On the Verge of Lunacy

Set in the Philippine Revolution, this eight-part series shows the rise and fall of Katipunan's founder and  the father of the revolution, Andres Bonifacio. Katipunan follows two main story lines. A young woman's death opens a series of atrocities committed by a new cleric in a small town. Pacquing and Sebastian, Teresa's friends, want retribution for her death but they are powerless. They had to flee and along the way met Andres Bonifacio, who became a friend and mentor to the two young men. Andres Bonifacio When Jose Rizal was arrested and later exiled to Dapitan, Bonifacio and colleagues decided to organize the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Katipunan). The recruitment process alone was tedious. Katipunan was hard-put in convincing some of the ilustrados to support them; some people also snubbed them thinking the revolution will never succeed. The Spanish colonizers are too powerful; while the Filipinos lack the arms ...

A collection of mystery and adventure stories, Anting-anting Stories and Other Strange Tales of the Filipinos, takes the reader into the colorful world of Filipino folk beliefs and superstitions. The word anting-anting's closest English equivalent is talisman, which is an object that gives supernatural abilities and protection to its owner. The anting-anting, however, is mainly for protection and it can be anything from a pendant to a piece of paper. Although most of the stories are set in some regions in the Philippines, the majority are told from the perspective of non-Filipino characters. As a Filipino, it is interesting to read what other people think of some of our beliefs. The following are the stories included in this volume: The Anting-anting of Captain Von Tollig The Cave in the Side of Coron The Conjure Man of Siargao Mrs. Hannah Smith, Nurse The Fifteenth Wife "Our Lady of Pilar" A Question of Time The Spirit of Mount Apo With What Measure Ye Me...

Note: I don't claim to be an expert in the mythology and religion of the six tribes featured here. My source for this information is Fay-Cooper Cole's The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao. This entry is solely a list for future references. The deities and mythological creatures here are from Fay-Cooper Cole's The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao . This is a list of the gods, goddesses, and spirits/spirit classes of the Bagobo, Bila-an, Kulaman, Tagakaolo, Ata, and Mandaya. I retained the spelling of the names found in the book. For full accounts of the myths and customs of the tribes, I recommend reading the book. BAGOBO Eugpamolak Manobo/Manama/Kalayagan  - first and greatest creator whose home is in the sky. Offerings for him should be white. Tolus ka balakat - name means "dweller in the balakat"; loves blood but not the flesh of humans and is one of the three deities for whom the yearly sacrifice is made. Mandarangan and Darago - husba...

This volume is a record of Cole's study of the six tribes from Davao District, namely; Bagobo, Bila-an, Kulaman, Tagakaolo, Ata, and Mandaya. Each section describes the laws and customs, religion, arts and crafts, physical appearance and measurements, warfare and medical practices, and the mythology, religion and accompanying ceremonies of the tribes. There is also a section concerning human sacrifice which was observed in almost all the tribes mentioned. The important chapter on the Bagobo is the most extensive and also serves as the point of comparison with the other tribes. All six tribes have a lot in common and differ only in specific details. Of their similarities, the most prominent is the appearance of the deity Mandarangan/Mandalangan in the myths of the tribes and the importance given to the warrior class and the medium/healers/midwives. There are separate sections on the creation myths and lists of important deities and spirits. A description of the soul and its r...

This epic of a binukot (princess) turned babaylan (priestess) and bagani (warrior) made history as it showcased Southern Filipino culture in a primetime TV series. I was particularly impressed with the use of straight Filipino in the dialogues, the beautiful costumes and the fight scenes. A great deal of research and preparation were made for this. The main character Amaya can be likened to most epic heroes. She had an unusual birth (had a twin snake) and had to face many challenges as she journeyed to fulfilled her destiny (tagna) to kill the then-reigning Rajah (king) Mangubat. Add to that the constant trials set by her father's wife, Dian Lamitan. But despite the oppositions she was still able to find allies, human and divine. The main antagonist Lamitan was impressive too. Smart and cunning, she was able to manipulate people around her including her relatives to get where she wants. Essentially, she and Amaya were the same. Both women sought to change the prevalent be...

My countrymen have always been known as music lovers. We are fond of gatherings, parties and special occasions and most of the time the indispensable videoke (or karaoke for some) is always present. Anyone who can sing the high notes are regarded as 'good singers', although this is not the only criteria that will earn a person a recording contract. Most of the songs performed on singing contests are usually what people generally call 'love songs'. Most of these are released during the '80s and '90s, while some have been playing in the radio stations for more than 3 decades. I do not claim to be an expert on such things or to have had the luxury of time to do a research, only that these observations are based on experience. The current trend (and it has been going on for quite some time) in the Filipino music industry is to revive the old love songs. I do not know who started this but I remember M.Y.M.P. got me into this new trend. It is a great thing to try an...

PLOT At first glance, the story might be about Sam and his friends, but it was only through them that a more important theme of the story has been told. The musical play was all about the small community in Jolo, Sulu whose bloody history was long forgotten by the generations that followed after the massacre. At the end of the story we see that Sam and Amrayda's marriage was more important and symbolic. What seems to be an ordinary concern of a young Tausug complicates to challenges that led to self-discovery of great proportions. CHARACTERS The actors were well suited to their roles considering the fact that they are real Tausugs who carry with them their culture and tradition. Sam appeared to be the protagonist of the play but he was only the instrument through which the story was told. DICTION The dialogues were appropriate for each character based on the personality they have established from the very beginning. They might have changed views in the end but their lines refl...

The beat of the agong might have been a requiem for the Tausugs in Jolo, Sulu on March 6, 1906. The sound of the guns have been the last music they danced to.But tragedies can be a source of inspiration. And the incident was what inspired 2-time Palanca awardee Arnel Mardoquio to write the Antigong Agong for its centennial celebration. The music, the actors and the story of the Bud Dahu massacre made the musical play an unforgettable experience (or maybe it was just the effect of sitting in the front row).At first I thought it was just another corny love story but I'm glad it turned out differently. Sam's ordinary problem of getting the money for the dowry led to bigger and more important discoveries. The musicians did a great job. I enjoyed the songs that contained comments on social issues and how the characters themselves made fun of their misery.The play is full of social commentaries that are bold and amusing. The songs and dialogues are meant deliver it with grace a...