a stop motion attempt

A stop motion animation by me and my sister Isis, featuring our cousin Coco.

Enjoy!

Images of 2006

Akira Liwanag
Images of 2006

A Trip to Erap's Resthouse

I almost jumped for joy when my dad said that he was selected as the photographer to shoot pictures of Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the deposed president who is under “house-arrest” in his rest house in Tanay, Rizal. My dad Luis Liwanag, the chief photographer of Newsbreak Magazine, was chosen by the international press agency World Picture News with two foreign journalists. He was so ecstatic when he learned about the assignment and so was I because that only means one thing, I will be the one as usual to accompany him as his assistant. I was excited too not only because of the experience I will get, I will earn 1000 pesos. Not bad for a half day’s work!

On the day of the coverage I woke up very early, ate, took a bath, and wore the clothes I prepared the day before. I double checked all my camera equipment and loaded my Canon in preparation for the shoot. Just like any other shoot, I took my lucky scarf or kroma (a scarf from Cambodia) and wore it around my neck. The scarf does not represent or symbolize anything but I always feel alert and enthusiastic whenever I wear it. I’m ready for war!

We were fetched by the journalists who flew in from Hongkong at the famous EDSA shrine. We rode on a van which made me carsick. While we were traveling, I witnessed the drastic change from urban to rural scenery. I expected the ride to be an hour or two but it took us three long hours. When we were near our destination, we were warned by the driver that no cameras are allowed by the police inside the rest house. So with clear and clever thinking, my dad and I hid our camera bags under our seats and crossed our fingers hoping that the guards will not search our van. Luckily, they didn’t.

Once we were inside the territory of the controversial Estrada estate, there was not a police in sight. So we quickly took our bags and went outside the van.

Yes! Fresh air! Carrying our gear, we asked the folks there where we could see Mr. Estrada. They pointed to us to a house near a lake and told us to go inside. And so, we went inside. What I saw made my stomach somersault a thousand times. The whole Estrada family was eating inside. I saw Senator Jinggoy and his sons, cousins, relatives from other countries, and Mr. Erap himself. We were welcomed by Senator Loi Estrada, who shook our hands warmly. They offered us food and who are we to refuse? And so we ate. While eating, I couldn’t help but stare at Erap. He was just standing there, so cool and so distant. He was not the loud type, and he remained quiet while we were eating. At a table next to us, I noticed a life-size statue of Erap himself and gasped in disbelief, but this is nothing compared to what we will be witnessing later.

After a hearty lunch, we were guided to a golf cart that will take us to a tour throughout the rest house. Our first stop was the ERAP MUSEUM. At the entrance you could see another gold plated statue of Erap and I wondered, if this is just the entrance, what will be inside? So with intolerable curiosity, we went inside. THE PLACE WAS AWESOME! Inside you could see paintings, statues, props, souvenirs, and mementos throughout Erap’s life and career. You could see the change from actor to politician and from mayor to president. This place is something! So without thinking, I pulled out my camera and started shooting right away. On one side of the museum was the “Jeep ni Erap” which he used in while he was campaigning for president. And on the end of the museum was a room entitled “the dark ages” where inside you could see the memories when he was accused of plunder and was jailed. But that’s not all, after the museum tour, we were directed to a mini-theater and made us watch a film about Erap’s life. In the end of the movie which was about 45 minutes long, we went outside the theater and went to the library.

The library was about triple our (my) school library, and the books and the furniture were just simply amazing. On the walls were paintings of all the presidents of the Philippines but one. Gloria Arroyo was not included. While I was gazing at the books, Erap entered the library and sat. And so the interview began

Our writer’s asked about many things. One of them was, “Why isn’t GMA included in your paintings?” Mr. Estrada just answered with wit, “Is she a legitimate president?” with some silly humor. During the interview I’ve learned that the Estrada’s have had this Tanay property since 1969 and he is the one who designed and beautified it. He admitted that he based it with the own house of his idol, Ronald Reagan, also the former president of the USA who just died recently. Estrada was good man after all, he was a kind hearted man, I observed. But he had a minor problem with the media. He stated that during his presidency, the media helped in demonizing him in the eyes of the masses.

After the short interview, he said that he would show us something. So he led us outside and what I saw gave me the chills. “This is my grave” Erap said while standing beside a marble tomb. He stated that he wants to be buried there when he dies. Beside the tomb was a small rock where he said he uses to sit and meditate in times of trouble and doubt. Beside that was a Balete tree, his favorite tree. On our left was a face of Erap engraved on the wall with the saying, “walang tutulong sa Pilipino kundi kapwa Pilipino”. I just stared at infinity thinking what kind of man can think up these things. Morbid was just the word stuck on my mind.

After the tomb tour, we went back at the lake house and merienda was served. I didn’t have the appetite to eat and I just preferred to shoot pictures while my dad was eating. After they finished eating, Mr. Estrada beckoned us again to ride on the golf cart. We rode at about five minutes and stopped at a place where Erap acknowledged as his own fishing village. The place was not finished yet but it seemed that it will be great once it is. After some talking and conversation with my dad, Erap said that it’s time to go back because it is getting dark.

With almost the whole rest house covered and the sun setting, it’s time to end the shoot and go back to Manila. But before getting back on the van, my dad asked Mr. Estrada if he could take a photo of me with him. He gallantly accepted.

Once inside the van, we bade our goodbyes and left. I felt very happy after that because I could sit again and rest my shoulders (which felt sour because of carrying my shooting equipments all day!). But puzzlingly, I felt sorry for Erap. Before I went there, in my mind Erap was a criminal but after I met him and shared words with him, he was truly a good man and I think he doesn’t deserve all the humiliation and punishment he got.

But who knows? You could never truly understand politics and showbiz. And after all, he’s under house arrest in a house you would never want to leave.

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