photos along the way.

Because driving seemed to be more of a hassle for me, I decided to leave the car in UP, hopped on a jeep to Katipunan and rode the LRT to Legarda. Got down the station and took a couple of pictures at Mendiola. I’ve actually been to Mendiola more times in rallies than otherwise. It’s quite interesting when you try to observe it when everything seems like a normal daily routine to everyone else.

More often than not, rallies are blocked by police on the usual way to Mendiola–through C.M. Recto–so Legarda Street is often the alternative route (which also gets blocked, nonetheless).

To be continued. Click here for more pictures.

In this round-up, one is an Australian production, the other a classic Hollywood flick, and the last one a Filipino film. I saw December Boys at home, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit in media ethics class, and Desperadas, at the cinemas–all last, last week.

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Tags: Australian films, Filipino films, Hollywood films, movie commentaries

I sort of got this idea from Estanli Cabigas’ Rough Groove blog. I enjoy watching movies, and as much as I would like to write lengthily on what I think about each film I watch, I usually don’t have the time. So, I’ve decided that for every three films I see this year, I’ll do a round-up with short comments on what I liked or disliked about the film. This is also to keep track on what I see for the entire year.

I saw all three of these at home, during the holidays, just before school started for the year. One is a Hollywood film, the two others are from South Korea.

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Tags: Hollywood films, Korean films, movie commentaries

[Actually, hindi ako kasama noong People Power 2]. I am honestly ashamed to remember what I was doing during People Power 2, because I was exactly the type of person back then that I detest today–a prude conservative who refused to join the urban middle-class disruption that was brewing, even in our sheltered Ateneo High School. I honestly can’t stomach the things I’ve written in my “online journal” back then, hence they’re not available in my blog’s present archives.

Back then, it became quite fashionable among Ateneans to be joining all those walk-outs and indoor rallies. I refused to believe that my classmates, and most other rich kids in my high school for that matter, knew what they were doing, and I thought it was all just a fashionable lynch mob at the covered courts endorsed even by the entire faculty at that time. I was confident that all along, my schoolmates simply thought it was so cool that we had faculty-endorsed free cuts.

Back then, I (already) really disliked Vice-President Gloria Arroyo so much, I would rather that President Estrada stayed in Malacanang than have him replaced with that woman and everyone else who surrounded her. (Boy, what an ominous gut feel).

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I do a lot of bank errands for my mom and our family business. I’d say, I go to the bank to pay bills and such almost every other day. I’ve been doing this for almost two years. All this time, I never quite understood why Quezon City has this ordinance on prohibiting cellphone activities inside banks. I’ve always found it terribly inconvenient and irritating. I’ve been meaning to rant about this for a long time. I’m not saying that I’m the type of person who receives text messages all the time, but honestly there are times when urgent messages and calls just keep coming in. And it’s not once that being unable to reply, receive or make calls gets me into trouble with some people. It gets worse if I’m stuck in bank queues that last for an hour.

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Yesterday, tens of thousands of UP students, alumni and staff from all the campuses of UP flocked to the kick-off celebration of the university’s centennial year in Diliman. As would any other UP student, I welcomed our hundredth year with much pride. Seeing a great many thousands of fellow iskolars ng bayan marching with their own contingents felt glorious. I, myself, marched with my fellow UP Diliman students in a contingent lead by STAND-UP. In fact, despite my desire to play the role of photographer at the side-line, I eventually found myself at the front-line with a huge “Iskolar ng Bayan” banner. [Photo below, however, is of students from UP Los Banos, with a very apt "Serve the People" banner]

As many of us know (or not), despite its reputation of being a bastion of activism, the University of the Philippines was founded during the American occupation period on a very colonial and pro-government orientation. It was created by the Americans to produce bureaucrats and technocrats to serve the government. True enough, all these decades up until today, the university functions largely to reproduce and to strengthen the prevailing social order. A survey of our past and present political and economic leaders will show that a great many came from UP.

However, it cannot be denied that from this same university also comes forces that seek to change society, and to challenge the many ills of the status quo. Many recall and say that the height of this radical reputation came during the 60’s and 70’s during the Marcos regime. Interestingly, when we were marching, some alumni, who appear to be on their 40’s and 50’s, were cheering us on, and were chanting just the same, as if they were reliving their militant days in UP.

Despite the very minor concern that we might get the ire of some students, our participation is, at the very least, a reminder of our great university’s militant tradition, and as a tribute to all the activists that came before. Moreso, as our alternative slogan goes [Sang(an)daang Taon: Ang UP Patungo sa Sentenaryo ng Tunay na Paglilingkod sa Bayan], it is a resounding call for us to tread the path of genuine service to the people in the next century.

[Topmost photo grabbed from here]

Last Friday afternoon, January 5, STAND-UP and its members and allied organizations, in lieu of and to informally kick-off the university’s centennial celebrations’ formal kick-off on Tuesday, formed a “100″ figure at the Sunken Garden. Aptly put in a slogan, “Sang(an)daang Taon: Ang UP Patungo sa Sentenaryo ng Tunay na Paglilingkod sa Bayan”, it aims to remind the university of its role of serving the Filipino people, and it aims to oppose the various forms of commercialization the UP administration has been pursuing towards UP’s centennial.

More than a hundred students participated in the activity.

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