Actor and content creator Aljon Mendoza admitted that he was frustrated after receiving no response from the local government regarding his recent documentary about the flooding in his hometown of Macabebe, Pampanga.
Asked by the media if it was frustrating that his documentary did not receive any reaction from local officials, Mendoza did not hesitate to agree. “Sobra po,” he said.
Despite the lack of response, Mendoza said he would continue using his platform to call attention to the situation, particularly for residents who have grown accustomed to dealing with floods.
“Pero hindi naman tayo titigil manawagan kasi may mga tao rin naman akong nakikita na tinatanggap na lang nila pero minsan ‘yung pagiging optimistic, pagiging resilient, hindi siya nakakatulong sa situation,” he explained.
Flooding is nothing new for Mendoza and his family, who have repeatedly experienced rising waters in Macabebe. During the height of the recent rains, Mendoza was unable to return home to be with his parents after floodwaters entered their house.
His father instead advised him to remain at his condominium in Cubao.
Mendoza said he hopes to eventually buy a piece of land where he can build a house for his family—preferably somewhere that is not prone to flooding. For now, he considers purchasing property a bigger priority than buying a car, as he continues to commute.
The actor also plans to continue documenting the flood crisis in Macabebe.
“Gusto ko ulit i-document yung nangyayaring baha sa amin kasi naaawa na talaga ako sa mga nakatira doon, lalung-lalo na sa pamilya ko. Kasi, kapag nagbi-videocall kami, ipinapakita nila yung baha hanggang dibdib na, patuloy pa rin ang pagtaas ng tubig,” he previously told the entertainment media including LionhearTV.
“Marami pa rin po [ang mga nakatira doon] kasi yung iba wala naman silang choice na lumipat. Yung iba, itinataas na lang nila ang mga gamit nila, kanya-kanyang diskarte. Sa bahay namin, nagtaasan ng gamit. Yung isang kuwarto, nalooban na rin ng tubig.”
“Yung buong Macabebe po, halos wala nang makitang daan, puro tubig na lahat,” he added.
Mendoza has also voiced concerns over alleged issues surrounding flood-control projects in the area, describing what he observed as a “ghost project.”
“Madami akong nakikitang nagpo-post about their frustrations sa nangyayaring. I mean, alam naman namin na, of course, natural ano pa rin yung bagyo. Pero that’s why meron tayong pondo, di ba, para ma-handle yung ganitong situations. Nababalita naman na naggo-ghost project talaga sila.”
He appealed to government authorities to take action and provide assistance to affected communities.
“Sana maawa kayo. Sana may gawin kayo kasi maraming humihingi ng tulong and yet wala pa ring nangyayari.”
“Siguro, bilang concerned citizen lang ako, dapat bare minimum na yung relief goods. Kasi, di ba, kung sinasabi nilang ito na yung normal, dapat meron tayong pondo para sa mga ganitong situation,” he added.
For Mendoza, documenting the situation is also an opportunity to improve his skills as a filmmaker. He said he is looking for ways to study documentary writing so that his future work will be more polished and properly researched.
“Naghahanap nga ako ng kung saan ako puwedeng mag-aral ng pagsusulat. Gusto ko kasi kapag nag-release ako ng dokyu ko, talagang pulido.”
He emphasized the importance of fact-checking and thorough research when creating documentaries, particularly after seeing online discussions involving other documentary makers.
“Importante kasi na kapag nagse-share ka ng ganyang information, nagpa-fact-check ka talaga, nagre-research ka nang tama,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mendoza recently graduated from Philippine Women’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Marketing.
With his studies now completed, he said he can devote more time to his passions, including acting and documentary filmmaking.
“Para akong nabunutan ng tinik. Ngayon, mas makakapag-focus na ako sa passion at dreams ko na gusto kong umarte. At the same time, parang siyang [katuparan] ng promise ko sa sarili ko na makapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral.”
Mendoza has also credited Boy Abunda for helping him pursue his education through a scholarship. Aside from supporting his studies, Abunda has also been assisting him as he builds his showbiz career.
Mendoza is part of the upcoming project ‘#Uploading,’ alongside Dylan Yturalde, Eliza Borromeo, and Zeus Collins, among others. He is also set to appear in ‘Wish Date: Unchanging Glass – A 12th Wish Anniversary Special,’ which features Zaijan Jaranilla, Yukil Takahashi, Monina Lawrence, Sharmaine Suarez, Chikki Magbutang, Pops Fernandez, Renz Verano, The Juans, and dwta.
