Fatima: Good afternoon. We’re here today with Mr. John Arcilla, an award-winning Filipino theatre and TV actor. Papa Bear John Arcilla: And film! Fatima: And film actor. (cries) So, what made you choose performing arts as your profession? PBJA: Well, as a profession, it’s actually accidental. It’s just, […] I just loved doing it since I was young. Since I’ve been little, I’ve been watching myself on our ceiling, singing, performing onstage, performing in front of a lot of people. I can see myself onscreen. I can see myself singing onstage. I don’t know why but it’s like I have a movie screen in front of me before I sleep and I see myself performing there, and it all happened. Since I was young, I’ve been performing for our family guests. My mother side are the Quezons, the Manuel Quezons. They used to gather together on someone’s birthday or event or a party and they usually render impromptu poems. So, lumaki ako sa ganoon. They do that, up to now. On reunions, gatherings, they do impromptu poetry reading or impromptu poem renditions. So para sa akin, nabuhay ako sa ganoong klaseng surroundings, family. I also perform, sing, dance in school. My father was the president of the PTA, and I usually sing for the parents and teachers. My father is so proud of me, he always presents me to perform in every meeting. I was also an active student in our school, not only in performances but also in quiz bees. I was part of the top three since I was in my elementary days. I think the biggest influence was my parents. My mother and my father used to love Broadway, Hollywood films, musicals. They love watching musical films and they loved Julie Andrews, Marilyn Monroe. So I think doon nanggaling yung interest ko. So para sa akin, while I was growing up, those things are just part of me. It was natural, I just loved doing it. And then when I got the scholarship from my college as a Mass Comm student, ganoon pa rin, diretso pa rin. When I decided to stay in the school for free board and lodging, I maintained a quota to keep my scholarship, but I had to pay for my rent, so I decided to work for the school. My first work was to give theatre arts workshops, or workshops in communities, or for performing arts. So para sa akin, nagising lang ako doon, ginawa ko lang siya, then naging profession ko na siya. Para siyang accidental. Di ba sabi nila may cliché na “Do what you love and you will not work for the rest of your life”, or something like that. So parang ganoon yung nangyari sa akin. From hilig to “I can earn pala from this”. Doon nagdevelop. And before nga medyo I feel awkward pa if I get something from it, if they pay me. In theatre wala ka namang usually na bayad eh. Naprofessionalize lang ako nung CCP in 1990. Even before that, my first commercial was before the 90s. I was endorsing a bath soap. I just took a shower and then they paid me 2500. And I thought ‘Wow! I just took a bath and they paid me 2500!’ I wasn’t aware of the business side of it kasi nga ganoon sa akin nag-umpisa eh. So ganoon siya nagstart. Siguro naprofessionalize na kasi ginagawa ko na siya madalas and I’m already earning from it, and nakakapaginvest na rin ako doon dahil sa earnings ko. Fatima: Have you encountered any challenges? And if so, how did you overcome them? PBJA: Well first, I was already in theatre for so long, and I’ve encountered a film. There was this lady who brought her boyfriend to a family dinner. And then yung father niya ang sabi niya sa boyfriend “So what do you do?” And then the girl said “Oh dad! He’s an actor, he’s an actor in theatre and he’s auditioning for a lot of roles and commercials in television!” “Oh yeah? So when are you going to get a real job?” And then my world stopped. I’ve been in this business, this vocation or profession for so long, since I was young then I will just realize that to a lot of people, especially to businessmen, this is not a profession, this is not a job. So I had to go back to all my lessons and the history of acting and history of theatre to convince myself that I’m actually doing a job, that what I’m doing is a profession. If you’re going to let me review, since 600 BC, may theatre na. Since those years, ginagamit na ng politicians ang actors and just to campaign. Actors during those times were not paid, but they were being used to promote politicians. Politicians usually organized and sponsored a group, a theatre group, who will perform during feast days of St. Dionysius during those times. And then I realized ganoon pala kalakas ang power ng theatre arts at actors to change societies. As early as 600 BC. 15th century naprofessionalize ang acting through an Italian group. Commedia dell’arte ang tawag sa kanila. For the first time they passed hats. They’re actually like gypsies. They go around places, and they passed hats and they split their money to their cast members. For the first time it was professionalized. They can get earnings from their performances. So as early as 15th century, naprofessionalize na siya. So this is a profession. Maaaring sa businessman’s point of view, hindi. Kasi ang businessman iba ang tingin nila sa real job. Trystam: Having that discrimination, what do you think is the main impact of your profession right now in the Philippines, and what do you think is the state of media arts in the Philippines right now? PBJA: Well, for me, whatever culture we have, it is being enhanced or affected by what people see and watch in television and films and theatre. And as actors, we have a lot of responsibilities towards our audience. We actually jumped from the question pero it’s a good question. From there, ‘yon nga sa sinasabi ko sa 15th century, I realized, hindi lang kami profession, but we affect the transformation of societies. Media and television and film and everything that we see now really affects the psyche