PAPOGI: Direk Joey’s dream come true

"Official national pornographer" Jose Javier Reyes is excited these days, like an eager fan milling backstage and hoping for his first encounter with his favorite star.

Joey is waiting for the primetime showing on Channel 2 of his very first documentary project with a theme that there is no show business like the pursuit of the Philippine presidency. In the documentary project, Joey compares incisively all the presidential candidates since the time of Manuel L. Quezon with aspiring actors and actresses coveting the lead role. The Philippine presidency is the biggest starring role, the presidential elections are the biggest productions in this part of tinsel town. As in Hollywood, the audience of the documentary will find out that "cameras do indeed lie" as Joey unveils the clash between the reel and the real images-identities of past Philippine presidents. Contrary to the belief that the past electoral exercises were a blend of showbusiness and politics, it has always been politics is show business.

Despite the exhausting rigors of directing the daily telenovela Hanggang Kailan, Joey makes it a point to regularly get in touch via cellular phone during daytime with the post-production staff of the documentary PAPOGI: The Imaging of Philippine Presidents. He surprises the post-production staff with what he calls his "30-minute visits" which actually stretch until the wee hours of the morning. Somehow, his late-night apparitions before the post-production staff lend credence to an urban legend that the writer-director-professor does not sleep. For lesser mortals, Joey’s roaring laughter and biting comments keep the post-production staff electrified. Unfortunately, the wittiest of these social commentaries are off-the-record.

In between directing assignments, grappling with mid-life crisis, and teaching at the University of the Philippines — College of Mass Communication, Joey squeezed in time to write the documentary script of PAPOGI which he also narrated. He started working on PAPOGI shortly after the launching of his book Porn Again: Midlife Outtakes and Mistakes, a collection of essays. The title of the book was an obvious insinuation of his controversial film Toro: Live Show and the political circus that had accompanied it.

PAPOGI is Joey’s first foray into documentary-making. The 90-minute documentary, produced by the multi-awarded Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) under the guidance of PCIJ broadcast manager Luz Rimban, will be aired by ABS-CBN’s Channel 2 on May 9, 9 p.m. as part of the network’s special coverage of the 2004 presidential elections. Directing the documentary, which took 17 months to produce, is French-educated Antonio Jose "Butch" Perez, whose films have harvested awards for Best Director and Best Picture. Perez’s body of work includes Mumbaki, Balweg and Gaano Kita Kamahal. Prolific music maestro Ryan Cayabyab composed the documentary’s music theme Papogi-pogi.

"The documentary PAPOGI is my most fulfilling project since Live Show," Joey said. This admission was surprising if one were to consider the long roster of great films listed in his filmography either as a screenplaywright and as a director or both: Oro, Plata, Mata (1983, directed by Peque Gallaga); Flores de Mayo (1984); Inday Inday sa Balitaw (1986, directed by Luciano Carlos); Pahiram ng Isang Umaga (1989, directed by Ishmael Bernal); Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin (1992); Iisa pa Lamang (1992); May Minamahal (1993), Makati Avenue: Office Girls (1993); Buhay ng Buhay Ko (1993); Hindi Kita Malilimutan (1993); Nag-iisang Bituin (1994); Araw-araw, Gabi-gabi (1995); Hataw Na! (1995); Maruja (1996); Bayarang Puso (1996); Nag-iisang Ikaw (1996); Minsan Lamang Magmamahal (1997); Ako Ba ang Nasa Puso Mo? (1997); Ikaw Pala ang Mahal Ko (1997); Nang Iniwan Mo Ako (1997); Tumutol Man ang Tadhana (1998); Luksong Tinik (1998) among others.

In an exclusive interview with The STAR, Joey described his maiden documentary as a "non-partisan critique of the Philippine society without any hidden political agenda." He said, "PAPOGI is a sociological analysis of our country’s mass media and politics." In his script, Joey made full use of his background as a scholar of literature, language, and communication arts. The script, however, is devoid of an academician’s pompous tone and intellectual arrogance. The language in his script is casual and crisp, without sacrificing substance. He playfully used "showbiz lingo" in discussing serious historical and political issues. The result is engaging, if not arresting.

PCIJ had allowed The STAR to preview PAPOGI prior to its formal presentation to a select group of top advertising executives on April 28 and before the actual press preview event in early May.

"I do hope more young people will venture into documentary-making after seeing this piece. Studios impose very rigid templates in filmmaking," Joey said. "I’m so happy the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism got me for this documentary because PCIJ saved me P1 million in production budget by involving me in this documentary," he said. He emphasized that he had always been on the lookout for an appropriate opportunity to do a documentary. If there were brave souls willing to fund three documentary projects, he said he would like to tackle issues such as the country’s dying folk arts which may lead to the loss of national identity, the deterioration of Philippine education, and the irony of overseas Filipino workers being glorified as Bagong Bayani.

"How can overseas Filipino workers be labeled Bagong Bayani when their migration destroys social fabric? In these times, do we equate heroism with the amount of foreign currency they bring in?" Joey asked. "Sad to say, the presidential candidates do not discuss the country’s problems in their sorties. Their speeches are all papogi sa masa, more of sound bytes than substance."

In defining "the culture of celebrity" in contemporary Philippine society, Joey once wrote "politics and show business married into a comfortable union. Miting de abanses are spiced up with singers and stars to draw a crowd. Politicians are made to sing and dance like they are auditioning for a production number of a noontime show. Politicians inch their way into television in order to bring themselves close to the people. It is not surprising that in the here and now, the singers, the stars and starlets are turning into politicians. If they can bring in the crowd, then they might as well get the votes that may pay off better than their talent fees."

Jose Javier Reyes for Philippine President, anyone?