The Political Aspect of the Philippine Arts and Culture

through Lino Brocka’s ​Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim

By Queenie Amor B. Astillo
Submitted to Ms. Ligaya Rabago

I. Introduction

Written by Jose F. Lacaba and directed by Lino Brocka, ​Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim
is an indie film and a form of Philippine art that is used for political and societal purposes,
hence this film is a product of the ​political aspect of the Philippine Arts and Culture​. It
was written during the era of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to protest against his
dictatorship, in which the film conveys the corruption and political abuse of the Marcos
administration (Palis, 2008). This movie, as a form of art, does not exist to merely entertain.
It has a political agenda that gives the viewers the desire to seek the truth and the freedom
from an abusive government; hence it contributes to the ​cultural determinism ​among the
Filipinos in this era. Lacaba and Brocka’s intention of raising social awareness and raising
protests is based on the media theory of cultural determinism in which writers take the
position that political arrangements are determined by the mass media which are images
that people see (Essien, 2020).

The artists behind ​Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim​, Brocka and Lacaba, were both
activists (Malcom, 1985). Their partnership yielded great results as they had developed a
strong message to the viewers, specifically the portrayal of the hardships of the Filipinos
under the Marcos administration. Their bravery to protest against the government through
this film is untimely remarkable as they attack the dictator -- an act which can cost them their
lives.

The original title of the film was ​Kapit sa Patalim​; however, ​it was replaced with
Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim t​ o complement another form of art that carries a political
agenda, which was the song “Bayan Ko.” The song was famous during Marcos’ regime due
to protests conducted by activists (Summit Media & GMA New Media Inc., 2010). Adding the
song’s title to the movie’s title is the producers’ way to emphasize the message of the film in
order to catch the attention of the Filipinos. According to Cruz (2008), the song was written
during the Spanish Colonization of the Philippines, and it became famous once again during
the Marcos era, the era when Filipinos crave for freedom.
 The film is also an ​art in diaspora ​as it successfully went international during its
publication. Based on the New York Times, the movie was released in France in 1984 at the
famous Cannes Film Festival and it was nominated as ​Palme d’Or​. However, releasing this
kind of movie in a famous international festival is dangerous due to its political theme,
especially under the Marcos regime. This became a reason for Brocka’s imprisonment when
the government realized the message that the film conveyed. Eventually, the film was
banned from the public and the government used the nude scenes of the actresses as an
excuse (Hobart, 2007). In 1985, the film was once again released to the public, but its nude
scenes and rally scenes were removed (Summit Media & GMA New Media Inc., 2010). It
was once again brought internationally in the publications of the New York Times and The
Guardian; the film also won awards such as the Most Original and Imaginative Production in
the British Film Institute (Malcolm, 1985).

The general objective of this paper is to present my opinion and evaluation of the
political aspect of the Philippine art and culture depicted by the film through critical
observation and critical writing. The specific objective is to critically examine following: (1)
the theme of the film and its importance; (2) the story, plot, and characters; (3) the
symbolisms and metaphors; (4) how effective it is in awakening citizens' awareness; and
finally (5) understanding the political indication of particular scenes in the film.

II. Summary of ​Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim

The married couple Arturo “Turing” and Luz Manalastas were both workers at a
printing company owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lim. Luz later stopped working because she was
pregnant and fragile. The medicines prescribed to her were too expensive that Turing's
wages were insufficient; thus, he needed money. To increase the wages, Mr. Lim had Turing
sign a waiver proving that he is not a member of any union that opposes the management of
the printing company. When his colleagues invited him to join the union, he declined. As a
result, they treated him badly and called him a traitor. Eventually, the printing company
closed and Turing lost his job. He was unable to discharge Luz from the hospital where she
was confined since he couldn’t pay the fees. Due to his desperate needs and scarce
resources, he was left with no choice but to ​cling to the knife’s edge (Filipino translation:
kapit sa patalim)​ or to engage in crimes in order to earn money. He became involved in
crimes, even in the hostage crisis of printing owners. In the end, Turing surrendered to his
crimes, but the police shot him and left him bloody in the arms of his startled wife.
III. Critical Analysis on the Theme

