A New Yorker in Tondo by: Juan Torres

A New Yorker in Tondo by: Juan Torres

New Yorker in Tondo" is a classic Filipino Play by Marcelino Agana, Jr. It is a satire written in the 50's. It is a story about a girl named Kikay who goes to New York and fell in love with it. She acquires all the New Yorkish things - style, looks, language and manners. These things are very obvious when she arrives in the Philippines specifically in Tondo.

Aling Atang, mother of Kikay, has been carried away by her daughters way of living. She tries to converse with everybody in broken English.

Tony, childhood sweetheart of Kikay, decides to visit and catch things up with her friend. He is a simple guy who got secretly engaged with their other childhood friend, Nena.

Nena is a tomboyish type of girl. On her visit in Kikay's house, she finds her friend different and weird. She gets irritated and even imitates Kikay's ways.

Totoy, the Tondo "canto boy" is their other friend who is funny and has a secret love for Nenan which has only been revealded when the two females had a clash.

Near the end, the secret love of the characters in the story is revealded. And the two pairs end up in each other's arms. Kikay is back to her old self -- simple and kind. Most of all, the Filipino value learned by the protagonist which is "there is no place like home", is a lesson on love of country and its culture.

HAWLA

HAWLA

I
AKO AY SYANG BINHI NG AMA
LUPA AT LANGIT TILA IISA
PANAGHOY NG HAYOP ANG DINIG NILA
PATAK NG LANGIT NGAYON AY PULA

BRIDGE:
IKINULONG ANG SARILING PANINIWALA
SA HARAP NG BERBO SIYA AY IKINATWA

CHORUS :
OHH, HOOH, HOOHO, MULA SA HAWLANG GINTO
OHH, HOOH, HOOHO, SUMPA NG LUPA'T BATO
OHH, HOOH, HOOHO, MULA SA HAWLANG GINTO
OHH, HOOH, HOOHO,

II
SAKOP NG UTAK GALIT AT AWA
SARILING AMA BAKIT MO NAGAWANG
BIHAGIN ANG BERBONG UTOS NIYA
LANDAS NG LUHA SA KATAWAN NG IBA.

III
KAPIRASONG DIWA BIGKAS NG AMA
LIKHA NG HIWAGA LIGAW NA SALITA
HALIK NG TAO KAMANDAG NG DILIM
SA LAHAT NG ORAS HINDI NIYA MAATIM.

MAYNILA, PAGKAGAT NG DILIM

MAYNILA,PAGKAGAT NG DILIM

Bakit itinuturing na isa sa mga pinagpipitagang pelikula ni Direktor Ishmael Bernal ang Manila By Night (Regal Films, Inc.)? Ating balikan ang pelikulang umani ng papuri mula sa mga kritiko noong taong 1980. Kilala si Bernal sa paggawa ng mga pelikulang puno ng iba't-ibang pangunahing tauhan. Tahasang isinaad sa pelikula ang suliraning pang lipunan sa kalakhang Maynila. Mula sa isang simpleng tinedyer (William Martinez) na anak ng dating iba na nagbagong buhay (Charito Solis) hanggang sa isang tomboy na drug pusher (Cherie Gil), may bulag na masahista (Rio Locsin), nariyan din ang taxi driver (Orestes Ojeda), ang kabit niyang nagkukunwaring nars (Alma Moreno), mayroon ring probinsyanang waitress (Lorna Tolentino) at ang baklang couturier (Bernardo Bernardo) na bumubuhay sa kanyang pamilya. Iba't-ibang buhay ng mga taong pinagbuklod ng isang malaking siyudad. Tinalakay ng pelikula ang problema sa droga, prostitusyon, relihiyon at kahirapan na magpasahanggang ngayon ay mga suliraning hinahanapan pa rin natin ng solusyon. Maraming nagkumpara ng Manila By Night sa obra ni Direktor Lino Brocka ang Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag. Kung saan nagkulang ang pelikula ni Brocka ito naman ang landas na tinahak ng obra ni Bernal. Hindi lamang nito ipinakita ang lumalalang situwasyon ng kahirapan sa Maynila sa halip ay hinarap nito ang ibang mga isyung hindi tinalakay sa pelikula ni Brocka. Sa aspetong ito mababanaag ang malaking pagkakaiba ng dalawang pelikula. Kung panonoorin sa ngayon ang Manila By Night masasabing may kalumaan na ang tema nito, di tulad ng unang ipinalabas ang pelikula sa mga sinehan.

