Discovering 'Sarong Banggi' via Bikol bloglandia

READING through my blogroll last night, not only did I discover Ian Rosales Casocot by way of Gibbs Cadiz but more importantly a 2006 dark indie movie whose title is lifted from Potenciano Gregorio's haunting "Sarong Banggi," Bikolandia's unofficial anthem.

Why did it not register in my consciousness? Mainly because it was overshadowed by the trailblazing, multi-awarded "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros" that took the country -- or at least the serious moviegoing class -- by storm. If you want proof that "Sarong Banggi" is worth your while, just look at its poster: Jacklyn Jose earned another Urian plum as best actress on the strength of her performance as an aging prosti.

An idea of the movie strengths and weaknesses is indicated by this external review page by way of the Internet Movie Database, which features articles from the Inquirer, Mindanews' Gail Ilagan, Ronald Cruz aka Film Otaku and the Pink Coffee-sipping Soul Princess. (Warning: some contain spoilers that will give the plot away.)

Casocot's piece that Gibbs Cadiz's article on Kris Aquino linked to is somewhat familiar. Previously, I have written that Kris -- for all the criticisms coming her way -- remains compelling because her life has become our national telenovela. Casocot goes a step further and argues that hers is a life we have always silently aspired to, and therefore deserves a little understanding.

But it is Gibbs' article, always written in a light, entertaining tone that camouflages a cutting commentary, that unleashed my own youthful memories. The Lux ad from his baul reminded me of one of the Sports Flash issues in the late 80's that I religiously bought. It was heady post-EDSA days when the Aquinos can do no wrong and the youthful Kris made its cover as guest of honor of the newly opened PBA conference. She was gushing about Alvin Patrimonio at the time, and I in turn had a fleeting crush on her.

Over the years, I outgrew my adolescence watching Kris Aquino invade the silver screen, tragically shuttle from one man to another in search of a father figure and Prince Charming rolled into one, and in the process get embroiled in one controversy after another that only helped cement her celebrity status. In some ways, she is a veritable twin of the toothless comic Rene Requiestas, another tragic celebrity who died heartbroken because one of the senatorial candidates now running stole the object of her affection.

This zoo-owning senatoriable must be one of the politicos that must have made Bill Shimizu puke in this post. Elsewhere in Bikol bloglandia, UP-based writer Vic Nierva puts forward Bikol translation of two English poems by a 19th century Jesuit poet. Kristian Cordero, on the other hand, rhymes about intimations of his own mortality. Rizaldy Realubit offers his first published short story, and hopes that table tennis will experience a resurgence like swimming where Naga has made its mark nationwide. Maryanne Moll is back in Manila, in the arms of his beloved, and is ecstatic about making it to Nostalgia Manila.

Irvin Sto. Tomas continues stringing his rollicking list of English titles that can't be translated into Filipino, this time moving into songs. Inggitero gives us an insider's look into the latest happenings within the city hall IT agencies in his maiden post. From faraway Singapore, former Naga EDP head Dune Padre is ecstatic about a fried fish dish that made him feel like, and pine for, home. (Felt exactly the same way whenever I fry the dried pusit in our Cambridge graduate students accommodation a few years back, to the consternation of my flatmates!)

And from pages of GMANews.tv, Jobart Bartolome writes about famous brands that we have borrowed to become the de facto word for the generic, and why "kodakan" seems on the way out in this age of digital cameras. (Sweet justice: two Kodak digital cameras I bought in succession ended up as lemons after warranty, unlike their durable Canon or Sony counterparts.)