Seventies.
I’m not yet alive by the time that Lualhati Bautista was inspired to narrate the epic of Philippine modern-day heroes.
In our Filipino subject, we watched films that tackle about Dr. Jose Rizal, or his novels, or his word war with the Spaniards. Now, it’s Dekada ‘70 – reviving Marcos’ reign here in the Philippines. The movie was definitely made out of seventies: from the hairstyles, the music (the retro style or those good ol’ blues), the trends, the furnishings. A dusty, sepia picture tells me that my Dad once wore a not-so-long, fluffy hair (now, he’s bald). Mom’s wearing polka-dots, dimpled, carrying my one-year-old eldest sister.
I was taken aback by the film, recalling my father telling me that ‘violence’ is an understatement for Martial Law. There’s a strict curfew. The government is nonchalant when it comes to civilians. They arrest people caught in the streets, they torture people with the electric chair (and believe me – when I’ve seen Piolo Pascual lying in that electric chair then zapped with electricity, his body bounced like an electrocuted mummy writhing in pain, screaming. Almost all the ladies watching were terrified with the movie’s violence). The women at that time we’re not yet given so much freedom as to compare them today. Back then, they were housemaids: not allowed by their husbands to work. I pity Vilma Santos in the movie because she’s too silent for a mother; since she was always overwhelmed by the husband: Christopher De Leon.
I can’t really imagine how my parents went through those years of Martial Law.
The passion of Edsa Revolution will never come back, I say. The union with all the Filipinos, fighting for one goal – to let President Marcos surrender. It did succeed (though Ninoy died and the case is still hanging) but I know that this tactic will never be enough today. Maybe we need a greater Martial Law just to provoke ourselves to make this nation better. Well, the people were a lot more disciplined back then.
I still admire Marcos. Before he became a dictator, he did a great job in promoting agricultural reforms and those stuff.
Whatever.
Oh, Politics. What a cruel topic for a student like me.
“Oh, Politics. What a cruel topic for a student like me.”
Oh yeah.. such a cruel topic for me too..
Nah, thank god, i was born 1981, and didn’t have to go through all those hardships..
haaay..
this year ko lang din napanood yang dekada sitenta…. sa kas 1 … and sadly, i did not finish it… the film was good but it was not as great as what i’ve expected it to be… there were some lines in the script that were unnecessary… naging parang comedy… acting-wise… carlos agassi sucked… haha… nevertheless, the theme was great… and vilma santos portrayed the role really well… before this comment turns into a long movie review… i’ll end it na lang…
but hey.. people during marcos time were disciplined!! ahahaha.. oh well.. people nowadays abuse their freedom!! hihi..
juz dropping by and reading and comment .. yung lang.
babay!!!
Seriously, I HATED THAT BOOK. haha. And yes, the movie sucked. Christopher de Leon + Vilma Santos = barely believable acting.
I am totally against the leftist movement. I think Marcos’ greatest achievement was the massacre of countless communists.
Fascism Forever!
na over use na ang democracy sa bansa natin, oks na sana yung isang ESDA revolution, pero kung taon taon merong Esda revolution, nakakasawa na rin
I like Lualhati Bautista’s books. It always leaves a mark sa mga readers nito.
But what I don’t like about her books is that masyadong maiigsi ang istorya, kasing kapal lang ng isang “Valentine” poket book ang isang nobela nya.
buti na lang hindi pa rin ako buhay that time.. ang hirap naman yata ng masyadong kontroladong buhay..and yes, marcos was great before it all went to his head..
wala akong masabi.. i hate politics! makes me feel old..hahaha.
i agree 75%..hehehe.. btw..ur tagged..go to my blog.. bwehehehehe
You better read the book, because, as usual, it’s better than the film.
Some say, during the Marcos’ regime, life has been better, other’s say it was the worst. One thing we should agree, Marcos was one of our brightest and greatest leaders.
Bakit eto naging topic mo?
Corny mo!
Anyway basta ewan… I wasn’t really born during those times… at nung edsa 1 ako pinanganak ata.. ewan basta! HAHAHAHA Di ako masyadong pulitikal ngayun… depende yan sa araw ko…
I don’t want to be embroiled in any debate about the countless death of farmers, peasants, leftists which according to BENJ was the Marcoses greatest achievement.
I am glad that Benj is not my friend, my brother, my son or I will detest it even in my grave. I am even thankful that I don’t know him from adam.
Nothing can ever justify the killings of people–guilty of a crime or innocent–because, looking at it in various many ways, killing is killing and it is the most deplorable of all acts against human life, much more if the victims are your known critics.
Be thankful benj that your mother or your father, or any of your relatives and friends were never against the dictator.
Be thankful that you are a fascist.
I still admire Marcos despite of what happened. Come on, he’s the best president that we ever had!
And yes, people back then were a lot more disciplined. Now, it’s the total opposite! Walang disiplina, lahat ng bagay sinisisi sa government, at inaabuso ang freedom.
Rob – Yeah, as what my teacher told us. Maiksi lang yung libro.
Iskoo – Tumpak! Masyado nating ginagamit yung freedom natin kaya hindi na rin masyadong umuunlad ang bayan. (konek?)
Ayun.
yeah… lam mo mas pipiliin ko pa na katulad ni Marcos ang maging president ulet ng Philippines… kasi nung panahon niya, talagang disiplinado ang mga tao… sana lahat ng tao maisip ang mga ganung bagay!!!
i was able to watch hat movie eh… and all i can say is Marcos is still the best president for me…
>>ano palang nigawa ko sau? bat mo nasabi un?
during the 70’s kids would have to call and answer to their parents by sir and maam. I cant imagine that nowadays. Freedom no longer has respect accompanying it.