of the Filipinos, not only us, but the citizenry of every nation. We have a big responsibility. We have to choose what stories or plays to share to the audience because whether you like it or not, they will get something out of it. They can get lessons, they can distract society. So ganun kalaki ang impact para sa akin ng aking profession or ng aking responsibility as an actor. Because before being an actor, I am a part of society. I am a Filipino. I am a citizen of this world. So I have a responsibility, especially in this kind of job where people are actually watching and sometimes idolizing me. So para sa akin, kung ano man ang nangyayari sa Philippines ngayon, may connection rin sa mga decisions ng media and producers kung ano yung pinapalabas natin sa kanila. Like what values are we getting from a lot of mistress films. (laughs) Diba? You’re making the issue on being a querida very casual. So ano ang value na tinuturo mo, na binibigay mo sa isang society, sa isang grupo ng tao? Kailangang malinaw sa isang media practitioner yan, or kagaya namin na artista, or anchorperson. Kenard: Having said that, have you declined any job offers? PBJA: Yeah! Yeah. Luckily, most of the offers are really good ones. So if I have declined some, I can only count that siguro mga two to three lang siya. Luckily, most of the offers are really the good ones, like Heneral Luna, Metro Manila. Siguro hindi rin nila nakikita na ganun ang mga roles ko. Abigail: You have performed in Hollywood films already. So how do you compare Hollywood films to Filipino films? PBJA: Artistically wise, pareho. World-class ang ating skills pagdating sa filmmaking. The only thing is that they have money. We don’t have a lot of money like them. So they can create huge productions with quality, but we can’t. But when it comes to ideas and artistry, we are world-class. In fact, we are more advanced when it comes to skills, and uhh, what do you call it, behind-the-scenes staff. Behind-the-scenes crew and workers. Mas advanced tayo sa kanila, at mas masipag tayo. We work under pressure. Lumaki yung mga nasa movie industry na under pressure, but we are paid less. But actually, mas skillful tayo sa kanila, mas mabilis tayo magtrabaho kaysa mga foreign film productions. Giana: What do you think we can do so that Philippine movies and films will be recognized? PBJA: We are doing it now! We are joining a lot of festivals around the world. Most of our young filmmakers are really busy doing films and attending festivals. We are being recognized. Modesty aside, I was the first Asian nominated for film festival in Great Britain, in London. I was nominated as best supporting actor for the film Metro Manila. It was just 2013. I represented Great Britain in the Oscar’s in 2013 because Metro Manila was produced by a British guy, and it was also directed by a British guy. So I actually represented Great Britain, not the Philippines. Dito lang kasi siya nashoot eh, pero hindi siya production ng Filipino. It was hailed in Sundance as best film. And we were all Filipinos. It was also hailed as best film in Great Britain. Dalawang big continents, it was hailed as best film. And when I had a mini-concert in Sweden last 2014, I travelled around this country. I realized how popular the film is to European communities, not to Filipinos. Hindi nila pinapanood eh. I have a lot of friends in Sweden, napanood nila yung Metro Manila through a Swedish recommendation. “Oh, have you seen this film, your film, Metro Manila?” “Uhh, no.” (laughs) Kasi yung mga pinapanood nila kung ano-anong mga pelikula eh. (laughs) Emi: Do you think there is anything that could be improved in our country’s performing arts? PBJA: Well, learning, studying, and improving, it’s a continuous process. Of course there will be. We should not stop learning and reinventing ourselves as Filipinos, as performers, as human beings. Iba na kasi ang tingin ko sa atin ngayon eh. Hindi na Pilipino lang, we are global citizens. So don’t think of just the Philippines. Think of the globe. We’re already there, but we still have to keep learning, and it’s a natural process. It applies to everyone. Trystam: You mentioned the problem of patriotism in our movies. Filipinos right now are valuing foreign movies. There’s a good thing that happened last year, which was Heneral Luna, which greatly affected the nation’s patriotism. What do you think were the main highlights of that movie, and what do you think you can do for the sustainability of having that kind of film? PBJA: First and foremost, it’s very timely. The Filipino people are already so fed up with what’s going on in their country, and somebody is swearing for them, somebody is shouting for them, screaming all his anxieties for them. Someone is doing that for them. And we realize that after 120 years, we’re still like that. The story is very relevant, which means people learned that no significant change really happened. We just changed our people, our get-up, pero walang nagbago. I think ganoon yung nakita ng mga Filipinong nanood. They realized that even an imperfect person can love his country perfectly. That’s how Antonio Luna showed it. But then there was a tragic flaw. One of the lessons I’ve learned is, being aggressive is really good. It’s one of the best characteristics we can have as a person, but it has to go with diplomacy. Or else, mapagkakamalan siyang arrogance, and that’s what happened to him. That’s why he was misunderstood, and he was killed at the age of 32. Had he treated it differently, maybe tumagal pa yung buhay niya. That’s his tragic flaw. But his love for country was genuine, his intentions were genuine. The way he expressed this love was misunderstood. That was one of the first things I’ve learned being this character. You have to have diplomacy whether you like it or not, para mag-come