70. GOYO & FILIPINO HISTORIC BIOPICS

GOYO & FILIPINO HISTORIC BIOPICS

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

08 September 2018

Eversince I can remember, I would not miss a chance to watch a movie especially if it is about Philippine heroes. This afternoon, I persistently asked my two kids and wife to watch “Goyo, Ang Batang Heneral” (Goyo: The Boy General), a historical epic film starring Paulo Avelino as the titular Gregorio "Goyo" del Pilar (1875-1899), the boy general during the Philippine–American War, who died in the Battle of Tirad Pass. It is written, directed, edited, and scored by Jerrold Tarog, and is a sequel to the commercially successful “Heneral Luna”, which chronicled Antonio Luna's life. The film’s cast include: Carlo Aquino (Vicente Enriquez), Mon Confiado (Emilio Aguinaldo), Epy Quizon (as Apolinario Mabini), Gwen Zamora (as Remedios Nable Jose), Empress Schuck (Felicidad “Neneng” Aguinaldo), Alvin Anson (Jose Alejandrino), and Rafa Siguion-Reyna (Julian del Pilar). The two-hours and thirty-five minutes movie was released three days ago and produced by TBA Studios, Artikulo Uno Productions and Globe Studios.

The lead actor, Paulo Avelino is in fact a paternal distant relative from our Capeding lineage. His great grandfather, Senate President & 1949 Presidentiable Jose Dira Avelino (1890-1986) is a cousin of my paternal grandfather, Felimon Capeding Miano (1895-1947). On the other hand, Goyo studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila In Intramuros at the age of 15, where he was rated good in Latin, Greek, Spanish and French, middling in philosophy, and excellent in arithmetic and algebra. I finished my primary and elementary schooling from 1980 to 1988 also in the Ateneo but this time at the Loyola Heights in Quezon City.

During the years when I was an instructor at the University of La Salette in Santiago City and Isabela State University in Cauayan City, I was regularly given a load to teach Rizal Course pursuant to Republic Act 1425, known as the Rizal Law, which mandates all educational institutions in the Philippines to offer courses about José Rizal. Towards the end of the semester, I would never fail to let my students watch “José Rizal” starring Cesar Montano as Rizal and directed by Marilou-Diaz Abaya. Considered one of the best movies on the life of The Great Malayan, it was entered in the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival and was hailed by many critics and went on to be shown in international festivals (Berlin, Toronto & Chicago). The movie gives my students a bird’s eye view of the life, works and writings of the national hero from Calamba.

Three other Rizal movies were shown in the wide screen: “Rizal sa Dapitan” (1997), which starred Albert Martinez as Jose Rizal, directed by Tikoy Aguiluz and written by Jose F. Lacaba. The movie traced Rizal's life during his exile and also focused on his relationship with Josephine Bracken portrayed by Amanda Page. Another movie was “Bayaning 3rd World” (1999) which starred Joel Torre as Rizal and directed by Mike de Leon. A critical hit, the movie revolved around Rizal's supposed "retractions" against the Catholic Church. Another Rizal film was the documentary: “José Rizal: The First Hero” (2012), directed by Paolo Abella and chronicled the more human side of Rizal before his death.

Other movies focusing on Philippine national heroes at the turn of the century were: “Sakay” (1993), which starred Julio Diaz as Macario Sakay and directed by Raymond Red. Sakay, the movie, which won international recognition, is the story of Macario Sakay who fought both the Spanish and the Americans during the prime of his life. Another was the movie “Lapu-Lapu” (2002) which starred Lito Lapid as Lapu-Lapu and Joyce Jimenez and directed by William G. Mayo. Action star and former Senator, Lito Lapid steps into the shoes of Lapu-Lapu, the first Filipino hero and defender of Mactan against the Spaniards led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan who met his death at the Battle of Mactan in 1521.

There were three movies about the Father of the Katipunan which were shown to the public. “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio” (2010) which starred Alfred Vargas as Andres Bonifacio, Lance Raymundo as Emilio Aguinaldo and directed by Mario O'Hara. This movie is an entry to the Director's Showcase category of Cinemalaya by the late Mario O' Hara, and focuses more on the conflicting sides represented by Emilio Aguinaldo and Andres Bonifacio. Another film was “Supremo” (2012) which starred Alfred Vargas as Andres Bonifacio and directed by Richard Somes. Movie reviewer Philbert Dy wrote on Click the City that the movie "looks and feels like a big budget historical epic," but also said that it took fewer risks with the story, adding that the pace improves in the movie's second half. Another film on the life of Gat Andres, which starred Robin Padilla and Vina Morales, was part of the line-up of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF 2014), called “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo”, directed by Enzo Williams.

Not to be left behind, the president of the first Philippine Republic also had a movie: “El Presidente” (2012) which starred ER Ejercito as Emilio Aguinaldo and directed by Mark Meily. The movie tells the story of the first president and the battle for the country's independence. Before Goyo, the latest Filipino historical biographical film or biopic was “Heneral Luna” (2015) starred John Arcilla as Antonio Luna, which focused on Luna’s brilliant military talent and for his wide-ranging skills, though he was also known for his harsh temperament. He fought in the Philippine-American war, and he was also the brother of the great painter Juan Luna. The film's critical and commercial success spawned the sequel “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral”. “Goyo...”; however, is not the first Gregorio del Pilar movie. In 1996, “Tirad Pass: The Last Stand of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar” was released with Romnick Sarmenta (Greorio del Pilar), Joel Torre (Emilio Aguinaldo) and Julio Diaz (Deodato Arellano) as part of the cast and it was directed by Carlo J. Caparas. Like “Goyo...”, the movie recounts the early days of American occupation of the Philippines with one of the earliest resistance of the American government which is the infamous Battle of Tirad Pass.

I have read the biography of the boy general countless times already including the historic Battle of Tirad Pass. A concise biography of the young hero is permanently etched on stone on the road leading to the pass and it reads: “Gregorio Del Pilar is one of the most romantic figures in Philippine history and the youngest general (sic) in the revolutionary army. Del Pilar was born in San Jose, Bulacan on November 14, 1875. He comes from an illustrado (middle class) family of nationalists. His uncle Marcelo Del Pilar was a prolific writer and one of the stalwarts of the propaganda movement in Europe that campaigned for political and social reforms in Colonial Philippines. The failure of Spain to heed the call for reforms convince Gregorio Del Pilar, a university student then, to join the Katipunan of Andres Bonifacio in 1895 he was a brilliant and courageous military leader and his success in battles caught the attention of Emilio Aguinaldo. He move up in the military ranks and became Aguinaldo’s most trusted aide. At the age of 23, he was promoted as general in 1898 making him the youngest general (sic) of the Philippine Republic. The 24 year-old “boy general” led a 60-man Filipino rearguard in the Battle of Tirad Pass against the “Texas Regiment”, the 33rd Infantry regiment of the United States Volunteers. His steadfastness to repel the invaders on the steep and solitary mountain of Tirad on December 02, 1899 resulted in his tragic death.”

Teodoro M. Kalaw’s “An Acceptable Holocaust: Life and Death of a Boy-General” published in 1974 by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines gave its version of the last entry in the diary of Goyo which reads: “The General has given me a Platoon of available men and has ordered me to defend this Pass. I am aware what a difficult task has been given me. Nevertheless, I feel that this is the most glorious moment of my life. I am doing everything for my beloved country. There is no greater sacrifice.”