With the election campaign season nearing its homestretch, it would be safe to assume that Filipino voters have become more enlightened regarding their choices for the country’s next set of leaders.
But have we really learned our lessons well?
With all the grandstanding, mudslinging and furious bashing on social media, majority believes that they have made the right choices based on reason and logic. Spouting facts and figures, many believe that choosing is merely a numbers game, with the likely victor amassing the most number of points based on rationalization and intellectualization alone.
But how many have relied on their moral compasses to guide them? Is this not as valid a criterion for making the right choice?
This is the basic premise of the movie dIYOS-DIYOSAn, which stars John Prats and Princess Punzalan, ably supported by a stellar cast that includes Kiko Estrada, Cheska Diaz, Lorenzo Mara, Vaness del Moral, Ryza Cenon, Tirso Cruz III and many others.
Directed by Christian film director Cesar Buendia, dIYOS-DIYOSAn grapples with such timely issues as corruption and faith, and hopes to inspire viewers to question the very foundations upon which they build their faith and their political beliefs and struggles.
Explaining his main inspiration for writing the film, Buendia recalls, “We may have thrown out the most corrupt dictator the country ever had, but the spirit of corruption remained in our soul as a people. No rally, no people power, no revolution can extinguish that. Is there hope? Absolutely! And the hope does not lie on us people True change can never come from people. Real change can only come from God. Hindi ako, hindi tayo ang simula ng pagbabago.”
dIYOS-DIYOSAn chronicles the transformation of Bernard Mojica (John Prats) from a young idealist to a deceptive, cunning and crafty politician thanks to his teacher Estrell (Princess Punzalan) a former activist-turned-teacher, who shaped his destiny by way of her atheistic beliefs and self-centered ideology.
Can we unlearn the dogma that we have been brainwashed with during our formative years? Can we purge ourselves of the demons of our past?
Buendia, who also previously directed such indie films as Idol: Pag-asa ng Bayan, Padre de Pamilya and Agawan Base, couldn’t help but feel blessed with his lead stars’ outstanding performances.
“John was a revelation,” he says. “We usually know him for his comedy stints, but he has such depth and intensity as a dramatic actor. I think this could very well be the start of his promising career as a serious dramatic actor.”
“Equally-convincing was Princess, who we all know to be a fine character actress. We’re glad that she’s making a comeback, and I think she can stay in the country for a longer time, because just like a gem, there’s so much she can reveal, so many layers of feelings and emotion, the deeper you get into her very core.”
dIYOS-DIYOSAn seeks to open the eyes of Filipino millennials to the realities of what a true leader should be. Its timing is perfect as it opens a few days before the May 9 elections. It is also expected to be a media catalyst for the large percent of undecided voters. Hopefully, voters can imbibe the film’s lessons and reflect as who are deserving and can change our country’s course for the better.
dIYOS-DIYOSAn opens in cinemas nationwide on May 4.