Makaraan ang dalawampu't anim na taon mula ng ipalabas ang Manila By Night ay masasabing halos walang binago ang panahon kung susuriin natin ang mga suliraning pang lipunan ng Pilipinas. Nariyan pa rin ang problema sa mga ipinagbabawal na gamot, ang prostitusyon at kahirapan. Sino ba talaga ang dapat sisishin sa lahat ng mga ito? Ang pamahalaan ba? Tayong mga mamayan? Hanggang ngayon wala pang sagot sa mga tanong na ito. Nararapat nating pasalamatan ang mga direktor na tulad ni Ishmael Bernal na sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng mga obrang tulad ng Manila By Night, isang pelikulang nagmulat sa ating kaisipan sa suliranin ng bansang Pilipinas.

Dulang Pampelikula At Direksyon: Ishmael Bernal
Sinematograpiya: Sergio Lobo
Musika: The Vanishing Tribe
Editing: Augusto Salvador
Disenyong Pamproduksyon: Peque Gallaga
Prodyuser: Regal Films, Inc.

ang kagila-gilalas na pakikipagsapalaran ni juan dela cruz

ang kagila-gilalas na pakikipagsapalaran ni juan dela cruz


1.
isang gabing madilim
puno ng pangambang sumakay sa bus
si Juan dela Cruz
pusturang-pustura
kahit walang laman ang bulsa
BAWAL MANIGARILYO BOSS
sabi ng kondoktora
at minura
si Juan dela Cruz

2.
pusturang-pustura
kahit walang laman ang bulsa
nilakad ni Juan dela Cruz
ang buong Avenida
BAWAL PUMARADA
sabi ng bakod
kaya napagod
si Juan dela Cruz

3.
nang abutin ng gutom
si Juan dela Cruz
tumapat sa Ma Mon Luk
inamoy and mami, siopao, lumpia, pansit
hanggang mabusog
nagdaan sa Sine Dalisay
tinitigan ang litrato ni Chichay
PASSES NOT HONORED TODAY
sabi ng takilyera
tawa ng tawa

4.
dumalaw sa kongreso
si Juan dela Cruz
MAG-INGAT SA ASO
sabi ng deputado
nagtuloy sa Malakanyang
wala namang dalang kamanyang
KEEP OF THE GRASS
sabi ng hardinero
sabi ng sundalo
kay Juan dela Cruz

5.
nang dapuan ng...
si Juan dela Cruz
namasyal sa Culi-Culi
parang espadang bali-bali
YOUR CREDIT IS GOOD BUT WE NEED CASH
sabi ng bugaw
habang humihigop ng sabaw

6.
pusturang-pustura
kahit walang laman ang bulsa
naglibot sa Dewey
si Juan dela Cruz
PAN-AM BAYSIDE SAVOY THEY SATISFY
sabi ng neon
humikab ang dagat na parang leon
masarap sanang tumalon
BAWAL MAGTAPON NG BASURA
sabi ng alon

7.

bumalik sa quiapo
si Juan dela Cruz
at medyo kinabahan
pumasok sa simbahan
IN GOD WE TRUST
sabi ng obispo
ALL OTHERS PAY CASH
ang wala ng malunok
si Juan dela Cruz
dala-dala'y gulok
gula-gulanit ang damit
wala pa ring laman and bulsa
umakyat sa Arayat
ang namayat na
si Juan dela Cruz
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
sabi ng PC
ang walanghiyang kabataan
kung bakit sinulsulan
ang isang tahimik na mamamayan
katulad ni Juan dela Cruz 

SA GABI NG ISANG PIYON Lamberto E. Antonio

 SA GABI NG ISANG PIYON Lamberto E. Antonio

Paano ka makakatulog?
Iniwan man ng mga palad mo ang pala,
Martilyo, tubo’t kawad at iba pang kasangkapan,
Alas-singko’y hindi naging hudyat upang
Umibis ang graba’t semento sa iyong hininga.
Sa karimlan mo nga lamang maaaring ihabilin
Ang kirot at silakbo ng iyong himaymay:
Mga lintos, galos, hiwa ng daliri braso’t utak
Kapag binabanig na ang kapirasong playwud,
Mga kusot o supot-semento sa ulilang
Sulok ng gusaling nakatirik.
Binabalisa ka ng paggawa —
(Hindi ka maidlip kahit sagad-buto ang pagod mo)
Dugo’t pawis pang lalangkap
Sa buhangin at sementong hinahalo na kalamnang
Itatapal mo sa bakal na mga tadyang:
Kalansay na nabubuong dambuhala mula
Sa pagdurugo mo bawat saglit; kapalit
Ang kitang di-maipantawid-gutom ng pamilya,
Pag-asam sa bagong kontrata at dalanging paos.
Paano ka matutulog kung sa bawat paghiga mo’y
Unti-unting nilalagom ng bubungang sakdal-tayog
Ang mga bituin? Maaari ka nga lamang
Mag-usisa sa dilim kung bakit di umiibis
Ang graba’t ‘semento sa iyong hininga...
Kung nabubuo sa guniguni mo maya’t maya
Na ikaw ay mistulang bahagi ng iskapold
Na kinabukasa’y babaklasin mo rin.

