“Armando Lao’s BIYAHENG LUPA: Storytelling while the bus is in motion”
In the 70’s, travelling from Cubao to Pasay along EDSA was a breeze. The word traffic was not yet in the minds of the commuters. There was this bus company named JD Transit plying this route. I remember that its garage was located in Project 4, Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City. Their conductress (yes at that time, women dominated this work) were wearing khaki uniforms which were always spic and span (well ironed with liwayway gawgaw applied during washing). However, what really stuck in my memory was the notice written on the sides of its ceiling near the driver: “ DON’T TALK TO DRIVER WHILE THE BUS IS IN MOTION!” This notice was written to prevent accidents since talking to the driver while he is maneuvering on EDSA at high speed was very dangerous since the driver might lose focus on the road!
Thanks to the modern technology particularly the internet, I developed friendship with Mr. EdgarCruz of the Tribune and the administrator/owner of the blog STIR through a yahoogroup. But my grandmother would surely be shaking in her grave to learn that my friend “tukayo” Ed and myself have not yet met in person! Yes, modern technology makes this possible. To prove that indeed, “close kami ng tukayo ko”, he extended to me an invitation to the advance screening of Armando Lao’s Biyaheng Lupa last 11 November 2009, 6:30 p.m., Cinema 2, The Block, SM North.
I arrived at the Cinema on time for the screening. The producer, Atty. Joji Alonzo gave a brief background on the making of this independent film followed by short talk by the director – Armando “Bing” Lao. Director Lao’s final statement before the start of the film showing was to relax and enjoy the ride!
There were several movies in the past with the main characters travelling: on a motorcycle (2008 Cinema One Originals “Motorcyle” starring Jayson Abalos), on a wrangler jeep (Katya Santos and Maui Taylor in “Sex Drive”), on a van (Star Cinema’s Trip starring Jericho Rosales) to name a view but these movies told singular stories. In the case of “’Biyaheng Lupa”, aside from the fact that it is a story telling while a bus is in motion, it tells not only one or two stories, not even a trilogy but multiple stories! The number of stories being told are as numerous as the number of passengers in an aircon bus bound for Legaspi!
This indie movie filmed using a High Definition digital camera has been masterfully crafted by Director Bing Lao using symbolism and poetry. If only for the fact that there are multiple stories being told, watching it is a big discount! However, taking into consideration how skillfully Director Lao tells multiple stories in just a bus ride, interweaving different stories in a manner that I did not have the difficulty of grasping the stories with the use of lots of symbolism makes recommending it a “must watch” movie easy.
It will open in several digital cinemas on December 2.