across yung message na gusto mong sabihin. I think producers should learn from the experience, and from the thought that Filipinos are not dumb. We are good listeners. We are intelligent audience. We just need good material, because everyone will watch, everyone will follow, everyone will patronize our own. We just have to do good quality films. Most of the producers are clinging to the formula films because they are so afraid that the people will not watch it so they will not get back their money. Yun siguro yung dahilan. But Heneral Luna showed it differently. They considered Heneral Luna as a gamechanger. They realized that Filipinos are ready to watch a different kind of formula, we just have to give them the best, to make it really good. Producers should learn from experience. We, as audience, have to encourage the producers to produce more, kasi if we’re not going to watch the movies, they’re just going to go back to the formula stories. We also have to patronize our own. Abigail: You have played a lot of historical figures in films and theatre. Which is your favorite? PBJA: All of them. (laughs) But this one is the biggest, kasi malaki yung mileage na nareach niya. Pero I love Rizal. I did Rizal in a musical. I did Crisostomo Ibarra. I did the trilogy of Rizal’s novels and his own biomusical by Ryan Cayabyab in the University of the Philippines. And I loved it. I don’t know, since I was young I’ve been doing those. I have already played Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Mabini, Gregorio, no not Gregorio del Pilar. Who’s the other del Pilar? Fatima and Abigail: Marcelo? PBJA: Ayun, I already did Marcelo, and then this one. I don’t know, maybe I’m an old soul? (laughs) But everytime I stepped onstage since I was young, I always told myself “I’m doing this for the country. I’m doing this for the Filipino people.” I don’t know, maybe my parents put that in me. So maybe, this one is partly a culmination of everything that I have done in theatre and in my community days when I was young. Siguro ganun yun. Fatima: Now that you're known by most people as Heneral Luna, can you say that your purpose in performing arts has been fulfilled? How do you think this helped the people of our country, especially the youth? PBJA: It’s not the end of everything that I should do. It’s just one of the culminating projects that I can have. I’m still dreaming of doing projects that can make the Filipinos think, and projects that I can be an inspiration to a lot of people, not only in the Philippines but to a lot of people. I mean I want to do some films that has to do something with our responsibility towards the Earth because of climate change. It is actually happening now. We have to do something about it. We have a lot of responsibilities as human beings, not just Filipinos. And I want to be a part of those projects that can enlighten everyone. I think, for me as an actor, that is my responsibility. If I have the talent that can help people to be enlightened, I would love to do it and play that role. Fatima: As a final activity, we know that a lot of people have expressed their favorite scenes from Heneral Luna, but what we don’t know is your favorite scene. If it’s okay, would you reenact it? PBJA: I don’t really put categories in every scene that I do, because I have to love it all. Whether I like it or not, I have to be there in every page, in every period of the script, in every scene of the film. I have to put myself, my passion, and everything, in every scene. I don’t usually categorize favorites to scenes. But, there are a lot of scenes that I can always remember, and are unforgettable, like “Bayan o sarili, pumili ka,” “Mga kapatid meron tayong mas malaking kaaway kaysa ang mga Amerikano. Ang ating sarili.” ‘Yan, mga ganyan. Yung “Para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng isang puta!” (laughs) It goes with the lines eh, yung mga scenes na ‘yun. Isa sa pinakatouching for me was the assassination. That was the point where everyone was beginning to feel “Man, can someone suffer like him just because he loves his country so much?” It’s really a heartbreaking scene for me. I remember one of my staff, my assistant was crying just watching me. The people behind her told her that (pats Fatima’s back) “No, it’s just a shooting, don’t cry, sir John is just playing a role,” ganun. “Hindi eh,” sabi niya. “Naiiyak ako kasi ganun pala nangyari kay Heneral Luna,” something like that. Even the most ordinary person can learn from it. And it’s very sad that it’s still happening now. Sabi ko nga nung first time na ipapalabas namin siya, it’s still very relevant nowadays, and it has two connotations. First was, we have a good possibility to earn from our revenues, from the film, because it’s still going on. Which means, there are a lot of potential audience, the students and all, but I just don’t know how. Kasi historical ito eh. Alam kong paborito ng tao rom-com. The second one is, it’s still relevant, yes, but it’s a sad story. Why is it still relevant after 120 years? It is sad! Wala ba tayong natututunan after 120 years? It’s sad. When are we going to learn as Filipinos? When are we going to unite as Filipinos to change this country? So iyon yung nakakalungkot. Tignan niyo yung nangyayari ngayon. Kanya-kanya tayo ng pambato, away nang away, mas nauuna yung away kaysa sa bansa. ‘Cause for me, I don’t believe in idols. I don’t believe in one person. I believe in us, as a community, as a people of this country. We can change our country through ourselves, not by idolizing people, or whoever Presidentiable that we have. Kahit sino iupo niyo diyan, kung hindi tayo magbabago, babalik at babalik yung istorya. So I’m counting on you, as the millenials, to work on this, and let’s hold hands together as a nation, at hindi tayo dapat wasakin ng iilang tao.