The purpose of the film is to give Filipinos an understanding and awareness of

events in the country. Perhaps it was government corruption that prompted the writer and
director to make such a movie. The protest scene at the beginning of the movie meant that it
had a message of criticizing the government. One of the messages that the film conveyed
was the hardships our countrymen experienced during the Marcos administration, especially
the oppression that the poor suffered; it emphasized the unkind treatment to them. An
example of this is the scene where Turing rushed Luz to the hospital during this birth. Luz
was already bleeding, but no nurse nor doctor came to help. When Turing asked, he was
answered rudely. Because Turing and Luz were poor, they weren't provided with enough
service. In the Philippines, this happens in real life that even in emergency situations, the
rich are prioritized. Turing’s pharmacy scene was also a reference to real-life poor Filipino
experience in which Turing was unable to buy the right amount of medicine Luz needed due
to financial shortage. This scene emphasized that the Marcos government failed to provide
health benefits to Filipino citizens; it reflected the corruption of the government in those days
and their failure to fulfill their responsibility to the people. In addition, the film also addresses
the discrimination experienced by the poor. Another example of this is the scene of the
printing company’s anniversary celebration. Mrs. Lim, their boss's wife, got mad when she
saw Turing socializing with their rich guests. She told Turing that employees like them
should stay downstairs and that they should not mingle with wealthy guests on the second
floor of the house because they were just poor workers. This scene symbolizes a ​vertical
hierarchy​ in which the rich were upstairs, while the poor stayed downstairs.

Another theme that the film conveyed was that the impoverished tend to become
victims of society. Turing did not grow up in violence even when he was poor. At first he
approached a lot of people to ask help for Luz's pregnancy, but he failed to receive any. He
was forced to commit himself to the crime due to the desperation of getting his wife and
newly-born child out of the hospital. This theme was a perfect fit into the movie’s concept of
kapit sa patalim​.

Even the end of the film was tragic. It showed that the poor could not achieve justice.
Whether they abide or oppose the law, they suffered. They were denied their rights because
they were weak and powerless. In the system of the Marcos administration, justice was only
for those who had money and power.
 Even the song in the movie conveyed a message. A medley of the songs "Bayan Ko"
and "Sa Sariling Bayan" was used. A line in the song "Bayan Ko" was changed when it was
used for the film. "​Ibon man may layang lumipad, kulungin mo at pumipiglas​” was used
instead of “​Ibon may layang lumipad, kulungin mo at "umiiyak."​ The word “​pumipiglas​”
indicated that the Filipinos are not weak and that they fight when they are oppressed. It
depicted the bravery of Filipinos who are ready to fight the government and ready to fight for
freedom.

The message of the film was conveyed well through the scenes presented, as they
were real-life events. The theme that it brought was important to increase the social and
political awareness of Filipinos.

IV. Critical Analysis of the Story

The Plot:

The film used the method ​in media res​. It opened in the midst of the plot before the
introduction was even narrated. The rally, in the beginning, looked exceptionally realistic.
Everything in the movie was realistic, even the hostage crisis that took place at the climax
since such events were very common during Marcos’ regime. The ending showed Turing’s
death when he was shot by the police. It’s devastating and tragic that the main character
died; however, it was consistent with the writer’s goal which was to portray the tragic
experience of Filipinos by that time. Also, no ​deus ex machina appeared and both the
director and the writer upheld the concept of tragedy.

The Characters:

Each character in the movie built excellent character consistency. Without it, the
viewers would be confused as to why the character did something. Character consistency is
important to understand the flow of the story.

Turing's character was kind but brave and Phillip Salvador portrayed him well. Turing
was known as an ideal worker and husband. He was courageous and does not yield to
oppression. The film followed this character of his when he defended his friend who was
being beaten by gangsters and when he fearlessly committed a crime just to get his wife and
child out of the hospital. Until the end, Turing's personality remained when he tried to shoot
Hugo, causing the ending to be realistic.

Gina Alajar suited the role of Luz. Luz was a bold and fearless activist, but she was
left hopeless and exhausted. She was pitiful in the end. Perhaps she was shocked and
overwhelmed by the circumstances, as she just gave birth and wasn’t in good health.

The character of Turing's co-workers was also significant. Ka Ador, played by

Venchito Galvez, was also brave. Despite his old age, he was not afraid to fight for things he
thinks are right. Willy, played by Aristo Reyes Jr., was employed in the printing company who
wanted to work in Saudi Arabia. His character indicated the ambition of Filipinos to work
abroad, which unfortunately became a contemporary culture. Eventually he remained in the
Philippines and continued to be an activist.

The antagonists in the movie also played their roles very well. Hugo (played by
veteran Paquito Diaz) and Mr. and Mrs. Lim (played by Normer Son and Lorli Villenueva)
portrayed the cruelty and greed of the upper-class Filipinos during the Marcos regime.

Rez Cortez's role as Boy Echas, while portraying evil acts, was not antagonistic. He
just lived through violence in order to survive. Metaphorically, his character was the one
holding the ​knife’s edge that Turing’s character was ​clinging to during the time of hardship
(Filipino translation: ​Ang karakter niya ang may hawak ng ​patalim na ​nakapitan ni Turing sa
panahon ng kagipitan)​ .

