Bata..Bata..Paano Ka Ginawa?

I.Introduction

The film Bata, bata Paano Ka Ginawa is a movie which deals not only with the pains a mother and a wife goes through but also with the people around her as well. The movie was originally based on the novel of the same title written by Lualhati Bautista, is such a wonderful story.

II. Theme

Showing empowered, open-minded women who don't let society get in the way or define how they live their lives is the theme of the story. It shows the dynamics of how a woman addresses her marital and familial concerns in the context of a complex, judgmental and flawed society. The novel also illustrates the society’s view of women; how it is to be a mother, and how a mother executes her role through modern-day concepts of parenthood

III. Plot

            The movie began on the graduation day Lea’s daughter Maya in kindergarten. In the beginning of the story, everything in Lea’s life was going smoothly – her relationship with her children, with friends of the opposite gender, and with her volunteer work for a human rights organization. But Lea’s children were both growing-up – and Lea could see their gradual transformation. There were the changes in their ways and personalities: Maya’s curiosity was becoming more obvious every day, while Ojie was crossing the boundaries from boyhood to teenage to adulthood.

 Until Raffy, her former husband came back to persuade Ojie to live with him in the U.S. Lea experienced the fear of losing both her children, when the fathers of her children decide to take them away from her embrace. She also needed to spend more time for work and with the organization she was volunteering for.

In the end, both of Lea’s children decided to choose to stay with her – a decision that Lea never forced upon them. Another graduation day of students was the main event in the novel’s final chapter, where Lea was the guest-of-honor. Lea delivered a speech that discusses the topic of how life evolves, and on how time consumes itself so quickly, as fast as how human beings grow, change, progress and mature. Lea leaves a message to her audience that a graduation day is not an end because it is actually the beginning of everything else that will come in a person’s life.

IV. Characters

• Lea (Vilma Santos)

She is the protagonist in the story. The character of Lea depicts the character of a modern woman, a modern parent. Lea is a mother of two children with different fathers, Maya and Ojie.

• Maya (Serena Dalrymple)

Maya is Lea’s youngest child. She is jolly, talkative and full of questions.

• Ojie (Carlo Aquino)

Ojie is Lea’s eldest child.

• Ding (Albert Martinez)

Lea’s live-in partner, and was Maya's father. Ding is a mama’s boy.

• Raffy ( Ariel Rivera)

 Lea’s husband and was Ojie’s father.

• Johnny (Raymond Bagatsing)

Lea’s fantasy and co-worker

V. Symbolism/ Value

Lea: symbolizes a modern woman

            The character of Lea in the film symbolizes a modern woman, an independent, hard-working versatile mother, wife and employee. The character shows that women can also do the things men do.

The line,“Sana kapag nagniniig ang magasawa, pati ang kanilang kaluluwa”.

            This line tells that sex should not only involve “lust” or physical contact/ relationship but rather should be done because of love, it should involve the soul; the emotional connection between the couple.

The Principal: symbolizes the judgmental society

            The principal portrays a judgmental woman that symbolizes the judgmental and flawed society we are into.

VI. Interpretations

            The movie presented different culture and norms we have in the Philippines. It presented that in the past women in the Philippines normally and simply follows the wills and whims of their husbands and other male members of society. Women were just to act upon their role as mothers who perform household chores, take care of the children, and take care of the needs of their husbands. It also presented close family tight among Filipinos which is evident in the character of Ding who lets his mother decide for him even if he’s old enough and already had his own family. Moreover, it also showed the norm of following and respecting the parents to the point of becoming too dependent from them (Ding, following her mother’s choice of the woman she will marry). The movie also presented the Filipino norm of judging people based on hearsays and wrong impressions. Hospitality is also presented in the movie.

VII. Concluding Remarks

The movie “Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa” is very inspirational especially for woman like me. It inspires me to fight for my rights as a woman, to show that I can also do the things man does. The movie showed that the role of a woman should not only be limited to the four corners of the home. Though it was written during the 1980's, the material still hasn't lost its appeal and connection to the people because of the feminists theme in it.