The Philippines: A Legacy of Violence

Documentary - 1990

Underground video was an important tool during the Marcos era and contributed to the Aquino revolution. In the rejuvenated atmosphere within traditional Philippine media institutions, President Aquino has become the protagonist in a soap opera and the brunt of ribald satiric humor. A skit on a weekly comedy show Six O'Clock News, where a genial Bush twists Aquino's arm for continued U.S. military bases. Next, an emotional melodrama uses double exposure and surreal juxtapositions to address the current military repression. The debates about U.S. bases in the Philippines are played out in TV genres marked by a unique display of national character.