“‘Pag nurse ka at napanood mo ‘to, gugustuhin mo ulit maging nurse sa second life. Pero kung ordinaryong tao ka, papangarapin mong maging nurse—ikaw o ‘yung anak mo—because everyone wants to be heroes. Everyone wants to be appreciated,” were the words Dr. Carl E. Balita used to describe the film Siglo Ng Kalinga.
As the producer of the film, through Dr. Carl E. Balita Productions, he promises that Siglo Ng Kalinga will tug on the audience’s heartstrings as they realize the relevance of nurses in society as they a particular level of care that brings patients comfort and security during times of ailment.
The film is the Philippine Nurses Association’s (PNA) cinematic offering to celebrate their centennial or 100 years of formation. Siglo Ng Kalinga touches on the life of Anastacia Giron-Tupas, the founder of PNA, and two other generations to highlight her life experiences, work, advocacies, teachings, and learnings as a nurse.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses served as the first and last line of defense against the virus. Yet despite their efforts and being named heroes, they’ve to receive the proper compensation to match their sacrifices. Nonetheless, Siglo Ng Kalinga hopes to inspire viewers and unlock their passion for healthcare to continue the long-standing tradition of Filipino nurses being the best in the world while calling upon administrators to recognize the profession’s relevance.
In the meantime, Balita knows that the film can touch more people if given the appropriate platform to reach Filipino nurses overseas and represent their community globally. Fortunately, he has Nancy Hoff, the President of the Philippine Nurses Association of America Foundation (PNAAF), to support his lofty goal.
“Napakasaya namin na magkakaroon ng ganitong panahon na makikita ng lahat ang tunay na mga ginagawa ng mga nurses sa simula pa. Kasi hindi lang naman kami nag-aalaga ng may sakit sa ospital, madaming madami pa ang ginagampanan ng mga nurses dito sa mundo,” she said.
Moreover, Siglo Ng Kalinga doesn’t stop at highlighting nurses’ stories. Balita confirmed that he maintained his decision to strictly hire nurses with a passion for acting to play the character roles. It took a month to find the right cast, but it paid off. Who else could know what nurses go through than those in the profession themselves?
“They did not act, actually. They just did what they do and knew what to do,” Balita said.
Archie Del Mundo, the film’s scriptwriter and line producer, meticulously went through the applicants until he found Joy Ras and Tads Obach for the lead roles. Seated at the director’s chair is Lemuel Lorca, who is known for his previous work on local independent films.
With the support of the PNAAF, Balita and Hoff decided to show the movie through screening venues in the United States. Part of the proceeds from the screenings will go to the PNAAF, the organization’s philanthropic arm.
Balita also expressed his interest in participating in the summer leg of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival with Siglo Ng Kalinga as an official entry.
Siglo Ng Kalinga will premiere this April 2023.