2010 lessons from 'Panday'

MANILA, Philippines - Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. — Benjamin Franklin

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. — Oprah Winfrey

This is an honest-to-goodness New Year’s resolution, which this writer will post on the bedroom wall and vows to fulfill! By the way, I’m inspired to undertake this gargantuan commitment after watching the premiere of Bong Revilla’s reprisal of the legendary Ang Panday movie once starred in by the late Fernando Poe, Jr.

It is an excellent movie ideal for all ages, with fine acting, stunning cinematography, good music, fantastic CGI which I never imagined a Philippine-made film would invest in, an entertaining story with moral lessons. In short, I predict Ang Panday to become the No. 1 box office hit in the Metro Manila Film Festival.

In a dreamy encounter of Bong Revilla as Flavio with a goddess played by Anne Curtis, the beautiful actress uttered several poetic lines in Tagalog, challenging the dejected hero. She touched the distraught Flavio and exclaimed: “Nakakapaso ang iyong kabiguan!” (Your despair is so scorching hot!) She challenged him and we try to translate into English: “Will you succumb to a weak heart or listen to the cry for justice? If it will not be you who shall act, then who? If not now, then when?”

In scribbling down our New Year’s resolutions to change our lifestyle and take command of our future, we need to take heed of the goddess’ questions which we rephrase: Will we succumb to weak resolve or heed the cry of the exigencies of positive change? If it will not be us who will muster the will to change ourselves, then who will or can? If we shall not change this New Year, then when?

• Live healthy. To be as energetic as Flavio the Panday or blacksmith, to be as dynamic as both Iza Calzado or Rhian Ramos, we need the discipline of healthy eating, regular exercise and good rest. Feel good and look good with good health habits!

• Speak less, act more. Perhaps like FPJ (whose Panday I didn’t get to watch before), Bong Revilla’s portrayal of Flavio the hero was impressive for being action-oriented and speaking less. In real life, action is more important than too many words. I forgot who said this inspiring line in the movie: “Ang katapangan wala sa salita, ngunit sa gawa.” (Courage is not in words, but in action.)

• Promise less, act more. I think it was Rhian Ramos who told Flavio the hero that “there’s no need for promises, just action.” Indeed, it’s better to under-promise and over-deliver. Promise less, but do more.

• Fly high. Flavio has his dragon Bagwis to help him fly high into the firmament; for him there is no limit to where he can go. In our own lives, we should have the guts to dream big, aspire for the heavens and the stars! Big dreams excite and motivate us more!

• Speak less, listen more. Less talk, fewer mistakes — less waste of energies, too — while listening is very important in conversation and in learning.

• Learn something new. Read, study a new language or brush up on another language like Mandarin. Study something new in the new year, and always.

• Remember, honor and draw inspiration from the past. Flavio the Panday is an ideal role model of a person who never forgets his roots, his past, making them his motivation and inspiration for creating the future. Our heritage is core of our being.

• Spend more time with loved ones. Several times, two “loves” of Flavio the Panday were almost snatched away from him forever. Should he have spent more time with them? His parents also lost their lives when Flavio was a kid. Life is so ephemeral.

• Spend less by listing down expenses and save more. Financial independence and even wealth can be built up through consistent and sustained savings.

• Lessen or avoid debts. I didn’t see any bank or pawnshop or usurer in the Panday movie; it is more advisable to avoid unnecessary loans. 

• Focus on internal self-development, not just external. Rhian Ramos comforted and tried to boost the shattered morale of Flavio after he was beaten up by evil villain Lizardo, saying: “Panlabas na anyo lang ang winasak sa iyo, pero hindi yung pagkatao mo.” (Only your external being was destroyed, but not your inner being.)

• Avoid negative friends or people. My apologies to the Panday producers, but the starlet Carlene Aguilar did not act well, even as a manananggal ghoul. Flavio and his two travel companions were almost killed, because they thought the evil woman was hospitable and kind. Choice of friends and influences can make or destroy us.

• Positive thinking. In the ups and downs of life, we shouldn’t be like Flavio who at one point almost totally gave up and was inconsolable in his setbacks. We should always think positive and look at the bright side of things.

• Smile, laugh. Flavio the hero with the burden to fight the villain Lizardo and save the world, he is often so serious in the movie; he’ll have a heart attack if he doesn’t lighten up, smile and laugh often!

• A pet can brighten up our existence (and even save our life). Flavio has a unique and giant pet which he cared for all these years, not only can a pet brighten up our lives, they can also act as guard dogs in our homes. My Labrador Retriever Duchess is now 13 years old. I plan to buy a new puppy to be her companion.

• Have faith in our special destiny on earth. Flavio at first refused to believe in an old prophecy about his being the liberator of the people from the evils of the villains. Believe in yourself, and that each one of us here on earth has a special destiny! The movie uses the very beautiful word tadhana or “destiny.”

• Always be grateful. Say thanks to everyone who helped us, be grateful as a state of mind and being, express our gratitude in word or deed or written notes.

• Forgive. It is better to forgive, life is so very short, we need to unload bitterness.

• Always have integrity. Rhian Ramos told Flavio: “Hindi mo kailangan ang mga mata, mas malinaw ang paningin ng tapat na puso.” (You don’t need eyes to see, an honest heart has a clearer vision.)

• Pray more often and not only when problematic. Before the start of the Ang Panday premiere, all of us were asked to stand as Phillip Salvador (who convincingly plays the role of the villain Lizardo) led us in an inspiring soulful prayer. I only realized now that Phillip Salvador has become a devout Christian. Pray every day!

• Help others. Being helpful of others is not only heroic, as Flavio proved throughout the movie; it is not only ultimately also helping improve our well-being to make us feel good as well as truly alive; helping others is our moral duty as people who believe in God and in the ultimate triumph of goodness over darkness.

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