Clarianne B.

Cruz
PI 10 Z1-6R

2010-00386
March 21, 2015

Freedom in Our Hands

Last 16th of March, 2015, we watched the films Panaghoy sa Suba and Tatlong Taong walang
Diyos. Panaghoy sa Suba is a film produced, directed, and starred by Cesar Montano last 2004
and Tatlong Taong walang Diyos is a 1976 film starred by Nora Aunor and Christopher de Leon.
During each films release dates, they both garnered positive reviews and won awards locally.
The two films tell the story of how Filipinos experienced the wrath of the Second World War,
most of events in the film centered with the Japanese occupation and American colonialism.
TECHNICAL ASPECT OF Panaghoy sa Suba
The execution of the films cinematography is as expected of an independent film: raw, rough
around the edges, yet it feels surreal and it captured the life of the 1940s Philippines accurately;
people relying on the river and the forests as their primary sources living, Americans dictating
Filipinos, even Filipinos who suck it up to the Americans for the sake of leading a safe, good
life.
It is evident how Duroy is passionate about protecting his family, his love for Iset, and to protect
his fellow countrymen. Personally, Iset is one of the weakest characters in this film. From the
start she loved Duroy, yet she continued to entertain suitors like John and the Japanese officer
that took over their town. Bikays character was portrayed well, whereas the actress that played
as Iset lacked depth. It was refreshing that Cesar Montano made the audiences perspective of the
Japanese occupants change, even for a bit. Not all of the Japanese soldiers who went to the
Philippines were hungry for power and blood.

The ending of the film suggests that its open-ended, as some of the questions raised in the film were
left unanswered. Overall, the film was good and really interesting to watch, as the main characters all
spoke in Hiligaynon.
TECHNICAL ASPECT OF Tatlong Taong walang Diyos
Tatlong Taong walang Diyos starts in a rather darker tone than Panaghoy, with the imminent danger of
the Japanese occupation as its premise. Its cinematography accurately described the province of Laguna
during the war; the Japanese occupants stole resources, burned houses, and for the case of Rosario,
abused women for their own good. The transition from how Filipinos looked up to the Americans and
to God for rescue to the loss of hope is, personally, the highlight of the entire film. At the start of the
film, Rosario had strong faith in God, and her family believes that the Americans will be back to save
them. However, due to the abuse of Masugi (which eventually led to a blossoming romance between
him and Rosario), endless killing of the Filipinos by the Japanese, and the loss of nationalism all led to
the decrease of hope and faith that theyll be free from the Japanese, even at the cost of their own life.
In comparison to the lead female character of Panaghoy, Rosario was a stronger female character and
stuck to her beliefs even though Masugi was giving her family rations of canned goods and rice.
Rosario however, was hesitant to end their daughters life and ended up taking care of her and falling in
love with Masugi. Crispin, Rosarios lover from the start of the film, started as a calm, collected
Filipino warrior, but being exposed to the real cruelty of the war, his mentality changed (even noting
that its easy to kill someone). Masugi, whom Rosario regarded as the one who brought her and her
family to various dangers during the films duration, has one of the most questionable character
development in the film; its evident how he loved Rosario and is willing to take care of her and their
child, but its hazy how he decided to pursue Rosario in just a small amount of time, needless to say,
how theyve met in the first place.
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Again, with comparison to Panaghoy sa Suba, which gave us a bright, happy ending, Tatlong taong
Walang Diyos gave a string of unfortunate events which all led to Rosarios imminent death. It was
taboo during the Second World War for women to have a romantic relationship with the Japanese
soldiers, for the obvious reasons. It was tragic that Rosario didnt die at the hands of the enemy, but on
the hands of her fellow countrymen.
SYMBOLISM in Panaghoy sa Suba
Iset symbolizes the Philippines, a beauty being sought by foreign lands, especially the American and
Japanese conquerors. Duroy represents all the brave Filipinos who are willing to give their lives
protecting our country. Isets father and aunt represent all the Filipinos who, in order to have a good
life, can forget about their own country and countrymen. Bikay represents the Filipinos that are
educated and can be a tool for nation-building.
Since Iset is the most beautiful lady of the town, her father and aunt both do their best to sell her beauty
to the foreign men in exchange of food and money. Iset, however in love with Duroy, can do nothing
but fulfill the twos wishes. It symbolizes the Filipinos who dont love their country sincerely and they
depend on other countries for their own comfort.
Duroy is a boat operator that has deep passion to protect his family, especially his ill mother. His family
represents the typical Filipino family that goes on living even without lush comfort. He is content with
what his country can offer, and is willing to fight the foreigners away from their town.
At the end of the film, as John Smith went back to the town from his duties as a soldier, Duroy went
attacking him and almost killing him from anger. Iset shortly came after, with the initial motive of
rescuing John, but after hearing that John called the Filipinos her fellow countrymen as animals,
she refused to reconcile with him and chose Duroy as her lover instead. The symbolism for this scene,
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though its a little sad, is that the country chose freedom over American occupation only after seeing
that the Americans were only mocking the Filipinos all this time.
SYMBOLISM in Tatlong Taong walang Diyos
Rosario represents all of the Filipina women affected by the war. Masugi represents the victims of the
Pearl Harbor incident and turned to the war as their form of revenge. Crispin represents the innocent
Filipinos who were exposed to the harsh cruelty of the Japanese.
There werent much symbolism in this film, as most of the scenes were straight to the point. One
symbolism, however, was the giving of canned goods and rice by Masugi to Rosarios family; it depicts
the effort of the Japanese to be closer to the Filipinos, which was pretty effective for the most part.
Another symbolism was during the time Masugi and Rosario helped the injured Crispin and Masugi
offered to drive him back to the base. The time Masugi questioned Crispins purpose of fighting was
one of the major events of the film. Its true that Filipinos are fighting against the Japanese, but Masugi
was doubting that Crispin (among many other Filipinos) are fighting for their own countrys sake or for
the Americans.
The death of Rosario and the wars aftermath to the mentality of the Filipinos were also portrayed in
the film. Post-Second World War, the Filipinos that became a member of the Huks had trust issues on
who among their countrymen were true Filipinos or had relationships with the Japanese. Its no wonder
that most of the war survivors still harbor hatred among the Japanese people, even though the war has
been long over and the country of Japan had promised not to wage war with other countries anymore.
CONTRIBUTIONS IN OUR HISTORY
Both films give us other points of view of what happened during the Second World War, most of which
were not introduced to us during our elementary and high school studies on Philippine History. The fact
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that not all Japanese soldiers were abusive to Filipino women and children (introduced in Panaghoy sa
Suba) was a new information for most of the audience, as textbook knowledge would not state this.
Also, if it werent for Tatlong Taong walang Diyos, everyone will have the same old mentality that
Americans were the only solution for our country to be saved by from the Japanese occupation.
It was evident that our own countrymen had the will and strength to fight; its just that its been
overshadowed by our colonial mentality and most Filipinos go and worship foreign people instead.
These films not only tell the story of the Filipinos that have survived the war or were perished fighting
for our freedom, but to commemorate the struggle the Filipinos faced in order for us to have the type of
living we are currently in.
THEIR IMPACT TO THE SOCIETY
With these new perspectives shown to us by the films, it helps broaden our understanding about the
events that happened during the war and how it affected the survivors of the war. It teaches us to love
our own country and to be selfless enough to serve our countrymen. Moreover, it also teaches us the
importance of independence: that we need to protect our own country and to not let other countries,
even theyre more powerful than us, do that job.

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