Here's what Makabayan solons think of 'Maid in Malacañang'


These three solons won't be seeing "that" movie.

(From left to right) Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, and Gabriela Women's Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas (Makabayan photo)

Members of the Makabayan bloc have zero interest in seeing the controversial film “Maid in Malacanang".

The trio had this to say during a press conference Thursday morning, Aug. 4 after Manila Bulletin asked for their thoughts on the film.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said he doesn’t want to promote a film which “pollutes the mind of the youth” with disinformation.

“Ako personally, di ko papanoorin yung movie dahil mula pa lang doon sa nakukuha nating impormasyon, naglalaman ito ng kasinungalingan (I personally won’t see the film because, as per what we know about it, it is full of lies),” the youth solon said.

“Hindi ko ipro-promote yung isang pelikula o hindi rin ako tutulong na lalo pa magka-gain ito ng traksyon dahil nga pinopopollute nito ang utak ng mga kabataan para maniwala sa isang peke, maling version ng ating kasaysayan (I won’t promote this film or help it gain traction because it pollutes the minds of the youth to believe in fake and incorrect versions of history),” Manuel continued.

Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas expressed similar sentiments and highlighted the reaction of the Sisters of the Order of the Carmelites as to their depiction in the film.

“Of course, alam natin yung mga nagcirculate na news about it na yung mga Carmelite sisters na mismo ay nagsabi na this is a distortion of history. Hindi po pwede na payagan natin yan kasi kahit naman sa usapin ng mga movies meron pa rin tayong references na tinatawag. Meron pa rin historical references na kailangang pagsimulan (We hear the news in which the Carmelite Sisters have said this is a distortion of history. We shouldn’t tolerate this since even in movies, there are historical references from which they should be based on),” Brosas told reporters.

Brosas was referring to a scene in the film in which late President Corazon Aquino was depicted playing mahjong with nuns of the Order of the Carmelites. The Carmelite order has described their depiction in the film as a “reprehensible” attempt at distorting history. The Sisters also clarified that they were not consulted for this particular scene.

Read: Carmelite nuns disgruntled by ‘Maid in Malacañang’

“We do not want our next generation na mabuhay or tangkilikin yung mga pelikula na alam natin na hindi talaga makakatulong para sa kanilang further education (to support films which we know will not further develop their education),” Brosas added.

Meanwhile, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro slammed the film, saying that even though it was created for the sake of art, it had no semblance of truth whatsoever.

“Wala akong panahon manood nitong pelikula o Maid in Malacanang na kahit na sinasabi nila na may katotohanan yung mga nangyari daw doon sa loob ng Malacanang at yung ibang pangyayari daw ay for art’s sake (I have no time to watch this film that they say is factual about what happened inside Malacañang while the rest of its depictions were made for art’s sake),” Castro said.

“Alam naman natin for art’s sake ay meron din itong semblance sa katotohanan at marami rin akong nabasa na review, reaksyon ng mga talagang biktima rin ng Martial Law ng panahon na yon at negative talaga yung naging reaction (We know that for art’s sake there should still be a semblance of truth. I have read reviews and reactions from victims of the martial law era and their responses were negative),” the teacher-lawmaker continued.

“So doon palang makikita na natin na hindi talaga makatotohanan at pagsira o distortion sa history natin ito mapapanood at hindi po natin kayang i-promote (So from there we can see that this film isn’t based on truth and is an attempt at destroying or distorting history. This is why we can’t promote it),” Castro concluded.