Ganito Siya Noon, Paano Tayo Ngayon?: A Close Up of Eddie Romero's Cinematic Odyssey

 

Ganito Siya Noon, Paano Tayo Ngayon?: A Close Up of Eddie Romero's Cinematic Odyssey

The year 2024 was a momentous year for the late Eddie Romero, one of the country’s greatest film directors, producers and screenwriters and a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts (May 26, 2003) known for his picaresque yet meaningful films, whose birth centennial was held last July 7.  A centennial celebration, held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, united colleagues, loved ones, and admirers inspired by Romero’s cinematic vision and dedication to Philippine culture. Together, they paid tribute, not only to his invaluable contributions to film, but also to his enduring spirit as a storyteller who brought the Filipino experience to a global audience.

 

Eddie Romero

The gathering was attended by his friends, members of media, film colleagues (including Gloria Diaz) and a number of Romero’s relatives which include his sons Joey and Ansel and their spouses, his younger brother Rodolfo "Rudy" Romero, his nephews and nieces (which includes actress Chanda Romero) and grandchildren (including Pasay City Congressman Gustavo "Gus" Tambunting).

 

Jose Romero

Though reserved, Eddie’s gentle guidance shaped his sons into principled, thoughtful men.  In his welcome remark, Joey Romero (also a film director and a MTRCB board director), recalls his father’s mantra that defined, not only his life, but also his legacy, saying “You can be anything you want to be as long as you like what you’re doing and strive to be good, if not the best at it. You can be a carpenter but be darn good at it and like it.” 

Ancel Romero

Eddie believed that true success wasn’t about fame or wealth, but about what you could give back, especially to those less fortunate. This value was poignantly instilled in one quiet moment when he reminded Ancel to be grateful and compassionate toward those who had less. Ancel Romero recalls him saying “The most important value he instilled in us was putting others above oneself.”

 

Atty. Rudy Romero - Eddie's younger brother

Tributes to Romero where not only delivered through words, but also through songs, some of which were theme songs in movies Eddie directed.  The Letran Singing Ambassadors (established in 2004, it is the official choir of Colegio de San Juan de Letran) sang Iduyan Mo, a song, composed by Ryan Cayabyab (2018 National Artist for Music), and made for Romero’s film Aguila. Featuring an ensemble cast including the late Fernando Poe Jr., this 1980 epic, said to be one of the biggest Filipino films ever made, explores the impact of colonization and war on the Filipino spirit. 

 

Letran Singing Ambassadors

The choir also sang Saan Ka Man Naroroon, a song composed, in 1968, by Restie Umali and Levi Celerio (1997 National Artist for Music and Literature); and Allegro Musica, a fast song, with medley, also composed by Ryan Cayabyab and arranged by Anthony Go Villanueva.  Ms. Aleli V. Salazar (of the Ateneo Chamber Singers), on the other hand, sang Goodbye Joe, Hello, the theme song from the 1982 Filipino-American film Desire (starring Tetchie Agbayani), also directed by Romero.

 

Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?

The highlight of the day was the announcement, by Nicolas “Nick” A. Deocampo, celebrated filmmaker, film educator, and chairperson of UNESCO Philippines, that Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? (1976, translated as “This Was How We Were Then…. How are You Doing Now?), one of Romero’s most celebrated films, has been selected for inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World (MoW) Register, honoring its role in preserving cultural heritage for the world.  The MoW, a UNESCO program, established in 1992,  under the communication and information sector, is an international effort to promote the preservation of humanity’s most historically, and culturally, significant documents and treasures. 

 

Nicolas "Nick" Deocampo

The film, widely regarded as a masterpiece of Philippine cinema, delves deeply into Filipino identity and culture during the Spanish colonial era, skillfully blending humor, drama, and historical insight. This movie narrates the adventures and misadventures of Kulas (played by Christopher de Leon), a naive peasant boy, who wanders through the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898 and the Philippine-American War of 1899-1901. Gloria Diaz, as Matilda “Diding” Diaz, plays the love interest of Kulas.  The events serve as catalysts for Kulas to come to a realization about his identity as a man and as a Filipino. This film reflects powerful themes that recur throughout Romero’s works, including the epic Aguila (1980), which spans generations.

 

Gloria Diaz - played Didang, Kulas' love interest

In 2013, the film was digitally restored and remastered by the ABS-CBN Film Archives in partnership with Central Digital Lab.   During its restoration, the film print had noticeable impairments such as heavy splices, scratches, and breathing and it took 2,479 manual hours just to restore the film.  Another 80 hours was spent for color grading, with Joey Romero (who had a cameo in the film) personally involving himself in its restoration and technical run and helping with the color grading process. For its restoration, ABS-CBN Film Restoration borrowed and used the only extant 35-millimeter copy of the film found in the collection of the Cultural Center of thePhilippines. The original mono audio was lifted from the Betacam copy, restored and upgraded, to stereo, by ABS-CBN Audio Post.

 

Romero being conferred the title of National Artist for Film by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

Deocampo first met the film's director, Eddie Romero, while they were both working at Movie Workers Welfare Foundation or MOWELFUND (Romero was a prime mover in its creation as well as that of the Film Academy of thePhilippines and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board or MTRCB). For him, this classic uniquely captures the essence of Filipino identity, resilience, and heritage. This film doesn’t just tell a story; it embodies a legacy, a piece of history, and a powerful statement about Filipino culture and spirit.

 

Eddie Romero directing Fernando Poe Jr.

Deocampo marveled at the symbolism Romero infused into his work, describing it as “Perfectly semiotic” and explaining that each frame reflects the Filipino soul. He considers this film the “national text” of Philippine cinema—akin to Noli Me Tangere in literature.  As a cultural artifact, Ganito Kami Noon,Paano Kayo Ngayon? is a testament to the Philippines’ complex history and enduring spirit. His efforts to have it recognized, by UNESCO, highlights its role as a piece of national heritage for future generations—a cinematic time capsule preserving not only the past but the core of Filipino culture. For him, this film is more than a story; it’s a legacy embodying the heart of what it is to be Filipino.