A great start to a series! I love how it’s well paced and it doesn’t hurry to introduce everyone in the whole first episode. Yes, it’s all about Maya but we get a taste of the complete opposite world that she is in for from 5 second vision we get from Richard.
Episode 1
We open the scene at an airport (oh how I miss flying to the Philippines). Inside, a group of stewardess happily walk by in salmon pink and black uniform along with their captains behind them. It seems that they are about to board, and tailing behind is our heroine, Maya de la Rosa (Jodi Santa Maria), dressed in the same outfit calling out to them to wait for her. She abruptly stops.
“Welcome, and mabuhay. The captain has switched on the fasten seatbelt sign. Please comply.”
I’m already liking the quirky and happy vibe that Jodi displays.
She looks up to the sky where, we too, see a Philippine Airline plane which just took off. Then the camera cuts back to Maya but this time… she is wearing a purple cap and yellow vest uniform. She works as a tour guide at her province of San Nicholas. Ha!
Maya hands out fliers and pamphlets where ₱150 is charged for every person for a tour session. She drops a flier and as she picks it up, she bumps into Richard Lim (Richard Yap) who has just exited the airport. At this point, they do not know each other.
Both apologise to the other, except that he doesn’t take notice of her apology and continues to greet a woman who has been waiting to pick him up. We later is introduced to her as Stephanie (guest star former Sexbomb Girl, Sunshine Garcia). Maya is left with a dreamy look on her face.
Along with “Cho” (JM Ibanez) and “Kute” (Aiza Seguerra), Maya continues with the tour guide. They step into a multicab, and to those who don’t know, they are similar to a Suzuki carry, with an additional rooftop at the back. Pictures are taken (though some are photoshopped) and the tour ends at a large lake surrounded by beautiful green nature including a large tree where beside it, Maya recites…
“Heto po, ang pinaka romantic na lugar sa buong San Nicholas. Dito po nag pupunta nong mga mag asawa, mag boyfriend o di to po kayo mag liligiwan. Kase po, heto pong spot nato ang sungpaan ng true love. Dito sila nangako sa isat-isa na peksman tutuparin nila ang lahat nang pangarap nila sa buhay. Bomoo ng masaya ng pamilya, mag sama habang buhay, makarating sa ibat ibang lugar sa loob at labas ng Pilipinas. Hindi na man kase importante kung saan lugar basta mag kasama sila. Si nanay at tatay, sila nag pa uso ng isang salita’ng wagas. Dahil ganito ang pag mamahal sa isat-isa. Alam ko naniwala ako dito hanging ngayon.”
““Talaga”, Maya?”
The tour ends in a souvenir shop owned by Maya’s family; Conchita “Mamang” de la Paz (Divina Valenica) and Terisita de la Rosa (Sylvia Sanchez). Much to Kute’s annoyance, the mother and daughter bicker about who the deaf one is in the family with neither ‘listening’ to what the other says. Embarrasingly, their conversation can be overheard by all the customers present. Ha!!
One customer, who was part of the tour, notices ‘aling’ Teresita from Maya’s story and questions where ‘mang’ Arturo is. As a staggered Teresita is unable to respond to the question, Maya quickly explains that, that story is to be continued for another time.
At home, the rain pours heavily on the house. (I would just like to take notice of the two-storey bahay kubo, a Spanish-influenced Philippine traditional house. I would give anything I have to live in one these. It is absolutely beautiful). Buckets are used to collect the water coming through the roof whilst the two sisters begin handling the home finance. Money is tight. Some need to finance the business and rest need to go to the monthly payments on the house. Further, Mamang loudly reminds them that some of the money on the table need to also go to Pocholo’s school enrolment. Hehe. Yes, Mamang. Maya is right. Don’t let the kid overhear money issues. Please say it more softly. Our ears are just 20cm away. You may argue that kids also need to hear these issues but according to Kute, it is an unnecessary effect on a child at his age.
Mamang is a character where it is obvious that her priority is the welfare of her family, particularly those of her granddaughters and great-grandchild. Despite her hearing impairment, she is a frank character and audibly speaks whatever is in her mind.
With this issue, Kute proposes for her dream to graduate as a seaman/seawoman to be put behind Cho’s enrolment. Maya rebukes this and chooses to see the positive side and reminds Kute of their dream of one day seeing the world.
In amongst the conversation, Mamang re-enters the room with a basket on hand nearly loosing balance. She is told off by her daughter to be more careful or else “boto!” but Mamang stubbornly argues that her large abdomen area is to blame for her lack of balance.
Kute comically says “we can see that”.
Next day, while carrying a piece of aluminium sheets assuming which is needed for the roof of their house, Kute and Maya run in with a neighbour who is back from Manila only to announce that she has been recruited to go overseas in the Middle East to work. She gives them a card if they are interested to also take the offer and they happily take it.
Simon (Paul Jake Castillo), Maya’s childhood friend (pronounced See-mon), drives by offering a lift, much to Maya’s reluctance. But Kute firmly takes up the offer. The topic of why Maya refuses to engage in a relationship with Simon is discussed back at home. Mamang only wishes for her to have a beautiful and well-established life and she can see that with Simon unlike Cristina Rose’s (Kute's real name) situation who got drunk and “boom-boom[ed]”.
