On December 9, former ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio recalled how the Kapamilya network responded to Yolanda in 2013.
During an interview with Rappler for Kun Maupay Man It Panahon, Santos-Concio shared that she was at the office during Yolanda making sure that the network had a timely public service effort for the citizens of Tacloban.
“Nandito ako and we made sure that our reporters were taken care of and the public service efforts started so that help would arrive right away in Tacloban.”
Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether the Weather is Fine) is a Filipino film under the direction of Carlo Francisco Manatad and starring Charo Santos-Concio, Daniel Padilla, and Rans Rifol. It won the Cinema e Gioventù Prize at Locarno Film Festival in August.
The film follows a young man searching for his mother and beloved in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
Santos-Concio shared she felt drawn to the character of Norma in Kun Maupay Man It Panahon.
“First, I felt drawn to the character of Norma. Norma is the mother of this young man, played by Daniel [Padilla]. So Norma is a woman, is very single-minded, and looking for her lost dear one. Kahit anong mangyari, kahit anong sabihin ng anak niya na umalis na tayo sa lugar na ito, at let’s create a new life outside of Tacloban. She was very, very set and very, very focused on searching for her loved one.”
She then described the Carlo Manatad film as not the usual mainstream movie and meant for committed moviegoers.
“This [Kun Maupay It Panahon] is not your usual mainstream movie. I think, when you go and make a decision to watch Kun Maupay Man It Panahon– you have to be a committed moviegoer. Iba siya. It has its own unique distinct voice.”
She added that it isn’t the usual melodramatic disaster film and that it focuses on different perspectives of survival.
“It’s not your usual melodramatic disaster film. It’s a mix of fact and fantasy. It has dark humor–sometimes things are so tragic that you laugh about it.
“It’s also a story of survival, of human survival, pero kanya-kanyang perspective of survival. I mean kanya-kanya tayong kwento ng survival.”
Kun Maupay Man It Panahon is one of the eight entries for the Metro Manila Film Festival 2021. Unlike 2020, MMFF returns to cinemas, with the eight films premiering from December 25 to January 7.