The world is an apple by A. Florentino

The world is an apple by A. Florentino

Narrator: Mario enters. sits down and buries his head in his hands. Gloria crosses to him and lay a hand on his shoulder.

Gloria: I know something is wrong. Mario, I can feel it. Tell me what it is

Mario: Gloria, I've lost my job

Gloria: Oh, no! How did you lose it? Mario! Have your sinful fingers brought you trouble again?

Mario: Now, now, Gloria Don't try to accuse me as they did. An apple! Yes, and they kicked me out for it for taking one single apple

Gloria: So that's what you get. . .

Mario: Could I guessed they would do that for one apple? When there were millions of them? We were hauling them to the warehouse. I saw one roll out of a broken crate. It was that big. Suddenly, I found myself putting it in my lunch bag. Do you remember that day I took our little girl out for a walk? On our way home we passed a grocery store that sold "delicious" apples at seventy centavos each. She wanted me to buy one for her but I did not have seventy centavos. She cried. So, when I saw this apple roll out of crate, I thought that Tita would love to have it.

Gloria: We're not rich. We can live without apples.

Mario: Why? Did God create apple trees to bear fruit for the rich alone? Didn't He create the whole world for everyone?

Gloria: So, for a measly apple, you lose a job! Filching an apple that's too small a reason to kick a poor man out a work. You should ask them to give you a second chance, Mario.

Mario: They won't do that. Can't you see they had waiting for me to make a slip like that? They've wanted to throw me out for any reason, so that they may bring their men in.

Gloria: You should complain. . .

If I did, they would dig up my police record. They will do anything to keep me out. But, don't worry, I have found a good job.

Gloria: I know God wouldn't let us down. Mother was wrong. You know, before we get married, she used to tell me "Gloria, you'll commit the greatest mistake of your life if you marry a good - for - nothing loafer!." Oh, you've changed!

Pablo: Hmmmm. How romantic.

Mario: Pablo!

Gloria: What are you doing here? What do you want?

Pablo: Your daughter. . . how is she? Here, I'll loan you a few pesos. It may help your daughter to get well.

Gloria: No. Thank you. Mario has stopped depending on you, since the day I took him away from your clutches! I have no regrets. Mario has none, either.

Pablo: How you can be sure? When he and I were pals we could go to first -class air- conditioned movie houses every other day. I'll bet all the money I have here now that he has not been to one for four years!

Gloria: One cannot expect too much from honest money - we don't

Pablo: What is honest money? Does it buy more? Staying in this dungeon you call a house, is that what you so beautifully call "honesty"?.

Mario: Pablo!

Gloria: I know you have come to lead him back to your dishonest ways, but you can't.

Pablo: You call this living? This Gloria,, is what you call dying - dying slowly minute by minute.

Mario: Pablo, stop it!.

Pablo: Tell her that you no longer believe in the way she wanted you to live.

Gloria: Oh! Mario, . . you promised me you were through with him.

Mario: Gloria. . . you . . . must understand . . . I tried long and hard . . . but could not lift us out of this kind of life. . .

Gloria: You are not going with him, You take good care of yourself and our child.

(Mario walks away with Pablo, Gloria stares dumbly at then.)

Gloria: Mariooooo! ( she cover her face with her dress and cries into it.)

The Way We Live By Danton Remoto

The Way We Live By Danton Remoto

Bang the drum slowly, baby,
let us roll tremors
of sound to wake
the Lord God of motion
sleeping under the skin.

Of choosing what to wear
this Saturday night:
cool, sexy black
or simply fuck-me red?
Should I gel my hair
or let it fall like water?

Of sitting on the sad
and beautiful face of James Dean
while listening to reggae
at Blue Café.

Of chatting with friends
at The Library
while Allan shimmers
with his sequins and wit.

Of listening to stories at Cine Café:
the first eye-contact,
conversations glowing
in the night,
lips and fingers touching,
groping for each other's loneliness.

Of driving home
under the flyover's dark wings
(a blackout once again plunges
the city to darkness)

Summer's thunder
lighting up the sky

oh heat thick
as desire

Then suddenly the rain:
finally falling,
falling everywhere:
to let go, then,
to let go and to move on,
this is the way it seems
to be. Bang the drum, baby.