On stage, he just got rave reviews playing the role of 60s singer Bobby Gonzales in Mario O’Hara’s musical, “Stage Show”, at the CCP singing “Hahabol-Habol”. As a scriptwriter, he wrote the scripts of “Sisid” and “Mga Pusang Gala”, and more recently the Loy Arcenas’ award-winning films, “Nino” and “Requieme”. His “Death March” screenplay won in the Palanca Awards and is now being filmed by Dir. Adolf Alix.
At the “Shake 14” presscon, he said he didn’t want to accept writing “Lost Command” for Chito as he had to finish the script in a very short time. “But when he told me the story idea about a squad of soldiers na biglang nawala when they encounter other zombie soldiers in Mindanao, I got excited. The gist is based on facts. May nawala talagang mga sundalo at may mga dati talagang sundalo who turn cannibals, like yung Manero Brothers na kinain yung utak ng paring pinatay nila. I wrote the lyrics of his songs for ‘Emir’ so second time ko ito to work with Chito.”
Other writers have become directors, like Jun Lana, whose “Bwakaw” is now earning raves abroad. Would he branch out into directing someday? “Hindi siguro. As a writer, computer lang ang kaharap mo. As a director, you have to face so many problems, sakit ng ulo yan.”
