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Thanks to DepEd’s suspension of classes last Monday, June 23, I was able to fulfill my promise to my gems.
I treated them to a movie, Urduja. The trailer of this all-Filipino, full-length animation film has been shown on TV for quite a while and I personally have committed to support it. 
Aside from the resolute and resilient character of Urduja that simply personifies an unconventional woman (I must say unconventional during its epoch - remember that Urduja is about a legendary warrior-princess who is recognized as a heroine in the province of Pangasinan.) it is Wang, dubbed by ace character actor, Johnny Delgado, whom I enjoyed the most. He is one true reflection of greed and wickedness.
Besides, too, the love story that Urduja myth is famous for, social satire is what the animation presents. Trying to infuse historical element of Spanish colonizers’ viciousness towards Filipino native dwellers during Pre-Spanish and Spanish era, Wang’s musical of Simple Lang ang aking pangarap… ang nais ko lang ay ang ilalim, ibabaw, panabi at paligid (to that sort) and his ripping of the Philippines from the map was apparent.
Valuing women and their role at homes and in the society is also what the movie is about. Women’s strength and capability are all depicted in these lines written by Joey de Leon, the music by which was composed by Ogie Alcasid and arranged by Mon Faustino and Noel Zarate:
Babae ako
Ano bang dapat kong gampanan
Sa daigdig na ating ginagalawan
Ang hangganan ko ba’y hanggang saanBabae ako
Ako ba’y mayro’ng kapangyarihan
O ako’y isa lamang na bukal
Na pagkukunan ng pagmamahalNais kong lumipad na may sariling bagwis
Nais kong marating pangarap nang mabilis
Nais kong manguna sa mga maya
Para makita ang bagong umaga
Ngunit kailan pa
Gusto ko na
Ngayon naMay galit ako
Ngunit pag-asa’y nasa puso koBukas ang hamog makikita mo
Hihigupin niya ang paruparo..
Ang paruparoNais kong lumipad na may sariling bagwis
Nais kong marating pangarap nang mabilis
Nais kong manguna sa mga maya
Para makita ang bagong umaga
Ngunit kailan pa
Gusto ko na
Ngayon na
Grabbing children’s (ok the adult’s, too) attention were the comic tandem of Kukut and Tarsir. Kukut (dubbed by Michael V.) is the mouse-sidekick of Lim Hang (dubbed by Cesar Montano) Tarsir, on the other hand; is the pet-assistant of Urduja. Allan K’s homosexuality, as also characterizing the animal, adds humor and texture.
In general, the movie is impressive. I just wish the project had some other voice-over talents aside from the popular-commercial actors and actresses.
Aside from Johnny Delgado, Michael V, Eddie Garcia, Jay Manalo and Jeffrey Quizon, other voice talents seemed better to be seen than only heard. What I still saw (or heard) were their common TV personalities I regularly see/hear on TV. They failed to create the Urduja characters. (What I saw/heard was Ruby Rodriguez, NOT Mayumi; Allan K, not Tarsir, Cesar Montano, not Lim Hang…and yeah the songbird Regine Not Urduja).
But still, a toast to its producers and animators! Congratulations, may this be the gateway to world class Philippine Animation. May we continue producing valuable artworks like this.
Tags: Allan K, animation, APT Entertainment, Cesar Montano, Johnny Delgado, Michael V., Philippine animation, Philippine movie, Regine Velasquez, Ruby Rodriguez, satire, Urduja
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