Dingdong, Iza hope envoys of Istorya ng Pag-asa (INP)

MANILA, Philippines — Istorya ng Pag-asa (INP), which started as a traveling photo gallery adopted in 2016 by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), featuring stories of hope by the Filipino people, has evolved into an all-digital film competition in 2017.

In 2018, Istorya ng Pag-asa Film Festival (INPFF) received 73 entries from all over the country and abroad. This year, entries increased into 98 from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and even from Australia and Macau.

The OVP advocacy’s ambassadors of hope, Dingdong Dantes and Iza Calzado, presented the 10 most outstanding entries during the awarding night held at Cinema 7 of Trinoma Mall, Quezon City last Saturday. Dingdong has marked more than three decades of modeling, performing, hosting, acting, directing and producing films through his own outfit, Agosto Dos Pictures. In 2014, he was appointed commissioner at large of the National Youth Commission, and has since been focused on projects concerning the youth, among them the Abot-Alam Program, a nationwide initiative to attain zero out-of-school youth in the Philippines.

Iza, on the other hand, is an actress, host, model, dancer and health and fitness enthusiast for almost two decades. She advances women empowerment, body love revolution, environmental protection, and is a champion against cyber bullying. She is also an ambassadress for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and co-founder of I Am Woman of Marawi Initiative.

During the gala night program, 10 short films were screened, three of which emerged as winners: Ka Dodoy  (by Meg Serranilla and Mark Aposaga, both marine conservationists), about Roberto Ballon Jr., the beloved chairman of the Paunungan sa mga Gagmay ng Mangingisda sa Conception (KGMC) — a fisherfolk organization in Kabasalan, Zamboanga whose leadership saved his barangay’s fish reserves from collapsing. 

First runner-up was Maglabay Ra in Sakit, (Mijan Jumalon‘s first foray into documentary filmmaking) about Khalid Hamid (RkJun), a young Tausug artist, born in Jolo, Sulu who is determined to pursue a career in rap music despite poverty, loss and terrorism in Southern Mindanao.

The Istorya ng Pag-asa Film Festival finalists.

Second runner-up was Litratisa  (by Allan Lazaro, a TV and digital video producer, who also won the Best Social Initiative in the 2018 MegaCities-Shortdocs in Paris), about Nanay Fely, a widow from Manila, who has been taking ID photos and class pictures in public schools for four decades, enabling her to support seven children. Dingdong and Iza had a good time mimicking her prompt of  “Maisssss” to make her subjects smile for her camera during the awarding of trophies and cash prizes.

Voted as People’s Choice that night through audience balloting was the poignant Yapak (by Romel Mondragon Lozada, a public school teacher at the General Santos City National High School), about blind brothers Rodrigo and Robinson Rada, from Maasim, Sarangani, who labor in a farm all day long despite their disability, climbing, harvesting and husking coconuts to support themselves as they were abandoned by their mother when they were young.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who launched INP two years ago with the single goal of inspiring and being a source of hope to Filipinos here and abroad, closed the program, thanking all those who support her advocacy at “a time when the world has become darker and more uncertain, and our cherished liberties are being threatened by a rising authoritarianism.” She stressed that “with hope and hard work, there are no limits to where we can go and what we can accomplish.”

The OVP conferred a Special Recognition Award to Modern Day Hero (by Roy Robert Rusiana, a full-time graphic designer and amateur filmmaker from Cebu), the story of SP04 Bill Felisan, who, from being a child in conflict with the law, has struggled to become a model police officer.

In partnership with Ayala Foundation and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), INPFF had a distinguished panel of judges: Accomplished stage, TV and film actress Shamaine Buencamino; De La Salle University professor emeritus, screenwriter of classics like Maynila, Sa Kuko ng Liwanag, Clodualdo “Doy” del Mundo Jr.; chairperson and CEO of FDCP Liza Diño; multi-awarded filmmaker musician, writer and professor Quark Henares; and director, producer and cinematographer of such blockbuster romantic films like The Break-up Playlist,  Dan Villegas.