On winning first prize in the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival essay writing contest

Last Monday, I was formally recognized for winning first prize in the recently concluded 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) essay writing contest – teachers’ category.

My essay was about the movie “Rainbow’s Sunset,” which featured veterans Gloria Romero, Eddie Garcia, and Tony Mabesa. My winning piece will be posted here on The Filipino Scribe soon.

Participants in the competition were asked to write about what for us is the most gender sensitive movie during the 44th MMFF, which ran from December 2018 up to January 2019.

This annual competition is jointly organized by the Quezon City Gender and Development Resource and Coordinating Office, the MMFF Executive Committee, and Department of Education (DepEd) – Quezon City.

This is the second time that I won in this contest. It can be recalled that I won second place back in 2017 for my essay about “Die Beautiful.”

This year, the awarding ceremony was held last March 25 at the Quezon City Hall as the highlight of the city government’s International Women’s Month culminating activity.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Department of Education – Quezon City schools division superintendent Dr. Natividad P. Bayubay graced the event.

Since we didn’t have the chance to deliver an acceptance speech, I will do so here:

First of all, I would like to thank the organizers of this competition, most especially for selecting my work as one of the winners yet again. Efforts like this contribute a lot in making sure that gender sensitive MMFF movies get the recognition they deserve. 

Thanks also to the men and women behind “Rainbow’s Sunset.” Thank you for giving us this gem of a movie, particularly for highlighting issues significant to the LGBT community. Your team deserves all the awards you got during the MMFF Awards Night, and I hope that other award-giving bodies will honor you as well later this year.

Now, allow me to dedicate my latest win to many people. First, to my Mom and Aunt who were with me on that special day. Thank you for giving me my first example of what unconditional love is. I promise we’ll have more victorious moments in the future.

Second, I’m also dedicating this to everyone at the Batasan Hills National High School – from the administrators, to my fellow teachers, as well as my students. I know this news took you by surprise, but I’ve always been vocal about my desire to bring honor to our school in whatever endeavor I engage in. Mark my words: there’ll be more to come.

I’m also dedicating this to the Filipino LGBT community in which I am a proud part of. I know we still have a long way in achieving our goals of social acceptance as well as equality in the eyes of law, and you can count on me to continue using my talents and platforms to push those advocacies.

Now, when people compliment me for being a talented writer, I always mention that I am fortunate to have had very good mentors. Hence, I wanna give a shout-out yet again to all my writing mentors especially during my high school and college years.

And lastly, I want to thank the Almighty God for making this moment, as well as every other highlight of my life, possible.

About Author

Mark Pere Madrona

The Filipino Scribe (TFS) is managed by Mark Pere Madrona, a multi-awarded writer and licensed professional teacher from the Philippines.

Mr. Madrona earned his master’s degree in history from the University of the Philippines-Diliman last 2020. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in journalism cum laude from the same university back in 2010. His area of interests includes Philippine journalism, history, and politics as well as social media.

Know more about him here: https://www.filipinoscribe.com/about/.

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