DLSU-D’s Pugay Kamay prod grabs 1st place in nationwide mini-docu competition
Pugay Kamay productions, a group of fourth year AB Broadcast Journalism students of DLSU-D, won first place in the 2018 edition of ABS-CBN’s “Class Project: An Intercollegiate Mini-Documentary Competition” during the 12th Pinoy Media Congress held at the College of the Holy Spirit, Mendiola, on March 6.
Out of 33 entries from 15 schools nationwide, DLSU-D won first place with Pugay Kamay productions’ documentary titled Lupang Pinangako: Ang mga Rizalista ng Ronggot, which was initially produced as a subject requirement until the group decided to submit their documentary as an entry for the said competition.
The competition launched by ABS-CBN, Knowledge Channel, and the Philippine Association of Communication Educators Foundation, Inc. (PACE) aims to give college students a chance to showcase their documentaries on television.
The Pugay Kamay productions is comprised of director Bryan Ellis Castillo, scriptwriter and narrator Naomi Tiburcio, director of videography Marielle De Guzman, video editor John Steven Custodio, and director of photography Neil Angelo Aala,
As per Castillo, their documentary features the worshippers and believers of Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, known as Rizalistas situated in Sitio Ronggot, Calamba, Laguna.
“The Rizalistas of Ronggot are among the poorest in the province. Lupang Pinangako engaged not just with the facts of their religion and with the lessons of nationalism, but also with the reality that the people who, most of the time, are victims of irrational judgment, are also suffering from the wrath of poverty brought by a system founded in injustices,” Castillo said.
The production team started conducting their research on the Rizalista faith in February of 2017 and began shooting for their documentary in the span of three months. Castillo explained that concept behind the documentary took root partly because of the Kursong Rizal subject they were taking in the same semester as their documentary subject.
“We all know that Jose Rizal is our national hero but not everyone is aware that some people actually regard him more than just an icon of nationalism but a god who transpires with such divinity in their eyes,” Castillo added.
Aside from their documentary’s “controversial” topic, some of the biggest challenges that their group faced were on both physical and mental fronts. .
“Nahirapan kami una sa lugar, dahil sobrang layo niya (Sitio Ronggot) sa bayan at kailangang maglakad ng 30 minuto para makarating dito. Sunod ay oras, dahil tuwing alas otso sila ng tuwing Linggo, kailangang maaga rin kami umalis para maabutan sila. Huli ay ‘yong sobrang taliwas nilang paniniwala sa pagiging diyos ni Rizal, kailangan naming intindihin kahit sa loob namin dapat namin silang itama,” Aala shared.
Despite the challenges the team encountered, Castillo said, “It’s all worth carrying the cross,” as they never thought of winning a competition through a documentary that was “a simple subject requirement.”
“It (joining in the competition) wasn’t planned at all. Our documentary was basically a subject requirement, and after no’n (submission for their project), our team just decided to make an entry since sabi nila sayang naman daw ang ginawang documentary and so we did,” Custodio said.
Meanwhile, Aala also reminded the Lasallians to be brave enough in telling even the most sensitive stories if they think that conquering this fear would open the minds of many.
“We hope that through this documentary we open the doors for people to become more aware of the condition of the sect and thus, take a step to help them,” Tiburcio added.
As for De Guzman, she hopes that their win would inspire the Lasallian community “to give their best shot in all opportunities in life because hard work is always rewarded.”
Alongside other finalists of the said competition, such as third-placer Southville International School and Colleges and second-placer Lyceum of the Philippines University – Laguna, Lupang Pinangako will be aired on national television throughout the month of April on the Knowledge Channel, which is accessible on ABS-CBN TV Plus and Cable.
