Ploning

MY CURRENT desktop wallpaper is a sepia picture of Judy Ann Santos from her 30th birthday movie “PLONING.” I kind of find her very, very beautiful in this film which was shot in the beautiful town of Cuyo off northern Palawan.

Our good friend, Dante Nico Garcia, a.k.a. THE OTHER MAN in Juday’s life, is debuting as an indie film director via Ploning that’s not only about the life of a pretty town belle in the 80s setting, but also about the exceptional culture and traditions of the Cuyunon.

Juday and Dante during the filming of Ploning in Cuyo.

I picked up the storyline below from Ploning’s official  http://www.ploningthemovie.com/ for everyone to appreciate. It’s premiering end of April, with a special screening for Palaweños, if I am not mistaken, on May 7 in Manila.

In the picturesque island of Cuyo, Palawan, an illegal Taiwanese fishing
vessel docks carrying the fisherman named Muo Sei, a man looking for
something or someone with the name Ploning. He has from sunrise to
sundown to look for this “Ploning”.

In his search, Ploning is revealed to be the island’s town belle of the year
1982. A dutiful daughter to patriarch Susing, a committed supporter to
grieving Intang, an honorary sister to extended family Nieves and Toting
a wise ally to simpleton Alma, a supporter to broken-hearted Siloy and a
co-mother to half-paralyzed Juaning. A woman so important that the town
barely notices the absence of rain because of her presence in their lives.

Despite her renowned beauty, everyone is puzzled why this 30-year-old
spinster refuses to get married and still hopefully waits for her beau,
Tomas, to come back. Tomas left for Manila when Ploning was 16 years
old and there has been no sign of him coming back any time soon.
Ploning’s silent demeanor adds to the mystery and depth of love that no
one seems to understand.. In the center of this, is a 6-year-old boy named
Digo who has built his world around the affection and care of Ploning, his
foster mother. But his entire world crashes as he learns that Ploning has
plans of going to Manila to look for Tomas. Thus, leaving the boy with his
bed-ridden mother, Juaning  and his strict older brother, Veling. Digo tries
everything to stop Ploning from leaving and finds an ally in the town’s visitor,
the beautiful town nurse, Celeste. Celeste claims to have known and fallen
in love with a man named Tomas and tried to follow him in Cuyo to find out
if he loved him back. Ploning, with security and so much faith, denies that
her Tomas and the man Celeste fell in love with are the same man. On the
day of the fiesta, the rain comes and Ploning seems to be missing. Digo’s
feeling of abandonment leads to a tragedy that grieves the town. But no
one was prepared for the secret that Ploning has kept all these years.
A secret that exemplifies the selfless love that withstands blood, pain
and even time.

Did Ploning choose closure with the man she has been waiting for half
her life or the future of young boy whose life is not her own?

Will Muo Sei find his Ploning, accept the love revealed to him or continue
to walk in hate?

Dante, Judy Ann, Panoramanila and everyone else involved in the making of Ploning, deserve all accolade for brining Cuyo in the consciousness of people in the mainstream movie industry (although it’s indie). Not just that, they deserve more for influencing and encouraging Palawan officials to focus on Cuyo, the Cuyunon culture, arts and traditions and the Cuyunon language.

A couple of weeks ago, Palawan Vice-Governor David A. Ponce de Leon sponsored a resolution/ordinance encouraging Palaweños to speak Cuyunon once a month; this will be called “Cuyunon Day.” Speaking the language is encouraged in all government and non-government offices, private businesses, associations, etc. Official newsletters, gazettes and others should have Cuyunon columns or pages with translations for non-speakers to understand.

It’s about time.

 

Reyes faces graft raps

ARE GOVERNOR Joel T. Reyes and Antonio Baguyo being singled out in the graft charges ordered filed against them by the Office of the Ombudsman?

What about the officials of the municipality of Narra who also allowed Platinum Group Metals Corporation (PGMC) to continue to haul out mineral ores more than the amount it’s supposed to mine? How come they’re not included in the case? Narra Mayor Clarito Demaala has something to explain too, right?

And what about the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)? Sure, it revoked the permit to operate of PGMC, but the question is, did they make any follow up to ensure the company stopped its operations? Aren’t they liable too?

Filing the case against Reyes and Baguyo isn’t wrong. But if the complainant really wants justice for the environment, he should not single out the others. What is Katipunan Para Sa Kalikasan, anyway? Where is its office? Who is Fernando Santos?

We have a lot of questions because we simply do not know. Our sleuthing skills can be regarded as something silly since yesterday, Saturday, finding out who the man behind the name is.

When asked for his comments, Reyes refused to give any statement, claiming he hasn’t received a copy of the resolution yet.

 

Ms. Kookes

MORE THAN a week ago, we heard about a foreign couple who were at a bar dancing naked in front of an audience that’s mostly composed of teenagers. The bar, called Ms. Kookes, is located along J. Rizal Avenue here in Puerto Princesa, supposedly owned by a certain Condrandina King.

A video taken of the two foreigners while they appeared to be dancing on  an elevated platform — a ledge — showed a Caucasian male and female slowly taking their clothes off while gyrating and holding on to a steel pole. The woman was wearing a t-back; the man his boxer shorts. In front of both of them was a cheering crowd of many young people (as we were told by the person who took the video) who were naturally excited to see a rare event on display. Sad to say, no one from the staff of Ms. Kookes dared to stop the two foreigners.

The person who took the video is a radio reporter. He took the video with the intention of showing it to P/Supt. Enrique Ancheta. Why he didn’t stop the dancing couple beats us. Maybe he wanted to get evidence that’s why he recorded what’s happening for more than 2 minutes. But that’s not the bigger issue. The bigger one is how come the management of the bar allowed it.

Yesterday, while we gather for updates at the City Hall Building, we were told that City Licensing Office chief Warlito Salido has already gotten hold of the information and has, in fact, gone to the controversial bar with some other officials and a councilor to find out if it has the right documents to operate. It turned out the permit to operate of Ms. Kookes has already expired.

That’s not the only thing; they also went to check other night clubs and bars and they found out 10 have no permits to operate. These bars also do not operate according to the permits (which have expired) they were given. Some obtained permits to operate as restaurants and food stores, but truth is they do business as night clubs and they also have bar girls.

First, Ms. Kookes should be stopped from operating. Close it because it’s not a good place  for young people. Second, the owner should be investigated why her staff allowed the lewd scene to continue despite the presence of young people. Lastly, the CLO should be zealous in conducting inspections once in a while to make sure such business operates according to the permits they were given.