“BWAKAW”

Bwakaw is an independent film about an old gay man who works in a post office of
his town and has a dog named Bwakaw who follows him in every step of the way. At
first it sounded weird as it portrays an unusual film having a gay person in his late
70’s, but as the story progresses, it showed many aspects of living a life. As the film
proceeds, I expected it to revolve and end to Mang Rene as he is the protagonist of
the film but, it turns out he is not. It is a story that tells us to value the things present
in your life rather than valuing the things to be happened in the future. This film
depicts the life of a senior citizen in his wonderful days of being with his dog.

Mang Rene lives in a rustic house in a place in San Pablo with his dog, Bwakaw and
the “Santo Entierro”. His neighbour Nitang always seeks for help with it for her
grandchild. Mang Rene works in a post office of the city with Berting and Minda
although he is retired. Minda shares his flight to Toronto to everyone excitedly. As a
result, Mang Rene goes to Father Eddie to present his revised last will and testament.
Asleep on his bed in the middle of the night, Mang Rene wakes up agitated as Tracy
shouts in front of his house bringing him two prostitutes who were sent by Zaldy,
Mang Rene’s childhood friend that then are sent home with anger. As he visits his
then girlfriend Alicia in the Shelter for the Aged, rides a tricycle whose driver is Sol
who tries to fool him of the cost of his travel. He brought Alicia ponkans and chatted
for a while. As he rides home he came across Sol that didn’t let him ride. The next
day, Nitang again persuaded Mang Rene to let her wipe a handkerchief to the statue
which then granted her request. As Nitang walks home he told him there was an agent
of the funeral services in his house that morning.

Mang Rene then went to the funeral services and talked to the agent saying they
should have been sold the company if it wasn’t for Mang Rene’s bought coffin. They
then delivered it to his house. Unaware of what’s happening, Nitang saw the services
placing the coffin to Mang Rene’s house causing her to panic and call the friends of
Mang Rene. It was then known that the coffin was forced to place there by the
funeral services and that Mang Rene is not dead. After what has happened, Mang
Rene seeks to see Alicia but finding out she was lost made him angry. Next thing
happened was in the post office as Mang Rene hears cries inside the office. It was
Minda who cries because of her illness and that she would be delayed in going to
Toronto with her family. It was then that Mang Rene, again, goes to Father Eddie to
renew his last will and testament, and requested by the priest to come join them once
in a while in mass, but then rejected by the old man.

Mang Rene then finds out that Bwakaw has an illness and that made him miserable.
Because of it he then began to realize the worth of his dog, and now that it is ill, it is
time for him to take good care of her. As he wants to bring Bwakaw to the vet he
again came across Sol who helped him. He then became friends with him and later fell
for him. The things he didn’t do in the past are his hobbies after falling for Sol. But as
he confesses his feelings for him, Sol disgraced him and threw him away as if he is
garbage. The illness of Bwakaw because fatal and sooner Mang Rene tries to cure her
with the “Santo Entierro” but it didn’t work. The time has come for Bwakaw and
Mang Rene is drowned. Saddened by his lost, his neighbours helped him bury his
companion for years. It served as his loyal companion who gave him much loyalty and
love compared to others.

This film strikes the feelings out of every viewer including me as it started as a fresh
beginning for both Mang Rene and Bwakaw. At first the film revolves around Mang
Rene but is suddenly switched to Bwakaw. The man who is planning and waiting for
his death was then turned to be grieving for his pet’s death. It only shows that
repentance is placed at the end. Also, it makes us realize that we must value anyone
who sticks with us even if they are nothing to us, we never know what their true
worth until it is the last time we will ever see them.