SA MGA MATA NI EKANG

Director: Lloyd Navera

Reporter: Kara David

Casts:

Allan – He’s a pedicab driver in the morning; and a robber in the evening.
Melay – mother of Ekang; she works as a part-time pick-up girl.
Aling Lita – she was a prostitute in her teen-age years; now, she’s a vendor as known to Ekang…vendor of unusual goods(girls)…or what they called “bugaw”
Benjie – 15-year old son of Aling Lita; he drinks alcoholic beverages, and always come home late.
Ekang – daughter of Melay

Synopsis:

“Sa mga mata ni Ekang” reveals the story of a certain family who gets into prostitution, drug-dealing, and robbery to support the needs of the family. Also, their story is an example of social mobility: from riches to rugs. This is the pillar of the family of a child named Ekang. They were 6 in their house, which would be added by visitors. Their house was open to everyone…everyone who has vice. It’s a home for drug-addicts.
Ekang is a father’s girl. When Allan, the acted father of Ekang, doesn’t earn enough, he finds way. He’s a protagonist in the morning, but he became wicked in the evening a robber.
Her grandmother stays on the other side of the street when she’s still young. Ekang knew that her mother is a vendor…Yes, she’s an unusual vendor; because what she sells are girls. They costs 300 each, and she gets 100 as a commission for every girl. Prostitution is the only way to provide the needs of her daughter, that’s why she got angry when saw that her daughter is a prostitute, and also taking drugs.
They were formerly rich. They had a row of apartment. Now, they only have one room and one comfort room. Their trouble started when her mother got sick that’s why Aling Lita decided to work as a prostitute. When Aling Lita began to have vices, take drugs, stop schooling, and get pregnant, she stop letting boys used her body. She only gets into drug-dealing. Aling Lita said that people can’t judge her because she’s only doing this for her family.
As time passed, Melay, daughter of Aling Lita, ramped herself in the street. Melay was a rocker and a shabu-dealer. Melay was taking the drugs that were not consumed. She’s 10 years old when her mother got addicted to drugs. It’s not a secret that her mother is offering the service of other girls in the street.

Benjie, son of Aling Lita, always got home late. Oftentimes, it’s past 12. He was the only hope in their family. He likes to be in their province to escape the problems. Benjie is oftentimes in the computer shop during his class hours. He no longer wants to go home because he wants to elude something. When he’s still young, he told himself that he don’t want to follow the deeds of her mother and sister. He just drinks alcoholic beverages and taking cigarettes. If he would be given the chance to choose a family, he will not choose the family he have now. He wants a better family…a better life. If he could just escape her family, then he would do it.
Ekang wore her finest clothes. They don’t often go out complete, and it happens in front of the altar. They are all quiet as the child was baptized to be a Christian. But they hope, just for this child, their world will change. If they could just go back the time, he would just study hard.
After 3 days, they asked Aling Lita if her mother had been a good mother. She said yes because she had experience it.
The reporter had leave these questions unanswered: When will she be aware of the truth? How long can they keep it as a secret?

Commentaries:

There are many questions in my mind. Will Ekang be the same as her family? As it was said, “the fruit is known by its tree.” So, there’s a possibility that Ekang will be the same as them. Environment affects the personality of an individual. She will do what she sees in the environment. But also, there’s a saying “you are responsible for the road you choose to travel. If Ekang wants a better life, then she can choose to avoid these things. I can say this because my father also had a vice. He was into drinking and smoking, but I didn’t inherit this kind of bad habit.
Some say, drinking alcoholic beverages in an escape to reality. Yes, I agree. Some are drinking because they believe that it can ease the pain.
I cannot blame Aling Lita, because she just do what she thinks is right. Though, prostitution is not an acceptable occupation in our country, but out of poverty, some were able to do anything just to fill those hungry stomachs.
I would say that I’m opposed to drug-dealings because they are deteriorating the lives of many people. Many lives are ruined, even families. I hope they avoid that kind of business because it will not give them a better future.
Prostitution should also be avoided because they can get diseases from their customers. They aren’t certain if their customers are from HIV. They might die because of this disease.
Robbery, also, is not an acceptable means of living. But for them, it is a way to sustain their lives.
Our country is experiencing a variety of social problems. And it’s really difficult for me, and maybe for everyone of us, to figure out the root-cause of these problems. But if we will not be able to solve these problems, then I won’t be surprise if our country will be known to other countries as the most depressed country in the world.
I’m really curious of what will be the future of Ekang. I hope she finds another means of living…a living which is legal… As one said, he likes Christianism but not Christians. Maybe, he had said this because not all Christians are really baptized in the heart. The new baptized baby of their family must be baptized and they must nurture him in a good environment.
As a just human being, I’m not really in the position to judge them. But if they can find a better work, then they work hard for it. And life is full of blessings. May the child be that blessing who will bring the wonderful change in them.