The five young lucky screenwriters pose with their laptops courtesy of 'Darna' director Benedict Mique (left). At right is National Artist Ricky Lee, mentor of Mique on screenplay in his younger years

Being a screenwriter is not easy. This was the message of director Benedict Mique when he awarded free laptops to five young aspiring screenwriters recently.

The five recipients of laptops were: Justine John Libo-on De-lima, 22; Nicole Audrey D. Co, 26; Shania Vonzel O. Legaspi, 17; Kenneth Paul C. Mendiola, 19; and Nazerine Manuelle D. Gonzales, 13. They were congratulated by National Artist Ricky Lee who witnessed the simple event.

Mique said that he will also teach and guide these five people to write and eventually make films.

Fresh from his successful stint as director of "Darna" on ABS-CBN recently, Mique reminded the young writers to be passionate about the craft.

"Sa ABS-CBN, may apat o limang major writers na ako ang nagpasok. Ang hirap pumasok sa industry. Now they have stable jobs, stable careers. Let's give opportunities to others.

"Every year ang daming new graduates. But they get frustrated dahil hindi man lang nakapasok yung feet nila sa pintuan ng industry. There's a lot of bullying inside.

"I'm a 'bully' but I just want to test them. My type of bullying is to find out how far you can get. Sobrang higpit ko sa script. You have to love the craft. Marami nagpapasa lang ng ganito at ang pangit. Hindi papasa sa akin yun kasi I have so much respect sa craft ng scriptwriting and filmmaking. You really have to earn it.

"Maraming shortcut but if you have to work with me, you really have to be passionate about the craft. You have to be good and you have to push yourself to the limit," said the popular director. "If you push someone to the limit, doon sila magsa-shine."

Mique added: "Right now I'm training someone pero hindi ko alam kung naa-appreciate niya or sumusuko na siya. You need to find someone na papahirapan ka dahil gusto ka niyang mag improve. Si Ricky hindi siya mabait sa akin. Umiyak ako nung nagcomment siya sa mga unang script ko. Sabi ko, 'ganun ba ako kabobo?' Doon ko na realize that I have to be very, very good. Pero si Ricky, mabait din naman ito. Lenient siya eh."

In November 2022, Mique announced on Facebook that he would help jumpstart the careers of five aspiring screenwriters by giving them laptops.

Mique recalled his hungry years as a writer when he borrowed P21,000 from Lee so that he could produce copies of his scripts.

“That’s why now, I want to return back the favor. I want to sponsor five young people who want to be a scriptwriter but don’t have the means to buy a computer or a laptop," he said.

Aside from "Darna," some of Mique’s notable screenplays on television include episodes of “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “Magpakailanman,” “Momol Nights,” “Till I Met You,” “Marimar,” “Captain Barbell,” “On The Wings of Love,” etc.

Lee said that he couldn't remember Mique's loan.

"Hindi ko na naalala yun kasi ako ang utangan ng bayan noon. Halos lahat ng writers and directors umuutang sa akin. Ako ang takbuhan nila. Siguro ako kasi noon yung pinaka mature or stable ang trabaho. Usually ang writer talaga is struggling and wala talagang resources. And the writer, mahiyain din sila at hindi nila kayang ipaglaban ang sarili nila. Kaya I'm happy na may malalaking tao na tulad ni Benedict na nagre-reach out sa kanila," Lee said.

Asked if the giving of laptops would be an annual activity, Mique said: "At first I want to get sponsors. Pero sabi ko sarili ko na lang ito kasi kaya ko naman. Marami na rin akong natulungan na writer but of course you don't announce it. Si Ricky marami na rin itong natutulungan pero hindi naman niya ina-announce eh. I want to project a more giving and helping industry. Sa industry natin, maraming matulungin pero marami rin swapang. Marami rin na makasarili. So siguro let's start giving back. Ricky is a national artist pero hindi talaga nila alam ang dami ng natulungan nito."

Mique is hopeful that the next generation of filmmakers will do “better than us.” “I hope the next generation can do better than us. They can have better careers and better situations kasi we believe we set the path. Sana ma-achieve rin nila yung international success at dumating na yung time na pati yung government na tulad ng South Korea produces cultural and innate films and at the same time it gets international market. And they have the respect of the international market.”

(I hope the next generation can do better than us. They can have better careers and better situations because we believe we set the path. I hope they can also achieve international success and the time has come for a government like South Korea produces cultural and innate films and at the same time it gets international market. And they have the respect of the international market.)