Speaking of a well-established life, the sewing machine (a vintage lockstitch machine to be exact. Brings back memories) suddenly turns off, it turns out that their electricity has been cut off. They are behind in their bills. Maya reassures everyone that she has a plan to get the money so that they won’t have to use candles at night.
“Do you hear that, nay?! Kapit Bisig daw!”
However, Maya truthfully admits that she does not have a single idea on how to solve the problem.
In the morning, the sisters roam the street in search for some sort of income. They find a wanted sign for GRO dancers.
“Can you do that?”
“Me? I was thinking about you?”
“Me? Mag pa girl?”
Haha, Aiza. Both, feeling down and discouraged end up on the side of the street thinking of what else they can do with such a life where a little bit of money can be huge breather. Excited from a sudden idea, Maya takes Kute at a blood bank.( No! Ah this hardship!)
They walk home with cotton balls on their arms and with an exhausted look on their faces, it is heartbreaking to watch that Maya and Kute are proud to see lights emitting from their house. They receive thanks from their family and Cho can sleep with the fan on for another night.
However, their problems don’t end there. That night, it is again bucketing with rain and thunder. More holes are seen through the ceiling and the buckets beneath can only do so much. Maya and Kute have no choice but to fix the roof that night. With a ladder made of bamboo and the aluminium sheets they purchased before, they begin to cover up the house. I just don’t understand why this wasn’t done earlier. Donned with only raincoats and thongs for footwear, Kute climbs the ladder onto the roof while Maya spots.
“Hoi, Cristina Rose, mag e-ingat ka ha!”
Because of the difficulty in passing the metal sheet to Kute, no one is able to hold on to the ladder and Kute begins to wobble eventually falling down two storeys high.
We then see her. With a broken leg and in pain at the hospital. On second thought, it seems that the pain doesn’t bother her. It’s more of the hospital bill is what they now have to worry in addition to their problems which is what puts a damper on Kute's face. Maya sees this and unsuccessfully tries to console her and tells her not to think about the payments and just to concentrate on being well again. The doctor tells them that Kute shouldn’t be working and hands the total payment of ₱80,500 (!). Nay Teresita exclaims “Dios ko!” but it doesn’t compare to Maya’s “Hesus, Maria, Joseph!” calling to all of the saints.
Asking for financial help from friends, Maya turns up empty handed and comes back to an empty hospital bed. She freaks out on after seeing Kute’s empty bed and it’s further exacerbated when a patient tells her that “wala na siya”. Then she adds “Heto na man, lumabas lang”.
Kute is at a chapel sitting on a wheelchair, praying heavily. She pulls away from Maya saying that she doesn’t want to burden the family with the money issue.
“Hoi, hindi totoo yan, hoi!”
“Anong di totoo? Hindi na ako mag pa barko! Hindi na kita mag pa aral pati ang sarili’ng kung anak. Hindi ko alam kung paano… anong ba silbi ko? Ano ba? Eh di wala?!”
Maya gently hits her calling her crazy and tells her that she has no right in saying all that. She is not to scare her again by suddenly going missing and Maya reminds her of her motto “Kapit bisig” and they've faced more hardships than this.
Now with Kute on crutches and the house used for payment for the hospital fees, Maya decides to take the opportunity to work overseas. And she first has to stopover at Manila. Goodbyes are said with no dry eyes in sight, apart from Cho, and Maya reminds them that when it comes to the affairs of the family there is no ‘ate’ or ‘bunso’, there’s only helping each through the tough times and to remember it's always “Kapit Bisig!”
Comments:
All in all, it is a very solid introduction. Though we have yet to know of our hero and only that he is mestizo, pogi and a higher class citizen, our primary focus is getting to know the heroine’s life, including the people around her and how her life parallels many other people living in the Philippines today.
The realistic events that this show portrays is definitely one of the reasons that has me hooked on the first episode. Ingredients such as the family-centred atmosphere, the closeness of neighbours in a small province like San Nicholas and the fact that money is searched for is used for stability and not to find happiness are well executed.
We are put through an emotional roller-coaster ride and the scene which stands out the most for me in this episode is from the part where Maya and Kute are selling their blood to pay for electricity bills. I'm not used to that sort of dilemma. Here in Australia, we donate our blood, not to sell it. I've only seen this once from an American movie which from the top of my head starred, I think, Will Smith. It’s a horrible situation to think about let alone being put in it and what even astonishes me is that Maya is still able to keep a head up and see the light things in life.
I shed tears from the pressure that they are put through.
I have never heard of Jodi Sta. Maria before this but I believe that she has done justice to the character so far. She gives off a positive aura, though annoying at times, it’s what Maya makes Maya. To top it all, Jodi is able to perform comedic scenes to the max.
The comical scenes balances out the emotional side of Maya’s life which I hope to see a lot more and less of the drama. I have watched so many Filipino dramas to the point that I eventually feel that the characters become stupid and I end up not finishing the whole series.
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