When he gets home, he then finds out that his barong-barong in a dumpsite has been destroyed and the only person he loves in his life has been taken away from him. We cannot get into the details of what was the last straw that broke the camel’s back and made him run amuck, as it will be a sure spoiler. Suffice it to say that Allen is consistent in his characterization from start to finish.
“May kaba ako when the role was first offered to me kasi I’ve never played a deaf mute before,” he says. “But then, I can not just let it go kasi napaka-challenging niya. So nag-aral ako sa School for the Deaf sa St. Benilde and got myself a tutor on sign language. Kapag nandun ako, bawal magsalita, kailangan puro sign language lang kasi magagalit sila kung bubuksan ko ang bibig ko. And I tell you ang hirap palang maging pipi’t bingi.”
He had a series of meetings with writer-director Ralston Jover before the shoot started. “Marami muna kaming readings, rehearsals, para maging comfortable ako sa kanya at sa co-actors ko. It’s nice kasi pagdating nyo sa set, dire-diretso na ang trabaho at di gaya ng karaniwang nangyayari na kung kailan nasa harap na kayo ng kamera, dun pa lang magtatanungan, magkakapaan. The movie’s message is that we should be more understanding sa mga taong may kapansanan, gaya ni Pipo, kasi dahil sa pang-aapi sa kanya, parang bombang sumabog ang pagkatao niya.” You can watch “Bomba” as part of the 2018 SinagMaynila Filmfest that will be shown in several SM Cinemas until March 15.
