Top directors feted with lambanog toast

EXCEPT for the banging of the gong to International Film Festival and the use of Bulol and balanghai for Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival ‘s festival trophies that display unique indigenous culture until the recent lambanog (coconut wine) toast at the 1st Quezon Film Festival in Lucena City in the Province of Quezon.

Billed as “PiliQuela,” a wordplay on pelikula president of the Commonwealth Manuel Luis Quezon, the mood of the event was set by local color and tradition.

namely Mel Chionglo, Felino Tañada, Ronald Rafer (all from Lucena) and Gil Portes (Pagbilao) were invited to partake in the opening of Quezon Film Festival and

Clad in kimona and patadyong (traditional Filipino blouse and skirt), Christina - tion of Quezon, recited poems and sang songs of welcome then offered the guests shot glasses of lambanog.

“This toast of lambanog is a tradition of warmth and hospitality of Quezonians to our guests whether they from the province or not,” informed Decal who proposed a toast

softly whispered Portes who gulped it down anyway in the spirit of camaraderie.

Chionglo an occasional drinker, gobbled up the native wine as well.

“It’s quite an experience. I haven’t come home to Quezon for a long time and the lambanog taste brings back memories of my childhood, when old folks in our neighborhood would gather around in their backyards to feast on lambanog,” Chionglo remarked.

“I don’t drink,” said Rafer but, ever proud of his cultural roots, drank the fermented coconut sap in one go, as if he was a lambanog drinker.

Meanwhile, the Lucena-based Tañada, who’s accustomed to the culture drank his shot to his heart’s content.

The films that were exhibited were Chionglo’s Lauriana which tackles the his paramour in the idyllic Sariaya town; Portes’ Gina Alajar-starrer Mulanay which follows rural doctors who are sent to the barrios; Tañada’s Buenavista, a foray on the history of Lucena City and topbilled by Eddie Garcia; and Rafer’s GabrielIto angKuwentoKo which is about a young man’s search on his troubled past and

invited couldn’t make it to the celebration were Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez, Lemuel Real Florido, Robert Yap-Diangco, William Mayo and Carmelo Saliendra.

Salumbides, the so-called Second Father of Escudero, Abbo de la Cruz and Uro de la Cruz represented them posthumously.

Christina Decal, Tourism Organization of Quezon past president offers a ceremonial toast of lambanog to Quezon Province Heritage Council, Inc.’s Danny de Luna, filmmakers Gil Portes, Felino Tañada, Mel Chionglo, Ronald Rafer and Uggi Escudero who represented his late brother Don Escudero