Eddie Romero transfers film rights to NCCA

MANILA, Philippines - National Artist for Cinema and Broadcast Arts Eddie Romero transferred the rights of his film Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon to the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA).

Romero felt that it is only proper to transfer the rights of one of his acclaimed films to the institution that continuously promotes the culture and arts community of the country. Aside from that, it is a form of giving back to the institution where he served as chairman of the Cinema Values Reorientation Program (CVRP), then project of the NCCA that produces TV series with good technical and social values, and helps find independent filmmakers.

Romero shared that writing is his first and foremost passion. “I have been writing since the early age of 7 or 8,” he says. When he was in high school in 1936, he sold his first short story to Philippines Free Press, a national magazine then run by its American founders.

His transition to filmmaking came about when movie director Gerry de Leon asked him to write a movie. Romero remembers telling him that he can write one in English, but not in Tagalog, since he was Visayan. “And he said, go ahead and write it. I speak Tagalog, so I can do the translation,” Romero recalled. It was through this invite that Romero’s first screenplay, Ang Maestra was born.

Aside from Ganito Kami Noon… some of his critically-acclaimed films include Agila, Banta ng Kahapon and Kamakalawa.

Romero said writing comes to him naturally. He explained that one doesn’t have to push himself to write. “If you do that, it’s hard. You have to go through a lot of learning.”

On today’s films and the filmmakers, he said: “I still watch movies or TV series until now. Some are good, some are bad. But I don’t have any trouble with young filmmakers right now. There are more good films now than before, because there is more awareness of the medium. Dati-rati, it was better writing for Liwayway magazine.”

Romero goes with the flow of things. He appreciates technology and new ideas brought by the times and the new generation. And his message for the young filmmakers of today: “Be true to yourself. Be you.”