Dhalee and Carla were the women who clung to the knife’s edge too. In the eyes of
society, their jobs were not honorable. They also involved themselves in crimes to survive.
The great performers of these roles are Claudia Zobel and Carmi Martin.

Other artists also performed well in their characters as everyone's performance was
reasonable and consistent with their characters. However, Dhalee's sudden disappearance
was an unsolved mystery. It is difficult to point out whether her character’s disappearance
was important to the storyline or not. The film did not reveal the reason for her
disappearance.
Conclusion:

Lacaba is a genius writer for the multiple symbolisms and metaphors that can be
found in this film. He used the Filipino culture and norms to portray symbols. For instance,
the aforementioned vertical hierarchy was a symbol that divulged from a merely normal
situation in the Philippines when Mrs. Lim, their boss's wife, got mad when she saw Turing
socializing with their rich guests. She told Turing that employees like them should stay
downstairs and that they should not mingle with wealthy guests on the second floor of the
house because they were just poor workers. This scene symbolizes a vertical hierarchy in
which the rich were upstairs, while the poor stayed downstairs.

Moreover, the character of the female lead Luz Manalastas symbolizes the ​bayan​.
She is a symbol of the Philippines. According to Tan (Tan, 2010), films are tools that bring
Filipinos to the concept of “​bayan”​ . This concept is the use of "​ina​" in representing the nation,
or the so-called "​Inang Bayan.​" Tolentino also said that the female characters in Brocka's
films are significant, especially the mother's character. The use of female characters in the
film is an artistic way to portray the country.

"​Ang hirap sa'yo gusto mo akong anderin eh! Gusto mo akong anderin, p*tang ina!"​
This line that Turing told Luz meant that the society they belonged to was patriarchal. This
means that women are under the control of men. Luz's situation with Turing is a metaphor
for the situation in the Philippines and the United States during the Marcos era. The
Philippines, being under the control of the U.S., became a puppet.

Nonetheless, Luz was an activist and her character was known to be brave. She left
her previous comfortable life to be with her husband; and she left his father to be free. The
situation that Luz was in symbolizes Filipinos. Luz fought for her freedom like how the
Filipinos fought against the Marcos administration to gain independence. To emphasize the
strong personality of Luz, the movie showed that Luz and Turing were both working which is
in contrast with the stereotype of women in a patriarchal society is that they are weak, hence
only men are employed.

Finally, the role of the couple Mr. and Mrs. Lim as the elite owners of the printing
business where Turing and Luz were employed is vital since they are the metaphor of the
Marcos administration. They are as greedy as the Marcos government who abuse their
powers. As employers, they should look after their employees yet they imposed absolute
authority. They should have listened to the protests of the employees that were involved in
the union, yet they treated them as enemies -- this is a reflection of how the government
treated Filipino activists as enemies instead of listening to their cries.

In conclusion, this movie, as a form of art, does not exist to merely entertain. It gives
the viewers a sense of nostalgia and a medium to protest, to bring the writer’s message
across to every Filipino, to let them feel what he felt, to remember, to fight for their rights, to
show them the truth, and think of a way to reshape the nation. Based on the media theory of
cultural determinism, Lacaba and Brocka’s intention of raising social awareness and raising
protests is a way of developing the Philippine society through the images, symbols, and
metaphors that the Filipinos have seen in the film in order to contribute to the process of
making a better political arrangement for the Philippines.
References

Cruz, I. A. (2008, July 5). Bayan Ko. Philippine. Daily Inquirer.

Essien, E. (2020, March). Handbook of Research on the Impact of Culture in Conflict

Prevention and Peacebuilding.

Hobart, T. (2007, October 12). The New York Times Movies. Retrieved from The New York
Times: http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/118279/Bayan-Ko-Kapit-Sa-Patalim/overview

Malcolm, D. (1985, February 8). From the archive, 8 February 1985: Marcos regime arrests
outspoken Filipino film director. Retrieved from The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2012/feb/08/archive-1985-marcos-regime-arrests-o
utspoken-filipino

Palis, J. (2008). Cinema Archipelago: A Geography ofPhilippine Film and the. North
Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Summit Media & GMA New Media Inc. (2010, August 9). Bayan Ko, Kapit sa Patalim to be
rescreened at UP Diliman on August 11. Retrieved from Philippine Entertainment Portal:
http://vvvvw.pep.ph/guide/indie/6563/bayan-ko-kapit-sa-patalim-to-be-rescreened-at-up-dilim
an-on-august-11/1/1#focus