Deserving students get laptops to pursue their writing dreams

MANILA, Philippines — In 1998, when film and TV director Benedict Mique first ventured into writing scripts, he didn’t have a personal computer then. He took up Communication Arts at Letran College.

“When I was starting as a writer, I really wanted to write scripts,” shared Benedict. “I wrote three movies at that time — Jerry Lopez Sineneng’s Labs Kita… Okey Ka Lang? with Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin (1998); Rory Quintos’ Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, with Rico Yan and Judy Ann Santos (1998); and Anak, with Vilma Santos and Claudine Barretto (2000).”

After those films, he worked for Star Cinema and got to collaborate with veteran writer and National Artist for Film Ricky Lee. “We did ‘Di Pwedeng ‘Di Pwede, with Robin Padilla and Vina Morales (1999),” Benedict recalled. “I would write scripts in the office of Star Cinema.”

“Ricky saw that, so he lent me P20,000 to buy a desktop. That was when I started writing more productively. I was able to pay him back in a year’s time. I really couldn’t buy my own computer at that time.”

For the next 20 years, writing became Benedict’s bread and butter. “I was able to provide for my family,” he proudly said. “I was able to help others in the industry. I was even able to buy properties. It has been a good journey.”

Last year, Benedict announced he wanted to give back and pay it forward to five less fortunate students who couldn’t afford a computer.

“I want to give them a laptop to give them a start,” he said. “I want to navigate their journey as a writer or filmmaker.”

Benedict previously required students to submit their biographies and initially screened them. “Not too many submitted,” he said. “But from the few who did, I read their materials and chose the five deserving ones.”

He actually shared his plan to Ricky in August last year, when they saw each other at the Cinemalaya Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

“It was a good thing I had the opportunity to earn good money when I co-directed for Darna,” Benedict said. “So, I told Ricky, I would push through with my plan.”

Last March 12, five deserving students got their much-deserved laptops from him. Justin John Delima, 22, is a fourth-year Theater Arts student, major in Directing and Dramaturgy, at the University of the Philippines (UP).

His dad works as a security guard, while his mom is a dressmaker. He is the fifth child in a brood of eight. He previously staged Pitik Bulag sa Buwan ng Pebrero and got the green light from Ricky before he did that.

Nicole Audrey Co is a 26-year-old volunteer for Alpas Mental Health Community. Financial difficulty prevented her from pursuing her education and she had a relapse from her mental health problem.

Kenneth Paul Mendiola is a 19-year-old Film freshman at UP Diliman. He previously wanted to take up Political Science and pursue a law degree. However, that did not happen and Kenneth changed his course to Film.

Shania Vonzel Legaspi (yes, she was named after popular singer Shania Twain) is a 17-year-old Grade 10 student at San Isidro Catholic School in Pasay City. Her passion for scriptwriting started in Grade 9. Early last year, she became a leader to write a script and her entry about the May 2022 elections won Best Story and Best Cinematography.

“After I finished my first script, it felt very fulfilling,” Shania admitted. “I realized I wanted to continue and learn more, so I could improve and do better films in the future.”

Nazarine Manuelle Gonzales is the youngest in the group, a 13-year-old Grade 8 Special Science student from Manuel A. Roxas high school in Manila.

Ricky felt a ripple effect after meeting the students. “It felt good to know because you know that what you did has been multiplying,” he said. “It doesn’t subtract. You are paying it forward with what you did.

“I think it’s also more satisfying because Benedict is a very good friend and you know your friend thinks the same way, not just for themselves but also for other people,” he added.

After Darna, Benedict will have some films to do for ABS-CBN. “Although I’m a freelancer,” he admitted, “I can work anywhere. I can even work for TV5 or GMA 7. I also want to try directing commercials this year.

“We have films with Nathan Studios, the (production) outfit of Ms. Sylvia Sanchez. We will do really nice projects. I hope they push through this year. We are also shooting a film in Toronto, Canada about Filipino migrants. There’s an influx of Filipinos going to Canada,” he continued.

“We are still selling the story and we are in the process of casting, but the cast is not yet final. We are selling the story and talking to a producer right now. I hope this project pushes through because we are very passionate about it.”

“If before, there was the American dream, now it’s the Canadian dream. The title of the film, in fact, is Maple Leaf Dreams. We have a producer in Canada. He’s our production facilitator, Michaelangelo Masangkay. He’s Fil-Canadian and owns Raven Banner Entertainment.

“He’s helping us out. The project is really good. It’s a movie that will inspire Filipinos. It’s a story of a young couple who goes to Canada through the student program. So, they can study and work in Canada. I hope it pushes through. It’s good. We’re planning to shoot in April or May.”

Ricky commends Benedict for working hard on the projects he is pursuing. “Benedict is very hardworking not just in his career, but also in his work,” he said. “That’s important.”

“If you’re passionate, you will not stop,” Benedict shared. “You will yearn to tell a story again and again. It’s nice to tell a story.”

Benedict is used to writing scripts for his films, like ML or Martial Law (2018), with the late Eddie Garcia. “All the films I made had social relevance,” he informed. “Even the comedy flicks or rom-com. To be honest, with the earnings I’ve made from working in this industry, I can afford not to work anymore.”