I haven’t seen the film yet. Haha!
Minsan, my lola tells me stories about the Japanese and how they lived thru them. Na-kwento rin niya sa akin na sa underground sila nakatira, para lang makaligtas sa mga Hapones.
Now that’s kinda…. scary!
Jhed – what’s the connection of Japanese with Marcos? Oh well, it’s scary. My lolo got ‘komang’ because of World War II.
Kathryn – I agree. Marcos did great as a president. I don’t loathe him at all. He wanted those Filipinos (actually, I’m one of them) to be disciplined.
Might makes right.
But I’m not saying that we need to have another Martial Law to discipline ourselves.
Wait, we need it!
Haha!
Haay… Idol ko si Marcos… ang talino grbe…
si Gloria naman ngayun ika nga nila ay ang babaeng marcos……….. grbe nararamdaman ko na magpupukpok na yan si gloria ng martilyo balang araw…
Rens – ANO KAMO?
bananas: Im sure you wouldn’t be surprised that most of my family members are staunch supporters of the Ilocano strongman.
Your penchant for rhetoric is amazing. It almost moved me to tears.
Kevin, someone used your name and left this comment on my blog.
utakGAGO | utakgago@yahoo.com | vindication.wordpress.com | IP: 203.87.187.162
supot ka. mukha kang scrutom. sic
scrutom, eh? Lol. Im pretty sure it’s not you. Im just putting it to your attention. Such cowards.
Uh-oh.
The IP Address is there. I’ll investigate! Grrrrr, ang kapal naman ng mukha at ginamit ang pangalan ko! Grrrrr.
Guys! May pasok ako ngayon, so eto muna ulit ang post ko. I have no time to post kasi eh.
To the impostor who used my name in his blog – ang kapal mo. Ba’t ako pa, sa dinami-rami ng bloggers diba?
Duwag ka.
Pero, nakakaawa ka rin.
It’s a shame for Marcos. Great leader and all that, but the things that followed earned the animosity of most of the Filipino people.
Come on. 92% sa Bar exams, kahit sa preso lang nag-aral!
Akalain mo ba naman…
hay minsan natutuwa ko sa mga ginawa ni Marcos, taz minsan nakakainis. Siguro kilangan talaga natin ng paghihigpit para tumino naman tau hahah.. asa pang kusang magbabago ang mga pilipino. I hate politics pero kilangan makialam
(
andami namang nanggagaya sau ahahah sikat na sikat ka na
legallyunblonde: Yup. He was great and he had a vision. Yes, he was corrupt, but in my opinion, Cory’s government was a lot more corrupt. Cory’s term saw the dramatic rise in our national debt. And what happened under Cory? NADA.
HEY!
hi vinkz!
I’m aliiive! ahahaha.
Anyhooo, I’d go for Marcos at any given time. At least we were actually progressing back then.
“Oh, Politics. What a cruel topic for a student like me.”
Yes. It is really a CRUEL topic. I can never say anything good about politics. Even in our schoolpaper, I wrote something about cheaters in our Student Council.
EVIL, no?
But it’s the truth.
Yung mga tinamaan, nagalit sa’ken. HAHA!
Anyway, MARCOS rocks! I mean like, he’s so smart! Medyo nagka-aberya lang siguro in his pamamalakad (sh*t, ang arte ng sentence na yan ah).
Tagal ko na nga palang hindi napapadpad dito. Ganda ng banner. I LOVE IT!
There are a lot of things to be discussed about politicking, fascism, corruption, et al but this thread/post is not enough for a good debate or elaboration, if any–if there is such a thing viable of good course to surge such issue to be debated by the people on this thread. Haha.
In shortest terms, the mobocracy and the dictatorship in politics that has surmounted on the latter years and the aftermath of Marcos’ regime, even that damn good EDSA Rev, didn’t do nothing better but a four-year glory of the Philippines for democratic domination in our yesteryears. Afterwards, we suffer. Saya no?
At least, Dekada ‘70 is a good movie.
Punta na lang kayo punditocratic or political blogs of quezon, anna de brux and the like para masaya. Kita-kits tayo dun, ah! Lol.
Joke.
Neil – Nice words! Lol!
Lea – in an oblique perspective, Marcos really rocks!
di ko pa napapanood yan. HAHAHAHAH K.
anyway, uh…martial law..martial..uh…marcos regime right? Yeah. K. He was a superb leader kaso nadistort ng power. Power is uh.. addicting. lolz
ang sabaw.
labo swear.
anyhoo,
nagcomment ang maganda.
btw, it’s not exactly a cruel topic smartass.
la lang.sharing.
Nice one, Paula.
Duh, for me – it’s a complicated topic. ‘Cruel’.
:d
dude. ikaw ata nagcocomment talaga eh…
sumosobra ka na ah…
hehe, joke.
sobrang ganda ng film. the best of vilma santos. she deserves to be recognized as national artist. siya lang ang artista na sinalubong ang lahat ng kasaysayan ng lipunan at sining. alagad siya ng sining. the most awarded and ewcognized actor in cinema.
well, that’s why Vilma was henceforth named as ‘THE STAR FOR ALL SEASONS’.
Thanks for commenting, Mario!