Tagalog Movie

Directed by Lamberto V. Avellana
Story by Donato Valentin
Screenplay by Daisy H. Avellana, Jose Avellana Jr

Priscilla Cellona and Ike Jarlego Jr

Lamberto V. Avellana is best remembered for his serious thought-provoking films, classics like Anak Dalita, Badjao, or his film version of Nick Joaquin's A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. But few remember that he also made well-crafted commercial melodramas, even tearjerkers. Pag-asa is such a film, but the melodrama is tempered and perhaps made more effective by naturalistic performances not usually seen in films of the era, whether by LVN or by the other major studios.

Celing (played by Priscilla Cellona in her first starring role) and her kid brother Piding (Ike Jarlego Jr) are recently orphaned and they come to Manila to find work in the home of their late parents' hacienda landlord (Paco Zamora). But they are treated miserably by the landlord's ill-tempered wife, Doña Esperanza (Naty Bernardo).

One night, Celing and Piding run away and end up in an amusement park where they meet Victor (Armando Goyena), a ferris wheel operator. He takes pity on them and brings them home to his mother (Rosa Aguirre). The old woman is quickly won over by the innate decency of Celing as well as the endearing self-confidence of the young boy, Piding.

Piding is ready to defend
his sister's honor with a baseball bat

Celing turns out to have a good singing voice, and Victor's uncle (Gregorio Ticman) convinces the young woman to join an amateur radio singing contest. Celing becomes a success but her new good fortune brings her no joy because Victor pretends not to care about her at all, although he and Piding have become fast friends

Victor is evasive about Piding's
questions about his sister, Celing.

Celing becomes a successful singer and Victor's mother
(Rosa Aguirre) seems to care more for her welfare than her own son's, Victor.

Meanwhile, after reading about Celing's success in the papers one day, the scheming Doña Esperanza decides she must get her back. She threatens to sue and so Celing consents to return, especially because she thinks she means nothing to Victor at all.

Celing is about to leave and return to the
tyrannical Doña Esperanza

Victor's mother is furious at Victor: "Kung dangan kasi, nandito na, di mo pa niligawan!" But the young boy, Piding, upon learning that he is to return to Doña Esperanza, becomes hysterical and tries to run away… only to meet an accident that will forever change their lives…

The lovely Cebuana, Priscilla Cellona

NOTES: VHS versions come in plain box.
Copying is done entirely by LVN Pictures.
This vintage video is not a restored version.

• Armando Goyena
• Priscilla Cellona
• Ike Jarlego Jr
• Rosa Aguirre
• Gregorio Ticman
• Naty Bernardo

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