iWant streams winning student docu

Back in 1995, there was an outrage in the Philippines over the hanging of Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Flor Contemplacion, who was hanged for the killing of fellow OFW Delia Maga and four-year old child Nicholas Huang in Singapore.

Public opinion was on the side of Flor, whom many believed was innocent of the charges. The backlash was strongly felt that led to the straining of relations between the two countries.

One of the Top 10 entries in ABS-CBN and Knowledge Channel’s Class Project inter-collegiate mini-documentary competition delved on the last few days of Flor as narrated by her daughter Russel Contemplacion to UST journalism students who produced the documentary, Daluyong ng Sigwa.

Twenty-four years after OFW Flor Contemplacion was hanged for murder in Singapore, her daughter relives her final days in Daluyong ng Sigwa.

The other winning mini-documentaries tackled various riveting topics and showcased the storytelling and visual skills of Gen Z students. 

“It’s so refreshing and inspiring to see people take an interest in the stories we have and know that they want to share our stories to forward bigger issues,” said Danielle Evangelista and Danielle Tolentino, students from the UP Diliman College of Mass Communication who bagged the top prize for their work, Pasan.

Apart from winning cash prizes and trophies, the 10 best works were aired on Knowledge Channel. And to give them an even bigger platform, the documentaries below are now available for streaming under the Class Project channel on ABS-CBN’s iWant app or iwant.ph.

Roger Marcos portrays Jesus Christ yearly in the Lenten tradition, and endures the crucifixion, scourging and carrying of the cross in Pasan.

Pasan won first prize. Get a peek into the tradition of pasan as Roger Marcos, who portrays Jesus Christ yearly in the Lenten tradition, goes through the crucifixion, scourging and carrying of the cross for the 11th and final time. 

Silang Walang Daan (Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna) won second prize. The residents of Tiniguiban, a remote town near Calauag, Quezon, have to endure as long as eight hours on muddy, trench-filled roads just to reach the nearest town, suffering the loss of property, livelihood and life. Decades after the local government opened the route, the residents have begun to lose hope that their local government will ever fulfill their promise of paving the road. 

Labay Ku (Far Eastern University) won third prize. As the government delivers on its Build, Build, Build program and begins the development of New Clark City in Tarlac, the Aeta community in Capas and Bambam worry about their future and the security of the ancestral lands they call home. 

Two women from the Sama-Bajau tribe in Batangas City help young members of their community get an education, even as they juggle the roles of mother, teacher and student in Tribu sa Syudad.

Pangarap na Pag-ahon (Lyceum of the Philippines Laguna). Roxane, a seventh-grade student from the perpetually flooded town of Ubihan in Meycauayan, Bulacan, risks her life daily to travel for two hours on foot through floods, highways and run-down bridges just to get to school and work towards a better future for her family.

Ukit (University of Santo Tomas). Wood carver Nestor from Paete, Laguna keeps up the tradition of carving religious images on wood, despite the government banning the use of wood from natural forests in the fight against illegal logging, because it is a traditional and well-loved industry in his town.

Kakaibata (University of Makati). Two mothers with children who were born with rare diseases refuse to give up on their children, and continue to provide them with love and care despite limited resources and lack of available treatment.

Habag (Saint Louis University, Baguio). A crematorium manager and a terra cotta sculptor turn their skills to helping Filipino families lay their dearly departed loved ones to rest and grieve in peace.

Tribu sa Syudad (University of Batangas). Two women from the Sama-Bajau tribe in Batangas City help the young members of their community get an education and preserve their culture, even as they themselves juggle the roles of mother, teacher and student.

Parangalan (Colegio de San Juan de Letran). A competitive runner, swimmer and ballroom dancer brings honor to the Philippines by excelling in sports, and proves that physical disabilities are no hindrance to achieving their dreams.

Daluyong ng Sigwa (University of Santo Tomas). Twenty-four years after OFW Flor Contemplacion was hanged for murder in Singapore, her daughter Russel shares her mom’s final days on death row and how her execution, often considered unjust, shattered the lives of her family.

The Class Project winners were presented during ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Media Congress Year 13, a yearly student conference mounted in partnership with the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE) to help students gain a critical understanding of media and help them prepare for a career in the industry.