Young Love, Sweet Love

Saturday Stories

June 24, 2017

Their families were shocked when Rock (Sam Concepcion) got his girlfriend Tracy (Tippy Dos Santos) pregnant because they are so young. 

Rock knows it's not easy to have a super-rich girlfriend:

"...'Di ko pwedeng 

isakay sa jeepney,

sobrang usok at sikip..."

His family is middle-class. His father, Pol (Ogie Alcasid), teaches guitar. Pol is also a songwriter with a very famous composition...

"...sa bubong ng bahay,
'di maiwasang gumawa ng 
'di inaasahang bagay..."

Actually, that was only his song. His students began to complain about playing it over and over again, and he taught them about the need for inspiration in writing a song: 

"...Kapag nag-iisa't kasama ang gitara,
basta't dumarating ang kanta,
awiting maaari rin kung may kasama,
tambol mo ay butas na lata..."

Rock sang his undying love for Tracy when they were alone in the small chapel in her estate when the two families met. 

"...Panalangin 
ko sa habang buhay,
makapiling ka, makasama ka,
'yan ang panalangin ko..."

But it was a disaster. Tracy grandfather, the aristocratic retired military general Julio Fuentebella (Jaime Fabregas) is totally against it and the wedding was off.

Tracy's father, Nick (Gary Valenciano) is disappointed with her. Yet he still remembers when she was a still a child, her little girl: 

"...Batang-bata ka 
pa at marami ka pang
kailangang malaman 
at intindihin sa mundo..."

Meanwhile, Rock's mother, Rose (Eugene Domingo) is singing the same song to him, but with a lot of nagging. 

But the adults have their issues as well. Nick's marriage to Elaine (Zsa Zsa Padilla) is on the rocks. She realizes that she is falling out of love with him... 

"...Minsan kahit na pilitin 
mong uminit ang damdamin,
'di siya susunod, 
at di maglalambing..."

I had a story in Philippine Panorama titled "The Top 10 Signs of Leadership" where I featured some of the great Filipino role models of our time, featuring, among many, Eddie Garcia and the Apo Hiking Society: 

"Jim Paredes, Danny Javier and Buboy Garovillo have redefined original Filipino music with their songs that everyone in every generation can identify with – and the Apo Hiking Society has come to symbolize true friendship, solidarity and brotherhood. Right now, my favorite Apo song is Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba."

My favorite scene is with my favorite song from Apo. Pol is trying to write a new song. Rock looked at it and read the lyrics of "Pag-Ibig..." 

"...Hindi mo malimutan 
kung kailan nagsimulang 
matuto kung papaanong magmahal,
at 'di mo malimutan 
kung kailan mo natikman
ang una mong halik, 
yakap na napaka-higpit,
pag-ibig na tunay hanggang langit..."

You can't write a song without inspiration, Pol tells his son - and that was a turning point for Rock. 

One night, Tracy was surprised to find him on the balcony, asking her to run away with him, singing all the way as the two young lovers ran happily under the romantic full moon.

"...Mahal kita, 
mahal kita, hindi 'to bola,
ngumiti ka man lang sana, 
ako'y nasa langit na..."

I Do Bidoo Bidoo: Heto nAPO Sila!

 Photo courtesy of CinemaClock.com