The Guinayangan Republic

Longer weekend once again makes me a “couch potato” all day. Though I watched “Cinema Paradiso” in countless times, this foreign flick really connects me to it, I can’t figure out why it always riveted me to finish and watched it time and time again. By the way, If you missed the film, you overlooked one of the 90's best foreign film. An Italian music entitled “Se” by Ennio Morricone , successfully covered by Josh Groban added complete ingredients to the film. I suggest you watch it and bring hanky with you. I can’t remember how many films I had watched. But “Cinema Paradiso” really strikes me more than anything else. The plot of the Cinema Paradiso and its nostalgic settings, once again, permeates to my memory and recollects days when I was too much indulged in watching movie in “Cine Pama”. No! I wasn’t misspelled it not FAMA but PAMA. I believed too few of us in Guinayangan have really reached the time that our little then theatre was operating.

Perhaps my being a videophile, attributed to how I grew up watching flicks and any movies that interests me. I recall there was a perspective photo of the theater near its ticket boot. An architectural elevation of the theater showing its architect and building name, the architect name was Arch.Ignacio Macalintal, our former Mayor. From there I recalled that PAMA was abbreviated to Pagsuyuin Macalintal. Perhaps it’s a Macalintal family business. It was operated by its numerous kin from ticket boot clerk, to ushers and projectionist. Though I have watched so many movies on so many theaters to the newly equipped Dolby Digital Surrounds, DTS theaters, THX certified theaters up to the advent of this IMAX technology.I will never forget the Cine Pama.

Why PAMA is in my memory, you may ask? —No! , of course not, it doesn’t rival the high tech theatres. It’s only because I grew up with it. Our high school reunion last summer of 2009 made me once again visit our quaint little town. I have planned that before I head on to the party, I would treat myself to at least circle the town with one sweep using my old car. Anyway it would only require less time and gasoline. I know that there was one theater (also retired) up in Barrio Mangagawa but as I have passed that old PAMA theatres’ location I discovered that my once memorable place were turned to rubbles and ruins.

That claustrophobic, smoke scented, bed-buggy and rickety chaired cinema, I considered one of my learning places. From the age I was just wading to converse to the age I have learned to write. In my Grade One year, my mother used to wait for me every time the showing has ended, because I was still busy reading the rolling movie credits. To that young age I was puzzled with the “gaffer”, “dolly man”, “Sound editor” and rest of “off- the-scene” who’s who. It became my reading comprehensions. Oh I love Sunday during those times. Though films that were shown were almost years apart from film distribution cycle from the city, we didn’t care, as long as it is FPJ, Rudy Fernandez and Ramon Revilla films. Those 3 were my favourites. After the showing I usually imitate their line and action scene and even create my own costume emulating them. And after 3 more years had passed I was then a boy who can manage to watch movie with my own. Albeit I can, but I needed money, I remember a double showing cost to a Php 8.50 and Sunday showing usually a pricey one Php 10 pesos. Price also will differ from Orchestra to Balcony. But as we usually solved it “Para-paraan”, my old buddies Romano and my neighbour Rodly as early as 7am we fall in line at theatre entrance, not to watch the movie (Showing usually starts at 12) but to snatch the opportunity and watch the movie for free, HOW? By the old fashioned way of mobile advertising the “Now Showing” movie of PAMA, the infamous “Paglilibot”. “Paglilibot” was a tedious one you have to carry a canvas framed by 2″X2″ wooden holder with Movie Posters made from manually painted Film’s Theme Posters(I was amazed how they copied it) and circled the whole town. I mean the whole major streets of town since I weren’t capable of lifting such weight I was assigned to a lighter duty – “ang tambol” is my “toka” An empty gallon of used Oil lubricants. My task was simply hit the “tambol” with a relatively heavier stick as audible as I can awaken a deep-snoring sleeping man as we passed blocks by blocks. It’s hard but a lighter task compare to what my buddies had, who almost burst their hands dead lifting that stupid poster. Hard parts comes nearing Manlayo, the coastal wind blew to the poster making it like a sail, as if you will be lifted by the wind current. For 3 rigorous hours, the reward was free passes to movie for three of us and regular snack of “sa malamig” and corn crunch branded ‘Chickinini”. And the ultimate reward of that day “Isang Bala Ka Lang” a then blockbuster of FPJ doubled with less popular flick.



Right after the showing, we went out like successful movie critics, the funny things were, we have watched it together but we still telltales every scene that was”. And so my other buddies who can’t afford to watch were contented overhearing through outdoor loud speakers of PAMA theatre synch with the film audio shown inside. Heeding with every way possible not to missed a dialog delivered by actors. And we shouted“MAG LIBOT NA LANG KAYO!” hitting the hand of my buddies “Up Hear”— and to the other “Up Hear” and away we left the theatre.

Up in the day, some more unsatisfied viewer had to travelled the nearby town Calauag for at least pushed a couple of days earlier showing, since PAMA was associated late then with “Cine Lagot Lagot” a constant freezing of screens, so fewer people were anticipating the movie before it came to PAMA.

Today every time I watch in my Blu-ray player with LCD flat screen. Honestly, sudden glimpses of
memories of PAMA, always flashes in my memory. To that glory days of Tagalog films we experienced, realizing it now, I believed we cannot make it as healthy as Bollywood of India nor as high tech as Hollywood. One thing keeps me thinking and wondered why movies of Philippine Cinema suddenly have died. For me, I say it dies together with the rural theaters just like Cine Pama.

-by Cornelio Cenizal

Repost from simpleoddmind.wordpress.com