I’M HAPPY TO HEAR that prizewinning indie writer-director Doy del Mundo is currently filming his second full-length feature (after Cinemalaya top winner “Pepot Artista”). My enthusiasm is even more personal than usual because, as Doy himself affirms, his new film, “Paglipad ng Anghel,” was inspired by a moving true-to-life story involving my late best buddy, the brilliant Manuel Pichel.

At the Ateneo, Manny was a gifted student of the iconic likes of National Artist Rolando Tinio, and we later cofounded the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, of which Doy was also an original member. Early on, I admired Manny for his goodness and brilliance—but, he was so psychologically “down” on himself that I had to work extra hard to try to boost his estimation of himself.

Projects

I involved him in my projects, making him my assistant on my first full-length film. Manny didn’t study filmmaking, but he was such a good “student” that he was soon writing movie scripts on his own, like the screenplay for Ishmael Bernal’s “El Vibora.”

Later, when I was asked to edit the entertainment section of The Daily Express, I was “opposition,” so I passed on the offer—but I suggested Manny for the job.

It was during his long Express experience that Manny began telling me (confidentially) about the “little mission” that he had discovered for himself around the port area, where the newspaper’s offices were situated: Late at night, he saw that a number of old beggars scrounged around for food in the side streets, so he would “share” his baon with them.

Soon, he was “sharing” with so many hungry people that he would bring many sandwiches to work with him—but he would still go hungry every now and then. No problem, he told himself, he could always eat once he got home—but, these people had no such option.
Old man

One stormy night, Manny’s “little mission” became even bigger, or at least more challenging, when he found an old man drenched to the bone, with no hope of surcease or shelter. The poor, old beggar wasn’t even moving much, so Manny realized that he needed help in a big way—now.

There were no cabs to be flagged down, but Manny was able to persuade a calesa driver to take him and the old man to some nuns in Tondo who took good care of the old, homeless and dying, so Manny made a really good and inspired decision that night.

Later, he was told that the old beggar had expired, but Manny was consoled by the fact that he had died in the care of those loving nuns.

From time to time, Manny would donate money to the nuns, and he took a couple more people to their Tondo center to be cared for by them.

Sadly, however, Manny himself later got sick and eventually passed away, mourned not just by his loving siblings, including another bosom buddy of mine, Lollie Pichel Mara, but also by his many friends, like Laurice Guillen, National Artist Bien Lumbera and Behn Cervantes.

Script

Doy del Mundo similarly missed Manny a lot. Even better, he recalled Manny’s “little mission,” and it inspired him to come up with the script for “Paglipad ng Anghel.”

From Manny’s personal story, Doy extrapolated a fictive tale about a “faceless” but good man (played by Sid Lucero), whose virtuous and giving nature transformed him so much that he literally started “sprouting” an angel’s wings on his shoulders!

Manny Pichel may not have grown physical wings, but his friends and the many people he helped regard him as an “angel on earth,” as well. You can bet that we’ll all be there, cheering and weeping, when Doy’s movie, the film Manny’s life inspired, is shown a couple of months from now. Thanks, Doy, for your inspired and inspiring tribute to our late, great friend.